Top Stories category, Page 1400
Feds charge 8 in Pittsburgh protests that turned violent
A federal grand jury indicted eight people in connection with damage and vandalism during protests May 30 in Downtown Pittsburgh. Most of those indicted were in some way connected to the destruction of two Pittsburghpolice cruisers that were set ablaze during protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd in...
Cicadas abuzz around Western Pennsylvania as summer progresses
The annual cicadas are buzzing in Western Pennsylvania, as the large insects emerge from underground for the hottest months of summer. Cicadas are best known for their noises — mating calls coming from the males — that can be heard from dawn till dusk. Joe Stavish, manager of community education...
Westmoreland County adds 24 new coronavirus cases, 1 death
On Wednesday, Westmoreland County continued its streak of daily double-digit coronavirus cases for the month of July. In their latest report, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 24 new cases, bringing the county’s total to 1,351. The state also reported one new death, as the county’s toll climbed to 45....
Pa. commissions denounce Trump memo excluding those in U.S. illegally from census
Several Pennsylvania commissions are denouncing an executive memorandum signed by President Donald Trump last week that seeks to bar people who are in the United States illegally from filling out the census, the once-a-decade survey that determines federal funding and congressional seats. Trump, who signed the memorandum July 21, said...
South Main Street in Greensburg to close Thursday during Pence visit; Rally for Black Lives to be held, too
Drivers traveling through Greensburg on Thursday may have to find an alternate route. Part of South Main Street will be closed at some point Thursday morning to accommodate a Cops for Trump rally with Vice President Mike Pence, said Tom Bell, fire chief and public works director. But an exact...
Pennsylvania coronavirus case total breaks 110,000
Pennsylvania surpassed 110,000 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, according to a report from the state’s Department of Health. A total of 834 new positive results brought the state’s total to 110,218. The state also reported 16 additional deaths to bring the total to 7,162 attributed to covid-19 since the state’s outbreak...
CORE launches social media campaign to promote organ donation
The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) launched a social media campaign to spread awareness and recruit new organ donors. The campaign, dubbed #JustOne, aims to demonstrate how many lives just one new organ donor could save. “The very fact that one donor can save eight lives showcases the...
Allegheny County hits triple digits of new coronavirus cases for 7th straight day
Allegheny County recorded new coronavirus cases in triple digits for the seventh straight day on Wednesday. The Allegheny County Health Department reported 125 new cases, along with five additional deaths and 10 new hospitalizations. The five deaths attributed to coronavirus happened from July 14-24 and ranged in age from 70...
Fox Chapel committee to examine removing word ‘Squaw’ from street, trail names
A new committee in Fox Chapel will examine the impacts of the word “Squaw” and its use in borough street and trail names. The issue has become hotly debated in recent months, with several residents requesting local governments to replace the word, saying it is a slur against Native American...
Bring the noise! Joe Klimchak pulls off MLB’s crowd noise plan at PNC Park
If you are a Pirates fan who has ever been to PNC Park, you know who Joe Klimchak is. You may not know his last name off the top of your head. But you know his face. And his voice. Klimchak is the longtime Pirates in-game host at the stadium....
Dirt bike rider killed in crash in Pittsburgh’s Hill District
A dirt bike rider was killed Tuesday after colliding with a parked vehicle in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, public safety authorities said. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner identified the victim as Derelle Williams, 32, of Pittsburgh. Police responded to the incident just after 7:30 p.m. along Milwaukee Street at Bryn Mawr...
Pittsburgh jobless rate dips slightly to 12.5% in June
The Pittsburgh region’s jobless rate dropped again in June, falling slightly to 12.5%, because of an increase in nonfarm jobs, the state said Tuesday. The unemployment rate fell by 1.4 percentage points, continuing a decline from a high of 17% in April for Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and...
Medics treat person found following Kiski River search in Gilpin
A search of the Kiski River in Gilpin ended in less than two hours late Tuesday night as crews discovered a person in need of assistance. The person, whose name and condition weren’t immediately available, was being tended to by medics, according to an Armstrong County 911 dispatch supervisor. Crews...
Kennedy Township girl set to debut new song after ending run on ‘America’s Got Talent’Video
Ashley Marina Yankello’s run on “America’s Got Talent” came to an end Tuesday night when judge Howie Mandel delivered the news by video link that the Kennedy Township singer would not be advancing to the quarterfinals of the NBC-TV competition. According to Mandel, the decision to eliminate the youth from...
Source: U.S., Oregon in talks about pulling agents in PortlandVideo
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Trump administration has started talks with the Oregon governor’s office and indicated that it would begin to draw down the presence of federal agents sent to quell two months of chaotic protests in Portland if the state stepped up its own enforcement, a senior White House...
Pa. health secretary: Data will guide state’s approach to high school sports
The PIAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee strongly recommends starting high school sports on time, but Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine declined to endorse that decision Tuesday. Levine said the same covid-19 data that’s being used to determine how schools reopen should guide whether interscholastic sports are played in the fall....
In meeting with Jill Biden, Pittsburgh schools union leader supports delay for in-person instruction
While school districts in Southwestern Pennsylvania finalize their fall reopening plans, some educational leaders are advocating for stronger safety guidelines and a delay to in-person instruction. On Tuesday, in a virtual campaign stop for the Joe Biden presidential campaign, Biden’s wife, Dr. Jill Biden, and U.S. Sen Bob Casey, D-Scranton,...
Sprint car in funeral home, with final lap at Lernerville, honor Bell Township man
As Brandon D. “B-Dog” Hawkins lived life full throttle, expect nothing less for his funeral home viewing and services. Hawkins’ family is celebrating the memory of the underwater welder and laborer who died July 20 on the job in Johnstown. Hawkins, of Bell Township, was 26. He was a 2012...
Riverview students to start 1st 9 weeks of new school year online
Riverview School District students will spend their first nine weeks of the new school year learning online. It’s part of the reopening plan school board members unanimously approved Monday night. Incoming Superintendent Neil English said the administration has heard from parents, staff and Allegheny County health officials the past two...
Dr. Rachel Levine responds to transphobic comments: ‘I do not have time for intolerance’
Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine on Tuesday broke her silence about people who have harassed and directed transphobic comments at her in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. At the start of a news briefing, Levine said she felt compelled to “personally respond to the multiple incidents of...
Attorney General Barr defends response to protests, his role in criminal cases of Trump alliesVideo
WASHINGTON — Attorney General William Barr on Tuesday aggressively defended the federal response to violence and protests at the federal courthouse in Portland, Ore., and his decision to inject himself into criminal cases involving President Donald Trump’s close associates. The attorney general’s highly anticipated and contentious appearance before the House...
John Pallone announces resignation as New Kensington-Arnold School District superintendent
New Kensington-Arnold Superintendent John Pallone announced Tuesday that he is resigning from his post with the school district. Pallone said he is stepping down effective at midnight Friday. In a statement, Pallone said he has no “strong desire” to leave but “circumstances have made it clear that this decision is...
Allegheny County Police investigating death of 2-year-old New Kensington boy found in Harrison pool
Allegheny County Police are investigating after a 2-year-old boy died four days after being found in a swimming pool in Harrison. The boy, Cassius Alexander Saulsgiver of New Kensington, died July 20, less than a month before his third birthday. The incident happened July 16 at a home in the...
Latrobe veteran sentenced for attack on wife, stepdaughter
A Latrobe veteran will serve up to 10 years in prison for an alcohol-fueled knife attack three years ago that left his wife and stepdaughter wounded. Scott A. Matuszky, 48, pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault and terroristic threats in connection with the Oct. 7, 2017, incident at his...
Keeping Pa. private colleges closed will hurt small communities, officials say
The covid-19 pandemic has upended procedures for colleges and universities throughout the country, and many of Pennsylvania’s private institutions are struggling to find the best path forward, officials said Tuesday. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale has hosted Facebook Live conversations with industry leaders semi-regularly during the pandemic. On Tuesday, he met...
