Top Stories category, Page 138
Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival expected to draw 90,000 through holiday weekend
Stained glass artist Amy Primmer already is a big fan of the Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival, and she’s only been there once. “I don’t think I’ve seen (a vendor show) better run, and we do this full time,” she said. The festival, featuring 400 artists and vendors, returns Thursday...
Hundreds of thousands in Pa. could lose Medicaid, SNAP benefits under Trump bill, Shapiro says
More than 300,000 Pennsylvanians could lose Medicaid coverage if the Senate-approved version of President Donald Trump’s domestic policy bill passes the House, while nearly 150,000 people who receive SNAP benefits could lose access to food assistance, Gov. Josh Shapiro said Wednesday. “Every member of Congress who votes for this reconciliation...
America’s debt surpasses $36T and would keep growing under Trump bill. How did we get here?
As it begins its 249th year in business as a country, the United States owes more than $36 trillion in debt and spends nearly $2 trillion more per year than it collects. Those numbers won’t be decreasing if the One Big Beautiful Bill Act becomes law. The legislation, named and...
Analysis shows Trump’s tariffs would cost U.S. employers $82.3 billion
WASHINGTON — An analysis finds a critical group of U.S. employers would face a direct cost of $82.3 billion from President Donald Trump’s current tariff plans, a sum that could potentially be managed through price hikes, layoffs, hiring freezes or lower profit margins. The analysis by the JPMorganChase Institute is...
Pittsburgh council splits on planned public safety facility some deride as ‘cop city’
Pittsburgh City Council members are sharply divided on whether to spend nearly $2 million to advance plans for a new public safety training facility amid concerns that it could become the kind of “cop city” that sparked protests elsewhere. Council is considering a proposal to launch a $1.8 million master...
Judge blocks order barring asylum access at border and gives administration 2 weeks to appeal
WASHINGTON — A federal judge said Wednesday that an order by President Donald Trump suspending asylum access at the southern border was unlawful, throwing into doubt one of the key pillars of the president’s plan to crack down on migration at the southern border. But he put the ruling on...
New Kensington constable accused of impersonating a police officer, hiding guns
New Kensington-based constable Herman Staple II is charged with several misdemeanors after being accused of impersonating a police officer and later concealing guns from police in violation of a protection from abuse order. Officers in New Kensington pulled over Staple in mid-May for driving what appeared to be a police...
Can supermarkets like Giant Eagle fill void left by ailing pharmacy industry?
As chain pharmacies decline, grocery stores are picking up the slack. Rite Aid’s descent into bankruptcy — and the dash to carve up its assets — is the latest example. Rival drugstores CVS and Walgreens have snapped up millions of potential customers by way of their prescription files, but supermarkets...
Derry reduces summer schedule, hikes lifeguard pay, receives donations to help keep pool open
Derry Community Pool is moving forward with its summer season, but with a reduced schedule. After a shortage of lifeguards caused borough officials to close the public swimming pool several days in late June, Derry Council on Tuesday agreed to trim back the facility’s schedule to six days each week...
Troy Hill grandmother’s death ruled homicide
Authorities have ruled a Troy Hill woman’s death last week was a homicide. Patricia Kachinko, 73, died June 24 in an area hospital, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said Wednesday. Her cause of death was respiratory complication from blunt force trauma of the chest. Pittsburgh police are investigating, the...
Bryan Kohberger admits to killing 4 Idaho students but motive remains unclear
BOISE, Idaho — A criminal justice student who avoided a potential death sentence by pleading guilty Wednesday to the brutal stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students carefully planned the attack for months and took multiple steps to cover his tracks, the lead prosecutor said. Bryan Kohberger, who was...
What to know about the City of Pittsburgh’s Fourth of July celebration
Pittsburgh’s Fourth of July celebration will look a little different this year. Because of ongoing construction by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources at Point State Park, there won’t be any programming there, said Brandon D’Alimonte, the city’s Parks and Recreation program manager. Friday’s festivities will take place at...
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs denied bail after mixed verdict clears him of top charges in sex crimes caseVideo
NEW YORK — A judge declined Wednesday to grant bail to Sean “Diddy” Combs, meaning the hip hop mogul won’t go free while he awaits sentencing in his sex crimes case. The bond decision came after a jury convicted Combs of federal prostitution-related offenses but acquitted him of sex trafficking...
House back to work as GOP leaders try to win over holdouts on Trump’s tax bill
WASHINGTON — The House sprang back to action late Wednesday after a prolonged stalemate as Republican leaders spent the afternoon and evening working furiously to convince skeptics to support President Donald Trump’s tax and spending cuts package and send it to his desk by the Fourth of July deadline. The...
Excessive-force lawsuit claims Allegheny County Jail guards repeatedly shocked man with Taser
A man awaiting trial at the Allegheny County Jail filed a federal lawsuit on Wednesday against the county and several officers at the lockup alleging he was stunned repeatedly with a Taser, including in his groin, causing long-term injuries. Kush Wilkerson, 29, makes claims for excessive use of force and...
Monroeville’s Miracle Mile shopping center up for sale
The Miracle Mile Shopping Center in Monroeville is for sale. No price is listed by CBRE, the real estate agency handling the sale, but the plaza along Route 22 near the Pennsylvania Turnpike interchange is described in the listing as a dominant regional shopping destination. The sale was announced on...
Paramount to pay $16 million in settlement with Trump over ’60 Minutes’ interview
In a case seen as a challenge to free speech, Paramount has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump over the editing of CBS’ ” 60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris in October. Paramount told media outlets the money will go...
Harrison police get less-lethal weapons to deal with increasing crises
Harrison police are responding to more mental health crises than ever before. Since 2012, the number of calls dealing with noncompliant people has increased more than 500%, Chief Brian Turack said. Officers responded to 16 such calls in 2012 and 98 in 2023. “It’s not all mental health; it’s anywhere...
How to avoid fireworks injuries this July Fourth weekend
The Fourth of July weekend brings a surge of cookouts, fireworks and celebrations — and with it, a busy stretch for fire safety and health officials preparing for the holiday’s potential hazards. Brad James, fire chief at Eureka Fire Rescue in Tarentum, said the holiday weekend tends to produce numerous...
Lindsey Graham gets GOP primary challenge from André Bauer, South Carolina’s former lieutenant governor
CHAPIN, S.C. — Former South Carolina Lt. Gov. André Bauer is mounting a GOP primary challenge to Sen. Lindsey Graham, arguing the incumbent isn’t conservative enough to represent the state. Bauer, a wealthy developer, is a longtime backer of President Donald Trump. His candidacy sets up a midterm grudge match...
U.S. won’t send some weapons pledged to Ukraine following a Pentagon review of military assistanceVideo
WASHINGTON — The U.S. is halting some shipments of weapons to Ukraine amid concerns that its own stockpiles have declined too much, officials said Tuesday. The munitions were previously promised to Ukraine for use during its ongoing war with Russia under the Biden administration. But the pause reflects a new...
Trump says Israel has agreed on terms for 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urges Hamas to accept deal
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Israel has agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and warned Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. Trump announced the development as he prepares to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks at the White House on...
Cops charge woman with firing gun at closing time on South Side
Pittsburgh police have filed charges in two incidents of unruly behavior on the South Side — one involving gunfire and the other physical violence — that punctuated a chaotic few days in the city’s busiest, most heavily patrolled entertainment district. In the first, police said a Forest Hills woman fired...
O’Hara man’s lawsuit claims recalled Ryobi hedge trimmer shredded his hand
An O’Hara man is suing the company that makes Ryobi Tools after he said his hedge trimmer turned on when it wasn’t supposed to last month, severely injuring his hand. Michael Roncevich, 64, filed the lawsuit, along with his wife, Michelle Roncevich, in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday...
Fireworks stores see big business ahead of July Fourth weekend
Fourth of July is like Christmas to William Olbeter. “Ever since I was a little kid, I fell in love with fireworks, and I’ve always wanted to do my own shows,” said Olbeter, of New Kensington. The 54-year-old puts on a fireworks show annually for his family and neighbors. Each...
