Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 912
Proposed Esplanade development on Pittsburgh’s North Side receives $10M boost
The Washington County-based developer planning a $600 million project that would bring a massive Ferris wheel, splash park, marina, ice skating rink and housing project to Pittsburgh’s North Side received $10 million in state funding for the project. Millcraft Investments purchased the 5.5-acre property along the Ohio River from the...
U.S. urges more arms for Ukraine amid fears of expanding war
TORETSK, Ukraine — The United States pressed its allies Tuesday to move “heaven and earth” to keep Kyiv well-supplied with weapons as Russian forces rained fire on eastern and southern Ukraine amid growing new fears the war could spill over the country’s borders. For the second day in a row,...
Trib Total Media co-sponsoring Republican U.S. Senate debate
Five candidates running in Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate primary election for the Republican nomination will participate Tuesday evening in a debate hosted by Spotlight PA and its founding members. 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...
Port Authority light-rail service resumes
Port Authority’s light-rail service is back up and running after a lengthy shutdown Tuesday morning caused by a power issue, according to the agency. All rail car service along the Blue and Silver lines was stopped just before 6:30 a.m. but was restored at about 10:30 a.m. Power has been...
Democratic Senate candidates square off in 2nd prime-time debate
The second prime-time debate in Pennsylvania’s Democratic Senate primary featured many of the same well-trodden agreements among Democrats, but candidates also took several opportunities to draw contrasts with, and even criticize, their primary opponents over electability, past controversies and energy policies. Unlike the first televised debate, this contest at Dickinson...
Hempfield 9th graders may consolidate under 1 roof
Leaders in the Hempfield Area School District are proposing to move ninth grade students to a middle school building beginning in fall 2023 as the district prepares for its high school construction project. The proposal would permanently consolidate sixth, seventh and eighth grade students into Wendover and West Hempfield middle...
Video: Pa. Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate debateVideo
A debate between Democratic candidates vying for Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate seat was held Monday night with candidates John Fetterman, Malcolm Kenyatta, Alexandria Khalil and Conor Lamb. Spotlight PA is organized the debate with its media partners The Philadelphia Inquirer, PennLIVE/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and WITF Public Media. The debate was...
Trump to rally with Dr. Oz at Westmoreland Fairgrounds
Former President Donald Trump is slated to return to Westmoreland County on May 6 for a rally where he is expected to share the spotlight with Republican senatorial candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz. Earlier in April, Trump endorsed Oz in the latter’s bid to represent Pennsylvania in the Senate. Trump has...
Westmoreland deputy sheriff suspended after out-of-state arrest
A veteran Westmoreland County deputy sheriff was suspended with pay on Monday after he was charged with crimes following an incident last week in another state. Police in Louisville, Ky., charged Samuel D. Pilato, 59, of Hempfield with public intoxication and disorderly conduct in connection with a incident outside of...
Mother describes ‘nightmare’ after blast destroyed her family’s Plum home
It was a normal Friday night for Laura Petty and her family at their new home on Hialeah Drive in Plum. It was shortly after 11 p.m. She was sleeping, and her husband, Jake Rabb, had fallen asleep in the living room. Of their three sons, Dean, 2, and Colin,...
Vandergrift woman’s murder trial ends with plea deal to lesser charge
A Vandergrift woman pleaded guilty Monday to third-degree murder, putting an end to her homicide trial during which prosecutors claimed she intentionally fired three shots, killing her cousin in 2018. Ashley Marie Croft, 38, will serve a 15- to 30-year prison sentence under terms of the plea deal. Croft did...
Judge finds Trump in contempt in legal fight with NY AG
A New York judge found former President Donald Trump in contempt of court Monday for failing to adequately respond to a subpoena issued by the state’s attorney general as part of a civil investigation into his business dealings. Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Trump to pay a fine of $10,000 per...
Detectives charge 2 more in Westmoreland prison drug smuggling scheme
A former inmate at the Westmoreland County Prison is back behind bars after being accused by county detectives of participating in a Suboxone smuggling scheme with another inmate. Brad M. Rentz, 43, of Indiana, was arrested Monday by county Detective James Williams and accused of conspiring with another inmate, Jamie...
Gainey announces nominations for various City of Pittsburgh departments
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey on Monday announced his latest nominations to lead various city departments, as well as his appointment for city treasurer. Gainey has nominated Kathryn Vargas, current acting director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, Chris Hornstein, current acting director of Public Works and Kim Lucas, current...
Report: Sweden, Finland to apply to NATO
Two newspapers — one Swedish, the other one Finnish — are reporting that the governments of Sweden and Finland have agreed to submit NATO applications at the same time and that it will happen in the middle of next month. The Finnish newspaper Iltalehti said that the Swedish government has...
Vehicle crashes through wall at Forest Hills hair salonVideo
Anthony Fazio woke Monday to a 2:30 a.m. call from Forest Hills police informing him that someone had crashed a truck into his salon, Fazio’s Hair Designs. “When they said a hole in the wall, I didn’t expect this,” Fazio said gesturing toward an opening as tall as him. “I...
Elon Musk buys Twitter for $44B and will privatize company
Elon Musk reached an agreement to buy Twitter for roughly $44 billion on Monday, promising a more lenient touch to policing content on the social media platform where he — the world’s richest person — promotes his interests, attacks critics and opines on a wide range of issues to more...
Proposed subdivision could lead to another development on Tarentum Bridge Road
A new restaurant may be coming to Tarentum Bridge Road in New Kensington. It would be located on a parcel city officials are considering creating between Shamey’s Gulf Service and the main entrance to Giant Eagle, in front of the Quality Inn. City Council is scheduled to vote May 2...
Looking to protect Pa.’s natural heritage? Become a master naturalist volunteer
Westmoreland County residents hoping to get their hands dirty this summer while learning how to protect the state’s natural resources can participate in training to become a master naturalist volunteer. The courses — hosted by the Pennsylvania Master Naturalist and Brandywine Conservancy at Penguin Court, a preserve near Laughlintown —...
2 bodies found in Springdale
A man and a woman were found dead in a Springdale apartment Monday, according to Allegheny County Police. Police said their bodies were discovered shortly after 3:30 p.m. in the 1000 block of Pittsburgh Street. They suffered apparent gunshot wounds, police said. The police scene extended to Hoeveler Street, which...
Cold snap to thrash above-normal temperatures; Dubois breaks heat record Sunday
If it seemed a bit balmy for late April, it was, especially if you were in Dubois, where a new record high temperature of 83 degrees was recorded Sunday. The old record was 79 in 1990, said David Shallenberger, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Moon. In the...
Plum family whose house exploded treated at hospitals, 1 child with burns; no gas leaks found
Authorities are still investigating the cause of a house explosion Friday night along Hialeah Drive in Plum that sent a family to local hospitals. Although the family of five — a husband, wife and three children, ages 2, 6 and 11 — escaped the house safely, one child suffered burns...
Nebraska wildfires kill ex-fire chief, hurt 15 firefightersVideo
CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — Wind-driven wildfires sweeping through parts of Nebraska killed a retired fire chief and injured at least 15 firefighters, authorities said Sunday. The man who died Friday night was a retired Cambridge fire chief who was working with firefighters as a spotter in Red Willow County in the...
France’s Emmanuel Macron is reelected but far-right rival raises gameVideo
PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron comfortably won reelection to a second term Sunday, according to polling agencies’ projections. In the midst of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the result offered the European Union the reassurance of leadership stability in the bloc’s only nuclear-armed power and was immediately hailed by France’s...
Ukraine official: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets top-level U.S. delegation
KYIV, Ukraine — The U.S. secretaries of state and defense met Sunday night with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the highest-level visit to the war-torn country’s capital by an American delegation since the start of Russia’s invasion. The meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary...
