CMU Fence tribute to Charlie Kirk planned
The Carnegie Mellon University College Republicans plan to use The Fence as a way to honor conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, following his slaying Wednesday. CMU College Republican President Anthony Cacciato said he was “shaken up by the...
Jury convicts East Huntingdon man wounded in shootout with state police
A Westmoreland County jury on Wednesday rejected defense claims that an East Huntingdon man’s shootout with state police last year was covered up by investigators to shield authorities from allegations of improper use of force. Jurors deliberated nearly five hours before returning 18 guilty verdicts against James R. Miller Jr.,...
Darrin Kelly, fiery union leader, to step down from Western Pa. labor post
An electric passion for organized labor and a constant coffee drip have fueled Darrin Kelly in his seven years as boss of the Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council. But the job has worn on him, Kelly told TribLive at his office in Pittsburgh’s Duquesne Heights neighborhood, the nerve center of a...
Pa. politicians denounce political violence in wake of Charlie Kirk killing
Politicians throughout Pennsylvania reacted with shock and horror to the shooting death Wednesday of Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA. Kirk was killed while speaking at a college in Utah, almost a year after his visit to the University of Pittsburgh. After...
Pittsburgh Land Bank pitches way to cut costs, red tape through sheriff’s sales
The Pittsburgh Land Bank wants to strike an agreement that would make it easier to buy tax-delinquent properties for conversion to other uses including affordable housing and community gardens. The land bank is looking for the city, school district and county to sign off on a deal that would let...
Westmoreland halts spending; threatens service cuts, layoffs amid state budget impasse
Westmoreland County leaders said a looming financial crisis could result in layoffs, service cuts and facility closures without a quick resolution to the ongoing state budget impasse in Harrisburg. The county commissioners this week instructed department heads to limit spending as part of an initial phase of mandatory cost-containment measures....
Tenants displaced by Squirrel Hill apartment fire take it ‘one day at a time’
Matthew Stock has his keys, wallet and phone but little else. He suspects the rest of his possessions were lost Tuesday in a fire that gutted a nearly century-old apartment building on Forward Avenue in Squirrel Hill. The 35-year-old is unemployed and was looking for a new job before the...
High school seniors’ math, reading scores declining, national report says
High school seniors’ math and reading comprehension are on the decline, according to a national report. The National Center for Education Statistics, part of the U.S. Department of Education, administered the National Assessment of Educational Progress to a sample of students from 1,500 schools throughout the country from January to...
Audits flag longer response times for Pittsburgh police, EMS; urge better 911 center staffing
A pair of audits from the Pittsburgh and Allegheny County controllers on Wednesday recommended increased staffing for the county’s 911 call center, more focus on tracking emergency response times and improvements to programs that ensure first responders’ well-being. “While funding and operational challenges exist in each of our respective governments,...
‘Kissing bug’ disease on the rise in U.S.
A deadly malady known as “kissing bug” disease is now an endemic illness in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The nation is seeing a rise in the illness, which is officially known as Chagas disease. It can be life-threatening and is transmitted through...
Jewish woman who vandalized Pittsburgh synagogue gets probation
A Jewish woman accused of conspiring with an alleged Hamas sympathizer to vandalize two Jewish organizations in Pittsburgh last summer was sentenced Wednesday in federal court to five years probation. Talya A. Lubit, 25, pleaded guilty in May to misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to commit a crime against the United...
2nd public trial added for Pittsburgh airport’s new terminal
The Allegheny County Airport Authority said Wednesday it has added a second public trial of Pittsburgh International Airport’s new terminal to test systems and processes ahead of the official opening later this year. The airport’s first public trial is scheduled for Sept. 20. Over 2,000 members of the public are...
Judge accepts plea deal in East Hills double homicide over objections of victims’ family
The two women pleaded with the judge not to accept the deal. They had just listened to the prosecutor describe the injuries the killer inflicted on their loved ones. Valorie Crumpton, who was 72, sustained nine fractures to her skull, multiple broken ribs, a laceration to her abdomen and a...
FBI investigating threatening letters sent to 3 Pittsburgh Jewish groups
The FBI and Pittsburgh police are investigating threatening letters sent by mail to three Jewish organizations in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood, including the Tree of Life, since Friday. Shawn Brokos, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s community security director, on Wednesday confirmed the existence of the threats. Brokos said the...
Interest in Flight 93 memorial remains strong on 24th anniversary of 9/11 attacksVideo
As the Flight 93 memorial prepares for the 24th observance of the 9/11 attack, National Park Service leaders note interest in the site remains high. Between 2021 and 2024, the Somerset County memorial saw an average annual visitation of just under 375,000 people, according to National Park Service statistics. That’s...
Tarentum animal rescue installs 24/7 microchip reader for lost pets
The public now can identify microchipped pets any time of the day with a new device installed by Tarentum-based animal rescue Paws Across Pittsburgh. The microchip scanner, located in front of the nonprofit’s rescue house at 413 E. Sixth Ave., allows users to inspect lost animals with on-site instructions. The...
Solar canopy proposed at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
Officials at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport are exploring a company’s proposal to add a canopy of solar panels above some of its parking spaces, to save on the Unity facility’s electric bills and to take advantage of related energy credits. Under the proposal from Veregy, which has an office in...
Goats tackle baa-d overgrowth in Shaler with such gusto, township is considering having them back in spring
When Shaler’s wooded recreational areas became overrun by invasive Japanese knotwood, authorities did the only thing they could do: They brought in some goats. After exploring chemical use and landscapers, township officials felt it was best to bring in two groups of hungry goats, dubbing them “seasonal employees.” The teams...
Market Day Passport aims to spur traffic to Downtown New Kensington businesses
Downtown New Kensington business leaders hope a passport book for visitors will help spur foot traffic around the business district. The New Ken Downtown Partnership is unveiling the Market Day Passport to encourage foot traffic to the city’s farmers market and downtown businesses. “We were thinking of ways for people...
North Hills Cares snags second consecutive gold award from USDA for summer meal program
Lynne Sciulli’s son, Anthony, graduated from North Hills High School in 2014, and her other son, Nicholas, graduated in 2020. After spending so many years involved at the school, Sciulli, a lifelong Ross resident and North Hills graduate herself, wanted to find a way to stay involved. Understanding that many...
Student injured after bus crash in Washington County
A school bus was involved in a crash Tuesday afternoon in Washington County — causing a student to sustain minor injuries. Crews were called to the area of Burkett Lane just before 4 p.m. following reports of a school bus crash, according to the South Strabane Fire Department. There was...
Advanced practitioners at UPMC’s Magee-Womens Hospital vote to unionize
A group of 60 advanced practitioners has voted to join hundreds of nurses at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital in forming a union. The advanced practitioners — including certified registered nurse practitioners, neonatal nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives and other positions — voted to join SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, following about 800 nurses...
Giant trees ripped from Brackenridge park will be replaced
Residents who were riled up over the removal of enormous Norway maple trees from Brackenridge Memorial Park can breathe a sigh of relief. Trees, more than two dozen total, will return this fall to the park along the Allegheny River. Ashley Martin, from the nonprofit Friends of the Riverfront, said...
Sept. 11 events planned across the region
Several events are planned around the region to commemorate the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in addition to the ceremonies planned at the National Flight 93 memorial in Somerset County. Connellsville Connellsville will host a remembrance ceremony at 7 p.m. Thursday at Veterans Plaza, 168 E. Crawford Ave. Pixel...
1 dead in vehicle collision in Clairton
One person is dead following a single vehicle collision late Tuesday night in Clairton. The Allegheny County Police Department reported it was notified at 11:46 p.m. of the incident in the 700 block of Walnut Avenue. Police said there were two adult victims — the driver and passenger of the...
