Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1575
PennDOT driver cited in connection with Fawn crash
Police cited a PennDOT salt truck driver who they said drove into the path of a station wagon Monday morning in Fawn. John Graham, 36, of McKeesport failed to yield to oncoming traffic about 6:40 a.m. when he turned left from a Route 28 exit ramp onto Bull Creek Road, according...
Heinz Lofts drops dispute with Terrelle Pryor seeking $1,827 in unpaid rent
A landlord-tenant dispute involving free agent NFL player and Jeannette native Terrelle Pryor and his girlfriend has been resolved without a court hearing, according to online court records. The complaint was filed by Heinz Lofts 10 days after a Nov. 30 fight between Pryor, 30, and his girlfriend, Shalaya Briston,...
Person under 50 among new Pennsylvania flu deaths, health department reports
Pennsylvania’s influenza epidemic claimed four more lives in the past week, including the first fatal case of the season involving a person younger than 50, according to data released Tuesday by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The number of laboratory-confirmed cases and flu-related hospitalizations surged over the past week, data...
Lawyers to host legal clinic for Clairton residents interested in U.S. Steel lawsuit
A Pittsburgh-based environmental law firm will hold free legal clinics for Clairton residents interested in participating in a class-action lawsuit against U.S. Steel over pollution from the Clairton Coke Works. Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services, in partnership with environmental advocacy groups Clean Water Action, Women for a Healthy Environment and...
Packages in Pa. Turnpike crash remain on delivery route
UPS packages that were being hauled by tractor-trailers involved in the fatal Pennsylvania Turnpike crash will reach their intended destinations if they were not damaged, a company spokesman said Tuesday. “If a package is damaged, we contact the shipper for replacement or reimbursement of that delivery,” said Matthew O’Connor, senior...
Pittsburgh Public Schools looking to sell 4 vacant schools
Pittsburgh Public Schools is trying to sell four vacant school buildings and a sizable parcel of land to developers with plans that will help the neighborhoods and the district. The district distributed a request for proposals Monday through Fourth River Development for prospective bidders to purchase and redevelop its surplus...
Judge bans public, media from Wilkinsburg mass shooting jury selection
A judge will consider arguments Wednesday against an order barring the media and public from jury selection in a high-profile homicide trial set to begin in four weeks. Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Edward J. Borkowski ordered Tuesday that the press and public be barred from observing and reporting on...
Police: Uniontown man accused in baby’s death charged with injuring another child
A Uniontown man accused in the 2019 death of an East Huntingdon baby was charged Tuesday in connection with injuries to his 14-month-old son, according to court papers. Derrick A. Bass, 29, was watching the boy in Monessen in October 2018 when police said the child was hurt. Bass is...
Pittsburgh Restaurant Week spotlights delicious meals and deals
Two things are fairly predictable about January in Pittsburgh: It’s typically a cold month – and it’s a slow month for local restaurants after a busy holiday season. Brian McCollum says it’s a perfect time of year to check out some new cuisine or visit favorite dining establishments that are...
Funeral services announced for Rostraver West Newton paramedic killed on I-70
A Rostraver West Newton Emergency Services paramedic supervisor who was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer along Interstate 70will be laid to rest Friday in Monongahela Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were announced for Matthew C. Smelser, 43, of Carroll Township, by Marshall Marra Funeral Home, 216 Chess St., Monongahela, where visitation...
Son of Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle found dead in Beverly Hills home
The son of Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle was found dead Monday night at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif., the team confirmed. Andrew Burkle was 27. “We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of Andrew Burkle’s passing and offer our deepest condolences to Ron and his family,” Penguins...
Multi-vehicle wrecks cleared from inbound Parkway North
Traffic is back to normal after a pair of multi-vehicle crashes along the inbound Parkway North snarled traffic for several hours during the morning rush hour, according to authorities. The wrecks occurred shortly before 7 a.m. just past the East Street exit to Route 28, state police said. One of...
Pier 1 Imports closing nearly half of stores as sales falter
FORT WORTH, Texas — Pier 1 Imports is closing nearly half its 942 stores as it struggles to draw consumers and compete online. The home decor company said Monday it is closing up to 450 stores and will also shutter distribution centers. It didn’t say where the store closures would...
PennDOT vehicles enforcing speed limits in work zone on Boulevard of the Allies
PennDOT has launched a new automated system that records the speed of vehicles traveling through work zones to make it safer for road repair crews. The electronic speed timing devices, which will be mounted on vehicles so they can easily be moved to various locations, were deployed Monday in seven...
Dry January or Dry-ish January? Both can have health benefits
The holiday parties are over, the New Year’s resolutions are in and many likely revolve around a healthier 2020. For those who may have been over-served during December’s festivities, or are just looking for a challenge, that could include cutting out the glass of wine with dinner or the cocktails...
Former Passionist priest, who once served in Pittsburgh, gets probation for ‘unnatural acts’ on a minor
BOSTON — A Catholic priest has pleaded guilty to two counts of “unnatural acts” with a minor for accusations of sexual abuse dating back to the 1970s. James Randall Gillette was sentenced to five years of probation in Suffolk Superior Court in Boston on Jan. 2, according to court records....
‘It feels like a movie.’ Turnpike crash survivor recounts ordeal
Quwanjay Ellis was drifting off to sleep on a bus traveling from New York to Ohio about 3:30 Sunday morning when he heard a voice in his head: “Open your eyes.” He had only moments to brace for what came next. Sitting in the aisle seat directly behind the driver,...
Stowe police wound suspect in shooting near Sto-Rox High School
A Stowe Township police officer fired his gun at a man who had been driving a car that may have been involved in a shooting near Sto-Rox High School Monday afternoon, Allegheny County Police said. Police said the man was grazed by the bullet and taken into custody. After being...
Editorial: Is there enough talk about Pa. Turnpike safety?
There is a lot of talk about the turnpike. People gripe about the annually escalating tolls and the large amount of debt the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission carries with huge annual payments to the state Department of Transportation for non-turnpike-related services. But is there enough conversation about how safe the turnpike...
Jeannette woman gets 15 to 30 years in prison for boyfriend’s death
A Jeannette woman convicted last year in the fatal bludgeoning of her teen-aged boyfriend insisted in court on Monday she did not intend for him to die. Crystal Belle, 40, said during her sentencing hearing she cared deeply for her 19-year-old boyfriend, Khalil Parker, even as she used the wooden...
$1 million New Year’s Millionaire Raffle ticket sold in Salem
Someone who shopped at a Salem convenience store wanted to be a millionaire, apparently. Now they are, according to the Pennsylvania Lottery. A winning $1 million New Year’s Millionaire Raffle ticket was sold at the GetGo store on State Route 22. The ticket matched one of four numbers picked in...
2 Pennsylvanians among the 5 people killed in Pennsylvania Turnpike crash
Two of the five people killed in Sunday’s deadly Pennsylvania Turnpike crash in Westmoreland County were from Pennsylvania. Dennis Kehler, 48, of Lebanon, a driver for UPS for 28 years, leaves behind his wife, Kathleen, a daughter and two stepchildren. “He was one of the most generous men I’ve ever...
Rostraver West Newton paramedic killed on I-70 remembered as dedicated, compassionateVideo
A 14-year-old Matthew Smelser showed up three decades ago for a youth emergency medical explorer program in Connellsville. Greg Cominsky, a longtime area paramedic, knew right away that he was destined for a career helping people. “Oh, Matt took an immediate interest in it. He was so eager, so dedicated...
Pittsburgh City Council elects new president, newest North Side rep takes officeVideo
As she continues her third term on Pittsburgh City Council, Theresa Kail-Smith had been content in a non-leadership role. “I was comfortable being led,” Kail-Smith said. That ended Monday, when Kail-Smith, 60, of the Westwood neighborhood in the city’s West End, was unanimously elected the new council president. “It was...
New Westmoreland County sheriff finds offices trashed
Newly installed Westmoreland County Sheriff James Albert found a surprise when he arrived at work Monday morning. Stacks of boxes filled with old arrest warrants blocked the door to his administrative suite of offices, trash was strewn on floors and desks, and the former sheriff’s dirty uniforms were piled beneath...
