Top Stories category, Page 16
Westmoreland County kicks off America’s 250th with courthouse light-up ceremony
Westmoreland County will launch its celebration of America’s 250th birthday this weekend with a symbolic light-up ceremony at the heart of the county seat. On Saturday afternoon, officials will illuminate the “Westmoreland” sign in front of the courthouse in Greensburg. The event serves as the official kickoff for a yearlong...
PETA proposes replacing Punxsutawney Phil with giant hologram
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is again advocating for retiring Pennsylvania’s beloved forecasting groundhog from his meteorology duties. And Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is not a fan. In a social media post this week, Shapiro seemed to reject PETA’s latest suggestion to replace Punxsutawney Phil with a...
Road restrictions expand across Pennsylvania as forecasters warn of dangerous winter storm
PennDOT and Turnpike officials have announced road restrictions ahead of this weekend’s projected snowstorm. The restrictions include prohibiting commercial vehicles, school buses, commercial buses, motor coaches, motorcycles, RVs/motorhomes and cars towing trailers on major highways. Passenger vehicles including SUVs and pickup trucks will still be allowed to travel, but the...
Late salt deliveries could hamper storm response in some towns
Some last-minute road salt deliveries Thursday will get a few Allegheny County towns through this weekend’s expected winter storm, but officials still may have to take a hard look at which roads get that salt and which may not. Until Thursday afternoon, Springdale was “critically low” on salt supplies, said...
What’s canceled, rescheduled because of impending snowstorm
Events in the region that are canceled, postponed or rescheduled because of the expected inclement weather this weekend: Send cancellation information to vndnews@triblive.com. Saturday and Sunday •In Fox Chapel, the borough recycling bins for residents will be closed. Sunday • In Indiana, a meeting to discuss the proposed artificial intelligence...
East Liberty becomes stage for anti-ICE protests
Hundreds of anti-immigration enforcement demonstrators protested Friday afternoon in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood — with the intention of speaking with management at the local Target store. “Target says its mission is to help all families discover the joy of everyday life, but families cannot experience joy when they are being...
Penguins surge past Oilers, Tristan Jarry for 3rd consecutive win
Members of the Pittsburgh Penguins weren’t terribly jubilant when management decided to trade starting goaltender Tristan Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 12. Affectionately known as “Jars” by his teammates, Jarry was popular with the Penguins. Presumably, they were happy seeing Jarry once again Thursday. At least that’s what...
Anti-ICE protest at Minnesota church leads to arrests but no charges for journalist Don LemonVideo
MINNEAPOLIS — A prominent civil rights attorney and at least two other people involved in an anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church have been arrested, Trump administration officials said Thursday, even as a judge rebuffed related charges against journalist Don Lemon. Vice President JD Vance,...
Crews brace for snow: Here’s how roads are prioritized during snowstorms
In the borough of Export, Stephen Opsitnick Jr. spent much of Wednesday leaning over the open hood of a public works truck, checking oil and hydraulic fluid levels with the deliberate focus of a man preparing for a long siege. As the head of public works, Opsitnick and his single...
House Republicans barely defeat war powers resolution to check Trump’s military action in Venezuela
WASHINGTON — The House rejected a Democratic-backed resolution Thursday that would have prevented President Donald Trump from sending U.S. military forces to Venezuela after a tied vote on the legislation fell just short of the majority needed for passage. The tied vote was the latest sign of Republican House Speaker...
Man flown to hospital following apparent explosion at Delmont apartmentVideo
Ed Smith bolted out of his house in Delmont when he heard a loud explosion, followed shortly by a second blast on Thursday afternoon. “I found a gentleman (lying) in the snow outside the garage with no clothes. Half his clothes were burnt,” Smith said. “The second explosion blew the...
Coraopolis man’s death ruled a homicide nearly a year after Butler County altercation
Nearly a year after a Coraopolis man was killed in an altercation, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled his death a homicide. It remains unclear if prosecutors in Butler County, where the fatal incident took place, will file criminal charges in the death. Donald P. Miller, 59, was...
Jack Smith defends his Trump investigations at public hearing, saying, ‘No one should be above the law’Video
WASHINGTON — Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith defended his investigations of President Donald Trump at a congressional hearing Thursday in which he insisted that he had acted without regard to politics and had no second thoughts about the criminal charges he brought. “No one should be above the...
Data center meeting postponed in Upper Burrell
An informational meeting on the data center project in Upper Burrell has been postponed because of expected inclement winter weather. Township Secretary Melissa Cortileso said the meeting with data center developer TECfusions was postponed at their request because of the possibility of a significant snow event this weekend. The meeting...
Colorectal cancer leads cancer deaths among younger people for 1st time
For the first time, colorectal cancer is the top cause of cancer deaths among people younger than 50 in the U.S., according to a study from the American Cancer Society. Researchers relied on National Cancer Institute data from nearly 1.3 million people in this age group who died of cancer...
Hearing for Valley teacher accused of provoking student fight waived to court
A Valley Jr.-Sr. High School teacher accused by New Kensington police of provoking students to fight in a geometry class in October waived his preliminary hearing. Court records indicated Bradley Reiher, 46, of East Deer waived the hearing Thursday morning before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr. Reiher’s attorney, Brian...
Some Post-Gazette workers call for new union leadership
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s union appears to be divided, with some employees claiming that the union’s efforts against management were never as “broadly supported” as it claimed publicly. A letter signed by 49 Post-Gazette employees calling for new union leadership was released Thursday. “We are seeking new elections for leadership within...
Touchless ID coming to Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport is among the airports next on the list to receive TSA PreCheck Touchless ID. The new security option will be available in March at the airport’s main security checkpoint, according to Ian Cava, TSA spokesman. Though there are 12 security lanes overall at Pittsburgh International Airport, it...
Plane departing Pittsburgh International Airport forced to turn around due to ‘aircraft issue’
An American Airlines plane that departed from Pittsburgh International Airport Thursday morning was forced to turn around due to an “aircraft issue,” according to an airport spokesman. American Airlines flight 1845 was headed to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, but returned to Pittsburgh “shortly after takeoff,” Pittsburgh International Airport spokesman...
Hempfield Area School Board reopens bidding for $150M high school projectVideo
Hempfield Area School District is soliciting new bids for its high school renovation, a massive undertaking now carrying an estimated $150 million price tag. The move marks a formal restart for the project, which has been stalled for about 30 months after initial bids exceeded the district’s projections. Superintendent Mark...
Homicide rate declines sharply in dozens of U.S. cities, a new report shows
Data collected from 35 American cities, including Pittsburgh, showed a 21% decrease in the homicide rate from 2024 to 2025, translating to about 922 fewer homicides last year, according to a new report from the independent Council on Criminal Justice. The report, released on Thursday, tracked 13 crimes and recorded...
Freeport Council president resigns to take tax collector role
Former Freeport Council President Rick Fennell stepped down last week to take up a new role. He’ll serve as the borough’s tax collector after an unsuccessful search for an alternative candidate. No one ran for the post in last year’s general election, and no candidate emerged with more than five...
Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County approves new budget that keeps water, sewer rates level
Water and sewer rates for Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County customers will remain unchanged for at least the next year. Authority board members this week approved a $129.7 million budget for the multi-county agency that keeps its current rate structure in place after two straight years of increases. “We always...
Joe Starkey: Kyle Dubas is the star as Penguins return to EdmontonVideo
Yes, it was Sidney Crosby versus Connor McDavid again as the Pittsburgh Penguins made their once-a-year visit to Edmonton on Thursday. But the real star at the moment is Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas. After striking out more than Jack Suwinski early in his Penguins tenure, Dubas has suddenly become...
RFK Jr. talks new food pyramid, avoids controversial vaccine changes in Harrisburg visit
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited Harrisburg on Wednesday, giving an address that roped Pennsylvania’s agricultural prowess into his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, particularly the recent revision of federal dietary guidelines. But the most enthusiastic supporters weren’t exactly there to hear about the new food pyramid. Although not a perfect...
