Regional category, Page 79
Steel City Con crowds bolster call to retain Monroeville Convention Center
The Monroeville Convention Center was home to about 18,000 cosplayers, celebrity seekers, hobbyists and the plain curious this weekend, just more than a month after the center’s future was very much in doubt. In February, owners of the three-day Steel City Con, one of the largest events conducted each year...
O’Hara adoption event highlights role of pets in addiction recovery
Dogs have a special way of bringing strangers together. That was the case Sunday morning at DreamLife Recovery’s facility in O’Hara as about 25 people searched for a new furry friend from Tarentum-based rescue Paws Across Pittsburgh. Mike Iwinski, lead therapist at DreamLife, sees this effect constantly in his work...
School districts use technology to curb student vaping on campus
Tim Skoog keeps an unusual collection in his office at Franklin Regional School District. As the district’s director of safety and security, Skoog has confiscated hundreds of e-cigarette cartridges, or vapes, for his “vape graveyard” — a reminder of his efforts to decrease e-cigarette use on campus. “You really don’t...
Democrats Bach, Dziados seek opportunity for fall race to unseat Reschenthaler in Congress
Democrats in Pennsylvania’s 14th Congressional District know there is a steep hill to climb. Businessman Ken Bach of Smithton or retired U.S. Navy veteran Christopher Dziados of South Strabane will attempt in November to oust three-term Republican incumbent Guy Reschenthaler, who has represented the six-county district since 2019. Both Bach...
Rostraver couple’s $1M donation will help complete Westminster College science center
Bill Maurer of Rostraver got the straight to the point when asked about his family’s $1 million donation to Westminster College. “I’m getting old,” he said. “I know there’s a need for all independent colleges as opposed to a state school, and I think it’s appropriate for those who can...
U.S. Steel stockholders approve $14.9B Nippon merger during protest
Environmental activist and entrepreneur Qiyam Ansari isn’t excited that U.S. Steel is making him money. He bought $300 worth of the Pittsburgh-based steel giant’s stock at about $15 a share in 2019. By the time U.S. Steel announced Friday that 98% of voting shareholders approved a $14.9 billion merger deal...
Take the TribLive weekly news quiz: April 12
Here’s a new feature from TribLive: A weekly news quiz: 1. This week, an estimated 33 million people in North America came together to experience the solar eclipse. To view the celestial event, gazers needed essential accessories: eclipse glasses. On Oct. 2, an annular eclipse is expected to occur and...
Biden to visit Pittsburgh area next week
President Joe Biden is returning to Southwestern Pennsylvania next week, his first visit to the Pittsburgh region since 2022. Biden will visit Wednesday, according to the White House. No specific location or agenda was announced, but the White House said more details will follow. His Pittsburgh-area visit is part of...
‘The water was already so high’: New round of flooding hits Western Pa.
Mary Williams has dealt with a flood or two. With the backyard of her South Buffalo home next to Buffalo Creek, she and her husband have gotten pretty good at judging whether or not their property will be flooded. Still, Williams was surprised at how quickly the water rose Thursday...
Bricks fall from Uniontown building, triggering street closure, detour
A section of Morgantown Street in Uniontown was closed to traffic on Thursday, April 11 after bricks fell from a vacant building. No injuries were reported when the bricks fell shortly before 1:45 p.m. at Nos. 12 and 14 Morgantown St., according to a Fayette County 911 supervisor. The bricks...
Environmental advocates praise new EPA limits on PFAS chemicals in drinking water
Environmental groups praised the Biden administration Wednesday for finalizing strict drinking water limits on toxic substances commonly referred to as “forever chemicals.” The new rules will require utilities to reduce the per- and polyfluorinated chemicals, also known as PFAS, to the lowest level that can be reliably measured. The rule...
What’s the ‘Coolest Thing Made in PA?’ Cast your vote
What’s the coolest thing made in Pennsylvania? You can cast your vote starting at noon on Wednesday. The final two contestants — the Pittsburgh-based Primanti Bros. sandwich and Hershey-based Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups — will duke it out in the last round of voting. Run by the Pennsylvania Chamber of...
Duquesne, Waynesburg men sentenced to 30 years and 10 years, respectively, for sexual exploitation of minors
A Duquesne and a Waynesburg resident were found guilty this week for sexual exploitation of minors, U.S. Attorney Eric Olshan said. George Cobbs, 41, of Duquesne was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for producing and attempting to produce material depicting a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. U.S....
Headache after the eclipse? Here’s what you need to know
Did your total solar eclipse glasses accidentally fall off Monday? Did you accidentally glance at the sun? You’re probably going to be fine. Unless you were staring directly at the sun for more than a split second, Dr. Denise Gallagher, ophthalmologist and retina specialist at the UPMC Vision Institute, said...
EMS providers need more than state money to fix funding woes
Regional ambulance service officials say they’ll try to grab a piece of increased state funding for emergency medical services, but repeated their plea for a new funding model. “In a nutshell, the system has been collapsing for a good while,” said Brad James of Eureka Hose EMS in Tarentum. The...
‘Absolutely amazing’: Solar eclipse wows watchers in Western Pa.
For a few moments Monday afternoon, thousands of people around Southwestern Pennsylvania were doing the same thing — looking up at the sky. Many were left with wonder and excitement at witnessing a solar eclipse, even if it was sometimes obscured by clouds and just shy of totality. “It’s so...
Solar eclipse photo gallery 2024
Western Pennsylvanians turned their attention to the sky on Monday to catch a glimpse of the solar eclipse. TribLive journalists were there, from Unity to Springdale to Pittsburgh to Erie, to document the event. Here is a selection of the best images from the day....
Totality plunges Erie, surrounding region into darknessVideo
ERIE — The timing in Erie couldn’t have been better for a once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse, which shrouded the city in darkness for a few minutes Monday afternoon. A dreary morning gave way to sunshine and clear skies around 2 p.m. as the moon began carving ever-larger chunks out of...
Solar eclipse: Thousands in Pittsburgh and Erie took in the phenomenon
The sun is back to normal in Southwestern Pennsylvania, hours after a solar eclipse brought people together to watch the phenomenon. Thousands watched from behind the safety of eclipse glasses in the Pittsburgh region and Erie, which was in the path of totality. Cheers of excitement filled the air at...
PennDOT shares driver tips during solar eclipse
PennDOT has released an informational guide for those on the road during the eclipse. Drivers are asked to plan ahead before their trip. Officials recommended travelers select a preferred viewing location before the eclipse hits, but be prepared to change course based on traffic congestion. Visitors should also plan to...
Pa. State Police settle Washington County woman’s strip-search lawsuit for $250K
Pennsylvania State Police will pay $250,000 to settle a federal lawsuit by a Washington County woman who claims she was wrongfully strip-searched on the side of Interstate 70 in 2021 after being stopped for speeding. The details of what happened after a trooper pulled over Holly Elish remain in dispute,...
Total anticipation: Sunny skies that greeted visitors may be fleeting as eclipse day arrives in Erie
ERIE — If only the solar eclipse happened on a day like Sunday, the people crammed into Erie’s hotels would be able to rest easy. It was almost nothing but clear skies Sunday afternoon in northwest Pennsylvania, completely ideal conditions as visitors and natives prepared for Erie’s once-in-a-lifetime astronomical phenomenon....
50 animals seized from Butler County home after cruelty investigation
A Connoquenessing Township man faces felony animal cruelty charges after authorities found two dead German Shepherds that belonged to him, and seized 50 animals from his home. Paul Joseph Frederick, 53, was arrested Saturday after state police in Butler searched his home in Butler Township and removed 50 animals —...
‘The universe is providing the show’: Eclipse watch parties pop up in Western Pa.
While thousands of dedicated solar eclipse watchers are expected to descend on the Erie area Monday to be in the path of totality, Western Pennsylvanians who want to get in on the excitement need not stray far from home. Plenty of public watch parties are planned across Westmoreland and Allegheny...
Audubon Society seeks participants for Certified Backyard Habitat program
Wanda Petersen and her husband were already into biodiversity. They’ve been working to try and reduce the amount of invasive species on their 10-acre property in Frazer. The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania wants to work with local residents like the Petersens to make their backyards even more beneficial for...
