Regional category, Page 129
Carson Briere, son of Flyers GM, apologizes after pushing woman’s wheelchair down bar stairs
Mercyhurst University college hockey player apologized Wednesday after video surfaced of him pushing a woman’s empty wheelchair down a set of stairs as she was away from it using the restroom. Carson Briere, 23, who competes in Division 1 with Mercyhurst in Erie, said he was “deeply sorry” for the...
Atmospheric river? The meaning behind unusual meteorological terms
When tuning into the weather report, don’t be surprised if the on-air personality mentions the term “atmospheric river.” It’s definitely a real weather term, albeit one less heard, but it’s nothing like Pittsburgh’s other three such bodies of water. “It is mostly a term used on the West Coast for...
Grant-funded program aims to establish ‘bird-friendly communities’ in Mon Valley
Last year, members of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania were busy putting a state grant to work through their certified backyard habitat program, familiarizing residents with the positive benefits of native plants. This year, they are combining funding from a federal grant, the Pittsburgh Foundation and R.K. Mellon Foundation...
Residents can track rotten egg smell in Allegheny County
On certain days, residents in some Pittsburgh neighborhoods and outlying municipalities can often smell a rotten-egg odor, but they might not have known where it was coming from or how prevalent it was. The Allegheny County Health Department announced Tuesday it will now offer publicly trackable information about how much...
Ohio sues Norfolk Southern over toxic train derailment
Ohio filed a lawsuit against railroad Norfolk Southern to make sure it pays for the cleanup and environmental damage caused by a fiery train derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border last month, the state’s attorney general said Tuesday. The federal lawsuit also seeks to force the company to pay for groundwater...
Three Rivers Community Band Festival relocates to MurrysvilleVideo
Members of the East Winds Symphonic Band should be preparing for the 20th annual Three Rivers Community Band Festival. But, the covid-19 pandemic forced the festival to skip the past three years. So while it has been around for two decades, it technically will be the 17th year for the...
What went wrong: Pittsburgh experts explain failures of Silicon Valley, Signature banks
The federal shutdown of two banks is unique and not a symptom of a widespread problem, two Pittsburgh financial experts said. “I do think that this is more of a unique situation in banking and not an overall barometer for what’s happening in the tech world,” said Dave Mawhinney, executive...
PNC says it is not in talks to acquire Silicon Valley Bank
PNC Financial Services has surfaced in reports to be among the potential suitors in talks to acquire SVB Financial Group. However, the Pittsburgh-based bank on Monday said that talks are not taking place. “PNC is not in talks to acquire SVB Financial or Silicon Valley Bank,” the bank said in...
Gasoline prices edge higher as change to summer blends underway coast to coast
With the change to more expensive summer gasoline underway across the country, the national average has increased for the second straight week, an industry analyst said. Wholesale gasoline prices are increasing at a rate typical for this time of year, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy....
What does Pittsburgh’s mild winter mean for spring bugs?
On the calendar, it might technically be winter. In real life, Penn State assistant research professor Michael Skvarla just pulled a black-legged tick off his daughter about a week ago. That’s typically a spring and summer problem. But the Pittsburgh region is on pace for one of its mildest winters...
Police say dog shot with pellet gun in Fayette County
Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the shooting of a dog in Fayette County. Between 12:30 and 2 p.m. March 7, a dog escaped a fenced yard in South Union, police said. When it returned, the owner noticed it had been shot multiple times by a pellet gun. The dog is...
Western Pa. could see 1-2 inches of snow
Looks like snow’s not done with us just yet. Monday’s weather forecast in Western Pennsylvania is calling for considerable cloudiness and a chance of snow, according to the National Weather Service in Moon. Highs Monday are expected in the upper 30s, with a 50% chance of precipitation — and that...
Full circle: Bald eagles live, hunt near former Harrison DDT plantVideo
About a decade ago, Audrey Krzeminski drove across the Freeport Bridge and saw construction workers pointing skyward. Out of nowhere, a mature bald eagle flew over her car, then — “thud!” — the bird accidentally dropped a fish on her hood. “We almost ran into each other,” she said of...
2 teens killed in car crash in South Strabane Township
A pair of 17-year-olds were killed in a one-car crash late Saturday night in South Strabane Township. Justin Michael Crawford, 17, of Washington, Pa., was driving east on East Maiden Street around 11:18 p.m. when he lost control of the vehicle, crossed the westbound lane and struck a tree, according...
AmEx: Small business starts hit a record high in 2021
A record number of people decided to strike out on their own and start a new business in 2021, according to data from American Express. “In 2021, we saw over 5 million new business applications were filed, which was the highest year on record, and about a 50% increase form...
Winter weather approaching Friday night in parts of Westmoreland County
Drivers are advised to use caution tonight as an increase in snowfall is expected overnight in the higher elevation of Westmoreland, Fayette, and Indiana counties, according to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh. A winter weather advisory is in effect from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday on the...
2 Pittsburgh museums make national list
Pittsburgh has made another “Best Of” list, just in time for people to make their travel plans for the summer. The latest ranking named two of the city’s museums among the best in the country. A USA Today 10Best Reader’s Choice survey ranked the Senator John Heinz History Center in...
BotsIQ competition in Hempfield puts STEM concepts into actionVideo
Southmoreland High School senior Josef Jefferson has learned quite a bit during his time with the school’s BotsIQ team, building robots that battle in a competition among Western Pennsylvania schools. “We came up with some new ideas, and we saw a lot of bots last year that were really effective,”...
Morning Roundup: 2 injured in house fire in Allegheny Township
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, March 10, 2023: 2 injured in house fire in Allegheny Township One person was injured in a house fire early Friday in Allegheny Township. Firefighters from multiple stations in the All-Kiski Valley responded to the fire around 12:40...
UPMC nurse lost job for speaking publicly about staffing shortages, labor complaint says
A nurse at UPMC Altoona was illegally retaliated against and fired after she spoke to local media about staffing shortages and working conditions, according to a complaint from the National Labor Relations Board. UPMC on Friday defended its actions, saying that the nurse in question was a contractor on temporary...
Attorneys deliver opening statements in sexual assault trial of suspended Somerset County DA
SOMERSET — Attorneys on both sides of suspended Somerset County District Attorney Jeffrey Thomas’ sexual assault case delivered opening statements Wednesday about the night of Sept. 19, 2021. Prosecutors said Thomas pursued a Windber woman for months with inappropriate texts before walking into her apartment in September 2021, biting her...
National Women’s History Month: Pennsylvania’s 1st female judge appointed in Allegheny County
Debra Todd was recently sworn in as the first woman in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s history to serve as chief justice. March is National Women’s History Month, here’s a look at the history of women in Pennsylvania’s judiciary, starting with their expanded role across the board in 2023. Women make...
Erie man gets 25-50 years for 2021 Conneaut Lake-area murder
An Erie man has been sentenced in Crawford County Court of Common Pleas to a total of 25 to 50 years in prison for killing his estranged wife at a Sadsbury Township home in 2021. Daryl S. Gillespie, 29, pleaded guilty and was sentenced Tuesday by Judge Mark Stevens for...
Morning Roundup: Picklesburgh dates announced
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, March 8, 2023: Dates announced for Picklesburgh 2023 The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership has announced the dates for the city’s annual ode to all things pickled. The Picklesburgh festival will be held Downtown from July 21 to 23 —...
2 men killed in shooting at Uniontown tavern
Two men were shot to death at a Uniontown tavern early Wednesday, authorities said. The shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. at the Elias Sails Inn in the 200 block of North Gallatin Avenue, according to a 911 dispatcher. Police identified the victims as Darrell Gregg, 32, and Tommy Stargell Jr.,...
