Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1856
Port Vue woman nabbed in 2015 drug sweep pleads guilty in far-reaching heroin ring case
A Port Vue woman pleaded guilty to her role in a far-reaching heroin ring that brought the illegal street drug from New Jersey to McKeesport, federal prosecutors said Monday. Krystle Barretto , 33, was convicted of scheming to sell more than 100 grams, or 3.5 ounces, of heroin, U.S. Attorney...
Pennsylvania GOP lawmaker opens door to minimum-wage deal
HARRISBURG — A top Republican lawmaker is opening the door to raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, but he also insisted Monday that Democrats lower their sights from a proposal by Gov. Tom Wolf that would give the state among the nation’s highest. Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre, would not define...
Bike lanes, traffic improvements coming to Smallman Street in Pittsburgh’s Strip
Pittsburgh plans to add bike lanes along a five-block section of Smallman Street in the Strip District and install a public plaza as part of the Produce Terminal rehabilitation. The City and Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority are spending about $23 million total on new water and sewer lines and...
Pittsburgh man charged in same prostitution sting as Patriots owner Robert Kraft
A Pittsburgh man is among those charged in a South Florida prostitution sting that has also snagged New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, court records show. Mark Curan Bope, 64, of Duquesne Heights, visited the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, Fla., on Jan. 18, according to the police...
Authorities: Robert Kraft visited parlor for sex on day of AFC Championship game
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft visited a Florida massage parlor for sex acts the night before and the morning of last month’s AFC Championship Game, which he attended in Kansas City, authorities said Monday in documents charging him with two misdemeanor counts of soliciting...
State trooper escapes injury when tree falls on patrol car in high windsVideo
A state trooper’s quick thinking during high winds Sunday likely helped him escape injury when a tree fell onto his patrol car. The trooper was driving on Route 819 near Armbrust to a weather-related call at 9:17 p.m. when he noticed a tree along the road starting to fall, Trooper...
PPG to paint parts of new Raiders stadium in Las VegasVideo
PPG is now the official paint of the Oakland Raiders. That’s right Steelers fans: Oakland Raiders. Let that sink in. PPG announced Monday it has reached a multiyear corporate marketing agreement with the Raiders, who are scheduled to move to Las Vegas in 2020. As part of the marketing agreement,...
Hundreds of bricks fall from Perry South apartment building
The Red Cross is assisting families forced out of their Perry South apartments Monday by hundreds of falling bricks, authorities said. Authorities said the Wilson Street building, which houses six apartments, is structurally sound, but the possibility of more falling bricks poses safety concerns. Police, fire crews and paramedics responded...
High winds cut power, inundate Lake Erie shoreline with iceVideo
BUFFALO, N.Y. — High winds howled through much of the nation’s eastern half for a second day Monday, cutting power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses, closing schools, and pushing dramatic mountains of ice onto the shores of Lake Erie. Wind gusts of hurricane force — 74 mph...
Air quality monitor measuring SO2 emissions installed in West Mifflin
A new air quality monitor has been installed in West Mifflin, the Allegheny County Health Department announced Monday. The monitor, which was installed at the New Emerson Elementary School on Pennsylvania Avenue, will measure sulfur dioxide, or SO2, emissions from the U.S. Steel Irvin Works facility. Residents and air quality...
Cedar Point says it will allow cellphones on Steel Vengeance roller coaster
SANDUSKY, Ohio — Ohio’s Cedar Point amusement park has reversed a policy that banned visitors waiting in line for the roller coaster Steel Vengeance from carrying cellphones. The Sandusky-area park is adding zippered pouches to the bottom of the roller coaster seats, to hold phones and other loose items. Cleveland.com...
Police: Man displayed gun during incident on Route 22 in Salem Township
An Allegheny County man who is not permitted to have a gun is accused of showing another motorist a firearm on Route 22 on Sunday afternoon, according to state police. Dylan Peter Dunbar, 24, of Hazelwood, allegedly displayed the weapon in Salem Township after an incident with another driver, police...
Ex-campaign worker for Trump sues over unwanted kiss claim
MIAMI — A former worker on President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign claims in a lawsuit that he abruptly grabbed her by the hand and kissed her during a Florida meeting with staff and volunteers. Alva Johnson contends in the federal lawsuit filed Monday that Trump made the unwanted advance in...
Some stars snubbed from ‘In Memoriam’ at Oscars
Several actors and movie stars did not make the cut for the Oscars “In Memoriam” montage. While the Academy did acknowledge the passing of actors and icons like Penny Marshall, Burt Reynolds, Marvel’s Stan Lee, and “Superman” star Margot Kidder, several familiar faces were left off the list. The among...
Wife of man found dead after 2017 South Park standoff sued for townhouse damage
The wife of a South Park man who killed himself and set fire to his townhouse following an hours-long standoff with police in 2017 should be liable for the damage to the neighboring townhome, the property management company alleged in a lawsuit. Daniel Wang, 37, was found dead in his...
R. Kelly pleads not guilty to sexual abuse charges
CHICAGO — R&B star R. Kelly’s attorney entered not guilty pleas on the singer’s behalf Monday after Kelly was charged with sexually abusing four victims dating back to 1998, including three underage teenagers. Kelly, one of the best-selling music artists of all time, walked into a Chicago courtroom wearing an...
Troopers seek information on alleged hit-and-run in East Huntingdon
George Estochin said he doesn’t remember much about being hit by a pickup truck that fled the scene Saturday in the parking lot of the Tractor Supply store in East Huntingdon. “But I can tell you the only thing that doesn’t hurt on me is my nose. No broken bones,...
Seton Hill grad’s university tree map is legacy to alma materVideo
Anyone making the long, winding drive leading to the campus of Seton Hill University may have wondered about the trees lining the entrance. Wonder no more. They are London planetrees, and they are among 52 tree species that contribute to the Greensburg school’s bucolic appearance. Those species include sugar, silver,...
Mt. Lebanon native Jay Hart takes Oscar for production design
Jay Hart, a Mt. Lebanon native, won the Oscar for production design for the big-budget, super-hero movie “Black Panther” Sunday night at the Academy Awards. He shared the award with Hannah Beachler, who together worked on the film. Beachler took the microphone first on stage and spoke, but Hart didn’t...
State police apprehend man who escaped custody from Armstrong hospital
A man who allegedly stole a vehicle after escaping from police custody at an Armstrong County hospital Monday morning has been found, state police said. According to state police, Alan-Michael Taylor, 23, of Vandergrift was taken into custody in Vandergrift. Taylor allegedly violated a protection from abuse order around 4...
Expectations low as Trump looks for win in NKorea summit
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump will head into his second meeting with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un having reframed what would make a successful summit, lowering expectations for Pyongyang’s denuclearization while eager to declare a flashy victory to offset the political turmoil he faces at home. Trump was the driving...
Thousands could remain without power in Western Pa. until Wednesday night
Tens of thousands of Western Pennsylvania households who lost power during Sunday’s wind storms could be waiting until Wednesday night for their electricity to be restored. Nearly 30,000 Duquesne Light customers and more than 28,000 West Penn Power customers in the region remained dark Monday night, the utility companies reported....
‘Moderate’ Westmoreland County Democrats showcase candidatesVideo
It was like old times for Westmoreland County Democrats on Sunday afternoon. A polka band played on stage at the American Legion Hall in Jeannette as hot dogs, beans and cake were served. Pitchers of beer were passed around as candidates circulated among the crowd that officials said was expected...
Backlog of REAL ID applications hits Pennsylvania
The first wave of Real ID seekers produced a backlog of more than 30,000 unprocessed PennDOT applications, raising concerns about wait times for the new identification cards people will need to get on an airplane next year. In the past two weeks, the logjam has been reduced to 14,000 pending...
Pittsburgh might not be as hard-working as you think
Lazy bunch of … Pittsburghers, according to a study from WalletHub, are the 103rd hardest-working group in the United States. Say it a different way: Pittsburghers don’t really work that hard. Hang on a second. Pittsburgh? Not hard-working? That has to be wrong, right? Pittsburgh is as blue-collar as it...
