Top Stories category, Page 295
Trump rebuilds Democrats’ ‘blue wall’ states with red bricks. Especially Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG — Republicans landed historic victories in Pennsylvania this week, winning the battleground state’s valuable presidential electoral votes, posting a two-seat gain in its U.S. House delegation and sweeping all four statewide offices on the ballot, including a U.S. Senate seat. The strong performance means Donald Trump has won Pennsylvania...
Why AP called the Pennsylvania Senate race for David McCormick
WASHINGTON — Republican David McCormick cut Democratic Sen. Bob Casey’s leads in Philadelphia and its populous suburbs and built leads in the more GOP-leaning parts of the state, foreclosing the incumbent’s pathway to victory when The Associated Press called the race. McCormick was leading by more than 30,000 votes when...
The story of how Trump went from diminished ex-president to a victor once again
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — As he bid farewell to Washington in January 2021, deeply unpopular and diminished, Donald Trump was already hinting at a comeback. “Goodbye. We love you. We will be back in some form,” Trump told supporters at Joint Base Andrews, where he’d arranged a 21-gun salute...
Black, Hispanic reaction to Trump win mixed
Despite former President Donald Trump capturing nearly 20% of the Black vote and 42% of Hispanics nationally, local Black and Hispanic reaction to his victory was strong and mixed. Carlotta Paige of Latrobe, chief operating officer of the Westmoreland Diversity Coalition in Greensburg, is not surprised how Westmoreland County or...
Trump victory elicits range of emotions among young voters
When Democrat Darcy Bowman awoke at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday and saw the presidential election results — that former President Donald Trump had recaptured the White House — she couldn’t fall back asleep. Republican Mike Chiarlone also was experiencing a range of emotions Tuesday night — until he learned about the...
Penn State greenlights $96M classroom project as 1st-year students set to spike
Penn State University trustees Friday approved a $96 million classroom development at University Park to accommodate expected first-year enrollment growth approaching 1,000 students over the next several years. The project is the largest of the planned work totaling almost $325 million on the main campus and at Penn State Harrisburg...
Charleroi fire sends woman to hospital, displaces 6 from 2 apartments
A Charleroi woman was flown to UPMC Mercy hospital in Pittsburgh for medical treatment Thursday night after first responders rescued her from a fire in her apartment. Five adults and one child were displaced from two apartments after fire broke out before 6:30 p.m. in a 2 1/2-story building in...
Cleanup of Parks Township nuclear waste dump to begin next summer, Army Corps details the plan
The Army Corps of Engineers and its contractors are less than a year out from starting to remove, process and package radioactive materials from the Parks Township nuclear waste dump. Remediation will start in August on 10 shallow trenches of highly enriched uranium and other hazardous materials buried at the...
State Attorney General’s Office says no legal opinion offered on controversial Mt. Pleasant parade entry
A Mt. Pleasant Borough report that last week’s controversial politically-themed entry in the community Halloween parade fell short of a hate crime was not based on a legal opinion provided by the state attorney general’s staff, according to a spokesman for that state office. Borough Solicitor Les Mlakar said at...
Date set on Springdale trestle bridge demolition
Overnight work to dismantle the trestle bridge over Pittsburgh Street in Springdale will begin Wednesday and last about five days, officials told residents during a town hall meeting Thursday. Chief Derek Dayoub said the work will close Pittsburgh Street between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. each night. During that time, crews...
Elaine Effort, former KQV news reporter, dies
Elaine Effort, an award-winning pioneer of Pittsburgh journalism and a longtime broadcaster on news station KQV Radio, unexpectedly died Wednesday, according to the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, of which she was a founding member. “Mrs. Effort was always willing to listen to new ideas and roll up her sleeve to...
President-elect Trump names Susie Wiles as chief of staff, 1st woman in the post
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump has named Susie Wiles, the manager of his victorious campaign, as his White House chief of staff, the first woman to hold the influential role. Wiles is widely credited within and outside Trump’s inner circle for running what was, by far, his most disciplined and...
Pa. disciplinary court bars ex-district judge from taking bench ever again
A former Allegheny County district judge who resigned earlier this year will never again serve on the bench, the state Court of Judicial Discipline said on Thursday. Anthony Saveikis, 57, of Coraopolis, stepped down from his position in January but had been on leave for more than a year before...
Jury finds Belle Vernon man guilty in Rostraver road rage killing
A Westmoreland County jury after more than two hours of deliberations Thursday night convicted a Belle Vernon man of third-degree murder for a road rage killing nearly three years ago in Rostraver. Prosecutors contended Anthony Hairston, 29, was guilty of the first-degree murder and the intentional killing of 59-year-old Holly...
Dave McCormick defeats Bob Casey in Pa. Senate race
Republican businessman David McCormick has won an upset in Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race against Democratic incumbent Bob Casey, The Associated Press reported Thursday, but Casey has not conceded. “Thank you, Pennsylvania! Looking forward to representing every citizen of our great Commonwealth,” McCormick posted on X two hours later. McCormick, 59,...
GOP flips 2 U.S. House seats in Pennsylvania, as Republican Scott Perry wins again
HARRISBURG — Republicans knocked off Democrats in two perennially contested U.S. House seats in eastern Pennsylvania while U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, one of the hardest right members of the chamber, survived a challenge in a southern Pennsylvania district with more moderate politics. The defeats of sixth-term Rep. Matt Cartwright and...
Hearings delayed for Pagans member, others charged in New Kensington drug, gun case
Preliminary hearings for four people accused of running drugs in New Kensington, including a member of the Pagans motorcycle gang, were delayed Thursday. Bill Robert Rana, 44, who at one time was sergeant at arms for the Pagans Pittsburgh chapter, Marc D. Farabaugh, 42, Stephanie Lynn Miller, no age available,...
Bird’s eye view: Construction underway at $15M Hempfield Municipal Complex
Construction is continuing at the future site of the Hempfield Municipal Complex on Weatherwood Lane. The first phase of the $15 million development includes infrastructure, such as stormwater management and utilities, as well as the creation of pads for planned buildings and a 14-acre park, said township manager Aaron Siko....
Latrobe attorney accused of stealing $31K from female prison inmate
A Latrobe attorney is accused of exploiting an elderly jail inmate from New Kensington to get access to her bank account, stealing $31,300 and then using the money to gamble at a casino, according to court papers. Assistant District Attorney Katie Ranker said attorney John Allen Roth used his position...
Federal Reserve cuts its key interest rate by a quarter-point amid postelection uncertaintyVideo
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate Thursday by a quarter-point in response to the steady decline in the once-high inflation that had angered Americans and helped drive Donald Trump’s presidential election victory this week. The rate cut follows a larger half-point reduction in September, and it...
Headliner announced for Pittsburgh’s Highmark Light Up Night
Alternative rock band The Fray, known for “How to Save a Life” and other hits, will be the headliner for the 63rd annual Highmark Light Up Night on Nov. 23. The group performs at 8:30 p.m. on the Xfinity Riverfront Stage on Fort Duquesne Boulevard and Sixth Street. Hosted by...
Murrysville man, former Allegheny County detective, now accused of asking son to lie
A former Allegheny County detective is accused of asking his son to lie about where an alleged crime happened, which resulted in a criminal case against him being dismissed last year, state police said in court papers. Troopers said Raymond Bonacci, 58, of Murrysville, “encouraged and/or demanded” his son to...
Several Westmoreland municipalities issue burn bans in light of dry conditions
At least three Westmoreland municipalities have enacted burn bans in light of dry conditions in the region. Derry Township issued a burn ban Monday, and Mt. Pleasant Township announced a burn ban Tuesday that will remain in effect until further notice. Hempfield issued a burn ban Tuesday that will remain...
Biden gets blamed by Harris allies for the vice president’s resounding loss to TrumpVideo
WASHINGTON — Joe Biden’s name wasn’t on the ballot, but history will likely remember Kamala Harris’ resounding defeat as his loss too. As Democrats pick up the pieces after President-elect Donald Trump’s decisive victory, some of the vice president’s backers are expressing frustration that Biden’s decision to seek reelection until...
‘Overjoyed’ or ‘disgusted’? Western Pa. voters weigh in on Trump presidential victory
Philip Manns stayed up until 2 a.m. watching the election returns on TV on Tuesday, pleasantly surprised by now President-elect Donald Trump’s performance Election Day. “I was watching all night, and I was just surprised he was doing so well,” said Manns, 81, of Hempfield. “I think the pollsters all...
