Conviction upheld for woman who urged boyfriend’s suicide
BOSTON — A young woman who as a teenager encouraged her boyfriend through dozens of text messages to kill himself is responsible for his suicide, Massachusetts highest court ruled Wednesday in upholding her involuntary manslaughter conviction. The Supreme Judicial Court said in a unanimous decision in the novel case that...
Driver in Liberty Bridge crash that injured couple, newborn gets house arrest
A Brownsville man will spend 20 months on house arrest for causing a head-on crash on the Liberty Bridge that severely injured a couple and their newborn son, an Allegheny County judge ruled Wednesday. Richard Hauschel, 33, must also wear an electronic monitoring bracelet during his house arrest, which will...
Virginia AG says he wore blackface at college party
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia sank deeper into political turmoil Wednesday when another top Democrat — Attorney General Mark Herring — admitted putting on blackface in the 1980s, when he was a college student. With Gov. Ralph Northam’s career in extreme peril over a racist photo in his 1984 medical school...
Mt. Pleasant officials fire police chief
Mt. Pleasant fired its police chief this week after four years on the job. The tenure of Chief Douglas Sam ended Tuesday, borough solicitor Deanna Istik confirmed. Borough council voted 6-3 on Monday to fire Sam. Istik declined to comment on the reasons for the termination, saying the personnel matter...
Cranberry medic secretly filmed 4 women in restroom, police say
A Cranberry Township medic has been charged with using a phone camera to secretly record women using the restroom at his EMS station. Matthew Thomas Leonard, 37, has been suspended without pay as police investigate. Police were first called to the Cranberry Township EMS station along Rochester Road on Jan....
Ohio River flood advisory prompts Mon Wharf parking restrictions
Parking at the Mon Wharf will be restricted Thursday, and the parking area will be closed Friday because of a flood advisory that has been issued for the Ohio River at Pittsburgh. No parking will be allowed along the lower wall of the Mon Wharf on Thursday. All vehicles must...
Woman claims Apollo man threw, sexually assaulted her after she laughed at him
An Apollo man is accused of throwing and sexually assaulting a woman earlier this week. The woman accused James Orlando Oquinn, 29, of attacking her after she laughed when he suggested she was sneaking men through a window. The woman told Apollo police that she had taken Oquinn out for...
Asperger’s can’t stop Highlands middle schooler’s basketball passionVideo
Austin Ciciarelli of Harrison found his happy place — on the basketball court. Ciciarelli, 13, was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism, as a toddler. He tried out for the Highlands Middle School Rams basketball team last year while in seventh grade and made the cut. Daily practices...
DEP streamlining its permit, oversight functions in southwestern Pennsylvania
The state Department of Environmental Protection says it is cutting red tape often associated with its review of projects that could impact air, water and soil quality in southwestern Pennsylvania. In the past year, the DEP’s Southwest Regional Office reduced its backlog of permits by more than 75 percent –...
Tarentum considering public shaming of tax deadbeats
Warning to Tarentum tax deadbeats: your tax debt soon could become public knowledge. Borough council is considering using the threat of public embarrassment to get delinquent property taxpayers to pay up. As tentatively discussed, if those who owe delinquent property taxes don’t pay by April 30, their names would become...
Patient at Philadelphia hospital is being tested for Ebola
PHILADELPHIA — A patient is being tested for Ebola at a hospital in Philadelphia, although officials don’t believe the patient has the potentially deadly illness. Penn Medicine says preliminary testing at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania indicates the person has another condition. They did not release the patient’s...
Police investigating crash near Highlands Middle School
A Brackenridge man was taken to a local hospital Wednesday following a two-vehicle collision near Highlands Middle School in Harrison. The collision happened about 9:40 a.m. at the intersection of Freeport Road and Argonne Drive. Harrison police Sgt. Joshua Acre identified the drivers as Shawn Rittman, 57, of Brackenridge and...
London grave of Karl Marx vandalized in hammer attack
LONDON — Custodians of a London cemetery say the tombstone of Karl Marx has been damaged in a hammer attack. The German philosopher and economist was buried in Highgate Cemetery after his death in 1883, and his grave was later topped with a large bronze bust atop a base bearing...
Police: School bus driver shot after crash in Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS — Authorities say a school bus driver was wounded in a shooting that followed a crash with another vehicle on a snowy interstate near downtown Minneapolis. Minneapolis Public Schools said in a statement that one student was on the small bus Tuesday afternoon and was not hurt. Police spokesman...
Greensburg hopes to stop utility pole crashes with alley traffic change
Greensburg City Council hopes to stop drivers from crashing into a downtown utility pole by changing the direction of traffic on one block of a narrow alley. Cars have struck a West Penn Power utility pole as drivers attempt to turn from Third Street to travel north on Bononi Way,...
Fish imported from Vietnam recalled for lack of inspection
Richwell Group of California is recalling more than 55,000 pounds of sheat fish imported from Vietnam because it wasn’t presented for required re-inspection upon entering the United States. The frozen fish, which has a two-year shelf life, was imported between April and December of last year and was shipped to...
Residents asked to check surveillance cameras after vehicle break-ins in Murrysville
Murrysville police are asking residents in and around Heritage Estates who have surveillance cameras to check them after several reported thefts and attempted thefts from vehicles. Police said in a Facebook post that Tuesday footage should be checked from midnight to 3:45 a.m. The incidents were reported on Harvest Drive...
Sunday Mass in Oakland set for those struggling with addiction
A Mass on Sunday in Oakland will kick off the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh’s new Addiction Recovery Ministry. The service will be for those with an addiction, others in recovery and their families and friends. The Mass will begin at 2:30 p.m. at St. Paul Cathedral on North Dithridge Street....
Shadyside’s Harris Grill sustains ‘devastating’ damage in fire
Fire crews were able to contain an early morning fire on the first floor of the Harris Grill in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood. Owner Rodney Swartz said the damage to the popular bar and restaurant was “devastating” but could have been worse. He lost the fireplace and staircase in the entryway,...
Woman killed in apartment fire on Pittsburgh’s South Side
A woman died in a South Side apartment fire overnight, and Pittsburgh fire Chief Darryl Jones didn’t hesitate to blame the death on a lack of sprinklers. The victim was identified as Teresa Walker, 65. Crews responded to calls about 2 a.m. and found smoke pouring from a basement apartment....
Pittsburgh’s Beauty Shoppe turns historic buildings into cutting-edge co-working spaces
Beauty Shoppe is giving the traditional office environment a makeover. Bucking the cubical farm layout, the organization transforms historic, yet underutilized buildings into sleek, sophisticated co-working spaces for individuals, businesses and others. Memberships vary and can range from a standing desk located in a common area to private office suites...
Tarentum considering new rules, fees for handicapped parking spaces
It could soon cost money to get, and to keep, a handicapped parking space in Tarentum. A proposal being considered by borough council would set the initial cost at $75. A permit would be good for two years, and renewing it would cost $50. The initial fee is intended “to...
Michael Bolton appears to fall asleep on live TV
Maybe it was the time difference that caught up with Michael Bolton during an interview with an Australian early morning show. Though he’s saying it was just a technical glitch. Bolton was on-air from Florida for a live interview with Australia’s “The Morning Show” on Monday morning. In a clip...
Arizona city officials decry new razor wire on border fence
NOGALES, Ariz. — Elected officials in an Arizona border city are decrying the installation of new razor fencing that now covers a border fence through downtown. The city of Nogales, Arizona, which sits on the border with Nogales, Mexico, is contemplating a proclamation Wednesday night condemning the use of concertina...
State board recommends medical marijuana for anxiety, Tourette syndrome
Pennsylvanians with anxiety and Tourette syndrome could soon be eligible for medical marijuana. The state Medical Marijuana Advisory Board voted Friday to recommenced adding both conditions to the list of health problems that can qualify patients for the program, according to the state Department of Health. They would be the...
