Regional News category, Page 133
Excessive screen time a factor in loneliness, mental health risks for youth
Editor’s note: This is the second of two parts on the impact of isolation and loneliness. Michele Wentzel can tell when one of her three children is troubled. “They kind of isolate themselves and are very moody,” she said. “I can tell something’s going on.” Wentzel keeps the lines of...
UPMC income ticks up during 1st quarter
UPMC reported higher income and revenue during the first three months of the year, citing gains including increased patient volumes and higher enrollment in its insurance products. Still, diminishing pandemic-related government funding and increased labor costs dragged down results, the Pittsburgh-based health care giant said Wednesday. UPMC reported operating income...
Acrisure donates $7.5M to to UPMC Children’s Hospital Foundation for heart treatments
Financial technology company Acrisure on Thursday donated $7.5 million to the UPMC Children’s Hospital Foundation to help advance clinical care, research and the patient experience for children and families at the facility’s Heart Institute. The donation is said to be the largest corporate gift received by the foundation. “This is...
Harrison nurse charged in deaths of 2 patients, injuries to another
A Harrison woman is charged with killing two patients and injuring a third while she cared for them as a nurse. Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced charges Thursday against Heather Pressdee, 40, who is accused of administering unnecessary doses of insulin to patients, resulting in the deaths of two...
Back to normal: Spike in Memorial Day travel expected
A normal Memorial Day is finally on the horizon, including ceremonies honoring veterans, family vacations and maybe even some hot dogs doused in Heinz ketchup. With the end of the covid-19 public health emergency May 11, and the halting of most pandemic restrictions, Americans have big plans for Memorial Day,...
Lower gas prices luring Americans to travel, but inflation, high prices give pause
Americans are wanting to travel this summer, lured by lower gas prices, but remain cautious, price-tracking service GasBuddy says. GasBuddy projects that the national average price of gasoline this Memorial Day weekend will be $3.53 per gallon. That’s $1.10 less than it was in 2022. According to GasBuddy’s 2023 summer...
Shell Appalachia fined $10 million for air quality violations from Beaver County ‘cracker’ plant
Shell Chemicals Appalachia will pay nearly $10 million for air quality violations during the commissioning of its petrochemical plant in Beaver County. Under the agreement announced Wednesday, Shell will pay a $4.9 million civil penalty, with 25% going to local communities. Along with $5 million for environmental projects to benefit...
Ex-Army Ranger from Glenshaw gets 5-plus years for Jan. 6 Capitol riot
A combat-hardened ex-Army Ranger from Glenshaw who breached the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and fought with law enforcement officers was sentenced Wednesday to 66 months in federal prison. Robert Morss, 29, a former Shaler Area School District substitute history teacher, was convicted in August by a federal judge...
Morning Roundup: Police investigate alleged kidnapping in Overbrook
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, May 24: Police investigate alleged kidnapping in Overbrook Pittsburgh police said a man was assaulted and dragged into a vehicle in the city’s Overbrook neighborhood Tuesday evening. Police responded to a call at the intersection of Saw Mill...
Sobriety checkpoints planned in Belle Vernon, Uniontown over Memorial Day weekend
Troopers at two state police stations are planning sobriety checkpoints during the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Police in the Belle Vernon and Uniontown stations said in news releases this week that they are going to be on the lookout for impaired drivers, but didn’t say where exactly. Troopers from the...
Morning Roundup: Police say Cranberry woman stole thousands from dentist office
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, May 23: Police say Cranberry woman stole thousands from dentist office An employee of a dentist office in Cranberry Township has been charged with felony theft for allegedly stealing about $20,000 from Generational Dental Associates. Police said Kimberly...
Democrats advance gun-control bills in Pennsylvania House
HARRISBURG — Authorities could temporarily seize firearms and background checks would be expanded for gun buyers, under two bills passed Monday in the Pennsylvania House, where Democrats are using their razor-thin majority to push gun-control measures after a yearslong standstill in the politically divided government. The party describes the proposals...
Excela, Butler change name to Independence Health System
After merging to create Western Pennsylvania’s third-largest health system, Excela Health and the Butler Health System have a new name: Independence Health System. The system includes Butler, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe and Westmoreland hospitals, with 7,300 employees and more than 1,000 physicians and advanced practice providers. “Having the wider resources of...
Morning Roundup: Fire damages 2 homes in Ford City
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, May 22: 2 homes in Ford City damaged in fire A fire damaged two homes in Ford City on Saturday night. Borough firefighters fought the fire for several hours, but no injuries were reported, according to Tribune-Review news...
Memorial Day weekend weather could go in 2 different directions, forecasters say
Pittsburghers might want to wait a few days before solidifying their Memorial Day plans. The forecast for the next few days shows highs reaching 79 degrees and sunny skies, but there is some uncertainty for what direction the weather will head for the Memorial Day weekend. The Pittsburgh office of...
Invasive Asian tiger mosquito loves the standing water near your house
As spring comes into full bloom, flowers aren’t the only thing popping up. Mosquitoes are also spawning in small, mostly natural pools of standing water. After those pools dry out, a cousin moves in. And it’s known to be an aggressive biter. The Asian tiger mosquito, an invasive species first...
Show no mercy to the spotted lanternfly
Stomp ’em, smash ’em, squash ’em. But, by all means, kill them. That’s what the state Department of Agriculture recommends when people encounter a spotted lanternfly. “It’s not easy; they’re really fast,” said Sandy Feather, an educator at the Penn State Extension, laughing. People also can report sightings by visiting...
Get ready to stomp: Spotted lanternflies about to hatch in Western Pennsylvania
The best kind of spotted lanternfly is a dead spotted lanternfly, agricultural experts say. The spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect that has spread throughout Pennsylvania and other states. While the bug poses no threat to people, it is a danger to trees and other flora. Spotted lanternflies cause damage...
Pittsburgh picked as Workforce Hub by White House to increase job training initiatives
The White House this week designated Pittsburgh as a regional hub to enhance local workforce development efforts. Pittsburgh was selected as one of five regions selected as a Workforce Hub, where the White House administration will partner with state and local officials to drive workforce development efforts and help to...
Morning Roundup: Kennywood spins up its new ride
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, May 19: Kennywood spins up its new ride Spinvasion is gearing up for the summer. It’s Kennywood’s latest ride. Season pass holders at the West Mifflin amusement park can take a spin on the new attraction from Friday...
Sheetz orders up more space in Pittsburgh’s Bakery Square
Any given Sheetz convenience store location is recognizable by its bright red décor and liberal use of the letter Z. But its Bakery Square presence is a bit more unassuming in a former industrial space along Penn Avenue where the Altoona-based retailer is expanding, adding 20,000 square feet to accommodate...
Unions contend UPMC’s market dominance suppresses workers’ wages
Two labor organizations filed an antitrust complaint against UPMC with the Department of Justice accusing the health care giant of using its market dominance to tamp down wages and trap workers in low-paying, unsafe conditions. In a 55-page complaint filed Thursday, SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania and the Strategic Organizing Center contend...
5 IUP executives fired in move to cut costs, streamline operations
Five executives at Indiana University of Pennsylvania have lost their jobs in a move the university says is designed to cut costs and streamline operations. “IUP, like colleges and universities across the nation, is facing dramatic challenges both internally and externally (and) must accelerate its progress toward student-centeredness and financial...
Morning Roundup: State police looking for suspects in retail thefts
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, May 18, 2023: State police seek suspects in thefts at Hempfield Marshall’s State police are looking for three women they say were involved in a pair of retail thefts at Marshall’s in Hempfield. Police released surveillance images of...
Morning Roundup: Pittsburgh drivers to get warnings about passing stopped school buses
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, May 17, 2023: Pittsburgh drivers to get warnings about passing stopped school buses Drivers illegally passing stopped Pittsburgh Public School buses will get warning letters with no monetary penalty starting Wednesday under the district’s new stop-arm camera program....
