Regional category, Page 215
‘Getting Pittsburgh Vaccinated’ and other Facebook groups offer neighborly resources
Leighann Bacher started the Facebook page “Getting Pittsburgh Vaccinated” with a few other women, thinking she might share some resources with other residents of Hampton. Four months later, the page has nearly 40,000 members. After making her own vaccine appointment and helping members of her family do the same, she...
Western Pa. venues weigh pros, cons of vaccinated-only spectator sections
Pittsburgh entertainment venues soon might join others across the country in separating fans into vaccinated sections — another trend in efforts to encourage mass vaccination against covid-19, while growing audiences back to pre-pandemic levels. The Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday proposed the idea in a petition to the state. Fans in...
Attorney General: 2 more people arrested in 2017 double homicide in Somerset County
Two more people were arrested for their involvement in a double homicide that occurred in rural Somerset County in 2017, officials with the state Attorney General’s office said. Marekus Benson and Deandre Callender are facing several charges for conspiring with two previously arrested defendants to kidnap and murder Damien Staniszewski...
Who are the Western Pa. residents charged in Capitol insurrection?
In some ways, the people from Western Pennsylvania who were arrested in the Capitol riot match the findings of national studies conducted by the Chicago Project on Security and Threats. Most of them are employed, and several own their own businesses — including a couple who owns a contracting company...
Understanding the Capitol riot suspects and their motivationsVideo
Three months after a group of rioters attempted to halt the certification of the presidential election results by breaching the U.S. Capitol, 401 people have been arrested. Of those, Pennsylvania’s 38 arrests rank behind only Texas and Florida, with 39 each. Eleven of those charged in Pennsylvania come from the...
Ribbon cut on new 1.5-mile section of 9/11 National Memorial Trail in SomersetVideo
Somerset County and other officials cut the ribbon Friday in Garrett for the first 1.5 miles of the newly developed off-road section of the 1,300-mile-long 9/11 National Memorial Trail. Currently, the recreational trail is a patchwork of about 55% off-road trails and 45% roads connecting the three 9/11 memorial sites...
Calling the Class of 2021: Join TribLIVE’s virtual graduation
TribLIVE is celebrating the graduating Class of 2021 with our second annual virtual graduation. Do you know a graduating student who deserves recognition for his or her achievement? Submit their information and a photo by clicking the link below, and we’ll include them in our celebration of this year’s graduating...
Why allergy season is worsening in Western Pa.
As temperatures rise, allergy symptoms are ramping up for many seasonal sufferers — especially in the Pittsburgh region. Pittsburgh ranks as the fifth most challenging place to live with seasonal allergies, according to a recent report from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. “This report validates what everyone who...
AG Shapiro: 5 charged in drug ring that brought $400K of fentanyl from Philly to Butler
Four Butler women and a Philadelphia man face charges brought by a statewide grand jury for their alleged roles in a drug ring that investigators say trafficked an estimated $400,000 worth of fentanyl from Philadelphia to Butler County. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said the drug operation involved at least...
Mask mandate for air travel, public transportation extended through Sept. 13
Travelers will be required to wear face masks inside airports and on planes, buses and trains through Sept. 13. The mask mandate, in place since the beginning of February, was set to expire May 11. Transportation Security Administration officials said Friday the new extended timeline is consistent with covid-19 guidance...
Mental health advocacy group honors school club, officials with regional Innovations Awards
Students at Greater Latrobe Senior High received kisses when they entered the school on Valentine’s Day last year. Members of the school’s Aevidum Club handed out Hershey’s Kisses chocolate candies as a gesture of caring and inclusion for their fellow students. The holiday can be a sad one for some,...
250 million birds will pass through Western Pa. this spring — starting now
An estimated 250 million birds are expected to pass through Southwestern Pennsylvania this spring, according to Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Powdermill Nature Reserve in Cook Township, Westmoreland County. The bird feeders and hummingbird feeders are hung. Binoculars are at the ready. The onslaught has begun: Wednesday morning, researchers at...
Youth soccer association treasurer from Beaver County admits to stealing $100,000
The former treasurer of a youth soccer organization in Beaver County admitted to stealing $100,000 for personal expenses. Jenessa Tolejko, 35, of Beaver pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of wire fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced Thursday. Tolejko served as treasurer of the Brighton Township-Beaver...
West Virginia man admits to stealing $2.5 million in mining equipment
A West Virginia man pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to five thefts of specialized mine equipment that occurred in Armstrong and Indiana counties. Eudell Dickerson, 46, of Beckley, W.Va., pleaded guilty to two counts before Chief U.S. District Judge Mark R. Hornak. The court was advised of...
Beaver County tax collector pleads guilty to embezzling $1M from Center Township, school district
The elected tax collector for Center Township in Beaver County admitted to embezzling $1 million from the township and school district and filing a false tax return. Jeanne Bowser, 62, of Aliquippa pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of wire fraud and filing false income tax returns, Acting United...
Addiction treatment providers in Pa. face little state scrutiny despite harm to clients
This investigation is a joint project of KHN, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues, and Spotlight PA, an independent, collaborative newsroom dedicated to producing investigative journalism for all of Pennsylvania. When Ian Kalinowski was at work, his mom usually texted him. So when he saw her...
Pa. drug overdose deaths rose in 2020, likely fueled by pandemic, officials say
Overdose deaths in Pennsylvania ticked upward in 2020 after two years of relatively stable numbers, something officials say is likely the ripple effect of a pandemic that caused an influx of stress and isolated people from their support systems. “The uncertain, stressful and isolating nature of the pandemic has caused...
President Biden name-checks Pittsburgh in speech to CongressVideo
President Joe Biden invoked the Steel City in his speech to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night, asking why wind turbine blades can’t be made in Pittsburgh rather than Beijing, China — essentially challenging U.S. businesses to bring manufacturing jobs back from overseas. President Biden: "There is simply...
Prosecutors won’t seek death penalty against man accused of killing Blairsville woman, dumping her body
EBENSBURG — Cambria County prosecutors informed Judge Tamara R. Bernstein that the commonwealth will not seek the death penalty for Christopher George Rowe as he stands trial for a 2016 homicide of a Blairsville woman. Rowe, of Mercer County, is accused of killing Kaylene Roedel, 26, who was the mother...
Wolf takes on vaccine hesitancy ahead of Washington County walk-in clinic
Walk-ins will be welcome at a Washington County vaccination clinic on Thursday and Friday, state and local officials have announced, in the latest attempt to entice as many Pennsylvanians as possible to get the covid-19 vaccine and inch society toward herd immunity. “We need to make sure the demand stays...
Pa. State System moves ahead with mergers of 6 universities, including California, Clarion, Edinboro
Plans to consolidate six struggling state-owned universities into two mega schools with six campuses were approved for public comment Wednesday morning. The board of governors of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education voted to begin a 60-day comment period on a plan to consolidate and rename California, Clarion and...
Pasta food truck to sling spaghetti in Western Pa.Video
Peter Williams came up with a pasta pandemic idea: He decided to sling spaghetti from a food truck. The manager of the Wilkinsburg-based Revival Chili food truck spent his time at home experimenting with sauces. He started with a classic red sauce and from there created grilled chicken with artichoke...
‘Pink Hat Lady’ avoids jail after judge accepts apology over mesh mask
A Mercer County woman charged in the Capitol riot facing possible contempt for wearing a mesh mask at her work place will remain free pending trial. Rachel Powell, of Sandy Lake, apologized and provided an explanation for the mask flap. A judge on Tuesday accepted the explanation “The court is...
Find out why more than 1 million visit Ohiopyle State Park each year
One of the “must see” state parks for your bucket list is located in Fayette County. Ohiopyle State Park is a unique place to stay for a day or a week. It has everything that you could imagine being part of a natural resource. The park is a place where...
Man charged with duping Western Pennsylvanians in online puppy scam
A Cameroonian man has been extradited to Pittsburgh to answer charges that he was running an online scam purporting to sell puppies. Desmond Fodje Bobga had an initial appearance on the charges on Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maureen Kelly. He is being held in the Allegheny County Jail and...
