Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 31
Almost 100 communities need new road salt supplier after vendor ends contract with council of governments
A lot of Allegheny County communities need a new road salt supplier. The South Hills Area Council of Governments (SHACOG), which runs a purchasing alliance for road salt, learned this month its salt vendor will not renew its contract with SHACOG for the coming winter. According to an April 1...
Respect the chair: April Fools’ Day prank targeting parking chairs in New Kensington draws ire, smiles
Don’t worry, New Kensington isn’t declaring war on the Western Pennsylvania “parking chair.” A Facebook post, masquerading as a city announcement and posted on April 1, was exactly what is was meant to be: an April Fools’ Day prank. The post surfaced in a Facebook group simply titled “New Kensington,”...
Carnegie Mellon students call for policy barring admin from altering or removing messages on The Fence
Seven months after Carnegie Mellon University convened a committee to develop new recommendations for operating The Fence — a long-standing “student-centered space for free expression and community,” as the university describes it — students are pushing for action. On Thursday, a petition backed by at least nine student groups and...
Pam Bondi, a Trump loyalist who oversaw Justice Department upheaval, is out as his attorney general
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday that Pam Bondi is out as his attorney general, ending the contentious tenure of a loyalist who upended the Justice Department’s culture of independence from the White House, oversaw large-scale firings of career employees and moved aggressively to investigate the Republican president’s perceived...
Officer-involved shooting in Lower Burrell deemed justified
Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli deemed the use of force justified in a February officer-involved shooting at a home in Lower Burrell. The gunfire exchange between officers and Jordan Lindner happened on Feb. 14 after, police say, he shot into a home on Rodgers Drive and then at officers...
Here are some things to know about Passover
Passover, or “Pesach” in Hebrew, begins this week, marking one of the most widely observed holidays in Judaism. Here is what to know about the tradition, its meaning and how it’s celebrated. What is the story of Passover? Passover is a major Jewish holiday that commemorates the biblical story of...
Monroeville receives $1 million to replace aging asbestos-cement water lines
The Monroeville Municipal Authority will have the chance to replace nearly 10,000 feet of aging water line thanks to more than $2 million in federal funding announced this week. U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, presented a check on March 31 for just under $1.1 million to the authority as part...
Pirates to promote No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin for MLB debut in PNC Park opener
Konnor Griffin will make his major-league debut in the home opener, as the Pittsburgh Pirates are promoting the 19-year-old shortstop who is the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball. The Pirates announced the news by posting a video on social media Thursday morning under the caption, Opening Debut. It showed...
Former UPMC doctor accused of trying to kill wife says he acted in self-defense
Gerhardt Konig told a Hawaii jury this week he was devastated when he discovered messages that seemed to show his wife was having an affair with a colleague. The former UPMC anesthesiologist, who used to live in Mt. Lebanon, is facing attempted murder charges. His wife, Arielle Konig, last week...
All-Star additions excited to make Pirates debuts at PNC Park in home opener
The first time Brandon Lowe visited PNC Park, he made a point to step onto the field and see the city skyline so that he could appreciate the view of one of baseball’s most beautiful ballparks. After seven seasons of playing at Tropicana Field and one makeshift season at a...
Zappala no longer seeks death penalty against man charged with killing McKeesport police Officer Sean Sluganski
The man accused of killing McKeesport police Officer Sean Sluganski will not face the death penalty if found guilty. On Wednesday, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office filed a notice to rescind its intent to seek capital punishment against Johnathan Morris — just days after receiving his psychiatric records. “Experts...
Bret Michaels says it’s a ‘dream come true’ to perform as part of NFL Draft festivities in Pittsburgh
Bret Michaels has sung the national anthem at a Pittsburgh Steelers game back in 2000 at Three Rivers Stadium. He’s led the Terrible Towel twirl. And he’s played a set at halftime (Oct. 26 last year during “Sunday Night Football” between the Steelers and Green Bay Packers.) That’s not to...
No sign of war winding down in Mideast as Friday dawns with attacks across region
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — There was little sign Friday of the war in the Mideast winding down as Israel said it faced incoming fire from Iran, Kuwait and Bahrain reported being under attack, and Iran said eight people were killed while celebrating the close of Persian new year near...
Fort Pitt Tunnel reopens after overheight truck forced closure
The inbound Fort Pitt Tunnel reopened to traffic after an early morning closure Thursday, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. An overheight truck forced the eastbound side of the tunnel to close, PennDOT said in a news release around 7:15 a.m. The tunnel reopened around 8:30 a.m., PennDOT said....
Trump uses Iran war address to urge an increasingly skeptical electorate to give him a bit more time
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump used his first major address since launching his war in Iran to assure Americans that all of his military objectives will be completed “shortly” and urge an increasingly skeptical electorate to give him a little bit more time. Trump in his Wednesday evening speech dialed...
Penn Brewery insists it’s not closing despite filing for bankruptcy protection
Penn Brewery is not closing despite filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, owners said in a social media post early Thursday morning. The popular brewery and restaurant in Pittsburgh’s Troy Hill neighborhood said it is using the filing “as a strategic tool to restructure and secure a stronger future.” In...
Former Monroeville Expo Mart listed for sale
In a sign that development of Monroeville Mall might be gaining momentum, one of the largest pieces of mall-adjacent property is on the market. The three-story, 226,500-square-foot office building at 105 Mall Blvd. is listed through Pittsburgh-based Oxford Development. Built in the early 1980s as the Monroeville Expo Mart, the...
England native takes 5th trip across the pond to cheer on Pittsburgh sports teams
Katie Stewart is not your typical Pittsburgh sports fan. In fact, she usually cheers on the Steel City from across the pond — yes, the Atlantic Ocean. Hailing from the English town of Wolverhampton, Stewart, 31, became enthralled with the sports scene in Pittsburgh. She travels yearly to the city...
Minor league report: Nailers win 9th consecutive gameVideo
The Wheeling Nailers established a new season-high with their ninth consecutive victory, claiming an 8-5 win against the Fort Wayne Komets at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Ind., on Wednesday. Wheeling (43-16-3-3) previously won eight consecutive games between Oct. 26 and Nov. 15. Forward Brayden Edwards scored...
Trump says U.S. forces will ‘finish the job’ soon in 1st prime-time speech since starting Iran warVideo
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said U.S. forces will “finish the job” in Iran soon as “core strategic objectives are nearing completion,” offering a full-throated defense of the war Wednesday night in his first national address since the conflict began more than a month ago. Trump got a wide audience...
Artemis II astronauts bound for moon after rocketing away on NASA’s 1st lunar voyage in decadesVideo
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Four astronauts embarked on a high-stakes flight around the moon Wednesday, humanity’s first lunar voyage in more than half a century and the thrilling leadoff in NASA’s push toward a landing in two years. Carrying three Americans and one Canadian, the 32-story rocket rose from NASA’s...
Astrobotic’s latest lunar lander on track for 2026 launch
Pittsburgh’s Astrobotic is closing in on the launch of its Griffin-1 lander, a 15-footwide spacecraft that will deliver two state-of-the-art rovers to the moon. CEO John Thornton said Wednesday the lander is nearing completion and should be ready for takeoff on a SpaceX rocket by the end of the year....
2 Pagans motorcycle gang members held in jail on bail after preliminary hearing
Two Lower Burrell men who police say are members of the Pagans motorcycle gang are being held in the Westmoreland County jail on $300,000 bond following a January assault at Mogie’s Irish Pub. Robert Browne, 27, and Devin Colucci, 25, face charges of assault, robbery, theft, harassment, disorderly conduct and...
Shapiro vows to ‘protect’ voters from Trump order on voting by mail
Gov. Josh Shapiro opposes an executive order by President Donald Trump that attempts to place tighter restrictions on mail-in voting. “President Trump can sign whatever the hell he wants to, but it won’t change the Constitution. The authority to set our election rules belongs to the states — and as...
Mt. Pleasant man pleads guilty to paying for videos of monkey torture
A Mt. Pleasant man pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to paying people overseas to torture monkeys and record the acts on video. Joseph Garrett Buckland, 44, was charged with conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos in February. The videos, which are illegal to sell or exchange,...
