Top Stories category, Page 1011
Roberto Clemente Jr., family members sue Allstate, alleging discrimination by insurer
The Roberto Clemente Jr. Family Agency filed a federal lawsuit this week against Allstate and several people affiliated with the insurer, alleging breach of contract and claims they were discriminated against and ultimately shut down. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Roberto Clemente Jr. and his wife Kailee Clemente,...
Pittsburgh man gets a year of house arrest for actions during Downtown George Floyd protests
A Pittsburgh man who used his skateboard to break the window of a city police vehicle during the 2020 George Floyd protests Downtown will serve one day in custody and one year on house arrest. Joseph Craft, 29, of Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood, must report to U.S. marshals on Friday morning....
Arbitration records reveal Penn Hills’ termination of Officer Robert Gowans was in violation of probationary agreement
Court documents revealed that Penn Hills’ decision to terminate police Officer Robert Gowans in May 2021 violated protections of his probationary status with the department. “As a probationary police officer, he was statutorily entitled to civil service protections during his one year of probationary employment,” arbitrator Jane Desimone said. Gowans...
Biden to double free covid tests, add N95s, to fight omicron
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced Thursday that the government will double to 1 billion the rapid, at-home covid-19 tests to be distributed free to Americans, along with the most protective N95 masks, as he highlighted his efforts to “surge” resources to help the country weather the spike in coronavirus...
Pitt assistant professor finishes 2nd on ‘Jeopardy!’
It was “Weird Al” Yankovic who recorded the parody song “I Lost on Jeopardy.” But it doesn’t seem fair to apply it to Ally Bove, an assistant professor in the University of Pittsburgh’s school of health and rehabilitation sciences. Bove fulfilled a lifelong dream when she appeared on the television...
Ligonier Ice Fest plans new designs, old favorites for 31st year
Organizers of the Ligonier Ice Fest are keeping a weather eye out, so to speak, for the Jan. 22-23 forecast. So far, conditions look to be favorable for the 31st annual event, with highs hovering around 30 degrees, some clouds and maybe a snow shower, according to weather.com. “I say...
New Kensington car wash celebrates opening with free washes, fundraising for Knead Cafe
A new car wash in New Kensington is celebrating its opening with free car washes for 10 days and benefits for Knead Community Cafe. Clean Express Auto Wash began operating off Tarentum Bridge Road in front of Busy Beaver in late December, said Beth Martin, a spokeswoman for parent company...
Former nurse pleads guilty to indecent assault of residents at Lower Burrell care home
A former nurse at a Lower Burrell care nursing home and rehabilitation center was sentenced Wednesday to at least 6 months in jail for indecent assaults against two residents last year. Jacques C. Wagner, 58, of New Kensington pleaded guilty to six offenses in which police said he had sexual...
Tax refunds could be delayed this year because of pandemic and budget issues, treasury officials say
Officials from the Treasury Department announced the Internal Revenue Service would face major challenges, leading to frustrations from both taxpayers and tax preparers. Tax refunds might be delayed as a result of budget cuts to the IRS, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and ongoing stimulus-related workload issues, The Washington Post reports....
Pittsburgh man accused of bringing loaded gun to Allegheny County Courthouse
A Pittsburgh man was arrested Wednesday afternoon for attempting to enter the Allegheny County Courthouse with a loaded gun, police said. Prince Kamoory El Akando, 28, of the city’s North Side neighborhood, surrendered to Allegheny County sheriff’s deputies after officials said he attempted to enter the courthouse via the Ross...
Baldwin-Whitehall schools end week with remote learning due to rise in covid cases, staffing issues
The Baldwin-Whitehall School District will shift to a remote learning plan for Thursday and Friday as a result of rising covid cases, district officials announced Wednesday. There already was no school on Monday due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. Superintendent Randal Lutz said the district expects to resume...
Police say argument in Plum led woman to shoot boyfriend, chase him with knife
A woman from Ohio has been charged with attempted homicide after police said she shot her boyfriend multiple times Wednesday night during an argument at his home in Plum and then chased him down the street with a kitchen knife when he tried to flee. Police say Crystal Marie Veasey,...
Prosecutors drop strangulation, assault charges against Arona man
Strangulation and assault charges against an Arona man were dismissed Wednesday by Westmoreland County prosecutors after his accuser said she would not testify against him at trial. Shawn Grbach, 43, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges of harassment and disorderly conduct. He was sentenced to serve one year on probation...
Westmoreland Commissioner Doug Chew tests positive for coronavirus for 2nd time
Westmoreland County Commissioner Doug Chew said Wednesday he again has tested positive for the coronavirus. Chew, a first-term Republican, said he has been at home this week and is experiencing symptoms from the virus. “Today is the worst day of congestion and breathing,” Chew wrote in an email. “It’s expected...
Jan. 6 panel requests interview from GOP leader Kevin McCarthyVideo
WASHINGTON — The House panel investigating the U.S. Capitol insurrection requested an interview and records from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday, as it continues to seek first-hand details from members of Congress on former President Donald Trump’s actions on the day hundreds of his supporters brutally beat police,...
Pa. House approves proposed congressional map as court challenges loom
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 Pennsylvania House has advanced a new congressional map that...
Allegheny County prosecutors drop sex charges against former Regent Square restaurateur
The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday withdrew charges against a former Regent Square restaurant owner accused of breaking into a woman’s home on Pittsburgh’s South Side and sexually assaulting her. On the paperwork submitted in the case against Adnan Pehlivan, Assistant District Attorney Emma Schoedel wrote that the...
Norwin school board member wants to bar CNN news show for studentsVideo
At least one Norwin School Board member wants the district to stop showing a CNN-produced news program to middle schoolers during homeroom. During a workshop meeting this week, Alex Detschelt — a self-described conservative Republican — asked fellow board members to consider eliminating CNN 10 along with any other live...
Hempfield woman accused of leaving dog, cat behind in abandoned home
A Hempfield woman is accused of leaving a dog and cat in an abandoned home, according to court papers. Michele Ann Kelly, 36, was charged this week with two counts of animal cruelty. Troopers said they were notified Nov. 12 by a home health nurse working in a neighborhood off...
Biden is sending more covid tests to schools to keep them open
The Biden administration is increasing federal support for covid-19 testing for schools in a bid to keep them open amid the omicron surge. The White House announced Wednesday that a dedicated stream of 5 million rapid tests and 5 million lab-based PCR tests will be made available to schools starting...
Inflation at 40-year high pressures consumers, Fed and BidenVideo
WASHINGTON — Inflation jumped at its fastest pace in nearly 40 years last month, a 7% spike from a year earlier that is increasing household expenses, eating into wage gains and heaping pressure on President Joe Biden and the Federal Reserve to address what has become the biggest threat to...
Police, EMS respond to head-on collision near Plum High School
Police and medics responded to a head-on collision between two vehicles near Plum High School on Wednesday morning. The crash was reported shortly after 7 a.m. near the intersection of Leechburg and Elicker roads, according to an Allegheny County 911 supervisor. Medics evaluated the occupants of the vehicles for injuries...
Medicare limits coverage of $28,000-a-year Alzheimer’s drug
WASHINGTON — Medicare said Tuesday it will limit coverage of a $28,000-a-year Alzheimer’s drug whose benefits have been widely questioned, a major development in the nation’s tug-of-war over the fair value of new medicines that offer tantalizing possibilities but come with prohibitive prices. The initial determination from the Centers for...
Allegheny County Jail now says 87 inmates segregated last month, not 294
Allegheny County officials said that they are refining the way the jail tracks people in segregated housing after they were criticized last week for not following last year’s referendum banning solitary confinement. On Jan. 5, Warden Orlando Harper submitted a report in which he listed 294 people in segregation. On...
Former Greensburg-based dentist accused of killing wife to collect millions in life insuranceVideo
A former Greensburg dentist and big-game hunter is facing federal charges after authorities said he killed his wife during a safari in Zambia five years ago and collected more than $4 million in life insurance. An arrest warrant was issued Dec. 22 for Lawrence Rudolph, 67, who was living in...
