Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 910
Man accused in 115 mph Hempfield chase didn’t have valid license, police say
A Fayette County man is accused of leading state police on a chase early Friday on Route 119 with speeds that surpassed 100 mph, according to court papers. Clarence Spackman, 33, of Bullskin, is being held at the Westmoreland County Prison on charges of fleeing from police, driving under the...
Pittsburgh in ‘very healthy’ fiscal position, city controller says
Pittsburgh City Controller Michael Lamb said Friday in his annual comprehensive financial report that the city is in a “very healthy” fiscal position as it continues to rebound from the covid-19 pandemic. The report shows that the city ended last year with a surplus, thanks in large part to the...
Closing of Pittsburgh immigration office could result in more deportations, group says
The Executive Office for Immigration Review said it won’t hold hearings at its office on Pittsburgh’s South Side after Friday “due to space and personnel limitations.” This means immigrants from across Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia will have to travel to Philadelphia Immigration Court for in-person hearings. The Pittsburgh office,...
Relatives: Former U.S. Marine killed fighting in Ukraine
WASHINGTON — A former U.S. Marine was killed fighting alongside Ukrainian forces in war with Russia, his relatives told media outlets. He is the first U.S. citizen known to have been killed while fighting in Ukraine. Rebecca Cabrera told CNN her son, 22-year-old Willy Joseph Cancel, was killed Monday while...
2 men beaten with baseball bat in Pittsburgh’s Brighton Heights
A man was in critical condition Friday morning after being assaulted with a baseball bat in Brighton Heights, according to Pittsburgh police. Officers were dispatched to the 3600 block of California Avenue around 1 a.m. for reports of a violent attack on two men. One of the victims was taken...
Police warn of uptick in catalytic converter thefts across Pittsburgh region
Thefts of catalytic converters are on the rise across the Pittsburgh region, and police are urging residents to stay aware of suspicious activity. Catalytic converters bring in big money on the underground market because they are made of the metals platinum, palladium and rhodium. Often, thieves can easily cut the...
Donations sought for families of East Deer apartment fire
A group is collecting donations to assist at least three tenats left homeless when fire destroyed their apartment building late Thursday. The Western Pennsylvania Search and Rescue Development Center is seeking food, clothes and toiletries, among other items that might help families who lived in the multi-story apartment building along...
Allegheny County algorithm to screen for child neglect raises concerns
Inside a cavernous stone fortress in downtown Pittsburgh, attorney Robin Frank defends parents at one of their lowest points — when they risk losing their children. The job is never easy, but in the past she knew what she was up against when squaring off against child protective services in...
2 excavators stuck in muck pulled from Cheswick construction siteVideo
It’s not every day you witness an excavator — let alone two — being suspended in the air. The rare sight was why about a dozen Cheswick residents gathered Thursday afternoon to watch the excavators being lifted out of a quagmire at a Cheswick construction site. The recovery of the...
Still a pandemic? Endemic? Becoming like the flu? Whatever the term, covid-19 has become more manageable
Experts in the Pittsburgh region generally agree with Dr. Anthony Fauci’s assessment this week that the United States is “out of the pandemic phase” of covid-19, the virus whose death toll is closing in 1 million in the U.S. alone. “ ‘Over’ is a strong term,” said Dr. Donald Whiting,...
Oklahoma House sends Texas-style abortion ban to governor
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma House gave final approval on Thursday to a Texas-style abortion ban that prohibits the procedure after about six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. The bill approved by the GOP-led House on a 68-12 vote without discussion or debate now heads...
Butler County township backtracks on political sign ordinance after 1st Amendment complaint
Residents of Butler County’s Connoquenessing Township can display political signs on their property without restrictions or without having to obtain a permit, thanks to a resident lodging a complaint with the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania. Connoquenessing, like several municipalities in Butler County, has a political sign ordinance that...
Benedum Center marquee to receive ‘much needed’ restoration
From its ornate interior to its classic marquee design, Downtown Pittsburgh’s Benedum Center harkens back to an era when going to a theater for a play, movie or concert was an experience in itself. One look at the marquee over the main entrance — with its white block letters against...
State Supreme Court rejects appeal for man sentenced to die for 2017 fatal shooting of New Kensington cop
The state Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously upheld the death sentence for a man convicted of fatally shooting New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw in 2017. A Westmoreland County jury deliberated for less than 90 minutes on Nov. 12, 2019, to find Rahmael Holt, 33, of Harrison, guilty on all...
Pittsburgh, Western Pa. high schools make U.S. News & World Report best list
U.S. News & World Report has compiled its annual review of more than 24,000 public high schools across the United States, with 718 in Pennsylvania making its best rankings list. The top 3 schools in the Keystone State are:Julia R. Masterman Secondary School (Philadelphia, #10 nationally)Downingtown STEM AcademyRadnor High School...
Prosecutors to seek death penalty against man accused of killing Uber driver in Monroeville
The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office filed notice Thursday that it will seek the death penalty against a man accused of killing an Uber driver after she picked him up for a fare. Calvin Crew, 23, of Pitcairn, is accused of shooting Christi Spicuzza, 38, in a wooded area off...
Pittsburgh scraps plans for guaranteed basic income program
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey is scrapping plans to use American Rescue Plan funding for a guaranteed basic income pilot program in the city. Former Mayor Bill Peduto had proposed using $2.5 million in American Rescue Plan funding for a pilot program to offer $500 monthly payments to 200 low-income Pittsburgh...
Climate change may increase risk of new infectious diseases
Climate change will result in thousands of new viruses spread among animal species by 2070 — and that’s likely to increase the risk of emerging infectious diseases jumping from animals to humans, according to a new study. This is especially true for Africa and Asia, continents that have been hotspots...
Anti-bullying protest at Deer Lakes canceled because of bullying, student organizers say
A scheduled walkout by some Deer Lakes students to protest bullying at the high school has been canceled because of backlash from the community, organizers said. Student Abygail Cacurak said a private meeting with district administration is being planned in lieu of the protest. “After much deliberation and thought, we...
2 charged after farm animals removed from deplorable conditions in Hempfield
Two people were arrested Thursday in connection with numerous neglected farm animals, some of which were dead, that were seized from a Hempfield property, according to court papers. Authorities said a veterinarian concluded most of the animals had pneumonia and a sheep found dead had a ruptured eye and suspected...
Explosions rock Kyiv again as Russians rain fire on Ukraine
IRPIN, Ukraine — Russia pounded targets from practically one end of Ukraine to the other Thursday, including Kyiv, bombarding the city while the head of the United Nations was visiting in the boldest attack on the capital since Moscow’s forces retreated weeks ago. Several people were wounded in the attack...
Pittsburgh region ties record low temperature of 29 degrees
A freeze warning for the Pittsburgh region expired around 9 a.m. Thursday — but not before temperatures tied an 88-year-old record low. The temperature dipped to 29 degrees overnight, tying a record set in 1934, National Weather Service meteorologist Jason Frazier said. “It’s possible that locations around Pittsburgh dropped even...
4 leading GOP governor candidates look for ways to differentiate themselves in latest debate
The four leading Republican primary candidates for governor agreed on the questions they faced in an hourlong debate Wednesday night inside the WHTM/abc27 studio in Harrisburg, so much of the time was spent trying to separate themselves from their opponents. State Sen. Doug Mastriano took frequent jabs at Tom Wolf...
Moderna seeks to be 1st with covid shots for littlest kids
Moderna on Thursday asked U.S. regulators to authorize low doses of its covid-19 vaccine for children younger than 6, a long-awaited move toward potentially opening shots for millions of tots by summer. Frustrated families are waiting impatiently for a chance to protect the nation’s littlest kids as all around them...
NFL Draft Guide 2022: Who Steelers might pick, position breakdowns, mock drafts
Could the Pittsburgh Steelers select a quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft for the first time in 18 years tonight? Ben Roethlisberger, a future Hall of Famer, retired after the 2021 season, fueling speculation the Steelers might draft a signal-caller on the first day for the first...
