Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 71
Western Pennsylvania restaurant openings and closings in 2025
Many restaurants and other food and beverage establishments came onto the culinary scene in Western Pennsylvania in 2025, while others had to close their doors for good. Here are the notable food scene openings and closings in 2025. _______________________________________ Hi, We’re Open 1930 by Atria’s This well-known establishment in Mt....
Western Pa. expected to see respite from windstorms, power outages
Monday’s windstorm that resulted in thousands of power outages throughout Western Pennsylvania appears to be winding down. Gusts peaking around 45 mph to 55 mph left about 10,000 customers without power in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties Monday. As of 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, First Energy and Duquesne Light are reporting about...
10 people, 2 cats rescued from Marshall-Shadeland house fire
Ten people and two cats were rescued from a house fire early Tuesday morning in Pittsburgh’s Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety. Fire crews were dispatched around 1 a.m. to the 800 block of Woods Run Avenue. The blaze was brought under control around 1:45 a.m., Public Safety said....
Steelers 2025 in review: 4-time MVP Aaron Rodgers’ arrival defines season — but results appear similar
Great hope remained for the 2024 Steelers as the calendar flipped to 2025. A playoff berth long clinched after a 10-3 start, hopes for a division title endured into the regular season’s final weekend. Instead, the Steelers dropped their Jan. 4 finale to Cincinnati, and a week later they fell...
Latrobe joins Leechburg in switch to Indiana County no-kill group for animal control service
Latrobe is dropping its longtime Salem-based animal control provider in favor of an Indiana County nonprofit that has added a stray animal pickup service to its animal shelter and sanctuary operation. City officials said Whiskey Acres Rescue and Sanctuary’s no-kill policy was a primary factor in making the switch. “My...
Penn State board deliberated its business in public more often this year, Spotlight PA analysis shows
This story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for Talk of the Town, a daily newsletter of local stories that dig deep, events, and more from north-central PA, at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown. The...
Narcan in schools? Educators react to proposed legislation
Public school officials statewide administered medication to reverse an opioid overdose 32 times during the 2023-24 school year, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Who received the naloxone dose and in which schools it was administered were not made public by the health department. But the growing impact of...
Death of teen struck by car in West Mifflin ruled accidental
The death of a 13-year-old boy struck by a car in West Mifflin over the weekend has been ruled an accident, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said Monday. Terrel “TJ” Byars Jr. was struck Saturday evening in front of a Speedway convenience store at 4315 Kennywood Blvd. He died...
Water main break temporarily closes Pittsburgh Zoo
A water main break has disrupted several events at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. The zoo shut down for repairs Monday around 12:30 p.m., according to its website. That forced the closure of Wild Illuminations, its annual holiday lantern experience, according to Michael Schroeder, a zoo spokesman. Wild Illuminations, which...
Playoffs arrive early for Steelers with must-win game against Ravens in season finale
As disappointing as the 13-6 loss was Sunday to the Cleveland Browns, it could be worse for the Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend. They could be the Browns, hanging their hat on a win that gave them all of four on the season. Or they could be the Cincinnati Bengals, who...
Pittsburgh invokes eminent domain to seize Homewood apartment building
Pittsburgh City Councilman Khari Mosley is invoking the city’s eminent domain powers in an effort to preserve a 100-unit apartment complex in Homewood as affordable housing. “We’re really trying to do three things: prevent displacement, preserve affordable housing and prevent the property from going into the hands of another bad...
Penguins acquire forward Yegor Chinakhov from Blue JacketsVideo
One day after the NHL’s holiday roster freeze was lifted, the Pittsburgh Penguins broke the ice in a major way Monday. They acquired forward Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Danton Heinen, a second-round draft pick in 2026 and a third-round selection in 2027. Chinakhov,...
Community rallies around Leechburg business after Christmas vandalism
The Leechburg community wasted no time rallying around a local business after it was vandalized late Dec. 25. Honeybee and Co. on Market Street has received monetary and product donations after the shop’s “Lovely Little Locker,” a donation cabinet filled with free hygiene items, was vandalized. Destiney Beatty, who co-owns...
Buffalo Township approves tax hike to rebuild reserves
Buffalo Township residents will see another bump in their property taxes next year after township supervisors opted to raise the township’s millage rate in their recently passed budget. It raises real estate taxes about 22%, from 13.5 mills to 16.5 mills. That means the owner of a property at the...
Pittsburgh police arrest woman for hitting puppy, sealing it in suitcase
Pittsburgh police arrested a “heavily intoxicated” woman on the North Side for stuffing a puppy into a suitcase and zipping the bag closed. Jayme White, 56, remained Monday in the Allegheny County Jail on $1,000 bail, court records show. Her home address was not listed in court records. Pittsburgh police...
Tree of Life gunman appeals death sentence, seeks new hearing
Nearly 2½ years after Robert Bowers was condemned to die for killing 11 worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue, his attorneys have appealed the death sentence and are seeking a new sentencing hearing. Bowers’ lawyers raised 16 claims throughout a nearly 500-page legal brief filed earlier this month with the 3rd...
Mark Madden: Steelers’ loss at Cleveland littered with ineptitude
If the Pittsburgh Steelers blow the AFC North championship and the playoffs by losing at home to Baltimore on Sunday, Mike Tomlin should be fired before he gets off the field. But it’s more likely Tomlin will sprint to the office of Art Rooney II and immediately sign a lucrative...
High winds, snow showers close out 2025 in Western Pa.
Thousands of residents were left without power Monday after a windstorm tore through the region, snapping tree limbs and forcing the early closure of the Westmoreland County Courthouse. The powerful system, which saw gusts peaking between 45 mph and 55 mph, left about 10,000 customers in the dark across Westmoreland...
So long 2025: Here are some events to ring in the New Year
Ready to put 2025 in the rearview mirror? New Year’s Eve is fast approaching, and it’s a great time to put on a fancy outfit, raise a glass and look forward to all of the good things 2026 will bring. If First Night isn’t for you, here are a few...
U.S. offers Ukraine 15-year security guarantee as part of peace plan, Zelenskyy says
KYIV, Ukraine — The United States is offering Ukraine security guarantees for a period of 15 years as part of a proposed peace plan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday, though he said he would prefer an American commitment of up to 50 years to deter Russia from further attempts...
Pennsylvania Turnpike reopens in New Stanton
The Pennsylvania Turnpike eastbound has reopened in New Stanton after a crash east of the Allegheny Tunnel. State police said a commercial vehicle rolled on its side shortly before 6 a.m. near mile 129 between the Somerset and Bedford interchanges, blocking all of the lanes. A California man lost control...
Steelers vs. Browns: What they’re saying in Cleveland after the win
The Pittsburgh Steelers fumbled an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot in their second faceoff against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday at Huntingdon Bank Field. The 13-6 final score fell in stark contrast to the Steelers’ 23-9 victory over the Browns at Acrisure Stadium in October. Steelers head coach Mike...
Notable people from Western Pennsylvania who died in 2025
While 2025 saw many bright spots and great moments, there were also many moments of darkness and sad farewells to beloved friends, neighbors and luminaries. It would be impossible to list all of the wonderful people who passed this year, but here are just a few whose lasting impact and...
Madden Monday: If Steelers lose to Ravens, Mike Tomlin ‘should be fired before he gets off the field’
With the AFC North on the line, the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) lost to the Cleveland Browns (4-12) by a final score of 13-6 on Sunday. It was a game the Steelers trailed 10-0 after one quarter of play and never managed to catch up. That’s despite the fact that Cleveland...
90-year-old artist paints portraits of caregivers who helped her recover at Plum retirement community
When a broken leg rendered Eva Lu Damianos mostly immobile in June, a whole team of nurses, aides and therapists assembled to get her back on her feet. Months later — now sauntering around with the help of a walker — Damianos, 90, has chosen to express her gratitude by...
