Top Stories category, Page 1004
Sewickley Academy students stage protest following Thursday’s incident
A group of Sewickley Academy students who were turned away when they tried to deliver a petition demanding changes at the private school protested outside of the building on Friday morning. Some 60 students, parents and supporters of the group CARES — Collective Action for Representative Education at Sewickley —...
Man accused of killing Karli Short and their unborn child ordered to stand trialVideo
Percy Quinn Rees said the last time he saw his niece, 26-year-old Karli Short, they were watching television together. Or rather, he said, she was watching television. He wasn’t much interested in the program, but Short always had control of the remote. Rees spoke of those moments Friday during a...
Fitzgerald seeks to appoint former warden to Allegheny County Jail board
Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald has nominated a man who spent his career in corrections and once served as the county’s interim warden to be a citizen representative on the Jail Oversight Board. The county announced the nomination of William Stickman III to the board last month, and the issue...
‘People’s Convoy’ passes through Westmoreland County en route to D.C. trucker rally
Hundreds of people converged Friday afternoon along Interstate 70 in New Stanton and at the eastbound ramps onto the Pennsylvania Turnpike to cheer on a large trucker convoy rolling toward Washington, D.C., for a weekend rally to protest covid-19 restrictions — which have been eased or eliminated in large part...
Pennsylvania student scores fell, delayed test results show
Student scores on Pennsylvania standardized tests fell sharply last year in most categories, although state education officials cautioned the numbers were so distorted by pandemic conditions that they are of limited use for comparison to previous years — particularly regarding statewide trends. The Education Department on Friday released results of...
Regent Square event merges litter, fashion and craft beer — for good cause
While there are litter walks, fashion shows and craft beer parties, Allegheny Cleanways has combined all three for an event Saturday in Pittsburgh’s Regent Square. The confab of events isn’t as unlikely as it seems. Anyone who volunteers to pick up litter, especially in colder or wet weather, has to...
Penn State is relaxing its face mask policy across most campuses
With much of Pennsylvania now experiencing a decline in covid-19 cases, Penn State announced that it planned to officially relax its policy on face masks come Monday. According to the university, face masks will no longer be required in many indoor settings starting Monday — although the requirement will remain...
Gasoline nears historic high in Western Pa., topping $4 per gallon in some places
Gasoline now costs more than $4 per gallon at some local stations, thanks to an overnight price spike of about 13 cents per gallon. The abrupt jump, after weeks of steady price increases, is something not usually seen, even in times of economic uncertainty. “That’s very drastic and a direct...
Strong job growth points to covid’s fading grip on economy
In a buoyant sign for the U.S. economy, businesses stepped up their hiring last month as omicron faded and more Americans ventured out to spend at restaurants, shops and hotels despite surging inflation. Employers added a robust 678,000 jobs in February, the largest monthly total since July, the Labor Department...
Russia insists it won’t occupy Ukraine; Convoy outside Kyiv still stalled
KYIV, Ukraine — A top Russian diplomat insisted Friday that his country will not occupy Ukraine. “The goal is very clear: Denazification and demilitarization,” Gennady Gatilov, Russia’s ambassador in Geneva, said of the invasion — which he called a “special military operation.” “We are not going to stay in Ukraine...
Senior School classes canceled after incident at Sewickley Academy administrative offices
Classes at the Sewickley Academy Senior School were canceled Friday following a day of chaos at the school. Police were called to the private school in Edgeworth Thursday after a student group called CARES – Collective Action for Representative Education at Sewickley – and several parents attempted to meet with...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: March 4-6
It’s the first weekend of March. Here are some ways to spend it. Home & Garden Show The 40th annual Duquesne Light Co. Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show opens this weekend. Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. More than...
Alta Via Pizzeria coming to Bakery Square in Pittsburgh
The Alta Via restaurant brand is growing, and the Italian-inspired eatery is opening a new pizzeria this month in Pittsburgh’s Bakery Square. Bill Fuller, big Burrito corporate chef and president, said Alta Via Pizzeria will open for take-out orders on Tuesday. He hopes to open the new restaurant for full...
Ready for Crumbl? Cookie chain set for grand opening in North Huntingdon
Get ready for posts featuring gourmet cookies to flood your social media feed. Crumbl Cookies, a fast-growing bakery sensation, is holding its grand opening today and Saturday in North Huntingdon. Owner Tammy Ornowski isn’t sure what to expect as far as turnout goes but said the news has been quickly...
Gas prices continue climb on local and national level
Barb Constant of Plum didn’t mince words about gas prices Thursday, which skyrocketed 12 cents to $3.82 a gallon, up from $3.70, across the Pittsburgh region. “It sucks, but there’s nothing we can do about it,” Constant said as she fueled her car at the Sheetz station on Pittsburgh Street...
Part of Sarver Road in Buffalo Township closed Thursday, no reopening date given
PennDOT closed a portion of Sarver Road in Buffalo Township on Thursday. The closure is at the intersection Sarver Road and Monroe Road. A detour has been posted using Route 356 (South/North Pike Road). The detour is about 9 miles long. PennDOT officials said there is no estimated time for...
U.S. Steel hit with $859K in fines by Allegheny County Health Department
U.S. Steel on Thursday was hit with more than $800,000 worth of fines by the Allegheny County Health Department for alleged pollution and permit violations at the Clairton Coke Works last year. The health department said the violations happened during the second, third and fourth quarters of the year. U.S....
Police file felony charges against West Deer man involved in standoff, house fire
A West Deer man was charged with felony aggravated assault after police accused him of shooting fireworks at officers before barricading himself inside his home and setting it on fire. William J. Bryar, 54, also faces charges of reckless endangerment and arson in connection with an incident at his home...
4-vehicle crash in Hempfield closed eastbound Rt. 30 lanes for 30 minutes
A four-vehicle crash on the eastbound lanes of Route 30 near the Route 130 bridge in Hempfield closed the eastbound lanes of the highway Thursday afternoon, a Westmoreland County Department of Public Safety supervisor said. Multiple emergency responders were at the scene of the accident, which occurred at 4:20 p.m....
Poll: Voters split over selling off Pennsylvania’s state-run liquor stores
About half of Pennsylvania voters surveyed said they support removing the state from the liquor business, according to a new Franklin & Marshall College poll. But the poll released on Thursday also found that if voters had the opportunity to decide on liquor privatization through a constitutional ballot referendum, they...
State trooper based in Hempfield charged with harassment
A state trooper’s duties have been restricted after he was cited this week in connection with an incident at his Mt. Pleasant Township home. Michael S.J. Predajna, 37, is facing two counts of harassment. Citations filed by state police indicate that he slapped someone at his home at 2:10 a.m....
Kentucky jury clears ex-officer in shooting during Breonna Taylor raid
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Kentucky jury on Thursday cleared a former police officer of charges that he endangered neighbors when he fired shots into an apartment during the 2020 drug raid that ended with Breonna Taylor’s death. The panel of eight men and four women delivered its verdict about three...
Future of Pittsburgh hyperloop gets murky with company layoffs
Virgin Hyperloop announced last week that it will lay off more than 100 workers and shift its focus from passenger to freight service, according to The Financial Times. The transportation company has been working to develop technology that would send large pods through vacuum-seal tubes at speeds exceeding 500 mph....
Man dies following mine incident in Somerset County
SOMERSET — A miner is dead after he was injured Wednesday in an underground incident in Hollsopple. According to Cambria County Coroner Jeffrey Lees, the incident was reported just before 11 a.m. and the man, whose name has not been released, was transported to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, where he...
Pittsburgh City Council proposal would require mayor to make sure budget proposals are legal
Pittsburgh City Council is considering legislation that would require the mayor’s office to make sure budget proposals comply with federal, state and local laws and the city’s home rule charter before they are introduced to council. This comes after former Mayor Bill Peduto proposed a major pay raise for council...
