Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 373
Pittsburgh puts early end to $1.8M annual tax break for Squirrel Hill property
A blighted piece of land in the city’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood will return to the tax rolls nearly a decade earlier than expected. The property, an old slag heap that overlooks the Parkway East near the Squirrel Hill Tunnel, had a 20-year tax break to spur development. But that will...
Pittsburgh to spend $600K on 11 public restrooms throughout city
Mobile bathrooms will be popping up throughout Downtown Pittsburgh and other parts of the city over the next two years. City Council on Tuesday unanimously agreed to allocate $600,000 in federal covid-19 relief money to bring 11 public restrooms to areas where bathrooms are hard to find. The city will...
Audit blasts city for ‘mismanagement’ of payments for Phipps’ steam usage
The City of Pittsburgh failed to collect more than $800,000 from Phipps Conservatory, the botanical garden complex in Oakland, as part of a longstanding utility reimbursement agreement, according to an audit released Tuesday by Controller Rachael Heisler. Phipps, a nonprofit, has since paid the city the bulk of that sum....
Judge tosses GOP congressmen’s lawsuit over Pennsylvania’s overseas and military votes
HARRISBURG — A federal judge on Tuesday threw out a lawsuit by six Republican members of Congress seeking to make Pennsylvania election officials institute new checks confirming the eligibility and identity of soldiers, sailors and others who vote from overseas. U.S. District Judge Christopher Conner said he agreed with the...
Seafood restaurant, bar in the works to replace Park Bruges in Highland Park
A new seafood restaurant and bar will replace Park Bruges on Bryant Street in Highland Park in the new year. “We’re hoping to close in January on the deal, maybe use the month of February to change things up,” said Angela Earley, who will take over the space. Earley, co-owner...
Pittsburgh halts discounted vacant land sales program
Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday voted to halt a program that allows property owners to buy vacant city-owned properties for a steep discount. The Side Yard Sale Program allows property owners to purchase certain vacant, city-owned parcels that sit adjacent to their own for $200. But City Council on Tuesday...
Trump says his New York rally marked by crude and racist insults was ‘an absolute lovefest’
ALLENTOWN — Urged by some allies to apologize for racist comments made by speakers at his weekend rally, Donald Trump took the opposite approach on Tuesday, saying it was an “honor to be involved” in such an event and calling the scene a “lovefest” — the same term he has...
1 week to go: What are presidential candidates up to today?
Time flies! We’re one week out from Election Day and the presidential race still looks tight. The whole country will be looking to battleground state Pennsylvania on Nov. 5. Here’s a look at where the race stands today. Where is everyone? Republican candidate former President Donald Trump kicked off his...
Victims, survivors of domestic violence have safe voting options
Every election cycle, Americans are encouraged to exercise their right to vote, but, for some, it isn’t that simple. Just like in other aspects of their lives, victims of domestic abuse can find themselves in situations that make it difficult, if not dangerous, to exercise their rights. “We have had...
Buffalo Township movie theater reopens under family management
The former AMC theater in Buffalo Township quietly reopened as South Pike Cinemas on Saturday, more than two months after America’s largest movie chain declined to renew its lease. Before leaving, AMC removed its payment systems, monitors — even its soda fountains — giving owner Nick Mulone plenty to do...
Steelers vs. Giants: What they’re saying in New York after loss
There was one word New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones repeated numerous times during his postgame interview after losing “Monday Night Football” to the Pittsburgh Steelers: frustrating. It’s no wonder — his team dropped to 2-6 on the season, special teams players allowed a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown...
Steve Bannon spends his first day out of prison on the airwaves stumping for Trump
NEW YORK — Longtime Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon was released from federal prison early Tuesday and immediately resumed his full-throated support for the former president, urging Republicans to turn out in large numbers next week to defeat Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris. Bannon served a four-month sentence for...
Pittsburgh council wants answers about Scirotto’s referee deal with Gainey
Pittsburgh City Council will try today to uncover details about how lame-duck police Chief Larry Scirotto struck a secretive deal with Mayor Ed Gainey to return to part-time college basketball refereeing while also running the city’s police force. Council is expected to question Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt and Acting...
Who is better for economy, Trump or Harris? Here’s how their policies compare
Editor’s note: This is part of an occasional series examining where presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump stand on the biggest issues. Today’s segment focuses on the economy. Former President Donald Trump, never shy to borrow from Ronald Reagan, asked supporters at a recent rally in Unity a simple...
5 things we learned in Steelers’ win vs. Giants: Offense breaks out with switch to Russell Wilson
Five things we learned from Steelers 26, Giants 18: 1. 400 reasons From the start of the 2021 season through the game two weeks ago in Las Vegas, the Steelers had gone through six starting quarterbacks and three play callers over 3½ seasons. And, in the 57 games in that...
Hempfield supervisors nix tax hike, but some warn fire funding issues remain
Hempfield supervisors on Monday narrowly rejected a 3-mill property tax increase for 2025. But they hinted that the proposal could return when it comes time to prepare the 2026 budget. “Guess what, you’re kicking the can down the road,” said Supervisor George Reese, who voted in favor of the 3...
Owner Jeff Bezos defends Washington Post’s decision not to endorse as the right, ‘principled’ one
NEW YORK — Billionaire Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos on Monday defended the newspaper’s decision not to endorse a presidential candidate as “right” and “principled” and pushed back against any notion that he ordered it up to protect his business interests. That decision, announced Friday, has reportedly led to tens...
Pitt plans to spend $14.5M to tame ‘Cardiac Hill’
Anyone who’s climbed “Cardiac Hill” for a basketball game or class at the University of Pittsburgh will tell you — perhaps after catching their breath — that having an upper and lower campus can be taxing. That’s why Western Pennsylvania’s largest university is prepared to spend $14.5 million to make...
Republicans ask U.S. Supreme Court to block counting of some provisional ballots in Pennsylvania
WASHINGTON — Republicans on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court for an emergency order in Pennsylvania that could result in thousands of votes not being counted in this year’s election in the battleground state. Just over a week before the election, the court is being asked to step into a...
UPMC Western Psych nurses ratify contract, averting threatened strike
Nurses at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital will be the first in UPMC to have a minimum hourly pay rate over $40 under a new three-year contract, union officials say. A tentative agreement between UPMC and SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania was reached Thursday, said Marah McDonald, a nurse and member of the...
Former President Bill Clinton to stump for Harris in Westmoreland County
Former President Bill Clinton will make three appearances Tuesday in Western Pennsylvania as the race for the White House reaches the homestretch. Clinton is scheduled to appear at events at the University of Pittsburgh’s Greensburg campus and in McKeesport and Johnstown on behalf of the Harris-Walz campaign. It’s a race...
Trump rally comment about Puerto Ricans could have impact on the election in Pa.
In a rare act of bipartisan agreement, Republicans and Democrats alike have condemned a joke made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe during a rally for former President Donald Trump on Sunday. “I don’t know if you guys know this, but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of...
Hempfield man pleads guilty to murder-for-hire plot against sister
A Hempfield man faces up to 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty Monday to attempting to hire a hitman to kill his sister. Police said Peter Cute, 64, met with undercover detectives and offered to pay them $1,000 to murder his estranged sister, who he claimed prevented him...
Highland Park restaurant to close
Park Bruges on Bryant Street in Highland Park will close its doors for good in the coming months. The announcement was posted on the French-inspired bistro restaurant’s Facebook page Monday, saying a new restaurant concept will take its place. “While a hard decision for us, it was made easier by...
Costco salmon, chicken street tacos recalled due to listeria concerns
Issues with listeria contaminating consumer foods continue. Costco is the latest retailer affected. It issued a recall on its Kirkland Signature Smoked Salmon, and the Food and Drug Administration recalled selected Sprouts Farmers Market Chicken Street Taco kits, which are sold at Costco. Costco customers were informed of the salmon...
