Regional News category, Page 145
Native weasel reintroduction in Pa. under consideration, Monroeville presentation planned
Pennsylvania Game Commission officials are considering a plan to reintroduce a native species of weasel to the state’s woodlands after its disappearance more than 100 years ago. The American marten, or pine marten, and its potential habitats are being studied to determine if the proposal is feasible. Tom Keller, the...
Shapiro criticizes Norfolk Southern’s emergency response to Ohio train derailment
Gov. Josh Shapiro condemned train company Norfolk Southern in a letter this week, alleging the company failed to immediately contact the state after a train derailment near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border on Feb. 3. Shapiro said his office plans to take direct action against the company, and added the state legislature...
Medical examiner identifies victim of Sunday shooting in Wilkinsburg
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office on Wednesday afternoon identified the victim of Sunday’s fatal shooting in Wilkinsburg. Daniel Richard Hurley, 40, address unknown, was shot in the 100 block of East Bryn Mawr Court, according to the medical examiner. No cause or manner of death has been released yet....
Charges dropped against reporter arrested at Ohio train derailment news conference
A cable news reporter pushed to the ground and handcuffed while covering a news conference about a train derailment in Ohio will no longer face charges, the state’s attorney general said Wednesday. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost dismissed trespassing and resisting arrest charges against NewsNation correspondent Evan Lambert, saying he...
Lawsuit: Thousands of Western Pa. residents at risk after Ohio train derailment
A class-action lawsuit alleges the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment and subsequent controlled burn of hazardous chemicals could have an adverse effect on the health of thousands of Western Pennsylvanians. In the suit, two Beaver County men say they want Norfolk Southern Railway to pay for the medical monitoring of...
Standbys, understudies, swings ensure that the show will go on
Ready to go on at a moment’s notice, some actors and actresses wait in the wings. They are in the theater in case one of their colleagues can’t take the stage because of illness, a family emergency or a scheduled day off. They often are referred to as “unsung heroes”...
Armstrong County billboard with message of inclusivity taken down
A Worthington-area billboard meant to welcome people of all faiths, genders and sexual orientations was up for six days before opponents forced its removal. Erected by the Armstrong County Democratic Committee and paid for by donations, the sign was meant to combat a nearby billboard along Route 422 that has...
PennWest president announces departure
Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson, founding president of Pennsylvania Western University, also known as PennWest, is leaving her position. She announced Tuesday she is transitioning to a new role with the State System of Higher Education as President-in-Residence and CEO for PennWest Investment. She is to begin the transition immediately and will assume...
Sunshine, warm temps expected in Western Pa. this week
Western Pennsylvanians can break out the sun hats for the next couple of days. Today’s high is expected to reach 56 degrees by 3:30 p.m., according to the National Weather Service in Moon, and tomorrow should be sunny with a high of 68 degrees by 2:30 p.m., missing the record...
Do hybrid schedules create the perfect work environment?
Balancing working from the dining room table with reporting to the office likely will be sticking around for many employees, their bosses say. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro recently announced that about 2,300 state government employees, many of whom had been working remotely, will be reporting to the office at least...
Procession for slain McKeesport officer to close roads in South Hills, Mon Valley
A procession for slain McKeesport police Officer Sean Sluganski will close several roads as it winds from the South Hills and the Mon Valley on Tuesday. The procession will start at the funeral in Baldwin borough, travel through McKeesport, and finish at a cemetery in Pleasant Hills, Allegheny County spokesperson...
Police: Cranberry woman says she shot boyfriend in self-defense
A Butler County woman claims she shot and killed her boyfriend over the weekend in self-defense, police said. Amanda Hughes, 26, of Cranberry, was charged Sunday with one count of criminal homicide, Cranberry police Lt. Chuck Mascellino told the Tribune-Review. Hughes was arraigned and now is being held in the...
Seasonal increase nearing as gas prices continue to fall
Gas prices continued to fall over the past week, but a seasonal increase is not far away. According to AAA, the national average Monday was about $3.42 per gallon. That’s about 5 cents less than a week ago but 13 cents more than a month ago. Price-tracking service GasBuddy says...
Western Pa. public works crews make sure to have sufficient salt on hand each winter
Whether it’s 300 miles of roads in Hempfield or just one square mile in Export, the responsibility for public works crews in winter is the same — keep the roads safe and passable in bad weather. That also means finding a place to store thousands of tons of salt, especially...
Dogs could help state game commission track chronic wasting disease
The Pennsylvania Game Commission could soon be using specially trained dogs to help sniff out deer infected with chronic wasting disease as part of a new effort to learn more about the fatal, contagious ailment that continues to spread among the state’s herd. Studies from the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn...
Local districts await fallout from Pa. court ruling on school funding
Funding Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts was never going to be an easy equation to solve. The diverse nature of the state — rural and urban, wealthy and poor — coupled with funding decisions enacted by Pennsylvania lawmakers resulted in a lawsuit being filed eight years ago, claiming bias in the...
Food pantries brace for influx of need as extra SNAP benefits end
Food banks and pantries across the Pittsburgh area are bracing for an influx of people in need when enhanced covid-era food benefits that have been in place for three years come to an end after this month. Beginning in March, households getting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits — commonly known...
State approves first Black-owned pre-apprenticeship program in Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute has been approved as the city’s first Black-owned, state-certified pre-apprentice program for the skilled trades. The APRI’s “Breaking the Chains of Poverty” program is designed to help people build the skills necessary to earn a career in the building and construction...
How to tackle the Super Bowl spread with Kansas City, Philadelphia flavors
It’s cheesesteaks vs. barbecue, but there’s so much more. No matter which team you are rooting for to win Super Bowl LVII, make sure your food game is strong by incorporating some of the two competing cities’ authentic fare into a watch party menu. Philadelphia, known as the “City of...
East Palestine residents return home, clean up a week after Ohio train derailment
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — This village just over the Pennsylvania border remained somewhat of a ghost town Friday, a week after a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derailed and caused a dangerous fire that burned for days. On Wednesday, Ohio authorities lifted an evacuation order that had been issued...
Highmark fined $205,000 for violations over insurance claims
The Pennsylvania Insurance Department found that Pittsburgh insurer Highmark Inc. violated rules regarding the payment of claims, as well as rules related to mental health and substance use disorder claims. The department, which announced the findings this week, was part of a routine examination of all insurers in the commonwealth....
Diocese of Greensburg TV show gets new channel
A quarterly television program produced by the Diocese of Greensburg is switching broadcast channels, from WTAE-TV to WPXI-TV. The next episode, a “Faith and Food” edition, is set to air at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 19 on WPXI Channel 11 and will be repeated on the channel on Feb. 26. The...
‘Borg’ drinking trend gains popularity on TikTok
A new TikTok trend that promises a hangover-free drinking spree appears to be gaining in popularity, particularly on college campuses. The borg — short for “blackout rage gallon” — is an alcoholic drink made by filling a one-gallon jug about halfway with water and then adding up to a fifth...
It’s not easy being an Eagles fan in Steelers country, but Philadelphia-area transplants not deterred
They literally wear their allegiance on their sleeves — Philadelphia fans who proudly sport their teams’ colors despite living in Black and Gold country. That often comes with what they described as good-natured ribbing from their Pittsburgh neighbors — which they’re happy to return in favor — over who has...
Highmark says data of 300,000 members breached
Health care giant Highmark Inc. said the data of about 300,000 of its members was compromised in a recent email scheme. The incident was discovered Dec. 15, Highmark said Friday. The breach occurred between Dec. 13 and Dec. 15 when “an employee was sent a malicious phishing email link that...
