Regional category, Page 32
Officials look at possible connection between 2 found dead in Butler and Beaver counties
Two people were found dead in separate incidents Wednesday — one in Butler County, the other in Beaver County, the Pennsylvania State Police report. First, a 47-year-old woman was found shot inside an apartment complex at about 1 p.m. in Jackson Township, Butler County. She was discovered at her Creekside...
Cranberry man pleads guilty to assaulting girlfriend on cruise ship
A Cranberry man will serve one year in federal prison after pleading guilty on Wednesday to attacking his girlfriend while aboard a Norwegian cruise ship in international waters in 2022. Quintin Owens, 28, of Cranberry, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on Wednesday to one count of assault, a misdemeanor....
Shortage of area homes, rising prices, interest rates fuel frustration for would-be buyers
House hunters such as Bruce and Brenda Babich are up against a perfect storm of low inventory, rising home costs and unfriendly mortgage rates. That’s becoming the norm in the Pittsburgh housing market, which historically has been viewed as affordable. “They’re not staying on the market long,” said Bruce Babich,...
Arson at Pa. Governor’s Residence universally condemned
Western Pennsylvania’s elected officials and others joined their colleagues across the state and country in condemning Sunday morning’s arson at the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence. Here’s a roundup of the comments: “We should all be shocked at the reported act of arson at the residence of Gov. Josh Shapiro and his...
FBI agent testifies Butler man made death threats against Trump, teachers, Marjorie Taylor Greene
A Butler County man charged with threatening to kill President Donald Trump and immigration agents also wrote on YouTube about killing school teachers, shooting U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and carrying out a mass attack in Texas, an FBI agent testified Monday in federal court. Shawn Monper, 32, of Butler...
Bond market upheaval could impact borrowing costs for Western Pa. schools, municipalities
It’s all about timing. School districts and municipal authorities that already floated bonds for major construction projects are counting their blessings for not being caught up in the bond market’s current chaos. But those with pending projects not yet supported by money from bonds are watching the market closely, eyeing...
Delay in ‘silica rule’ leaves some miners’ advocates worried
After the announcement by the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration of a four-month delay in enforcement of the “silica rule,” some in the region are worried about what that delay signals for miners’ safety. The rule, issued last April, gave mine operators a year to upgrade respiratory protection programs...
Large hail, damaging wind possible with severe storms Monday, weather service says
Much of southwestern Pennsylvania is at a slight risk for severe thunderstorms on Monday, according to the National Weather Service. The highest overall severe risk will be near and south of Latrobe, Pittsburgh and New Philadelphia. The risk decreases for counties north and east of Allegheny County, according to an...
Covid pandemic exposed vulnerabilities but brought lessons in preparedness
Ordinary shopping trips became a scavenger hunt five years ago. Shoppers who felt fortunate enough to find toilet paper quickly filled their carts. Demand soared for items such as masks, lumber, liquor and computer chips. As covid-19 swept across the United States, empty store shelves spurred anxiety, heightened tensions and...
Faced with a perfect storm, small local colleges try to navigate the future
“If you build it, they will come” was not the way to go about higher education in Pennsylvania, experts say. Declining birth rates and rising tuition costs are combining with other economic factors to make it harder — especially for smaller campuses — to fight enrollment declines and survive. “It’s...
Pittsburgh man gets death penalty in state prison guard’s death
A Pittsburgh man already serving a life sentence for the 2014 murder of a man in Pittsburgh faces the death penalty in the murder of a guard at the state prison in Somerset. Paul J. Kendrick, 30, was sentenced to death Thursday by a Somerset County jury for the Feb....
Southwestern Pennsylvania’s glassmaking tradition dates from late 18th century
The closure of the Pyrex cookware plant in Charleroi brings to an end 132 years of manufacturing at that facility, but the regional footprint of the glassmaking industry is far more widespread and earlier in origin. In 1797, James O’Hara and Isaac Craig opened their Pittsburgh Glassworks at the foot...
Butler man charged with threatening to murder Trump
A Butler County man has been charged with threatening to assault and murder President Donald Trump, other U.S. officials and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, authorities announced Friday. Shawn Monper, 32, of Butler Township is accused of making threats between Jan. 15 and April 5, according to the Justice Department....
132-year-old Charleroi glass plant ends production, set to close
Elaine Smith had to hear the Corning whistle one last time. Smith, 70, of Monessen retired in 2020 after a 45-year career at the Pyrex glass plant, which has been a staple in Charleroi for more than a century. She said she was ready for tears to flow Friday for...
Take the TribLive weekly news quiz: April 11
The following is a regular feature from TribLive: A weekly news quiz:...
Carnegie Mellon students tense and anxious amid visa revocations
Skand Vijay won’t attempt to visit his home in India until he graduates from Carnegie Mellon University. He’s too nervous about the possibility of not being allowed back into the United States. Vijay hasn’t done anything to jeopardize his visa. Still, as fellow international students are having their visas revoked,...
State’s first Unified eSports League levels playing field at Fox Chapel Area, Freeport Area
For Matt Murslack, the start of every meet for his fledgling unified video gaming club is like stepping onto the field for a real-life big game. The eighth grade teacher at Fox Chapel Area’s Dorseyville Middle School delivers a fiery motivational speech and lessons in sportsmanship. Then the competition starts,...
Morning Roundup: Man in custody after SWAT situation in Pittsburgh; Braddock could join regional police force
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, April 10: Man in custody after SWAT situation in Pittsburgh A man was taken into custody following a SWAT situation overnight in Pittsburgh’s Summer Hill neighborhood, according to TribLive news partner WTAE. At 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, a man...
Uncertainty still abounds for Western Pa. businesses, consumers despite tariffs pause
Many consumers and business owners across Western Pennsylvania responded Wednesday with a sense of relief to President Trump’s decision to pause most of his hefty reciprocal tariffs on imported goods — and the stock market responded with historic gains. But the 90-day pause doesn’t apply to China, one of the...
Independence Health cuts 151 workers, locations not specified
Independence Health System is laying off 151 employees as it looks to cut costs. Kelly Skoloda, chief marketing and communications officer for the financially challenged regional health care provider, confirmed the staff cuts Wednesday in a statement mirroring a message sent to employees by the system’s president and CEO, Ken...
Pa. mine safety, research offices targeted for closure as president touts coal
The health and safety of coal miners could be in danger if the Trump administration eliminates mine safety employees, including those working at the Mine Safety and Health Administration office in Hempfield that oversees nine states, according to a union official. The Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency has trumpeted...
Surprise Kevin Spacey appearance at Steel City Con draws social media ire
Many Western Pennsylvania comic enthusiasts reacted with disappointment to Steel City Con’s last-minute announcement that controversial actor Kevin Spacey would attend this past weekend’s event. CJ Gatsby, a loyal customer of Steel City Con, said he waffled on whether to attend this past weekend, but the Spacey announcement solidified it...
Yes, Western Pa. pays more for gas. You might be surprised how much more
If you feel like Western Pennsylvanians pay more for gasoline, you’re right. You can blame geography, experts say. Within the state — already home to the nation’s ninth-most expensive gasoline and the country’s third-highest gas tax — fuel costs more in the Pittsburgh region than almost anywhere, including the Philadelphia...
App aims to help drivers avoid potholes
A New Kensington man and his business partner are taking pothole matters into their own hands … or phones. George Brian has partnered with City Bucket List, an app that helps people get around Pittsburgh while also highlighting attractions and places to eat and drink. He wants the app also...
As deadline looms, Real ID process still frustrating for some
For some, acquiring a Pennsylvania Real ID has been relatively painless, but for others — especially women — the process has been anything but. Starting May 7, Pennsylvanians 18 and older will be required to have a Real ID to board domestic flights, set foot in military bases and enter...
