Top Stories category, Page 256
FBI says driver in New Orleans rampage acted alone, was ‘100%’ inspired by Islamic State groupVideo
NEW ORLEANS — The Army veteran who drove a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers in New Orleans acted alone, the FBI said Thursday, reversing its position from a day earlier that he likely worked with others in the deadly attack that officials said was inspired by...
U mad, bro?: Readers welcome ’25 with familiar angst over Steelers, media coverage, College Football Playoff
The first “U mad, bro?” of 2025 appears to be very similar to what we saw a lot of in 2024: Pittsburgh Steelers fans complaining about the state of the team. Or, Steelers fans complaining about me complaining about the state of the team — with just a pinch of...
Presbyterian church leader reflects on navigating changes over a dozen years
After almost 12 years as the executive presbyter for the Redstone Presbytery, the Rev. Richard “Skip” Noftzger Jr. has retired. The executive presbyter oversaw 65 Presbyterian churches in four counties. Noftzger had been in ministry 28 years and in addition to administrative duties at two universities. “I feel good about...
Canonsburg man among those injured in New Orleans
A Canonsburg man was among those injured when a man drove a truck around a police blockade and into a crowd of revelers during New Year’s celebrations early Wednesday morning in New Orleans. A family member said Jeremi Sensky, 51, was hurt in what authorities termed a terrorist attack by...
Firework mortars, gas cannisters stuffed inside Tesla that exploded outside Trump’s Las Vegas hotel
LAS VEGAS — Firework mortars and camp fuel canisters were found stuffed into the back of the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel early Wednesday, killing a suspect inside the vehicle and sparking an intense investigation into possible terrorism. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and Clark...
Meet Allegheny and Westmoreland county’s firstborn of 2025: William, Genesis, Shiloh, Luka and Mila
William Sido Scott was born 10 seconds after midnight Wednesday to become the first birth of 2025 in the Pittsburgh area. William, the son of Frank and Evan (Telban) Scott of South Strabane, Washington County, was born at St. Clair Hospital in Mt. Lebanon, seconds after his New Year’s Eve...
New Orleans New Year’s Day ramming is latest attack to use vehicle as deadly weapon
NEW ORLEANS — Police say a person who drove a pickup truck at high speed into a crowd of people celebrating the new year in New Orleans early Wednesday was hell-bent on creating carnage. While a motive for the attack that killed at least 10 people has yet to be...
Greensburg’s Abie & Bimbo’s Pizza closes after 57 years
New Year’s came with a wave of sadness for Doug Mirolli, as he announced the closure of the pizza restaurant he has owned for nearly two decades. Mirolli, 47, of Greensburg has owned Abie & Bimbo’s Pizza along Greensburg’s Highland Avenue since 2007. Known for its Pizzaroni subs and giant...
‘This is evil’: Driver rams New Year’s revelers in New Orleans, killing 15
NEW ORLEANS — An Army veteran driving a pickup truck that bore the flag of the Islamic State group wrought carnage on New Orleans’ raucous New Year’s celebration, killing 15 people as he steered around a police blockade and slammed into revelers before being shot dead by police. The FBI...
Top 25 concerts coming to Pittsburgh in 2025 (so far)
While there are hundreds of concerts yet to be announced for 2025, what’s already on tap for the coming year will provide plenty of options for Pittsburgh music fans. From R&B (Boyz II Men) and rap (Tyler, the Creator) to pop punk (Avril Lavigne) and theatric metal (Ghost), there’s something...
First Night Pittsburgh welcomes 2025 with fireworks, celebrations
Pittsburgh said farewell to the year welcomed 2025 Tuesday evening with fireworks and a community celebration Downtown. Highmark First Night Pittsburgh included a parade, a 6 p.m. children’s fireworks show, musical performances and more fireworks into the night. The evening’s crescendo culminated with the raising of the Future of Pittsburgh...
U.S. imposes sanctions on Russian and Iranian groups over disinformation targeting American voters
WASHINGTON — The United States has imposed sanctions on two groups linked to Iranian and Russian efforts to target American voters with disinformation ahead of this year’s election. Treasury officials announced the sanctions Tuesday, alleging that the two organizations sought to stoke divisions among Americans before November’s vote. U.S. intelligence...
Report: Nippon Steel offers 10-year guarantee to gain approval of U.S. Steel acquisition
In a last-ditch effort to gain approval for its acquisition of U.S. Steel, Nippon Steel is offering a 10-year guarantee that it would not reduce production capacity at U.S. Steel’s mills in six states, including Pennsylvania, the Washington Post reported. The newspaper cited a document sent to the White House....
Chip Minemyer: Tired Sandusky taunts further insult victims of abuse
Why does chirping about a scandal that broke more than 13 years ago still give fans of Penn State’s football opponents such glee? A grand jury indictment in November 2011 accused former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky of sexually abusing young boys in his care. In 2012, he...
‘We’re in trouble’: Pittsburgh police lost 103 officers this year, figures show
Figures released Tuesday show Pittsburgh police lost more officers in 2024 than they have in at least 12 years, triggering calls from elected leaders and public-safety watchdogs to stem a staffing crisis that’s also playing out in police departments nationwide. In 2024, a total of 103 sworn officers left the...
Board expected to vote on new Allegheny County Jail warden
The Allegheny County Jail oversight board is expected to vote on a new warden at its Jan. 9 meeting. The new warden, whose name has not yet been released, is expected to meet with members of county council on Monday, said Council President Pat Catena. Catena said he hasn’t talked...
Pennsylvania towns put unique spin on New Year’s Eve ball drops
While lots of folks will watch the traditional ball drop in New York’s Times Square tonight to ring in the new year, Pennsylvanians will have the chance to watch some unique twists on the tradition. Here are a few examples: Pittsburgh The city will host its annual Highmark First Night...
New York Police identify woman burned to death inside subway train
NEW YORK — The woman who died after being set on fire in a New York subway train this month was a 57-year-old from New Jersey, police announced Tuesday. The woman, Debrina Kawam, had worked at the pharmaceutical giant Merck in from 2000 until 2002, but her life at some...
Greensburg, Hempfield areas see changes in fast food, retail business scene
As fast food chains and other popular retail locations close in the Greensburg-Hempfield area, the region’s business scene will see some changes in the new year. Dick’s Sporting Goods While Westmoreland Mall prepares to welcome a Dick’s Sporting Goods House of Sport, one of the chain’s stores along Route 30...
Solar power battle brewing in North Huntingdon
North Huntingdon could be the site of the next battle over whether a utility-scale solar power farm can be built to comply with municipal zoning ordinances. Bear Park North Huntingdon LLC of Denver is appealing a decision by Thomas McGuire, township zoning officer, denying the solar power company’s request to...
The world begins welcoming 2025 with light shows, embraces and ice plunges
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — From Sydney to Vladivostok, communities around the world have begun welcoming 2025 with spectacular light shows, embraces and ice plunges. Auckland became the first major city to celebrate, as thousands thronged downtown or climbed the city’s ring of volcanic peaks for a fireworks vantage point. A...
Pennsylvania’s political pendulum swung to Republicans this year. Will it stay there?
PHILADELPHIA — Republicans had a major political comeback in Pennsylvania in 2024 after a series of disappointments in recent elections. President-elect Donald Trump won the state by a margin of 1.7 percentage points. Republicans swept the row offices, and ousted two incumbent Democrats in the U.S. House along with longtime...
New Kensington SWAT incident nets man wanted for assault in Pittsburgh
A man charged with assaulting a woman in October in Pittsburgh was arrested Monday night in New Kensington after being accused of assaulting a child outside a bar. New Kensington police Chief Bob Deringer confirmed that Burnell Johnson, 26, was the person arrested after a SWAT unit was called to...
Rise of the iPhone, social media ‘opened up a new world’ in 21st century
Editor’s note: One-fourth of the way through this century, TribLive is looking ahead to the next 25 years, using the events of the past 25 as a road map of what possibly is to come. This installment of the occasional series looks at technology and social media. Jessica Ghilani vividly...
Trump’s nomination returns Mehmet Oz to the spotlight, puts him on track to oversee health care for 160M Americans
Mehmet Oz stood in front of a camera in July and filmed a TikTok about “how to conquer your constipation.” “Here’s the scoop on the poop brain loop,” Oz said confidently, delving into an enthusiastic pitch for probiotic supplements to keep you regular. In the two years since losing his...
