Top Stories category, Page 753
Death of Penn Hills couple treated as murder-suicide, police say
The identities of the Penn Hills couple who were found dead Tuesday in what police are calling a murder-suicide were released Wednesday by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner. Thomas Washington Sr., 63, and Rosemary Washington, 62, were found inside their home in the 100 block of Conestoga Road when Penn...
Greek stationmaster arrested in head-on train crash; 36 deadVideo
TEMPE, Greece — Rescuers searched for survivors Wednesday in the mangled, burned-out wreckage of two trains that slammed into each other in northern Greece, killing at least 43 people and crumpling carriages into twisted steel knots in the country’s worst-ever rail crash. The impact just before midnight Tuesday threw some...
Kevin McCarthy defends giving Tucker Carlson Jan. 6 trove accessVideo
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is defending his decision to give Fox News’ Tucker Carlson “exclusive” access to Jan. 6 security footage of the Capitol attack, despite the conservative commentator’s own work raising false claims and conspiracy theories about the 2021 riot over Joe Biden’s election. McCarthy vowed Tuesday...
2nd man arrested in killing of Dravosburg man in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh police have arrested a second person in connection with the January murder of a man in the city’s Elliott section. Deonte Kidd, 28, of Perry South, is charged with hindering apprehension, destroying or concealing evidence, abuse of a corpse, tampering with or destroying physical evidence and two counts of...
Bushy Run reenactment debate headed to Harrisburg
The battle over Bushy Run’s annual reenactment is coming to a head Wednesday morning in Harrisburg. There, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission members plan to vote on the future of force-on-force reenactments at PHMC sites, including Bushy Run Battlefield in Penn Township. PHMC’s staff previously decided to halt such reenactments,...
Man gets 1 to 2 years for fatal 2019 crash on Tri-Boro Expressway
The night William Guyaux was killed, he had been grieving the death of a friend. Both he and Edward Wharton, 60, were out drinking the evening of Oct. 20, 2019, in Wilmerding and Monroeville. Both men were drunk, said defense attorney Patrick Thomassey, and it was Guyaux who asked Wharton...
Missing Clairton teen was shot to death, medical examiner says
A Clairton teenager missing and last seen in June was shot and killed, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said Tuesday. Dorian Serrano, 18, died of a gunshot wound, the medical examiner’s office said. The manner of death was ruled a homicide. Police said Serrano was last seen June 14,...
District classes to be canceled or held virtually as Belle Vernon hosts young student’s funeral
Classes at Belle Vernon Area’s Marion Elementary School will not be in session Wednesday, as the community gathers to bid farewell to one of the school’s young students. Instruction will be provided remotely that day for students at other district schools — including the high school, where a funeral service...
McKeesport gives police $3K bonuses in aftermath of Sean Sluganski’s death
McKeesport issued $3,000 bonuses to city police officers Friday, nearly three weeks after the shooting death of city Officer Sean Sluganski. McKeesport solicitor Jason Elash said Mayor Michael Cherepko authorized the payments to compensate officers for lost overtime and court pay while the department was shut down for two weeks...
Pennsylvania unseals search warrant in Idaho killings
STROUDSBURG, Pa. — Law enforcement officials seized dark clothing, medical gloves, a flashlight and other items from a Pennsylvania home where they arrested a graduate student charged with stabbing four University of Idaho students to death, according to newly unsealed court documents. The records were made public Tuesday, two months...
Historically mild February leaves Pittsburgh region with barely a trace of snow
February did not make Pittsburgh shiver. Generally, February is the region’s second snowiest month of the year. Not this year. Just 0.2 inches of snow accumulated over February in the Pittsburgh region. With highs reaching above 50 degrees Tuesday, the month ended as the least snowy February in Pittsburgh history,...
‘So blessed to be alive’: A week after collapsing at Pirate City, Ernie Withers throws 1st pitch
BRADENTON, Fla. — One week after going into cardiac arrest and requiring CPR at Pirate City, Ernie Withers threw the ceremonial first pitch to the doctor who saved his life. Wearing a black Pittsburgh Pirates jersey, Withers tossed the ball Tuesday at LECOM Park to Pirates medical director Dr. Patrick...
EPA opens office near site of Ohio toxic train derailment
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday he doesn’t want any stigmas attached to the Ohio community where a train derailed and spewed toxic gases three weeks ago and that he’s pushing the railroad to clean up the mess as fast as possible....
McClinton voted Pa. speaker; first Black woman to win post
Philadelphia state Rep. Joanna McClinton on Tuesday became the first woman to serve as speaker of the Pennsylvania House, ascending to the chamber’s top position on the strength of a fresh one-vote Democratic majority. The leadership reshuffling came nearly two months after Rep. Mark Rozzi, a Berks County Democrat, became...
Joanna McClinton elected first female speaker of the Pa. House as Mark Rozzi steps down
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. HARRISBURG — Democrat Joanna McClinton was elected the first female speaker of the Pennsylvania House on Tuesday after Mark Rozzi stepped...
Proposed Cheswick trail taking steps toward reality
Plans for a proposed trail in Cheswick are expected to step off by April. Friends of the Riverfront will use input from a public hearing in early February to make final revisions to the borough’s trail segment. Designs are expected to be ready for review in April. About 40 people...
State System universities propose $56.5M in scholarships to ease Pa. teacher shortage
With Gov. Josh Shapiro a week out from submitting his first proposed Commonwealth budget, the State System of Higher Education has unveiled a plan to address Pennsylvania’s worsening teaching shortage that would use some of those funds. The State System is asking to channel $56.5 million for direct financial aid...
Supreme Court appears ready to reject student loan forgivenessVideo
WASHINGTON — Conservative justices holding the Supreme Court’s majority seem ready to sink President Joe Biden’s plan to wipe away or reduce student loans held by millions of Americans. In arguments lasting more than three hours Tuesday, Chief Justice John Roberts led his conservative colleagues in questioning the administration’s authority...
Spirit flights to Myrtle Beach from Arnold Palmer airport to resume early
Flights on Spirit Airlines from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity to Myrtle Beach International Airport are scheduled to resume May 5, about a month sooner than expected. “We are hoping that this flight starting back up is the beginning of something big,” said Gabe Monzo, executive director of the...
Vigil speakers recall spirit of 6-year-old North Belle Vernon girl fatally injured by car
Two tents couldn’t contain the large group of friends and supporters who gathered Monday evening outside First Presbyterian Church in Rostraver to remember a 6-year-old girl from North Belle Vernon who was struck by a car and fatally injured while heading to catch her school bus Friday morning. Amanda Woznick...
Pa. Senate panel learns there’s little the state can do to implement own railway rules
In light of the disastrous train derailment near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border earlier this month, the Pa. Senate Transportation Committee held a hearing Monday on railroad regulations — or, in many ways, the lack thereof. The hearing — spurred by the Feb. 3 East Palestine incident that spilled thousands of gallons...
Pa. drug task force agents, McKees Rocks officer exchange gunfire with suspects in Stowe
People who were in a vehicle being followed by an unmarked state drug task force vehicle stopped and exchanged gunfire with authorities Monday afternoon in Stowe, then fled and shot at another law enforcement vehicle, police said. Agents with the state Attorney General Narcotics Task force were following the vehicle...
Missing Pittsburgh man found dead
A Pittsburgh man missing since Feb. 14 has been found dead, police said. The body of Nathanael Williams, 23, was located, according to a Pittsburgh Police tweet Monday. Information such as where he was found and what may have caused his death were not released. UPDATE: Nathanael Williams has been...
John Fetterman ‘on path to recovery,’ will be out for more weeks
WASHINGTON — A spokesman for Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman says the Democrat is “on a path to recovery” after checking himself into a hospital for clinical depression earlier this month, and he is still expected to be away from the Senate for several weeks. “We understand the intense interest in...
Rupert Murdoch knew Fox News hosts endorsed false election fraud claims, depositions showVideo
NEW YORK — New court documents show that Rupert Murdoch and his top lieutenants at Fox News were aware that former President Trump’s claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election were false, but agreed to give them continued coverage in an effort to keep its unhappy viewers from fleeing....
