Top Local and National News Stories
Pirates to promote No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin for MLB debut in PNC Park opener
Konnor Griffin will make his major-league debut in the home opener, as the Pittsburgh Pirates are promoting the 19-year-old shortstop who is the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball. The Pirates announced the news by posting a video on social media Thursday morning under the caption, Opening Debut. It showed...
Former UPMC doctor accused of trying to kill wife says he acted in self-defense
Gerhardt Konig told a Hawaii jury this week he was devastated when he discovered messages that seemed to show his wife was having an affair with a colleague. The former UPMC anesthesiologist, who used to live in Mt. Lebanon, is facing attempted murder charges. His wife, Arielle Konig, last week...
All-Star additions excited to make Pirates debuts at PNC Park in home opener
The first time Brandon Lowe visited PNC Park, he made a point to step onto the field and see the city skyline so that he could appreciate the view of one of baseball’s most beautiful ballparks. After seven seasons of playing at Tropicana Field and one makeshift season at a...
Zappala no longer seeks death penalty against man charged with killing McKeesport police Officer Sean Sluganski
The man accused of killing McKeesport police Officer Sean Sluganski will not face the death penalty if found guilty. On Wednesday, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office filed a notice to rescind its intent to seek capital punishment against Johnathan Morris — just days after receiving his psychiatric records. “Experts...
Bret Michaels says it’s a ‘dream come true’ to perform as part of NFL Draft festivities in Pittsburgh
Bret Michaels has sung the national anthem at a Pittsburgh Steelers game back in 2000 at Three Rivers Stadium. He’s led the Terrible Towel twirl. And he’s played a set at halftime (Oct. 26 last year during “Sunday Night Football” between the Steelers and Green Bay Packers.) That’s not to...
No sign of war winding down in Mideast as Friday dawns with attacks across region
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — There was little sign Friday of the war in the Mideast winding down as Israel said it faced incoming fire from Iran, Kuwait and Bahrain reported being under attack, and Iran said eight people were killed while celebrating the close of Persian new year near...
Fort Pitt Tunnel reopens after overheight truck forced closure
The inbound Fort Pitt Tunnel reopened to traffic after an early morning closure Thursday, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. An overheight truck forced the eastbound side of the tunnel to close, PennDOT said in a news release around 7:15 a.m. The tunnel reopened around 8:30 a.m., PennDOT said....
Trump uses Iran war address to urge an increasingly skeptical electorate to give him a bit more time
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump used his first major address since launching his war in Iran to assure Americans that all of his military objectives will be completed “shortly” and urge an increasingly skeptical electorate to give him a little bit more time. Trump in his Wednesday evening speech dialed...
Penn Brewery insists it’s not closing despite filing for bankruptcy protection
Penn Brewery is not closing despite filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, owners said in a social media post early Thursday morning. The popular brewery and restaurant in Pittsburgh’s Troy Hill neighborhood said it is using the filing “as a strategic tool to restructure and secure a stronger future.” In...
Former Monroeville Expo Mart listed for sale
In a sign that development of Monroeville Mall might be gaining momentum, one of the largest pieces of mall-adjacent property is on the market. The three-story, 226,500-square-foot office building at 105 Mall Blvd. is listed through Pittsburgh-based Oxford Development. Built in the early 1980s as the Monroeville Expo Mart, the...
England native takes 5th trip across the pond to cheer on Pittsburgh sports teams
Katie Stewart is not your typical Pittsburgh sports fan. In fact, she usually cheers on the Steel City from across the pond — yes, the Atlantic Ocean. Hailing from the English town of Wolverhampton, Stewart, 31, became enthralled with the sports scene in Pittsburgh. She travels yearly to the city...
Minor league report: Nailers win 9th consecutive gameVideo
The Wheeling Nailers established a new season-high with their ninth consecutive victory, claiming an 8-5 win against the Fort Wayne Komets at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Ind., on Wednesday. Wheeling (43-16-3-3) previously won eight consecutive games between Oct. 26 and Nov. 15. Forward Brayden Edwards scored...
Trump says U.S. forces will ‘finish the job’ soon in 1st prime-time speech since starting Iran warVideo
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said U.S. forces will “finish the job” in Iran soon as “core strategic objectives are nearing completion,” offering a full-throated defense of the war Wednesday night in his first national address since the conflict began more than a month ago. Trump got a wide audience...
Artemis II astronauts bound for moon after rocketing away on NASA’s 1st lunar voyage in decadesVideo
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Four astronauts embarked on a high-stakes flight around the moon Wednesday, humanity’s first lunar voyage in more than half a century and the thrilling leadoff in NASA’s push toward a landing in two years. Carrying three Americans and one Canadian, the 32-story rocket rose from NASA’s...
Astrobotic’s latest lunar lander on track for 2026 launch
Pittsburgh’s Astrobotic is closing in on the launch of its Griffin-1 lander, a 15-footwide spacecraft that will deliver two state-of-the-art rovers to the moon. CEO John Thornton said Wednesday the lander is nearing completion and should be ready for takeoff on a SpaceX rocket by the end of the year....
2 Pagans motorcycle gang members held in jail on bail after preliminary hearing
Two Lower Burrell men who police say are members of the Pagans motorcycle gang are being held in the Westmoreland County jail on $300,000 bond following a January assault at Mogie’s Irish Pub. Robert Browne, 27, and Devin Colucci, 25, face charges of assault, robbery, theft, harassment, disorderly conduct and...
Shapiro vows to ‘protect’ voters from Trump order on voting by mail
Gov. Josh Shapiro opposes an executive order by President Donald Trump that attempts to place tighter restrictions on mail-in voting. “President Trump can sign whatever the hell he wants to, but it won’t change the Constitution. The authority to set our election rules belongs to the states — and as...
Mt. Pleasant man pleads guilty to paying for videos of monkey torture
A Mt. Pleasant man pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to paying people overseas to torture monkeys and record the acts on video. Joseph Garrett Buckland, 44, was charged with conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos in February. The videos, which are illegal to sell or exchange,...
Pioneering female NFL official sues league, alleges humiliating incident at Steelers training camp
NEW YORK — In a new lawsuit, one of the first three women to officiate an NFL game describes her three years at the pinnacle of her profession as a descent into the grip of a sexist institution unable to treat a woman as an equal. Robin DeLorenzo cited gender-based...
How Hempfield Area’s $119M high school renovation will impact students
Hempfield Area students will not have to attend classes in temporary trailers during the upcoming $119 million high school renovation. Instead, a 2023 decision to move freshmen to the former Harrold Middle School has provided enough available space to keep all students in permanent classrooms after work begins June 1....
Paul Skenes returns to form with 5 strikeouts as Pirates pound Reds to win 3-game series
CINCINNATI — After being pulled two outs into the first inning of his Opening Day start against the New York Mets, Paul Skenes had a statistical line that sounds more appropriate for an April Fool’s joke. The Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander, who led the majors with a 1.97 ERA and was...
What you need to know if you’re going to the Pirates home opener
The Pittsburgh Pirates open their 2026 season at PNC Park on Friday with a matchup against the Baltimore Orioles. Continuing tradition, the first pitch is set for 4:12 p.m., a tribute to Pittsburgh’s 412 area code. The Pirates started the season losing two of three games to the New York...
Pittsburgh biotech company Lipella Pharmaceuticals files for bankruptcy protection
Lipella Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood, filed for bankruptcy protection Monday following more than two decades of developing medications that never made it to market. The drugmaker is winding down operations just 10 months after being delisted from the Nasdaq stock exchange, which choked off access to...
Pittsburgh looks to charge $5 an hour for on-street parking near NFL Draft
Anyone seeking on-street parking Downtown or on the North Side during the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh later this month can expect to pay extra. City Councilman Bobby Wilson, D-North Side, this week introduced legislation that will raise the cost for coveted on-street parking spots near the event footprint. The...
Forecast is cloudy with a chance of baseball for Pirates’ home opener
Meteorologists predict that it will be pleasantly warm but potentially rainy when the Pittsburgh Pirates play this season’s home-opener Friday afternoon at PNC Park. But forecasting the game’s outcome based on the elements doesn’t bode well for the Buccos. “Let’s start with the fun part of the forecast for Friday,”...
