Rudy Giuliani compounds Trump’s Russia woes in conflicting interviews
WASHINGTON — A lawyer’s job is to make a client look innocent, if not to prove it — something President Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani has been struggling with in recent days. In a string of interviews, Giuliani has walked back a series of potentially damaging statements where he implied there...
Cheswick to again be without a secretary
Cheswick has lost its second borough secretary in little more than a year. Joseph Puet, 60, of Arnold resigned Tuesday, only two months into his yearlong contract. The borough’s previous secretary, Ian Fitzgerald, was hired in November 2017 and left in October 2018 to take a job with a jump...
Defense attorney pleads guilty to covering up overdose death
A Pittsburgh defense attorney pleaded guilty Tuesday to covering up the overdose death of a friend and abandoning the body in a Squirrel Hill alley. Kevin Abramovitz, 38, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence, obstruction of the law and hindering apprehension. Judge Jeffrey A. Manning...
Judge dismisses Mt. Pleasant family’s wrongful death lawsuit against gun maker, dealer
A Westmoreland County judge has dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit filed against a gun store and weapons manufacturer brought by the parents of a Mt. Pleasant teenager who was shot and killed by a friend in 2016. Common Pleas Court Judge Harry Smail Jr. in a 16-page opinion threw out...
Senate set to vote on 2 competing plans to end shutdown
WASHINGTON — Senate leaders reached an agreement on Tuesday to vote this week on two competing proposals to end the government shutdown, including President Trump’s plan to have Congress pay for the long-stalled wall along the U.S.-Mexico border that’s likely to fail. The other measure, from Democrats, also seems unlikely...
Hempfield seniors receive scholarships to Saint Vincent College
Two Hempfield Area High School seniors received the surprise of a lifetime — a full ride to Saint Vincent College in Unity. On Tuesday, Nolan Fraicola and Sarah Kudrick were surrounded by balloons when Saint Vincent Dean of Admissions Heather Kabala and Associate Director of Admissions Christina Andrae presented them...
Boil water advisory for Port Vue, McKeesport
A boil water advisory has been issued for Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County customers in Port Vue and McKeesport. Water authority officials said a leak of a six-inch water line near Romine Avenue in Port Vue shortly after 9:30 a.m. caused pressure issues for more than 2,100 customers near the...
‘Cool Down for Warmth’ returns to Market Square for 5th yearVideo
With temperatures hovering in the teens Tuesday morning, the construction of a 1,000 square-foot ice house in the middle of Market Square seemed only appropriate. For the fifth year, Dollar Energy Fund will host the “Cool Down for Warmth” on Thursday and Friday. The event aims to raise awareness and...
Reservations starting soon for Greensburg park pavilions
Winter is still going strong, but its almost time to make reservations for Greensburg’s park pavilions for those making warm-weather plans. First-come, first-serve reservations for the pavilions at Mt. Odin Park and Lynch Field open Feb. 5. Pavilions at Mt. Odin Park cost $175 for Greensburg residents and $200 for...
Police looking for person who fled Turtle Creek shooting scene
A 17-year-old boy was treated and released from a local hospital after being shot Tuesday morning in Turtle Creek, Allegheny County police said. Turtle Creek police and paramedics went to the 900 block of Oak Avenue around 8 a.m. in response to 911 calls about a shooting. The boy had...
Highlands School District hopes pay boost will attract nurses, union says
Highlands School District is hoping to attract health room nurses by increasing pay, a union representative said Tuesday. In an agreement with the Highlands Educational Support Professionals Association, the district has increased the pay for health room licensed practical nurses to $15 per hour. The hourly rate had been as...
Expired St. Clair liquor license included in state auction
An expired liquor license in St. Clair Township, Westmoreland County, is among 25 in as many counties that are up for grabs in a March state auction. Sealed bids for the expired restaurant licenses are due to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board by noon March 25. The bids will be...
Indiana County man charged with manufacturing methamphetamine
A 39-year-old Indiana County man was charged with operating a meth lab out of his car after a traffic stop turned up what state police said was a “one-pot” method of methamphetamine production, and faces additional drug charges filed a few days later. Police pulled over Jeremy M. Clawson, 39,...
Botched SWAT raid would cost Pittsburgh $80,000 under proposed legal settlement
Pittsburgh would pay a Brighton Heights woman $80,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging city SWAT officers five years ago wrongly broke down her front door and terrorized her children after mistaking her apartment for a drug dealer’s. City Council on Tuesday introduced a resolution that would end the lawsuit filed...
40th Street Bridge ramp reopens, but another closure is expected
The ramp from the 40th Street Bridge to northbound Route 28 in Millvale has reopened, PennDOT announced around 3 p.m. Tuesday. The ramp had been closed Monday evening because of ice that came from a water line leak. Crews have removed the ice and reopened the ramp, PennDOT said. The...
State lawmakers propose property tax relief for longtime Pittsburgh homeowners
Longtime Pittsburgh homeowners could be in line for city property tax relief under legislation proposed by local state lawmakers. State Sen. Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills, and state representatives joined Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and city council members Tuesday in outlining the legislation dubbed Longtime Owner Occupied Tax Exemption Program. The...
Rally outside Sen. Toomey’s Pittsburgh office calls for an end to shutdown
People who rely on government assistance programs joined Democratic lawmakers Tuesday outside the Downtown office of U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Lehigh Valley, to demand that he work toward ending the partial government shutdown, now in its 32nd day. Low-income workers relying on Section 8 housing vouchers and food benefits through...
Armstrong County residents invited to try new voting machines
Armstrong County residents will be able to try out new voting machines at an expo next week. The new voting system expo will be held from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30, at the Kittanning Township Volunteer Fire Department, 13126 Route 422. The Pennsylvania Department of State directed...
3 West Virginia students ousted, 15 disciplined for frat house fall
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University says three students are no longer enrolled at the university and 15 others have agreed to other disciplinary action after a student was injured in a fall down steps at a fraternity house. The university announced the actions Tuesday in a news release. The...
8 Pittsburgh-area Walmarts to start grocery delivery
Walmart is joining the growing number of grocery retailers that are making the move to home delivery. On Thursday, eight Pittsburgh-area Walmarts will launch a grocery delivery service that will cost $7.95 to $9.95, depending on the time of delivery. The stores are as follows: ALLEGHENY COUNTY North Versailles Robinson...
Pelosi works her health care strategy from the ground up
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is laying out her strategy on health care and first up is improvements to “Obamacare” and legislation to lower prescription drug costs. “Medicare for all” will get hearings. Pelosi and President Donald Trump have been sounding similar themes about the need to address the...
Trump moving ahead with State of the Union speech next week
WASHINGTON — The White House is moving forward with plans for President Donald Trump to deliver his State of the Union speech next week in front of a joint session of Congress — despite a letter from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi requesting he delay it. The White House sent an...
Westmoreland happenings: Jan. 23 and beyond
Classes/programs • Free family friendly gaming extravaganza, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday , Mt. Pleasant Public Library,120 S. Church St. It will include appearances by local game developers, Dungeons and Dragons One-Shot campaigns, and for a small donation, a chess tournament and a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournament. Guests can enjoy...
UK’s world-famous Beefeaters on strike over pensions
LONDON — Workers at the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace — including some of London’s famed Beefeaters — are on strike in a dispute over pensions. The historic attractions, among London’s most popular, remained open Tuesday despite the work slowdown, which is the second in the last two...
Tentative contract reached in L.A. teachers strike
LOS ANGELES — Contentious contract negotiations have resulted in a tentative deal between Los Angeles school officials and the teachers union that will allow striking educators to return to classrooms on Wednesday. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the deal Tuesday. He says it requires the approval of the teachers...
