Regional category, Page 77
‘The water was already so high’: New round of flooding hits Western Pa.
Mary Williams has dealt with a flood or two. With the backyard of her South Buffalo home next to Buffalo Creek, she and her husband have gotten pretty good at judging whether or not their property will be flooded. Still, Williams was surprised at how quickly the water rose Thursday...
Bricks fall from Uniontown building, triggering street closure, detour
A section of Morgantown Street in Uniontown was closed to traffic on Thursday, April 11 after bricks fell from a vacant building. No injuries were reported when the bricks fell shortly before 1:45 p.m. at Nos. 12 and 14 Morgantown St., according to a Fayette County 911 supervisor. The bricks...
Environmental advocates praise new EPA limits on PFAS chemicals in drinking water
Environmental groups praised the Biden administration Wednesday for finalizing strict drinking water limits on toxic substances commonly referred to as “forever chemicals.” The new rules will require utilities to reduce the per- and polyfluorinated chemicals, also known as PFAS, to the lowest level that can be reliably measured. The rule...
What’s the ‘Coolest Thing Made in PA?’ Cast your vote
What’s the coolest thing made in Pennsylvania? You can cast your vote starting at noon on Wednesday. The final two contestants — the Pittsburgh-based Primanti Bros. sandwich and Hershey-based Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups — will duke it out in the last round of voting. Run by the Pennsylvania Chamber of...
Duquesne, Waynesburg men sentenced to 30 years and 10 years, respectively, for sexual exploitation of minors
A Duquesne and a Waynesburg resident were found guilty this week for sexual exploitation of minors, U.S. Attorney Eric Olshan said. George Cobbs, 41, of Duquesne was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for producing and attempting to produce material depicting a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. U.S....
Headache after the eclipse? Here’s what you need to know
Did your total solar eclipse glasses accidentally fall off Monday? Did you accidentally glance at the sun? You’re probably going to be fine. Unless you were staring directly at the sun for more than a split second, Dr. Denise Gallagher, ophthalmologist and retina specialist at the UPMC Vision Institute, said...
EMS providers need more than state money to fix funding woes
Regional ambulance service officials say they’ll try to grab a piece of increased state funding for emergency medical services, but repeated their plea for a new funding model. “In a nutshell, the system has been collapsing for a good while,” said Brad James of Eureka Hose EMS in Tarentum. The...
‘Absolutely amazing’: Solar eclipse wows watchers in Western Pa.
For a few moments Monday afternoon, thousands of people around Southwestern Pennsylvania were doing the same thing — looking up at the sky. Many were left with wonder and excitement at witnessing a solar eclipse, even if it was sometimes obscured by clouds and just shy of totality. “It’s so...
Solar eclipse photo gallery 2024
Western Pennsylvanians turned their attention to the sky on Monday to catch a glimpse of the solar eclipse. TribLive journalists were there, from Unity to Springdale to Pittsburgh to Erie, to document the event. Here is a selection of the best images from the day....
Totality plunges Erie, surrounding region into darknessVideo
ERIE — The timing in Erie couldn’t have been better for a once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse, which shrouded the city in darkness for a few minutes Monday afternoon. A dreary morning gave way to sunshine and clear skies around 2 p.m. as the moon began carving ever-larger chunks out of...
Solar eclipse: Thousands in Pittsburgh and Erie took in the phenomenon
The sun is back to normal in Southwestern Pennsylvania, hours after a solar eclipse brought people together to watch the phenomenon. Thousands watched from behind the safety of eclipse glasses in the Pittsburgh region and Erie, which was in the path of totality. Cheers of excitement filled the air at...
PennDOT shares driver tips during solar eclipse
PennDOT has released an informational guide for those on the road during the eclipse. Drivers are asked to plan ahead before their trip. Officials recommended travelers select a preferred viewing location before the eclipse hits, but be prepared to change course based on traffic congestion. Visitors should also plan to...
Pa. State Police settle Washington County woman’s strip-search lawsuit for $250K
Pennsylvania State Police will pay $250,000 to settle a federal lawsuit by a Washington County woman who claims she was wrongfully strip-searched on the side of Interstate 70 in 2021 after being stopped for speeding. The details of what happened after a trooper pulled over Holly Elish remain in dispute,...
Total anticipation: Sunny skies that greeted visitors may be fleeting as eclipse day arrives in Erie
ERIE — If only the solar eclipse happened on a day like Sunday, the people crammed into Erie’s hotels would be able to rest easy. It was almost nothing but clear skies Sunday afternoon in northwest Pennsylvania, completely ideal conditions as visitors and natives prepared for Erie’s once-in-a-lifetime astronomical phenomenon....
50 animals seized from Butler County home after cruelty investigation
A Connoquenessing Township man faces felony animal cruelty charges after authorities found two dead German Shepherds that belonged to him, and seized 50 animals from his home. Paul Joseph Frederick, 53, was arrested Saturday after state police in Butler searched his home in Butler Township and removed 50 animals —...
‘The universe is providing the show’: Eclipse watch parties pop up in Western Pa.
While thousands of dedicated solar eclipse watchers are expected to descend on the Erie area Monday to be in the path of totality, Western Pennsylvanians who want to get in on the excitement need not stray far from home. Plenty of public watch parties are planned across Westmoreland and Allegheny...
Audubon Society seeks participants for Certified Backyard Habitat program
Wanda Petersen and her husband were already into biodiversity. They’ve been working to try and reduce the amount of invasive species on their 10-acre property in Frazer. The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania wants to work with local residents like the Petersens to make their backyards even more beneficial for...
Updated list of Western Pennsylvania roads still affected by flooding
PennDOT has released an update concerning the portions of state roads are closed or restricted in Allegheny County, Westmoreland County, and Beaver County due to flooding and slides as of 1:30 a.m. Saturday: Allegheny County Saxonburg Boulevard, south of Berryhill Road in O’Hara Township: closed (due to slide) Bunola River...
Meteorologists project some cloud cover, possible rain during Monday’s eclipse
Viewing Monday’s solar eclipse may be a nebulous proposition in western Pennsylvania if a weather forecast that includes cloud cover is correct. “We are expecting partly to mostly cloudy skies on Monday during the eclipse,” said Brian Hutton Jr., meteorologist at TribLive news partner WTAE. “There are still some questions...
Take the TribLive weekly news quiz: April 5
Here’s a new feature from TribLive: A weekly news quiz: 1. This week, the Pittsburgh region got a heavy dose of rain. A lot of rain. According to the National Weather Service, the area got approximately 4.07 inches this week. That accumulation marks the second highest three-day precipitation total in...
High waters cast doubt on trout season opener
It’s called “fishing” not “catching.” And that’s what anglers heading out for the state’s trout season opening day Saturday might be facing. Eager anglers likely will encounter muddy, fast-moving streams swollen from the massive rainfall that began late Monday and lingered into Thursday. The National Weather Service office in Moon...
Chickens may roost, but dogs, cats likely will be unfazed during solar eclipse
Unlike the excitement building among humans, Monday’s upcoming total solar eclipse isn’t likely to faze your dogs and cats, veterinarians say. The Pittsburgh region will experience a partial solar eclipse, with 95% totality at the peak about 3:15 p.m. Those to the north in Erie will see a total solar...
Flooding, road closures continue along with rain
Road closures continue throughout the region as rain forces creeks and rivers out of their banks, and major flooding was predicted at the Youghiogheny River in Sutersville. A flood warning remains in effect for the region until 3:45 p.m. Wednesday. In Pittsburgh, the 10th Street Bypass is closed between the...
6 with Pittsburgh ties make Forbes’ 2024 billionaires list
Several people with Pittsburgh ties have been named on Forbes’ World’s Billionaires List, which was released Tuesday. David Tepper, 66, tops the local connections tied at No. 94 with an estimated $24.6 billion in net worth, according to Forbes. In 2003, he donated $55 million to Carnegie Mellon University, from...
FirstEnergy seeks rate hike to fund improvements
FirstEnergy Pennsylvania, which includes West Penn Power, is seeking an increase of its base electric rates from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. If the plan is approved by the commission, the new rates would take effect June 1, according to information released by FirstEnergy. Typical West Penn residential customers who...
