Top Stories category, Page 476
Oklahoma highway reopens following shutdown after a barge hit a bridge
SALLISAW, Okla. — An Oklahoma highway was reopened Saturday following its closure for a few hours after a bridge over the Arkansas River was struck by a barge. Troopers with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol closed a portion of U.S. Highway 59 south of Sallisaw at around 1:25 p.m. after the...
Pennsylvania legislators lead the way in slow-moving efforts to tighten rail safety laws
Nearly 5,000 residents evacuated, more than $800 million in cleanup costs and one bipartisan rail safety bill stalled in Congress — those are some of the numbers that define last year’s fiery train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Congressional lawmakers trying to tighten the screws on rail operators, many from...
Lilies bloom at Easter, a time of renewal
Pots filled with lilies will bloom inside churches as Christians celebrate Easter on March 31 — or May 5 for those of the Orthodox Christian faith. But how did these beautiful flowers become the symbol of Easter? Everything about the lily speaks of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, Catholic Diocese...
Oklahoma State Patrol diverts traffic after barge hits bridge
SALLISAW, Okla. — The Oklahoma State Patrol said Saturday that it closed a highway south of Sallisaw after a barge struck a bridge over Arkansas River. Troopers closed South U.S. Highway 59 about 1:25 p.m. after receiving word of the incident and diverted traffic from the area, state patrol spokesperson...
Don’t look at the solar eclipse without proper eye protection, doctors warn
Though it may be tempting to sneak a peek, guidance from health officials is clear: It’s not safe to view the April 8 solar eclipse without proper eye protection. The Pittsburgh region will experience a partial solar eclipse, with 95% totality at the peak about 3:15 p.m. Those to the...
Pope overcomes health concerns to preside over a blustery Easter Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square
ROME — Pope Francis rallied from a winter-long bout of respiratory problems to lead some 60,000 people in Easter celebrations Sunday, making a strong appeal for a cease-fire in Gaza and a prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine. Francis presided over Easter Sunday Mass in a flower-decked St. Peter’s Square...
AT&T data breach impacts 70 million with unknown amounts of information leaked
The personal information of more than 70 million current and former AT&T customers was leaked after a data breach that occurred two weeks ago, the company announced Saturday. Information could have included names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, email addresses, mailing addresses and AT&T account numbers and passcodes, according to...
All 3 of John Fetterman’s top communications staffers have resigned in the past month
There’s been some serious turnover in Sen. John Fetterman’s office, The Philadelphia Inquirer has learned. In the last month, all three of Fetterman’s top communications staffers have left Capitol Hill. Nick Gavio, who was deputy communications director, will leave the office at the end of March to take a new...
Police: Fawn woman faces assault charge after argument with teenager over phone
A Fawn woman faces felony charges after police accused her of hitting a teenager during an argument over a phone. Dione Wright, 31, is charged with one felony count each of aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children, and a summary offense of harassment, in connection to an altercation...
Kane Brown fires up the crowd — and the stage — in Pittsburgh
Kane Brown loves the audience, and they love him right back. The crowd-pleasing pop country singer came to PPG Paints Arena on Friday night as part of his In The Air Tour. Brown started out as a social media sensation and has gone on to win CMT and AMA awards...
Former Pittsburgh company provided steel for Baltimore’s Key Bridge, other landmark structures
It took seconds for Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge to collapse into Baltimore’s Patapsco River Early Tuesday after it was struck by a cargo ship. But it took five years to construct the 1.6-mile-long bridge in the 1970s, and a major part of that process began in the Pittsburgh area....
Environmental, advocacy groups react to EPA’s new asbestos regulation
For Linda Reinstein, asbestos is personal. Her husband, Alan Reinstein, died of mesothelioma, a cancer often caused by exposure to the mineral commonly used in insulations, fire retarders and other products. News of a new rule set by the Environmental Protection Agency regarding asbestos was enough to bring her to...
Baltimore collapse focused attention on vital bridges. Thousands are in poor shape across U.S.
After a yearlong closure, a bridge over the Puyallup River reopened in 2019 with a sturdy new span and a brand new name. It even won a national award. But today, the Fishing Wars Memorial Bridge is closed again after federal officials raised concerns about a vintage section of the...
Highmark database error sent letters to outdated addresses, company says
People who changed their address with Highmark before August might not have received utilization letters that were sent between August and February, the Pittsburgh-based health insurer said Friday. The letters, which are required to be sent to people as part of the coverage approval process, might have been mailed to...
Gap store closes on Shadyside’s Walnut Street
The Gap clothing store in Shadyside has permanently closed. The Walnut Street store was one of only a few Gap locations remaining in the Pittsburgh area. On Friday afternoon, all of the store’s signage had been removed and the windows were covered with construction paper. Other Gap stores in the...
Former Pittsburgh police commander accused in federal lawsuit of secretly recording officers
A former Pittsburgh police commander violated police policy, state and federal wiretapping laws, and two constitutional amendments when he stashed body-worn cameras in patrol cars last fall to secretly record more than a half-dozen of his own officers, a lawsuit filed this week alleges. Matthew Lackner, 50, a Mt. Lebanon...
Appeals could push demolition of Springdale boiler house into 2025
The boiler house at the former power plant in Springdale likely won’t be demolished this year. The Pennsylvania Superior Court on Thursday gave property owner Charah Solutions, and demolition contractors Grant Mackay Co. and Controlled Demolition, Inc., a May 7 deadline to file their briefs in an appeal of a...
Residents concerned for Bernese Mountain Dogs seen wandering Murrysville since January
It’s not that easy to lose a Bernese Mountain Dog, at least from a visual standpoint. They can get up to 110 pounds, and the breed traces its lineage back, in part, to the ancient Roman mastiffs. The American Kennel Club characterizes them as loyal, calm and high-energy. Two Berneses...
Andrea Bocelli, Chappell Roan, Tim McGraw highlight April’s top Pittsburgh concerts
The Pittsburgh concert scene is heating up in April, with at least 10 sold-out shows already. The calendar includes one of the biggest current stars in classical music, a rising pop music star and one of country’s biggest names. Here’s a look at the most notable concerts slated for the...
Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation dedicated to preserving Mansions on Fifth
The stretch of Fifth Avenue in Shadyside where the Mansions on Fifth sits was once known as Millionaire’s Row, home to families with last names including Westinghouse, Carnegie, Frick and Mellon. Today, many of the opulent structures are gone, but a 20,000-square-foot mansion and a nearby 8,000-square-foot building remain. The...
Easter Sunday could see a few light showers, but most of day to be dry
Aside from possible light showers in the early morning and late evening, Easter Sunday looks like it will be dry with cloudy skies, according to WTAE Meteorologist Mike Harvey. “It will be cloudy on Easter, but we could have a few sprinkles or a few light showers very early on...
Morning Roundup: 2 men shot in Knoxville; woman arrested after shots fired in Beltzhoover
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, March 29: 2 men shot in Knoxville Two men were shot Thursday night in an apartment building in Pittsburgh’s Knoxville neighborhood, according to city police. At 8:45 p.m., Pittsburgh police, fire and EMS responded to the 100 block...
Man killed in crash near UPMC MercyVideo
A Pittsburgh man died early Friday morning in a vehicle crash near UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh’s Bluff neighborhood. James Pendelton, 40, a passenger in the vehicle, died after the car he was in was struck by another vehicle, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. The crash happened near...
Lower Burrell child predator sting by citizens raises safety, legal issues
The premise is quite simple. An adult creates an online account, posing as a child on dating and social media apps. They make their “age” known throughout online conversations that often turn sexual, then meet their target at an agreed-upon location. When the meeting occurs, the person operating the account...
Elections 101: What to know about poll watchers, and what they can and can’t do in Pennsylvania
Elections 101 from Spotlight PA protects you against election misinformation and empowers you to make informed decisions. HARRISBURG — As the 2024 election heats up, voters in Pennsylvania may hear candidates talk about poll watchers. Appointed by candidates or political parties, poll watchers are permitted to observe polling place setup,...
