Top Stories category, Page 535
Maine bars Trump from ballot as U.S. Supreme Court weighs state authority to block former president
PORTLAND, Maine — Maine’s Democratic secretary of state on Thursday removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s presidential primary ballot under the Constitution’s insurrection clause, becoming the first election official to take action unilaterally as the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to decide whether Trump remains eligible to continue...
Pittsburgh’s Roberto Clemente Bridge to reopen on New Year’s Eve
Pittsburgh’s Roberto Clemente Bridge is scheduled to reopen Sunday night after being closed for nearly two years, and the reopening marks the completion of a larger, $85.6 million project to revamp the city’s three landmark Sister Bridges. The Clemente Bridge, which connects Downtown and the North Shore, closed to traffic...
Nikki Haley doesn’t mention slavery when asked what caused the Civil War. She later walks that backVideo
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was asked at a New Hampshire town hall about the reason for the Civil War, and she didn’t mention slavery in her response. She walked back her comments hours later. Asked Wednesday night during a town hall in Berlin what she believed...
Allegheny County looks to expand low-income transit program
Low-income transit riders could see permanent relief in fares in Allegheny County as local officials look to expand a successful pilot program. Allegheny County Rich Fitzgerald announced last week that the county has reached an agreement with Pittsburgh Regional Transit to fund a program that provides discounted transit fares to...
Greensburg Salem teacher, aide charged in assaults of 3 Nicely Elementary students
A Greensburg Salem School District elementary teacher and her aide are accused of mistreating special needs students on multiple occasions by spraying lemon juice and a soap into the mouth of one child and restraining that child and two others with soundproofing mats, police said. Brooke A. Stanko, 34, of...
Contractor accused of ripping off Lower Burrell family awaits trial
A home improvement contractor who is awaiting trial in Allegheny County for allegedly taking money up front for work that wasn’t done has been accused of doing the same thing to a family in Lower Burrell. Jason Raymond Mager, 47, of the 400 block of Ridge Avenue in Springdale was...
Texas has arrested thousands on trespassing charges at the border. Illegal crossings are still high
EAGLE PASS, Texas — Before settling in New York City like thousands of other migrants this year, Abdoul, a 32-year-old from West Africa, took an unexpected detour: Weeks in a remote Texas jail on local trespassing charges after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. “I spent a lot of hours without sleeping,...
Morning Roundup: Rivers Casino manager accused of stealing $20K; 58 animals seized from Butler home
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, Dec. 28: Rivers Casino theft arrest State police said they made an arrest in a $20,000 theft from Pittsburgh’s Rivers Casino on Dec. 4. Police said the casino’s security director reported the crime on Dec. 23. After reviewing...
After 60 years, Ligonier barbers hang up their clippers
When cousins Ken Knupp and Walt Boyd closed the doors of their Ligonier Borough barbershop Wednesday, one thing was clear — they will miss their customers the most. After working as barbers for more than 60 years, the two decided to retire together from their longtime practice at Knupp’s Barbershop....
Westmoreland DA wants to review police video before it’s released to public
Four months after police released body camera video showing an officer shooting a Ligonier Township man, the Westmoreland District Attorney’s Office is asking local police departments to have prosecutors review similar footage before it is released publicly. The request hasn’t been opposed by police, but legal, law enforcement and open...
U.S. postal inspectors: Don’t fall for counterfeit stampsVideo
While mailing holiday cards and presents to loved ones, there’s a distinct possibility that you were frantically looking for more stamps at some point last week. In fact, you may have been tempted to buy them in bulk, at a discounted rate, through any number of websites or email links....
Covid, flu, RSV on the rise amid holiday gatherings
Covid-19 struck Beth Green just in time for Christmas, upending her annual holiday gatherings. She planned on hosting her extended family at her Derry Township home on Dec. 23. She was especially excited because it’s difficult to get two of her adult sons together with their hectic schedules. Green, an...
Trump ballot ban appealed to U.S. Supreme Court by Colorado Republican Party
DENVER — The Colorado Republican Party on Wednesday appealed the state’s supreme court decision that found former President Donald Trump is ineligible for the presidency, the potential first step to a showdown at the nation’s highest court over the meaning of a 155-year-old constitutional provision that bans from office those...
2 robots patrol Denver parking garages, curbing thefts, vandalism
LoDoMus Prime and his sidekick, Dave, roam two downtown Denver parking garages every day, watching people park their cars and rush off to appointments in nearby office buildings. If a person lingers too long, LoDoMus Prime or Dave will start a countdown: “Five, four, three, two, one.” Then the robots...
‘Life is not promised’: Family and friends mourn loss of Richland teen in car crash
In June, Ellie Tourney had to bury her husband. Now, she has to bury her son. “We were proven twice that life is not promised. We’ve learned that twice in seven months,” Tourney said Wednesday. “If God wants you, he’s going to wrap you in his arms. It’s hard to...
Automatic pay raises boost Pa. lawmakers’ base salary to over $106K
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania lawmakers’ base salary recently rose to more than $106,000, prompting a fresh round of criticism about the annual automatic pay bump. Here’s...
Western Pa. welcomed new restaurants in 2023, said goodbye to some old favorites
Pittsburgh was once hailed nationally as a foodie destination because of its booming culinary scene. Whether that’s still the case could be up for debate. But there certainly wasn’t a dearth of news on the restaurant front this year. Here were the comings and goings of 2023. Yes, we’re open...
Monongahela River fishermen find car stolen 15 years ago
Two men fishing in the Monongahela River on Sunday found a car that had been reported stolen 15 years ago. The men were fishing near the Point Marion boat launch in Fayette County when they noticed the outline of a vehicle on their fish finder, state police said. On Tuesday,...
Argument over Christmas gifts turns deadly as 14-year-old kills his older sister, Florida deputies sayVideo
LARGO, Fla. — A Florida woman holding her 11-month-old son in a baby carrier was fatally shot by her 14-year-old brother while trying to defuse an argument over Christmas gifts he was having with a 15-year-old brother who also was armed, authorities said. The 15-year-old brother then shot his 14-year-old...
Michigan Supreme Court will keep Trump on 2024 ballot
LANSING, Mich. — Michigan’s Supreme Court is keeping former President Donald Trump on the state’s primary election ballot. The court said Wednesday it will not hear an appeal of a lower court’s ruling from groups seeking to keep Trump from appearing on the ballot. The state’s high court said in...
Poll: Americans sour on the primary election process and major political parties
WASHINGTON — With the GOP primary process just about to start, many Republicans aren’t certain that votes will be counted correctly in their presidential primary contest, amid widespread pessimism about the future of both the Democratic and Republican parties, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for...
Pa. dog license fee hike takes a nip out of owners’ wallets to pay for more wardens
The new year could bring the return of more frequent canvassing of neighborhoods by state dog wardens, checking to make sure dogs have current licenses and rabies vaccinations. That is only one change the new year will usher in as an updated dog law, intended to keep pets and the...
Morning Roundup: Suspect shot by police in Washington County; car rescue in Unity
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Dec. 27: Suspect shot by police in Washington County A suspect was shot by a police officer early Saturday in Monongahela, Washington County. State police said Jonathan Toth, 49, of Jefferson Hills, made threats at the Main Street...
After recalls and infections, experts say safer eyedrops will require new FDA powers
WASHINGTON — When you buy eyedrops at a U.S. store, you might assume you’re getting a product made in a clean, well-maintained factory that’s passed muster with health regulators. But repeated recalls involving over-the-counter drops are drawing new attention to just how little U.S. officials know about the conditions at...
Inside the Pa. court case pitting a genealogist against Ancestry.com
This story first appeared in The Investigator, a weekly newsletter by Spotlight PA featuring the best investigative and accountability journalism from across Pennsylvania. Sign up for free here. What began in 2022 as a one-paragraph public records request has morphed into a full-blown court fight over who owns digital copies...
