Top Stories category, Page 851
Pittsburgh City Council looks to streamline process of creating new housing in Golden Triangle
Pittsburgh City Council is looking to make it easier to create new housing in the Golden Triangle. Legislation introduced Tuesday would streamline the process to convert existing space Downtown into residential units. The Planning Commission has recommended the proposed zoning changes. The zoning code now requires proposed residential units in...
Mandatory dates on Pa. ballot envelopes get new court ruling
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s top-ranking state elections official said Tuesday a new U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding how rules for the state’s mail-in ballots had been applied in a county judge election doesn’t change her agency’s guidance about counting them. Acting Secretary of State Leigh M. Chapman said county elections officials...
Carbon monoxide leak at Pa. day care center injures dozens of children, staff
ALLENTOWN — A carbon monoxide leak at a Pennsylvania day care center sent more than two dozen children and several adults to hospitals early Tuesday, some of them unconscious, but none of the injuries were considered serious, authorities said. Emergency responders went to the Happy Smiles Learning Center in Allentown,...
Cat shot with arrow near New Stanton; recovery prognosis good
A family cat is on the mend after being shot with an arrow in New Stanton, according to investigators. All But Furgotten humane officer Andrea Palmer said the feline, named Lance, is a friendly indoor/outdoor cat that was found with the arrow protruding from its back Monday on its owner’s...
New Kensington eyes restricting use of noisy engine brakes near Valley High School
New Kensington officials are considering a restriction on the use of jake brakes in part of the city. “Jake brakes” are the common term for the Jacobs Engine Brake, which alters the operation of an engine’s exhaust and allows it to function as a power-absorbing air compressor that can slow...
Hempfield Steak ’n Shake items go up for auction
Burgers and shakes are off the menu at the former Steak ’n Shake in Hempfield, as it is being emptied to make way for a new business. An auction is scheduled Monday, Oct. 17, at the Greengate Centre restaurant known for its black, white and red 1950s decor and kitschy...
McKeesport police dog dies after medical emergency
The McKeesport Police Department’s K9 unit announced the death of a police dog. The dog, Stryker, died unexpectedly after a medical emergency early Saturday, the unit wrote in a social media post. The unit did not provide additional details. The canine had served the police department since 2015. “K9 Stryker,...
Penn Township motorcyclist killed in Hempfield crash
A motorcyclist was killed Monday in a crash in Hempfield, according to Pennsylvania State Police. The victim was identified as Ethan Nicastro, 21, of Penn Township. The crash was reported at 9:18 p.m. on College Avenue. State police said the victim lost control of his 2019 Harley-Davidson Street Glide motorcycle...
‘Changing lives’: Carlow, WCCC agreement aims to widen pathway to a college degree
The presidents of Carlow University and Westmoreland County Community College are both from the Show Me State, and perhaps that Missourian attitude is reflected in the higher education institutions’ palpable efforts to support students. The institutions recently entered into a dual agreement that will allow students to enroll at Carlow...
Pennsylvania school district cancels Halloween parades due to inclusivity, safety concerns
A Pennsylvania school district in Montgomery County has decided to cancel Halloween parades at elementary schools and it’s due to safety and inclusivity concerns, according to reports. The Lower Merion School District has hosted Halloween parades for more than 50 years, but that might have at least temporarily come to...
Code Orange Air Quality Action Day declared for Liberty-Clairton area Tuesday
The state Department of Environmental Protection has declared Tuesday a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for fine particulate matter for several Mon Valley communities. Officials said areas impacted include Clairton, Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln and Port Vue. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index provides standardized color codes for...
Former Allegheny County Jail captain wins nearly $1M verdict in retaliation lawsuit
A federal jury has awarded a former captain at Allegheny County Jail almost $1 million in damages in a lawsuit he said filed after being fired for reporting racist comments by a supervisor. Jeffrey Kengerski filed suit against the county in August 2017 alleging retaliation. Five years later, after the...
As suicides rise, U.S. military seeks to address mental health
WASHINGTON — After finishing a tour in Afghanistan in 2013, Dionne Williamson felt emotionally numb. More warning signs appeared during several years of subsequent overseas postings. “It’s like I lost me somewhere,” said Williamson, a Navy lieutenant commander who experienced disorientation, depression, memory loss and chronic exhaustion. “I went to...
Social Security boost will help millions of kids, too
WASHINGTON — Seventy-year-old Cassandra Gentry is looking forward to a hefty cost-of-living increase in her Social Security benefits — not for herself but to pay for haircuts for her two grandchildren and put food on the table. The three live in a Washington apartment building that houses 50 “grandfamilies” —...
Pittsburgh Public Schools students encouraged to explore career options without leaving city
Freshmen from six Pittsburgh Public high schools visited the City-County Building last month to meet with representatives from the district’s Career and Technical Education program and city employees from various departments to learn about potential career paths. Students had the opportunity to talk with students and teachers from 16 Career...
5 things we learned: With loss to Bills, Steelers find themselves at bottom of AFC
5 things we learned from Bills 38, Steelers 3: 1. Bottom of the barrel No matter what transpires in the “Monday Night Football” game, the Steelers will enter Week 6 with the worst record in the AFC. It’s just a matter of whether they will be the sole 1-4 team...
Why doesn’t James Franklin show up on Penn State’s list of highest-paid employees?
This story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for our regional newsletter, Talk of the Town. The Penn State Transparency Tracker is an ongoing effort by Spotlight PA to document and...
Richland man accused of having child porn faces 52 felony counts
A Richland man was charged with 52 felony counts after agents from the state Attorney General’s office said they found child pornography on a computer drive when they raided his home. William R. Blair, 71, of the 700 block of Parkview Drive was charged Oct. 6 with 52 counts of...
State Rep. Tony DeLuca dead at 85
State Rep. Anthony M. “Tony” DeLuca, D-Penn Hills, the longest serving current member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives died Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, at home after a brief battle with lymphoma. He was 85. DeLuca represented the 32nd Legislative District for 39 years. The district includes Penn Hills, Verona,...
OPEC production cut behind 3rd straight week of rising gas prices, analyst says
Average gasoline prices in the Pittsburgh area have increased by about 10 cents per gallon in the past week, while the national average has gone up about 14 cents, according to price tracking service GasBuddy. The average in the Pittsburgh area is $3.99, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 731 stations....
Mark Madden: The Steelers stink, and a fix could be years away
The Pittsburgh Steelers stink, and the horse manure is flying. Mike Tomlin threatened changes after Sunday’s 38-3 loss at Buffalo, be it to personnel or staff. But any change Tomlin makes will be to something he put in place. Kenny Pickett’s performance in his first NFL start is being overrated....
Steelers vs. Bills: What they’re saying in Buffalo after rout
Not much to say in Buffalo. The Bills are looking to a premier matchup next week with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Steelers? A mere speed bump. If that. “Bring on coach Andy Reid and his keep-defenses-guessing play-calling,” wrote Ryan O’Halloran of the Buffalo News. “Can we please, please, please...
Finleyville shooting victim identified as Monessen man
A Monessen man was found dead of a gunshot wound in Finleyville early Monday, according to the Washington County Coroner. First responders were called to the 3600 block of Washington Avenue around 2:40 a.m. to respond to the incident, 911 dispatchers said. Police found Jaisen A. Irwin, 29, of Finleyville...
Harmar police nab attempted homicide suspects after Route 28 chase
Shortly after Pittsburgh police called off a chase on Route 28 early Sunday afternoon, Harmar police said they apprehended the two men — who are accused of attempted homicide — just past the Fox Chapel exit on the highway. After Harmar officers caught the suspects, Pittsburgh police interviewed and arrested...
Airing of Grievances: Blame for every aspect of Steelers as they get ‘smashed’ in Buffalo
So much for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ “spark” with Kenny Pickett. That didn’t last very long, did it? Actually, it didn’t even last through the fourth quarter of the New York Jets game. But in Sunday’s 38-3 defeat in Buffalo, the Steelers never found a spark at all. Never lit a...
