Top Stories category, Page 777
NASA marks 20 years since space shuttle Columbia disaster
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA marked the 20th anniversary of the space shuttle Columbia tragedy with somber ceremonies and remembrances during its annual tribute to fallen astronauts on Thursday. More than 100 people gathered under a gray sky at Kennedy Space Center to remember not only Columbia’s crew of seven,...
Police: Wanted man arrested after pulling stolen gun on couple arguing outside Harmar motel room
Harmar police accused a convicted felon who is not allowed to possess a gun with pulling a stolen pistol on a couple who were arguing outside their motel room at 2 a.m. Police said the gun had been altered to fire like a machine gun. Vincent Johnson III, 22, of...
New Kensington police arrest wanted man found sleeping in car with loaded pistol on seat
New Kensington police arrested a man on a felony charge after an officer said he found him sleeping in a running car with a loaded pistol on the seat. Jermaine Landell Jett, 23, of Harrison was charged with a felony count of carrying a firearm without a license along with...
Sheetz reviewing ‘smile policy’ that says employees can’t have visible dental issues
If you need to have a little dental work done, and want to take a job to help save some cash for that, Sheetz would not be the place to apply. At least not right now. According to a recent report, the popular convenience store and gas station has a...
Victim in Parkway East crash near turnpike early Thursday has been identified
A passenger in a van was killed Thursday morning in a crash on the Parkway East in Monroeville, according to state police. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as Fannie Stoltzfus, 84, of Romulus. The van was traveling near the on-ramp for the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Troopers said...
Snow bands could impact evening commute in W.Pa. region
The Western Pennsylvania region can expect about an inch or two of accumulated snow from an incoming trough of lower pressure this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh. Meteorologist Myranda Fullerton said the region should expect possible snow bands starting this afternoon about 1 and lasting until...
NTSB releases new Fern Hollow Bridge data; still no cause of collapse
Federal investigators on Thursday released more than 2,000 pages of records they have examined as part of their investigation into the collapse of Pittsburgh’s Fern Hollow Bridge nearly a year ago, but many critical details, such as the cause of the catastrophic failure, remain undisclosed. The update, which includes only...
Penn Hills officials welcome 10 new police officers, all full-time
Penn Hills officials welcomed new police officers to the municipality when Mayor Pauline Calabrese swore in 10 full-time patrolmen and women at the Jan. 23 council meeting. “This is such a tremendous evening,” Calabrese said. “I’m so proud of seeing you all stand here, and we are so grateful and...
How classified documents became a Franklin Park schoolgirl’s show-and-tell
WASHINGTON — On a winter’s day in 1984, a briefcase stuffed with classified government documents showed up in a building in Pittsburgh, borne by someone who most certainly wasn’t supposed to have them. That someone was 13-year-old Kristin Preble. She took the papers to school as a show-and-tell project for...
Morning Roundup: Pa. Game Commission brings back black bear livestreams
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023: Pennsylvania Game Commission announces wildlife livestreams Ever wonder what a bear does in the woods? Now you can know. The Pennsylvania Game Commission has reintroduced its 24-hour black bear webcam for the first time since...
Latrobe couple to serve probation for helping juvenile group home runaway
A Latrobe couple has been ordered to serve probation for assisting a 17-year-old runaway from a juvenile group home in 2021. Eric L. Mallin, 52, and his wife, Michele, were charged with corruption of a minor based on accusations they gave the teen a place to stay before they drove...
Some local medical experts split on benefits of yearly covid shot
Federal health officials want to simplify covid-19 vaccinations and make the procedure similar to an annual flu shot. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday floated the idea of allowing most adults and children to get a yearly shot to protect against the mutating virus. Local medical experts had...
DA: 5 Memphis cops ‘all responsible’ for Tyre Nichols’ deathVideo
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Five fired Memphis police officers were charged Thursday with murder and other crimes in the killing of Tyre Nichols, a Black motorist who died three days after a confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop. Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy told a news conference that...
Charges against Leetsdale councilman withdrawn due to ‘improperly filed’ complaint
Charges filed against Leetsdale councilman Wesley James were withdrawn Jan. 25 at a preliminary hearing in Forest Hills. Mayor Sandra Ford had accused James of disorderly conduct and harassment in connection with an incident at a council workshop meeting Nov. 3. She filed a private criminal complaint at the office...
Duquesne men’s hoops game interrupted by apparent food delivery attempt
Following Duquesne’s 72-58 comeback win over Loyola Chicago on Wednesday evening at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, coach Keith Dambrot and his players might have to give credit to an unlikely source for sparking their rally. With 16:10 to play during the second half between the Dukes and Ramblers, officials stopped play...
Winter storm rips into mobile home, topples trees, wires in Derry Township
Wednesday’s winter storm ripped through Derry Township during the afternoon hours, toppling trees and utility lines and damaging buildings. Areas of the township were pummeled by high winds roaring down from Derry Ridge to the east, said Bradenville Fire Chief Mark Piantine. “We had a lot of trees and wires...
Questions persist on source of George Santos campaign fundsVideo
NEW YORK — Of all the questions swirling around U.S. Rep. George Santos, one of the most serious has been how he amassed the personal fortune he claimed to have used to finance his campaign. The Republican fabulist filed new campaign finance reports this week that only elevated the confusion...
Greensburg police chief’s arrest shocks community
Federal drug charges filed against Greensburg police Chief Shawn Denning caught community members by surprise Wednesday. Westmoreland County Park police Chief Henry Fontana, who worked 22 years as a Greensburg police officer and detective, had no indication Denning was being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. “I’m as shocked as...
Donald Trump reinstated to Facebook after 2-year ban
Facebook parent Meta is reinstating former President Donald Trump’s personal account after a two-year suspension following the Jan. 6 insurrection. The company said in a blog post Wednesday it is adding “new guardrails” to ensure there are no “repeat offenders” who violate its rules. “In the event that Mr. Trump...
Police: 2 juveniles recovering after being shot in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood
Pittsburgh police are investigating the shooting of two juvenile boys in the city’s Homewood neighborhood. Public Safety spokeswoman Amanda Mueller said officers were dispatched at about 11:15 p.m. Tuesday for a Shotspotter alert along the 7200 block of Susquehanna Street. First responders located two boys who had been shot in...
Graham Spanier’s on-campus book event at Penn State canceled because of wintry weather
A scheduled on-campus appearance by former Penn State President Graham Spanier was canceled Wednesday after the university canceled classes and some school activities because of wintry weather. Spanier had planned to promote his book, “In the Lion’s Den: The Penn State Scandal and a Rush to Judgment,” in an appearance...
Pittsburgh City Council nixes plans for curfew enforcement to combat youth violence
Pittsburgh City Council has nixed a proposal to ramp up enforcement of the city’s curfew for minors. Council members, however, say they remain committed to opening 24-hour resource centers geared toward the city’s youth to try to curb an increase in violence in Pittsburgh. Council President Theresa Kail-Smith, D-West End,...
$2 ticket surcharge at planned entertainment venue would support Hill District revitalization
A portion of all tickets sold at a planned entertainment venue on Pittsburgh’s former Civic Arena site will go toward revitalizing the Hill District. Plans to develop the 4,600-seat entertainment venue, along with a six-story parking garage, retail space and a public safety station, on the former arena site in...
Pennsylvania passes ‘forever chemicals’ drinking water limit
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania has enacted a statewide drinking water limit on two forms of highly toxic chemicals, nicknamed “forever chemicals.” The rule, published earlier this month in the official register of state government agency actions, sets a limit of 14 parts per trillion for perfluorooctanoic acid and 18 parts per...
Morning Roundup: Pittsburgh detectives look for missing 72-year-old
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023: Pittsburgh detectives seek missing 72-year-old Detectives with the Pittsburgh police Special Victims Unit are asking for the public’s help in locating a missing 72-year-old man. Melvin Wilson was last seen at 4:10 p.m. Tuesday in...
