Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 787
Trial begins for Youngwood man accused of rape, kidnapping
An 18-year-old woman told a Westmoreland County jury that she was raped and sexually assaulted for hours earlier this year at a Youngwood home. “It seemed like it lasted forever,” she testified Tuesday during the first day in the rape trial of Brandon Giron. Giron, 23, is charged with rape,...
Powerball ticket sold in California snags record $2.04B win
LOS ANGELES — Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in Southern California has won a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot after more than three months without anyone hitting the top prize. The winning numbers were selected Tuesday morning, nearly 10 hours after the scheduled Monday night drawing because of problems...
7 charged with homicide in Indiana County man’s stabbing death
Seven people are charged with criminal homicide in the kidnapping and killing of an Indiana County man last month, state police and the Indiana County District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday. Six Johnstown residents were among those accused in the stabbing death of Hayden R. Garreffa, 19, of East Wheatfield, whose...
Spirit Airlines to cut flights from Arnold Palmer Regional to Ft. Lauderdale
Arnold Palmer Regional Airport is marketing itself to other low-cost carriers as Spirit Airlines told officials it will be halting its flights from the Unity area to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Dec. 5. Spirit’s decision leaves Orlando as the sole destination for commercial flights from the airport near Latrobe, where...
Doctor denounces Allegheny County’s use of health workers to count votes
Allegheny County Health Department workers are pitching in with Election Day duties, prompting one Pittsburgh-based doctor to criticize the move at a time when the county’s health resources are in high demand. “I think it’s a poor use of resources — I don’t think people became doctors and epidemiologists to...
Election scrutiny high, but no big hitches as voting begins
Final voting began without major hitches Tuesday in midterm elections under intense scrutiny after two years of false claims and conspiracy theories about how ballots are cast and counted. With polls open across most of the country, no big problems were reported early on, though there were hiccups in some...
Pittsburgh leaders seek solutions to reduce gun violence
Pittsburgh City Council members on Monday met with outreach workers to discuss possible solutions to help quell the uptick in homicides and protect the city’s youth. “We’re attempting to treat this disease of violence,” said Taili Thompson, director of Operation Better Block’s Violence Prevention Initiative. Thompson and others who are...
Election Day updates: Judge bars group claiming to be poll securityVideo
Election Day is upon us. Today, voters in Pennsylvania and across the country will head to polls to decide races for governor, Senate, members of the House and seats in state legislatures. The Tribune-Review will update this file throughout the day. Order issued against ‘commission security’ The Allegheny County Court...
New Kensington-Arnold increasing efforts to help students quit smoking, vaping
The New Kensington-Arnold School District will be taking a less punitive, more helpful approach to students caught violating its tobacco and vaping policy for the first time. The school board recently approved an update to the tobacco policy in the student handbook. For a first offense, students will receive three...
Norwin director censured for offensive social media post
A controversial Norwin School Board director was censured Monday by his fellow directors for posting a social media meme of a Halloween costume that used offensive language. Five school board members voted to censure Alex Detschelt: Darlene Ciocca, William Essay, Joanna Jordan, Patrick Lynn and Raymond Kocak. Detschelt’s political allies...
John Fetterman’s Senate campaign is suing to have undated and misdated ballots counted
Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman’s campaign for U.S. Senate has joined the legal fight over whether mail ballots with no date or the incorrect date should be counted in Tuesday’s election. The Democratic campaign sued state elections officials Monday asking a federal judge to order that all mail ballots be...
As RSV surge continues, UPMC Children’s adds tent to deal with influx of patients
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh has put up a tent outside its Lawrenceville hospital so it is prepared to deal with the influx of patients sick with RSV, the director of the hospital’s emergency department said in a video shared on social media Monday. “The tent is a space that...
Crossover voters help sway Pennsylvania’s pivotal U.S. Senate race
With Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race between Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz remaining razor close heading into Election Day, the campaigns are looking for votes wherever they can find them. And that includes ones from voters in opposing political parties. Voters who are registered with one political party...
Former Pa. governors ask candidates Mastriano, Shapiro to accept election results
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s four living former governors on Monday sent a letter to the main party candidates vying for the position...
U.S. voters fret about democracy, polarization before election
American voters are fractured politically and culturally ahead of Election Day, and they are anxious about where their country is heading — on inflation, abortion, immigration, crime, and much more. They also sense something more fundamental at stake at a time of rising mistrust of institutions and each other: the...
What to watch in the high-stakes 2022 midterm elections
WASHINGTON — After months of primaries, campaign events and fundraising pleas, the midterm elections that will determine the balance of power in Washington and state capitals are finally here. Republicans are predicting a massive red wave as anxious Democrats defend their narrow majorities in Congress while struggling to overcome pervasive...
Toddler drowns in Bethel Park pond
A toddler drowned in a Bethel Park pond over the weekend. Police were dispatched to a home on Tischler Road around noon Saturday, according to Bethel Park police Chief Timothy O’Connor. Officers began performing CPR on the child until medics arrived. The child was then taken to an area hospital....
Pittsburgh looks to extend smart loading zone program for 3 years
Pittsburgh officials are looking to expand a program that aims to make it easier for delivery drivers and others to find on-street parking spots outside of local businesses. The pilot program, unveiled in the spring, was originally scheduled to last for one year. Legislation introduced to City Council on Monday...
Elon Musk walks back on Twitter job cuts, blue checks in 2nd week
Twitter Inc. is heading into its second full workweek under Elon Musk with half its workforce, mounting losses and a couple of unexpected reversals to its plans. The social-media company laid off close to 3,700 people on Friday, only to reach out soon thereafter to dozens of employees who it...
Q&A: A look at $1.9B Powerball jackpot, how it grew so large
DES MOINES, Iowa — Monday night’s estimated $1.9 billion Powerball jackpot is nearly $400 million larger than the previous record jackpot and will keep growing until someone finally wins the prize. The jackpot started at $20 million back on Aug. 6 and over three winless months has grown to be...
Pitt defensive end Dayon Hayes arrested on assault charge
Pitt junior football player Dayon Hayes has been charged with one count of simple assault in connection with a domestic incident in Pittsburgh, according to criminal records. He was arrested Sunday night, arraigned and released on nonmonetary bail. Hayes is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 12:30 p.m. Nov. 22...
Average gas prices rise in Pittsburgh region, nationally
Average gasoline prices have increased in the Pittsburgh area and across the nation in the past week, according to price-tracking service GasBuddy. Pittsburgh’s average is now $4 after a 1.3-cent increase, based on GasBuddy’s survey of 731 stations. That’s 1.9 cents per gallon more than a month ago and 45.6...
Steelers vs. bye week: What they’re saying about Pittsburgh at season’s halfway point
Is tanking the rest of the season really an option for the Pittsburgh Steelers? Will coach Mike Tomlin string together a few wins and sabotage the opportunity of a high draft pick draft? The bye week came in the form of a beautiful November Sunday and the opportunity to clean...
Over 1,000 Allegheny mail-in ballots won’t be counted unless cured by voters
Update: Allegheny County officials reported Monday evening that 106 people visited the elections division to cure their ballots. More than 1,000 Allegheny County voters must cure their mail-in ballots or their votes won’t be counted, county election officials said Sunday. The county has released a list of voters whose ballots...
Western Pa. election officials prepare for heavy voter turnout
Expect heavy turnout on Election Day, as this year’s midterm races are likely to draw voters in numbers rivaling that of presidential contests, officials said. Election bureau workers will continue to count and tally votes until the task is completed, according to counties throughout Southwest Pennsylvania. That includes opening and...
