Regional category, Page 180
Fayette County man jailed without bond on accusations of raping, photographing sex acts with 4 girls
A Fayette County man was ordered held in the county jail without bond after he was arrested by state troopers on 40 felony counts of sexually abusing four young girls who he befriended over the last six years. David A. Straitiff, 47, of North Union, was arrested Saturday by troopers...
Gas prices falling as omicron variant surges, stalling oil demand and prices
Average gasoline prices continue to fall as cases of the covid omicron variant surge, leading oil demand and prices to stall, an industry analyst said Monday. “The decline in gas prices will likely continue until new covid cases slow down,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for price-tracking...
At-home test could prove crucial in tamping down spread of covid-19, experts say
Editor’s note: This story first published on Dec. 20, 2021. Sue Lovgren’s family member was sick with covid-like symptoms the week after Thanksgiving, and they had decisions to make, depending on what the result was. “We were waiting on a PCR test and it was taking too much time, and...
Practical presents: These gifts serve needs without taking up space
If you’re running out of time to find that special gift for that special someone, this could be the year when the thing to give is not a thing at all. As Christmas bears down upon us, here are a few ideas for practical gifts that can make life easier...
Heyday of trolleys in Western Pa. transformed regionVideo
It’s been well over half a century since 69-year-old Anne Elise Morris of Wilkinsburg took a ride on a trolley. But Morris’ vivid memories make it seem like she rode the trolley just yesterday. “Whenever we were going to Downtown Pittsburgh, we would dress up for that,” said Morris. “I...
Proposed tax credit program could spur development at Pennsylvania airports
Planners at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport are looking to a future that could include businesses opening along the old runway. Pennsylvania legislators are considering a new program that could help entice companies to move their operations to the airport in Unity or to any of 121 other airports across the...
Charleroi native in Florida displays borough’s old Christmas lights
The Rev. Frank Jacobs has the kind of vivid holiday memories we all hang on to. Jacobs, 68, lives in Port St. Lucie, Fla. But he has Christmas lights that once hung on lamp posts and stretched across the streets of Charleroi, where he lived from 1953 to 1962. Last...
UPMC creating in-house traveling nurse program to combat shortages across system
As hospitals grapple with soaring patient numbers and dwindling staff, UPMC is creating an in-house traveling program that will offer scheduling flexibility to nurses while also helping hospitals in its system that need it. The health care system with facilities in Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland will draw from its...
Mercer County man pleads guilty to involvement in Capitol riot
A Mercer County man who participated in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol pleaded guilty Friday to all four counts against him. Matthew Perna, 37, of Sharon, will be sentenced on March 3 before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates in Washington, D.C. He pleaded guilty Friday by...
Officials: Aliquippa woman dead after 2 crashes on Route 22 in Washington County
An Aliquippa woman involved in two separate crashes on Route 22 in Washington County early Friday morning has died, according to authorities. The Washington County Coroner’s Office identified the woman as Lori Ann Dickey, 47. According to the coroner’s initial report, Dickey was driving east on Route 22 in Hanover...
Approved rate hikes for Duquesne Light, Columbia Gas lower than initially sought
Duquesne Light Co. and Columbia Gas Co. of Pennsylvania customers in the region will pay more for electricity and natural gas next year, but less than the utilities wanted under a settlement approved by state regulators Thursday. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission unanimously approved a settlement with Pittsburgh-based Duquesne Light...
Multiple vehicles involved in Connellsville crash
Multiple vehicles including a semi truck were involved in a crash Wednesday night in Connellsville, according to emergency officials. The crash happened shortly before 9 p.m. near the Sheetz gas station at the intersection of West Crawford Avenue and South Eighth Street in Connellsville. Multiple people were transported to area...
UPMC Altoona nurses gather in Pittsburgh, call on health care system to address ‘staffing crisis’
Nurses from UPMC Altoona gathered in front of UPMC headquarters in Downtown Pittsburgh’s U.S. Steel Tower on Wednesday, demanding the health care giant invest more resources into retaining nurses and staving off a staffing shortage they said is jeopardizing patient care. The nurses, represented by the Service Employees International Union...
Indiana County woman killed in wrong-way collision with dump truck, troopers say
An 82-year-old Indiana County woman was killed and a female passenger was seriously injured Tuesday morning after her car collided with a dump truck in a wrong-way collision along Route 422, state police said. The driver of a 2000 Ford Focus sedan was from Homer City, as was a 78-year-old...
Warmer temperatures across Southwestern Pa. to remain throughout the week
Unseasonably warm temperatures are in store this week for Southwestern Pennsylvania, though clouds and rain fill much of the forecast following Tuesday’s sunshine. It’s still a break from the normally blistering cold weather felt in December. High temperatures will hover in the 50s for most of the week, peaking at...
Army Corps’ Pittsburgh District sends 16 workers to provide temporary power in tornado aftermath
The Pittsburgh District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sent 16 employees this weekend to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency with disaster relief and providing temporary power to Kentucky and other states hit by recent tornadoes. Severe storms and tornadoes devastated more than 1,000 homes over 200 miles...
Week in pictures: Dec. 6-12, 2021
A selection of the best photos from Tribune-Review photographers from around the Pittsburgh region from the week of Dec. 6-Dec. 5. Previous weeks Week in pictures: Nov. 29 - Dec. 5, 2021 Week in pictures: Nov. 22-28, 2021 Week in pictures: Nov. 8-14, 2021 Week in pictures: Nov. 1-7, 2021...
Wind, rain leave pockets of power outages behind in Western Pa.
Saturday’s wind and rain left behind pockets of power outages across the region, and while most of those have been taken care of in Allegheny County, Westmoreland County and areas east are having electricity issues lingering into Sunday. West Penn Power reported around 1,500 customers were still without power by...
Seven Springs sale to Vail Resorts seen as possible boost to tourism
The planned sale of Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Champion to a Colorado company with 37 ski resorts across 15 states and three countries has the potential to bring more tourists to the Laurel Highlands from many other locations through the buyer’s seasonal pass, a regional tourism official said. “We’ve...
It’s a warm, wet, windy day in Western Pa.: Wind advisory set until midnight
Not only is it warm, it’s windy. The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory in effect until midnight tonight for portions of western Pennsylvania, with western winds of 15-25 mph and gusts up to 50 mph. Emergency officials had steady reports of downed trees — and the occasional,...
Rest of December to feel more like September in Western Pa.
It’s beginning to look a lot like…spring? Maybe the alternative rock group Counting Crows should change the name of their hit song to “A Warm December.” Temperatures are expected to reach the mid 60s by Saturday and after a slight cool down to the mid 40s on Sunday, we’ll be...
Beaver County district attorney consulted with state police before shooting, then ruled it justified
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — In 2016, after eight hours of a violent standoff with a man in Beaver County, the Pennsylvania State Police...
Feds: 6 people from Western Pa. played role in cocaine trafficking ring spanning 5 states
A federal grand jury has accused six Western Pennsylvanians and 10 others of operating a cocaine trafficking ring that spanned five states. The indictment returned by the grand jury in Pittsburgh on Tuesday comes after a five-month wiretap investigation, said U.S. Attorney Cindy K. Chung. Prosecutors said the 16 defendants...
Pittsburgh man dies after crash in Peters
A Pittsburgh man died Thursday afternoon in a one-vehicle crash in Washington County. The Washington County coroner identified the victim as Larry Haney, 68, of Pittsburgh. Police said Haney was traveling west on Waterdam Road in Peters around 1:50 p.m. when his vehicle struck a utility pole. Haney was taken...
Covid-driven hospital surge ‘not a sustainable situation’ in Western Pa., expert says
Hospitals across Western Pennsylvania are operating at or near capacity, a situation mirrored across the state and country as covid-19 cases spike — particularly among people who are unvaccinated. All UPMC facilities — including those in New York and Maryland — are operating at or over capacity, said Susan Manko,...
