Feast of the 7 Fishes fuels Christmas Eve frenzy in Pittsburgh’s Strip District
Brad Quartuccio refused to allow fate to disrupt a Christmas Eve tradition — prepping for his family’s Feast of the Seven Fishes, an Italian-American celebration revolving around succulent seafood. The Morningside resident and his son Sal, 7, marched proudly around 10 a.m. Wednesday through Wholey’s packed aisles, bags of shrimp...
A Powerball player in Arkansas has won a $1.817 billion lottery jackpot
A Powerball player in Arkansas won a $1.817 billion jackpot in Wednesday’s Christmas Eve drawing, ending the lottery game’s three-month stretch without a top-prize winner. The winning numbers were 04, 25, 31, 52 and 59, with the Powerball number being 19. Final ticket sales pushed the jackpot higher than previous...
Faithful return to Bethlehem and Pope Leo XIV celebrates his first Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter’s
BETHLEHEM, West Bank — Thousands of people flocked to Bethlehem’s Manger Square on Christmas Eve as families there and at other sites across the Holy Land heralded a much-needed boost of holiday spirit, after two years of subdued celebrations because of the war in Gaza. At the Vatican, Pope Leo...
Travelers on Friday will face tough weather conditions, PennDOT to limit speed on interstates
It looks like Pittsburghers won’t get a White Christmas this year. But meteorologists warn that Mother Nature is set to unleash ice, sleet and “a little bit of snow” just a day later — and the officials in charge of Pennsylvania’s roads are gearing up for a winter storm amid...
More than 100 academic offerings on PennWest’s chopping block
Pennsylvania Western University could end more than 100 academic programs as the college prepares to adapt to demographic and enrollment declines impacting schools nationally. In a Dec. 12 email to faculty and obtained by TribLive, Interim Provost James Fisher recommends more than 100 academic programs to be placed in moratorium...
Ligonier Valley School District silent on how graduate entered high school, harassed student
A Ligonier Valley graduate pleaded guilty Monday to harassing a student inside the high school, but district officials are refusing to say how the graduate bypassed security to enter the building — or to commit to changing safety measures. Xavior P. Reynolds, 18, of St. Clair Township entered Ligonier Valley...
Trump warns against infiltration by a ‘bad Santa,’ defends coal in jovial Christmas calls with kids
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump marked Christmas Eve by quizzing children calling in about what presents they were excited about receiving, while promising to not let a “bad Santa” infiltrate the country and even suggesting that a stocking full of coal may not be so bad. Vacationing...
T.J. Watt returns to practice for Steelers 2 weeks after lung partially collapsed
For the first time since having his lung punctured two weeks ago in a dry needling treatment, Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt returned to practice Wednesday on a limited basis. It was Watt’s first on-field activity since the Steelers’ win on Dec. 7 at Baltimore. “T.J. is one our...
After missing deadline, DOJ says it may need a ‘few more weeks’ to finish releasing Epstein files
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department said Wednesday that it may need a “few more weeks” to release all of its records on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after suddenly discovering more than a million potentially relevant documents, further delaying compliance with last Friday’s congressionally mandated deadline. The Christmas Eve...
Crews dig into Pennsylvania nursing home rubble to see if a gas leak caused deadly blast
BRISTOL — Construction crews worked to clear the collapsed walls and roof from a Pennsylvania nursing home Wednesday to help investigators find the cause of an explosion that killed a resident and employee, and set off a dramatic evacuation amid falling debris and shooting flames. The Tuesday afternoon blast sent...
Court papers shed light on ICE arrest of Latino man in Mt. Washington
A man who struggled with federal immigration officers last week in Mt. Washington before being whisked away in a white van is a Nicaraguan national targeted after he tried to buy a gun, according to papers filed Tuesday in federal court. Darwin Alexander Davila-Perez, whose age is not listed in...
Judge rules guilty plea stands for man convicted in fatal shooting at Jeannette football game
A Westmoreland County judge on Wednesday rejected an attempt by a Jeannette man to withdraw his guilty plea in connection with a 2019 fatal shooting outside a Jeannette High School football game. Greg A. Harper, 46, contended he was not properly represented when his former defense lawyer advised him to...
PJM’s power auction shortfall could lead to increased blackout risks in Pa., other states
Regional grid operator PJM Interconnection says people in Pennsylvania and 12 other states may face unacceptable blackout risks as data centers soak up electricity. In its annual generation capacity auction, PJM asked power producers to guarantee more than 152,000 megawatts of electricity could be available at one time from June...
Monroeville man will march in Tournament of Roses Parade with a band of, well, band directors
Michael Buckstein might be an assistant band director at the University of Pittsburgh, but it has still been a while since he practiced his heel-toe marching step. He’s been brushing up lately, though, after being chosen to perform with the Band Directors’ Marching Band at the annual Tournament of Roses...
Toys for Tots campaign: More Western Pennsylvania children in need
Demand for Toys for Tots assistance climbed in the Alle-Kiski Valley this holiday season and held steady in Westmoreland County, reflecting continued financial strain on families. In the Alle-Kiski Valley, coordinators reported about 700 more children in need of holiday gifts this year, a significant jump from last year, when...
Dreaming of a white Christmas? Dream on
If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas in Western Pennsylvania this year … keep dreaming. No snow is in the forecast for Thursday, according to Andrew Kienzle, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Moon. Highs in Western Pennsylvania are expected to be in the upper 40s — which will...
As NFL confirms Lions fan from altercation ‘remains under review,’ Steelers support DK Metcalf
Riding a three-game winning streak, on the verge of clinching a division title and with Christmas morning beckoning just hours away, spirits should have been high in the Pittsburgh Steelers locker room Wednesday. Its longest-tenured member, though, noted regret that there was a significant absence from the UPMC Rooney Sports...
Mark Madden: DK Metcalf has only himself to blame
Only one person is to blame in the DK Metcalf imbroglio. It’s DK Metcalf. Sure, the blue-haired dipstick in the stands at Ford Field was looking to ensnare the Steelers wideout in a web of stupidity. Shame on Metcalf for letting him. That dope had nothing to lose. Metcalf did,...
Annual Oakmont Christmas tree collection to benefit goats
Oakmont is giving folks another chance to supply tasty treats to the goats that help keep weeds under control in the borough. For the fourth year, the borough will collect Christmas trees for the furry friends at Capricious Goats LLC. The group of working goats, affectionately known as the “Munch...
New oral weight loss medication expected to be cheaper and more accessible
A pill version of the GLP-1 weight-loss drug Wegovy is expected to debut in the U.S. in early January. But how will the pills stack up against the already widely used injectables? Doctors in Western Pennsylvania said the pills will be a welcome addition to GLP-1 drug options for their...
Here’s how to track Santa on Christmas Eve
Santa Claus is hard at work delivering gifts across the globe. By shortly after 2 p.m., the jolly old soul had delivered nearly 3 billion gifts and was nearing Kyiv, Ukraine, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Santa tracker. He had covered Australia, Antarctica and elsewhere earlier...
On Sports: Lions fans feel ‘robbed’ after loss to Steelers; Marc-Andre Fleury’s retirement might be cut shortVideo
It’s been a rough couple of days in Detroit after the Pittsburgh Steelers took the Lions’ playoff chances from possible to extremely unlikely. A former Penguins goalie could be considering a return to the ice, and Duquesne men’s basketball gets a marquee moment on “SportsCenter” in Wednesday’s “On Sports,” pinch-hitting...
Morning Roundup: Shooting in Beechview; North Park skating rink begins its season
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Dec. 24: _______________________________________ Shooting in Beechview A man is recovering after being shot Tuesday in the city’s Beechview neighborhood, authorities said. Police responded at about 9 p.m. to the 1500 block of Rockland Avenue where they found a...
Gainey to let 2026 Pittsburgh budget become law without his signature
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey plans to let next year’s $693 million, City Council-backed budget — and the 20% property tax hike set to come with it — become law without his signature. Gainey, in a letter Tuesday to council President R. Daniel Lavelle, called the 2026 budget he initially pitched...
Powerball’s $1.7B jackpot could make Christmas Eve unforgettable for a lucky winner
A Christmas Eve Powerball drawing could add new meaning to holiday cheer as millions of players hope to cash in on the $1.7 billion prize, which comes after months without a jackpot winner. The United States’ 4th-largest jackpot on record comes after 46 consecutive draws without someone claiming to have...
