Top Stories category, Page 496
Scottdale contractor ordered to serve extra prison term for home improvement thefts
Scottdale contractor Jason Pirl said life just got away from him after he suffered two heart attacks in October 2020. His health crisis in the midst of the raging coronavirus pandemic left his home repair business in tatters. Then ongoing alcohol and gambling addictions made his problems worse, Pirl said....
TV Talk: Emily Giangreco exits WTAE
Emily Giangreco, who joined WTAE as a sports reporter/anchor in the summer of 2022 from a station in Austin, Texas, left her job working for the station Wednesday in what she characterized as a mutual decision. “I’m not really at liberty to discuss leaving WTAE right now,” she said by...
Who killed Deborah Waggoner? Police seek info on 1990 homicide at Hempfield car wash
State police have evidence that might help them solve a 1990 homicide at a Hempfield car wash, but they need some leads. The possibility that troopers can crack the case still exists, especially with the technological advances since Deborah June Waggoner’s death 34 years ago, Trooper Steve Limani said. But...
Irwin veteran finds balance through martial arts, wants to help other vetsVideo
After nine years as a member of the Marine Corps infantry, Jeric Fry of Irwin felt he was fully prepared to enter civilian life when his oldest son was born. “I got out in 2014, and I kind of assumed I’d be in a good place,” said Fry, 37. “I...
Sheetz hit with discrimination lawsuit
The Sheetz convenience store chain has been hit with a lawsuit by federal officials who allege the company discriminated against minority job applicants. Sheetz Inc., which operates more than 700 stores in six states, discriminated against Black, Native American and multiracial job seekers by automatically weeding out applicants whom the...
Pittsburgh company accused of illegally inflating tow costs, charging $300K
A Pittsburgh-based towing company owner is charged with inflating tow costs and billing more than $300,000 in fraudulent fees, officials said Thursday. Vincent G. Fannick, 56, of Vince’s Towing was charged Thursday with 27 counts each of insurance fraud, theft by deception, theft by unlawful taking and securing execution of...
Riders react to Kennywood’s Steel Curtain closure
Nathan Hough loves going with his two children to Kennywood, but, with the Steel Curtain coaster out of commission this season, he fears the lines for other rides will be even longer. “It was very disappointing to see the Steel Curtain closed for the majority of last season,” Hough said....
High winds, storms cause only moderate damage in Western Pa.; power largely restored
Emergency responders reported minimal damage from high winds and storms that swept through the region Wednesday night, though some communities fared worse than others. Mary Queen of Apostles School in New Kensington lost a portion of its roof around 8 p.m. That forced the elementary school to switch to a...
12 jurors picked for Donald Trump’s hush money trial. Selection of alternates ongoing
NEW YORK — A jury of 12 people was seated Thursday in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York, and the court quickly turned to selecting alternate jurors. The rapid progress Thursday afternoon propelled the case closer to opening statements and weeks of testimony in a case...
UPMC pharmacy employee arrested in theft of $425K in hospital funds
A pharmacy employee at UPMC Presbyterian was charged Thursday in connection with the theft of more than $425,000 from the health care giant. Chante Cantave, 28, of Penn Hills is accused of using more than $410,000 of UPMC’s funds for her own benefit and submitting about $15,000 in fraudulent reimbursement...
Roundup: Lawrenceville Shop n’ Save to close in May
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, April 18. Lawrenceville Shop n’ Save set to close next month The Shop n’ Save grocery store located in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood will close mid-May, according to TribLive news partner WTAE. The store reached an agreement with its...
Biden is off on details of his uncle’s WWII death as he calls Trump unfit to lead the military
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Wednesday misstated key details about his uncle’s death in World War II as he honored the man’s wartime service and said Donald Trump was unworthy of serving as commander in chief. While in Pittsburgh, Biden spoke about his uncle, 2nd Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan...
Man dead after crashing car into tree in Washington County
An Avella man died after crashing his car into a tree in Washington County Wednesday night. Cody Hukill, 29, lost control of his car while driving east on Avella Road (Route 50) around 7:15 p.m., said Washington County Coroner Tim Warco. The vehicle struck a tree in the 2000 block...
Westmoreland County OKs $244K for demolition projects in Arnold, Jeannette, Derry, Monessen
Westmoreland County is taking bites out of blight in five communities. The county commissioners this month approved spending up to $244,000 from Westmoreland’s Act 152 Demolition Fund to raze rundown buildings on four properties in Arnold, three in Jeannette, two in Derry Township and one each in Derry Borough and...
Small fire reported at Kennywood
A fire at Kennywood was quickly put out Wednesday evening. Allegheny County dispatchers said the call for the fire at the West Mifflin area amusement park came in around 9:20 p.m. Emergency responders began clearing the scene around 9:45 p.m. Lynsey Winters, a spokesperson for Kennywood, told news partners WTAE...
Democrats clear path to bring proposed repeal of Arizona’s near-total abortion ban to a vote
PHOENIX — Democrats in the Arizona Senate cleared a path to bring a proposed repeal of the state’s near-total ban on abortions to a vote after the state’s highest court concluded the law can be enforced and the state House blocked efforts to undo the long-dormant statute. Although no vote...
Pittsburgh man sentenced after pleading guilty to fatally stabbing woman, hiding her in a tool shed
A judge on Wednesday sent a Pittsburgh man to prison for up to 38 years after he pleaded guilty to stabbing a woman 56 times and stashing her corpse inside a suitcase in a tool shed near his Knoxville home. Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Kevin Sasinoski sentenced Montel Reed,...
Power being restored as storms clear up in Western Pa.
Power outages in Western Pennsylvania are starting to drop as thunderstorms and high winds from Wednesday night clear out. Duquesne Light Co. reported more than 3,000 of its customers were without power in Western Pennsylvania Thursday morning, down about 15,000 outages from Wednesday night. Some of the largest outages in...
Westmoreland seeking wound kits to combat nasty side effect of xylazine use
Wound kits could be delivered this summer to Westmoreland County agencies that are seeing more people dealing with a particularly nasty side effect of using the powerful animal sedative xylazine. “We are seeing the unfortunate increase in the wounds from the xylazine,” said Tim Phillips, director of the county’s department...
Burgettstown man charged with assaulting police during Jan. 6 Capitol riot
A Burgettstown man is facing charges stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Joshua Lee Atwood, 31, was arrested by the FBI on Wednesday. Charges against him include assaulting police with a weapon. He was identified after the FBI received a tip. It was discovered that...
Biden tells Pittsburgh steelworkers that he, not Trump, has delivered for them
President Joe Biden blasted rival Donald Trump Wednesday during a speech to union steelworkers in Downtown Pittsburgh, assailing the former president — his expected opponent in November’s general election — for what he described as empty promises, infrastructure failures and a rollback of labor rights. “My predecessor promised infrastructure week...
FAFSA delays slow college choices and could foreshadow bigger problems
If this were a normal year, millions of prospective college students would have reviewed competing financial aid offers weeks ago and settled on their campus choice for the fall. For them and their families, that decision represents peace of mind that their future path is clear. For campuses, it means...
House’s Ukraine, Israel aid package gains Biden’s support as Speaker Mike Johnson fights to keep his jobVideo
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he strongly supports a proposal from Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending crucial bipartisan support to the effort this week to approve $95 billion in funding for the U.S. allies. Ahead of potential weekend...
Senate dismisses both articles of impeachment against Homeland Security secretary, ending trialVideo
WASHINGTON — The Senate has dismissed all impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, ending the House Republican push to remove the Cabinet secretary from office over his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. The two votes effectively end the trial before arguments ever began. Senators voted separately to dismiss...
Police: Man confesses to killing 83-year-old Fayette resident found shot dead in his car
A purported real estate business associate confessed to killing an 83-year-old Fayette County man found shot to death in his car Saturday morning, state police said. According to the criminal complaint, Norman F. Pennington, 65, of Republic, Fayette County, told state troopers he killed Anthony Dicenzo Sr. of Brownsville on...
