Regional category, Page 206
R.K. Mellon gifts Duquesne $2 million for new college of medicine
Duquesne University’s long-planned college of medicine received a financial boost Tuesday with a $2 million gift from the Richard King Mellon Foundation. University officials said the grant will help build the foundation of a new college of medicine designed to graduate primary care doctors to help alleviate the shortage of...
Dispatch: Coroner called to scene of shooting in Beaver Falls
The Beaver County coroner was called to the scene of a shooting Monday night in which at least three people were injured, according to a Beaver County 911 dispatcher. Crews responded to the 900 block of 10th Avenue in Beaver Falls shortly before 9:30 p.m. for reports of the shooting....
Gamblers light up in Pennsylvania casinos with lifting of smoking ban
They’re smoking again in Pennsylvania casinos after a temporary ban during the pandemic left them smoke-free for about a year. When the state’s mask mandate lifted June 28, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, which oversees casinos, allowed the gaming sites to once again permit its guests to smoke. The temporary...
Why are summer colds rising in Western Pennsylvania?
Coughs, sore throats and congestion are common in the fall and winter as cold and flu season takes hold. But doctors say it’s strange to see what they’re experiencing now — an influx of patients with cold-like symptoms in the middle of summer. “This time of year, we typically don’t...
Ground broken for new War on Terror memorialVideo
It didn’t take long for Stephen Clark, superintendent of Flight 93 National Memorial, to see that Randy Musser had a great idea. Musser approached Clark several years ago with a plan to create a memorial honoring those who fought and died in the global war on terror. It would be...
Highmark seeks to buy Gateway Health; deal looks to add 355K insurance members
Highmark Health’s insurance arm looks to grow by more than 350,000 members if state regulators approve a proposed deal to acquire sole ownership of Gateway Health. The acquisition instantly would expand Highmark’s insurance rolls from 6 million to 6.355 million members, a nearly 6% increase. For nearly three decades, Highmark...
ATI ‘outraged’ by picketer dressed as ‘Grim Reaper,’ carrying noose
Allegheny Technologies, Inc. is investigating an incident in which a striking employee was reportedly seen carrying a scythe and wearing a “Grim Reaper” mask and a noose around his neck outside of the company’s plate mill in Washington, Pa., a company spokeswoman said Thursday. Craig Smalls, 53, a replacement worker...
Cleanup continues after storms topple trees, knock out power in Western Pa.Video
The tiniest victims of Wednesday afternoon’s storms that toppled two towering trees along Harrison’s stately Carlisle Street may have been found by the steps to Tina Kahilainen’s porch. While Kahilainen’s home of seven years had damage to its roof and at least one bedroom, a robin’s nest — likely once...
Western Pa. fairgrounds leaders hope for big events in 2021
Editor’s note: This story was updated on Friday, July 9, to correct erroneous information about fairs in Beaver County. After a year of pandemic-induced shutdowns, local fair organizers are hoping to return to a typical experience this season — and anticipate a big response from the public. Westmoreland Fairgrounds Secretary...
Storms spur widespread power outages, downed trees across Western Pa.
Thousands of people remained without power Thursday morning after storms rolled through the region the day before. Duquesne Light reported at 8:15 a.m. that about 3,400 people were still without power, down from more than 25,000 about 12 hours earlier. “Severe storms moved through our region this afternoon, causing widespread...
R.K. Mellon Foundation announces $2.6 million grants to stimulate ‘new-economy’ jobs locally
The R.K. Mellon Foundation has a few goals aimed at helping people get jobs — and it’s got the money to get started. Targeting what foundation Director Sam Reiman calls “new-economy jobs,” the foundation is providing $2.6 million spread out over 16 grants. “With our new strategic plan, we are...
Year of virtual events highlights career opportunities for court reporters, captioners
At a time when large numbers of people are taking a critical look at their careers after more than a year of massive economic upheaval during the covid-19 pandemic, Community College of Allegheny County professor Mary Beth Johnson has a suggestion: court reporting. “I’ve taught court reporting for 45 years,...
Fake unemployment claims, real checks hit Western Pa. mailboxes; what to do if a fraudster targets you
Beware of fake unemployment claims hitting your mailbox as fraudsters continue to target Pennsylvania’s labor coffers at alarming rates. Scammers have been signing up unwitting — and still fully employed — residents for jobless benefits as part of a surge in sophisticated identity theft schemes to steal taxpayer money during...
East End Kids group preps for outdoor musical performance in Monroeville
As more and more areas of the large-event economy kick back into motion, live theater performances, whether plays, musicals or dance, are having a harder time than others. For Larry Cervi, former owner of the Larry Cervi School of Performing Arts in Monroeville, it presented a unique opportunity for his...
State police in Southwestern Pa. investigate 88 crashes over Fourth of July weekend, write 1,202 speeding tickets
State troopers in the region investigated 88 crashes during the four-day Fourth of July weekend, one of which was fatal, according to statistics released this week. There were 35 people hurt and alcohol was involved in 10 of the crashes, according to data for Troops A and B, which cover...
Pennsylvania Turnpike to hike tolls 5% next year
Drivers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike will see a 5% rate hike in 2022, regardless of whether they are E-ZPass users or are billed through a toll-by-plate system. The increased rates will take effect Jan. 2 — except on the Southern Beltway, west of Pittsburgh. Turnpike officials note it’s the 14th...
Air quality action day advisory in place for Southwestern Pennsylvania
Tuesday’s hot weather means unhealthy levels of ozone in Southwestern Pennsylvania, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection. Sunshine coupled with temperatures in the mid-90s prompted the agency to issue a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties. Outdoor activities should...
Man dead after swimming in Monongahela River in Washington County
A Washington County man died Sunday after he was pulled from the Monongahela River in New Eagle, according to the county coroner. James DeAngelo, 23, of Venetia was swimming in the river near a boat docked at the Beach Club Marina when authorities said he became unresponsive around 7:30 p.m....
National expert visits Kiski River, other waterways to install, study baby musselsVideo
Only a half-grain of rice in size, baby freshwater mussels were deposited in the Kiski River and elsewhere by researchers to better understand and boost the bivalve mollusk’s recovery. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and the U.S. Forest Service installed homemade concrete silos with chambers for the young mussels to live...
Teen dies in 1-vehicle Mercer County crash
A teen died in a one-vehicle crash late Saturday night in Mercer County, state police said. State police said the crash happened shortly before 10:30 p.m. on Brent Road just west of Old Mercer Road in Springfield Township. According to state police, Russell T. Cyphert, 21, of Volant was driving...
Fundraising ongoing for Somerset County post-9/11 War on Terror memorial
A groundbreaking ceremony is planned this week in Somerset County for a new memorial honoring those who fought and died in the Global War on Terror. Organizer Randy Musser said the first phase of the memorial at Patriot Park, across Route 30 from the Flight 93 National Memorial, should be...
Nurse shortage is crippling hospitals, centers that provide care in Western Pa.
A long-predicted shortage across the continuum of nursing and direct care workers has come home to roost in the coronavirus pandemic. Shortages are rippling across the country, fueled in part, experts say, by pandemic trauma and burnout. The issue is critical in Western Pennsylvania. In a region characterized by a...
Used car prices jump as new car production dropsVideo
Those looking to buy a late-model car, truck or sport utility vehicle may suffer from sticker shock when they see the price of used vehicles, which the U.S. government’s consumer price index calculates have risen by about 30% since May 2020. “It’s all about the inventory. There’s a high demand...
1 transported from New Brighton shooting in Beaver County
Police are investigating a shooting that took place Saturday morning in Beaver County. Emergency crews responded to a report of a shooting around 8:40 a.m., on the 2000 block of Third Avenue in New Brighton, according to a Beaver County 911 supervisor. One person was injured, and was transported by...
Lottery spokesperson: Cluster of major area scratch-off prizes likely ‘pure luck’
Pennsylvania’s second-most-famous groundhog urges lottery players to “keep on scratchin’.” That advice resulted in some major scratch for Indiana County resident Randy Lytle. He won $3 million on a Monopoly 100X scratch-off ticket he purchased on Memorial Day at the Giant Eagle supermarket in Ligonier. He cashed in by risking...
