Top Stories category, Page 1417
State police staked out Felipe Vazquez after Pirates game at PNC Park in 2019
In an effort to find where in Pittsburgh the Pirates once-heralded relief pitcher Felipe Vazquez lived, state police staked out PNC Park last year and a trooper followed him as he left the stadium, according to testimony. Vazquez got the final four outs, three by strikeout, in the Pirates’ 9-4...
More than 560 people died of overdoses in Allegheny County in 2019
Overdose deaths in Allegheny County rose slightly in 2019, and combinations of fentanyl/cocaine and fentanyl/heroin remained the deadliest combinations — a grim reminder that the opioid epidemic continues to rage on. Across the county, drug overdoses killed 564 people last year, up from 492 in 2018. Fentanyl was found in...
Westmoreland, surrounding counties, will not see new dining, bar restrictions over weekend
Westmoreland and surrounding southwestern Pennsylvania counties received a reprieve — for the weekend, at least — on new restrictions that would have temporarily halted indoor dining and drinking in an attempt to slow increased covid-19 cases. County officials received word that Gov. Tom Wolf would not announce any new restrictions...
JCPenney stores to remain open in Monroeville Mall, Beaver Valley Mall
Two JCPenney stores in Western Pennsylvania will survive the retail giant’s restructuring that includes shuttering more than 100 stores nationwide. The stores, which originally were on the list of stores to close but will now remain open, are located in the Monroeville Mall and the Beaver Valley Mall in Center...
Parents sue Kennywood, Sandcastle, Idlewild over mask requirements
The parents of four children with medical conditions are suing Kennywood, Sandcastle Waterpark and Idlewild & SoakZone, contending their ownership violated federal law and Pennsylvania Health Department coronavirus orders by requiring all patrons to wear face masks. The federal lawsuit contends that Palace Entertainment, parent company of the parks, has...
Unions cancel Pittsburgh’s annual Labor Day Parade
The coronavirus pandemic has torpedoed Pittsburgh’s annual Labor Day Parade. Officials on Friday announced that the parade held for decades in Downtown Pittsburgh would be replaced with volunteer community service programs conducted by union members throughout Labor Day weekend and a major blood drive and food giveaway on Labor Day....
Pa. reports more than 1,000 new covid-19 cases for 1st time since May 10
For the first time since May 10, the Pennsylvania Department of Health on Friday reported more than 1,000 new cases of covid-19. There were 1,009 new cases and 32 new deaths from covid-19 reported Friday, bringing the totals to 93,876 cases and 6,880 deaths statewide. On May 10, there were...
Kennywood welcomes visitors with covid-19 safety measures
A Pittsburgh staple reopened Friday — but Kennywood will be a little different this summer. Visitors will have to pass a temperature screening to enter. Face masks are mandatory. And visitors will have to stand 6 feet apart while they wait in line for rides. Following the well-known guidelines for...
35 new covid-19 cases reported in Westmoreland County
The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Friday reported 35 new covid-19 cases and no new deaths in Westmoreland County. The numbers bring the countywide case total to 952 and death total to 39. That includes 26 probable cases. Probable cases are “patients who have a positive serology test and either...
Police: Man arrested in Mt. Lebanon had 30 improvised bombs, detonators in car
A man arrested Thursday night in Mt. Lebanon in connection with online threats had more than 30 improvised bombs in his Mercedes along with homemade detonators and chemicals used to make explosives, investigators said in a criminal complaint. Kurt James Cofano, 32, of Whitehall, faces felony charges related to weapons...
Allegheny County reports 180 new coronavirus cases, 1 new death
Allegheny County health officials reported 180 new covid-19 cases, one additional death and seven more hospitalizations on Friday. The date for the newest reported death is July 2. New covid-19 case numbers have been fluctuating since the county experienced a record-setting 233 cases last Thursday, followed by 177 cases on...
Calls, writings led police to search for guns on property of Unity man linked to Cassandra Gross disappearance
Jailhouse phone calls and writings from Thomas George Stanko, who has been linked to the disappearance of Cassandra Gross, led state police to find 17 guns on his property and in a storage unit, according to search warrants released this week. The warrants detail conversations that troopers believe were in...
Wall Street rallies as optimism returns to cap erratic week
NEW YORK — Optimism returned to Wall Street on Friday, and stocks rallied to cap a shaky week dogged by worries that rising coronavirus counts may halt the economy’s recent upswing. The S&P 500 climbed 1%, and the biggest gains came from cruise ship operators, airlines, banks and other companies...
Postponed school musicals going live and online during July
Stage Right School for the Performing Arts in Greensburg is preparing to stage “Aladdin Jr.,” the spring musical for its preteen home-schooled students that was postponed due to the covid-19 pandemic. It’s the first time Stage Right has had to consult with a medical professional while preparing a musical production,...
What you need to know about Supreme Court ruling over Trump’s tax returns
NEW YORK — The Supreme Court ruled that Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. can obtain President Donald Trump’s tax returns for a criminal investigation but sent a second request by Congress for the records back to lower courts. Here are some key questions and answers stemming from Thursday’s...
Here’s how to interpret daily covid-19 case counts
As coronavirus cases mount in Allegheny and surrounding counties, questions often arise about how the data should be interpreted. Viewed without context, the numbers can lead to some misconceptions. Allegheny County health officials reported 158 new cases Thursday, for instance, along with 12 hospitalizations — but those infections didn’t happen...
Crash closes eastbound lanes on I-70 in Washington County
Eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 in Washington County were closed early Friday to a tractor-trailer crash, Tribune-Review news partners WPXI-TV reported. The crash was near the Interstate 79 southbound junction. According to the news channel, hazmat teams were dispatched because of a diesel fuel leak. Eastbound Lanes of I-70 at...
Northbound lanes on Route 8 in Shaler reopened after water main break
Northbound lanes along Route 8 in Shaler have reopened after a water main break, Shaler police said. The break was reported in the 1300 block of Route 8, also called William Flinn Highway. The road is closed between Spencer Lane and Fall Run Road. Southbound lanes were closed early Friday...
‘Start feeling lightheaded’: Construction workers suffer during heat waves
Scorching hot temperatures are taking a toll on construction crews across Western Pennsylvania. Peter Caruso, owner of Peter J. Caruso & Sons Inc., had about 30 workers paving in sweltering temperatures on Thursday — when air temperatures topped 90 degrees for the seventh consecutive day, with the heat wave expected...
Headed to the beach? Here is what’s up at spots popular with Western Pennsylvanians
Western Pennsylvania residents like to visit East Coast beaches every summer, and it seems that the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t stopped the trend. In fact, many beaches have reported more tourists than previous summers. Below is a list of what to expect at some of the beach vacation destinations popular with...
Police: Suspect apprehended in Mt. Lebanon with weapons, bomb components in car
Mt. Lebanon police on Thursday evening took into custody a suspect who allegedly made social media threats against state and federal buildings and was found with numerous weapons and bomb-making components in his car. Police apprehended the suspect without incident at a traffic stop near Washington Road and Woodhaven Drive...
Biden pledges New Deal-like economic agenda to counter TrumpVideo
DUNMORE, Pa. — Democrat Joe Biden turned his campaign against President Donald Trump toward the economy Thursday, introducing a New Deal-like economic agenda while drawing a sharp contrast with a billionaire incumbent he said has abandoned working-class Americans amid cascading crises. The former vice president presented details of a comprehensive...
Police: Man learning how to drive crashes into license center in Penn Hills
A man learning how to drive in the Penn Hills Shopping Center parking lot struck another vehicle and plowed into the PennDOT Drivers License Center on Thursday evening, police said. An Allegheny County dispatcher said the call for the crash came in around 8:20 p.m. at 11620 Keleket Drive. Police...
The Nest co-owner welcomed diners at Jeannette restaurant with friendly nature, flair for decor
Toni Nestico was a familiar, friendly face at The Nest Restaurant in Jeannette, where she served seafood dishes to customers for close to 30 years and was co-owner of the establishment, with her husband. “People loved her,” said her daughter, Alana, who used to wait tables at the restaurant along...
Officials: Stray cat in Ross Township tests positive for rabies
A stray cat in Ross Township has tested positive for rabies, Allegheny County Health Department officials announced Thursday. They said the cat was found on Hetherton Drive and was recently brought to the department’s laboratory. Rabies is a virus transmitted to humans by an animal bite or scratch. Officials said...
