Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1826
Man accused of choking, pulling knife on ex-girlfriend in Latrobe store parking lot
A 25-year-old man is accused by Latrobe Police with choking a former girlfriend and threatening her with a knife during an argument Tuesday in the parking lot of a city convenience store. Police arrested Cody G. Riggin, who lists his address as Republic in Fayette County, Wednesday on charges of...
Clairton police investigating alleged assault during Tuesday’s protest of Rosfeld verdict
Clairton police anticipate a “lengthy” investigation into the alleged assault of a driver during a protest Monday relating to the acquittal of Michael Rosfeld. The incident happened about 12:30 p.m. after some Clairton High School students walked out in protest of the verdict, which cleared Rosfeld of any crime in...
Disney bans smoking, vaping at Orlando, California parks
ORLANDO, Fla. — Disney is banning smoking and vaping inside its theme parks starting May 1, the company announced Thursday. The smoking areas are disappearing inside Walt Disney World and Disneyland theme parks, including the water parks and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, according to a Disney blog...
Father of accused New Kensington cop killer charged with threatening a witness
The estranged father of a man accused of killing New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw in 2017 was arrested Thursday and accused of sending messages to a witness in his son’s case, authorities said. Gregory Baucum, 48, is accused by police of contacting the witness Jan. 8 through Facebook. “So...
Pa. man gets death for teen’s rape, murder, dismemberment
DOYLESTOWN, Pa. — A man who killed and dismembered his girlfriend’s 14-year-old daughter as part of a rape-murder fantasy he shared with the teenager’s mother was sentenced to death Thursday. Jacob Sullivan, 46, had pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and related charges for killing Grace Packer in 2016. After deliberating...
W.Va. woman caught with loaded handgun at Pittsburgh airport
A West Virginia woman tried taking a loaded gun through security at Pittsburgh International Airport on Wednesday, according to Transportation Security Administration officials. The woman, from Monongalia County, had the 9mm handgun in her backpack, said TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein. The gun was loaded with seven rounds, including one in...
India.Arie, Marty Stuart top list of Three Rivers Art Festival acts
A diverse music lineup is promised for the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival, coming June 7-16 to Point State Park, Gateway Plaza and the Cultural District in downtown Pittsburgh. “Embarking on our 60th year, the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Art Festival continues to attract a broad range of entertainment...
Police: Philadelphia man hid 20K stamp bags of heroin in SUV on Pa. Turnpike
State police found 20,000 stamp bags of suspected heroin Wednesday hidden in a sport utility vehicle heading east on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, according to court papers. Troopers pulled over Cristobal Rosa-Robles, 48, of Philadelphia, for a traffic violation at 1:30 p.m. near mile marker 78 in Mt. Pleasant Township. Police...
Original Tree of Life synagogue part of to-be demolished Pittsburgh Playhouse
As the Tree of Life Congregation seeks to move forward from a horrific massacre five months ago, it is hoping to regain a piece of its past. The congregation, one of three targeted in the Tree of Life synagogue shooting in October in Squirrel Hill, said it would like to...
Etna’s ScareHouse to masquerade as a Laser Tag arena
The ScareHouse has gone rogue. Now through April 28, the haunted attraction in Etna is transforming into “Rogue Laser Grounds,” a multi-level Laser Tag adventure for kids and adults. “This is the first time we’ve done anything like this,” says Katie Dudas, ScareHouse director of sales and marketing. Staff members...
WOW Air failure doesn’t surprise airline experts
Aviation experts were not surprised by Thursday’s abrupt news that WOW Air has ceased operations. WOW had operated budget flights out of Pittsburgh International Airport to Iceland and marketed itself as a cheap way to get to Europe. “The model they have just doesn’t have enough traffic,” said Mike Boyd,...
After Mueller, Trump allies counsel against pardon push
NEW YORK — The end of the special counsel’s investigation sparked fresh speculation that President Donald Trump might pardon some of those charged in the probe. It’s also spawned a don’t-go-there chorus from some of Trump’s closest advisers and GOP allies. They’re warning that pardons could ignite a political firestorm...
Winning $768M Powerball ticket sold in Wisconsin
NEW BERLIN, Wis. — A single ticket that matched all six Powerball numbers to win the estimated $768.4 million jackpot — the third-largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history — was sold in a Milwaukee suburb, Wisconsin Lottery officials said Thursday. The ticket, worth a cash option of $477 million, was...
Woman killed in Fayette County house fire
A state police fire marshal is investigating the cause of a fatal house fire early Thursday in Springhill Township, Fayette County. The victim was a woman in her 70s who lived in the lower level of a garage apartment in the 100 block of Greater Point Marion Road, according to...
Police search for driver who fired gun in Route 28 road rage incident
Police are looking for a driver who allegedly fired three shots at another car in a road rage incident on Route 28, the Trib’s news partner, WPXI-TV, reported. According to WPXI, investigators said the alleged shooter targeted a woman driving southbound on Route 28 near the East Ohio Street exit...
WPXI anchor/reporter Marlisa Goldsmith leaving Pittsburgh for Arkansas TV station
Marlisa Goldsmith, Emmy award-winning anchor/reporter at WPXI, plans to leave Pittsburgh for Arkansas. “We’ll miss Marlisa greatly,” WPXI News Director Suzanne Nadell said via email to the Tribune-Review on Wednesday night. “She’s a great community citizen (and) newsroom leader. We’re happy she has this opportunity in Little Rock and wish...
Sunoco cuts ties with Armstrong County gas station over ‘offensive’ billboard
Sunoco said Wednesday it is halting fuel deliveries to an Armstrong County gas station because its owner posted controversial messages to a digital billboard about a quarter-mile away. The fuel giant also started removing Sunoco signage and trademarks from the Worthington station, according to company officials. The digital billboard along...
Wilkinsburg man pleads guilty to role in crack ring tied to West End gang
A Wilkinsburg man pleaded guilty in federal court to drug law violations in connection with his role in a crack cocaine ring with ties to the Greenway Boy Killas street gang, federal authorities announced Wednesday. Jewell Hall, 32, was among 28 suspects nabbed last summer in a wiretap probe targeting...
3 things Pirates pitchers will need to happen in 2019
Oddsmakers and media analysts aren’t overly bullish on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ chances to make the playoffs. But if the Pirates qualify for the postseason for a fourth time since 2013, it will be a sneaky-good pitching staff that carries them there. MLB.com recently named the top 10 starting rotations and...
Man awarded $80M in lawsuit claiming Roundup causes cancer
SAN FRANCISCO — A jury on Wednesday awarded $80 million in damages to a California man who blamed Roundup weed killer for his cancer, in a case that his attorneys say could help determine the fate of hundreds of similar lawsuits. The six-person jury in San Francisco returned its verdict...
Missing Armstrong County man found unharmed a few miles from home
An Armstrong County man who had been missing for more than 24 hours was found unharmed Wednesday in the woods a few miles from his home, officials said. Officials confirmed they found Paul Walker sleeping on the ground in the brush shortly before 5 p.m., Trib news partner WPXI-TV reports....
Attorney claims police made false statement in search warrant for Pittsburgh Mills mall store
The attorney for a Pittsburgh Mills mall store owner charged with selling counterfeit merchandise has accused a former Frazer police officer of lying in a search warrant that ultimately lead to the criminal proceedings against his client. Attorney Casey White again asked a judge to throw out the charge against...
James Fields changes plea to guilty on hate crimes in Charlottesville car attack
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — A man convicted on state murder charges in a deadly car attack at a white nationalist rally in Virginia pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal hate crime charges in a case that stirred racial tensions across the country. James Alex Fields Jr., of Maumee, Ohio, pleaded guilty to...
Bell Township man flown to hospital with severe burns from brush fire
A Bell Township man was flown to a local hospital with severe burns suffered in a brush fire outside his home Wednesday afternoon. The brush fire was reported just before 2:40 p.m. in the 300 block of Bell Point Road, according to a Westmoreland County 911 dispatch supervisor. Fire Chief...
McKeesport woman charged with homicide after man she struck dies
Attempted homicide charges against a McKeesport woman were upgraded to homicide after the man she allegedly ran down with her car in late July died last week, authorities said. Jakiia Williams, 33, was awaiting a bench trial on charges she struck a 72-year-old man outside the Harrison Village housing complex....
