Top Stories category, Page 1063
Senate rejects Biden’s vaccine mandate for businesses
WASHINGTON — The Senate narrowly approved a resolution Wednesday to nullify the Biden administration’s requirement that businesses with 100 or more workers have their employees be vaccinated against the coronavirus or submit to weekly testing. The vote was 52-48. The Democratic-led House is unlikely to take the measure up, which...
Allegheny County health director: ‘I don’t expect the situation to improve soon’
The covid-19 situation in Allegheny County remains grim, health director Dr. Debra Bogen said Wednesday, as the county closes in on nearly 2,500 dead from the virus. Since June, nearly 500 people in the county have died from covid-19, Bogen said. “Most tragic is that nearly all of these deaths...
Duquesne police chief accused of witness intimidation against father of alleged sex assault victim
Duquesne police Chief Thomas Dunlevy was arrested Wednesday, accused of interfering in an alleged sexual assault case against his friend, including intimidating the accuser’s father. The man accused in the alleged August sexual assault case, Nathan Beck, 20, was a volunteer firefighter in Duquesne and a friend of Dunlevy’s, according...
Former Steelers great Dick Hoak gets surprise birthday party in Hempfield
Turning 82 isn’t exactly a milestone birthday. But for the friends of former Steelers and Penn State great and Jeannette native Dick Hoak, any excuse to give him a party is a good one. Fans of Hoak know him as a former Pro Bowl running back and the longest tenured...
Mark Meadows sues as Jan. 6 panel proceeds with contempt caseVideo
WASHINGTON — Former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Wednesday sued the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection as the chairman of the panel pledged to move forward with contempt charges now that Meadows is no longer complying with a subpoena. The dueling actions laid...
Covid cases spike even as U.S. hits 200M vaccine milestone
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The number of Americans fully vaccinated against covid-19 reached 200 million Wednesday amid a dispiriting holiday-season spike in cases and hospitalizations that has hit even New England, one of the most highly inoculated corners of the country. New cases in the United States climbed from an average...
Instagram CEO faces senators amid anger over potential harmVideo
WASHINGTON — The CEO of Facebook’s Instagram is facing lawmakers angry over revelations of how the popular photo-sharing platform can harm some young users and demanding that the company commit to making changes. Adam Mosseri is testifying Wednesday at a Senate hearing as Facebook, whose parent now is named Meta...
Bob Nutting to sell Seven Springs, 2 other ski resorts to Vail Resorts
Pittsburgh Pirates owner Bob Nutting is selling his three ski resorts in the Laurel Highlands — Seven Springs Mountain Resort near Champion, Hidden Valley Resort near Bakersville and Laurel Mountain Ski Area in Ligonier Township — for $125 million to Vail Resorts Inc. of Colorado. Nutting, CEO of Seven Springs...
Pittsburgh City Council again revises proposal to amend city’s parking code
Pittsburgh City Council on Wednesday again revised a proposed change to the city’s parking code. The proposed legislation, introduced by Councilman Bobby Wilson in October, would create hybrid residential parking permit areas where drivers without a permit could pay to park for a limited time. It also would create non-resident...
Former priest secretly filmed teen boy in Target bathroom in Pittsburgh, police say
A former priest named in the 2018 Catholic Church abuse report was arrested Tuesday after police said he filmed a teenage boy in the bathroom of an East Liberty Target store, according to court records. Paul G. Spisak, 77, of East Carnegie, is charged with sexual abuse of a minor,...
Pennsylvania Supreme Court hears arguments over school mask mandate
As Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration has defended its school mask mandate in court over the past three months, it has relied on a portion of the state health code that allows for the “surveillance of disease.” On Wednesday before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Senior Deputy Attorney General Sean Kirkpatrick presented...
Washington County man gets a leg (lamp) up on Christmas decorations
Matthew Pagac, 32, of Centerville, Washington County, has a leg up on Christmas decorating. Pagac built a custom illuminated “leg lamp” for his front lawn, installing it Saturday. He said he was inspired to “go big” with his holiday decorating because it’s his daughter’s first Christmas and he was inspired...
Fugitive in custody after fight with deputies, troopers in rural Westmoreland County
A New Florence man acquitted in the 2015 killing of a St. Clair Township police officer was taken into custody late Tuesday in rural Westmoreland County after fighting with county sheriff’s deputies and state troopers, authorities said. Ray A. Shetler Jr., 37, was taken into custody at a mobile home...
Damage in St. Vladimir fire valued at $4 million, police say cause undetermined
A devastating fire at an Arnold church over the weekend caused $4 million in damage, according to a state police fire marshal. Trooper Keith Sobecki said the cause of the blaze at St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church is undetermined, pending further investigation. The fire at the 74-year-old Kenneth Avenue church,...
Pfizer says covid booster offers protection against omicron
Pfizer said Wednesday that a booster dose of its covid-19 vaccine may offer important protection against the new omicron variant even though the initial two doses appear significantly less effective. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said that while two doses may not be protective enough to prevent infection, lab tests...
Pittsburgh police respond to 2 incidents on same West End street, 1 fatal
Pittsburgh police are investigating whether a pair of incidents that happened several hours apart in the West End on Tuesday are related. Officers from the Zone 6 station along with emergency medical services personnel responded to the 2700 block of Stafford Street at 10:40 a.m. after receiving a 911 call...
2 people hurt in crash near Route 28 ramp in Etna
Two people were taken to the hospital following a multiple-vehicle crash Wednesday morning along Route 8 in Etna, according to authorities. The crash was reported shortly before 6 a.m. near the Route 8 exit ramp onto Route 28. No information about the condition of the people injured in the wreck...
Will the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ eventually change?
Momentum is gaining in some circles to redefine what “fully vaccinated” means now that boosters are widely available and the omicron variant is surging nationwide. Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to the White House and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNBC on Friday...
Police: 14-year-old stabbed multiple times in Pittsburgh found at Castle Shannon auto dealership
Castle Shannon police responding to a call early Wednesday for a stabbing victim along Library Road found a 14-year-old boy at an auto dealership suffering from multiple wounds, according to authorities. Police said the teen was in the back seat of a car in the parking lot of the Kenny...
With snow predicted this week, will PennDOT be able to clear the roads with limited staff?
As snow looms in the forecast this week, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has been trying to fill hundreds of snow plow driver positions across the state to prepare for the upcoming winter weather. And it hasn’t been easy. Currently, PennDOT has filled 40 percent of the 695 temporary operator...
Omicron could overtake delta within weeks, experts say
Some experts are warning that although evidence is still emerging, the highly concerning omicron variant is expected to overtake delta within weeks. “I do expect omicron to displace delta in the coming weeks,” said Stephen Kissler, a disease modeler at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in a...
Pearl Harbor survivors gather on 80th anniversary of attack
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — A few dozen survivors of Pearl Harbor and other veterans gathered Tuesday at the site of the bombing 80 years ago to remember those killed in the attack by Japan that launched the U.S. into World War II. The USS Chung-Hoon, a guided missile destroyer, passed...
‘Business as usual’ after $1.8 billion transaction involving Westmoreland casino
After more than a year in operation, the Live! Casino Pittsburgh property at Westmoreland Mall is changing hands. In a $1.8 billion deal, Wyomissing-based Gaming and Leisure Properties in Berks County will acquire three properties owned by Baltimore- based The Cordish Cos., including Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland, Live! Casino...
WTAE promotes Elena LaQuatra
WTAE-TV reporter Elena LaQuatra, who has been filling in as morning traffic reporter since July, has been promoted to that position as well as noon weekday newscast anchor on Channel 4, effective next week. LaQuatra, a Mt. Lebanon native, first worked at WTAE in 2015 as a digital content creator....
13 flags dedicated at Arnold Palmer airport in tribute to fallen U.S. service membersVideo
When a memorial to fallen U.S. service members was being installed more than a month ago at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, airport authority member Don Rossi saw a spontaneous addition to the V-shaped formation of 13 flags. “I drove by, and I saw two bouquets of flowers,” Rossi said. “That’s...
