Regional category, Page 51
Driest summer since 2002 leads to increase in brush fires
Southwestern Pennsylvania set an April record for rainfall this year, racking up nearly 8 inches, according to the National Weather Service. But over the past six months, the region has experienced drought-like conditions that have left Western Pennsylvania at a 3-inch rainfall deficit. This has created ideal conditions for brush...
‘You have to catch it while you can’: People flock to Great Crossings Bridge despite safety risks
People aren’t heeding a warning that it isn’t safe to walk atop the Great Crossings Bridge at Youghiogheny River Lake. The 206-year-old bridge is exposed because of the dry spell, and there’s been a steady stream of sightseers who flocked to — and past — the bridge’s Somerset County entrance...
Service dogs provide comfort, strength to veterans
A service dog is a veteran’s best friend. These highly trained animals help those who served their country re-enter civilian life by being trusted companions. They can sense something before it happens. They can detect low blood sugar, an oncoming seizure and prevent a panic attack. “I still walk this...
Here’s how Trump’s 2nd term could impact Pennsylvanians
President-elect Donald Trump made many promises on the campaign trail. He said he would eliminate taxes on tips and overtime pay, deport masses of undocumented immigrants and solve the conflict in the Middle East. His supporters have celebrated his victory Tuesday, hoping a second Trump administration will mean a better...
Racist text messages circulated to Black Americans reach Pittsburgh
The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh has condemned racist threats targeting Black Americans. Across social media, many people have reported receiving text messages with derogatory language referencing slavery and picking cotton directed toward Black Americans. In a statement, the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh expressed their great disappointment in messages...
Access to Great Crossings Bridge restricted due to safety concerns
A 206-year-old bridge that has been a treat for curiosity seekers since it emerged because of unusually low water levels at Youghiogheny River Lake is being closed to the public because of safety concerns. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District is restricting access to the Great Crossings Bridge,...
Democrats retain control of Pennsylvania state House
Democrats will remain in control of Pennsylvania’s state House after a nail-biter in a Johnstown area district. State Rep. Frank Burns eked out his eighth successful reelection bid, this time against Republican Amy Bradley, to preserve his party’s 102-101 majority in the lower chamber. The pro-gun, anti-abortion Democrat represents the...
Take the TribLive weekly news quiz: Nov. 8
The following is a regular feature from TribLive: A weekly news quiz:...
Black, Hispanic reaction to Trump win mixed
Despite former President Donald Trump capturing nearly 20% of the Black vote and 42% of Hispanics nationally, local Black and Hispanic reaction to his victory was strong and mixed. Carlotta Paige of Latrobe, chief operating officer of the Westmoreland Diversity Coalition in Greensburg, is not surprised how Westmoreland County or...
Trump victory elicits range of emotions among young voters
When Democrat Darcy Bowman awoke at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday and saw the presidential election results — that former President Donald Trump had recaptured the White House — she couldn’t fall back asleep. Republican Mike Chiarlone also was experiencing a range of emotions Tuesday night — until he learned about the...
Penn State greenlights $96M classroom project as 1st-year students set to spike
Penn State University trustees Friday approved a $96 million classroom development at University Park to accommodate expected first-year enrollment growth approaching 1,000 students over the next several years. The project is the largest of the planned work totaling almost $325 million on the main campus and at Penn State Harrisburg...
Charleroi fire sends woman to hospital, displaces 6 from 2 apartments
A Charleroi woman was flown to UPMC Mercy hospital in Pittsburgh for medical treatment Thursday night after first responders rescued her from a fire in her apartment. Five adults and one child were displaced from two apartments after fire broke out before 6:30 p.m. in a 2 1/2-story building in...
Pennsylvania House majority hinges on single seat in Cambria County
Control of the Pennsylvania state House has come down to a single district in Cambria County, where the fate of a “blue dog” Democrat is slowly coming into focus as thousands of ballots are counted by hand. Rep. Frank Burns, a Democrat who first won Pennsylvania’s 72nd House District in...
Trump’s victory fueled by growth in rural counties as he cuts into Democrats’ urban bases
Three factors emerged within the numbers behind Donald Trump’s victory Tuesday in Pennsylvania. Muted turnout in Philadelphia, the state’s largest city, and growing support for the former president in rural and urban centers combined to help pave the way to Trump’s victory. Also contributing was diminished backing for Vice President...
With 2nd term secured, Deluzio to reach across the aisle to GOP, but cautiously
Democratic Rep. Chris Deluzio on Wednesday vowed to reach across the aisle to work with Republicans where he could and to hold them accountable when their proposals could hurt his constituents after an election night that saw the GOP take control of the White House and the U.S. Senate. Control...
5 key moments that shaped the presidential race and a Trump victory
Donald Trump’s decisive win Tuesday night over Kamala Harris represents a profound realignment of the American electorate, giving Republicans a blueprint for future victories and Democrats enough cause for soul searching to last a presidential term. Trump gained ground in almost every district and demographic, storming back to the White...
Inflation explained: Utility costs driven by war, climate change and regulatory incentives
Pennsylvanians, who live in one of America’s most productive states for natural gas extraction, have seen their utility bills climb despite that ample supply. Experts say the fault lies in the trio of international energy demand, infrastructure investment and the jump in inflation during and after the covid pandemic. “Natural...
World, state reaction to Trump’s ‘stunning political comeback victory’
World leaders early Wednesday congratulated President-elect Donald Trump on his return to the White House as news outlets called the 2024 presidential race for the Republican and former president. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose country is managing a multi-front war in the Middle East, became one of the first...
Republican Dave Sunday wins Pennsylvania’s attorney general race
Voters have selected York County District Attorney Dave Sunday, a Republican, to be the state’s next prosecutor, according to a vote-tally early Wednesday from the Associated Press. Sunday, 49, a Republican, emphasized his prosecutorial experience in the campaign against Democrat Eugene DePasquale, a former state representative and two-term auditor general....
High pressure election ends with only minor problems at local polls
Given the backdrop of a fiercely contested presidential race, anxiety over voting integrity and tidal waves of social media misinformation, it could have been a lot worse. Tuesday stacked up to be a busy, but largely uneventful, election day in Western Pennsylvania, a region targeted by Democrat Kamala Harris and...
Deluzio defeats Mercuri in 17th District race
Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio defeated challenger Rob Mercuri, a Republican state representative, in a key congressional district that could be crucial to determining which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives. The Associated Press called the race in Deluzio’s favor shortly before 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. Deluzio received more than...
2024 Western Pennsylvania election results roundup
Another election is in the books in Western Pennsylvania. Even if all the votes in those books aren’t yet counted. Voters coming out to decide between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump for president drove a high turnout at the polls. Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate seat was also...
Court: Fayette judge of elections can’t conduct hand count at polling site
Fayette County sheriff’s deputies will be on call in Fayette County to escort election officials responsible for taking ballots to the courthouse in Uniontown after polls close tonight. Common Pleas Court Judge Linda Cordaro issued a court order requiring Washington Township judge of elections Vincent Manetta to follow state law...
Clemente family split over Roberto Jr.’s endorsement of Trump
The family of Pittsburgh Pirates icon Roberto Clemente appears to be divided over one of his son’s endorsement of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. “That action does not represent the total thought of the family,” Luis Roberto Clemente, one of Clemente’s three sons, said in a video posted on his...
Cambria County election results slow to come in after scanning glitch, voting extended
Election results in Cambria County are slow to come in after voters were given until 10 p.m. Tuesday to cast their ballots because of issues with scanning machines, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State. As of Wednesday morning, no results had been added to the county’s website. County officials...
