Determining if someone is mentally fit for trial in Pa. often traps them in the place making them worse — jail
This story is a collaboration between Spotlight PA and the Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism, published as part of a Pittsburgh Media Partnership project. Sign up for Spotlight PA’s free newsletters here. Rachel Bridgeman thought she could hear God. Locked in the Allegheny County Jail, she slid from reality. The...
3D-printed rocket remains grounded after more launch aborts
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A rocket made almost completely of 3D-printed parts came within a half-second of blasting off Saturday on its debut flight, but remained grounded after back-to-back launch aborts. The engines ignited, but abruptly shut down, leaving Relativity Space’s rocket, named Terran, standing on its pad. Launch controllers...
From wine country to London, bank’s failure shakes worldwide
NEW YORK — It was called Silicon Valley Bank, but its collapse is causing shockwaves around the world. From winemakers in California to startups across the Atlantic Ocean, companies are scrambling to figure out how to manage their finances after their bank suddenly shut down Friday. The meltdown means distress...
West Virginia Senate passes modified transgender care ban
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s Republican supermajority Senate passed a bill Friday that would ban certain health care for transgender youth after approving a significant change to add exceptions for young people at risk for self harm or suicide. “These kids struggle, they have incredible difficulties,” said Majority Leader Tom...
Will it take market crash for Congress to raise debt limit?
WASHINGTON — There’s one way to force President Joe Biden and Congress to solve the looming crisis over the debt limit: a financial market crash. That’s a view held by several economists and a former White House official, mindful that Congress rarely acts unless an emergency forces lawmakers to. “For...
Standard time giving way to daylight saving in most of U.S.
WASHINGTON — Standard time comes to an end in most parts of the United States this weekend. You’ll lose an hour of sleep for one night but gain more daylight in the evening in the months ahead. The transition to daylight saving time is official at 2 a.m. local time...
Ukrainian firefighters on risky mission to save lives, homes
KOSTIANTINIVKA, Ukraine — Thick grey smoke pours from the roof as the firefighters arrive at the brick house, one of several homes hit by Russian shelling in a residential neighborhood of Kostiantinivka. The city in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk province has come under intense bombardment in recent days amid a Russian...
Maine college goes into lockdown after shot fired on campus
The campus of a liberal arts college in Maine was put on lockdown early Saturday morning after a shot was fired in a student housing complex during what one student called a massive annual party. Colby College said no students were hurt during an altercation that involved a firearm being...
Americans’ fun road trip to Mexico became days of horror
LAKE CITY, S.C. — It was supposed to be a fun road trip to Mexico, a post-pandemic adventure for a group of childhood friends. One was treating herself to cosmetic surgery after having six children. It was a 34th birthday celebration for another. They rented a white van in South...
New Air Force One will stay blue and white, Biden decides
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is sticking with a blue-and-white color scheme for the exterior of the replacement Air Force One aircraft, the first of which is expected to be delivered in four years. The Air Force said late Friday that the light blue on the new model of the...
Sexual assault reports increase at U.S. military academies
WASHINGTON — Reported sexual assaults at U.S. military academies shot up during the 2021-22 school year, and one in five female students told an anonymous survey that they had experienced unwanted sexual contact, the Pentagon said Friday. The survey results were the highest since the Defense Department began collecting that...
Pitt Provost Ann Cudd leaving for Portland State University
University of Pittsburgh Provost Ann Cudd is leaving to become president of Portland State University. Leaders of the Oregon institution with 22,000 students named her Friday as the school’s 11th president, succeeding Stephen Percy, who is retiring. The appointment is effective in August after Cudd finishes up her duties in...
Silicon Valley Bank seized by U.S. after historic failure
NEW YORK — The U.S rushed to seize the assets of Silicon Valley Bank on Friday after it experienced a run on the bank, the largest failure of a financial institution since Washington Mutual during the height of the financial crisis more than a decade ago. Silicon Valley, the nation’s...
Ukraine rebounds from Russian barrage, restores power supply
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s capital had most of its power supply restored Friday, officials said, as the country again responded swiftly and defiantly to the latest Russian missile and drone barrage targeting critical infrastructure. In what has become a familiar Russian tactic since early October, the Kremlin’s forces struck Ukraine...
Eastern Congo hit by rebel attacks; 45 civilians killed
GOMA, Congo — The death toll from several attacks this week by extremist rebels in eastern Congo has risen to at least 45 people, local officials said on Friday. Dozens of people were killed by rebels using machetes over two days when rebels from the Allied Democratic Forces, a militia...
‘Cocaine cat’ escaped owner, will now live at Cincinnati Zoo
An African serval cat that was found with cocaine in its system after an escape at a traffic stop now calls the Cincinnati Zoo home, much to the delight of social media users still amused by the recent release of the movie “Cocaine Bear.” The wild cat’s story has trended...
9th grader sues over Pledge of Allegiance confrontation
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The parents of a ninth grade South Carolina student who said she was accosted by a teacher for quietly walking to class instead of stopping and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance are suing the teacher, principal, school district and state education officials. Marissa Barnwell said she was...
House votes to declassify info about origins of covid-19
WASHINGTON — The House voted unanimously on Friday to declassify U.S. intelligence information about the origins of covid-19, a sweeping show of bipartisan support near the third anniversary of the start of the deadly pandemic. The 419-0 vote was final approval of the bill, sending it to President Joe Biden’s...
Michigan State University shooter’s note says he felt hated, rejected
A man who fatally shot three students and wounded five others on the Michigan State University campus left a note describing himself as being “hated,” “a loner” and an “outcast.” Anthony McRae, 43, also wrote “I’m tired of being rejected,” in the note, which was dated the day before the...
GOP leader Mitch McConnell remains in hospital after concussion
WASHINGTON — Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell was being treated Thursday for a concussion and is expected to remain in the hospital for “a few days” after he tripped and fell at a hotel dinner the night before, his spokesman said. The Kentucky senator, 81, was at a Wednesday evening...
U.S. adds a robust 311,000 jobs despite Fed’s rate hikes
WASHINGTON — America’s employers added a substantial 311,000 jobs in February, fewer than January’s huge gain but enough to keep pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates aggressively to fight inflation. The unemployment rate rose to 3.6%, from a 53-year low of 3.4%, as more Americans began searching...
Daylight saving time: Here’s when clocks ‘spring forward’
It’s March, everyone, and despite what Punxsutawney Phil said, spring could very well be just around the corner. Which begs the question: when is daylight saving time? The days will start getting lighter when folks set their clocks forward this Sunday. Unfortunately, this does mean we’ll all be losing an...
Fire breaks out at building near White House, no injuries
WASHINGTON — A fire broke out Friday at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House, leading to the evacuation of workers as firefighters responded to the call, according to the U.S. Secret Service. D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services said at 8 a.m. on Twitter that a...
Xi awarded 3rd term as China’s president, extending rule
BEIJING — Chinese leader Xi Jinping was awarded a third five-year term as the nation’s president Friday, putting him on track to stay in power for life at a time of severe economic challenges and rising tensions with the U.S. and others. The endorsement of Xi’s appointment by the ceremonial...
BotsIQ competition in Hempfield puts STEM concepts into actionVideo
Southmoreland High School senior Josef Jefferson has learned quite a bit during his time with the school’s BotsIQ team, building robots that battle in a competition among Western Pennsylvania schools. “We came up with some new ideas, and we saw a lot of bots last year that were really effective,”...
