Regional News category, Page 139
Ohio lawmakers OK rail safety rules after train derailment
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Rail safety measures proposed after the February train derailment and toxic chemical burn in East Palestine are closer to becoming law in Ohio, as part of a nearly $13.5 billion transportation budget that cleared the Legislature on Wednesday. A compromise budget plan that chiefly funds work on...
Active shooter calls send panic across Western Pa. before deemed a hoax by investigators
Panic, confusion and then relief spread across the region Wednesday morning after two Pittsburgh Catholic schools received what investigators deemed were hoax active shooter threats that prompted evacuations, lockdowns and large responses from police. Families raced to Oakland Catholic and Central Catholic high schools as the news unfolded, but soon...
Morning Roundup: Squirrel Hill tunnel crash snarls traffic, man found shot in Stanton Heights
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, March 29, 2023: Parkway East traffic snarled A multivehicle crash inside the Squirrel Hill tunnel has snarled traffic on the Parkway East. The crash in the outbound direction was reported about 7:45 a.m., PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan said....
Morning Roundup: Police investigating crash, shots fired in McKees Rocks
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, March 28, 2023: Police investigate crash, shots fired in McKees Rocks Police are investigating a crash and shots fired in the area of the crash in McKees Rocks early Tuesday morning. Allegheny County Police said 911 was notified...
Several treated, released after apartment floor collapse near IUP; video shows packed party
An Indiana University of Pennsylvania student who is friends with several people injured when an apartment floor collapsed during an off-campus party was shaken by the severity of the incident. Reaction of other students have been mixed, said Corryn Miller, an IUP junior from Johnstown. “Some people are taking it...
Attorney: Cranberry woman to tell judge she killed boyfriend in self-defense
A Cranberry woman will tell a judge she shot and killed her boyfriend Feb. 12 in self-defense, her attorney said Monday. Amanda Mariah Hughes, who turns 27 on Friday, faces one count of criminal homicide and is being held without bail in Butler County Jail. She is set to be...
Gas prices down in Pennsylvania while national average unchanged
Pennsylvania is among a majority of states that saw gas prices fall in the past week but downward trends are likely to be temporary, an industry analyst said. According to AAA, the average price in Pennsylvania on Monday was about $3.56 per gallon. That’s about 4 cents per gallon less...
CDC report: Tick-borne illness babesiosis on rise in Northeast
As a rare tick-borne disease is on the rise in the northeastern United States, a local professor is awaiting test results to see whether babesiosis is taking hold in the Keystone State. Pennsylvania is among the worst states in the nation for Lyme cases, and concern about its prevalence has...
Morning Roundup: Weekend winds knock out power in Western Pa.
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, March 27, 2023: Weekend winds knock out power in Western Pa. Power outages stemming from high winds over the weekend were impacting several schools in the Pittsburgh area Monday morning. Duquesne Light and West Penn Power were reporting...
12 hurt after floor collapses in apartment building near Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Twelve people were injured late Saturday after a second-story floor collapsed inside an apartment complex near Indiana University of Pennsylvania, state police said. Five people were treated at the scene, and seven others were taken by ambulance to a hospital for treatment of injuries ranging from minor to serious, Trooper...
Local athletes prove age isn’t an issue in extreme sports
A nationally ranked triathlete and mother of five, 54-year-old Heather Melzer likens her participation in the sport to the adage about fine wine. “You can get better as you get older,” the North Allegheny woman said. “My bike just keeps getting better, and, right now, it’s my only weapon against...
New Kensington woman accused of repeatedly hitting a state police horse, 1 of 2 incidents during IUPatty’s revelry
A New Kensington woman is facing charges after troopers said she struck a state police horse in Indiana during a delayed St. Patrick’s Day celebration by college-age revelers dubbed IUPatty’s. State and local police boost enforcement during the annual weekend that is student-planned and not associated with Indiana University of...
Pittsburgh area Muslims observe Ramadan
Muslims all around the world fast from dawn to dusk during the holy month of Ramadan. Such was the case at the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh in North Oakland. Water and dates are usually eaten to break the fast after prayers. Muslims believe they are God’s guests during the month...
Flooding closes several Western Pa. roads
Several roads in the region are closed because of flooding. In Westmoreland County, Route 381 in Ligonier Township is closed from Rolling Rock Lane to Route 30. PennDOT announced the closure at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. That stretch of road often is subject to flooding during heavy rains. In Washington County,...
Morning Roundup: Wigle Whiskey turns 11
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, March 24, 2023: Wigle Whiskey turns 11 with special release Pittsburgh distillery Wigle Whiskey is celebrating its 11th birthday by releasing its longest-aged spirits to date: Single Barrel Straight Bourbon and Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey — aged...
Rain, possible flooding projected for Southwestern Pa.
Southwestern Pennsylvania — particularly areas south of Pittsburgh — will see increased rainfall and potential flooding heading into Saturday as a cold front enters the region. The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for Western Pennsylvania, east central Ohio and northern West Virginia through Saturday, and a...
Aliquippa man found dead in house filled with snakes had old bite wound, officials say
Officials say a man found dead Tuesday in an Aliquippa house where dozens of venomous snakes were kept had been bitten by a snake, but the bite was not what killed him. The Beaver County Coroner has not yet ruled on the cause of death for the man, whose identity...
Morning Roundup: Fire shuts down bridge on South Side
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, March 23, 2023: Fire shuts down bridge on South Side Part of P.J. McArdle Roadway on the South Side of Pittsburgh is closed after a fire under the span overnight, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI. The station...
Report shows Pittsburgh region attracted $1B in tech investments amid economic downturn
Tech investment in the Pittsburgh region slipped in 2022 compared to the record set in the previous year, attracting about $1.05 billion across 176 deals. The latest report from North Side-based Innovation Works and Ernst & Young noted that the economic downturn and shrinking valuations took their toll in 2022....
At least 60 venomous snakes removed from Aliquippa home; resident found dead
A man was found dead Tuesday in an Aliquippa home where more than 200 snakes were being kept. City code enforcement officer Jim Bologna said the man was found in a bathroom and appeared to have puncture marks on his wrist, but he could not say if they were the...
Eat’n Park drops grilled stickies from menu — for now
A classic dessert at Eat ’n Park restaurants is off the menu — for now. Spokeswoman Courtney Caprara confirmed that grilled stickies are no longer available after the closure of a bakery partner. The cinnamon bun-like dessert, topped with a sticky sauce and scoop of vanilla ice cream, has been...
Morning Roundup: Air quality advisory issued for Liberty-Clairton area
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, March 22, 2023: Air quality advisory issued for Liberty-Clairton area The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection declared Wednesday a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day in the Liberty-Clairton area of Allegheny County. A temperature inversion in the morning...
Giant Eagle’s new CEO, board chair leaves chain without Shapira family in leadership
Giant Eagle has been a family run business for many decades, but the supermarket chain is changing course with the departure of longtime chief executive Laura Shapira Karet. The O’Hara-based grocer has appointed Bill Artman as interim CEO to replace Shapira Karet, who has led the chain for 11 years....
Norfolk Southern supports some new regulations after Ohio disaster
WASHINGTON — Norfolk Southern’s CEO is offering support for some parts of a bipartisan Senate bill to put tougher safety regulations on railroads after last month’s fiery hazardous materials train derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. CEO Alan Shaw is under pressure from senators and federal safety regulators to step up...
Carmichaels man arrested in Maryland in connection with assault, robbery
A Carmichaels man was charged with robbery, theft and assault of a Latrobe woman after being arrested Tuesday by Maryland State Police. Heath Allen Rankin, 41, is accused of robbing a woman in an elevator and stealing her car. He was arrested after being accused of stealing another car in...
