Pittsburgh All Local

Breaking this morning... Kroger plans to acquire Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle in a $1.65 billion deal. The agreement would bring Giant Eagle's nearly 200 supermarkets and 11 standalone pharmacies under Kroger's ownership, expanding Kroger's footprint across western Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana. Kroger says it may have to sell a limited number of Giant Eagle stores as part of the regulatory approval process. The acquisition is expected to close in 2027, pending regulatory approval and other customary conditions.

A pedestrian killed overnight in Homewood. It happened at the border with East Hills around 1130 last night. Police say an SUV struck a man at Bennett Street and Oakwood Street...and as the driver checked on the victim....the pedestrian was hit by a Toyota Prius. Police say the SUV driver did stay on the scene but the driver of the Prius did not.

PennDOT gearing up for the closure of the Parkway East next month. The Commercial Street Bridge replacement will begin at 9pm on July 10th. PennDOT's Jason Zang says there are some new changes for the week of July 6th. PRT is urging drivers to use mass transit during the closure..reminding them about the Park and Ride lots and routes along the East Busway. It will be suspending construction along the University Line in Oakland while the Parkway is closed, reducing lane restrictions to try and keep traffic moving.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are getting new ownership after the NHL approves a billion-dollar sale. The NHL Board of Governors unanimously approved the Hoffman Family of Companies’ purchase of the Penguins from Fenway Sports Group. The deal is estimated at about $1.75 billion. Geoff Hoffman will serve as the team’s governor, while his brother Greg, general manager Kyle Dubas and company founder David Hoffman will serve as alternate governors. On the Big K Morning Show, the team's communications spokesperson Paul Steigerwald talked about the new owners. Fenway Sports Group bought the team in 2021 for about $900 million.

Three Pittsburgh firefighters have been suspended, raising new questions within the city's Fire Bureau. News Radio KDKA's Timira Rush has the details. The developments come weeks after Fire Chief Darryl Jones was placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation. In a statement to KDKA Radio, firefighters union president Ralph Sicuro says the union believes every member is entitled to due process and a fair, thorough review before conclusions are reached and that it will protect members' contractual, civil service and legal rights if discipline is imposed.

The search for a shooting suspect - which was centered in the Cranberry Township area for the last 12 hours - is now being headed up by the New Brighton Police Department. Cranberry Township Police Lieutenant Churck Mascellino tells KDKA Radio the suspect is described as a black male, approximately 6 feet tall, 220 pounds, last seen wearing a red shirt and cargo pants, however he may have removed his shirt during the chase last evening.

A construction worker died this morning after falling from scaffolding at Pittsburgh Obama Academy in East Liberty. Authorities say the incident happened around 9 this morning. Police say workers were performing work on the school's pool area, where scaffolding had been erected. The unidentified woman fell about 30 feet from construction scaffolding. First responders found the woman at the bottom of the empty pool after the fall. The woman suffered severe head injuries and was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The Pittsburgh Public Schools District issued a statement moments ago extending its sincere condolences to the worker's family friends and colleagues. The district says no students or district employees were involved in the incident.

Traffic cameras and message boards along the Parkway East are being restored after PennDOT says its fiber optic cables were vandalized. Penndot's Lori Musto tells KDKA Radio the fiber optic cable damage was first discovered Monday. She says crews believe the cables were intentionally cut in what may have been an attempt at copper theft. Musto is asking motorists for patience as crews work to get systems back up and running — and reminding the public, if you see something, say something.

Is it time to increase the minimum wage in Pennsylvania? State Senator Jay Costa, ranking member from Forrest Hills. thinks so: The minimum wage hike proposal has already passed the House in Harrisburg, but it stalled in the Senate. But Costa tells Michael Bartley on KDKA that yesterday he instituted a rare procedural move to get Republicans in the Senate to vote on the minimum wage: The legislation provides for a minimum wage increase over the course of the next three years, incrementally, to $15 in 2029.

The General Manager of Kennywood says he does not anticipate the park's new chaperone policy to have any impact on attendance. Beginning June 12th, anyone 15 or younger found to be inside the park without a qualifying chaperone will be subject to removal. GM Ricky Spicuzza telling KDKA Radio that feedback on the policy has been overwhelmingly positive. He says the policy doesn't apply to school picnics or district days, nor to organized and ticketed groups like churches, summer camps and sports teams.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike is back open after an overnight fire inside the Allegheny Tunnel forced a lengthy closure and evacuation. Pennsylvania Turnpike spokeswoman Marissa Orbanek confirmed to KDKA Radio that a pickup truck caught fire inside the tunnel. She says crews are now working to repair damage left behind. Orbanek says about 150 people in nearly 80 vehicles were moved to a maintenance building while crews responded. No injures related to the fire were reported.

The new Heart Institute at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh officially opens today. On the Big K Morning Show, President Diane Huff says this $85 million, 50,000-square-foot facility in Lawrenceville...is a destination center for kids, for families, and even adults who have congenital heart disease. She says the new facility expands cardiac imaging capabilities for patient care and research, and even features a new cardiac gym and physical rehab center.

So what happens now with Allegheny County's proposed 18 week paternal leave policy? If you weren't able to show up at last night's meeting to voice your opinion, it's not too late. County executive Sara Innamorato telling KDKA Radio's Rob Taylor that it's still early in the process. The 30-day comment period goes until mid-June. Once those are considered, then the policy has to be passed by county council.

American Airlines will suspend its daily nonstop service between Pittsburgh and Los Angeles from August 5th through October 4th as airlines grapple with rising fuel costs. The route was launched in April of last year, marking American's first daily nonstop service between Pittsburgh and Los Angeles since 2017. Travelers will still have options during the suspension. Pittsburgh International Airport officials confirmed to KDKA Radio that Breeze Airways currently offers nonstop service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, while United Airlines also provides nonstop flights to Los Angeles.

A man was arrested after stabbing a Lyft driver in the neck, police say. Around 11 PM Sunday, police were dispatched to I-79 near the Neville Island exit for a report of an assault. There... they found a driver with a laceration wound to the neck. The suspect in the stabbing, 31-year-old Saul Baxin, fled the scene on foot towards Coraopolis rd where he was hit by a car. Baxin has been arrested with aggravated assault in connection with the stabbing. The Lyft driver was last said to be in stable condition.

Allegheny County Sheriff Kevin Kraus going to court to fight efforts to impose term limits on himself and other County officials. He's filed a complaint in Common Pleas Court over an effort to put term limits on the ballot this fall as a referendum question through a change to Allegheny County's Home Rule Charter. Kraus' complaint says the state Constitution deliberately removed term limits for the Sheriff back in 1945. The lawsuit argues the County is overstepping its home rule powers. The referendum question would also cap the County Executive...Council members...the DA..Treasurer and Controller to a maximum of three terms.

The Pittsburgh Public Schools voted to adopt the plan that will close nine schools. The vote was nine to two. City Controller Rachael Heisler issued a statement saying the plan will not address the district's long-term financial challenges in a meaningful way. She says adopting the Future Ready Plan means the district's fund balance will go negative one year later than it otherwise would have.

A second eaglet has died in the Glen Hazel nest which is popular for its youtube live stream. In today's daily update, the team outlines tremors, gasping, and seizures of the 2nd eaglet known as GH3, ending the update with "GH3 ceases to breathe". Sunday morning around 10:30AM, an eaglet known as GH4 was reported dead by the Glen Hazel Eagle cam team and the Tamarack Wildlife Center. GH3 and the mother started exhibiting signs of illness after the first eaglet died but wildlife officials are unable to step in without state and federal approval because of the bird's protected status.

A major hotel project could soon transform Downtown Pittsburgh and expand the city’s ability to host large-scale events. State and local leaders announced Loews Hotels has signed a letter of intent to build a new 500-room hotel connected to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Harrisburg on Thursday. Officials say the project would generate more than 16-hundred union jobs and bring a 418-million-dollar investment to Downtown Pittsburgh. The announcement follows the city’s record-breaking NFL Draft turnout and is part of Governor Josh Shapiro’s broader plan to revitalize downtown with new housing, public spaces and business development. In a statement to KDKA Radio, Visit Pittsburgh called the project “a win for Pittsburgh,” saying a convention center hotel has been a longtime priority that could help attract larger conventions, events and visitors to the region. The project still faces additional approvals before construction begins.

It looks like the Pittsburgh Steelers are headed overseas again.. The NFL released its overseas schedule this morning. The October 25th game will be in Europe - this time, in Paris, France. Bon' jour!

The man who was shot twice in the chest last night in Market Square has died, confirmed just moments ago by Pittsburgh Public Safety. The 19 year old got into an altercation with a known actor, and that person according to police shot the teen around 11 o clock last night. He was transported to the hospital but as we've just learned, he has died. The identity of the person who died has not been identified. So far, there have been no arrests.

A push to remove lead from school drinking water moves forward after a Senate hearing in Upper St. Clair today. Lawmakers heard testimony on Sen. Devlin Robinson’s Senate Bill 759, which would require schools to replace outdated drinking fountains. Advocates, including David Masur, with Penn Environment backed the proposal, saying current lead testing policies have fallen short. The bill would require schools to install lead-filtering stations by 2028.

The newly refurbished and refreshed Market Square in Downtown Pittsburgh has some new policies in place. The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and the City of Pittsburgh has implemented a temporary restriction that requires anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by someone over 21 years of age in Market Square during certain hours. For now, that policy is in effect from Thursday through Sunday from 3pm to midnight. There isn't a timetable for how long this policy will be in place. Crowds of juveniles have blocked traffic and caused issues for businesses and their patrons. As far as enforcement, the city says private security will be positioned at six intersections surrounding Market Square and will work with Pittsburgh Police. This is a temporary while officials work toward a permanent solution.

Two people are dead after an apparent murder-suicide at a Butler County home early this morning. Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Bertha Cazy tells KDKA Radio the shooting happened around 1 a.m. along Graywyck Drive in Seven Fields. Trooper Cazy says a woman was found shot to death inside the home. A short time later, a man was found dead in a wooded area behind the house in neighboring Cranberry Township. State police are leading the investigation across both jurisdictions.

Will teens be welcome at the NFL Draft? Officials with the Pittsburgh Police, Pittsburgh Public Schools and Community organizations held a news conference to say they are welcome, but bad behavior is not. Pittsburgh Police Chief Jason Lando says there will be zero tolerance for bad behavior. And Lieutenant Bob Monticelli of the Downtown Public Safety Center says, they are well aware of social media trends from around the country. While Superintendent Wayne Walters says the overwhelming majority of students are well-behaved...he and others are calling on parents, guardians and community leaders to set expectations of what will and won't be acceptable behavior.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit officials have proposed a 588-million-dollar preliminary budget package for the new fiscal year. This budget features no service cuts, layoffs or fare increases. This proposal marks a major turnaround for PRT from the previous year, when severe cuts were threatened due to funding shortages, but was avoided thanks to state funding support.

Port Authority Police are investigating a fight involving juveniles on a Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus Friday. Pittsburgh Regional Transit says an investigation is underway after a video circulating online shows several juveniles involved in a physical altercation on a PRT bus. The footage appears to show multiple people yelling inside the bus before one person punches another, triggering a larger fight. Several individuals then move off the bus during the incident. In a statement to KDKA Radio, PRT says this type of behavior is not representative of the community and will not be tolerated. Officials emphasize that the safety of riders and operators remains the agency’s top priority. PRT adds it will continue taking appropriate steps to ensure its vehicles remain safe spaces for everyone who relies on public transit.

Officials at Pittsburgh International are preparing for a dramatic uptick in traffic during the NFL Draft, both commercial and private. Airport spokesman Bob Kerlik telling KDKA Radio that while they're not seeing extra flights being added, they do expect the number of people on those flights to be very high.

ICE agents are no longer conducting security checks at Pittsburgh International. The Airport Authority confirms for KDKA Radio the agents have left. They were sent to multiple airports last month by the President to help ease the congestion at security checkpoints....after Homeland Security funding was shut off----and employees who weren't getting paid weren't showing up.

A toddler was lightly injured by a wolf at a Pennsylvania theme park zoo after he crawled under a fence and stuck his hand into the animal’s enclosure. Officials at the ZooAmerica North Wildlife Park, part of the HersheyPark Theme Park,onfirmed Sunday that an unsupervised child reached the metal enclosure around the wolf habitat on Sunday morning and put his hand through. That's when a wolf approached and made contact with the child's hand.. Officials found evidence that the childs parents had walked away from the 18-month-old and were on their cellphones. Police have charged the parents with endangering the welfare of children. The child was unharmed and reunited with his family. That incident in Hershey may be prompting concerns about what safety precautions are being taken at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium CEO Jeremy Goodman says, for one, they have improved barriers to make it harder for a child to get near its animals. He says they also do multiple drills, both live drills and table top drills to practice for reports of missing children. These are things the Zoo does as an accredited facility with the USDA. He says on busy days, it's not uncommon for kids to get separated from their parents....but the drills they practice usually mean there's a quick reunion.

Excitement is building over tonight's Pirates home opener - less than 4 hours away!

Beginning June 5th, drivers caught on their phones will face a $50 fine plus court costs. The law, named for Paul Miller, who was killed by a distracted driver in 2010, allows hands-free calls and GPS but bans texting or scrolling while driving. Nearly 10,000 crashes in 2024 involved distracted drivers, resulting in more than 6,000 injuries and 49 fatalities and officials say just a moment of inattention can have life-altering consequences. Pennsylvania State Police and PennDOT are urging all motorists to put the phone away and stay focused on the road.

The price for a gallon of gas continues to skyrocket, both nationally and locally. The national average for a gallon of gas rose above $4 today. Prices have increased more than $1 since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28th. In Pittsburgh, Triple-A reports the average is $3.97. The last time gas was above $4 per gallon was in 2022 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Another non-profit is giving the City millions of dollars. The University of Pittsburgh's $5 million, 5 year investment will be used by the City to target three key areas: neighborhood parks, main street business districts and public safety.

Police have been preparing this week for a possible Downtown takeover just days after a brawl at Market Square. Planning started as soon as one of the department's crime analysts spotted a flyer on social media calling for a youth takeover. Police Chief Jason Lando talked about it with KDKA's Marty Griffin. The time and location is unclear. Chief Lando said on-duty officers are being moved from other areas in the city for what he calls an "adequate presence Downtown tonight. Lando also said he's confident the Bureau of Police is prepared.

Pittsburgh Public Schools is urging parents to discourage students from attending a planned “Downtown Takeover,” saying the event is unsanctioned and raises safety concerns. Public Safety Director Sheldon Williams tells Marty Griffin the city is seeing what he calls an informal youth culture — a description he says has drawn criticism. Williams says he wants to focus more on “prevention and intervention” to curb such problematic behavior among kids hanging out Downtown.

The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office served a search warrant Monday on the City of Pittsburgh. The warrant is sealed but sources say it involves no bid contracts under the Gainey administration. A statement from the DA's office said the warrant was sealed for “good cause” without elaborating further. A spokesperson for Mayor Corey O’Connor’s administration declined to comment on the investigation but said the city will cooperate with court orders.

Reaction is coming in to legislation introduced today in Pittsburgh Council that would prohibit police from working with ICE. The City GOP issued a statement saying federal immigration enforcement is the responsibility of federal agencies....adding the bills would set a dangerous precedent about selectively cooperating with federal authorities. Some public commenters agreed. But supporters spoke out too. The proposals come up for discussion next Wednesday.

A month before Pittsburgh hosts the NFL Draft, Commissioner Roger Goodell gave KDKA Radio's Michael Bartley an exclusive interview this morning. Goodell says the draft has changed a lot in his more than 40 years with the League....going from a hotel ballroom event to an internationally-attended three-day spectacular. He says it will give Pittsburgh a chance to shine...as the city where memories are made that will last forever. With up to 700-thousand people expected, many will be international visitors. Goodell says they will be here because they love the NFL.

Community College of Beaver County is the victim of a cyber-attack. Marty Griffin broke the story on KDKA just moments ago. It is an encryption-based attack on their data (cryptolocker). All college IT resources are currently locked down and the campus closed as of 9:30 a.m. Students and faculty are on spring break this week.

Some state lawmakers want to know why gasoline prices have gone up about 25 cents a gallon since late February. Two Democratic State House members from Eastern PA want Attorney General Dave Sunday to investigate the sudden spike in prices. Joe Ciresi and Jim Haddock accuse some gas station owners of hiking prices immediately after the US struck Iran---even though the fuel in their tanks was already paid for. The two issued a statement saying the jump in fuel prices warrants an independent investigation to determine if any laws have been broken.

Two women were found dead on Wednesday in Zelienople and a man also deceased in Hillside, Illinois after a murder-suicide. Sources say they were a husband, wife and daughter. State Police say the man was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after he reported the women's deaths in Pennsylvania. Officers sent to a home in the 2-hundred block of Dior Drive in Zelienople, found the women dead from gunshot wounds. Names have yet to be released and troopers say more information will be made public.

Fans looking to take part in next month's NFL Draft can now register for activities. News Radio KDKA's David Ballarotto has details. Fans can sign up for free entry to events by downloading the NFL One Pass app or visiting NFL Dot com/Slash Draft Access. The NFL Draft Experience---an interactive football theme park with sections both inside Acrisure Stadium and Point State Park. That's where fans can do thinks like kick a field goal....meet current NFL players...take photos with the Vince Lombardi Trophy and more. There' also Steelers Country...which will be the black and gold's official destination at Point State Park,which will celebrate Steelers Nation.

Allegheny County officials have released a statement about the hateful and threatening messages heard Monday afternoon and agian today on public safety radio channels. Emergency Services says the system was not hacked and an unknown user transmitted the music and messages, which included a death threat against Mayor Corey O'Connor. An investigation involving Emergency Services, County Police and FCC is ongoing.

Jewish leaders in Piuttsburgh are stepping up security and vigilance with tensions rising overseas. Shawn Brokos, community security director for the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, tells KDKA Radio the federation isn’t aware of any direct threats locally. Still, security has been increased as families prepare to celebrate the Jewish Holiday of Purim. Brokos says the community has been on high alert since the 2018 synagogue shooting, and leaders felt something like this could happen.

Prosecutors have agreed to drop most of the charges against the Peters Township student accused in a so-called "catfishing scheme", where he allegedly solicited or took nude photos of teenage boys. 18 year old Zachariah Meyers remains behind bars....while he still faces 67 criminal charges in the case. His attorney tells the Trib his deal with prosecutors also protects alleged victims who would have had to endure a days-long preliminary hearing.

The father of an 11-year-old girl killed in a DUI accident is speaking out. Jeffrey Glowatski was sentenced to 3–6 months in county jail for the drunk-driving death of Roxanne Bonnoni nearly two years ago. His attorney, David Sharager, says the sentence may seem unfair, but the law is clear. He says the district attorney's office did a full and complete investigation. The victim's father - Anthony Csizmadia called in to the Marty Griffin show on KDKA Radio this morning to express his sadness and anger over the outcome of this case: He says he remains in shock over the death of his daughter.

Pennsylvania's US Senators are reacting to last night's State of the Union address. 70-plus Democratic Congressmen and Senators were a no-show at President's Trump's state of the union address last night. Senator John Fetterman telling Marty Griffin on KDKA that while he believe his colleagues have a right to boycott the speech, he feels it was dis-respectful to not show up. Fetterman says Congress should be setting an example for the rest of the nation. Senator Dave McCormick was asked for his response to President Trump calling Democrats 'crazy' during his State of the Union speech last night. McCormick says he and his Democratic counterpart - Senator John Fetterman - try to stay away from inflammatory language. In regards to the content of President Trump's speech, Senator McCormick says he believes the president was being genuine by saying there's a lot to cheer about, but acknowledges there's still a lot of challenges when it comes to housing prices, healthcare and energy.

A heated debate in McCandless ended with a vote limiting local police involvement in federal immigration enforcement. After more than two hours of public comment, McCandless council narrowly voted to bar its police department from assisting ICE and Customs and Border Protection in civil immigration enforcement. Residents were divided — one calling the move the wrong message, while another argued it protects community trust. The resolution also prevents the township from entering a 287(g) agreement, which would allow local officers to carry out certain federal immigration duties.