Regional category, Page 98
Murrysville lawmaker to propose later start to school days for Pennsylvania students
The school day for secondary students in Pennsylvania could not start earlier than 8:15 a.m. under legislation a state representative from Murrysville intends to introduce. If passed into law, the requirement would start with the 2026-27 school year, state Rep. Jill Cooper said in a memorandum seeking co-sponsors for her...
Person killed by train in Butler
A person was killed Wednesday night after being hit by a train in Butler, according to Butler County 911. The victim, whose identity was not immediately available, was hit about 7:30 p.m. in the 300 block of Negley Avenue. The coroner’s office was dispatched to the scene, the 911 official...
Officials celebrate Pa.’s 2 hydrogen hubs, but many details remain shrouded in secrecyVideo
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania officials are celebrating the Biden administration’s announcement that it will invest $1.6 billion to build hydrogen hubs partially located in the state...
Coroner identifies 1 of 2 killed in Washington County house fire
Two people died in a house fire Tuesday morning in Washington, according to Washington County Coroner S. Timothy Warco. The fire at 165 E. Katherine Ave. was reported shortly after 6 a.m., a county 911 dispatcher said. Firefighters had it under control in about 40 minutes. Washington County Coroner S....
Morning Roundup: Westmoreland vape shop burglarized; Hopewell schools targeted in ransomware attack
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Oct. 24: Unity vape shop burglarized A Unity vape shop was burglarized Monday night, Tribune-Review news partner WTAE-TV reported. A person wearing a mask was caught on surveillance cameras around 9:40 p.m. using a rock to break into...
PennWest Edinboro, Erie among places prepping for total eclipse
Western Pennsylvania science professors and astronomy buffs didn’t exactly have a riveting view of the recent annular solar eclipse. Most bemoaned the cloudy, rainy weather forecast and said they were already looking ahead and making plans for the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, when Erie will be in...
Pennsylvania opens lottery registration for chance to buy rare whiskeys
Lottery winners will have the opportunity to shop from over 4,400 bottles of rare whiskeys, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced Monday. State residents and licensees have until 5 p.m. Friday to opt in to the lottery at the limited-release lottery web page at fwgs.com. The event will feature six...
Suspect arrested in death of Butler County teen hit on bicycle
A Butler man accused of hitting a teen bicyclist with his vehicle and fleeing has been taken into custody, Butler Township police said. Joshua A. Rivera, 38, was placed in the Butler County Prison, the department said on its Facebook page. The incident happened about 3:30 p.m. Thursday at Dutchtown...
Morning Roundup: Temps to warm up in Western Pa.; Beaver humane society facing ‘crisis’
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, Oct. 23: Temperatures to warm up in Western Pa. Western Pennsylvania is getting a taste of winter Monday morning, but it’s not going to last. The coldest air was north of the city, National Weather Service meteorologist David...
4-year-old dies after being found unresponsive in Fayette County pool
A 4-year-old boy died after being found unresponsive Saturday afternoon in a Fayette County swimming pool. Liam Vanderlee of Eighty Four was found around 2:30 p.m. in an outdoor pool in Washington Township while attending a birthday party, according to a release from Washington County Coroner S. Timothy Warco’s office....
Bus driver shortage leaves schools, public transit agencies scrambling
A shortage of drivers is pinching school bus companies and public transit agencies that are left scrambling to transport students and workers, fill vacancies and keep their current stable of employees from burning out. “It’s just hard to get drivers. We just can’t figure it out,” said James Varner, manager...
Pedestrian bridge in Springfield Township is a step to closing gaps on Indian Creek Valley Trail
Terry and Joe Wentz are looking forward to the day when they can hit the trail with their bikes and travel all the way from the vicinity of Mill Run Reservoir in Fayette County northeast to Jones Mills in Westmoreland County. The Wentzes and others who use the Indian Creek...
Freeze watch issued for greater Pittsburgh region
A freeze watch will be in effect from late Sunday night through Monday morning, according to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh. Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 30 degrees will be possible, the NWS said. The watch will affect both Allegheny and Westmoreland counties as well as the surrounding areas....
Pennsylvania Turnpike, I-70 work to trigger Cranberry detour, Westmoreland restrictions
Work on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Interstate 70 will cause a detour in Cranberry and restrictions in Westmoreland County beginning on Monday, according to officials. Weather permitting, a nearly 2-mile detour will be in place from 6 a.m. Monday through 5 a.m. Friday, Oct. 27 for eastbound turnpike travelers at...
Spirit Airlines cancels dozens of flights to inspect some planes; disruptions will last days
Spirit Airlines canceled about 100 flights Friday after pulling some planes out of service for inspections, and the airline expects the disruptions to last several days. Spirit did not describe the nature of the inspections and did not respond when asked for further information, but the Federal Aviation Administration said...
Clean energy funds investment can aid hard-hit communities
If the region can boast there are workers here who are trained in the semi-conductor industry, it could be a boon for economic development. That’s the thinking of Mary Salony, the executive director of the Tri-County Workforce Investment Board. And the group is set to receive $1.4 million in federal...
Butler’s Mike Kelly again votes against Jim Jordan for House speaker
A Republican congressman from Western Pennsylvania again voted against U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, being named House speaker. U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Butler, instead voted for House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La. Jordan for a third time failed to garner the necessary votes to become speaker. This comes about two...
Former attorney works to bring resources to those with rare genetic disease
Mark Christman had people around him, but he still felt lonely. “When you have a rare disease, it makes you feel alone,” said Christman, who was diagnosed in 1977 with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, or FSHD, a genetic disorder that causes weakening of the skeletal muscles. “I had never met another...
$3M Pennsylvania Lottery scratch-off winner sold at Butler County gas station
A scratch-off lottery ticket worth $3 million was sold at a Butler County gas station, the Pennsylvania Lottery announced Friday. The “$3 Million Diamonds and Gold” scratch-off was sold at Rummy Mart on South Main Street in Chicora. The store gets a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket. The...
Morning Roundup: Vehicles slam into homes in Duquesne and Wilkinsburg
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, Oct. 20: Vehicle smashes into house in Duquesne A vehicle crashed into a house in Duquesne early Friday morning, Tribune-Review news partner WTAE reported. No one was reported injured in the crash, which occurred just before 2 a.m....
Pennsylvania is most ‘All-American’ state, survey says
Pennsylvania is the most “All-American” state in the nation, according to a survey commissioned by a Massachusetts-based travel company. The Keystone State landed a 9.05 out of 10 from Viator, a Tripadvisor company based in the Boston suburb of Needham, Mass. Viator based its scoring on metrics including home ownership...
Pa. higher ed system seeks 6.5% boost in state funding to maintain tuition freeze
The board overseeing Pennsylvania’s 10 state-owned universities said Thursday it aims to freeze tuition for a sixth consecutive year in 2024-2025, provided the state boosts the system’s funding by 6.5%. The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s board of governors voted to send Gov. Josh Shapiro an appropriation request of...
Western Pa. Conservancy opens grants for waterway access projects
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy is accepting applications for projects to improve access for anglers, canoeists and kayakers to streams, lakes and rivers in Western Pennsylvania. The grants from the conservancy’s Canoe Access Development Fund provide technical assistance and grants of up to $5,000 to build and enhance canoe and kayak...
U.S. Rep. Summer Lee joins resolution calling for ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war
U.S. Rep. Summer Lee has joined a group of progressive lawmakers in calling for Congress to support a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Lee, a Democrat from Swissvale, is a co-sponsor on the Ceasefire Now Resolution that urges “an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine.” Initial co-sponsors...
Rite Aid to close 9 stores in Southwestern Pa.
Rite Aid Corp., which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Monday, lost little time in announcing its plans to shutter nine stores in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Stores on the closing list are ones on Stevenson Boulevard in New Kensington; Route 22 in Murrysville; Route 30 in Hempfield; Library Road in Bethel Park;...
