Regional News category, Page 162
Roberto Clemente: Keeping the Dream AliveVideo
Luis Clemente swats at insects as he stands on the edge of a swimming pool filled with stagnant, murky water in this San Juan suburb of 150,000 people. The pool had been a glistening centerpiece of Roberto Clemente Sports City. On this blistering May morning, nearly 50 years after the...
Pet python on the loose in Duquesne; residents urged to stay back, contact police
Duquesne police are asking residents to be on the lookout for a pet python that escaped from its owners. The white snake, which is between 5- and 7-feet long, went missing Thursday near the 800 block of State Street while its owners were out for walk, according to authorities. Police...
Western Pa. food trucks roll on despite inflation, supply shortages, gas hikes
While Ian Sayre enjoys connecting with patrons of his food truck at small events, he had to do away with attending them for now while increased grocery and gas prices cut into his profits. Sayre sees Tin Shack BBQ as offering quality food at working-class prices, but skyrocketing costs have...
UPMC profits, investment income drop in 1st half of the year
Hospitals across the country, including local health care giant UPMC, reported massive earnings in 2021, but those large profits appear to be slowing down significantly in 2022 thanks to increased operating costs and losses from investment activities. UPMC reported $82 million in operating income — revenue minus operating expenses —...
4 bridges on Route 711 targeted for replacement
Motorists on Route 711 may run into temporary detours during the 2023 construction season, when PennDOT expects to replace four bridges along the road in Westmoreland and Fayette counties. Plans for all four bridges may be viewed online through Aug. 31. Visit PennDOT.pa.gov/District12 and click on “Public Meetings/Studies” under the...
West Nile virus found in Westmoreland, Allegheny, Armstrong; mosquito spraying slated
Mosquitoes sampled in Westmoreland County have tested positive for West Nile virus — joining Allegheny County, where spraying to control the insects is set to resume. One positive human case has been reported in neighboring Armstrong County, though the disease was not found in any mosquitoes there, according to the...
Beaver County professor earns U.S. Dept. of Justice award for domestic-violence research
A Penn State Beaver professor and volunteer with domestic-abuse nonprofit Crisis Center North has been presented with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Crime Victims Research Award. John Chapin, 58, of Center, a survivor of childhood domestic violence who now researches the subject, was given the award which “recognizes individual researchers...
Gas prices fall for 10th straight week as parts of Pa. near $4 mark
The streak of falling gas prices continued for a 10th straight week despite some areas seeing prices rise slightly last week, an industry analyst said. The average price also continued to fall in Pennsylvania, where some counties are now within a few cents of $4, according to AAA. The national...
Laurel Highlands in running again for best fall foliage honors
For the third consecutive year, the Laurel Highlands region is in the running to be named the 2022 Best Destination for Fall Foliage in USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The region finished eighth in last year’s voting and third in 2020. The contest includes 20 destinations across the...
The best pictures of the week by Trib photographers
A selection of the most compelling images from Tribune-Review photographers from around the region during the week of Aug. 15-21....
Special training, equipment prep emergency crews for water, physical rescues
When divers pulled the body of a 3-year-old Armstrong County boy from the Allegheny River about a year ago, the emotional impact of the untimely death was cause for concern — for the recovery team as well as for the young victim’s loved ones. “Anything like that that’s associated with...
Cellphones in schools: Some districts take steps to eliminate devices from class while others balance benefits
Wake up. Check your phone. Go to class. Check your phone. Start homework. Check your phone. Go to bed. Check your phone. For some high schoolers, cellphone use is almost on par with blinking, with the average teenager raking in up to nine hours of screen time each day, according...
Wendy’s pulls lettuce from sandwiches amid E. coli outbreak
The fast-food chain Wendy’s says it is pulling lettuce from sandwiches in its restaurants in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania after people eating them there reported falling ill. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday it is trying to determine whether romaine lettuce is the source of an E....
Western Pa. dishes out Italian beef sandwiches featured on ‘The Bear’
Italian beef sandwiches are having a national moment thanks to FX’s restaurant-themed television “The Bear.” The sandwiches featured on the popular series starring Jeremy Allen White as a chef are a staple of the Chicago area. The juicy, slow-cooked beef sandwiches topped with peppers are also popular at some Allegheny...
Sweet corn, tomatoes are foundation for more diverse offerings from Western Pa. farmers
Hempfield farmer Neil Palmer says that for 50 years his operation has been focused on growing fresh produce, which is sold at his own farm market. “This year, we have a little more than 20 acres of fresh vegetables,” said Palmer, a fourth-generation farmer. “For the most part, it’s been...
Changing agricultural landscape leaves fewer farmers to work larger farms
When Ralph Myers, 85, looks at the farming operations around him, the difference is stark compared to three decades ago. “In 1995, there were about 195 dairy farmers in Armstrong County,” said Myers, a fourth-generation farmer from Gilpin and patriarch at Myers Pickle Farm, which dates to 1866. “Today, there...
Low-interest loans available to Aug. 5 Western Pa. flood victims
Residents and business owners in nine Western Pennsylvania counties whose property was damaged by the Aug. 5 flood can apply for low-interest loans through the federal government, the state said Friday. Flood victims in Westmoreland, Fayette, Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Indiana, Somerset, Washington and Cambria counties are eligible for the loans...
Stargazers across Western Pennsylvania could catch glimpse of northern lights
The northern lights, an atmospheric phenomenon also known as the aurora borealis, could be visible tonight from Western Pennsylvania. “Currently, the sun is producing Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) during a geomagnetic storm on the sun. It looks like the CMEs continue to be active, thus I would expect you’d still...
How to make the transition back to school a smooth one
There’s nothing quite like new school year excitement — unless you’re overwhelmed by all of the back-to-school prepping and hype. Whether it’s being on time, dealing with first-day nerves or making sure your student has a happy return to class, area educators, parents and school officials share their tried-and-true back-to-school...
Pennsylvania casino revenue jumps to $429M in July after late spring lull
Pennsylvania casinos saw an increase in revenues last month, state regulators said, a shift from the gradual decrease felt across the industry since the record-breaking month of March. In all, casinos generated more than $429 million in revenues in July, according to a report from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board....
Kennywood, Idlewild host hiring fairs for Halloween-themed events
Ghouls, goblins and other spooky species — it’s your time to shine. Kennywood and Idlewild are hiring more than 350 new “creatures of the night” to bring — er, life — to the parks’ Halloween-themed events. Phantom Fall Fest at Kennywood and HallowBOO at Idlewild are scheduled to open Sept....
4 injured, 2 buildings collapse in Beaver County fire
Two buildings along Brighton Avenue in Rochester collapsed after fire tore through them overnight, authorities said. Beaver County dispatchers said four people were injured. Crews responded around 2:30 a.m. to the 100 block of Brighton Avenue, where officials believe the fire started in an apartment before spreading to an antique...
Pa. joins multi-state suit against Mariner Finance loan company; alleges predatory practices
Pennsylvania is seeking more than $27 million in restitution from a finance company the state claims added hidden charges to loans and interest from those fees over three years through what it claims are “predatory” practices, according to a multi-state lawsuit the attorney general filed with four other states and...
3 men accused of trafficking ‘mass amounts’ of fentanyl in Allegheny, Somerset
A yearlong investigation into drug trafficking in Allegheny and Somerset counties culminated Tuesday with charges being filed against three men who investigators say trafficked “mass amounts” of fentanyl in the counties. The investigation, overseen by the state Attorney General’s Office, recovered dozens of bricks of heroin and fentanyl and hundreds...
Woman killed in Cecil fire identified
A woman killed in a house fire early Tuesday in Cecil was identified by the Washington County Coroner. Rose Churray, 81, was pronounced dead after a fire at her home along Swihart Road. Emergency crews from six companies responded to the home just before 5:30 a.m. after a passerby observed...
