Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 467
Black Pa. country musicians celebrate the Beyoncé effect, invite new listeners to stick around
This story first appeared in PA Local, a weekly newsletter by Spotlight PA taking a fresh, positive look at the incredible people, beautiful places, and delicious food of Pennsylvania. As Beyoncé’s rootsy new country singles “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em” usher in a new era for the superstar, other...
Woman pleads guilty in catalytic converter theft ring targeting Westmoreland, Indiana counties
An Indiana County woman pleaded guilty Monday to involvement in a catalytic converter theft ring, and attorneys indicated another suspect may do the same. Debbra Lynn McAdams, 56, of Homer City entered a general plea to theft, receiving stolen property, criminal mischief and criminal use of a communication facility. Two...
New Kensington gun store burglary suspects enter not guilty pleas
A federal grand jury returned indictments against two men accused of burglarizing a New Kensington gun store in January. Michael Guin, 26, of Harrison and Steyn Sarduy, 18, no address available, each are charged with conspiracy and theft of a firearm from a licensed firearms dealer. Guin also is charged...
Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium staff endure ‘trying time’ amid 3 animal deaths
Three animal deaths at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium this month have brought “profound sadness” to its staff, officials said Monday during a news conference. “This is a lot for our staff to deal with right now,” said the zoo’s president and CEO Jeremy Goodman. “It is very tough when...
Outback Steakhouse closes North Hills location
No more shrimps on the barbie in Pittsburgh’s North Hills. Outback Steakhouse, the Australian-themed restaurant chain, closed its McKnight Road location in McCandless this past weekend. The move was part of a nationwide consolidation of older restaurants. The chain is owned by Tampa-based Bloomin’ Brands and is well-known for steaks...
Robert Morris seeks to build $28M hockey arena
Robert Morris University wants to build a $28 million arena on campus for its Division I men’s and women’s hockey programs and is seeking $10 million from the state for the project. If it comes to fruition, the state-of- the-art venue would hold 2,500 people through general spectator seats “with...
RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel will leave post March 8 as Trump moves to install new loyalists
NEW YORK — Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel will leave her post March 8, having been forced out of the GOP’s national leadership as Donald Trump moves toward another presidential nomination and asserts control over the party. McDaniel announced her decision in a statement on Monday morning. “I have...
Morning Roundup: Tractor-trailer overturns in Washington County
Here are a few morning news items for Monday, Feb. 26, 2024: Tractor-trailer overturns on I-70 A tractor-trailer crashed and turned over on its side Sunday evening, splaying across Interstate 70 in Washington County. The crash happened around 7:15 p.m. in the eastbound lanes on I-70 near the 13.5 mile...
Week’s winter warmup: Temperatures to reach into 60s, rain likely later
A late winter warmup will hit the Pittsburgh area Monday, with temperatures forecasted to eclipse the 60s multiple times this week. The region will experience above-average temperatures from Monday through Wednesday ahead of an expected cold front that will reach Southwestern Pennsylvanian later in the week, according to TribLive news...
‘2nd chance at life’: Nurse performs CPR, saves Plum teen who collapsed on run
Today, Giustino Racchini is a freshman at Penn State University studying journalism, with plans to be a play-by-play announcer or a sportswriter. On a cold Monday in December, the 19-year-old lay dead on Old Frankstown Road in his hometown of Plum. He wasn’t breathing. He had no pulse. His heart...
AT&T says some customers will receive credits as a result of network outage
AT&T said that it plans to reimburse customers for the nearly 12-hour network outage that took place Feb. 22. The company announced in a news release late Saturday that it will issue a $5 credit to “potentially impacted” AT&T Wireless customers, which it says is the “average cost of a...
Families, survivors mark 1991 missile attack that killed reservists based near Greensburg
For more than three decades, Norman Madison Sr. has made the trip on Feb. 25 from his Monessen home to the Hempfield community of Carbon to honor his son. A memorial there honors Anthony Madison along with 12 other members of the 14th Quartermaster unit based near Greensburg who were...
White House urges House Speaker to free up path for Ukraine aidVideo
President Joe Biden’s top national security aide pressed House Republicans to unlock assistance to Ukraine and acknowledged that Russia’s wartime economy has shown resilience. U.S. emergency aid to Ukraine, the country’s main lifeline against recent Russian advances on the battlefield, has been stuck for months as Republican congressional leaders seek...
American Heart Association of Greater Pittsburgh hosts mass CPR training
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey had never learned how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, known as CPR, an emergency procedure to maintain the blood flow to vital organs and to restore normal heart function after sudden cardiac arrest. When he was asked by the American Heart Association of Greater Pittsburgh to join...
From billionaire Mark Cuban to independent store owners, criticism for pharmacy benefit managers is plentiful
At first glance, billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban may seem to have little in common with an independent pharmacy owner. But they have one shared adversary: pharmacy benefit managers. They claim the drug price negotiators are putting mom-and-pop drugstores out of business. Pharmacy benefit managers — known as PBMs — are...
Butler Treasure Hunting Club finds untold value in camaraderie, friendship
There’s a place where rings of gold and silver line dining room tables, jewels sparkle under the lights and historic coins of every size are within reach. Where is this modern day El Dorado? It’s on Main Street in Butler County. Brotherhood of the hunt The Butler Treasure Hunting Club...
‘A big fumble’: Pittsburgh’s clunky rollout of plastic bag ban sows confusion
Jake Diettrich, manager of Market Outlet, a Pittsburgh produce shop, has been grappling since January with the city’s plastic bag ban. Diettrich has had to calm grumbling patrons, swap his stock of outlawed plastic bags for pricier paper ones and contend with worries that the bag ban and mandatory fees...
Takeaways from South Carolina primary: Donald Trump’s Republican home field advantage is everywhere
NEW YORK — Donald Trump trounced Nikki Haley on Saturday in the South Carolina primary, a victory that emphatically punctuated the depth and breadth of his support among Republican primary voters as he vanquished his lone remaining major opponent in her home state. Trump did not even have to mount...
Trump wins South Carolina, beating Haley in her home state
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Donald Trump won South Carolina’s Republican primary Saturday, beating former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley in her home state and further consolidating his path to a third-straight GOP nomination. Trump has swept every contest that counted for Republican delegates, with wins already in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and...
Pitt breaks away from Virginia Tech for 79-64 victory
For 48 hours this week, Jeff Capel kept a secret. He knew something about his team that maybe some others didn’t think was possible after Pitt’s sorry performance Tuesday in a loss at Wake Forest. When his players reported to practice Thursday, the past was nothing more than a bad...
Game savers: Seton Hill trainers honored for reviving heart attack victim
John Palumbo is a regular at Seton Hill men’s basketball games, but he didn’t get to see the Griffins’ last home game two weeks ago. That’s when he was stretchered out of the gym after suffering what officials described as a “widow maker” heart attack but was revived by Seton...
Israel war cabinet to meet as Gaza cease-fire talks progress
Israel’s war cabinet is expected to convene Saturday night for a briefing on efforts advancing in Paris toward a deal to pause the fighting in Gaza and return hostages held there. Israeli media, citing people familiar with the situation, reported talks on Friday involving the Israeli delegation and representatives from...
What to know about Shapiro’s pitch to legalize marijuana, its chances in the Pa. legislature and more
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. HARRISBURG — In his state budget pitch, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro called for the Pennsylvania legislature to legalize recreational marijuana. Shapiro is not breaking new...
1 dead, 3 wounded in Marshall-Shadeland shooting
Pittsburgh police said one person was killed and three others wounded in a shooting early Saturday morning in front of a bar in the city’s Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood. Authorities said police received calls at 2:10 a.m. to respond to a dispute at 703 Social Club along Brighton Road. When they arrived,...
South Buffalo couple charged with animal cruelty after officers recover 64 dogs, cats and rabbits
Two people in South Buffalo each face more than 200 counts of animal cruelty and neglect after humane officers rescued 64 animals from a farm. Officials said some were wounded, including one missing a leg and another that couldn’t use its back legs. Many were living in inches of feces....
