Top Stories category, Page 490
Former Pittsburgh police commander accused in federal lawsuit of secretly recording officers
A former Pittsburgh police commander violated police policy, state and federal wiretapping laws, and two constitutional amendments when he stashed body-worn cameras in patrol cars last fall to secretly record more than a half-dozen of his own officers, a lawsuit filed this week alleges. Matthew Lackner, 50, a Mt. Lebanon...
Appeals could push demolition of Springdale boiler house into 2025
The boiler house at the former power plant in Springdale likely won’t be demolished this year. The Pennsylvania Superior Court on Thursday gave property owner Charah Solutions, and demolition contractors Grant Mackay Co. and Controlled Demolition, Inc., a May 7 deadline to file their briefs in an appeal of a...
Residents concerned for Bernese Mountain Dogs seen wandering Murrysville since January
It’s not that easy to lose a Bernese Mountain Dog, at least from a visual standpoint. They can get up to 110 pounds, and the breed traces its lineage back, in part, to the ancient Roman mastiffs. The American Kennel Club characterizes them as loyal, calm and high-energy. Two Berneses...
Andrea Bocelli, Chappell Roan, Tim McGraw highlight April’s top Pittsburgh concerts
The Pittsburgh concert scene is heating up in April, with at least 10 sold-out shows already. The calendar includes one of the biggest current stars in classical music, a rising pop music star and one of country’s biggest names. Here’s a look at the most notable concerts slated for the...
Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation dedicated to preserving Mansions on Fifth
The stretch of Fifth Avenue in Shadyside where the Mansions on Fifth sits was once known as Millionaire’s Row, home to families with last names including Westinghouse, Carnegie, Frick and Mellon. Today, many of the opulent structures are gone, but a 20,000-square-foot mansion and a nearby 8,000-square-foot building remain. The...
Easter Sunday could see a few light showers, but most of day to be dry
Aside from possible light showers in the early morning and late evening, Easter Sunday looks like it will be dry with cloudy skies, according to WTAE Meteorologist Mike Harvey. “It will be cloudy on Easter, but we could have a few sprinkles or a few light showers very early on...
Morning Roundup: 2 men shot in Knoxville; woman arrested after shots fired in Beltzhoover
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, March 29: 2 men shot in Knoxville Two men were shot Thursday night in an apartment building in Pittsburgh’s Knoxville neighborhood, according to city police. At 8:45 p.m., Pittsburgh police, fire and EMS responded to the 100 block...
Man killed in crash near UPMC MercyVideo
A Pittsburgh man died early Friday morning in a vehicle crash near UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh’s Bluff neighborhood. James Pendelton, 40, a passenger in the vehicle, died after the car he was in was struck by another vehicle, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. The crash happened near...
Lower Burrell child predator sting by citizens raises safety, legal issues
The premise is quite simple. An adult creates an online account, posing as a child on dating and social media apps. They make their “age” known throughout online conversations that often turn sexual, then meet their target at an agreed-upon location. When the meeting occurs, the person operating the account...
Elections 101: What to know about poll watchers, and what they can and can’t do in Pennsylvania
Elections 101 from Spotlight PA protects you against election misinformation and empowers you to make informed decisions. HARRISBURG — As the 2024 election heats up, voters in Pennsylvania may hear candidates talk about poll watchers. Appointed by candidates or political parties, poll watchers are permitted to observe polling place setup,...
Penn Hills man charged with Homewood armed robbery
Pittsburgh Police arrested a Penn Hills man in connection with a series of recent robberies in the region. Police were investigating a March 2 early-morning armed robbery at a bus stop near the Sunoco station on Penn Avenue in Homewood. Security footage from the Sunoco station, viewed March 6, showed...
Jared Triolo delivers winning RBI in 12th, Jose Hernandez earns save as Pirates win opener
The Pittsburgh Pirates got an extra-inning win on Opening Day thanks to a hit by a player in his first season opener and a save by a pitcher who wasn’t even supposed to be on the active roster. Jared Triolo singled in the winning run in the top of the...
‘An inspiration to me’: Bishop Zubik visits Allegheny County Jail inmates for Holy Thursday Mass
Bishop David Zubik stood Thursday afternoon in a narrow Allegheny County Jail hallway lined with white cinder blocks and spoke about how faith can lead to redemption. “The man who was crucified next to Jesus faced a death penalty,” said Zubik, as he chatted with reporters and jail volunteers. “And...
Murrysville abandoned gas well to be plugged; state officials assessing thousands more
When Pamela Schrank’s family moved into their Murrysville home last May, she was told an old gas well at the edge of some woods on their property had been capped. That wasn’t the case, according to state environmental officials — a fact Schrank found out last fall when she was...
Duquesne names associate head coach Dru Joyce III as its next men’s basketball coach
In keeping with Keith Dambrot’s wishes — and his strong suggestion — Dru Joyce III was named Duquesne’s next men’s basketball coach Thursday. He replaces Dambrot, who is retiring after seven seasons at Duquesne and 26 as a collegiate head coach. Joyce, 39, has been Dambrot’s associate head coach since...
Man who abandoned 73 cats in North Huntingdon home receives 7 years of probation
A North Huntingdon man is forbidden from owning or keeping any animals while he is under court supervision in a case in which 73 cats were rescued from his home. Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio on Thursday sentenced Matthew Jacobs, 48, to one year less a day to two years less a...
They’re back: Spotted lanternflies to emerge with spring
Spotted lanternflies, the invasive insects that have plagued Western Pennsylvania for the past several years, are expected to make a return starting this month, as their young emerge from egg masses. The insects are known for their environmental damage and general nuisance, and officials recommend killing and reporting them whenever...
Pittsburgh group backs ‘uncommitted’ write-in campaign to protest President Joe Biden
A new statewide effort to get Pennsylvania Democrats to vote “uncommitted” in protest of President Joe Biden has garnered support from the Pittsburgh chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, a left-wing political group. The group voted Wednesday evening to support the Uncommitted PA campaign, which is encouraging Democratic voters...
Bridgeville cop watched cellphone in patrol car before striking pedestrian, police say
A former Bridgeville police patrolman was looking at his cellphone in December before striking and injuring a pedestrian with his patrol car, authorities said. It is unclear if Daine Lower, 25, of Washington, Washington County, was on his cellphone at the exact time of the accident, Allegheny County Police said....
Squirrel Hill vandalism illustrates spike in antisemitic acts in Pittsburgh, nation
Pittsburgh police increased patrols in Squirrel Hill this week after vandals defaced at least 10 “We Stand With Israel” yard signs with images of bloody handprints — the latest in a spike of antisemitic activity in both the Pittsburgh region and nationwide. The yard signs were vandalized Monday and Tuesday...
Connellsville man killed in motorcycle crash
A Connellsville man was killed in a Wednesday afternoon three-vehicle crash that left part of Route 119 in Westmoreland County shut down for four hours. Fayette County Coroner Bob Baker said Joseph Baker Jr., 25, was traveling on a motorcycle when he crashed just south of the county line near...
Morning Roundup: Duquesne home catches fire; police investigate West Mifflin toddler’s death
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, March 28: No injuries in Duquesne house fire A house along Wool Street in Duquesne caught fire at about 3:30 a.m. Thursday, according to TribLive news partner WTAE. There were no reported injuries. The fire’s cause is under...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Despite poor projections, Pirates plan to surprise people
For all of the focus on their shortcomings at the start of spring training, the Pittsburgh Pirates are out to prove something to their naysayers: They are going to surprise people this season. After back-to-back 100-loss campaigns, the Pirates stunned the baseball world by starting 2023 with the best record...
Solar power for New Kensington, Harrison area buildings could save nearly $45 million over 25 years
Owners of 54 buildings in the New Kensington and Harrison areas could save nearly $45 million on their electric bills over the next 25 years if they unlocked the solar power potential of their properties, according to a Pittsburgh nonprofit. “Nonprofits (would be) able to direct more funding toward their...
Police: Predator Catchers PA sting leads to Lower Burrell man’s arrest
A Lower Burrell man is facing child pornography charges after, police say, he was confronted by a civilian group dedicated to catching child predators. David J. Holmes, 54, was charged Tuesday by Lower Burrell police with 26 felony counts of child pornography, and one count each of felony unlawful contact...
