Regional category, Page 231
Few people venture out early for Black Friday dealsVideo
Carl Laird wasn’t going to let fears over the pandemic stop him from his 19-year tradition of Black Friday shopping. Shortly after 5 a.m., the 40-year-old from Rillton had already been to Dunham’s for gun ammunition and to Walmart for pajamas. But Laird was one of only a handful of...
Holiday baking traditions survive changing times amid growing coronavirus casesVideo
Large family gatherings might be out for some because of covid-19, but many in the region aren’t giving up on baking and other holiday food traditions. Pat Frye, 75, of Monroeville, sitting with a friend over a coffee at Oakmont Bakery, said she and her daughter will still get together...
Operation Santa Claus returns in year of extreme need
Operation Santa Claus has been helping Western Pennsylvania families with the gift of a holiday meal for 36 years, and this year may prove to be the most challenging in the long history of the nonprofit organization. “The need is greater than ever this year. We’re trying our best to...
Seneca Valley moving all students to online-only classes to help curb jump in covid-19 cases
Seneca Valley School District students in kindergarten through sixth grade will switch to online-only instruction on Tuesday and continue with remote learning until at least Jan. 4 to help tamp down the increase in covid-19 cases the region is experiencing. The southern Butler County school district previously announced that students...
West Virginia’s Republican governor blasts mask critics
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice blasted critics of his mask mandate Wednesday, saying he would not follow the lead of other Republican governors rejecting the advice of public health experts. “I don’t want to be South Dakota,” Justice said at a news conference. He then played a...
Rite Aid expands covid-19 testing program
WILKES-BARRE — Asymptomatic testing will now be available for individuals 13 and older at existing Rite Aid testing sites, the company announced Tuesday. To continue to provide its customers with an essential service during the pandemic, Rite Aid is updating its covid-19 testing program through its partnership with the U.S....
Pa. attorneys urge court to toss petition of Rep. Mike Kelly, Sean Parnell
Attorneys for Pennsylvania election and state government officials filed their response to a lawsuit by U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Butler, and Republican congressional candidate Sean Parnell, calling their request to throw out the results of Pennsylvania’s general election “simply breathtaking.” “While draped in the driest of historical arguments, petitioners’ claim...
Turkey-trot fundraisers challenged by pandemic
Turkey-trot fundraisers across the region are being slowed down this year by the covid-19 pandemic, which is reducing participation and forcing many of the events to go virtual. The 29th annual Greensburg Turkey Trot has 235 runners and walkers signed up for this year’s virtual event, down from more than...
Pittsburgh region stood up to ‘Big Snow’ during 1950 Thanksgiving weekendVideo
Carl Huszar’s father and uncle had to walk several miles to get milk from a North Huntingdon farm because the roads were impassable. Faye Dames Matty, who now lives in Fort Myers, Fla., learned her father made it all the way from the Virginia military base where he was stationed...
School districts must sign off on covid-19 safety procedures or go virtual by month’s end
School districts in Westmoreland, Armstrong and Allegheny counties have until 5 p.m. Nov. 30 to switch to full remote instruction or affirm that they are complying with the state’s covid-19 safety measures. Gov. Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Rachel Levine announced the new directive Monday for all public schools...
Congressman Mike Kelly, Sean Parnell seek injunction to stop Pa. election certification
The Republican congressman and congressional candidate challenging Pennsylvania’s mail-in ballot system that led to more than 2.6 million such votes being cast in the Nov. 3 election are seeking an emergency injunction to halt the certification of the state’s election results. An initial complaint filed with Commonwealth Court by U.S....
Pa. to ban alcohol sales at bars, restaurants for 1 night
State officials laid out new covid-19 mitigation efforts but stopped short of issuing a statewide stay-at-home order, instead advising Pennsylvanians to stay home and putting a one-night ban on alcohol sales Wednesday. New orders also scale back the maximum capacity for indoor and outdoor gatherings, capping outdoor limits for the...
Johnstown police dog dies in line of duty after warehouse break-in
An attempted burglary inside a Cambria County warehouse Sunday ended with five people in custody, and a veteran Johnstown Police K-9 died during a search for the suspects. Johnstown Police Department Interim Chief Chad Miller said K-9 Titan was assisting in the search through a five-story building when he fell...
Here’s where to see drive-thru Christmas lights in Western Pennsylvania
Driving around town to see the neighbors’ decorations has long been a holiday tradition. But if you want something on a grander scale — say, lasers or 1 million twinkling LED lights — try one of these holiday displays, sure to impress even the most skeptical Scrooge. Holiday Laser Show...
Members of North Catholic hockey team move to remote learning after reported covid-19 case
Members of the varsity hockey team at North Catholic High School in Cranberry are moving to remote learning after a covid-19 case was reported among someone associated with the team. John Benzing, assistant principal at the Diocese of Pittsburgh school, said members of the varsity hockey team will miss practices...
Pa.’s new ‘Pennie’ health exchange in jeopardy if Trump’s ACA lawsuit prevails
Pennsylvania’s new state-run health exchange is among the many pieces of the Affordable Care Act that would be in peril if the Trump administration’s attack on it prevails in the Supreme Court, consumer advocates warn. The state’s insurance enrollment system, called Pennie, debuts this season’s open enrollment period, which runs...
Pa. hunting licenses up 7%, shooting range permits soar 93%, turkey permits up 20%
Bucking the long-run trend of declining hunting license and permit sales statewide, hunters purchased 7 % more for all hunting licenses and permits from last year. Sales of specialty licenses and permits are surging with permits for snow geese up 863%, river otters climbing 73%, and shooting range permits soaring...
A look inside schools’ reopening decisions
Gary Peiffer was “cautiously optimistic” at the beginning of this school year. The superintendent of Greensburg Salem School District felt ready for the district’s planned hybrid model. Federal CARES Act funds had been used to purchase laptops, cleaning materials and plastic barriers. Teachers had gone through training for new remote...
Looking to get a covid-19 test? Here are some of your options
As the number of covid-19 cases explodes in the region, more residents are seeking tests and face a number of options. And depending on where you go, waiting for results might take longer, according to health officials. While there are a number of covid-19 testing sites in the region, many...
Week in review: Pitt picked for covid study, Wexford pastor new Youngstown bishop, mask order issued, casino debutsVideo
Here are some of the top Tribune-Review news and feature stories from around the region for the week of Nov. 15-21, 2020. For more details on these and other stories, follow the links below or see Triblive.com. Pitt chosen to lead NIH trials in covid-19 care for patients with blood...
How to safely celebrate Thanksgiving during the pandemic
Thanksgiving is traditionally celebrated with large family feasts and lots of friends. This year, health officials are urging people to scrap those plans in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic. Department of Health Secretary Rachel Levine has urged people to nix any gatherings, large or small, to celebrate the upcoming...
Nov. 20: Here is covid-19 data from select Western Pa. colleges
Western Pennsylvania is home community to several colleges and universities, attracting students from around the state and country. During the coronavirus pandemic, many are tracking the number of positive covid-19 cases as they emerge on campus. University of Pittsburgh Enrollment: About 30,000 students Number of new cases: There were 98...
Region’s international student enrollment declined with global pandemic
A flood of international students who fueled growth at the region’s colleges and universities for the last decade is waning in the face of the global pandemic. Fall enrollment numbers show international enrollment at nine local universities and Penn State declined by about 2,500, or approximately 12%, this fall as...
Why a vaccine won’t end the covid pandemic
With vaccine distribution likely weeks away, spirits have been buoyed at the thought of a literal shot in the arm after months of covid-19 anxiety and fatigue. While that optimism is just fine, experts say, many states face months of continued mitigation measures before vaccination becomes a reality. “Though these...
‘Dangerous trajectory’ for Pittsburgh area hospitals as covid cases surgeVideo
A region known for its expansive hospital networks is beginning to see alarming trends in covid-19 hospitalizations and facility capacity. “We’re on a very, very, very dangerous trajectory right now,” said Dr. Tom Walsh, an infectious disease specialist at Allegheny Health Network. “We’re seeing rapid, exponential increases and if we...
