Top Stories category, Page 697
Pittsburgh mother charged in fentanyl death of baby
A Pittsburgh woman faces involuntary manslaughter charges after her 4-month-old baby died of fentanyl toxicity, officials said. Katie Lynn Grimes, 33, of Pittsburgh’s Carrick neighborhood, was charged Sunday with several crimes in relation to the death of her son, including involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of children. An investigation...
Pittsburgh may need to reevaluate city pools, official says
Pittsburgh officials are still recruiting additional lifeguards in an effort to open all of the city’s pools this summer, and spray parks are slated to open next weekend. City Council President Theresa Kail-Smith acknowledged it’s been difficult for the city to recruit enough lifeguards. Kail-Smith said she’d like to see...
Excela, Butler change name to Independence Health System
After merging to create Western Pennsylvania’s third-largest health system, Excela Health and the Butler Health System have a new name: Independence Health System. The system includes Butler, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe and Westmoreland hospitals, with 7,300 employees and more than 1,000 physicians and advanced practice providers. “Having the wider resources of...
Pittsburgh City Council to vote on Larry Scirotto’s appointment as police chief
Pittsburgh City Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday on Larry Scirotto’s nomination as the city’s new police chief. Mayor Ed Gainey earlier this month announced Scirotto as his nominee to be the city’s police chief. Scirotto, 49, retired from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police in 2018 as an assistant chief,...
Morning Roundup: Fire damages 2 homes in Ford City
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, May 22: 2 homes in Ford City damaged in fire A fire damaged two homes in Ford City on Saturday night. Borough firefighters fought the fire for several hours, but no injuries were reported, according to Tribune-Review news...
Memorial Day weekend weather could go in 2 different directions, forecasters say
Pittsburghers might want to wait a few days before solidifying their Memorial Day plans. The forecast for the next few days shows highs reaching 79 degrees and sunny skies, but there is some uncertainty for what direction the weather will head for the Memorial Day weekend. The Pittsburgh office of...
Madden Monday: Anger over Pirates’ decisions a matter of perspective on team’s potential
The Pittsburgh Pirates lost two out of three games to the Arizona Diamondbacks this weekend. They have played six series this month and have lost five. The only series they didn’t lose was splitting a two-game road trip to Detroit last Tuesday and Wednesday. The team’s 20-8 start has been...
Invasive Asian tiger mosquito loves the standing water near your house
As spring comes into full bloom, flowers aren’t the only thing popping up. Mosquitoes are also spawning in small, mostly natural pools of standing water. After those pools dry out, a cousin moves in. And it’s known to be an aggressive biter. The Asian tiger mosquito, an invasive species first...
Transit authority eyes Go Westmoreland fare hikes
Fares for travel on Westmoreland County Transit Authority’s shared-ride program are expected to increase this year to make up for potential revenue shortfalls. Authority board members last week approved a $16.3 million budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year that is balanced through use of more than $3.9 million in federal...
Show no mercy to the spotted lanternfly
Stomp ’em, smash ’em, squash ’em. But, by all means, kill them. That’s what the state Department of Agriculture recommends when people encounter a spotted lanternfly. “It’s not easy; they’re really fast,” said Sandy Feather, an educator at the Penn State Extension, laughing. People also can report sightings by visiting...
Get ready to stomp: Spotted lanternflies about to hatch in Western Pennsylvania
The best kind of spotted lanternfly is a dead spotted lanternfly, agricultural experts say. The spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect that has spread throughout Pennsylvania and other states. While the bug poses no threat to people, it is a danger to trees and other flora. Spotted lanternflies cause damage...
SpaceX sends Saudi astronauts, including nation’s 1st woman in space, to International Space StationVideo
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Saudi Arabia’s first astronauts in decades rocketed toward the International Space Station on a chartered multimillion-dollar flight Sunday. SpaceX launched the ticket-holding crew, led by a retired NASA astronaut now working for the company that arranged the trip from Kennedy Space Center. Also on board: a...
New Kensington auto show brings joy to community, car lovers
Each car displayed Sunday at The River Community Church’s 17th annual car show in New Kensington had a story. But Chris Laskowski’s story is a pretty wild one. Laskowski’s father, Stephen, spent $3,400 at a Monroeville dealership, after arriving home from the Vietnam War in 1970, to buy a brand-new...
East Liberty man accused of robbing Shadyside bank arrested
An East Liberty man was arrested Saturday after being accused of robbing a Shadyside bank, authorities said. Pittsburgh Police charged Rashon Coleman, 29, with two counts of robbery and one count theft by unlawful taking for stealing $25,045 from the PNC Bank at 5932 Centre Ave. Coleman entered the bank...
Debt ceiling talks to resume as Biden, McCarthy prepare to meet Monday to resolve standoffVideo
WASHINGTON — Debt ceiling talks were set to resume Sunday evening as Washington races to strike a budget compromise along with a deal to raise the nation’s borrowing limit and avert an economy-wrecking federal default. President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy spoke by phone Sunday while the president...
Day care center building collapses in Pitcairn
A child day care center building collapsed Sunday morning in Pitcairn. Pitcairn fire chief Thomas Dick said calls of an explosion came in shortly after 9:30 a.m. at the corner of Center Avenue and Second Street. “We didn’t detect any gas, and we’re trying to figure out what happened,” Dick...
Back in hoodies and gym shorts, Fetterman tackles Senate life after depression treatment
WASHINGTON — Before Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman checked himself in to the hospital for clinical depression in February, he walked the halls of the Senate stone-faced and dressed in formal suits. These days, he’s back to wearing the hoodies and gym shorts he was known for before he became a...
New Warhol Museum curator says ‘Warhol touches everything’ in art world
The incoming chief curator of The Andy Warhol Museum says he wouldn’t even have a career in the art world if it weren’t for the museum’s namesake. “Warhol touches everything,” said Aaron Levi Garvey, who will arrive this summer at the museum in Pittsburgh’s North Side. “I always say I...
Progressive shift in Allegheny County Democratic politics years in making, observers say
Three high-profile wins by progressive candidates in last week’s Democratic primary punctuated a shift in the party in Allegheny County that has been years in the making, political observers say. In recent years, progressive candidates have increased the county’s delegation of women in elected office and broken barriers by bringing...
Pa. opioid settlement money: What you need to know
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. Billions of dollars are expected to come to Pennsylvania to help the state respond to the opioid epidemic, but tracking how...
Show me the money: Teachers, education experts advocate for financial literacy
Ligonier Valley financial literacy teacher Martin Hickey often hears from students about how his classes have impacted their lives, but one response from a former pupil sticks with him. “One of the kids I had in my class, I happened to see him in the street … and he goes,...
Former Arkansas U.S. Rep. Marion Berry, who served 7 terms, dies at 80
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Former U.S. Rep. Robert Marion Berry, an Arkansas Democrat who served seven terms in Congress and was known for his blunt rhetoric and advocacy for farmers and older residents, has died. He was 80. Berry, who was known as “Marion,” died Friday, his family confirmed in...
Memorial ceremony held as Brackenridge changes Third Avenue street signs to McIntire Way, honoring slain chief
Rain fell gently on a wooden podium framed by flags and wreaths as Lori McIntire walked up to the microphone, then choked out the words. “Third Avenue is where Justin was born and raised,” said Lori McIntire — a 50-year resident of Third Avenue, clad in a gray t-shirt memorializing...
Arrests made for alleged violent home invasion in Latrobe
Three men were in Westmoreland County Prison on Saturday after they were charged with a violent home invasion in Latrobe. According to city police, Edwardo Romero-Gross, Paul Kline and Christian Long work black face masks as they forced entry into an apartment on Lincoln Avenue early Friday morning. They allegedly...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Jim Brown remembered as best football player ever
Few sports have a player who unequivocally can be declared the game’s best ever. Hockey produces a debate between Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Bobby Orr. With basketball it’s LeBron James and Michael Jordan. In baseball, options are plentiful: Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, etc....
