TribLive stories, Page 2324
Stair-climbing robot is hitting streets in FedEx delivery test
Call it R2-D2 without the attitude. FedEx Corp. envisions a not-too-distant future in which it relies on Star Wars-style robots for more deliveries, as portrayed in a company video. Imagine a box-shaped bot that can roll out of a neighborhood pharmacy and drop off prescription medicine at a nearby house....
WPIAL basketball Top 10: Most playoff appearances
The Top 10 Here is a list of the schools with the most WPIAL basketball playoff seasons: School, Playoff seasons, First, Most recent Boys 1. Uniontown, 68, 1925, 2019 2t. Monessen, 63, 1919, 2019 2t. Washington, 63, 1931, 2019 4. Aliquippa, 59, 1929, 2019 5. Mt. Lebanon, 50, 1932, 2019...
California mother detained in infant death, son’s injuries from plunge off balcony
UPLAND, Calif. — Investigators on Wednesday were trying to determine why a California woman allegedly fatally injured her infant daughter, dropped her young son off a second-story apartment building landing and then jumped herself. After being medically cleared, Tierra Ortega, 24, was booked for investigation of homicide, attempted homicide and...
Amid clouds of dust, border wall prototypes are demolished
SAN DIEGO — The government is demolishing eight prototypes of Donald Trump’s prized border wall that instantly became powerful symbols of his presidency when they were built nine months after he took office. The Trump administration says elements of the prototypes have been melded into current border fence designs and...
Editorial: Cohen latest cage match over winners and losers
“He is all about winning.” Michael Cohen made that statement to the House Oversight Committee Wednesday. It was an indictment of the actions of the president. It doesn’t really matter if you believe Cohen or not. It doesn’t matter if you support President Trump or not. Because Cohen’s statement doesn’t...
Bridgeville driver license center temporarily closed
The driver license and photo center in Bridgeville is temporarily closed while state transportation officials relocate the office for a Friday opening. The PennDOT announced the closure Wednesday. The Department of Motor Vehicle site at the Chartiers Valley Shopping Center at 1025 Washington Pike, Route 50, in Bridgeville closed Tuesday...
Ex-postal manager pleads guilty to stealing $630K in stamps
KENNER, La. — Prosecutors say a former New Orleans-area post office manager has admitted to stealing more than $630,000 in stamps and selling them online to support his gambling addiction. News outlets report U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser says in a statement that 46-year-old Ryan Cortez pleaded guilty Friday to misappropriation...
Military spent about $8M on transgender care since 2016
SAN DIEGO — Lindsey Muller served in the Army as a man for nearly a decade before telling her commanders in 2014 that she identified as a woman and would resign because military policy barred transgender personnel. Her superiors, citing her outstanding performance, persuaded the decorated attack helicopter pilot to...
A very merry Christmas at Best Buy with sales booming
NEW YORK — Best Buy put up some big holiday sales numbers Wednesday, more evidence that Americans are willing and able to spend on gadgets and big TVs. The nation’s consumer electronics chain delivered a better-than-expected 3 percent increase in sales at established stores for the fiscal fourth quarter. The...
Broadcasters aren’t succumbing to Netflix era
PASADENA, Calif. — If there is a high point to Netflix’s status as the “cool kids” taking over television, it may be remembered as an emotional Chuck Lorre accepting a best comedy Golden Globe last month for “The Kominsky Method,” his show on the streaming service. Lorre is one of...
A year after Frances McDormand’s Oscars speech, are inclusion riders making progress?
“I have two words to leave you with tonight, ladies and gentlemen,” said Frances McDormand in her Oscars acceptance speech last year. “Inclusion rider.” Just like that, the little-known industry term was instantly catapulted into the public sphere. Actors, directors and producers began tweeting their pledges to adopt the inclusion...
Authorities: Philly police shoot, wound 2 dogs that charged at them
PHILADELPHIA — Police have shot and wounded two pit bulls that allegedly charged at officers as they tried to serve warrants at a Philadelphia home. The shootings occurred just before 7 a.m. Wednesday in the 3100 block of North 25th Street in North Philadelphia. Authorities say the officers had entered...
Super fans maintain love of R. Kelly amid his 10 counts of sexual abuse charges
When R. Kelly was released from jail Monday, three days after being charged with criminal sexual abuse, he was greeted by the sounds of adoration. “Free Kells!” people shouted outside Chicago’s Southwest Side jail as he was released, according to the Chicago Tribune. The R&B singer’s 1996 hit “I Believe...
Trash truck driver charged with vehicular homicide in Philly bicyclist’s 2017 death
PHILADELPHIA — A garbage truck driver has been charged with vehicular homicide in the death of a bicyclist in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that 28-year-old Jorge Fretts of Philadelphia was charged Tuesday with homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter and recklessly endangering another person. Authorities said Fretts was driving a...
West Jefferson Hills parents voice concerns over racist social media post
African American parents in the West Jefferson Hills School District are enraged after a Thomas Jefferson High School student allegedly made a racist social media post about a fellow student that circulated widely Tuesday. The photo is of an African American student appearing to be sitting in a school science...
Witness: Driver in train-car crash was fleeing earlier crash
WESTBURY, N.Y. — A witness told police that the driver who caused a deadly crash by trying to go around a lowered railroad gate on New York’s Long Island was fleeing the scene of an earlier crash, a police official said Wednesday. “The witness said that individual was involved in...
Letter to the editor: Overpopulation will destroy earth
Regarding Rudolph Puchan’s letter “Democrats & abortion” (Feb. 12, TribLIVE): I agree that abortion is an ugly business and certainly birth control should obviate the need for it, but I would challenge Puchan to show me any world problem that is not attributable to overpopulation, directly or indirectly. Too many...
Letter to the editor: Paper vs. electronic voting
The article “Commission recommends Pennsylvania security measures for elections” (Jan. 29, TribLIVE) references David Hickton’s concern for Pennsylvania voting machines possibly being hacked, although they’ve found no evidence of hacking. Have they even tried to hack into one of the currently used machines? That made me think that I’ve seen...
Watch live: Michael Cohen speaks about Trump before House committeeVideo
Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, is planning to tell a House committee that Trump knew ahead of time that WikiLeaks had emails damaging to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and that Trump is a “racist,” a “conman” and a “cheat.” Read Cohen’s prepared remarks. The hearing began at...
Cops: Gunman broke into home, fatally shot pizza deliveryman
PHILADELPHIA — Authorities say a pizza deliveryman was shot and killed when he made a delivery to a home under construction in Philadelphia. The shooting occurred around 7 p.m. Tuesday just outside the home. Authorities believe the gunman broke into the home so he could arrange for the delivery there...
Westmoreland County officials stress how much 2020 census counts
More than a year ahead of the 2020 census, Westmoreland County officials are banding together to ensure every resident gets counted. The once-a-decade population count determines the amount of public funds local municipalities receive, the number of representatives each state has in Congress and what infrastructure projects get completed. Based...
Cohen sticks to Trump accusations, shaking off GOP criticism
WASHINGTON — Shaking off criticism from House Republicans, President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer declared under oath Wednesday that Trump knew ahead of time and embraced the news when told that WikiLeaks had emails damaging to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Michael Cohen also testified that Trump is a “racist,” a...
Trump, Kim share smiles, dinner before nuke talks
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, leaders of two nations with a long history of hostility, opened their second summit Wednesday with smiles, hopeful talk and a friendly dinner that set the stage for the much more difficult talks to come about...
Sewickley Academy student selected for Presidential Scholars program
Aydin Turkay did not know about the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, but after being invited to participate, the Sewickley Academy senior is impressed. Turkay, 18, of Franklin Park, is one of more than 4,500 candidates selected by the U.S. Department of Education. “This is the highest honor I’ve ever received,”...
Pair of eagles have captivated the North Park community
A viewing area in North Park has been created so people can watch a pair of eagles who are nesting in North Park as they await the hatching of their eggs....
