Top Stories category, Page 769
Pure Imagination nightclub planned for Irwin, council OKs liquor license transfer
The owner of an Irwin candy and gift basket store cleared one hurdle Wednesday in his plans to sell alcohol at a nightclub he wants to open off an alley in the borough’s downtown business district. Some Irwin Council members objected to the backstreet location of the nightclub. However, council...
FBI tested by attacks, politically explosive investigations
WASHINGTON — Three days after federal agents searched former President Donald Trump’s Florida home for classified documents, FBI Director Christopher Wray emailed his workforce urging them to tune out criticism from those who “don’t know what we know and don’t see what we see.” The work was done by the...
As bourbon booms, thirst for rare brands breeds shenanigans
SALEM, Ore. — Buttery, smooth, oaky. These are characteristics of the best bourbons, and a growing cult of aficionados is willing to pay an astonishing amount of money for these increasingly scarce premium American spirits — and even bend or break laws. Premium spirits have always been expensive and sought-after....
Morning Roundup: Picklesburgh dates announced
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, March 8, 2023: Dates announced for Picklesburgh 2023 The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership has announced the dates for the city’s annual ode to all things pickled. The Picklesburgh festival will be held Downtown from July 21 to 23 —...
2 men killed in shooting at Uniontown tavern
Two men were shot to death at a Uniontown tavern early Wednesday, authorities said. The shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. at the Elias Sails Inn in the 200 block of North Gallatin Avenue, according to a 911 dispatcher. Police identified the victims as Darrell Gregg, 32, and Tommy Stargell Jr.,...
Westmoreland airport ‘waiting for everything to shake out’ as feds try to block Spirit, JetBlue merger
At Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, there’s little to do but wait and see how things play out as its only commercial carrier gets swept into Justice Department turbulence. The Biden administration Tuesday sued to block JetBlue Airways’ $3.8 billion purchase of Spirit Airlines, saying the deal would reduce competition and...
Mother of suicide victim files wrongful death lawsuit against Washington Township, 2 officers
The mother of a 25-year-old man who took his own life in 2021 filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit accusing two Washington Township police officers of ignoring signs that her son wanted to harm himself when they arrested him on suspicion of DUI. Instead of arranging for medical and mental...
Oakmont officials select Parkview EMS as borough’s new ambulance service
Oakmont has a new ambulance service provider. Council unanimously voted at a special meeting Tuesday night to part ways with Lower Valley Ambulance Service in favor of O’Hara-based Parkview EMS. Oakmont will pay Parkview $50,000 annually for services and allocate an additional $50,000 annually toward ambulance purchases, which are expected...
Union H.S. basketball coach reignites public vs. private debate with postgame commentsVideo
Union basketball coach Mark Stanley said he wasn’t trying to spark a firestorm with his critical comments at the WPIAL finals but instead shared out loud thoughts other public school coaches keep to themselves. Moments after losing to Imani Christian in the WPIAL Class A boys championship, Stanley said it...
State university scholarship initiative not included in Shapiro’s budget, nor is aid sought to freeze tuition
Leaders of Pennsylvania’s state-owned universities said boosting Commonwealth funding by 3.8% to $573.5 million would enable them to consider freezing tuition across the 85,000-student system for a fifth straight year this fall. But when Gov. Josh Shapiro on Tuesday unveiled his proposed state budget for 2023-24, he included about half...
Fox Chairman Rupert Murdoch in filings says 2020 election ‘not stolen’
NEW YORK — Fox Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch said under oath that he believes the 2020 presidential election was free, fair and not stolen, according to court filings released Tuesday in a voting machine company’s defamation lawsuit over Fox News’ coverage of former President Donald Trump’s false election fraud claims....
Safety agency opens probe of Norfolk Southern rail accidents
OMAHA, Neb. — Federal investigators are opening a wide-ranging investigation into one of the nation’s biggest railroads following a fiery derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border last month and several other accidents involving Norfolk Southern, including the death of a train conductor Tuesday. The National Transportation Safety Board said on Tuesday...
Pittsburgh to improve pedestrian safety near 3 elementary schools
Shannon Peterson drives his 6-year-old son Shannon Peterson Jr. to and from school every day so the boy doesn’t have to walk a dangerous route to his elementary school. The Petersons live close enough to Arlington PreK-8 in Pittsburgh’s Arlington neighborhood that the school is well within walking distance, but...
Monessen school board: Penguins’ offer to pay for girls basketball team bus appreciated, not necessary
Efforts to pay for a charter bus to transport the Monessen girls basketball team to a PIAA playoff game — a movement that included the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation offering to foot the bill — were appreciated but not necessary, the district solicitor said at the Monessen school board meeting Tuesday...
Pittsburgh man charged in theft of church bell
A Pittsburgh man faces criminal charges in connection with the theft of a 1,000-pound church bell. Matthew Pistelli, 54, was arrested Monday night by Pittsburgh police plainclothes detectives in connection with the Feb. 12 theft of the bell from Turner Cemetery in the Squirrel Hill/Greenfield area. Pistelli faces charges of...
Water issue closes Pittsburgh zoo, but it should reopen Wednesday
The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium closed Tuesday because of what it described as a water issue, but the facility is expecting to reopen to guests Wednesday, officials said. The issue was located outside of zoo grounds but was impacting the zoo with “intermittent service,” said Alex Cauley, the zoo’s public...
Shapiro’s $44.4B budget pitch keeps Pa. spending relatively flat, preserves some pandemic benefits
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 — In his first budget proposal as Pennsylvania’s chief executive, Gov. Josh Shapiro is calling for $1 billion in new...
Lawsuit: Western Psych staff mistook nurse’s disabilities, injected him with antipsychotic meds
A former charge nurse at Pittsburgh’s Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic has filed a lawsuit alleging that colleagues mistook symptoms of his disabilities for substance abuse and injected him with an antipsychotic medication before trying to have him involuntarily committed. Aaron Diamond, now of Lehigh County, had worked as a...
Goodwill to end use of plastic bags in Southwestern Pa.
Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania is joining the plastic bag ban. The regional nonprofit chain of 34 Goodwill thrift stores will eliminate the use of plastic shopping bags later this month. Shoppers are encouraged to use a free box from the store, bring their own reusable bag, or buy a Goodwill...
U.S. sues to block JetBlue from buying Spirit Airlines
The Biden administration sued on Tuesday to block JetBlue Airways’ $3.8 billion purchase of Spirit Airlines, saying the deal would reduce competition and drive up air fares for consumers. The Justice Department said the tie-up would especially hurt cost-conscious travelers who depend on Spirit to find cheaper options than they...
2 Americans dead, 2 rescued from violent Mexico kidnapping
CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico —A road trip to Mexico for cosmetic surgery ended with two Americans dead — and two others found alive in a rural area near the Gulf coast — after a violent shootout and abduction that was captured on video, officials said Tuesday. The surviving Americans were back...
Pittsburgh’s police officers ratify contract with raises, new disciplinary structure
The union representing Pittsburgh’s police officers has ratified a contract with the city that includes pay increases and a new structure for disciplining officers, officials said Tuesday. Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said rank-and-file officers voted Monday night to approve the deal by a vote of 572 to 13. The head...
Springdale power plant property could be rezoned residential
Riverfront property in Springdale could look vastly different if council moves forward with a proposal to rezone a coveted piece of land. The partially dismantled Cheswick Generating Station, which is on 56 acres and includes an adjoining 27-acre parcel, will be the focus of discussion during a meeting Wednesday of...
Leechburg fire chief hopes to improve safety rating by replacing old equipment
Sometimes less is more. Especially when it comes to ISO fire safety ratings. Leechburg Volunteer Fire Company Chief John Foster hopes to reduce the company’s Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating from a 6 to a lower number, after receiving a one-point increase during the last ISO inspection in 2020. The...
16 Pa. GOP female lawmakers call on Democratic Rep. Mike Zabel accused of sexual harassment to resign
Pressure continues to mount on a Delaware County Democratic Rep. Mike Zabel to resign in the wake of the sexual harassment accusations leveled against him with the latest call for him to step down coming from a group of 16 House Republican lawmakers. In a letter sent on Monday to...
