Top Stories category, Page 229
As egg prices continue to soar, grocers like Trader Joe’s limit how many cartons customers can buy
Not only are eggs expensive because of the ongoing bird flu outbreak. Now they are getting hard to find. And even when stores do have eggs, consumers are starting to face limits on how many they can buy. Eggs have even become such a hot commodity that there have even...
Shapiro administration names the state prisons it wants to close
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Department of Corrections has named the two state prisons that it would close as part of efficiency efforts in the 2025-26 budget year. The recommendation from the state Department of Corrections is to close the 110-year-old State Correctional Institution at Rockview in Centre County, where the last...
Norwin School Board censures controversial director; he vows lawsuit retaliation
The Norwin School Board on Monday voted to censure one of its directors over what the board majority deemed offensive language in a social media post aimed at other school board members. Directors Bill Bojalad, Ray Kocak, Tim Kotch Sr., Heath Shrum, Matt Thomas and Nina Totin voted to censure...
Date set on tear down of Springdale power plant boiler house, weather permitting
The end is near for the last remaining edifice at Springdale’s former power plant. Officials from Springdale Police, property owner CPERG and demolition contractor B&B Wrecking and Excavation held a public meeting Monday on the planned conventional demolition of the boiler house. Sam Miller, the plant manager, said crews plan...
Trial begins in brutal Clairton stabbing death
Nicole Koontz expected her husband to pick her up from work at a Bethel Park bakery on Jan. 21, 2021. But she hadn’t heard from Anthony Koontz by the end of her shift, so she asked her nephew for a ride. When Koontz got to their house on Mendelssohn Avenue...
Last Downtown homeless encampment closed; city and county officials cite success at resettlement
The last Downtown Pittsburgh homeless encampment — on the Eliza Furnace Trail — has been closed as of Monday, city and county officials said. People experiencing homelessness who used to reside there have been transitioned into more stable housing as recently as this past weekend. They were part of the...
22 states — not Pa. — sue Trump administration over guidelines that could hamper Pitt, CMU research
The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine on Monday touted new Alzheimer’s disease research that could contribute to diagnosing the disease and starting treatment of it before it enters its final stage, which ends in death. More than 12 federal grants helped defray the cost of the research. Similar federal...
Custodian at Pine-Richland High School accused of selling THC vape cartridges, alcohol to students
A Pine-Richland High School custodian was arrested Thursday for allegedly selling nicotine, THC vape cartridges and alcohol to students on school grounds. Keon Ency Barrett, who the district identified as an evening custodial employee, is charged with delivery of scheduled substances, criminal use of a communication facility and two counts...
Judge blocks Trump administration attempt to cap medical research spending after states sue
BOSTON — Scientists warn the Trump administration’s drastic cuts for medical research endanger patients, will cost thousands of jobs – and threaten America’s standing as a world leader in science and innovation. Nearly two dozen states sued Monday to block the National Institutes of Health’s surprise slashing of billions of...
Judge finds Trump administration hasn’t fully followed his order to unfreeze federal spending
WASHINGTON — A federal judge found Monday that the Trump administration hasn’t fully followed his order to unfreeze federal spending and told the White House to release billions of dollars in funding. The Trump administration quickly appealed the ruling. U.S. District Court Judge John McConnell became the first judge to...
Trump is expected to pardon ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich 5 years after commuting his sentenceVideo
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday will pardon Democratic former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, according to a person familiar with his plans. Trump commuted Blagojevich’s 14-year sentence for political corruption charges during his first term. He planned to sign the pardon on Monday afternoon, according to the person, who...
Pittsburgh combats overtime costs with new measures amid warnings of budget crunch
In years past, Pittsburgh scheduled public works employees for overtime if snow was forecast overnight or on weekends. Road-clearing crews would sometimes spend an entire shift waiting for snow that wouldn’t fall until morning — and getting paid for it. No longer. Now, workers are assigned to be on call...
Hamas accuses Israel of ceasefire violations and says it will delay next hostage release
JERSUSALEM — A Hamas spokesman on Monday accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement with the group, including targeting Palestinians in Gaza with airstrikes, and said that next Saturday’s hostage release would be delayed. Israel and Hamas are in the midst of a six-week ceasefire during which Hamas is releasing...
Mark Madden: Even after Super Bowl flop, Patrick Mahomes still in GOAT discussion
The big game has come and gone. Time to put football to bed with refreshing Super Bowl notes. (The Steelers won’t play in next year’s, either.) • Patrick Mahomes soiled the bed. Philadelphia’s defense was excellent, putting Mahomes under pressure without once blitzing. But if you’re supposed to be in...
Trump says ceasefire deal should be canceled if Hamas doesn’t release all hostages by Saturday
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Monday that a precarious ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas should be canceled if Hamas doesn’t release all the remaining hostages it is holding in Gaza by midday on Saturday — though he also said that such a decision would be up to Israel....
Jury finds Pitcairn man guilty of 1st-degree murder in slaying of Uber driver
A jury found Calvin Crew guilty of first-degree murder on Monday, exactly three years after he forced Uber driver Christina Spicuzza to ferry him across eastern Allegheny County for nearly an hour before marching her into the woods in Monroeville and fatally shooting her. Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Edward...
Officials mum after Munhall police shoot man in holding cell during scuffle
Munhall officials remained tight-lipped Monday after a borough police officer shot and wounded a 38-year-old man overnight during a scuffle inside a holding cell in the municipal building. “There’s not a lot I can say right now,” Munhall Mayor Rob Falce told TribLive. “It’s been turned over to county investigators.”...
Morning Roundup: At least 13 injured in Crawford County explosion
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, Feb. 10: Over a dozen injured in explosion in Crawford County At least 13 people were reported injured after an industrial fire and explosion Sunday morning at the Parker Lord Corp. in Saegertown in Crawford County. TribLive news...
Device debate: Gov. Shapiro’s proposed tax rate gets pushback from skill game operators
Operators and manufacturers of electronic skill games say they’ve been anticipating Pennsylvania might soon take a tax bite from their revenue, but they protest that Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed 52% tax is excessive. “It would kill all of us,” Jordan Scanlan said. “We would never be able to stay open....
Controversial Norwin director faces censure vote again over graphic social media language
A controversial Norwin school director faces a possible censure vote and a demand to resign Monday over language deemed offensive toward fellow board members in his online publication. Director Alex Detschelt, a Republican, is being targeted for censure for his Jan. 24 post on his Substack page. The resolution before...
Trump says he will announce 25% steel and aluminum tariffs, and more import duties are coming
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said he will announce Monday the United States will impose 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, including from Canada and Mexico, as well as other import duties later in the week. “Any steel coming into the United States is going to have a...
Eagles deny Chiefs a Super Bowl 3-peat with dominant defense
NEW ORLEANS — Cooper DeJean, Josh Sweat and the Philadelphia Eagles’ ferocious defense denied Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs a Super Bowl three-peat. It wasn’t even close. DeJean got a pick-6 on his 22nd birthday, Sweat tormented Mahomes and the Eagles routed the Chiefs, 40-22, on...
TV Talk: Confusion and celebrities highlight Super Bowl LIX ads
Some companies bought ads during Super Bowl LIX that failed to make clear the purpose of the product being advertised, essentially setting fire to an $8 million investment (the cost to buy a 30-second ad, not including millions of dollars in production costs). Overall, the ads were not memorable (or...
Trump says he has directed Treasury to stop minting new pennies, citing cost
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says he has directed the Treasury Department to stop minting new pennies, citing the rising cost of producing the one-cent coin. “For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents. This is so wasteful!” Trump wrote...
Westmoreland museum marks Black History Month with art-filled observance for all
It was celebration time Sunday for Laurie Johnson-Wade of New Kensington, who brought her seven grandchildren and two of her daughters to Greensburg for a lesson in Black history — the arts, singing, painting and poetry. “It’s a celebration of all things good about our history,” said Wade, a descendant...
