Top Stories category, Page 707
House Republicans pull back contempt charge against FBI director Wray over Biden doc
WASHINGTON — The Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday called off a vote on a contempt of Congress charge against FBI Director Christopher Wray, accepting a last-minute offer by the bureau to allow the full committee access to a confidential document of an unverified tip about President...
Justice Department moves closer toward possible indictment of Trump in classified documents investigationVideo
WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury investigating Donald Trump in Florida heard from at least one additional witness Wednesday amid signs that the Justice Department was moving toward a possible indictment over the former president’s mishandling of classified documents. In the last week, his lawyers have met with Justice Department...
Colleges and universities moving away from standardized tests in admissions decisions
More than eight out of every 10 colleges and universities that award bachelor’s degrees no longer require or do not consider standardized tests in admissions decisions, according to a national survey released Wednesday. The latest tally from FairTest, an Arlington, Mass., group that has long been critical of the SAT...
Claims for properties impacted by Springdale implosion due Friday
Springdale-area residents impacted by the smokestack implosion last week at the former Cheswick Generating Station have until 5 p.m. Friday to submit claims and concerns to the property owner. Sam Miller of Louisville, Ky.-based Charah Solutions said crews are continuing to address the aftermath of the implosion, where two smokestack...
New Kensington defendant expected to testify in second day of sex assault trial
Chester Elmer Green Jr. of New Kensington is expected to take the stand Thursday in his defense against charges that he sexually assaulted a 9-year-old girl almost a decade ago. His accuser, now in her late teens, testified Wednesday in Westmoreland County Court that she wasn’t sure of the date...
Pennsylvania looking to charge electric vehicle owners a $290 annual fee
Pennsylvanians who own electric vehicles may soon be required to pay an annual fee to help pay for road and bridge improvements. The Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday approved a bipartisan-backed bill by a 13-1 vote that would charge owners of non-commercial passenger electric vehicles a $290 fee annually —...
Conservative group says Pitt violated free speech rights of organizers of transgender debate
A conservative group representing organizers of an April transgender rights debate at the University of Pittsburgh claims that Pitt violated the organizers’ free speech rights by charging an $18,734 security fee to quell raucous student protests outside. The Alliance Defending Freedom made the accusation in a letter to the university...
Pittsburgh synagogue gunman described as ‘nice and cordial’ after the attack
As he was being treated at Allegheny General Hospital for gunshot wounds suffered in a firefight with Pittsburgh police at the Tree of Life synagogue, Robert Bowers was described as being “very polite, very cooperative.” “He kind of was very nice and cordial with everybody,” Pittsburgh police Detective Robert Shaw...
Breeze Airways adds flights between Pittsburgh and Maine
Maine’s many wonders, including Acadia National Park and lobster shacks along the Atlantic coastline, just got easier to reach for Pittsburghers. Low-cost carrier Breeze Airways announced last week that it has begun offering direct, nonstop flights between Pittsburgh International Airport and Portland, Maine. Round-trip flights will run twice a week,...
It’s Global Running Day, here’s where to run in Pittsburgh all summer long
Wednesday is Global Running Day, a day that encourages people to get out and go for a run worldwide. Global Running Day’s beginning The holiday began in the United States as National Running Day in 2009. It continues to promote being physically active and the benefits of running for exercise...
Western Pa. air quality worsens as Canadian wildfires continue to burn
Air quality in Western Pennsylvania dropped to unhealthy levels Wednesday and could remain that way until at least Sunday as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to pollute the Northeast. Pittsburgh’s air quality index, or AQI, hit 155 around 3 p.m., according to the government website AirNow.gov. The reading had dropped...
West Newton police officer reports being shocked with Taser during fight with suspect
A West Newton police officer reported in court papers being hit by his own Taser during a fight with a shirtless and shoeless suspect in the street Tuesday night. Police said Joseph Samuel Babilya, 31, of West Newton was under the influence of drugs. He was being held on $100,000...
Pirates’ past, present get together in meeting between Andrew McCutchen, Roberto Clemente’s family
Roberto Clemente III, also known as R.C. III, is a lucky boy. Not only does he have a grandfather who has been revered and celebrated inside and outside the baseball world for more than a half-century, but he gets to have two birthday celebrations this month. "22 is good. 21...
Voices from the violent civil rights era see attacks on voting rights as part of ongoing struggle
They are part of a small, vanishing group who lived at the epicenter of the struggle for voting rights six decades ago, an era driven by segregation, violence and the yearning for equality that eventually led to laws bringing the U.S. closer to its promise of democracy for all its...
Pence says ‘Different times call for different leadership’ in video launching 2024 presidential bidVideo
DES MOINES, Iowa — Former Vice President Mike Pence promised “the best days of the greatest nation on earth are yet to come” in a video released Wednesday formally launching his campaign for the Republican nomination for president. “Different times call for different leadership,” Pence, who served four years alongside...
Police say Shaler man stole $4K in Pokemon, baseball cards from Target
Cranberry Township police say a Shaler man stole over $4,000 worth of Pokemon and baseball cards from the Cranberry Target. According to an affidavit, police have charged Grant Duss, 33, of Shaler after a Target employee provided officers with video and documentation of the alleged thefts. Police said Duss engaged...
Pope Francis undergoes abdominal surgery, will stay in hospital for several days
ROME — Pope Francis underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a hernia in his abdominal wall, the latest malady to befall the 86-year-old pontiff who had part of his colon removed two years ago. The Vatican said there were no complications after the three-hour surgery, during which Francis was under general...
Morning Roundup: Vehicle catches fire in Penn Township garage
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, June 7: Vehicle catches fire in Penn Township garage A vehicle caught fire in a Penn Township home’s attached garage early Wednesday. Crews were called to the 100 block of McDermott Road around 1:15 a.m., according to Tribune-Review...
Sister says Tarentum fatal stabbing victim was trying to protect friend during altercation
Thomas Baczynski was trying to protect his friend when he was fatally stabbed Sunday in Tarentum, according to his sister. Baczynski, 26, died about 6:30 p.m. at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison after an altercation involving three men in the rear of Davidson Street along Companion Way in the West...
Homer City power plant closing won’t impact electric grid reliability, group says
The closure of the Homer City Generating Station — the largest coal-fired power plant in the state — will not adversely impact the power grid serving Pennsylvania and 12 other states, a regional electricity transmission organization said Tuesday. The Indiana County facility is scheduled to be decommissioned as of July...
Allegheny County Council passes minimum wage hike for county workers
Some Allegheny County employees could see a wage increase thanks to a new minimum age wage bill that passed Tuesday evening. Allegheny County Council voted 10-4 to pass a bill that would set $20 an hour as the minimum wage for county workers by 2026. There would be incremental increases...
McKeesport woman charged in connection with death of man found wrapped in plastic
A McKeesport woman was taken into police custody Tuesday in connection with the murder of Donte Glover, a 36-year-old man who was found dead and wrapped in plastic. Lindsey Jackson, 37, is facing charges of homicide, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office said. Jackson...
2 dead in shooting after high school graduation ceremony in Virginia capitalVideo
RICHMOND, Va. — Seven people were shot, two fatally, when gunfire rang out Tuesday outside a downtown theater where a high school graduation ceremony had recently concluded, causing attendees to flee in panic, weep and clutch their children, authorities and witnesses reported. A 19-year-old suspect tried to flee but was...
Woman tells jury she expected to die during attack at Greensburg apartment
Mitzy Cordova thought for sure she was going to die at the hands of her boyfriend in a Greensburg apartment in early 2021. “I was terrified, and I thought this was it and I wasn’t going to make it,” Cordova testified Tuesday in the first day in the aggravated assault...
Pittsburgh man told investigators he stabbed man in Shadyside ‘out of convenience,’ police say
A Pittsburgh man faces attempted homicide and other charges after police said he told them that he stabbed a man “out of convenience” over the weekend in Shadyside. Jasper Jacob Hilliard, 21, of Shadyside, was awaiting medical clearance Tuesday afternoon to be taken to Allegheny County Jail, according to Public...
