Pittsburgh news

• Medical Students Volunteer To Play Music For Patients

  02-12-2016 23:59
  
  PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — You’d expect to hear it in a concert hall, not in a hospital ward. Yet, among the beep of monitors at UPMC Presbyterian is the sound of music.
  A group of volunteers providing a welcome distraction for patients.
  “Yes it is emotional, to see how much much we can make these patients lives better just by playing music. It’s not that big of deal for me to come and play one or two songs, but I feel like it is a big deal for them,” said volunteer A
  
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• Arbitrator: Pa. Cyber Charter School Must Give Teachers Jobs Back

  02-12-2016 23:22
  
  PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Citing declining enrollment — the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School laid off several teachers last year.
  “I am deeply disappointed by the furloughs. I was treated as if my time and experience at Pa. Cyber meant nothing,” said teacher Shannon Langer.
  There was anger.
  “We put in our time and having a little bit of decency to treat people, by choice, like humans when you have the money to do it,” said teacher Andrea Cook.
  Now, after 15 mo
  
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• Public Input Needed For Pittsburgh’s “Green First” Plan

  02-12-2016 23:16
  
  PITTSBURGH (NewsRadio 1020 KDKA) — The public is being invited to weigh in on a newly-released City-Wide Green First Plan.
  City officials say the goal is to manage storm water to prevent flooding and pollution.
  The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority’s Bob Weimar says green practices will prevent combined sewage and storm water to flood during heavy rain. This involves installing cisterns and rain gardens to catch water on the surface.
  “We’re also going to be looking int
  
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• Mt. Pleasant Teen Murder Suspect Pleads Guilty To Lesser Charges

  02-12-2016 23:12
  
  MOUNT PLEASANT (KDKA) – “I don’t think anyone has paid quite as much as he has, I’ve have doctors have to give him drugs so he can sleep at night,” defense attorney Richard McCague said of his client, 14-year-old murder suspect James Burnsworth’s emotional status.
  Burnsworth entered a plea Friday in the shooting death of Mt. Pleasant 13-year-old James Robert Gustafson.
  “This is a catastrophe that was absolutely avoidable,” McCague said.
  I
  
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• Angie’s List: Finding The Right Generator For Your Home

  02-12-2016 22:58
  
  PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Losing power is never convenient, and for the millions of Americans who rely on electrically powered medical devices, such as a breathing machine or home dialysis, it can be a life-threatening situation when the power goes out.
  A home generator can help you through the next blown transformer or winter storm.
  “That’s usually my first question when I walk up to a homeowner is: how do you want to live if your lights go off,” said electrician Greg Wells.
  O
  
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• Connellsville Comes Together To Give Flood Victims Christmas Decorations

  02-12-2016 22:37
  
  CONNELLSVILLE (KDKA) — For Amber Porterfield and her four children, their Christmas tree and ornaments mean so much this year.
  “It’s wonderful that everyone came together to help out and give us a Christmas,” she said.
  Porterfield, her fiance, and children had their world turned upside down when severe flooding damaged their Bullskin Township home in September.
  “We just kind of take everything day by day and hope for the best,” she said.
  The family, like so ma
  
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• Furry Tails: Police Find ‘Very Angry’ Dog Wearing Sweater & Pants

  02-12-2016 22:30
  
  Pets go missing every day.
  But a little lost dog in Washington State is creating quite the stir on social media.
  The Bellevue Police Department in Washington posted a photo of the angry little creature on Twitter and since then it’s gotten more than 7,000 retweets and 9,000 favorites.
  Police say one of their officers found the dog in a park.
  The dog was wearing blue pants and what looks to be a Christmas sweater. But it snarled at officers trying to capture it.
  Is this your dog? Caught by
  
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• Keidel: Why The Cowboys’ Win Streak Continues

  02-12-2016 21:53
  
  By Jason Keidel
  No team in any American sport has been more overhyped than the Dallas Cowboys. Unless you’re one of their more jaded, frothing fans — and there are millions of you — you simply can’t deny it.
  They somehow kept their nickname as America’s Team despite two playoff wins since Y2K. Despite the musical chairs at head coach. Despite being the only NFL club whose owner fancies himself a GM. Despite the endless stream of mediocrity, we are sin
  
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• Antonio Brown: ‘From Now On Call Me Ronald’

  02-12-2016 21:49
  
  PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Antonio Brown wants people to address him by a new name: “Ronald.”
  In an interview Friday, Brown made the demand to reporters, without much (any) explanation.
  Q: What about your cleats this week?
  Brown: It’s top secret. From now on you gotta call me Ronald.
  Q: Who else do you do (pay attention to?)
  Brown: Ronald, I’m watching Ronald every day.
  Q: Any lingering effects from that hip injury you had a couple weeks ago?
  B
  
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• Republican bid to avert recount rejected

  02-12-2016 20:38 via post-gazette.com
  Common Pleas Court Judge Joseph James this afternoon rejected a Republican bid to avert a reexamination of vote totals in 52 Allegheny County precincts, meaning the partial recount will take place Monday morning.
  
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• Philly Police: Man Vandalized Ex’s Car After Trump Win

  02-12-2016 20:37
  
  PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Philadelphia police say a New Jersey man vandalized property, including his ex-girlfriend’s car, with pro-Donald Trump graffiti in the hours after the Republican was declared the winner of the presidential election.
  Fifty-eight-year-old William Tucker, of Lawnside, New Jersey, is charged with four counts of criminal mischief.
  Police say Tucker spray-painted racist and pro-Trump messages on his ex-girlfriend’s car, two other vehicles and a home. Both he and t
  
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• Mall Of America, Nation’s Biggest, Hires First Black Santa

  02-12-2016 20:19
  
  BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (AP) – The nation’s largest mall is hosting its first-ever black Santa Claus this this weekend.
  The Star-Tribune reports The Mall of America in suburban Minneapolis hired Larry Jefferson to play Kris Kringle from Thursday to Sunday as part of its Santa Experience.
  Santa Experience co-owner Landon Luther says they “want Santa to be for everyone, period.” With that in mind, he tells the newspaper he launched a nationwide search for a diverse Santa and fou
  
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• North Shore police memorial vandalized but quickly cleaned

  02-12-2016 19:40 via post-gazette.com
  
  Donna Best had just gotten her buggy and wheeled it into the Giant Eagle on Settlers Ridge in Robinson this morning when she got a call that caused her to bolt from the store.
  
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• Principal put on adminstrative leave after teenager’s threat claim

  02-12-2016 19:22 via post-gazette.com
  
  An attorney for a 14-year-old Woodland Hills high school student said he has filed a private criminal complaint against the Woodland Hills Junior/Senior High School principal who was put on paid administrative leave this week after an audio recording surfaced of the principal threatening to knock out the boy's teeth.
  
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• Lawyer for teen who recorded principal releases audio

  02-12-2016 19:22 via post-gazette.com
  
  An attorney for a 14-year-old Woodland Hills high school student said he has filed a private criminal complaint against the Woodland Hills Junior/Senior High School principal who was put on paid administrative leave this week after an audio recording surfaced of the principal threatening to knock out the boy's teeth.
  
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• Attorney for 14-year-old says his client was bullied by principal

  02-12-2016 19:22 via post-gazette.com
  
  An attorney for a 14-year-old Woodland Hills high school student said he has filed a private criminal complaint against the Woodland Hills Junior/Senior High School principal who was put on paid administrative leave this week after an audio recording surfaced of the principal threatening to knock out the boy's teeth.
  
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• School Investigating Fake Racist Hunting License Posted On Social Media

  02-12-2016 19:18
  
  NATRONA HEIGHTS (KDKA) – Officials in the Highlands School District are investigating an incident the superintendent described as being “unacceptable.”
  According to school officials, a student posted an image of a fake racist hunting license on Snapchat, which was shared with multiple people in the district.
  District officials became aware of the situation near the end of the school day on Thursday.
  “Once that happened, it got forwarded to multiple [people], that’s
  
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• Pennsylvania Counties Hit By Flooding To Get Federal Aid

  02-12-2016 18:54
  
  HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Federal disaster relief is heading to four Pennsylvania counties hit by October’s flash flooding.
  Gov. Tom Wolf said Friday the federal government has granted his request for aid to Bradford, Centre, Lycoming and Sullivan counties.
  The disaster declaration covers more than $33 million in damages, and the federal money will reimburse state agencies and county and municipal governments up to 75 percent of their eligible costs.
  “This flooding caused consider
  
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• Presents From Police Dropoff Locations

  02-12-2016 18:51
  
  PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — You can help a local police department give back to families in need this holiday season.
  Officers in Aspinwall will be collecting presents and deliver them to patients at Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Institute who can’t be home for the holidays.
  Presents may be dropped off at a variety of locations throughout Aspinwall.
  See that full list here. 
  
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• PWSA rates to jump next year

  02-12-2016 18:49 via post-gazette.com
  
  Service rates for Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority customers will climb about 13 percent in 2017, the PWSA board decided this morning.
  
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• PWSA board approves 13 percent rate increase

  02-12-2016 18:49 via post-gazette.com
  
  Monthly bills will climb 13 percent in 2017 for the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority’s customers, the sharpest increase in at least several years.
  
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• Trump, State GOP Seek To Block Pennsylvania Recount

  02-12-2016 18:25
  
  HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – President-elect Donald Trump and the Pennsylvania GOP are asking a state court to throw out a Green Party-backed request for a recount of Pennsylvania’s Nov. 8 presidential election, which Trump won.
  In a filing late Thursday, Republican lawyers accused Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein of legal antics that threaten Pennsylvania’s ability to certify its presidential electors by the Dec. 13 federal deadline.
  A Monday court hearing is scheduled
  
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• Trump Asks Pennsylvania Court To Reject Recount

  02-12-2016 18:25
  
  HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – President-elect Donald Trump and the Pennsylvania GOP are asking a state court to throw out a Green Party-backed request for a recount of Pennsylvania’s Nov. 8 presidential election, which Trump won.
  In a filing late Thursday, Republican lawyers accused Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein of legal antics that threaten Pennsylvania’s ability to certify its presidential electors by the Dec. 13 federal deadline.
  A Monday court hearing is scheduled
  
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• Retiring Turnpike Worker Sends Exit Survey Complaints To 2K Employees

  02-12-2016 18:25
  
  PHILADELPHIA (AP) – A retiring Pennsylvania Turnpike worker decided brutal honesty was the way to go when he filled out an exit survey after a 35-year career.
  Instead of emailing it only to the human resources department, he hit the “reply all” button, sending his critique of the operation to more than 2,000 colleagues.
  Midlevel manager Michael Stuban tells The Philadelphia Daily News that the agency asked for honesty and he delivered. He made it clear that he liked his job but
  
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• Report: PWSA should try 'green infrastructure' for storm water, sewage overflows

  02-12-2016 18:23 via post-gazette.com
  
  The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority ought to build several “green infrastructure” projects to test how well they tame storm water and sewage overflows, according to an evaluation released today.
  
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• PWSA report backs ‘Green First’ approach

  02-12-2016 18:23 via post-gazette.com
  
  A new Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority report recommends using a “Green First” approach to achieve federally mandated storm water and sewage overflow reductions, and its advocates want to see the same strategy employed in suburban communities.
  
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• Teen Cyberbullied To Point She Committed Suicide In Front Of Family

  02-12-2016 18:13
  
  TEXAS CITY, Texas (AP) – Family members of a Houston-area high school student who killed herself are rallying for tighter laws against cyberbullying.
  Brandy Vela’s family says cyberbullying pushed the 18-year-old over the edge, leading her to shoot herself in the chest Tuesday afternoon at the family’s Texas City home as family members watched.
  Her father, Raul Vela, said she had been receiving abusive text messages for months from bullies using an untraceable smartphone applic
  
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• Woman Killed In Attempted Robbery Of New Jersey Lyft Riders

  02-12-2016 17:47
  
  TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – Police in New Jersey are searching for a man who they say fatally shot a woman during an attempted robbery of three passengers in a vehicle operating under the ride-hailing service Lyft.
  Mercer County prosecutors say the incident began when the unknown assailant hopped into the back of the car Wednesday night in Trenton and demanded the passengers’ money.
  A gunshot was fired and the suspect fled as the Lyft driver sped off.
  Join The Conversation On The KDKA Faceb
  
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• Presses being dismantled at PG's Downtown building

  02-12-2016 17:44 via post-gazette.com
  
  Workers from Overland Trading have begun dismantling the decades-old presses on the ground floor of the Post-Gazette’s old building at 34 Boulevard of the Allies, Downtown. The press room is being removed so the property can be redeveloped.
  
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• Steelers: Free Wi-Fi Now Available To Fans At Heinz Field

  02-12-2016 17:30
  
  PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Fans heading to the Steelers game this weekend will be treated to a new in-stadium feature.
  According to Burt Lauten, Steelers Director of Communications, Heinz Field is now equipped with free Wi-Fi.
  Lauten says Wi-Fi will be available throughout the stadium starting with Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.
  The #Steelers are excited to launch FREE Wi-Fi for all fans throughout @heinzfield, starting Sunday vs. NYG. More info. provided in stadium.
  — Bur
  
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• Son Accused Of Dismembering, Dissolving Parents In Acid

  02-12-2016 17:28
  
  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – A 28-year-old man was arrested in Louisiana on charges of killing and dismembering his parents at their Tennessee home.
  Joel Michael Guy Jr. was arrested Tuesday on a fugitive warrant in Baton Rouge, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office said. He’s accused of killing his parents, Joel Michael Guy Sr., 61, and Lisa Guy, 55. They are believed to have been killed Friday or Saturday.
  The Tennessee sheriff’s office, in a news release, said both victims were
  
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• Report: Bench With Religious Message To Be Removed From Oil City Park

  02-12-2016 17:24
  
  OIL CITY (KDKA) — A bench displaying a religious quote will be removed from an Oil City park.
  ExploreClarion reports the American Atheists Legal Center requested that the bench, located at Justus Park, be  changed.  They claimed the display violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which states that “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion.”
  The message reads: “Men Who Aren’t Governed By
  
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• Pa. School Gets Complaint About Coach Praying With Team

  02-12-2016 17:06
  
  BLOOMSBURG, Pa. (AP) – A central Pennsylvania school district has reminded athletic coaches they may not pray with their teams in the wake of a complaint involving the football coach.
  The Freedom From Religion Foundation sent the Danville Area School District a letter last week, saying it learned football coach Jim Keiser participated in prayer circles with the team and organized players to sing, “Our God is an Awesome God.”
  Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
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• North Shore Police Officer Memorial Vandalized

  02-12-2016 16:42
  
  PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Crews were called to clean up a memorial on the North Shore after someone defaced it recently.
  Within the last 24 hours, someone spray painted “ACAB” on the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial of Allegheny County.
  The letters are meant to represent a derogatory phrase about police officers.
  Kevin Acklin, Mayor Bill Peduto’s spokesman tells KDKA’s Marty Griffin
  “It’s absolutely unacceptable, this is not the type of Pittsburgh the mayor e
  
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• Massive Catfish Caught In North Carolina

  02-12-2016 16:26
  
  PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A North Carolina man had a Thanksgiving weekend he’ll never forget after he reeled in the catch of a lifetime.Riahn Brewington caught this incredible 112-pound catfish in the NE Cape Fear River.He posted these photos of the massive blue catfish on his Facebook page.Brewington told WWAY that he was using a rod and reel that only had 10 lb. test line.
  He told the station, “In the water, it felt like it was pretty big, but like I said being that big I thought i
  
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• New Federal Rule Bans Smoking In Public Housing

  02-12-2016 16:05
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) – Smoking will be prohibited in public housing developments nationwide under a final rule announced Wednesday by the Obama administration.
  The Department of Housing and Urban Development has been encouraging local public agencies to enact smoking bans, and some 228,000 public housing units were already smoke-free. The new rule will expand the impact to more than 940,000 units.
  In announcing the ban, administration officials emphasized the dangers of secondhand smoke to chil
  
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• Study: Parkinson’s May Start In Gut, Travel To The Brain

  02-12-2016 15:55
  
  PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Parkinson’s, a neural disease in which cells deep within the brain die which causes tremors, difficulty staying still and moving, may not emanate from the brain as conventional wisdom would lead us to believe.According to New Scientist, it’s possible that the origins of Parkinson’s come from within the gut.
  Scientists surely haven’t dispelled the theory yet and are taking it seriously.They say it’s plausible because those suffering from Par
  
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• Pittsburgh International Airmall Hosting Annual Holiday Open House

  02-12-2016 14:34
  
  PITTSBURGH (News Radio 1020 KDKA) – Tomorrow, anyone can shop and stroll around the Airmall at Pittsburgh International Airport during the airport’s third annual Open House.
  Airport officials say don’t worry if you didn’t pre-register by Wednesday’s deadline.
  “Just bring a legal ID like a driver’s license or passport to get a special security pass,” spokeswoman Alyson Walls says.
  Kids under 18 don’t need the ID.
  There will be live entertainme
  
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• DeAngelo Williams’ Daughter Slams Browns In Homework Assignment

  02-12-2016 14:01
  
  PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The rivalry between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns is fierce, intense and it’s not lost on kids.
  That’s especially true for DeAngelo Williams’ 6-year-old daughter, who roasted the Browns in a school assignment.
  Williams posted a picture of his daughter’s work on Twitter Thursday night.
  The worksheet first asked for a sentence from the text.
  His daughter wrote, “They’ll make mincemeat out of our team.”
  It then asked
  
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• One dead in single-vehicle crash in Butler County

  02-12-2016 13:47 via post-gazette.com
  
  A person died this morning in a single-vehicle crash in Cranberry.
  
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• Man rescued from bottom of embankment in Penn Hills

  02-12-2016 13:22 via post-gazette.com
  
  Emergency responders pulled a man from the bottom of a 20-foot embankment this morning in Penn Hills.
  
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• Northview Heights Home Invasion Leads To 6 Arrests

  02-12-2016 13:16
  
  NORTHVIEW HEIGHTS (KDKA) – A home invasion in Northview Heights led to the arrests of six men.
  According to police, the incident happened in the 200 block of East Ohio street around 10:43 a.m. on Wednesday.
  Two women told police that two men with guns forced their way inside their apartment. One of the women fled to a different area of the apartment with her 2-year-old son. The women and child were not harmed.
  While on scene, police learned a man had been attacked on the street nearby. It
  
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• 1 Dead In Cranberry Township Crash

  02-12-2016 12:15
  
  CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP (KDKA) – A crash in Butler County has left one person dead.
  According to police, the accident happened along Powell Road in Cranberry Township around 2 a.m.
  A portion of the road was shut down in both directions for several hours. The road reopened around 6 a.m.
  The vehicle went through a guardrail, over an embankment and down a hill.
  Speed is believed to have played a factor in the crash.
  The victim’s identity has not been released at this time.
  Stay With KDKA.com
  
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• Pittsburgh attorney Paul McArdle suspended for year and a day

  02-12-2016 06:06 via post-gazette.com
  
  The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has suspended a Pittsburgh lawyer after he brought seven separate pro se actions, or actions on behalf of himself, all regarding similar claims against 34 defendants over allegations people broke into his office and stole files.
  
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• Allegheny Regional Asset District board approves record 2017 budget

  02-12-2016 06:06 via post-gazette.com
  
  Nearly 100 operations across the county stand to benefit from the Allegheny Regional Asset District’s approval Thursday of a record $98.4 million budget, a generous portion of which will be invested in infrastructure.
  
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• Allegheny County Jail report notes issues with nursing shortage

  02-12-2016 06:04 via post-gazette.com
  
  An unannounced inspection at the Allegheny County Jail on a recent Friday evening by two members of the Jail Oversight Board turned up several instances of short staffing of health care workers.
  
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• Two North Shore office buildings for sale

  02-12-2016 06:00 via post-gazette.com
  
  Another major North Shore office building has hit the market.
  
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• Student parking, deer culling prompt debate in Mt. Lebanon

  02-12-2016 06:00 via post-gazette.com
  
  Commissioners in Mt. Lebanon got an earful Monday night from a roomful of residents, parents and students over two controversial decisions.
  
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• Proposed Green Tree budget does not raise taxes

  02-12-2016 06:00 via post-gazette.com
  
  Green Tree residents who want to ask questions about or comment on the borough’s proposed 2017 budget — which does not call for a tax increase — are invited to attend Monday’s council meeting, where a vote on the budget is expected.
  
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• Peters adjusts property tax rate due to reassessment

  02-12-2016 06:00 via post-gazette.com
  
  In light of the property reassessment throughout Washington County — the first since the early 1980s — Peters is proposing a revenue-neutral tax rate of 1.522 mills for 2017.
  
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