Regional category, Page 261
Pittsburgh police ask public’s help identifying bombing suspect
Investigators are looking for a man suspected of tossing a homemade bomb at a Pittsburgh police officer near Mellon Square last Saturday , May 30. A Pittsburgh Public Safety spokeman said the device exploded on the ground and caused a nearby officer to suffer concussion-like symptoms. Police ask anyone who...
Pennsylvania adds 701 new coronavirus cases, 45 deaths
The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Saturday reported 45 new deaths and 701 additional cases of the coronavirus. The state has now had 75,086 total cases and 5,931 deaths. Deaths have been recorded in 55 of the state’s 67 counties, and every county has had a positive case. More than...
Fulbright scholar refuses to let a pandemic end her fellowship in Western Pennsylvania
Loubna Zohra Aissioui was excited when she learned she had been selected to come to the U.S. in a Fulbright international teaching exchange program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Studying in the U.S. was the fulfillment of a dream for the married mother of three who has taught high school...
Several malls, like Pittsburgh Mills, open Friday, but Westmoreland, Monroeville waiting until Tuesday
Several malls in the region, including the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer, reopened their doors to shoppers on Friday, but two malls have decided to delay reopening for four days. Westmoreland Mall in Hempfield and Monroeville mall, both owned by CBL Properties, are scheduled to reopen Tuesday, a spokeswoman said....
June is the month to make emergency plans for your pets
We’ve heard about “go bags” and other types of preparation for both man-made and natural disasters. But when you’re planning a quick exit from danger for yourself and your family, you also need to think about your pets. We’ve all seen heartbreaking photos and videos of animals left behind in...
Fayette County man to get at least 10 years in jail for second child porn offense
A Fayette County man who pleaded guilty Thursday to possession child pornography will receive at least a 10-year sentence as a repeat offender under federal sentencing guidelines, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said. Michael Pulliam, 36, of Fairchance, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing material depicting the sexual exploitation...
Legislation would allow Pa. fishing licenses to be displayed on mobile devices
State Sen. Jim Brewster, D-McKeesport, is calling for Pennsylvania to modernize fishing licenses so anglers can display them on mobile devices. Anglers now have to carry paper licenses. Senate Bill 1074, authored by Brewster, would delete the phrase “written in ink” so that an angler could use his or her...
Signs of normalcy: Scenes from Western Pennsylvania in the green phaseVideo
Western Pennsylvania moved to the green phase of the state’s tiered reopening plan at 12:01 a.m. Friday, a step into a semblance of normalcy not seen since mid-March. Under the green phase, nail salons, barbershops, gyms and bowling alleys are among the businesses permitted to reopen, under certain restrictions. And...
Week in review: Protests span the city, mail-in ballots counted, Turnpike workers laid offVideo
A protest that started out peacefully Saturday turned violent, leaving two Pittsburgh police cruisers in flames. The weekend protests were spurred by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died when a white Minneapolis police officer but his knee on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes. The...
Glazed, powdered or jelly? Yes, yes and yes — it’s National Doughnut Day
Friday is National Doughnut Day. It’s the perfect way to celebrate as Allegheny, Westmoreland and surrounding counties are headed into the “green phase” of the state’s coronavirus action plan. Always the first Friday of June, National Doughnut Day highlights everyone’s favorite cylindrical breakfast treat. Oakmont Bakery owner Marc Serrao said...
Gov. Wolf: Masks, social distance could remain this fall as part of Pennsylvania’s ‘new world’
While most of southwestern Pennsylvania celebrated Friday as the region moved to the less-restrictive green phase of the pandemic reopening plan, Gov. Tom Wolf made clear that more hurdles must be cleared before all limits are lifted. Just what those stages might be has not been determined. “We’re trying to...
J.C. Penney stores closing at Pittsburgh Mills in Frazer, Monroeville, near Butler and in the Beaver Valley
Four J.C. Penney stores in Western Pennsylvania will close as part of the retailer’s plans to shutter 154 stores, in what it said Thursday was the first round of store closings. Stores at the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer; Monroevile Mall in Monroeville; the Clearview Mall near Butler; and the...
Police: South Allegheny teacher forged stolen prescriptions for painkillers
A South Allegheny High School teacher was charged this week with six counts each of illegal acquisition of prescription pills and illegal possession of a controlled substances after his arrest in April for allegedly passing a forged prescription at a Ligonier pharmacy. Alex J. Stright, 39, of Jefferson Hills, was...
Western Pennsylvania veterans organization gets $1M for support program
The Veterans Administration has given a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit more than $1 million for its veterans programs. The Veterans Leadership Program has received about $1,030,000 from the VA for its Supportive Services for Veteran Families program. The funding is in addition to the $1.9 million the VA already provides to the...
Many business owners amped up for ‘going green’ FridayVideo
Marianne Anzovino knows she might have to separate some hugs Friday during the first day The Aerobic Center at Lynch Field in Greensburg is reopened, but hearing the whir of exercise machines and clang of free weights once again will be worth it. “I’m sure it’s going to be a...
Turnpike travelers can expect delays at Allegheny Tunnel in Somerset County
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission warned motorists to be prepared for delays at the Allegheny Tunnel in Somerset County beginning Monday through June 25 so turnpike crews can do annual maintenance work. Starting at 8 a.m. Monday for several hours each day through Thursday and again on June 11 and 16,...
Goat yoga, dinners in the field for easy social distancing in Butler
A lineup of outdoor events is planned in June at Freedom Farms in Butler County’s Middlesex Township, including goat yoga this Saturday and a barbecue dinner with beer on Sunday. With Butler County going to the green phase of Gov. Tom Wolf’s reopening plan on Friday, Freedom Farms had events...
Doctors say covid-19 at UPMC is declining in virulence, infection levels
Covid-19 is declining in both virulence and infection levels among patients at the state’s largest health care system, UPMC officials said Thursday. Dr. Donald Yealy, who heads emergency medicine at the system that has hospitals across the state, said both the ratio of patients testing positive for the virus and...
$50 million in grant funding to be available for Pa. fire, EMS companies
Millions of dollars in grants are on the way for Pennsylvania’s fire departments and ambulance agencies struggling through the coronavirus pandemic. Social distancing guidelines meant to slow the virus’ spread have had a negative impact on the fundraisers fire departments rely on annually. Departments lost tens of thousands of dollars...
Counterfeit Roku remotes, Apple AirPods seized by customs officials
Pittsburgh Customs and Border Protection officers on Sunday confiscated more than 4,000 counterfeit items mimicking Roku remotes and Apple AirPods that, if authentic, would be worth almost $112,000, officials said. Officers seized over 4,700 streaming system remote controllers — 4,212 fake Roku remotes and 500 fake Hisense remotes — along...
AMC Theatres warns of ‘substantial doubt’ about its future
The AMC Theatres chain says it has “substantial doubt” it will be able to remain in business after closing all of its locations during the coronavirus pandemic. In the first quarter ending March 31, AMC reported revenue of $941.5 million, down from $1.2 billion in the same quarter last year....
Severe storms, high winds possible in Southwestern Pa. on Wednesday
A cold front moving through the Pittsburgh region Wednesday afternoon could bring with it a slight threat of severe thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service. Severe storms will be possible mid-afternoon into the evening. Damaging winds will be the primary threat with an organized line. Damaging winds, large hail,...
Business is boomin’ for bike sales — but will interest last?Video
June 3 marked World Bicycle Day and, to borrow a phrase from a former, lamented Pittsburgh Steeler, the bike business is boomin’. Bike sales soared when covid-19 restrictions shut down many other forms of exercise and entertainment, and people took to the outdoors for a little fun. “This is unprecedented,”...
Stalwart supporter of Western Pa. journalism dies of covid-19 complications
Ginny Frizzi was a stalwart pillar of the journalism community in Western Pennsylvania. A native of Pittsburgh, Ms. Frizzi began her career in journalism before launching a 25-year career in public relations at Point Park University. But she always kept her hand in the news business as a freelance writer,...
Fayette authorities seeking information in deadly road rage incident
A Fairchance man was gunned down late last month outside a Long John Silver’s restaurant in Fayette County, and state police are looking for anyone who might have seen what happened — or, better yet, might have video that could help with the deadly road rage investigation. Justin D. Rittaco,...
