Top Stories category, Page 801
Franco Harris transcended football in retirement with array of business ventures, interests
Franco Harris never stopped running. From his gridiron glory days at Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mount Holly, N.J., to his Hall of Fame career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Harris became a larger-than-life sports hero. But he was more than just an athlete. After learning of his death Wednesday,...
Concrete falls from Downtown Pittsburgh building, police say
A piece of concrete fell from a building under construction in Downtown Pittsburgh on Friday and damaged a nearby building, Pittsburgh police said. The concrete piece was part of a building in the 650 block of Smithfield Street, police said. The extent of damage caused by the piece of concrete...
Lower Burrell police accuse woman of harassing neighbors, felony charge filed
A Lower Burrell woman was charged with a felony after police said they received multiple complaints that she was harassing her next-door neighbor. Shannan Lee Marie Dotto, 44, of the 7200 block of Guyer Road was charged by summons with felony and misdemeanor counts of stalking. She also was issued...
Franco Harris viewing to be held at Acrisure Stadium
Fans, friends and admirers wishing to pay their respects to the late Franco Harris and his family are welcome to attend a public viewing Tuesday at Acrisure Stadium. The viewing will be from 1-5 p.m. at the PNC Champions Club at Gate A, according to a posting by the Tatalovich...
Mt. Washington struggles with rise in car break-ins
After someone broke into Emily Shaheen’s Chevrolet Spark outside her Mt. Washington apartment around Thanksgiving, the marketing director and Point Park University alumnus didn’t fret much. After all, they mostly just scored some loose change. “I didn’t even bother going to the police because there was nothing they were going...
Spending a frigid Christmas Eve with the Steelers? Here’s what’s drawing fans to Acrisure Stadium
A frigid Christmas Eve in Acrisure Stadium will be “firsts” for some Pittsburgh Steelers fans. A 12-year-old boy will attend his first Steelers game. A devoted fan from Madagascar will go on her first blind date. A Lower Burrell insurance agent will wear a heated vest for the first time....
Rep. Conor Lamb reflects on Capitol riot and aftermath as he departs office
As U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb’s tenure comes to a close, he has not been able to shake the memory of the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. “On that day, it just felt like an attack on our country,” he said. The Democrat from Mt. Lebanon will be leaving office come...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Dec. 23-26
It’s Christmas weekend in Pittsburgh, and while there might not be much going on Saturday or Sunday, Friday and Monday offer some great entertainment options. Immaculate Reception 50th Anniversary Celebration Though some Immaculate Reception events have been canceled, others are set to go on as scheduled, including a gathering planned...
Winter storm brings frigid temps, high winds, snow to Western Pennsylvania
The major winter storm that moved through Western Pennsylvania on Friday, dropping temperature some 40 degrees, will keep the region in a deep freeze on Christmas Eve and on Christmas, the National Weather Service in Moon said. People are likely to wake up Christmas Eve morning to temperatures in the...
What Josh Shapiro’s transition team says about how he’ll govern, and why some picks are raising eyebrows
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 — The transition team helping Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro prepare for office is wide-ranging and, in some cases, controversial, offering a...
Buy Now, Pay Later options heat up during holiday season
Whether you’re shopping for tech deals on Amazon or indie crafts on Etsy, you probably noticed there are more options at checkout than just using a credit card. More retailers are using “Buy Now, Pay Later” platforms such as Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay and Paypal to spread out payments in installments....
Leet Zoning Hearing Board declines to appeal judge’s ruling regarding a proposed Quaker Valley High School
The Leet Township Zoning Hearing Board will not appeal an Allegheny County Common Pleas judge’s ruling on a proposed Quaker Valley High School. Its members decided in a 2-0 vote Thursday night to close the book on its part of the process in the school district’s pursuit of a new...
Jan. 6 panel releases report, describes Trump ‘conspiracy’
WASHINGTON — The House Jan. 6 committee’s final report asserts that Donald Trump criminally engaged in a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 presidential election and failed to act to stop his supporters from attacking the Capitol, concluding an extraordinary 18-month investigation into the former president...
Fire severely damages North Huntingdon home, pets die
A fire severely damaged a home at 231 Main St. in North Huntingdon early Thursday afternoon, but no people were hurt. Two dogs and two cats were in the home at the time of the fire, and one dog and one cat died. The other cat was still unaccounted for...
Pittsburgh officials urge residents to stay off roads, help neighbors as winter weather approaches
Pittsburgh officials on Thursday said they’re preparing for a weekend of winter weather with warming centers, extended hours at homeless shelters and overnight snow plowing and salting efforts. They urged residents to do their part by staying off the roads Friday if possible. “Our forecast is showing there’s going to...
Pittsburgh’s new Fern Hollow Bridge reopens to traffic
Pittsburgh’s new Fern Hollow Bridge opened to traffic in the East End early Thursday afternoon, less than a year after it collapsed. Officials had initially said the bridge, which carries Forbes Avenue over Frick Park, would open Friday. Instead, PennDOT said motorists began using it at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Officials...
16-year-old boy surrenders to police, is charged in Monessen teen’s death
A 16-year-old boy accused in the fatal shooting of another Monessen teen surrendered to authorities Wednesday evening on homicide charges. Terry Newton was arraigned and is being held without bail at Regional Youth Services Center in Hempfield. Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said authorities and sheriff’s deputies had searched...
Holiday travel upended as forecasters warn of ‘bomb cyclone’
MISSION, Kan. — Thousands of flights were canceled and homeless shelters were overflowing Thursday amid one of the most treacherous holiday travel seasons the U.S. has seen in decades, with temperatures plummeting 50 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas and forecasters warning of an impending “bomb cyclone” that could make conditions...
Winter storm latest: What we’ll get, when we’ll get it
For several days, Pittsburgh area residents have been told that severe winter weather is heading to the area for Christmas weekend. The burning question has been exactly when will it hit and how bad will it be? According to the National Weather Service in Moon, a cold front will move...
A home for the holidays: Central Westmoreland Habitat hands over keys to Jeannette resident
This time last year, Tia Bentley of Jeannette was mourning the loss of her father and sinking $900 each month into a rental home. On Tuesday afternoon, Bentley received the keys to a newly renovated Jeannette home after spending nine months working with Central Westmoreland Habitat for Humanity officials getting...
Family of Franco Harris says he represented ‘what is best in humanity’
Saying they are “truly heartbroken,” the family of Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris released a statement Thursday, their first public comments since his passing a day earlier. Harris, 72, died in his sleep. His death happened two days before the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception...
Westmoreland emergency services prepare as cold temps approach
As well-below-freezing temperatures approach Western Pennsylvania, emergency assistance services and cold-weather shelters in Westmoreland County are gearing up to help anyone who needs it. United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania encourages people who find themselves without heat to call the 211 hotline, a call center, chat, text and web resource for...
Franco Harris fans remember on-field finesse, off-field generosity
Longtime Steelers fan George Muentzer has missed the chance to have his prized photo of Franco Harris autographed by the Steelers Hall of Famer, whose unexpected death overnight was reported Wednesday. But he still can treasure his many memories of encounters with Harris during his faithful yearly attendance at the...
Defense accuses government of providing empty tubes for DNA testing in Tree of Life case
Defense attorneys in the Tree of Life synagogue shooting said in a court filing this week that 11 of 17 plastic tubes of evidence provided to them for independent DNA testing were empty when they arrived at the lab in England. Attorneys for Robert Bowers are asking the federal judge...
Storm adds uncertainty to strong holiday travel demandVideo
Concerns about illness or inflation aren’t stopping Americans from hitting the roads and airports this holiday season. But a massive winter storm might. Forecasters predict an onslaught of heavy snow, ice, flooding and powerful winds from Thursday to Saturday in a broad swath of the country, from the Plains and...
