Local category, Page 2584
Allegheny County reports 31 new covid-19 cases, total reaches 356
Allegheny County reported 31 new cases of the coronavirus Wednesday, bringing the countywide total to 356. Of that total, two Allegheny County residents have died from complications from covid-19, and 61 have required hospitalization. Thousands of Allegheny County residents have been tested for covid-19 in recent weeks, Dr. LuAnn Brink,...
Landslide closure of Route 906 near Monessen will continue until Friday
A section of Route 906 between Interstate 70 in Rostraver and Monessen that was closed for landslide repairs will remain closed until Friday. The highway stretch is expected to reopen at approximately 3 p.m. Friday, according to PennDOT District 12 community relations coordinator Valerie Petersen. The road was closed 2...
State police no longer sending troopers to some calls because of coronavirus outbreak
State Police Commissioner Col. Robert Evanchick Wednesday announced a temporary change in the way troopers respond to select nonemergency incidents. Evanchick said with the goal of limiting in-person contact and mitigating the spread of covid-19 , the department has identified certain types of calls that may be resolved with limited...
When will rapid coronavirus test become available in Western Pennsylvania?
A new rapid covid-19 test designed to be conducted in doctors’ offices, hospital emergency departments and urgent care clinics could deliver results in minutes, but it’s not yet clear if or when those tests will arrive in the Pittsburgh region. The Illinois-based medical technology company Abbott announced that it will...
Match Day becomes day of giving for Pitt medical students during coronavirus pandemic
Match Day is an occasion University of Pittsburgh medical students eagerly await each spring. It’s a national event during which the majority of medical students across the country receive their residency assignments. The aspiring doctors usually gather together to simultaneously open letters that announce their residency training location — a...
Sheetz to offer free kids’ meals at stores
Sheetz will launch a free meal program Thursday for children and families in need due to the covid-19 pandemic. The “Kidz Meal Bagz” program will be available all day at nearly 300 stores across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia, the Altoona-based convenience store chain announced Wednesday....
April National Prescription Drug Take Back Day event postponed
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in April is postponed, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. The April 25 date will be rescheduled after the coronavirus pandemic recedes and the national emergency is lifted, according to the agency. During the most recent Take Back Day held Oct. 26, nearly 442...
Giant Eagle reports confirmed coronavirus cases at 2 more stores
People at two more Giant Eagle stores in the Pittsburgh area have tested positive for covid-19, the grocery store operator announced. The company announced on its website that it got confirmation of the cases at its Pine Creek store, 9805 McKnight Road, McCandless, and Robinson Market District, 100 Settlers Ridge...
Victim of fatal shooting in Oakland identified as San Jose man
Authorities have identified the man who was shot dead in Oakland early Wednesday morning. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as Esam Tanzim Hossain, 23, of San Jose. According to Pittsburgh police, officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert, followed by 911 calls of shots fired in the...
The Stroller, April 1, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Send cancellations to The Stroller The Stroller will publish news of cancellations and events that will still occur in the upcoming days. If your non-profit has to cancel or change an event or is helping members of the public, please send information to The Stroller at vndnews@tribweb.com. Send information of...
Coronavirus taking big bite out of Easter candy sales for region’s makers
Coronavirus-related business closures are taking a hefty bite out of area confectioners’ Easter candy sales. With chocolate bunnies, eggs and other seasonal sweets accounting for about half of annual revenue, it’s a situation that could put some companies out of business. “It’s devastating, actually,” said John Mandak, owner of Valos...
South Fayette seeks resident feedback
South Fayette Township is seeking input from residents who need special assistance as a result of coronavirus restrictions. Those experiencing a hardship are asked to contact the township to be connected to resources to help. Responses are confidential and shared only to the extent needed to provide assistance. Submit an...
Hempfield bicyclist with history of petty crimes charged with throwing traffic cone into creek
A Hempfield man who spent nearly two years in jail awaiting trial for obstructing traffic on his bicycle has been arrested again, this time for allegedly throwing a traffic cone into a flooded creek in Greensburg. City police said security footage showed David Smith, 60, riding his bike at Lynch...
Woman rescued from Allegheny River by passersby, police
A woman was rescued from the Allegheny River on Tuesday after breaking her ankle and falling into the water in Pittsburgh. She had been exercising along the riverwalk when she lost her balance and fell into the water, according to Pittsburgh Police spokeswoman Cara Cruz. She had been with a...
Pittsburgh priest exposed to coronavirus tests negative
A priest in the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh has tested negative for coronavirus after coming into contact with someone exposed to the virus, according to the diocese. Despite the negative test result, the Rev. Thomas Gramc will still undergo a voluntary 14-day quarantine out of an abundance of caution, the...
Allegheny Technologies to close Beaver County steel plant, citing Trump’s tariffs
Allegheny Technologies Inc. will shutter its Beaver County stainless steel plant in June, citing the Trump administration’s steel tariffs as the reason for the closure, the company announced Tuesday. The A&T Stainless Direct Roll Anneal and Pickle operation in Midland employs about 70 workers, most of whom are represented by...
Adapting: The ‘second first day of school’
Editor’s note: Adapting is a regular series spotlighting the ways the global coronavirus pandemic is changing the everyday lives of people in Western Pennsylvania. On Monday, students in many areas across Pennsylvania had their “second first day of school,” in the form of school districts’ online learning plan going into...
More than 600 inmates released from Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh to slow pandemic
Officials have released 622 inmates from Allegheny County Jail over the last two weeks in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus by reducing crowding in the jail, according to Allegheny County. That’s more than triple the 189 inmates that were slated for release March 19, and roughly one...
Litter piles up at Pennsylvania state parks
Sanitary wipes and disposable gloves are among the increasing amount of litter sullying some Pennsylvania state parks. Although the facilities, including restrooms, are closed at 121 state parks, a growing number of residents continue to visit them with few options available for outings under covid-19 restrictions. “Sadly, litter has kept...
Carnegie Museum researchers discover new reptile genus, species
The Carnegie Museum of Natural History might be closed to the public right now, but its staff is still busy with research — including the discovery of a reptile from the Late Paleozoic period that had a crucial role in shifting its species’ diet from eating insects to eating plants....
6 residents, 1 staff at Ligonier Gardens nursing home test positive for coronavirus
Six residents and a staff member of Ligonier Gardens Personal Care Home have tested positive for coronavirus, according to Bethlen Communities, the nonprofit organization that operates the home. Two other Bethlen employees who don’t work at Ligonier Gardens also have tested positive. One works in transportation, the other in home...
Sen. Kim Ward seeks state law change to provide covid-19 info to first responders
A Westmoreland County lawmaker wants to amend state law to require the Pennsylvania Department of Health to release the general location of covid-19 cases to first responders. State Sen. Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, is seeking co-sponsors for an amendment to require state health officials to release information about coronavirus cases by...
Washington County woman who coughed on trooper claimed she had covid-19
A Washington County woman who coughed on a state trooper Sunday, claiming she had covid-19 as she was being arrested, was charged Tuesday with making terroristic threats and related crimes. Jessica Lee Harvey, 37, of Houston, also is charged with harassment, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness by state police Trooper...
Westmoreland DA opposes county-paid expert for Penn Township murder appeal
Westmoreland taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for an expert to testify on behalf of Greensburg woman appealing her 2006 murder conviction, according to the county’s top prosecutor. In court documents filed Wednesday, District Attorney John Peck said expert testimony is irrelevant in the pending appeal of Jennifer...
Allegheny County map shows where free food is being distributed
Allegheny County has created a map to assist those who may be seeking free food distributions during the coronavirus pandemic. The map breaks down the distributions into groups, including some that serve only students or only seniors. The map can also be filtered to include specific results. It includes school...
