Top Stories category, Page 767
Air near Ohio derailment safe for residents to return home
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Evacuated residents can return to the Ohio village where crews burned toxic chemicals after a train derailed five days ago near the Pennsylvania state line now that monitors show no dangerous levels in the air, authorities said Wednesday. Around-the-clock testing inside and outside the evacuation zone...
Tarentum man on state sex offender list accused of fondling 12-year-old, sending inappropriate texts, photos
A Tarentum man who is a registered sex offender was charged by Allegheny County Police detectives with multiple felony counts after being accused of repeatedly sending text messages and photos to a 12-year-old and fondling the child. Scott James Mellon, 41, of the 500 block of Second Avenue was charged...
End of pandemic-era policy presents dilemmas for millions of Pa. Medicaid, CHIP recipients
For 3.6 million Pennsylvanians enrolled in Medicaid, the next few months will be a race against the clock to keep their health insurance coverage or a scramble to find a new option. During the pandemic, Pennsylvania and other states were able to continue Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)...
Death toll rises, rescues dwindle in earthquake aftermathVideo
ANTAKYA, Turkey — A teenager was pulled largely unscathed from beneath the rubble of a collapsed building in the Turkish city of Gaziantep early Friday, in a dramatic rescue that belied the reality that the chances of finding many more survivors four days after a catastrophic earthquake killed tens of...
Sen. John Fetterman hospitalized after feeling lightheaded, no evidence of a new stroke, spokesman says
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, the Pennsylvania Democrat who suffered a stroke during his campaign last year, was hospitalized Wednesday night after feeling lightheaded while attending a Senate Democratic retreat, his office said. Initial tests at George Washington University Hospital did not show evidence of a new stroke, Fetterman’s communications director,...
Remains found near Jefferson Hills trail identified as 19-year-old missing since November
Skeletal remains found a recreational trail in Jefferson Hills in early January have been identified as a man who had been missing since mid-November. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office late Wednesday identified the man as Dorian Serrano, 19. No hometown was given. On Jan. 2, police said they found...
Vigil held for slain McKeesport Officer Sean Sluganski, injured officer recovering
McKeesport community members and residents from surrounding towns joined in solace and a surprise celebration during a vigil for a fallen city police officer. More than 200 people packed the blue pavilion at Renziehausen Park on Wednesday night in remembrance of Officer Sean Sluganski. “This devastating tragedy to our city...
DA’s office withdraws notice to seek death penalty in 2019 officer slaying
Less than a month before trial is scheduled to start, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday withdrew its intent to seek the death penalty against a man accused of killing an off-duty Pittsburgh police officer in 2019. Christian Bey, 33, of Wilkinsburg, is scheduled to go to trial...
Florida school district pulls children’s book about Roberto Clemente off shelves
A large Florida school district has pulled an illustrated children’s biography of Pittsburgh Pirates legend Roberto Clemente off its shelves to determine whether it is “developmentally appropriate for student use.” Duval County Public Schools, which includes the city of Jacksonville, said in a news release it is “taking further steps...
Walmart shooting suspect pleads guilty to federal charges
EL PASO, Texas — A Texas man pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges accusing him of killing nearly two dozen people in a racist attack at an El Paso Walmart, changing his plea weeks after the U.S. government said it wouldn’t seek the death penalty for the hate crimes and...
Astronaut with North Allegheny roots set for space
Building a 21-foot-tall model rocket was certainly a sign that Woody Hoburg was destined for great things. So it’s no surprise that Dr. Warren “Woody” Hoburg, a 2004 North Allegheny graduate, will be one of four astronauts in NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 Mission to spend six months aboard the International Space...
Republican county executive candidate Joe Rockey pitches a ‘middle ground’ platform
Allegheny County Republicans have struggled in elections as of late, and one county executive candidate is hoping to turn the tide with a pitch that is inclusive to a broad swath of voters. Retired PNC chief risk officer Joe Rockey announced his campaign for Allegheny County executive at the Wyndham...
Funeral set for McKeesport police Officer Sean Sluganski
A funeral Mass for slain McKeesport police Officer Sean Sluganski will take place at noon Tuesday at St. Albert the Great Church in Baldwin, funeral home officials said. Visitation is noon to 8 p.m. Sunday and 2 to 9 p.m. Monday at John F. Slater Funeral Home, 4201 Brownsville Road...
Crisis training to prepare Pittsburgh retail, restaurant workers to deal with overdose, mental health issues
Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday unanimously voted to create a training program catered to restaurant and retail workers who want to learn how to handle people experiencing crises. Introduced by Councilwoman Deb Gross, D-Highland Park, the measure will create a training program through the city’s Office of Community Health and...
Lives of pregnant Penn-Trafford teacher, baby boy saved by school nurse, staff
Until two months ago, Penn-Trafford School District nurse Rhaeann Shepler had never performed CPR on a real person. Her first shot at it saved not one life but two. A little before 9 a.m. on a chilly Dec. 12 morning, Shepler sprang into action along with six of her co-workers...
Pittsburgh Carrick student fatally shot in Allentown neighborhood
A Pittsburgh Carrick High School student was fatally shot Tuesday night in the city’s Allentown neighborhood. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner identified the 15-year-old boy as Tre’Sean Jackson. “A quiet leader who cared deeply about his friends and family, Tre’sean was always willing to contribute to class, actively participating and...
Hope fading as deaths in Turkey, Syria quake pass 11,000
GAZIANTEP, Turkey — With hope fading to find survivors, stretched rescue teams toiled Wednesday in Turkey and Syria, searching for signs of life in the rubble of thousands of buildings toppled by a catastrophic earthquake. The death toll passed 11,000 in the deadliest quake worldwide in more than a decade....
Toxic gases connected to Ohio train derailment cause concern
Days after crews released and burned toxic chemicals transported by a wrecked train in Ohio, residents remain concerned about the toxic substances that could be lingering in their evacuated neighborhoods. About 50 cars, including 10 carrying hazardous materials, derailed in a fiery crash Friday in East Palestine, according to rail...
Morning Roundup: Fire station hit by car in Scott Township
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023: Driver crashes car into fire station in Scott A driver crashed a car into the Bower Fill fire station in Scott Township late Tuesday night, causing significant damage to the building and closing one of...
Arkansas Gov. Sanders slams Biden for ‘woke fantasies’
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders painted a dystopian portrait of the country in her rebuttal to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, leaning heavily into Republican culture war issues and accusing Biden of pursuing “woke fantasies.” Speaking from the governor’s mansion in...
Site prep work begins on senior housing project in Irwin
More than $1 million of site preparation work has started on a 50-unit senior citizen housing project in Irwin. Workers are removing a large swath of trees for the building to be constructed across from the Norwin Public Library and an access road for the Westmoreland County Housing Authority’s Grand...
Jeannette woman accused of trying to steal her own dog found not guilty of most charges
A Jeannette woman accused of robbery, theft and assault after she attempted to take back her own dog was found not guilty of most charges against her. Cynthia Finch, a 30-year-old mother and college student, described herself as the “victim” of the situation, in which her dog watcher apparently took...
In State of the Union, a feisty Biden calls for bipartisanshipVideo
WASHINGTON — In a State of the Union address that began as a bipartisan appeal, President Biden appeared combative and feisty at times as he sparred with Republicans over his legislative record, the federal deficit and border security. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., at one point tried to quiet hecklers...
Democrats sweep all 3 state House special elections, party to control chamber
The Democrats handily won in all three state House special elections Tuesday night, which will give them a majority in the House for the first time since 2010. The margin of representation would be 102 Democrats to 101 Republicans. According to unofficial returns from the Allegheny County Elections Division, the...
Allegheny County Police assisting Pittsburgh officers in patrolling Downtown
The Allegheny County Police Department is sending officers into Downtown Pittsburgh to assist an understaffed Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. Officials with the county police and Pittsburgh’s public safety department confirmed that county police began assisting in the Downtown area Monday. Allegheny County uniformed police officers in marked cars will be...
