Top Stories category, Page 583
Land bank fosters new life for more than 170 abandoned Westmoreland properties
When Jackie Sobel and her father, David, were looking to put down roots for their craft brewery, they knew new construction wasn’t going to be right for the vibe they wanted. “We were looking for something that had a lot of character,” she said. They perused Westmoreland County Land Bank...
Former Kiski treasurer, supervisor claims discrimination in civil suit
A former Kiski Township secretary and treasurer who briefly served as a supervisor is seeking more than $50,000 from the township in a civil suit alleging she was discriminated against because of her gender. In her complaint in Armstrong County Court, Sherry Lynn Tamski claims she was paid less while...
Giving Tuesday donations grow in importance for local nonprofits, leaders say
On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Casa San José Executive Director Monica Ruiz-Caraballo often spends much of the day scrolling through social media, admiring the hard work of fellow nonprofit organizations across the region. Posts and stories from her own group, a Western Pennsylvania-area resource center that works with the local...
Roadkill deer collection not a job for the faint of heart — or stomach
Thanksgiving week is a good time of year to be doing Steve Boeser’s morning job. Boeser will admit it’s not glorious work. The 56-year-old Washington Township resident is contracted by Murrysville to pick up roadkill deer. But the colder the weather, the easier his job is. On a late-November morning,...
1 dead in Wilkinsburg shooting
A man was fatally shot Monday evening in Wilkinsburg, authorities said. Allegheny County homicide detectives are assisting Wilkinsburg police investigating the shooting, reported at about 7:15 p.m. in the 900 block of Hill Avenue. The man was identified Tuesday afternoon by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner as Darryl M. Nelson,...
New Kensington council reluctantly approves garbage contract with 73% increase in bills
New Kensington council members conceded Monday that they had little choice but to approve a garbage contract that increases bills by 73%. They heard from residents upset that their garbage bills will spike next year but ultimately voted, 4-1, to award a five-year, $15.3 million contract for solid waste, household...
Westmoreland commissioners paint bleak financial picture in proposed 2024 budget
Westmoreland commissioners have four weeks to make final tweaks to a 2024 budget that is not expected to raise taxes but could all but exhaust the county’s surplus of funds. Commissioners on Monday unanimously approved a preliminary $464 million spending plan that calls for expenses to outpace revenues by nearly...
Why get your flu shot and covid booster at the same time? Experts weigh in
Pharmacies, clinics, and primary care providers are offering the 2023-2024 updated covid booster and this year’s flu vaccine—and it’s both safe and convenient to get both vaccines at the same time, according to medical experts. In fact, you can get both shots in the same arm, said Dr. Graham Snyder,...
Chinese national pleads guilty in Greensburg meat cleaver attack, deportation expected
A Chinese national is expected to be deported after pleading guilty on Monday for attacking his Greensburg roommate with a meat cleaver in August. Liwu Tian, 57, pleaded guilty to one felony count of aggravated assault as part of a deal with Westmoreland County prosecutors. Because the case is concluded,...
Pa. community colleges still waiting for state funding using loans, reserves to get by
Pennsylvania lawmakers who managed to pass a long-overdue appropriation for state-related universities before Thanksgiving left Harrisburg without doing the same for the state’s 15 community colleges. The appropriations for the 2024 fiscal year were due July 1 and are five months late. Some community college leaders say they have begun...
Google will start deleting ‘inactive’ accounts in December. Here’s what you need to know
NEW YORK — Have a Google account you haven’t used in a while? If you want to keep it from disappearing, you should sign in before the end of the week. Under Google’s updated inactive-account policy, which the tech giant announced back in May, accounts that haven’t been used in...
Gas prices drop for 10th straight week, but could rise if OPEC cuts oil production, analyst says
With the national average price of gasoline declining for the 10th straight week, motorists are enjoying the longest downward trend at the pump since the summer of 2022, an industry analyst said. “The timing couldn’t be better as Americans head into the holidays, leaving them with more in their wallets...
New Kensington woman accused of locking 2 kids out in cold, leaving toddler unattended inside
New Kensington police accused a woman of locking her two school-age children outside in the cold and leaving her naked toddler unattended with water boiling on the stove after getting drunk and falling asleep. Police said she also spit on an officer and threatened to kill another officer and his...
Parts of Pittsburgh region could see snow next 2 days
Western Pennsylvania could see its first significant snowfall of the season Monday and Tuesday, though totals are expected to vary widely across the region, forecasters say. Snow is expected in the northern and eastern parts of Southwestern Pennsylvania, as well as areas of higher elevation in Fayette County and parts...
Rosalynn Carter tributes highlight her reach as first lady, humanitarian and small-town Baptist
AMERICUS, Ga. — Rosalynn Carter embarked on her final journey Monday to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Center as her family began three days of memorials for the former first lady and global humanitarian who died Nov. 19 at the age of 96. Family members watched as Rosalynn Carter’s casket was...
Law enforcement warns of potential security risks with Apple’s new NameDrop feature
Police departments across the country are warning Apple users about potential privacy concerns after a new iOS update. The update includes a new feature called NameDrop. Apple on its website touts NameDrop as a way to “quickly share contact information with a nearby iPhone or Apple Watch.” Apple said its...
Cyber Monday marks the year’s biggest online shopping day, and 1 more chance to save on gifts
Consumers are scouring the internet for online deals as they begin to cap off the five-day post-Thanksgiving shopping bonanza with Cyber Monday. Even though e-commerce is now part and parcel of our everyday lives and much of the holiday shopping season, Cyber Monday — a term coined back in 2005...
Israel, Hamas agree to extend truce for two more days, and to free more hostages and prisoners
TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel and Hamas agreed to extend their cease-fire for two more days past Monday, raising the prospect of further exchanges of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and a longer halt to their deadliest and most destructive war. Eleven Israeli women and children, freed by...
Morning Roundup: Man stabbed in Lincoln Borough; 5 juveniles arrested amid South Side assault
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, Nov. 27: Man stabbed in Lincoln Borough A man was stabbed in Lincoln Borough on Sunday evening, according to Allegheny County Police. Allegheny County 911 was alerted to a stabbing on Creek Street around 8:50 p.m. Sunday. First...
Steelers vs. Bengals: What they’re saying in Cincinnati after 16-10 loss
The Burrowless Bengals got a taste of a rejuvenated Kenny Pickett on Sunday as the Steelers racked up the yards and just enough points to beat Cincinnati. With Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow out for the season with a wrist injury, the Steelers came into town and sent the fans down...
Western Pa.’s small merchants navigate pricing, staffing challenges as holiday rush arrives
When Marion McFeely makes a batch of caramel pecan turtles at her shop in Greensburg, she’s aware of the pain in her pocketbook as well as the sweet delight her customers will experience. Like many small retailers heading into the critical holiday shopping season, she’s feeling the pinch of inflation...
Local experts advise caution as mysterious dog respiratory illness reported nationally
An unusual respiratory illness is afflicting dogs across the U.S., prompting warnings from vets and health departments as families head into the winter travel season. The Associated Press reported that Oregon, Colorado and New Hampshire are among the states that have seen cases of the disease, which has not yet...
Feats of Strength: Steelers offense has life after coordinator change; defense comes up big in Cincinnati
It’s not often that an NFL team scores 16 points, and the franchise’s fan base celebrates an offensive explosion. But when that team has a 400-yard day for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic was still in full swing, it’s party time. Such was the case for the Pittsburgh...
Dead, wounded or AWOL: The voices of desperate Russian soldiers trying to get out of the Ukraine war
In audio intercepts from the front lines in Ukraine, Russian soldiers speak in shorthand of 200s to mean dead, 300s to mean wounded. The urge to flee has become common enough that they also talk of 500s — people who refuse to fight. As the war grinds into its second...
Biden says 4-year-old Abigail Edan was released by Hamas. He hopes more U.S. hostages will be freedVideo
NANTUCKET, Mass. — President Joe Biden confirmed Sunday that Abigail Edan, a 4-year-old American girl held hostage by Hamas after her parents were killed, was released as part of the cease-fire deal in the Israel-Hamas war. “Thank God she’s home,” Biden said told reporters. “I wish I were there to...
