Top Stories category, Page 969
Trump to rally with Dr. Oz at Westmoreland Fairgrounds
Former President Donald Trump is slated to return to Westmoreland County on May 6 for a rally where he is expected to share the spotlight with Republican senatorial candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz. Earlier in April, Trump endorsed Oz in the latter’s bid to represent Pennsylvania in the Senate. Trump has...
Westmoreland deputy sheriff suspended after out-of-state arrest
A veteran Westmoreland County deputy sheriff was suspended with pay on Monday after he was charged with crimes following an incident last week in another state. Police in Louisville, Ky., charged Samuel D. Pilato, 59, of Hempfield with public intoxication and disorderly conduct in connection with a incident outside of...
Mother describes ‘nightmare’ after blast destroyed her family’s Plum home
It was a normal Friday night for Laura Petty and her family at their new home on Hialeah Drive in Plum. It was shortly after 11 p.m. She was sleeping, and her husband, Jake Rabb, had fallen asleep in the living room. Of their three sons, Dean, 2, and Colin,...
Vandergrift woman’s murder trial ends with plea deal to lesser charge
A Vandergrift woman pleaded guilty Monday to third-degree murder, putting an end to her homicide trial during which prosecutors claimed she intentionally fired three shots, killing her cousin in 2018. Ashley Marie Croft, 38, will serve a 15- to 30-year prison sentence under terms of the plea deal. Croft did...
Judge finds Trump in contempt in legal fight with NY AG
A New York judge found former President Donald Trump in contempt of court Monday for failing to adequately respond to a subpoena issued by the state’s attorney general as part of a civil investigation into his business dealings. Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Trump to pay a fine of $10,000 per...
Detectives charge 2 more in Westmoreland prison drug smuggling scheme
A former inmate at the Westmoreland County Prison is back behind bars after being accused by county detectives of participating in a Suboxone smuggling scheme with another inmate. Brad M. Rentz, 43, of Indiana, was arrested Monday by county Detective James Williams and accused of conspiring with another inmate, Jamie...
Gainey announces nominations for various City of Pittsburgh departments
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey on Monday announced his latest nominations to lead various city departments, as well as his appointment for city treasurer. Gainey has nominated Kathryn Vargas, current acting director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, Chris Hornstein, current acting director of Public Works and Kim Lucas, current...
Report: Sweden, Finland to apply to NATO
Two newspapers — one Swedish, the other one Finnish — are reporting that the governments of Sweden and Finland have agreed to submit NATO applications at the same time and that it will happen in the middle of next month. The Finnish newspaper Iltalehti said that the Swedish government has...
Vehicle crashes through wall at Forest Hills hair salonVideo
Anthony Fazio woke Monday to a 2:30 a.m. call from Forest Hills police informing him that someone had crashed a truck into his salon, Fazio’s Hair Designs. “When they said a hole in the wall, I didn’t expect this,” Fazio said gesturing toward an opening as tall as him. “I...
Elon Musk buys Twitter for $44B and will privatize company
Elon Musk reached an agreement to buy Twitter for roughly $44 billion on Monday, promising a more lenient touch to policing content on the social media platform where he — the world’s richest person — promotes his interests, attacks critics and opines on a wide range of issues to more...
Proposed subdivision could lead to another development on Tarentum Bridge Road
A new restaurant may be coming to Tarentum Bridge Road in New Kensington. It would be located on a parcel city officials are considering creating between Shamey’s Gulf Service and the main entrance to Giant Eagle, in front of the Quality Inn. City Council is scheduled to vote May 2...
Looking to protect Pa.’s natural heritage? Become a master naturalist volunteer
Westmoreland County residents hoping to get their hands dirty this summer while learning how to protect the state’s natural resources can participate in training to become a master naturalist volunteer. The courses — hosted by the Pennsylvania Master Naturalist and Brandywine Conservancy at Penguin Court, a preserve near Laughlintown —...
2 bodies found in Springdale
A man and a woman were found dead in a Springdale apartment Monday, according to Allegheny County Police. Police said their bodies were discovered shortly after 3:30 p.m. in the 1000 block of Pittsburgh Street. They suffered apparent gunshot wounds, police said. The police scene extended to Hoeveler Street, which...
Cold snap to thrash above-normal temperatures; Dubois breaks heat record Sunday
If it seemed a bit balmy for late April, it was, especially if you were in Dubois, where a new record high temperature of 83 degrees was recorded Sunday. The old record was 79 in 1990, said David Shallenberger, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Moon. In the...
Plum family whose house exploded treated at hospitals, 1 child with burns; no gas leaks found
Authorities are still investigating the cause of a house explosion Friday night along Hialeah Drive in Plum that sent a family to local hospitals. Although the family of five — a husband, wife and three children, ages 2, 6 and 11 — escaped the house safely, one child suffered burns...
Nebraska wildfires kill ex-fire chief, hurt 15 firefightersVideo
CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — Wind-driven wildfires sweeping through parts of Nebraska killed a retired fire chief and injured at least 15 firefighters, authorities said Sunday. The man who died Friday night was a retired Cambridge fire chief who was working with firefighters as a spotter in Red Willow County in the...
France’s Emmanuel Macron is reelected but far-right rival raises gameVideo
PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron comfortably won reelection to a second term Sunday, according to polling agencies’ projections. In the midst of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the result offered the European Union the reassurance of leadership stability in the bloc’s only nuclear-armed power and was immediately hailed by France’s...
Ukraine official: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets top-level U.S. delegation
KYIV, Ukraine — The U.S. secretaries of state and defense met Sunday night with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the highest-level visit to the war-torn country’s capital by an American delegation since the start of Russia’s invasion. The meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary...
Penn-Trafford students bring home awards from digital media competitionVideo
Penn-Trafford students Conner Alexander, Amanda Bobish and Paul Mills were in the middle of a live broadcast, during the third quarter of the 2021 PIAA football semifinals, when a nightmare scenario for a first-time sportscaster began unfolding. “It was taking forever to get this call sorted out on the field,”...
Arrest warrant issued in fatal McKeesport shooting
An arrest warrant was issued Saturday for a Pittsburgh man accused in a fatal shooting in McKeesport. Vernon Dean Eutsey, 25, is charged with homicide, tampering with evidence, reckless endangerment and a weapons violation in the death of Michael Gunter, 22, of McKeesport. Allegheny County Police said they found Gunter...
George Washington reenactor will be featured in Fort Ligonier program
Philadelphia-area resident Dean Malissa has stepped back from serving as Mount Vernon’s principal portrayer of George Washington to emeritus status. It’s only natural that he is semi-retired from the living history role since, at 69, he’s lived two years beyond the age Washington reached. “When I was the sole portrayer...
What is a mass shooting? Definition differs among experts
In recent years, it seems Western Pennsylvania has seen more than its fair share of mass shootings. • LA Fitness in 2009. • Western Psych in 2012. • Wilkinsburg in 2016. • Tree of Life in 2018. • Airbnb in 2022. But, depending on the definition used, some of those...
Long-serving Utah U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch dies at 88Video
SALT LAKE CITY — Orrin G. Hatch, the longest-serving Republican senator in history who was a fixture in Utah politics for more than four decades, died Saturday at 88. His death was announced in a statement from his foundation, which did not specify a cause. A staunch conservative on most...
For 2nd straight day, family and friends attend funeral for teen killed in Pittsburgh Airbnb party shooting
Bonnie McLain recalled pitching baseballs to her great-nephew when he was 6 years old. “I can see him right now in his grandmother’s backyard,” said McLain, as she sat inside the Coston Funeral Homes’ East Liberty location on Saturday morning. “He batted lefty. He could really hit that ball.” That...
From Korea to Greensburg, from mission translator to nun, life keeps evolving for Sister Hyeon Lee
When it came time to profess her vows Saturday morning, there was no doubt Sister Hyeon Lee was ready for the lifelong commitment. “I am so resolved,” she said with emphasis, to laughter of about 100 friends, family and fellow sisters who had gathered at Caritas Christi in Greensburg to...
