Taking a cue from demonstrations that paralyzed Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, for weeks, U.S. truckers on Wednesday plan to embark on a 2,500-mile (4,000-km) cross-country drive toward Washington to protest coronavirus restrictions.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – We are coming off of back to back 60 degree days here in Pittsburgh and today’s high will look unseasonably warm as we started the day at 58 degrees.
As I am writing this, you can clearly see a line of showers on the radar that’s along the cold front that will bring a return of winter weather to our area for the next couple of days.
Right Now: Flood advisory for the Ohio River at the Point (Downtown Pittsburgh) through at least Saturday evening. The river is expected to crest at 22.5’ on Saturday morning. Part of Mon Wharf will be topped along with parts of the river walk later today. The 10th St bypass floods at 22’ so that is also expected to occur on Friday into Saturday. Turns cold throughout the day. There is also a winter storm watch issued for the Laurel Highlands for tomorrow’s active weather.
Alert: Thursday and Friday are still pegged as First Alert weather days. The window for active weather really looks to be from 7:00 p.m. on Thursday night through around 3:00 a.m. on Friday.
Aware: Monday, the last day of February, will see a high of just 27. At times we are reminded it is still winter.
Behind the cold front, we should be dry for the rest of the day. Temperatures will quickly drop to the 30s by 8:00 a.m. Temperatures should hover near 40 degrees for the rest of the morning into the afternoon. Winds will be strong at times this morning with gusts possibly topping 30 mph.
Pittsburgh Public Safety said three overnight armed robberies in the city of Pittsburgh are likely connected.
The first robbery happened a little before 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Family Dollar on the 1100 block of Lincoln Avenue in the city’s Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar neighborhood.
Pittsburgh Public Safety said two men held cashiers at the store at gunpoint and demanded money
.No one was hurt.
The second robbery happened shortly before 11 p.m. on the 4900 block of Penn Avenue.
Pittsburgh Public Safety said two men went into a business there, showed a weapon, demanded cash and fired a shot into the floor.
Several search warrants led Greensburg police to arrest a New York City man who they believe stole an $8,200 bicycle from a local shop, according to court papers. Joziha J. Clemens, 21, was arraigned Friday after being extradited to Westmoreland County.
Several search warrants led Greensburg police to arrest a New York City man who they believe stole an $8,200 bicycle from a local shop, according to court papers.
Joziha J. Clemens, 21, was arraigned Friday after being extradited to Westmoreland County. He was being held on $75,000 bail at the county jail on charges of theft, receiving stolen property, criminal use of a communication facility and unlawful use of a computer.
The theft was reported in April after Flat Tire Co. bicycle shop received a notice that the credit card used to purchase a Santa Cruz Tallboy mountain bike two months earlier had been reported stolen, police said. The man who bought the bicycle by phone claimed to be from California and said his son would be traveling from New York City to pick up the purchase, according to court papers.
Police found that the phone number used by the caller was associated with Pinger, a smartphone app that gives users additional phone numbers to use for calls or texts. Authorities used records from Pinger and Amtrak to identify the suspect as Clemens, who paid an extra fee on Feb. 21, 2021 to take a bicycle on the train from Pittsburgh to New York City, according to court papers.
The timing of a Pennsylvania baby’s entry into the world Tuesday is hard, ahem, 2 believe.
ALTOONA, PA — Vaughn Walker apparently couldn’t resist the opportunity. The infant wasn’t scheduled to arrive until next month, but he entered the world on Tuesday, February 22. At 2:22 a.m. In delivery room two at UPMC Altoona. That’s about two hours east of Pittsburgh.
“He was due on March 3,” said his mother, Kristanna Walker. “He decided to come early.”
A nurse in the delivery room told Kristanna and her husband, Matthew, that they had a palindrome baby.
Vaughn will join four sisters at home.
Vaughn isn’t able to play the Pennsylvania Lottery daily number just yet. But when he grows older, given his arrival he certainly should consider doing so.
A 66-year-old man who won money at a Pittsburgh casino was assaulted and robbed early Tuesday morning by someone who followed him to his Aspinwall home, police said.
In a statement, Allegheny County police said the man arrived at a hospital with injuries to his face and head, and that he reported being pistol-whipped by a woman who demanded cash.
“Through their investigation, detectives learned that the suspect followed the victim to his residence after the suspect observed the victim redeem winnings at the Rivers Casino on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. The suspect made off with approximately $1,500 from the victim’s pocket,” police said in a statement.
Police identified the suspect as 28-year-old Jaimeca Johnson, of Forest Hills, and said she was detained in Forest Hills at about 9:30 a.m.
FNC star Sean Hannity announced Beckel’s death during his nightly primetime show on Monday
Bob Beckel, the longtime Democratic operative whose appearances on Fox News Channel included a stint as host of “The Five,” has died. He was 73 years old.
FNC star Sean Hannity announced Beckel’s death during his nightly primetime show on Monday.
“We miss him already,” Hannity said of his former FNC colleague, whom he called a “dear friend.”
Five people were discovered dead inside a Colorado apartment — where a 4-month-old baby was also found alive — after what police are investigating as a possible drug-fueled party that turned fatal.
The bodies of three women and two men were discovered inside a unit at the North Range Crossings Apartments on East 104th Avenue, Commerce City Police Chief Clint Nichols said, the Denver Post reported.
Another adult and an infant were found alive, he added.
A substance that “could be described as illicit narcotics” was found in the home, said Nichols, adding that further testing was planned.
“If it is going to be illicit drugs, they were very, very bad,” he said, according to the news outlet. “If it was drugs, no one was able to get to a phone and call 911 for a medical emergency.”
PITTSBURGH — A man was robbed at knifepoint early Monday morning in Pittsburgh’s Mount Washington neighborhood, police said.
The man told officers he believes he was followed from an ATM at Shiloh Street and Virginia Avenue before he was robbed about 12:15 a.m. at Bailey Avenue and Cushman Street.
The man’s wallet and cellphone were taken, police said.
No arrests have been made, but police said it is believed two men are responsible for the robbery.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. has picked up intelligence showing that Russian military officials were given an order to go ahead with an invasion of Ukraine, a U.S. official and another person with knowledge of the matter told NBC News.
The intelligence, which was developed very recently, informed President Joe Biden’s startling declaration Friday that the U.S. believes President Vladimir Putin has already decided to invade, the people said.
The US Food and Drug Administration on Friday issued an alert that various products purchased within the last year from Family Dollar Stores across six states may be contaminated and unsafe to use.
(CNN)The US Food and Drug Administration on Friday issued an alert that various products purchased within the last year from Family Dollar Stores across six states may be contaminated and unsafe to use.
Items ranging from dietary supplements and medication to cosmetics and pet foods may have been exposed to insanitary conditions at Family Dollar’s distribution facility in West Memphis, Arkansas, federal officials said in a news release. An FDA inspection found that a rodent infestation could have potentially contaminated the products.
Family Dollar on Friday issued a voluntary recall of particular items that were sold after January 1, 2021, at hundreds of stores throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee, according to a news release.
Former President Donald Trump and his two eldest children, Ivanka and Don Jr., must be interviewed under oath in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ (D) probe of the Trump Organization’s business practices.
The United States Coast Guard is searching for a missing cruise ship passenger who went overboard a cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico.
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – The Carnival Valor has docked in New Orleans after a woman jumped from a balcony into the Gulf of Mexico.
According to the United States Coast Guard, a 32-year-old woman went overboard on the cruise ship around 2:28 p.m. on Wed., Feb. 16 approximately 150 miles offshore Southwest Pass, Louisiana.
The ship left from Cozumel, Mexico around 3:27 p.m. on Tues., Feb. 15. It returned to dock in New Orleans around 10:30 a.m. on Thurs., Feb. 17.
The region’s rivers were receding Saturday and roads were reopening after rain and melting snow caused some flooding.
Saturday afternoon, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reopened portions of the Parkway North and East, including the area known as the bathtub, as the flooding subsided.
The southbound ramp on I-279 from the Fort Duquesne Bridge to eastbound I-376 had also been closed but now has reopened.
But the 10th Street Bypass remained closed.
The Ohio River crested at 22.93 feet Friday afternoon and has slowly been receding since, according to data collected by the National Weather Service in Moon.
The Ohio floods at 25 feet and as of 3:30 p.m. Saturday had fallen to about 19.5 feet.
The Pittsburgh Parking Authority closed the Mon Wharf parking area Friday due to flood concerns, and it will remain closed until further notice, the authority said.
Water levels along the Allegheny River also peaked Friday afternoon and have been falling since. The Monongahela River rose slightly due to the weather, but mostly stayed near its average level of about 12 feet.
Federal agencies are investigating the crash of a helicopter with three passengers into the Atlantic Ocean close to swimmers and sun bathers in Miami Beach, Florida, on Saturday.
Ottawa Police said 47 people were arrested Saturday amid an unprecedented police effort to clear the streets of protesters against COVID restrictions.
Hundreds of Canadian police swept through the country’s capital Saturday, arresting protesters and clearing out vehicles in an attempt to bring an end to a three-week protest against COVID-19 restrictions.
At least 170 people were arrested Friday and Saturday, after police began the crackdown of the so-called Freedom Convoy on Friday morning. Officers, some in riot gear, approached the protest zone and scuffles broke out in some areas as police, including some officers on horses, pushed the crowd back.
Protesters were gone from the street in front of Parliament Hill by Saturday morning. Police said on Twitter that protesters were “aggressive and assaultive” throughout their attempts to clear the area, and pepper spray was used to disperse them. They also said children had been brought to the front of the police line.
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Separatists in East Ukraine call for military mobilisation
A satellite image shows new helicopter and su25 aircraft deployments, in Millerovo, Russia February 18, 2022. Maxar Technologies/Handout via REUTERS
DONETSK, Ukraine, Feb 19 (Reuters) – Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was set to oversee exercises by strategic nuclear missile forces on Saturday as Western leaders gathered in Munich, fearful that he could order troops massed on Ukraine’s border to invade at any time.
Russian-backed separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine declared a full military mobilisation, a day after ordering women and children to evacuate to Russia, citing the threat of an imminent attack by Ukrainian forces. Kyiv flatly denied the accusation and Washington said it was part of Russia’s plan to create a pretext for an invasion of Ukraine. read more
“To those who disagree and feel a longer prison sentence is appropriate, as difficult as it may be, please try to empathize with Ms. Potter’s situation,” the judge said.
Former police officer Kim Potter was sentenced Friday to two years in prison for fatally shooting Daunte Wright during a traffic stop last year in a Minneapolis suburb. Potter was convicted of first-degree and second-degree manslaughter in December, but she was only sentenced for the more serious charge.
Potter, 49, may only have to serve two-thirds of her sentence — a year and four months — in prison if she behaves. The remaining time would be served on supervised release. Potter was credited for already serving 58 days.
“To those who disagree and feel a longer prison sentence is appropriate, as difficult as it may be, please try to empathize with Ms. Potter’s situation,” Judge Regina Chu said after handing down the sentence, adding that Wright’s life “mattered.”
“Officer Potter made a mistake that ended tragically,” Chu said. “She never intended to hurt anyone. Her conduct cries out for a sentence significantly below the guidelines.”
According to prosecutors, Potter faced a presumptive sentence of just over seven years under state guidelines. Her attorneys asked for a lesser sentence or just probation.
After Friday’s emotional hearing, Wright’s mother, Katie Wright, said of her son, “Today, the justice system murdered him all over again.”
TICKETS: $25 per day $50 for a 3-day pass $35 for Saturday & Sunday pass
Under 12 free with paying adult
MILITARY DISCOUNT: $10 OFF 3 Day Pass ONLY
SHOW LOCATION
Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square
300 W. Station Square Dr. Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone (412) 261-2000 Hotel Reservations
Or call: 866-716-8134
As guests make their way up the escalator to the second floor, they can catch a glimpse of it. The shiny smooth black finish and sleek design of the 2022 Maserati Levante Modena S stands out. At $133,795, it is believed to be the most expensive new car available at the show.
As guests make their way up the escalator to the second floor, they can catch a glimpse of it.
The shiny smooth black finish and sleek design of the 2022 Maserati Levante Modena S stands out. At $133,795, it is believed to be the most expensive new car available for purchase at the Pittsburgh International Auto Show.
The four-day event at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh runs through Monday.
The vehicle has a V-8 engine with 550 horsepower that can push it to 181 mph — which comes with fuel use ratings of 13 miles per gallon in the city and 20 on the highway.
Twenty-two-year-old Calvin Crew has been charged with homicide in the death of 38-year-old Christina Spicuzza of Turtle Creek.
Spicuzza was reported missing by family members after they didn’t hear from her while she was working as an Uber driver.
Police found her body in a wooded area in Monroeville on Saturday afternoon. On Feb. 13, police said an autopsy was performed on Spicuzza and it was determined that Spicuzza died from a single gunshot wound that entered her head on the back left side. The cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was homicide.
According to the criminal complaint, she was found lying face down and was wearing a COVID-19 face mask. Police said one 9mm casing was found behind her.
While on scene, investigators learned that she was reported missing by her boyfriend on Feb. 11. She was working as an Uber driver on Feb. 10 when he had last heard from her.
Investigators also learned that her car was found earlier that day in Pitcairn.
While interviewing Spicuzza’s boyfriend, the criminal complaint said he told officers that he had purchased a dash camera for Spicuzza and it is normally inside her vehicle.
Police said when they searched her vehicle, the camera was not in its usual place.
Police then contacted Uber to obtain trip information for Spicuzza. It was learned that her last completed trip began at 9 p.m. on Feb. 10 from Brinton Road.
On Feb. 12, police said they were contacted by a person who was working along the railroad tracks beneath the TriBoro Expressway. The person found a pink cellphone with a cracked screen. The phone was determined to be Spicuzza’s.
Police then checked license plate readers for Spicuzza’s license plate numbers and found several “hits,” with someone along the TriBoro Expressway.
Detectives were then able to download Spicuzza’s cellphone and learn the locations she traveled. They also were able to find out when her phone stopped tracking new locations.
On Feb. 14, detectives in Penn Hills contacted a woman, later identified as Crew’s girlfriend, and asked to speak with her. When she arrived at the Penn Hills police station, she was with her boyfriend Calvin Crew.
The criminal complaint said Crew’s girlfriend told detectives that she was in Swissvale on Feb. 10 when she got a call from Crew asking her to order an Uber for him. She said Crew gave her an address to enter into the ride request.
In another interview with Crew’s girlfriend, police said she told them she purchased a 9 mm gun at a store in McKeesport and it went missing. She said she never reported the gun missing/stolen.
The criminal complaint also said she told investigators that she had a feeling that Crew had her gun because he was the only person around her. When police went to retrieve the gun box and paperwork from her home, both were missing.
During an interview with Crew, police said he told them he got out of the Uber after the trip was completed then walked to the bus station in Wilkinsburg and took the Trafford bus to Pitcairn.
Police later reviewed the surveillance camera from the bus station and did not see anyone matching Crew’s description.
On Thursday, Feb. 17 detectives were canvassing an area in Penn Hills when a detective found the dash camera that was missing from Spicuzza’s vehicle.
The camera was found .1 mile from where Crew requested the Uber, police said.
A mini-SD card was found inside the camera and police were able to view the footage from the card.
The video recorded from the front and rear of the camera and also records audio from inside of the vehicle.
This evidence resulted in Crew being charged with criminal homicide, robbery and tampering with evidence.
Some protesters surrendered and were taken into custody following the three-week siege of Canada’s capital by truckers angry over the country’s Covid-19 restrictions.
By The Associated Press
OTTAWA, Ontario — Police began arresting protesters Friday in a bid to break the three-week siege of Canada’s capital by truckers angry over the country’s Covid-19 restrictions.
Some protesters surrendered and were taken into custody, police said. Some were seen being led away in handcuffs.
Police made their first move to take break up the traffic-snarling occupation late Thursday with the arrest of two protest leaders. They also sealed off much of the downtown area to outsiders to prevent them from coming to the aid of the self-styled Freedom Convoy protesters.
The capital represented the movement’s last stronghold after three weeks of demonstrations and blockades that shut down border crossings into the U.S., caused economic damage to both countries and created a political crisis for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Over the past weeks, authorities had hesitated to move against many of the protesters around the country, in part for fear of violence. The demonstrations have drawn right-wing extremists and veterans, some of them armed.
The victim told police he was behind a red Chevy Impala that was blocking two lanes at the intersection of Smithfield Street and Fort Pitt Boulevard around 12:30 Thursday.
He said he honked his horn and when he pulled up alongside the Impala, the passenger fired several rounds at his car before taking off, heading downtown.
While the victim’s car was hit twice in the rear driver’s side door, he wasn’t injured.
State police say 30-year-old Devin Glace from Pittsburgh was walking in the right lane of the westbound turnpike in New Sewickley Township, Beaver County. The driver of a tractor-trailer could not stop in time and hit Glace head-on. He landed in the right driving lane, where he was hit by two more tractor-trailer drivers.
The fatal crash shut down the westbound lanes of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
PITTSBURGH —
Twenty-two-year-old Calvin Crew has been charged with homicide in the death of 38-year-old Christina Spicuzza of Turtle Creek.
