July 23, 2025 2:33 am
A Belle Vernon man has been sentenced in federal court to thirty months in prison and ordered to pay $3,630,479.13 for his convictions of failing to pay employment taxes and harboring individuals who were not legally authorized to be in the United States. United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on 28-year-old Andy Ha after he pleaded guilty to the charges in February of 2025. According to information presented to the Court, Ha was the president and owner of the Charleroi staffing agency Prosperity Services, Inc., where he employed individuals who were not legally authorized to be in the United States, and paid for such workers to stay in a former hotel. Ha signed false employment tax returns on behalf of the agency, in which Ha reported less than 10% of Prosperity’s employees. Ha and Prosperity failed to pay taxes on the other unreported employees, resulting in a tax loss of at least $3.1 million over the course of a year.
July 23, 2025 2:12 am
South Strabane Township Supervisors held a public hearing to consider a conditional use application for a residential plan that would be situated behind the Speedway convenience store on Route 19. The Meadows Landing development proposed by MLD Meadows Landing, LLC will consist of 401 residential units of varying types on 144 acres. Plans call for 170 single family ranch style homes, 141 three story townhomes and 90 ranch style duplex units. Included in the development is a clubhouse and swimming pool. Access to the plan will be from Helen Dr. through the roundabout. The second access will be 1000 feet south from Landings Drive. Neighbors of the property expressed concerns. Linda Rumbaugh is concerned about congestion and privacy. The townhomes would directly abut her property. She worries about the ability of first responders to effectively enter the development if Route 19 would be shut down. Chester Patrina also abuts the development. His concern is trespassing. He has a home on his property that is 110 years old and vehicles stored in his garage. Neighbors were able to negotiate a fence built by the developer to protect their properties. Ryan Klousnitzer, a consultant for the developer says the customer base for the project will be empty nest families. He said that because of Pennsylvania’s aging population, developments with this style of housing is becoming very popular. Price ranges for the homes are predicted to range from $300,000 to $700,000. Supervisors approved the plan unanimously.
July 23, 2025 2:04 am
(WPXI) SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa — After months of testing the water at Blue Hole Creek for heavy metals, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection sent a notice of violation to Highlands Sporting Clay — a clay shooting range in Somerset County — saying they believe lead and other heavy metal concentrations in the water are because of lead shots at the range. “It’s a combination of poor events that lead to where we are today,” said Eric Harder, the Youghiogheny Riverkeeper with the Mountain Watershed Association. Harder said they started looking into concerns last fall after they went to sample bugs at the creek, and didn’t collect enough. Online records show Highlands Sporting Clay is owned by Highlands Ventures LLC, which is owned by Pittsburgh Pirates owner Bob Nutting.
July 22, 2025 5:47 pm
Coca-Cola finally has confirmed that a version of Coke’s trademark cola sweetened with cane sugar will be released in the U.S. this fall. For decades, Coke and other beverage makers have used high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners in their U.S. sodas. But consumers are increasingly looking for products with fewer and more natural ingredients. Nutritionists say high fructose corn syrup and cane sugar are both sugars with around the same amount of calories. They are equally likely to lead to issues like obesity and tooth decay. (Photo: AP)
July 22, 2025 4:57 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Pentagon has ordered U.S. Marines to leave Los Angeles after more than a month in the city. The 700 Marines were deployed on June 9 during protests against the administration’s immigration policies. Their presence was limited to federal buildings, including an ICE office and detention facility. On Monday, the Pentagon decided to withdraw the Marines following last week’s reduction of half of the National Guard troops in the city. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated the military presence sent a strong message against lawlessness. About 2,000 National Guard troops remain in Los Angeles.
July 22, 2025 4:53 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he’s reached a trade agreement with Philippine leader Ferdinand Marcos Jr. following a meeting at the White House. Trump said Tuesday that the U.S. will slightly drop its tariff rate for the Philippines without paying import taxes for what it sells there. The online announcement of a loose framework of a deal comes as the countries are seeking closer security and economic ties in the face of shifting geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific region. Marcos’ government had indicated ahead of the meeting he was prepared to offer zero tariffs on some U.S. goods.
July 22, 2025 4:52 am
The long-range Russian drones come in swarms each night, buzzing over Ukraine by the hundreds, terrorizing the population and attacking targets from the industrial east to areas near its western border with Poland. Russia now batters Ukraine with more drones in a single night than it did during some entire months in 2024. Analysts say the barrages are likely to escalate. On July 8, Russia unleashed more than 700 drones — a record. Some experts say that could soon reach 1,000 a day. This comes amid a U.S. ultimatum for Russia to reach a ceasefire by Sept. 2 or face tough sanctions -– a timeframe Moscow is likely to use to inflict as much damage as possible.
July 22, 2025 4:48 am
PITTSBURGH — When Saudia 35 left King Abdulaziz International Airport in Saudi Arabia on Saturday morning, a landing at Pittsburgh International Airport wasn’t on the schedule for the 13-hour flight. But when bad weather slammed into Washington, D.C., and arrival at Dulles International wasn’t in the cards, Pittsburgh International Airport was where the big Boeing 777 ended up landing safely. Same thing Saturday for United Airlines Flight 804 from Tokyo to Dulles International and, on Monday, American Airlines Flight 168, a Boeing 787-900 flying from Tokyo to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. Each were diverted for a safe landing at PIT when the weather precluded their original destination after many hours in the air across the Pacific Ocean and Canada and holding patterns. It’s been a busy month for diversions at Pittsburgh International Airport, with 70 in June alone and 285 in 2025 through July 14. The busiest day was Tuesday, July 8, where bad weather on the East Coast saw 18 flights on their way to Reagan National and Dulles in Washington landing instead at Pittsburgh International. The flights came from all over the place, whether they were longhauls from London and Frankfurt, Germany, or closer to home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
July 22, 2025 2:30 am
(AP) – The gloomy, demon-invoking lead singer of the pioneering band Black Sabbath who became the throaty, growling voice of heavy metal, Ozzy Osbourne has died. A family statement said he died Tuesday, just weeks after his farewell show. He was 76. The statement did not include a cause but in 2020, Osbourne revealed he had Parkinson’s disease. Either clad in black or bare-chested, the singer was often the target of parents’ groups for his imagery and once caused an uproar for biting the head off a bat. Later, he would reveal himself to be a doddering and sweet father on the reality TV show “The Osbournes.” (Photo: AP)
July 21, 2025 3:19 pm
(WPXI) SOUTH PARK TOWNSHIP, Pa. — An early morning fire killed one person in South Park Township. Library Volunteer Fire Company first received a call for a residential fire with possible entrapment on Mike Reed Drive around 1 a.m.. When crews got to the scene and were able to get into the house, they found a person dead. A woman, a child and a dog were able to escape from the back of the home. Though the investigation is in its early stages, officials believe the fire originated in the garage. The exact cause has yet to be determined. Neighbors like Teri Keister say their heart breaks for the family. “I’m just upset about the whole thing. I just keep praying for them because this is devastating,” Keister said. Library Volunteer Fire Company Chief Tim Smith was one of the first on scene. “Any fatality in any type of incident is devastating for the community. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family,” Smith said. Allegheny County Fire Marshal is investigating the fire.
