Regional category, Page 139
Several hundred birders slough through rain to count thousands of birds, some rare
For the 123rd Christmas Bird Count, several hundred people scoured all types of habitats from Pittsburgh’s three rivers to the brushy fields of Hartwood Acres in Indiana Township to the Laurel Highlands for the annual census of birds. There are never enough boots on the ground for the longest-running community...
Community rallies around Verna Montessori School in Fayette County after burst pipe floods classrooms
The sisters of Verna Montessori School are thankful for the support of their community after they discovered a pipe had burst in the ceiling of the Bullskin, Fayette County, school on Christmas morning. According to its principal, Sister Juliana Tengia, she and five other nuns were checking on the school...
Ringing in the new year means staying on the clock for many workers
It’s a night of high expectations for people who want their celebrations to be memorable. But, for those providing service, New Year’s Eve can be a nonstop, thankless grind. The host of servers, bartenders, drivers and others behind the scenes generally make the party possible for revelers. Alcohol flows in...
Southwest hopes to return to full schedule Friday after canceling thousands of flights
The nightmare may be over soon for Southwest Airlines flyers whose holiday travels have been anything but smooth sailing. After canceling thousands of flights because of winter weather and a major technology meltdown, company leaders at Southwest told employees Wednesday that they hope to have a full schedule restored by...
$100K winning Powerball ticket sold in Butler County; jackpot rolls to $246M
A Powerball ticket worth $100,000 was sold in Butler County, the Pennsylvania Lottery announced Thursday. The Powerball with Power Play ticket matched four of the five white balls drawn — 26, 32, 38, 45, 56 — and the red Powerball, 1, in Wednesday’s drawing. The $1 Power Play option doubled...
Western Pa. to get new, upgraded Amtrak Airo trains
Amtrak is upgrading a select portion of its fleet and Western Pennsylvania passengers will benefit. The Pennsylvanian line — which runs from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg and connects to Philadelphia and New York — will be getting new Amtrak Airo trains. These new, modern trains are coming to 14 Amtrak routes...
Warmer temps in store for Connellsville Polar Bear plunge on New Year’s
The hearty people who will take the plunge into the Youghiogheny River in Connellsville on New Year’s Day will surely be thankful the temperatures will be a lot warmer than what they were on the brutally cold Christmas Day. The National Weather Service in Moon is forecasting that the temperature...
Nonprofit creates free online course to tackle Pennsylvania’s opioid crisis
The Rothman Opioid Foundation for Opioid Research & Education is offering a free online curriculum that will aid current and future prescribers to fight opioid addiction across Pennsylvania and the Appalachian region. Launched in 2019, the Philadelphia nonprofit is dedicated to raising awareness of the risks and benefits of opioids,...
TribLIVE’s top 50 photos of 2022
From the gun violence that continues to plague Pittsburgh to the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge to the midterm elections to Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, the past year proved to be an eventful year for Western Pennsylvania. Here are the top 50 photos from 2022 from the TribLIVE’s visual journalists....
‘Maybe I will cry’: Southwest travelers in Pittsburgh frustrated by cancellations, delays
Barbara Gray and her husband, Ken, stood at the back of a long, winding line of frustrated passengers Tuesday morning waiting to get to the Southwest Airlines ticket counter at Pittsburgh International Airport. Like many others in line, their flight had been canceled — one of at least 35 Southwest...
11-year-old dies in fire near Normalville in Fayette County
An 11-year-old boy was killed early Tuesday in Fayette County when a fire destroyed a mobile home near the village of Normalville, a fire official said. The boy was found inside the mobile home along Hawkins Hollow Road in Springfield Township, said Normalville Fire Chief Mark Bigam. He said an...
Deep-freeze thaw brings busted pipes, busy week for plumbers
The holiday season is busy enough during a normal year. But for plumbers, home heating contractors and emergency responders, the deep freeze over the past few days — and the warmer weather that is on the way — has made things even busier. “I’ve probably had 40 or 50 calls...
Federal spending bill includes $33M for Southwestern Pa. projects
A $1.7 trillion spending bill that passed the Senate and House includes more than $111 million for dozens of projects across Pennsylvania, according to U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton. The federal funding bill earmarks more than $33 million for projects in Southwestern Pennsylvania, including money for sewer rehab, health care...
On a new map, Pennsylvania elects most diverse assembly ever
HARRISBURG — When mapmakers reimagined the boundaries of Pennsylvania’s 253 legislative districts, they did it with an eye on the state’s growing racial and ethnic minorities, and officials say that has helped yield the most diverse incoming class of lawmakers yet. The number of state lawmakers who are Black, Latino...
Pittsburgh-area drivers facing higher gas prices than other parts of state, nation
Despite average gas prices falling across the state and nation, drivers in the Pittsburgh area aren’t seeing as much relief at the pump. The national average Monday was $3.10 per gallon, according to AAA. That’s down 4 cents from a week ago and about 46 cents from a month ago....
Power outages minimal as snow slows for Christmas Day
Most homes experiencing a power outage during the last 36 hours of winter weather are likely to have the lights on for breakfast Christmas morning, as suppliers continue working to restore electricity across the region. Duquesne Light reported fewer than 200 customers without power as of 8:30 a.m. Christmas morning,...
State police cite 16 for underage drinking in Seven Springs parking lots
State police cited more than a dozen people for underage drinking and other alcohol-related offenses in parking lot areas at Seven Springs Ski Resort. Officers from the state police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement conducted a minor patrol in Seven Springs between Dec. 14 and 17. A total of 16...
Crews working to restore power as record cold temps and winds persist
Work crews across the region are continuing to restore power to customers left in the dark by record cold and high winds that moved across Western Pennsylvania on Friday and into Saturday morning. As of about 4 p.m. Saturday, Duquesne Light was reporting about 2,300 customers affected by outages. The...
Coroner: Slick road cited in fatal head-on collision in Indiana County
A driver was killed Thursday when two pickup trucks collided head-on in Indiana County. Andrew David Johnston, 25, of South Mahoning Township, Indiana County, was pronounced dead following the wreck that occurred shortly before 8 a.m. on Route 954 in Center Township. The cause of death was pending, according to...
Spending a frigid Christmas Eve with the Steelers? Here’s what’s drawing fans to Acrisure Stadium
A frigid Christmas Eve in Acrisure Stadium will be “firsts” for some Pittsburgh Steelers fans. A 12-year-old boy will attend his first Steelers game. A devoted fan from Madagascar will go on her first blind date. A Lower Burrell insurance agent will wear a heated vest for the first time....
Rep. Conor Lamb reflects on Capitol riot and aftermath as he departs office
As U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb’s tenure comes to a close, he has not been able to shake the memory of the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. “On that day, it just felt like an attack on our country,” he said. The Democrat from Mt. Lebanon will be leaving office come...
Winter storm brings frigid temps, high winds, snow to Western Pennsylvania
The major winter storm that moved through Western Pennsylvania on Friday, dropping temperature some 40 degrees, will keep the region in a deep freeze on Christmas Eve and on Christmas, the National Weather Service in Moon said. People are likely to wake up Christmas Eve morning to temperatures in the...
Buy Now, Pay Later options heat up during holiday season
Whether you’re shopping for tech deals on Amazon or indie crafts on Etsy, you probably noticed there are more options at checkout than just using a credit card. More retailers are using “Buy Now, Pay Later” platforms such as Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay and Paypal to spread out payments in installments....
Amazon extends the ‘Alexa, thank my driver’ campaign
After enthusiastic response earlier this month to the ” Alexa, thank my driver” campaign, Amazon is doing it again. It started yesterday, Dec. 21, so it is not clear if the 1 million rewards have yet been reached. When Amazon launched the program on Dec. 7, 1 million thank-yous -...
Winter storm latest: What we’ll get, when we’ll get it
For several days, Pittsburgh area residents have been told that severe winter weather is heading to the area for Christmas weekend. The burning question has been exactly when will it hit and how bad will it be? According to the National Weather Service in Moon, a cold front will move...
