Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 708
Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi has full FDA approval now and that means Medicare will pay for it
WASHINGTON — U.S. officials granted full approval to a closely watched Alzheimer’s drug on Thursday, clearing the way for Medicare and other insurance plans to begin covering the treatment for people with the brain-robbing disease. The Food and Drug Administration endorsed the IV drug, Leqembi, for patients with mild dementia...
Study: Drinking water from nearly half of U.S. faucets contains potentially harmful chemicals
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Drinking water from nearly half of U.S. faucets likely contains “forever chemicals” that may cause cancer and other health problems, according to a government study released Wednesday. The synthetic compounds known collectively as PFAS are contaminating drinking water to varying extents in large cities and small...
4-year-old shot in Rostraver, flown to Pittsburgh hospital
A 4-year-old boy was shot in the head Thursday in Rostraver and was flown to a hospital for treatment, according to officials. Westmoreland County detectives and township police were investigating Thursday afternoon at the scene along Gaudio Drive, which intersects with Route 201. The child was flown to UPMC Children’s...
Soapy suds fill Levin Furniture fountain in Monroeville
Levin Furniture & Mattress employees arrived at their Monroeville location Thursday morning to find a giant mountain of soap spilling out of the waterfall which adorns the front of their property on Route 22. “People sabotaged it overnight and threw four bottles of Dawn dish liquid into it,” said Levin...
Walnut Capital looks to expand Bakery Square, support affordable housing in Pittsburgh’s East End
Walnut Capital is looking to nearly double the size of its Bakery Square development in Pittsburgh’s East End. The Bakery Square office and commercial development opened in 2009, expanded to include housing and now sits on 20 acres in Larimer and Shadyside. Walnut Capital is looking to expand the specially...
Inflatable domed structure in Pittsburgh ‘Architects of Air: Daedalum’ is an immersive experience
Cavernous domes, enchanting tunnels and captivating pods are located inside the multipeaked structure that’s situated in The Backyard, the summer arts park at the corner of Eighth Street and Penn Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh. The exhibition is dubbed “Architects of Air: Daedalum.” The inflatable sculpture, known as a luminarium, was...
2 more lawsuits target Mammoth Park’s Giant Slide
Two more individuals are suing Westmoreland County, claiming they were injured while riding the rebuilt Giant Slide in Mt. Pleasant Township’s Mammoth Park. Danielle Hunter-Campbell of Mt. Pleasant Township claims she dislocated and fractured her left ankle on Feb. 9; and Christina Savisky of Youngwood says she fractured her right...
1 in 5 United Methodist congregations in U.S. have left denomination over LGBTQ conflicts
More than 6,000 United Methodist congregations — a fifth of the U.S. total — have now received permission to leave the denomination amid a schism over theology and the role of LGBTQ people in the nation’s second-largest Protestant denomination. Those figures emerge following the close of regular meetings in June...
Pennsylvania House approves state budget after Gov. Shapiro backs off voucher plan
HARRISBURG — Late Wednesday night, the Democratic-controlled Pennsylvania House approved a new state spending plan after a days-long stalemate in Pennsylvania’s politically divided Legislature. The chamber approved the main bill in a $45 billion spending plan, 117-86, as the state government plowed through its fifth day without full spending authority....
Morning Roundup: Coroner identifies Coraopolis teen killed in Parkway West crash
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, July 6: Coraopolis teen killed in Parkway West crash The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the person killed in a two-car crash this week on the Parkway West. Santino Didomenico, 19, of Coraopolis, was pronounced dead...
‘You will have an ambulance’: Jeannette leaders scramble in wake of EMS closing
Members of Jeannette council likely will discuss during a work session Tuesday how to move forward after Jeannette EMS abruptly closed this week, leaving city officials scrambling to ensure residents have ambulance coverage. Councilwoman Robin Mozley, who is the service’s liaison with the city, said questions remain after what she...
Breaking bread: Brown Bear Bread Cafe in Mt. Oliver creates more than loaves of dough
Mt. Oliver has a neighborhood bakery again — and if Kate Clemons has her way, just maybe a greater sense of community because of it. Brown Bear Bread Cafe opened last month in spot that once housed the hyped Kevin Sousa restaurant Mount Oliver Bodega and most recently The Finer...
Kennywood to close every Tuesday through the rest of the season
Got a free Tuesday this summer? Kennywood will not be an option, beginning next Tuesday, July 11. According to the West Mifflin park’s website calendar, Kennywood will be closed every Tuesday for the remainder of the summer season. Park spokesperson Tasha Pokrzywa issued a statement about the change in hours...
Judge’s order limits government contact with social media operators, raises disinformation questions
NEW ORLEANS — An order by a federal judge in Louisiana has ignited a high-stakes legal battle over how the government is allowed to interact with social media platforms, raising broad questions about whether — and how — officials can fight what they deem misinformation on health or other matters....
Pittsburgh officials advance plan to tear down poorly rated bridge despite lawsuit
Pittsburgh City Council advanced legislation Wednesday that, if adopted, would clear the way for the city to tear down a poorly rated bridge despite an ongoing lawsuit. The bridge crosses over Saw Mill Run Boulevard near Woodruff Street, linking the city’s Bon Air and Mt. Washington neighborhoods. The bridge is...
Judge fines Century III Mall owners more than $240K over conditions at West Mifflin site
A judge hit the owners of the shuttered Century III Mall with a hefty fine Wednesday in response to the dilapidated condition of West Mifflin’s once-mighty shopping center. During a brief hearing Wednesday, District Judge Richard D. Olasz Jr. fined Century III Mall Pa. LLC and Moonbeam Capital Investments just...
Pennsylvania governor backs off $100M private schools program in budget stalemate
HARRISBURG — Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro on Wednesday backed off his insistence on money for a new private-school funding program after it became a sticking point in a budget stalemate between Pennsylvania’s politically divided Legislature. Shapiro’s shift in position came as state government plowed through its fifth day without full...
Few fireworks-related injuries, arrests reported in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh first responders treated 33 people who suffered mostly minor injuries in the Downtown area during the city’s annual fireworks celebration in Point State Park. The majority of those treated suffered injuries when someone “reportedly set off firecrackers during the official display, causing groups of people to run from the...
Family remembers 1-year-old killed in North Versailles as ‘bright, bubbly’
Arionna Porter liked to sing the catchy children’s song “Baby Shark,” often swinging her arms to imitate a shark’s chomping jaw. The 1-year-old girl from North Versailles had a gap between her still-new front teeth, which made her frequent smiles just a little bit goofier. And she loved her little...
VisitPittsburgh CEO competing in National Senior Games in his own city
Rain was falling hard as Jerad Bachar rode his Cannondale gravel bike on the 40-mile course of Rush to Crush Cancer in May. Pittsburgh area roads were slick. The ride was uncomfortable. But he kept pedaling. “It was grueling,” said Bachar, president and CEO of VisitPittsburgh, of the inaugural event...
Pittsburgh synagogue attacker was not delusional, did not have schizophrenia, prosecution witness says
The man who killed 11 people at a Squirrel Hill synagogue told a government expert in behavioral neurology six weeks ago that if he could do it all over again, he would have done more research prior to the attack to ensure there were more victims. Dr. Ryan Darby, who...
Explosion destroys Lancaster County road crew’s building, equipment
A Wednesday morning explosion destroyed a Lancaster County government building, spewed black smoke and sent earthquake-like shakes through homes miles away. The explosion stemming from a propane leak also led emergency responders to evacuate six homes on the 900 block of North Colebrook Road in Rapho Township, where the explosion...
Organizers plan for ‘busy and fun’ Springdale Community Day
Springdale Community Day plans to be just that when the event hits Lincoln Avenue near Veterans Memorial Field on Saturday. Deb Sigmund of the Springdale Team of Active Residents said the event is a group effort between STAR, the Springdale Volunteer Fire Department and borough council. It aims to provide...
Mark Madden: Kyle Dubas improved Penguins’ bottom 6, but work remains to rebuild roster
The Dubas debut is well underway. New president of hockey ops Kyle Dubas has made quite an impact on the Pittsburgh Penguins roster during his brief tenure, and it feels like he’s just getting started. The bottom six is improved. Lars Eller and Noel Acciari are efficient, pragmatic centers. The...
Philadelphia suspect left a will and was acting agitated days before shootings, prosecutors sayVideo
PHILADELPHIA — The man accused in the fatal shooting spree in Philadelphia that left five people dead and four others wounded Monday night left a will at his house, and according to a roommate had acted agitated and wore a tactical vest around his house in the days before the...
