Top Stories category, Page 268
UPMC, other health care and insurance giants scrub leadership from web after CEO killing
Health care giant UPMC makes no secret of who its top executives are, but the organization isn’t advertising it, either. At least, not for now. Western Pennsylvania’s largest employer, like some other large corporations, is giving its leadership a lower online profile. CEO Leslie Davis’ photo and biography have been...
Highlands investigating alleged boys basketball hazing
The PA announcer introduced the Highlands High School boys basketball starters and coach Bill Flow, but he wasn’t there for Tuesday’s game at Hampton. Instead, basketball parent and former assistant Mike Foster coached a scaled-back roster that dressed only nine varsity players while the program faces an investigation into hazing...
Investigator tells jury changing statements and fresh snow led to homicide charge against then 11-year-old Jordan Brown
The state trooper who interviewed Jordan Brown the morning his father’s pregnant fiancee was killed said it never even crossed her mind that the 11-year-old boy could have done it. But as that day — Feb. 20, 2009 — wore on, the most likely suspects were eliminated, now-retired Cpl. Janice...
Monday’s Union Restaurant reopens after playing ‘vital’ role in Elizabeth Pollard search
At 3 p.m. Tuesday, the atmosphere in Monday’s Union Restaurant in Unity was positively serene compared with the same hour last week. A handful of customers chatted at the bar while two others sat in the restaurant waiting for one of Monday’s popular pizzas. The previous Tuesday, the main downstairs...
Butler hospital authority bonds fall to ‘junk’ status
Financial problems continue for the former Butler Health System’s Clarion and Butler hospitals, with a national credit rating agency downgrading its bonds to junk status, indicating it has a negative outlook and would be a risky investment. Fitch Ratings on Dec. 3 lowered the Butler County Hospital Authority’s bonds issued...
Suspect pleads guilty in credit card skimmer scam set up in grocery stores
One of two men charged last summer in a multicounty fraud scheme that employed skimmer devices on grocery store card readers pleaded guilty Tuesday in Westmoreland County. Thomas Fuchs, 34, whose last address was listed as in Pittsburgh, was ordered to serve one to two years in prison for his...
From wealth and success to murder suspect, the life of Luigi Mangione took a hard turn
Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. Friends...
Rep. Mike Kelly’s task force releases final report on Trump assassination attempt in Butler County
A task force led by a Republican congressman from Southwestern Pennsylvania on Tuesday capped a monthslong investigation of the attempted assassination of President-elect Donald Trump at a Butler County campaign rally in July by releasing dozens of recommendations to improve the U.S. Secret Service after widespread criticism of the agency....
‘We deserve a better Pittsburgh’: Corey O’Connor formally launches mayoral bid to oust Gainey
Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor on Tuesday formally declared his candidacy for Pittsburgh mayor, saying the city deserves transparency, thriving neighborhoods, safe streets, booming businesses and improved public safety staffing. The announcement sets up what will likely be a fiercely fought Democratic primary on May 20 as O’Connor tries to...
Greensburg police sell guns long held in storage at station
Greensburg police are selling four long guns that were seized in a criminal case years ago, said police Chief Charles Irvin. City council on Monday unanimously approved selling the firearms to Hufftown Highpower in South Greensburg for $1,660. Irvin said the guns were ordered by a judge to be used...
Trump promises to end birthright citizenship: What is it and could he do it?
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump has promised to end birthright citizenship as soon as he gets into office to make good on campaign promises aiming to restrict immigration and redefining what it means to be American. But any efforts to halt the policy would face steep legal hurdles. Birthright citizenship...
Who is Luigi Mangione, suspect in fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson?
NEW YORK — Luigi Mangione, the “strong person of interest” arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is a Maryland native who graduated at the top of his high school class and earned a master of science in engineering with a major in computer science...
Morning Roundup: Sinkhole opens up in East Liberty; man charged in stabbing; person flown to hospital following crash
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Dec. 10: Pittsburgh water officials investigate East Liberty sinkhole A large sinkhole was discovered in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood on Monday. TribLive news partner WTAE reports that a 10 feet wide, 4 feet deep sinkhole opened in front...
Sewickley Heights homeowner plans to rebuild on site of 2023 house explosion
Nearly a year has passed since an explosion leveled a caretaker’s house on John Tippins’ sprawling Sewickley Heights property. But, as the managing director of a Downtown-based private equity group gets ready to rebuild on the Backbone Road site, at least one neighbor still is wondering what happened to the...
Suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO struggles, shouts while entering courthouse
ALTOONA, Pa. — The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare’s CEO struggled with deputies and shouted while being led into court Tuesday as new details emerged about his possible motivation behind the ambush. In his first public words since a five-day search ended with his arrest at an Altoona McDonald’s, Luigi...
Frigid temperatures in Pittsburgh area return following rainstorm later this week
A warm-up throughout the Pittsburgh area will transition into frigid conditions with a chance of snow later this week. Temperatures on Tuesday will reach highs in the upper 50s, warming up conditions across the region, but don’t expect that to last long. Rain showers are reported to start Tuesday afternoon...
Altoona thrust into spotlight after suspect in UnitedHealthcare’s CEO’s killing nabbed at McDonald’s
ALTOONA — Karen Townsley praised the McDonald’s employee who reported to police Monday suspicions that a customer was the man being sought by New York City authorities in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO. “I was pretty shocked,” she said. “I thought he was probably from New York City.” The...
Jordan Brown, arrested for murder at age 11, testifies for first time
Nearly 16 years after he was accused of killing the woman he thought of as his stepmother, Jordan Brown testified for the first time Monday, describing for a jury the events of Feb. 20, 2009. In appearance, only Brown’s clothes — a gray suit and tan, striped tie — and...
Coroner: Unity woman died of head, torso injuries after fall into sinkhole
Elizabeth Pollard died of head and torso injuries, according to Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson, who released the 64-year-old Unity resident’s preliminary autopsy report Monday. Pollard was searching for her cat Dec. 2 behind Monday’s Union Restaurant in Unity when he ground gave way beneath her, and she fell straight...
Deadline nears for registering for state health insurance coverage for 2025
The 430,000 Pennsylvanians who use Pennie, the state-operated marketplace for health insurance, must make a decision by Dec. 15 which plan they want in 2025. Pennie is an option for those meeting federal poverty income guidelines and it gives people the chance to be able to get affordable health care...
Apollo man says he pulled truck driver out of flaming vehicle at fatal New Kensington crash
Jonathan Dibler works repairing vehicles damaged in crashes or other mishaps. He’s not so well-versed when it comes to rescuing people from those crashes. But that’s what the 18-year-old employee at Caliber Collision in New Kensington did on his lunch break Monday. “It was instinct,” Dibler said. “It was an...
Jay-Z says lawsuit accusing him of raping a child at awards after-party is part of an extortion ploy
NEW YORK — Jay-Z says a rape allegation made against him is part of an extortion attempt. A woman who previously sued Sean “Diddy” Combs, alleging she was raped at an awards show after-party in 2000 when she was 13, amended the lawsuit Sunday to include a new allegation that...
FBI arrests Upper St. Clair man accused of trying to join Hezbollah in Lebanon
A 24-year-old former U.S. soldier living in a Pittsburgh suburb has been charged in federal court with lying to the FBI after, authorities said, he flew to the Middle East and attempted to join the terrorist group Hezbollah. Jack Danaher Molloy, 24, of Upper St. Clair traveled to Lebanon in...
Why is the name being removed from the Carnegie Science Center building?
The Carnegie Science Center sign is being removed — but it’s not what you think. It will eventually be re-named The Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin Science Center after Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin gifted the museum a historic $65 million in January. “Currently, the part of the...
Tourism grants awarded to Westmoreland businesses, attractions
Since Julia Taneja and her husband opened a luxury boutique hotel at a renovated coal baron mansion in Greensburg nearly two years ago, they’ve attracted visitors from throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. A $19,000 grant from revenue generated by Westmoreland County’s 5% hotel room tax will...
