Fayette County man accused of beating, threatening to kill woman during 4 days of captivity
State police have accused a Fayette County man of holding a woman captive for four days, during which they say he punched, strangled and threatened to kill her. In a release issued Friday, state police said Kevin Patrick Fields, 33, of Redstone Township was arrested Dec. 16. In court records,...
‘ICE Out’ protests scheduled for Pittsburgh, Greensburg, elsewhere
Protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are planned in Pittsburgh, Greensburg and elsewhere Sunday. Two of the “ICE Out for Good” gatherings are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. at Three Rivers Heritage Park by the Hot Metal Bridge on Pittsburgh’s South Side and 3:30 p.m. near the Westmoreland...
Bikers berserk: 10 to stand trial in Washington County bar brawl said to involve War Dogs, Pagans
A district judge Friday tossed out dozens of charges stemming from a violent biker brawl last year at a Washington County bar that prosecutors called part of a yearslong turf battle between “outlaw motorcycle gangs.” Authorities accused the defendants of savagely beating a bar patron from a rival gang with...
Planned Parenthood announces temporary closures in Pittsburgh, region
Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania announced Friday that it is temporarily closing two regional health centers for the next three to six months, following a similar closure last month. In a news release on the Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania website, the network of nonprofits said staffing issues were responsible...
Meta funds expansion of Beaver Valley nuclear plant to help power AI
Meta announced Friday it’s funding an expansion of the Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station as the tech giant hoovers up energy for its “superintelligence” initiative. The deal caps a dramatic reversal of fortunes for the Vistra-owned plant in Shippingport, Beaver County, which was at one point scheduled to shutter in...
Western Pa. wineries gear up for annual Pennsylvania Farm Show in HarrisburgVideo
Francesca Howden, owner of La Vigneta Winery with locations in Ligonier and Sarver, always looks forward to the critiques from Pennsylvania Farm Show judges. “We try to make our wines as consistent as possible, but there are always some nuances from year to year in how they turn out,” she...
A look at the classic diners still holding on in Western PennsylvaniaVideo
The sizzle of frying potatoes and the scent of fresh coffee and grease. Gleaming chrome fixtures and brightly colored booths. Oldies playing softly in the background. Servers dropping off heaping plates of steaming comfort food. Welcome to the Western Pennsylvania diner. Diners peaked in popularity in the mid-20th century, when...
Morning roundup: Somerset County man killed in 2-vehicle crash; SWAT standoff ends with 1 person in custody
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, Jan. 8: ______________________________ Somerset County man killed in 2-vehicle crash A man was killed Wednesday night in a two-vehicle crash in Fayette County. Michael Duritsky Jr., 28, of Addison, a tiny Somerset County town 5 miles north of...
Highmark, spurred on by state law, offers no-cost breast imaging
Highmark has introduced no-cost breast imaging as part of an above-and-beyond push to comply with a new Pennsylvania law. The Pittsburgh-based insurer, which boasts more than 7 million members, began fully covering advanced mammograms, ultrasounds and MRIs in the new year. Doctors use these tests to investigate possible signs of...
Pa. regulators assess how electric companies handled deadly April storm
A comprehensive report issued this week by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission on the deadly April 29 storm in Southwestern Pennsylvania found utility companies’ preparations were “generally appropriate” but said there was room for improvement. The commission analyzed how electric companies responded to the massive storm whose 70-80 mph winds...
Fetterman breaks with many Democrats in supporting Venezuela raid
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman has again distanced himself from fellow Democrats, this time in support of last weekend’s military invasion that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. “Removing Maduro was positive for Venezuela. As a Democrat, I don’t understand why we can’t acknowledge a good development for...
Venezuelan community in Western Pa. conflicted over Maduro’s detentionVideo
Beechview resident Orlando Aguilar remembers waking about 2 a.m. to frantic text messages from his friends in Venezuela. The messages described the sound of explosions, during what Aguilar would later realize was the beginning of Operation Absolute Resolve, a United States operation to attack Venezuela and capture President Nicolás Maduro...
Stretch of I-79 in Washington County reopens after rockslide
Interstate 79 in Washington County is open to traffic again following a Wednesday morning rockslide that shut down its northbound lanes. Crews reopened the lanes around 8:35 a.m. after removing rock debris that had fallen on the roadway, said Melissa Maczko, a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokeswoman. Southbound traffic was...
Morning Roundup: Man pinned by equipment in Strip District; police seek Uniontown shooter
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Jan. 7: ______________________________ Man pinned by equipment in Strip District A man was hospitalized in stable condition Tuesday after “a piece of industrial equipment” pinned him to a building in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. Pittsburgh police, firefighters and EMS...
New rocky road-inspired Girl Scout cookie hits shelves
The Girl Scouts of the USA’s cookie season has officially kicked off with the discontinuation of two cookie classics and the introduction of brand new rocky road-inspired treat. Exploremores, filled with the flavors of chocolate, marshmallow and toasted almond-flavored crème, are designed to capture the spirit of Girl Scouts, according...
Former convenience store CEO, expansion leader Steve Sheetz dies
Former Sheetz Corp. president and CEO Steve Sheetz, who oversaw the expansion of the Altoona-based convenience store chain, died Sunday, the company said. Sheetz, 77, was head of the family-owned multi-state convenience store chain from 1984 to 1995, succeeding his brother, Bob, who had founded the business in 1952, according...
Disability advocates will launch program to help transition hospital patients to home care
Across Pennsylvania’s health systems, hundreds of children with disabilities or complex medical conditions live in hospitals or extended-care pediatric facilities instead of with their families. Pittsburgh nonprofit
Achieva plans to launch a comprehensive home transition program in 2026 to help those children and families. “Every child deserves to grow up...
Western Pa. federal lawmakers speak out following capture of Venezuelan President Maduro
After Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were seized overnight from their home on a military base by the United States, members of the local Western Pennsylvania congressional delegation are weighing in about the stunning action. The Western Pennsylvania Republicans in Congress hailed the mission as justified and appropriate...
WVU Health System’s takeover of Independence Health reflects aggressive expansion spree
Every hospital bought by West Virginia University Health System is photographed, framed and hung on a Mountaineer Blue wall at the nonprofit’s headquarters. The effect is a visual timeline of the system’s rapid growth since its founding in 1996 as a partnership between two of the state’s premier hospitals. WVU...
Ligonier Township native winds up 45 years of trimming hair in BlairsvilleVideo
Butch Rabic still gives his customers a trim in the same early 20th-century chair he inherited from his predecessor when he took over a Blairsville barber shop in 1980. Though he doesn’t ring up bills on it, he also uses a vintage cash register that can key in a top...
From Paris to Western Pennsylvania: Escargot gains popularity at local restaurants
Escargot is popping up on menus at more eateries around the Pittsburgh region. While not quite as prevalent as the Pittsburgh salad, wings or pierogis, escargot provides a funky, French food option for those willing to nosh on something more exotic. Technically classified as a mollusk seafood, escargot (pronounced es-car-go...
Cremation overtakes burial as people rethink death, cost and tradition
A generation ago, burial was the default and cremation the exception. Today, the roles are rapidly reversing. By 2035, 80% of Americans will opt for cremation over burial, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. That’s a stunning figure, considering that just 55 years ago, only 5% of people chose...
Another turnpike toll hike takes effect. Here’s why and what it will cost you
John Brady can’t figure out why the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission keeps raising tolls. “It’s just hard to justify the hike every single year. You would think they would do it every other year,” said Brady, of Hampton, who travels with his wife, Deb, from the Butler Valley exit to the...
Taxes, rent, ballots: What the new rule on postmarks means for your mail
People relying on the U.S. Postal Service to mail time-sensitive documents may need to take additional steps to make sure postmarks aren’t late if they’re cutting it close to key deadlines. A new federal rule that took effect last week clarifies the postmark — the stamp that provides proof the...
Snowstorm drops up to 5 inches of snow across region
The new year rang in with high winds and heavy snow overnight that put a damper on the First Night turnout in Pittsburgh and left a fresh blanket of white across the region. Pittsburgh police said there were no issues during the First Night celebration as there were light crowds,...
