Top Stories category, Page 602
Pittsburgh synagogue shooter appeals death penalty conviction, seeks new trial
The man sentenced to death for the mass shooting at a Squirrel Hill synagogue that killed 11 people is seeking a new trial. Robert Bowers, 51, who was convicted over the summer of 63 counts for the Oct. 27, 2018, attack at the Tree of Life synagogue at Wilkins and...
Judge says Rialto gunfight ‘terrorized the entire community’ as he gives shooters prison sentences
A gunfight after a confrontation outside a Greensburg bar could have been averted if either man would have just left the area, a judge said Thursday. “This conduct is the kind of thing that terrorized the entire community,” Common Pleas Judge Christopher Feliciani said. He sentenced the men involved in...
Penguins begin to experiment with neck guards in practiceVideo
Lars Eller wore neck guards throughout his youth in Denmark as well as during his junior and early professional days in neighboring Sweden. They were “mandatory as far as I recall.” Then, when the sturdy defensive forward came to North America in 2009 to play for the St. Louis Blues...
Man robbed ‘large amount of cash’ from Lawrenceville bank
A man is at large after robbing a Lawrenceville bank Thursday morning, police said. The man — who was dressed in dark clothing and was wearing a mask — entered New Alliance Credit Union in the 3700 block of Butler Street at 9:11 a.m., shortly after the bank had opened,...
House approves $14.5 billion in assistance for Israel as Biden vows to veto the GOP’s approach
WASHINGTON — The House approved $14.5 billion in military aid Thursday for Israel, a muscular U.S. response to the war with Hamas but also a partisan approach by new Speaker Mike Johnson that poses a direct challenge to Democrats and President Joe Biden. In a departure from norms, Johnson’s package...
Report questions how controversial Pittsburgh parks tax money is spent
Questions persist about how Pittsburgh officials should allocate the money collected through its parks tax. The 0.5-mill tax — or $50 per $100,000 of a property’s assessed value — was first collected in 2021 after it was narrowly approved by voters in a 2019 ballot referendum. The tax is meant...
Harrison nurse Heather Pressdee linked to 15 additional nursing home deaths
Two new counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted murder were filed Thursday against a Harrison nurse previously charged in killing two patients with lethal doses of insulin. Attorney General Michelle Henry said Heather Pressdee, 41, is again accused of administering excessive amounts of insulin to patients, some...
Flights to Iceland return to Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburghers will be able to fly direct to Iceland again next year, thanks to a new direct route to the small Nordic country. Icelandair announced Thursday the airline is launching nonstop service to Reykjavík starting in May. The flights will depart Pittsburgh International Airport on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays....
Average long-term U.S. mortgage rate slips to 7.76% in first drop after climbing 7 weeks in a row
LOS ANGELES — The average rate on the benchmark 30-year home loan fell slightly this week, ending a seven-week climb — modest relief for prospective homebuyers grappling with an increasingly unaffordable housing market. The average rate on the benchmark 30-year home loan fell to 7.76% from 7.79% last week, mortgage...
Authorities arrest man wanted on 11 warrants, including 3 in Allegheny County
A Butler County man wanted on 11 warrants — including aggravated assault charges in North Braddock and receiving stolen property and firearms charges in Pleasant Hills — has been arrested, Allegheny County Sheriff Kevin M. Kraus announced Thursday. Authorities arrested James A. Carroll III, 23, of West Sunbury, near a...
Fern Hollow Bridge collapse victims clash with city in legal fight for records
Victims of the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse are fighting for records that might shed more light on what the City of Pittsburgh knew about the crumbling span before disaster struck. But in the face of potential liability, the city is vigorously trying to block those efforts in court, claiming that...
Coroner IDs man killed in pileup on I-80
A New York man riding as a passenger in a Mercedes Benz SUV was killed after a car hit and then pinned him in the SUV in a massive pileup that closed I-80’s eastbound lanes in Mercer County for nearly 11 hours, authorities said. Mercer County Coroner John A. Libonati...
Titans’ Will Levis went from Penn State backup to sparkling NFL debut, now faces Steelers
When Will Levis produced two touchdowns — one rushing, one passing — during a unique Christmas-week home game in front of no fans at Beaver Stadium on Dec. 19, 2020, who would have thought then that the next game Levis would play in Pennsylvania would come almost three years later....
Pennsylvania partners with natural gas driller on air and water monitoring amid new regulatory push
The state of Pennsylvania will work with a major natural gas producer to collect in-depth data on air emissions and water quality at well sites, enhance public disclosure of drilling chemicals and expand buffer zones, the governor announced Thursday, touting the collaboration as the first of its kind. CNX Resources...
Green Day, with Smashing Pumpkins and Rancid, coming to PNC Park next September
Green Day are going on a huge tour next year to celebrate 30 years of “Dookie” and 20 years of “American Idiot” and they the are planning a Pittsburgh stop. Green Day, with Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid and the Linda Lindas, are bring the Saviors Tour to PNC Park in Pittsburgh...
Morning Roundup: Record-low temperature nearly reached in Pittsburgh
Here are some of the latest news items on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023: Near record low temperature in Pittsburgh It was an unseasonably cold morning in the Pittsburgh area Thursday and the record-low temperature of 25 degrees, set in 1879 and reached again in 1905, was nearly reached shortly before...
5 things to watch in WPIAL Week 10: Run vs. pass option to decide Class 5A playoff openers
The run-pass option is a staple for offenses nowadays and this year’s WPIAL Class 5A bracket is one big RPO. Among the eight playoff teams in 5A, some have a run-first offense while others have quarterback-driven attacks. The divide in styles is more obvious this week since they’re matched head-to-head...
EMS directors: Reimbursement legislation ‘a step in the right direction’
Recent state legislation will increase the reimbursement local ambulance services receive when treating Medicaid patients, but EMS directors said they still are running in the red most of the time. “Every little bit helps,” said Darrick Gerano, director for Murrysville Medic One. “Any increase we can get from any insurance...
Inflation, end of additional covid-era SNAP benefits increase need for food pantry assistance
Every month, volunteers at the Mt. Pleasant Area Food Pantry see more and more unfamiliar faces. “This is the busiest we’ve ever been. Not just my pantry but every pantry,” said Marie Ochaba, head coordinator of the pantry at Church of God on West Main Street. “I’m probably signing up...
New Pittsburgh community office responds to homelessness, overdoses, mental health crises
Pittsburgh’s Office of Community Health and Safety has responded to more than 3,000 incidents citywide since its 2021 launch, according to information presented to City Council. The office is tasked with addressing various community needs, including mental and behavioral health crises, overdose incidents and homelessness, said Assistant Director Camila Alarcon....
Republicans confront Tommy Tuberville over military holds in extraordinary showdown on Senate floorVideo
WASHINGTON — Republican senators angrily challenged Sen. Tommy Tuberville on his blockade of almost 400 military officers Wednesday evening, taking over the Senate floor for more than four hours to call for individual confirmation votes after a monthslong stalemate. Tuberville, R-Ala., stood and objected to each nominee — 61 times...
U.S. Steel to cut more than 100 workers related to IT
U.S. Steel is laying off more than 100 workers as the Pittsburgh steel maker changes its IT operations. According to a WARN notice filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, the Pittsburgh steelmaker is letting go of 105 workers, primarily at a location on the South Side. U.S....
Hempfield Area School Board approves temporary superintendent who will hold the reins until January
The Hempfield Area School District will have a temporary top official for the next two months while Superintendent Tammy Wolicki takes a leave of absence. Kimberlie Rieffannacht, assistant superintendent for elementary education, will fill the superintendent’s role until Wolicki’s scheduled return on Jan. 5. The board made the move 7-0...
Pittsburgh political consulting firm hit with lawsuit alleging sexual assault
A former employee at an influential political consulting firm claims in a federal lawsuit that management took no action after she reported she was sexually assaulted by her supervisor at a Pittsburgh restaurant. The complaint against Pittsburgh-based ColdSpark Media, initially filed in August and amended last month, includes claims for...
Equitrans gas pipeline firm faces criminal charges in connection with 2018 Greene County house explosion
After a two-year investigation into a 2018 house explosion in Greene County that left a family homeless, the state Attorney General’s Office announced criminal charges against Equitrans Midstream Corp., accusing the company of failing to fix a natural gas leak that led to the blast. A couple and their 4-year-old...
