Top Stories category, Page 1176

Discussions are in progress in Pennsylvania’s General Assembly to possibly move teachers to phase 1A of the state’s vaccine rollout. State Rep. Tim O’Neal, R-Washington, sent an email Sunday alerting House GOP members of the possibility, according to WPXI. He explained that the National Guard would be involved in the...

In February, Pennsylvania saw the steepest decline in new cases of the entire pandemic. The state went from 202,899 new cases in January to 88,418 new cases in February — a 56% drop. Even though February has three fewer days than January, if you were to add three days of...

When compared with recent prior months, February was much better with regard to the coronavirus in Westmoreland County. New cases of covid-19 dropped by 61.5% from January (5,370) to February (2,064). Even within the month, new cases dropped from the first half to the second. In the first 14 days...

Pennsylvania officials eased some covid-19 restrictions effective immediately, specifically those orders pertaining to occupancy limits on indoor and outdoor events, paving the way for the Penguins and Pirates to allow fans at PPG Paints Arena and PNC Park. The new orders, announced by Gov. Tom Wolf, raised the occupancy limits...

Allegheny County saw its covid numbers drop dramatically in the month of February, recording 53% fewer new cases than in January. February’s total new cases in the county added up to 7,301. In January, that number was 15,559. It was the second largest month-to-month decline during the entire pandemic. The...

The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium reopened Monday with modified hours and safety precautions meant to limit the risk of covid-19. Through April, the zoo will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with entry gates closing at 3 p.m. Beginning Memorial Day weekend, gates will close at 4...

Pittsburgh police are investigating a pair of armed robberies that occurred early Monday morning in the city’s East End. The first incident occurred at the 1:25 a.m. at the Marathon gas station in the 4000 block of Penn Avenue, which is in the city’s Lower Lawrenceville section, according to police....

Mail safety protocols in the state’s prisons are being updated after two guards at a Northeastern Pennsylvania facility were hospitalized. Officials said the pair were exposed to K2, or synthetic marijuana, that was sent in correspondence supposedly from the courts. Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel said the new protocols...

Two people were rescued from a home in Monessen after a fire started late Sunday in the basement, according to authorities. The fire was reported shortly before midnight at a home in the 1000 block of State Street, according to Westmoreland County emergency dispatchers. A man jumped out of a...

Lawmakers in the House of Representatives voted to approve the American Rescue Plan, a major step toward providing Americans the relief they desperately need and deserve. As President Biden’s relief package moves to the Senate floor, tense negotiations still are taking place on key provisions included in the plan. Despite...

A Perry South man faces charges after Pittsburgh police say he attacked another man with a large ax. Jacob Thrower, 36, was charged with aggravated assault, making terroristic threats and criminal mischief on Sunday after a fight involving another man shortly after 1 a.m. In a criminal complaint filed against...

When Walter Schwarz and Dave Stash received a call from the Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team for a mission to Houston, Texas, they didn’t think twice about going. By Friday, the duo had packed a suitcase within 24 hours of learning of the mission that would send them driving to...

The heavy rain showers that saturated much of the region on Sunday have tapered off and could turn into snow flurries as the temperature drops, according to the National Weather Service in Moon. Steady rain through much of Sunday dumped 1 inch of rain in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, according...

WASHINGTON — Looking beyond the $1.9 trillion covid relief bill, President Joe Biden and lawmakers are laying the groundwork for another top legislative priority — a long-sought boost to the nation’s roads, bridges and other infrastructure that could run into Republican resistance to a hefty price tag. Biden and his...

COLUMBUS, Ohio — With the floodgates set to open on another round of unemployment aid, states are being hammered with a new wave of fraud as they scramble to update security systems and block scammers who already have siphoned billions of dollars from pandemic-related jobless programs. The fraud is fleecing...

Despite fears that influenza would combine with covid-19 to create a so-called “twindemic,” this flu season has been a mild one. Allegheny County so far has reported zero flu-related deaths, three hospitalizations and 180 cases. That’s a notable drop from last year’s 12 deaths, 115 hospitalizations and over 10,000 cases....

A 39-year-old man was killed Saturday night after a crash on Route 819 in Mt. Pleasant Township, according to state police. Timothy A. Strobel of Hempfield was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said. According to police, Strobel was riding a Yamaha Terrapro all-terrain vehicle at about 8:45 p.m. between...

One person is facing charges after police say he got into a confrontation with his neighbor and shot him. Joseph Baker was arrested by Pittsburgh police following the incident Saturday night and is charged with aggravated assault, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety Spokesman Chris Togneri. Officers and EMS were called...

When the Westmoreland Cultural Trust throws its annual Party at The Palace, they go all out. So when organizers added a pie-in-the-face finale to this year’s event, they went all out for that, too. No chintzy shaving cream in a pie tin for this group. These pies had graham cracker...

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is working in conjunction with other state entities to promote Problem Gambling Awareness Month in March. Throughout the month, the gaming control board’s Office of Compulsive and Problem Gambling will join the state Department of Drug and Alcohol, the Pennsylvania Lottery, the Council on Compulsive...

Officials with the Economic Growth Connection of Westmoreland County say the region is on track for growth in the coming year, with the expansion of high-speed internet access a top priority. Connection President and CEO Jim Smith, addressing the economic development group’s annual meeting last week via Zoom, said events...