Regional category, Page 81
Wear your red underwear: Solar eclipse casts light on folklore of past centuries
If the sun turned black and day became night, would you shout at the top of your lungs, toss your lunch in the garbage, maybe hunt through your dresser for some red undies? People in the past have followed those traditional precautions to avoid or reverse the misfortune they associated...
Highmark posts $533M profit in 2023, reversing dismal performance in 2022
Call it a reversal of fortune. After losing money in 2022, Pittsburgh’s Highmark Health rebounded last year. The health insurance giant posted net income of $533 million even as it grappled with operating losses at its Pittsburgh-area hospitals. That compares with a $346 million loss in 2022, due largely to...
‘Sad, dreadful feelings’: Couple’s death in house explosion rekindles memories, unanswered questions
When Rick Napoleon heard about a fatal home explosion in Crescent last week, he was overcome by sadness and empathy. The thoughts of destruction and death that he and his neighbors endured seven months ago in Plum’s Rustic Ridge community came flooding back. His home was destroyed when his neighbor’s...
Washington County woman killed in I-70 crash in Rostraver
A 25-year-old Washington County woman was killed Saturday morning in a two-vehicle crash along Interstate-70 in Rostraver, the Westmoreland County coroner said. The victim, Tori L. Demo of Allenport, was fatally injured about a mile west of the Route 51 exit when her eastbound car was truck from behind by...
Fast-moving fire damages commercial freighter at Ohio port
ASHTABULA, Ohio — A fast-moving fire damaged a commercial freighter at a port in eastern Ohio on Friday, but no injuries were reported. It wasn’t immediately clear what sparked the blaze on the Cuyahoga, according to the Coast Guard. The agency said it deployed boats and a helicopter to the...
‘This is my dream come true,’ says Pitt med student, a Fox Chapel native, on Match Day
Medical student Rachel Kann said she couldn’t be happier to find out she’ll be staying in Pittsburgh. “This is my dream come true. … I’m just so grateful to have gotten the chance to stay in this amazing city for seven more years and practice here,” Kann said. A Fox...
FAFSA data finally starts flowing to colleges to develop financial aid offers to students
Some colleges and universities are beginning to receive long-delayed information they need from the U.S. Department of Education to develop financial aid offers to college-bound students. Word that data is flowing from the troubled rollout of the revised Free Application for Federal Student Aid form (FAFSA) is welcome news. But...
Take the TribLive weekly news quiz: March 15, 2024
Here’s a new feature from TribLive: A weekly news quiz: 1. Russell Wilson and the Steelers broke huge news at the beginning of the week. The nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback has agreed to sign a one-year deal with the Steelers worth $1.21 million while his old team, the Denver Broncos...
Irish heritage is part of the fabric of Pittsburgh
They left Ireland for greener pastures. By 1850, 10,000 Irish immigrants were living in Pittsburgh. They settled in three neighborhoods — Downtown, the Strip District and the Hill District — according to Anne Madarasz, chief historian for the Senator John Heinz History Center. Many were Catholic and drawn to what...
Wordle fans celebrate 1,000th puzzle
As a speech pathologist, Jessica Valko is a fan of word games. But there’s one in particular that she’s been playing every day — Wordle. The online word game that’s run by the New York Times is celebrating its 1,000th puzzle on Friday. Valko, 51, of Murrysville said she loves...
Penn State targets under-enrolled programs, duplication as it eyes cuts at branch campuses
Efforts in the coming months to pare spending on Penn State University branch campuses will include reviewing duplicative or underenrolled academic programs and potentially sharing administrative services between campuses. The university has offered an update on a closely watched process to cut $54 million, or 14.1%, from commonwealth campus operations...
Morning Roundup: Fans rename Kennywood ride; couple free stuck deer in North Hills
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, March 14: Fans rename classic Kennywood ride Fans of Kennywood Park have spoken: The amusement park’s updated, Potato Patch-themed bumper car ride will be known as “Potato Smash.” Officials at the West Mifflin park announced the name received...
Turnpike reopens after fallen wires blocked all lanes
Eastbound and westbound lanes of the Pennsylvania Turnpike I-76 between Pittsburgh and Irwin are now open again, after a crash left electrical and communication lines across the road, blocking traffic. The fallen wires shut down all lanes of traffic Wednesday afternoon starting around 3:20 p.m. The blockage lasted for nearly...
Meet Ciara, superstar wife of new Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson will soon officially be the new quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 35-year-old set social media on fire on Monday with a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that played “Renegade” over clips of fans waving Terrible Towels. His wife, Ciara Wilson, reposted it with a series...
Robert Morris University to host prom for seniors who missed out during pandemic
Like so many of her peers, Addy Hildebrand saw the most cherished parts of her senior year slip away when covid-19 shuttered her high school and others exactly four years ago. Hildebrand, 22, of Derry, now a Robert Morris University senior, made her very first trip to a prom store...
New Castle man found dead along Mercer County interstate
Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the death of a New Castle man whose body was found Tuesday evening along Interstate 80 in Mercer County. Police said the body of Devin Habib, 37, was discovered shortly after 6 p.m. in the median of the interstate in Shenango Township. Investigators believe he...
Why are people overpaying for Trader Joe’s mini tote bags?
Trader Joe’s $2.99 Mini Canvas Tote Bags have quickly become the trendiest new must-have item to buy, and some have been listed in sets for as much as $499 on eBay. Rivaling the hype of Stanley tumblers and Taylor Swift merch, the Washington Post reported the mini tote bags have...
Crescent house explosion marks 3rd in Western Pa. since summer
The fatal house explosion in Crescent on Tuesday morning marks the third in Western Pennsylvania since August. Emergency crews responded to the scene just before 9 a.m. at the 1400 block of Riverview Road,. The Crescent explosion is exactly seven months after the Aug. 12 house explosion in Plum’s Rustic...
Police: Dispute between brothers led to fatal shooting at Jefferson County Walmart; 1 in custody
State police are investigating a shooting that left one person dead at a Walmart in Jefferson County. The shooting happened at a store in Young Township, according to a press release issued by police shortly after noon on Monday. Police said a dispute between two brothers led to a physical...
Morning Roundup: 2 injured in Brookline crash; $890K lottery ticket sold in Irwin
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, March 12: 2 injured in crash in Brookline Two men were injured and transported to the hospital early Monday after the vehicle they were riding in crashed into a building in Pittsburgh. The crash happened at about 12:30...
Daylight saving time got you feeling beat? You’re not alone
Are you feeling extra exhausted after the weekend? A likely explanation could be your body’s response to the daylight saving time switch, according to Dr. Brian Lamb, internal medicine physician at Allegheny Health Network. From Saturday night into Sunday morning, an hour of sleep was lost — to offset the...
Rep. Frankel seeks details about imminent closure of UPMC Montefiore dental center
A UPMC decision to close its Montefiore dental center has state Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Squirrel Hill, worried about how many patients will be displaced and the potential impact on their care. Frankel sought an explanation for the closure in a letter sent Friday to UPMC, a copy of which was...
Morning Roundup: Unity crash sends motorist to Pittsburgh hospital
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, March 11: Unity crash sends motorist to Pittsburgh hospital One motorist was taken to a Pittsburgh hospital for treatment Sunday after a car he was riding in crashed in Unity. Pennsylvania State Police said Jack Susick, 20, of...
Warming trend expected through coming week after snowy, blustery Sunday
Pittsburgh area residents looking forward to spring as they turned their clocks ahead for daylight savings time this weekend might feel like Mother Nature turned hers back to winter. But the bursts of snow and cold winds across the region on Sunday won’t be around for long. Snow squalls and...
State police accuse Jeannette man of breaking into vehicles at Seven Springs
A Jeannette man is accused of breaking into vehicles and stealing an SUV at Seven Springs Mountain Resort on Saturday. State police charged Michael Lee Curtis, 32, with felony counts of theft and receiving stolen property. He is also charged with driving under the influence, unauthorized use of a motor...
