Top Stories category, Page 1229
Fact check: Joe Biden and his shifting goalposts on reopening schools
WASHINGTON — How do you define success when it comes to reopening schools in the pandemic? President Joe Biden and his aides are having difficulty settling on an answer to that question. At his town-hall forum Tuesday night, Biden denied that his administration ever thought one day of classroom instruction...
Allegiant Air announces flights between Pittsburgh, Key West
Allegiant Air will debut nonstop flights between Pittsburgh International Airport and Key West, Fla., beginning June 3. “From the historic sights at Dry Tortugas National Park to the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, Pittsburgh visitors have a lot to explore in Key West,” Drew Wells, Allegiant’s senior vice president of...
Rush Limbaugh, ‘voice of American conservatism,’ dies at 70
PALM BEACH, Fla. — Rush Limbaugh, the talk radio host who ripped into liberals, foretold the rise of Donald Trump and laid waste to political correctness with a merry brand of malice that made him one of the most powerful voices on the American right, died Wednesday. He was 70....
Vaccine mix-up prompts rescheduling shuffle in PennsylvaniaVideo
Vaccine providers in Pennsylvania could be short 55,000 first doses of Moderna’s covid-19 vaccine in the coming weeks after a “perfect storm of circumstances” meant some providers spent weeks giving out dedicated second-dose shots as first doses, health department leaders said Wednesday. In addition, 30,000 to 60,000 second-dose appointments could...
Judge rules against Crack’d Egg restaurant: ‘They’ve largely chosen their fate here’
An Allegheny County judge said that the owners of the Crack’d Egg have “largely chosen their fate,” by remaining closed rather than comply with a covid-19 masking order. Common Pleas Judge John McVay on Wednesday denied the Brentwood restaurant’s request to stay an order he issued earlier this month requiring...
Excela starting to offer covid vaccines to public when available; most staffers immunized
About 70% of Excela Health’s staff are immunized against the coronavirus and a limited number of appointments are periodically being opened to community members who meet the state’s guidelines. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Carol Fox said the health system late last week opened appointments on its website to people over...
Allegheny County reports 26 new coronavirus deaths
Allegheny County on Wednesday reported 26 new coronavirus deaths and 215 additional coronavirus cases. The newly reported deaths is a spike in the county data, but most days in February have reported a low number of deaths. Eight or fewer deaths have been recorded on 12 days this month. That...
Here are some spots for Allegheny County fish fries
The annual Lenten fish fries may look a little different this year because of the pandemic. There will be no indoor dining, but meals will be available for takeout and delivery. Here are some places to enjoy meatless Fridays in Allegheny County. CHURCHES Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church,...
More snow on the way for Western Pa., which has already seen twice as much as usual
More than twice as much snow as usual has dropped on the Pittsburgh region this year, and more is on the way. The National Weather Service station in Moon recorded 52 inches of snow between Dec. 1 and Feb. 16. In an average year, the region receives 25.6 inches of...
Condado Tacos invites local artists to paint at South Hills spotVideo
A painting of icon Andy Warhol can be seen crawling out of a grave, spray cans in his hands. A zombie hovers above. On the other side of the room trolley cars appear to be rolling by South Hills Junction. The city of Pittsburgh appears in the background. Across the...
Biden reframes his goal on reopening of elementary schoolsVideo
MILWAUKEE — President Joe Biden is promising a majority of elementary schools will be open five days a week by the end of his first 100 days in office, restating his original goal after his administration came under fire when aides said schools would be considered open if they held...
Ross OKs using community center gym for covid vaccination clinic; no opening date announced
The Ross Township commissioners on Tuesday approved an agreement with Allegheny County to operate a covid-19 vaccination clinic at the municipal building. No date was announced for when the people can begin receiving shots. The board’s unanimous vote to OK the agreement with the county came with no discussion or...
Trump slams Mitch McConnell as GOP divide deepens post-impeachmentVideo
WASHINGTON — In the most caustic sign yet of deepening GOP divisions, former President Donald Trump blistered Mitch McConnell as a “political hack” on Tuesday, days after the Senate’s top Republican denounced him as the inciter of U.S. Capitol attack. “The Republican Party can never again be respected or strong...
Western Pa. GOP focuses ire on Pat Toomey, as Republicans battle for control of the party
The border separating Allegheny County from the surrounding metro area is beginning to look more like the fault lines shaking a Republican Party trying to come to terms with the aftermath of a second impeachment trial of former President Trump. County GOP chairs in Westmoreland, Washington, Fayette, Lawrence, York and...
Global vaccine gaps could leave Americans vulnerableVideo
WASHINGTON — Over and over, President Joe Biden has emphasized the need to inoculate as many Americans as quickly as possible, all but staking his presidency on successfully shielding the country from covid-19. Yet the uneven vaccination effort globally is expected to leave large swaths of the planet unprotected for...
Police: Man who fired at Braddock officers shot himself during standoff, in grave condition
A man suspected of firing at Braddock police was taken into custody Tuesday evening after police say he shot himself in the head. The unidentified man was alive but listed in grave condition following a standoff in an abandoned house along the 500 block of Lobinger Avenue. Allegheny County Police...
Pa. jobless benefit scams at $2.5M; Arnold woman pleads guilty to defrauding system
While many jobless Pennsylvanians have struggled to get unemployment benefits during the covid pandemic, the state has paid out at least $2.5 million in fraudulent claims, state officials said Tuesday. That might be just the tip of the iceberg, the officials said. The $2.5 million was siphoned off by just...
Westmoreland DA says accused Ruffs Dale shooter has violent history with boyfriends
Just hours before Andrew Pristas was gunned down, the woman charged with shooting him — his former girlfriend — had a similar violent confrontation with her current boyfriend, a Westmoreland County prosecutor said on Tuesday. Meghan West, 30, of Ruffs Dale, is accused of killing Pristas but contends there is...
Millions endure record cold without power; at least 20 dead across U.S.Video
OCEAN ISLE BEACH, N.C. — A winter storm that left millions without power in record-breaking cold weather claimed more lives Tuesday, including three people found dead after a tornado hit a seaside town in North Carolina and four family members who perished in a Houston-area house fire while using a...
Delay in census data could put transparency in Pa.’s redistricting process at risk
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, including TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and Votebeat, a project focused on election integrity and voting access. HARRISBURG — The data needed to redraw Pennsylvania’s political...
Pittsburgh mayoral endorsements start to roll in as candidates begin drive for signatures
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto has the support of four City Council members and several labor unions in his bid for a third term. But Peduto, 56, will not be seeking the endorsement of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee. Two of the candidates challenging Peduto will seek the party’s endorsement, state...
Covid deaths reported in Westmoreland County rival October numbers
Westmoreland County on Tuesday reported no additional covid-related deaths, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. With no new deaths reported, the seven-day death total in the county is six, which is the lowest it has been since October. In the last seven days, there have been no deaths reported...
For just 2nd time in 2021, Pa. reports new covid deaths in single digits
Pennsylvania reported seven additional covid-19 deaths Tuesday, per the state Department of Health. The deaths reported Tuesday increase the state’s death total to 23,126, with 1,465 deaths reported in February. Only once before this year have health officials reported such a low number of new covid-related deaths: Feb. 8 when...
For those facing eviction in Pittsburgh, hope might be on the way
Pittsburgh leaders on Tuesday said they want to help residents who are facing eviction because they can’t pay their rent during the pandemic. But they don’t want to give “false hope” by enacting something that won’t withstand legal challenges, city council President Theresa Kail-Smith said. “We all want to help...
5 Republicans seek party nod for special election in 59th state House district
Five Republicans — four from Westmoreland County and one from Somerset County — are seeking the party’s nod to run in the May 18 special election to fill the vacancy in the 59th District State House seat created by the death of Mike Reese. The 42-year-old Republican from Mt. Pleasant...
