Top Stories category, Page 671
Pittsburgh hiring private security for July 4 celebrations at Point State Park
Pittsburgh will use a private security company for bag checks at its annual Fourth of July celebrations at Point State Park, according to a spokesperson for the mayor. The city is responsible for security at the state park during the Fourth of July event, said Olga George, a spokesperson for...
Supreme Court rejects plan to wipe out $400B in student loans; Biden vows ‘fight is not over’
WASHINGTON — A sharply divided Supreme Court ruled Friday that the Biden administration overstepped its authority in trying to cancel or reduce student loans for millions of Americans. The 6-3 decision, with conservative justices in the majority, said the Biden administration overstepped its authority with the plan, and it leaves...
Pittsburgh’s July Fourth celebration features Clarks, fireworks and more
The city of Pittsburgh will light up the stage before it illuminates the sky on the Fourth of July on Tuesday. Four hours of entertainment are planned to precede the Zambelli fireworks show on the river near Point State Park. There will be other programming, as well as events at...
Supreme Court rules for designer who doesn’t want to make wedding websites for gay couples
WASHINGTON — In a defeat for gay rights, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority ruled on Friday that a Christian graphic artist who wants to design wedding websites can refuse to work with same-sex couples. One of the court’s liberal justices wrote in a dissent that the decision’s effect is to...
Tractor-trailer crash shuts Pa. Turnpike between Irwin-Monroeville for hours
A crash involving a tractor-trailer early Friday shut down the westbound lanes of the Pennsylvania Turnpike between the Irwin and Monroeville exits for several hours. The wreck was cleared and all lanes between Exits 67 and 57 were reopened by 9 a.m., according to PennDOT. The crash was reported at...
Smoky air in Western Pa. improving, still unhealthy for some
The air quality in the Western Pennsylvania region is still rough, but it’s getting better as winds push smoke from Canadian wildfires toward the eastern seaboard. Despite the improvement, it’s still not good for some people to breathe outside. On Friday, with air quality improved slightly, the National Weather Service...
Morning Roundup: City activates fireworks task force to crack down on scofflaws
Here are some of the latest news items from Friday, June 30: Pittsburgh fireworks task force activated for July Fourth holiday It’s legal to buy fireworks in Pennsylvania. But there are rules about how, when and where to use them in the City of Pittsburgh. The city’s Department of Public...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: June 30-July 2
It’s the first weekend of July. Some people will have a four-day weekend with the July 4 holiday on Tuesday. We know there will be fireworks and furries with the Anthrocon convention — but here are some other ways to spend it. Fridays at the Frick Monthly outdoor concerts return...
Anthrocon attendees have added concerns with heat and smoke combination
Wearing a 30- to 50- pound fur suit in temperatures in the mid-80s with high humidity can be uncomfortable enough. Add in the smoke from the Canadian wildfires, and breathing can be a challenge. “There is always a concern about inclement weather of every type,” said John “KP” Cole of Orlando,...
Man wanted on Jan. 6 charges arrested in former President Obama’s Washington neighborhood
WASHINGTON — A man armed with explosive materials and weapons, and wanted for crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, was arrested Thursday in the Washington neighborhood where former President Barack Obama lives, law enforcement officials said. Taylor Taranto, 37, was spotted by law enforcement...
New Kensington Bridge to close for 6 weeks starting in July
A scheduled closure to the New Kensington Bridge will happen a year sooner than expected. The six-week closure is tentatively scheduled for July 17, with July 24 as a backup date, according to PennDOT spokesperson Steve Cowan. Motorists also can expect the section of Freeport Road passing under the bridge...
‘It’s unhealthy for everyone’: Lingering wildfire smoke affects more than just at-risk groups
Air quality advisories in response to lingering smoke from Canadian wildfires have focused on at-risk groups — young children, the elderly and people with existing pulmonary and heart issues. But, on Thursday, the Pittsburgh Pirates delayed the start of an early afternoon game by 45 minutes while they reviewed weather...
Western Pa. campuses say diversity will remain priority following high court ruling
Just as they had before Thursday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down affirmative action in college admissions, campuses across Western Pennsylvania made one thing clear within hours after the historic ruling. They said they will find ways to keep their classes diverse, even without direct use of race. What that...
Deputy acquitted of all charges for failing to act during deadly Parkland school shootingVideo
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A Florida sheriff’s deputy was acquitted Thursday of felony child neglect and other charges for failing to act during the 2018 Parkland school massacre, concluding the first trial in U.S. history of a law enforcement officer for conduct during an on-campus shooting. Former Broward County Deputy...
Sharpsburg work halted pending more information about human bones found by utility crews
Peoples Natural Gas Co. said it has halted construction of a gas pipeline in Sharpsburg after remains unearthed at the work site were judged to be human. “It’s certainly an unexpected discovery,” said Nick Paradise, a People’s Gas spokesman. Peoples crews were digging on private property along Short Canal Street...
Foundation pays mortgage on home of fallen Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire
A foundation created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks announced Thursday that it paid off the mortgage on the home of Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire, who was killed in the line of duty early this year. The mortgage on the Brackenridge home McIntire shared with his wife, Ashley, and their...
Expect a hot, smoky American summer — and here’s why you’d better get used to it
The only break much of America can hope for anytime soon from eye-watering dangerous smoke from fire-struck Canada is brief bouts of shirt-soaking sweltering heat and humidity from a southern heat wave that has already proven deadly, forecasters say. And then the smoke will likely come back to the Midwest...
Report: Shell’s ethane plant in Beaver County has not spurred growth
Shell’s massive petrochemical plant in Beaver County has yet to spur major economic growth in the region, according to a recent study by nonprofit research group. “Since 2012, when the project was first announced, the most recent economic data available show Beaver County has lagged both the state and the...
‘I think he was blatantly psychotic,’ psychologist says of Pittsburgh synagogue attacker
Robert Bowers recounted to the forensic psychologist interviewing him in explicit, sometimes graphic detail the steps he took — not only in choosing his target for attack, but in how he methodically moved through the Tree of Life synagogue as he carried out the attack. How he wanted to create...
‘Putting our lives on the line’: Pirates players react to playing amid smoke, haze
The Pittsburgh Pirates couldn’t do anything about the smoke and haze over PNC Park for their game against the San Diego Padres on Thursday, but there was a clear-the-air meeting in the clubhouse when some players expressed concern about playing the game in those conditions. Sensing a serious situation, veteran...
Sheetz expanding into Michigan, with planned store in Detroit area
Sheetz is heading West. The Altoona-based convenience store and gas station chain is slated to open its first store in Michigan — Romulus to be exact — in late 2024. “While it is too early in the development process to provide a timeline or location for any additional stores, our...
Pittsburgh Public Schools to change start times for 2023-24 school year
Pittsburgh Public Schools will change start times for students beginning in the 2023-24 academic year. The new plan — which was approved by the school board Wednesday — aims to “support the district’s efforts to provide synchronous professional learning for school-based staff,” district officials said in a statement. “We are...
What is Bidenomics? President embraces moniker as campaign theme
Forty years ago, we had Reaganomics. Today, we’re hearing more and more about Bidenomics, a moniker that brands President Joe Biden’s efforts to grow the economy and jobs and fight inflation. Biden is leaning into the name as an early campaign theme of his reelection bid. But what exactly is...
Independence Health System lays off 53 employees
Independence Health System laid off 53 employees this week, bringing the total number of positions eliminated this year to 226. The changes come in the wake of significant financial losses and a financial credit rating downgrade for part of the health system. Formed by the merger of Butler Health System...
Fireworks, parades, festivals — your guide to Fourth festivities
From 5K runs to firework shows, there’s a variety of ways to celebrate Independence Day with friends and family this year. Here’s a list of firework displays, parades and festivals: ALLEGHENY COUNTY North Boroughs Celebrate Community Day at Avalon Community Park on New Brighton Road Saturday from 6 p.m. to...
