Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 8
Judge blocks U.S. government from slimming down vaccine recommendations
A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked federal health officials from cutting the number of vaccines recommended for every child, and said U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. likely violated federal procedures in revamping a key vaccine advisory committee. The decision halted an order by Kennedy — announced in...
Acme pair charged with murder after toddler dies of methamphetamine overdose
Two Acme residents are facing third-degree murder charges after a 15-month-old child died from a methamphetamine overdose in a home investigators found was freezing and filled with waste. Michael Blasser, 34, and Ashley Makarsky, 31, were arraigned Monday on charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment. The charges stem...
UPMC warns embattled data exchange Health Gorilla may have improperly pulled patient records
UPMC says its medical records may have been improperly accessed by Health Gorilla, a patient data gatekeeper accused in federal court of mismanaging sensitive information. Health Gorilla requested data “under the pretext of providing treatment to shared UPMC patients and claimed it had permission to do so,” according to a...
Allegheny YMCA reopens on North Side after $26M renovation
Crowds were eager to get a glimpse of the newly renovated Allegheny YMCA on Pittsburgh’s North Side on Monday. The historic 1926 facility at 600 W. North Ave. opened to excited patrons before dawn, following a $26 million, yearlong renovation. “It’s gorgeous,” said Linda Scott, membership services coordinator. “We’re getting...
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has breast cancer but will keep working through treatment
WASHINGTON — White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer but plans to continue working through her treatment, retaining her place as one of President Donald Trump’s closest aides during a period of political turbulence. Wiles, 68, announced on Monday that she had...
Heinz Endowments to help fund Pittsburgh’s controversial 25-year master plan
A controversial master plan meant to guide Pittsburgh’s zoning policies through 2050 will get funding from a local foundation, saving taxpayers from footing the entire bill. Mayor Corey O’Connor on Monday announced The Heinz Endowments, partnering with The Pittsburgh Foundation, will provide $750,000 for the multimillion-dollar project. “It’s important that...
Canonsburg’s Coen Markets eyes sale to U.K.-based convenience store giant
Canonsburg-based Coen Markets could soon be part of a convenience store empire. Coen’s 50-plus stores in and around Southwestern Pennsylvania are being acquired by United Kingdom- based EG Group, the companies announced Thursday. EG Group owns more than 1,500 U.S. convenience stores across 10 brands, including Turkey Hill, Minit Mart and...
Citizens Live at the Wylie announces opening lineup, including Wiz Khalifa as 1st show
Wiz Khalifa will headline the first show at Citizens Live at the Wylie later this year. The Pittsburgh-raised rapper will perform on Oct. 2 at Pittsburgh’s newest music spot, as Live Nation on Monday announced the initial lineup for the Lower Hill District venue. The music acts represent a wide...
Tricky negotiations begin Monday to renew a trade pact between the United States, Mexico and Canada
WASHINGTON — Every day more than $4 billion worth of goods cross the United States’ borders with Canada and Mexico — U.S. auto parts headed for car factories in northern Mexico, cartons of Mexican avocados bound for California supermarkets, Canadian aluminum destined to become cans of Campbell Soup. Much of...
College of 2nd chances: Professor who has taught at CCAC since it opened reflects on 60-year tenureVideo
Microbiology professor Francis Maxin has taught at Community College of Allegheny County since it opened its doors 60 years ago. He has no plans to retire anytime soon. “How can I retire? The college can’t afford my retirement present,” Maxin joked. “I want a BMW with a heated steering wheel.”...
2 former Westmoreland coroners back on the county payroll
Westmoreland County’s last two elected coroners are back on the payroll. Former Coroner Tim Carson started this month in a newly created human services position to serve as coordinator of the county’s opioid prevention program. Meanwhile, current Coroner John Ackerman — who ousted Carson in last year’s Republican primary and...
More damaging wind gusts possible ahead of 1-day cold snap
After being buffeted by winds that knocked out power for thousands this weekend, the Pittsburgh area is expected to get blasted again Monday followed by a one-day cold snap this week. A wind advisory began at midnight and is expected to end at 11 a.m. Monday for Western Pennsylvania. Winds...
St. Patrick’s Day is 1 of several times when sobriety checkpoints, roving DUI patrols are activated
If Castle Shannon police don’t make any arrests during a sobriety checkpoint, Chief Ken Truver won’t be upset. “We don’t want to do the enforcement. We will, but we don’t want to,” he said. “This campaign is all about educating the public and doing the safe and responsible thing.” Greensburg...
TV Talk: Winning host Conan O’Brien keeps Oscars moving
In his second consecutive year as Oscars host, Conan O’Brien proved his first time was no fluke. If O’Brien is to become the new Billy Crystal of the Academy Awards, that’s A-OK. Although a post-telecast bit naming him “Oscars Host for Life” ends with O’Brien being gassed (like the ending...
CEOs of top airlines demand Congress restore funding to Homeland Security and pay airport workers
NEW YORK — The CEOs of the nation’s top airline companies, including American, Delta, Southwest and JetBlue, are imploring Congress to restore funding to the Department of Homeland Security and embrace a bipartisan solution to pay federal aviation workers including airport security officers during the partial government shutdown. “Once again,...
6 arrested, officer hurt after confrontation at West Mifflin protest
Six people were arrested Sunday after a confrontation broke out at a protest near Kennywood Park in West Mifflin. Friends and family of Terrel “TJ” Byars Jr. were holding a protest that began at the Duquesne Police Department on South Second Street shortly after 1 p.m. and was planned to...
Snow, wind batter parts of U.S., with threat of thunderstorms and tornadoes starting later SundayVideo
CHICAGO — A broad and erratic patchwork of severe weather rumbled across much of the U.S. on Sunday, dumping heavy snow and making roads impassable in the Upper Midwest while damaging wind swept across the Plains. Hawaii also continues to be affected by severe flooding. And portions of the mid-South...
Josh Shapiro doesn’t take Bill Maher’s ‘bait’ about presidential bidVideo
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was cagey Friday night about his presidential aspirations in an appearance on “Real Time with Bill Maher, ” but he spoke like someone who has his eyes set on 2028. “What is the story with always writing a book when you’re running for president?” Maher asked...
Butler woman found after running away from 3-vehicle, wrong-way crash on Fort Duquesne Bridge, state police say
A woman ran away after being involved in a wrong-way crash Saturday morning on the Fort Duquesne Bridge in Pittsburgh, according to state police. State police said Pittsburgh officers found Lindsay K. Kleeman, 41, of Butler near the 31st Street Bridge six to seven hours after the 6:30 a.m. crash....
Analysis: 2 weeks into war with Iran, Trump has been knocked back on his political heels
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — In the two weeks since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran, President Donald Trump increasingly has been knocked on his political heels. He’s grown more agitated with news coverage and has failed to find a way to explain why he started the war...
Wind gusts to continue today; cold front approaches
Strong winds will continue in the Pittsburgh area on Sunday, the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh said, with gusts reaching around 40 mph by the evening. Areas north of city, including Cranberry, could see gusts of around 45 mph. The NWS issued a wind advisory for Pennsylvania ridges and the...
1 hurt in shooting on PRT bus near Homewood Station
A person was shot while inside a Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus on Saturday evening. The shooting took place just before 5 p.m. in a P1 bus near the Homewood Station on the East Busway, as reported by TribLive news partner WTAE. The victim was transported to the hospital and was...
Duquesne Light, West Penn Power report progress in restoring electric service
Duquesne Light and West Penn Power crews were continuing to make progress Sunday night on restoring electric service to customers who have lost power because of damaging wind since Friday night. As of about 11 p.m. Sunday, about 23,250 households in the Pittsburgh area had power outages. That was down...
Partiers pack South Side after St. Patrick’s Day parade, but mayhem stays away
Pittsburgh police bulked up foot patrols Saturday night in the city’s South Side as they braced for St. Patrick’s Day parade revelers to migrate from Downtown to pack the dozens of bars that line East Carson Street. But the holiday-weekend chaos never arrived. “You definitely got the sense that, when...
Indiana County man charged with terroristic threats at St. Patrick’s Day Parade
A man from Indiana County was arrested during Indiana Borough’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade and charged with terroristic threats and disorderly conduct. Chase Joshua Mansfield, 18, was taken into custody in the 600 block of Philadelphia Street by Indiana Borough Police officers on Saturday after witnesses told police they heard...
