Top Stories category, Page 1003
Dog or coyote? Animal rescued in Fairfield Township perplexes volunteers
An animal that has perplexed rescuers is being cared for at a Mt. Pleasant Township wildlife rehabilitation center while waiting on DNA results to determine exactly what it is. The four-legged, 37-pound creature is being treated for mange after a Fairfield woman spotted it last week, said Wildlife Works volunteer...
Former student in Jeannette sues school district over sexual abuse
A former student is suing the Jeannette City School District alleging that administrators there were aware that he was being sexually abused by a teacher. The teacher, Maria Chappell, was charged by the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office in 2016 with having sex with a student. She pleaded guilty on...
PLCB offers shot at 1,208 bottles of rare Old Rip Van Winkle whiskey
Some of the most coveted bottles of bourbon are up for grabs this week as the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board kicks off a lottery that some might consider a whiskey lover’s dream. In all, 1,208 bottles of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery’s bourbons are available to Pennsylvanians through the limited-release...
Witness: Man fired pistol at twins from barstool at Woodpecker’s in Upper Burrell
A bartender testified Tuesday that Daniel Moles sipped bourbon at Woodpeckers Pub and Grub in Upper Burrell for several hours on the evening of Nov. 13 and chatted with customers before aiming a pistol at twin brothers seated across the bar and firing two shots, killing one of them. District...
Israeli man gets 8 years for role in ‘Darknet’ sales totaling hundreds of millions of dollars
An Israeli man will serve eight years in federal prison for his role in facilitating hundreds of millions of dollars in sales of drugs, firearms and stolen financial information on the dark web. Tal Prihar pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy last year before Senior U.S. District Judge...
Accused Pittsburgh synagogue shooter says jury system is flawed, wants charges dismissed
Attorneys for the man accused of killing 11 people at a Squirrel Hill synagogue three years ago believe the jury system in federal court in Pittsburgh is flawed because it underrepresents the minority population. In a 540-page document unsealed Monday, Robert Bowers, who is white, argues that he is entitled...
Brashear High School principal on leave as district reviews fight
The principal of a Pittsburgh high school is on administrative leave while the district reviews a fight last week that left one student hospitalized, according to a statement from the district. Spokeswoman Ebony Pugh said the principal at Brashear High School, Kimberly Safran, is on a “non-disciplinary paid administrative leave”...
Pittsburgh City Council considers measure to explore annexing, merging with other municipalities
Although Pittsburgh City Council appears poised to shoot down a request to annex neighboring Wilkinsburg, it is considering a proposal to take a more thorough look at whether annexations or mergers would be beneficial to the city. Legislation introduced Tuesday by Council President Theresa Kail-Smith would allow City Council to...
Hempfield nixes mask requirement, changes school’s covid-19 tracker
Students in Hempfield Area School District identified as close contacts who do not test positive for covid-19 or show symptoms will be permitted to attend in-person classes rather than quarantine, the school board said. The vote Monday was one of several made in a meeting during which board members nixed...
Police: Hit-run driver drove to liquor store after causing Route 30 crash in North Huntingdon
North Huntingdon police say a man was under the influence of alcohol, hit another driver and left the scene before making a quick stop at a liquor store and circling back past the crash on Route 30. Dennis M. Moog Jr., 58, of Jeannette, was arrested Saturday on multiple misdemeanor...
TV Talk: Showtime cancels filmed-in-Pittsburgh ‘American Rust’
Almost three months after its first-season finale, Showtime canceled filmed-in-Pittsburgh “American Rust.” “We can confirm that ‘American Rust’ will not be moving forward with a second season,” read a Showtime statement. “We would like to thank our partners at Boat Rocker, our talented showrunner Dan Futterman and the rest of...
Biden calls Fox News reporter at White House a stupid SOB
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden responded to a question about inflation by calling a Fox News reporter a vulgarity. The president was in the East Room of the White House on Monday for a meeting of his Competition Council, which is focused on changing regulations and enforcing laws to help...
Pfizer opens study of covid shots updated to match omicron
Pfizer has begun a study comparing its original covid-19 vaccine with doses specially tweaked to match the hugely contagious omicron variant. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech announced the study on Tuesday. Covid-19 vaccine makers have been updating their shots to better match omicron in case global health authorities decide the...
Abortion opponents eye priorities as high court ruling looms
In the nearly two months since a conservative majority of justices on the Supreme Court indicated openness to dramatic new restrictions on abortion, money has poured into the political fundraising arm of the anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List. The organization secured $20 million in pledged financial contributions, five times...
GOP-led Chambersburg becomes 1st Pa. town to revoke LGBTQ inclusive law
Chambersburg on Monday became the first municipal authority in the commonwealth to repeal protections for residents against discrimination based on their sexual orientation, ethnicity or gender identity. By a 7-3 Republican majority vote, the Chambersburg Borough Council made good on its pledge, repealing the ordinance citing a host of reasons,...
President Biden to visit Pittsburgh on Friday
President Joe Biden is planning a Friday trip to Pittsburgh, the White House announced. The location wasn’t specified, but in a statement, the White House said Biden would be talking about strengthening the nation’s supply chains, revitalizing American manufacturing and creating good-paying, union jobs. The president will also be touting...
FDA halts use of antibody drugs that don’t work against omicron
WASHINGTON — Covid-19 antibody drugs from Regeneron and Eli Lilly should no longer be used because they don’t work against the omicron variant that now accounts for nearly all U.S. infections, U.S. health regulators said Monday. The Food and Drug Administration said it was revoking emergency authorization for both drugs,...
Testimony concludes in trial of Norwin teacher and husband
Two people who helped Norwin Middle School students prepare for a musical performance told a Westmoreland County jury on Monday that a man they knew had been convicted of a crime was present for rehearsals but did not actively interact with children. But a group of students who were in...
Judges approve special grand jury in Georgia election probe
ATLANTA — Judges have approved a request for a special grand jury by the Georgia prosecutor who’s investigating whether former President Donald Trump and others broke the law by trying to pressure Georgia officials to throw out Joe Biden’s presidential election victory. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis last week...
Cops add felony witness intimidation charge to Butler County man accused of beating, strangling woman
A Butler County man is accused of sending threatening text messages to a woman while he was awaiting a preliminary hearing on felony charges that he punched and strangled her, according to Buffalo Township police. Bradley Borg, 32, of Bessemer Avenue, Butler Township, initially was charged with two felony counts...
Disciplinary meetings for Pittsburgh officers involved in Jim Rogers tasing case underway
Pittsburgh police officers identified as having violated policy and procedure during the tasing and subsequent detention of a homeless man who died a day later in October have begun their initial disciplinary meetings with police administration. Multiple officers out of the eight identified in the executive summary of a Critical...
U.S. puts 8,500 troops on heightened alert amid Russia tensionVideo
WASHINGTON — At President Joe Biden’s direction, the Pentagon is putting about 8,500 U.S.-based troops on heightened alert for potential deployment to Europe to reassure allies amid rising fears of a possible Russian military move on Ukraine. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Monday no final decisions had been made...
Wireless companies ending 3G service, starting with AT&T
Cathy Gates was doing just fine with a flip phone, but she got rid of it when she was given a 3G smartphone at work. “Later on, about four or five years ago, I got my own, a similar phone, but recently I started having problems with it,” said Gates,...
What delayed redistricting maps could mean for May primary in Pa.
This article is part of a yearlong reporting project focused on redistricting and gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. It is made possible by the support of Spotlight PA members and Votebeat, a project focused on election integrity and voting access. HARRISBURG — The lawmakers in charge of drawing Pennsylvania’s new political maps...
State police continue to investigate hit-and-run accident in Derry Township that injured woman
State police are following up on tips from the public as a Latrobe woman remains hospitalized after being hit by a pickup over the weekend outside her workplace. The driver fled the scene. Mary Bathurst, 42, a facility attendant at Union Mission, was taking out the trash before 6 p.m....
