Top Stories category, Page 155
Tim Benz: Can’t get optimistic about Paul Skenes contract rumors? Embrace your own cynicism first
A lot of Pirates fans and media members have been quick to dismiss this week’s “rumor” via 93.7 The Fan that the Pirates have “tried to make some headway” on a contract extension with star pitcher Paul Skenes. Most folks have been dubious of that prospect for many reasons. •...
Israel announces plan to retake Gaza City in another escalation of the war
TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel said early Friday that it plans to take over Gaza City in another escalation of its 22-month war with Hamas. The decision, taken after a late-night meeting of top officials, came despite mounting international calls to end the war and protests by many in Israel...
Multiple Westmoreland communities say convention center would be a good fit
As feasibility studies for a convention center and hotel complex in Westmoreland County near completion, leaders from communities along Route 30 say that while they haven’t been contacted for information, they do have ideas about where it could be built. The Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce in December launched a...
Wendel residents must go 4 miles to pick up their mail — if the post office is open
A trip to the post office for Wendel residents used to mean a short walk down a wooded path or a quick drive. For the past 41⁄2 years, that has turned into a 4-mile car ride to the Manor Post Office — one that’s complicated by the fact residents have...
Trump to meet Putin soon, the Kremlin says as White House deadline looms on Ukraine
A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump has been agreed upon, a Kremlin official said Thursday, the eve of a White House deadline for Moscow to show progress toward ending the 3-year-old war in Ukraine. Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said a summit could...
Trump’s broad tariffs go into effect, just as economic pain is surfacing
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump began levying higher import taxes on dozens of countries Thursday, just as the economic fallout of his monthslong tariff threats has begun to create visible damage for the U.S. economy. Just after midnight, goods from more than 60 countries and the European Union became subject...
Pittsburgh police fatally shoot man in Greenfield
Police say one man is dead after being shot by two officers late Wednesday evening in Pittsburgh’s Greenfield neighborhood. Around 10:15 p.m., Pittsburgh Police arrived at the 4100 block of Murray Avenue for a reported domestic disturbance, according to police. After being directed inside a residence, police said the officers...
Building the Valley: New Lower Burrell dance studio aims to build students’ confidence
Tara Crowe remembers being asked why children should sign up for dance lessons. Her answer? For them to have fun, grow and have positive experiences. A lifelong dancer, Crowe hopes to do just that at her new studio, TC Dance Collective, which opened this summer at 3012 Leechburg Road in...
Southwestern Pa. graduates 1st class from introductory state police training program
Trooper Tristan Fay had no idea what to expect when she arrived at the State Police Academy in Hershey. Now, seven years into her law enforcement career, Fay wishes she had access to the introductory training programs state police offer today — Camp Cadet for middle school students, Hill Impact...
Trump’s redistricting fight mushrooms with Vance in Indiana and Florida joining the fray
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana — As President Donald Trump ramps up pressure on Republican-run states to redraw congressional boundaries, he has dispatched Vice President JD Vance to Indiana and called for a new federal census — moves reflecting his intent to maximize the GOP’s partisan advantages in coming elections. Separately, a top...
Residents see 1st glimpse of proposed Springdale data center
Springdale residents got their first look at a proposed massive data center at the site of the former Cheswick Generating Station on Wednesday. At a well-attended planning commission meeting, representatives from the site’s land developer, Allegheny DC Property Co. LLC, presented their preliminary plans for what could be a massive...
United Airlines flights grounded nationwide because of technology problem
United Airlines flights on major routes were grounded Wednesday because of a technology issue, and additional flight delays were expected into the evening, the airline said. An alert on the Federal Aviation Administration website said all United flights destined for Chicago were halted at their departing airports. The agency said...
Jury deliberations to continue in New Kensington murder trial
A Westmoreland County jury will resume deliberations Thursday morning in the retrial of a New Kensington man charged with the murder and robbery of an Arnold drug dealer. Jurors heard three days of testimony and deliberated nearly six hours Wednesday without reaching a verdict in the case against Letresse Williams....
Vandergrift, surrounding communities rally for 5 abandoned children
Two women are facing charges after Vandergrift police said five children were left alone for days without food or water in a home officers described in court papers as an “absolute disgrace.” Leslie Ann Keller, 69, of Parks Township, the children’s maternal grandmother, and mother, Heidi Lynn Beer, 35, of...
Trump could meet in person with Putin as soon as next week, White House official says
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump could meet in person with Russian President Vladimir Putin as soon as next week as he seeks to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, a White House official said Wednesday. The official cautioned that a meeting has not been scheduled yet and no location...
Trump says he plans to put a 100% tariff on computer chips, likely pushing up cost of electronics
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he will impose a 100% tariff on computer chips, likely raising the cost of electronics, autos, household appliances and other goods deemed essential for the digital age. “We’ll be putting a tariff on of approximately 100% on chips and semiconductors,” Trump said...
‘We’re trying to disrupt an industry’: Mark Cuban touts pharmacy deal with Giant EagleVideo
Mark Cuban, the billionaire and Western Pennsylvania native now knee-deep in the pharmaceutical industry, offered strong words Wednesday toward the pharmacy benefit managers some say are bleeding drugstores dry. “Get rid of them,” Cuban said at Market District in Robinson after announcing a partnership between his company, Cost Plus Drugs,...
Plum Borough School District to begin using weapons detection units
Plum Borough School District students and visitors will be greeted by a new set of weapons detection systems in the district this school year. According to Plum Assistant Superintendent Ashley Boyers, the district has recently purchased two additional OpenGate weapons detection units, similar to the ones used at professional sports...
Manor man captured hiding in Herminie house after eluding law enforcement
A Manor man was captured late Wednesday night while trying to hide in a Herminie house bedroom after eluding law enforcement for about eight hours when an attempt was made to serve him with an arrest warrant at an ice cream shop in North Hempfield, the Westmoreland County Sheriff’s Department...
‘The public in jeopardy’: Experts react to RFK Jr.’s cancellation of vaccine research
Pittsburgh-area science experts are warning that the public’s health could be in jeopardy after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the sudden cancellation of 22 federally funded vaccine projects. The halted projects focused on next-generation vaccines designed to generate stronger and longer-lasting immune responses. On Tuesday, the Department of...
‘The greatest guy’: Coraopolis mourns resident killed in hit-and-run crash
Ulises Montalvo plodded daily along Coraopolis’ sidewalks pushing a lawn mower, carrying his trusty weed-whacker and looking for work. On Wednesday, a symbol of that drive to work — Montalvo’s well-worn, black boots — sat empty at the foot of a makeshift memorial to the Coraopolis man, killed Sunday in...
Greensburg man accused of trafficking teen girl for sex
A Greensburg man is accused of trafficking a teen girl for sex, according to court papers. City police said Samuel D. Oglesby, 30, exchanged explicit photos and videos with the girl through Snapchat in the fall before they had sex in November, according to court papers filed Wednesday. Detectives said...
Wildfire smoke mostly missing Western Pennsylvania so far
Wildfire smoke has returned to Pennsylvania, but its impact on air quality so far is far less severe than what the region experienced during the summer of 2023. Chris Leonardi, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Moon, said as of Wednesday, Southwestern Pennsylvania is seeing some “very modest haze...
Students for Justice in Palestine fights suspension imposed by Pitt
Attorneys for Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Pittsburgh are urging a federal judge to find in their favor and lift a six-month suspension imposed on the club by Pitt officials before the start of the school year. The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, which represents...
Leechburg Area School Board makes controversial hire, members face backlash
School boards usually get applause for hiring more teachers, but Leechburg Area School District directors are getting public criticism for who they didn’t hire. During a special voting meeting July 30, the board hired Makenna Goldinger as an emotional support teacher for kindergarten through second grade students. The vote was...
