May 15, 2023 2:52 pm
Police in Allegheny County are investigating a suspicious death in Mt. Lebanon. Authorities say they were called to the 200 block of Academy Avenue Saturday afternoon for the discovery of a dead man by a family member. He was later identified as 86-year-old Regis Bonner. The cause and manner of death will be determined by the medical examiner’s office. Police say they found a door to the home was unlocked and they found trauma to Bonner’s body, along with circumstances that prompted them to request assistance from the Allegheny County Homicide Unit. Anyone with information is asked to call 1-833-All-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous.
May 15, 2023 8:54 am
State police in Washington are investigating the theft of scrap metal in Canton Township. At around 9:25 p.m. on Saturday, state police received several calls about one or two people cutting steel bars in the area of Caldwell Avenue near the Interstate 70 overpass. When troopers arrived, the suspects fled on foot through a passage under I-70. Troopers found a 1979 Chevrolet truck with the license plate ZHH2924 parked in the underpass with keys in the ignition, and leather gloves and cutting tools in the bed of the truck. Troopers also found a Stihl saw and cut steel bars in the area. Anyone with information is asked to call 724-223-5200.
May 15, 2023 4:44 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – The City of Pittsburgh is preparing for asylum seekers to come on Greyhound buses. There’s very limited information on who they are and where they’re coming from, only that they could arrive sometime this weekend. They’re preparing to give people a safe place here at the convention center. Pittsburgh police are monitoring the Greyhound bus station and the convention center in preparation for a group of asylum seekers. “We’ve been working with a variety of agencies to put together a little bit of a Welcoming committee so anyone who does come here will have an opportunity to get some rest while they wait for a bus,” said Maria Montano, press secretary for the mayor’s office. Montano confirmed to our news partners at Channel 11 that a group of approximately 1200 is expected to arrive in Pittsburgh sometime this weekend. These are not asylum seekers being directly brought from the border, which got national attention as the pandemic-era immigration policy called Title 42 ended Thursday. Gainey’s administration says the group of asylum seekers expected here is coming from a detention facility, but they don’t know which one. The group will be welcomed into the convention center staffed by volunteers from multiple non-profits. Those who arrive will be given phones to use, food, and drinks. “We are really proud of Pittsburgh, it is the mayor’s vision to make Pittsburgh the most welcoming city in America, doesn’t matter where you come from or who you are, you are welcome here in the city,” said Montano.
May 15, 2023 4:27 am
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s Democratic governor has vetoed legislation that would have banned nearly all abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy. The veto came Saturday, during a public rally. Abortion-rights activists and voters watched on a plaza in Raleigh as Gov. Roy Cooper affixed his veto stamp to the bill, which also places additional restrictions on physicians, abortion clinics and the women seeking the procedure. The veto launches a major test for leaders of the GOP-controlled General Assembly to attempt to override Cooper’s veto. Cooper is a strong abortion-rights supporter. He had until Sunday night to act on the measure that would tighten current state law that bans most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
May 15, 2023 4:26 am
FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia says a man with a baseball bat walked into his Fairfax office, asked for him, and assaulted two of his workers. Fairfax City Police in northern Virginia said in a tweet that a suspect is in custody and that the victims are being treated for non life-threatening injuries. The Virginia Democrat said the man entered his district office Monday morning and asked for him before “committing an act of violence,” injuring his outreach director and an intern working her first day on the job. He said he knew of no motive for the attack.
May 15, 2023 4:24 am
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio has joined a growing number of Republican-led states moving to restrict citizens’ ability to bypass lawmakers through ballot initiatives. A resolution passed last week will ask Ohio voters in August to boost the threshold for passing constitutional amendments to 60% instead of a simple majority. Voters in Idaho, Missouri and North Dakota also could see Republican-backed ballot questions that seek to limit direct democracy next year. It’s part of a trend that took off as left-leaning groups began increasingly using the initiative process to force public votes on issues opposed by GOP lawmakers but popular with voters, such as ensuring abortion rights.
May 15, 2023 4:22 am
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Rescuers have evacuated about 1,000 people trapped by seawater 12 feet deep along western Myanmar’s coast after powerful Cyclone Mocha injured hundreds and cut off communications. Damage and six deaths have been reported, but the true impact was not yet clear in one of Asia’s least developed countries. Winds blowing up to 130 mph injured more than 700 people among those sheltering in sturdier buildings on the highlands of Sittwe township in Rakhine state, where the cyclone blew ashore Sunday. The Rakhine Youths Philanthropic Association said residents moved to roofs and higher floors as the waters rose. Water was still about 5 feet high in flooded areas Monday morning, but rescues were being made as the wind calmed.
May 15, 2023 4:19 am
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Off-year elections Tuesday in Kentucky and Pennsylvania could send early signals about the mood of voters ahead of next year’s races for the White House and Congress. Kentucky chooses party nominees for governor and secretary of state. Pennsylvania voters take up special legislative contests, a crowded Philadelphia mayor’s race and primaries for a state Supreme Court seat. The Kentucky governor’s race is a table-setter for what should be a bruising general election contest. Republican voters will settle on a nominee to challenge incumbent Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. Two candidates with ties to ex-President Donald Trump are contenders in a 12-candidate field.
May 15, 2023 4:15 am
WAYNESBURG, Pa. — (WPXI) – In a 28-page complaint filed with the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court, the Greene County Solicitor said the county district attorney is guilty of “official oppression.” He said the DA has a history of using his office to charge his political opponents with crimes. In the complaint, Robert Eugene Grimm said as Greene County Solicitor, he was involved in several investigations into district attorney David Russo’s alleged criminal acts and misbehavior. Those investigations include the arrest of several county 911 employees on “felony process” crimes without probable cause, his creation of a SWAT team without proper credentials, insurance, equipment, and training, his prosecution of a former county detective despite a direct conflict of interest, the alleged firing an assistant prosecutor because of their age, and more. Because of this, Grimm said he lived in fear of being arrested by the Greene County detectives — at the direction of district attorney David Russo — for more than 18 months. He said his fear came true on April 4, 2023. That’s when Grimm was charged with 16 misdemeanor charges. Those charges stemmed from complaints by several Republican candidates over how Greene County’s election office picked the order of candidate names on the upcoming primary election ballot. They first did that on March 15, but it was tossed out because they did not publish the date in two local newspapers. They did the selection again about a week later. Several candidates protested that selection, including Russo, and refused to draw a number when called. Allegedly, a decision was made to put those candidates on the bottom of the ballot. That’s where Russo’s name is on Tuesday’s Republican primary ballot for his re-election bid. The case was turned over to the state Attorney General’s office, which announced Wednesday that all of the charges against Grimm were withdrawn after their own investigation. Grimm initially resigned as Greene County Solicitor when charges were filed. The complaint from Grimm outlines other allegations of misconduct as well.
May 14, 2023 8:05 am
BERLIN (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country’s planned counteroffensive is is designed to liberate areas occupied by Russia, not to attack Russian territory. Speaking at a news conference Sunday with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s goal is to free the territories within its internationally recognized borders. Zelenskyy was welcomed with military honors by Scholz on his first visit to Germany since Russia invaded Ukraine. Zelenskyy is holding talks with German leaders about further arms deliveries to help his country fend off the Russian invasion and rebuild what’s been destroyed by more than a year of devastating conflict. Scholz told Zelenskyy that Germany will support Ukraine “for as long as necessary.”
