Top Stories category, Page 744
How Washington came to rescue U.S. banks
WASHINGTON — After the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters started furiously working the phones to find out what was going on with the failed lender — and what would happen to its panicked depositors. Waters, former chair of the House Financial Services Committee, had...
Westmoreland to bank another $26 million from 2nd opioid lawsuit settlement
Westmoreland County is expected to receive another $26 million as part of a national settlement of opioid lawsuits, officials said Tuesday. Pennsylvania so far has secured about $2.2 billion in payments that resolved litigation against drug manufacturers and distributors accused of spreading opioid abuse throughout the United States. The county,...
Pa.’s ‘Most Wanted’: How do Pennsylvania State Police decide who makes the list?
Five are wanted for killing or trying to kill someone. One, a suspected rapist, police have been trying to apprehend since 1998. Police say they’ve committed crimes against people in the commonwealth’s biggest cities, as well as in small towns like Meadville or in suburban Chester County. And now they...
You can win your March Madness office pool by following these easy tips. No, really, you can
There’s a trope that gets trotted out this time of year that goes something like this: Why am I laboring over my March Madness office pool picks when it’s probably going to be won by a receptionist who makes her selections based on whose uniform is prettier or whose mascot...
Residents can track rotten egg smell in Allegheny County
On certain days, residents in some Pittsburgh neighborhoods and outlying municipalities can often smell a rotten-egg odor, but they might not have known where it was coming from or how prevalent it was. The Allegheny County Health Department announced Tuesday it will now offer publicly trackable information about how much...
Ohio sues Norfolk Southern over toxic train derailment
Ohio filed a lawsuit against railroad Norfolk Southern to make sure it pays for the cleanup and environmental damage caused by a fiery train derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border last month, the state’s attorney general said Tuesday. The federal lawsuit also seeks to force the company to pay for groundwater...
Trial begins in shooting death of off-duty Pittsburgh Police officer Calvin Hall
Deputy District Attorney Stephie Ramaley told the jurors in her opening statement Tuesday to focus their attention on evidence against the man charged with homicide — not the man who was killed. “Calvin Hall is not on trial in this case,” she said. “You will hear no evidence that Calvin...
U.S.: Russian fighter jet hits American drone over Black Sea
KYIV, Ukraine — A Russian fighter jet struck the propeller of a U.S. surveillance drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday in a “brazen violation of international law,” causing American forces to bring down the unmanned aerial vehicle, the U.S. said. Moscow said the U.S. drone maneuvered sharply and crashed...
Gainey calls on Pittsburgh businesses to fix gender pay gap
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey on Tuesday called on the city’s businesses to provide equal pay for men and women as he commemorated National Equal Pay Day. In a press conference held in the mayor’s office, Gainey joined female leaders of his administration and other women to advocate for closing the...
Invasive species are a ‘scourge’ in Pa., report says
Pennsylvania has been hit with a slew of invasive species over the years, from spotted lanternflies colonizing Pittsburgh bridges to emerald ash borers destroying the state’s timber stock. In a report released Monday, the Pennsylvania Governor’s Invasive Species Council recommends a statewide response to tackle the threat of invasive species,...
Westmoreland County judge withdraws from hearing election lawsuits
Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Harry Smail Jr. has recused himself from presiding over election challenges this spring. Smail, in a court order signed Monday, said his candidacy for a vacant seat on the Pennsylvania Superior Court created an appearance of potential impropriety and withdrew from hearing a lawsuit...
Biden says Jimmy Carter has asked him to deliver his eulogy
ATLANTA — President Joe Biden says he plans to deliver the eulogy at the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter, who remains under hospice care at his home in south Georgia. Biden told donors at a California fundraiser Monday evening about his “recent” visit to see the 39th president, whom...
Plans for Chipotle at Pittsburgh Mills inching forward
It shouldn’t be much longer before Chipotle fans can get their favorite Mexican food at the Village at Pittsburgh Mills. Frazer supervisors last month approved a land development plan by Cardinal Realty, which is eyeing property in the Lowe’s parking lot to build a free-standing restaurant. Chipotle Mexican Grill is...
Facebook parent Meta slashes another 10,000 jobs
Facebook parent Meta is slashing another 10,000 jobs and will not fill 5,000 open positions as the social media pioneer cuts costs. The company said Tuesday it will reduce the size of its recruiting team and make further cuts in its tech groups in late April, and then its business...
Morning Roundup: Penn Hills infant’s cause of death revealed
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, March 14, 2023: Penn Hills infant’s cause of death revealed A 7-month-old Penn Hills girl died of acute fentanyl toxicity in January, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. Zhuri Bogle died Jan. 14 in her Penn...
Fire guts Monroeville apartment complex; dozens left homeless
A large fire gutted an apartment complex early Tuesday in Monroeville. The blaze broke out just before 1 a.m. at the Cambridge Square Apartments in the 200 block of Cambridge Square Drive, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI. About 36 units were affected. Two people were treated on the scene,...
Harrison, Tarentum and Brackenridge to roll out Savvy Citizen alert system to keep residents informed
When a police manhunt unfolded Jan. 2 in Harrison, Tarentum and Brackenridge, residents were thirsty for information about what was happening. But there was no way of broadcasting real-time details, Tarentum Manager Dwight Boddorf said. That is going to change soon. The three municipalities are planning to launch a platform...
Norwin board rejects ban on book, despite board member’s objections
Norwin’s fifth grade students can read “Al Capone Does My Shirts” after the school board Monday deadlocked on an attempt to ban the book from the students’ supplemental reading curriculum. The board’s minority faction — Christine Baverso, Alex Detschelt, Shawna Ilagan and Robert Wayman — voted to remove it from...
Lack of workers, funding jeopardize day programs for people with autism, intellectual disabilities
Marjorie Bungard is one of the lucky ones. Her days at Community Living Care’s New Florence program mean regular socialization, an exercise routine and stops at the grocery store. Last week, she made a St. Patrick’s Day craft. “This is where most of my friends are,” she said. There are...
What went wrong: Pittsburgh experts explain failures of Silicon Valley, Signature banks
The federal shutdown of two banks is unique and not a symptom of a widespread problem, two Pittsburgh financial experts said. “I do think that this is more of a unique situation in banking and not an overall barometer for what’s happening in the tech world,” said Dave Mawhinney, executive...
Police: Beechview man charged with homicide after shooting
A 23-year-old Beechview man remained in jail Tuesday in connection with a fatal shooting along Banksville Road, Pittsburgh police said. Connor Cusick Makstutis, 23, is charged with homicide and is in the Allegheny County Jail, according to police. The man who was killed was identified as Richard William Derkach, 34,...
Former Pirates closer convicted of sex assault loses appeal in Superior Court
The state Superior Court on Monday affirmed the conviction of former Pittsburgh Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez, who was found guilty nearly two years ago of sexually assaulting a minor. Vazquez, 31, is serving a 2- to 4-year prison term at the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill after a jury...
New Pa. Lt. Gov. Austin Davis fires 2 employees touted as ‘success stories’
As one of his first official acts, Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis fired two employees who had been touted as prime examples of successful second chances. Davis, however, is refusing to take responsibility for the firings. Davis, a McKeesport native, fired George Trudel, 56, and Naomi Blount Wilson, 72, from...
Pitt events on gender issues draw criticism, but university says it’s committed to protecting free speech
A free expression-versus-hate speech quandary looms over planned events at the University of Pittsburgh that critics contend will “advance a platform of hate and transphobia.” Pitt, however, says the events must be allowed — even if some deem them offensive. A petition that has drawn more than 7,000 signatures is...
Mitch McConnell released from hospital, headed to inpatient rehab
WASHINGTON — Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was released from the hospital Monday after treatment for a concussion and will continue to recover in an inpatient rehabilitation facility, a spokesman said. McConnell’s office said his doctors discovered over the weekend that he had also suffered a “minor rib fracture” after...
