Ryan Deto stories, Page 29

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued a notice of violation against Shell’s multibillion-dollar ethane cracker plant in Beaver County, which became fully operational last month. Shell was hit with the violation notice on Wednesday after the DEP said it exceeded the emission standards set between the company and...

Starbucks workers around the U.S. are planning a three-day strike starting Friday as part of their effort to unionize the coffee chain’s stores. More than 1,000 baristas at 100 stores are planning to walk out, according to Starbucks Workers United, the labor group organizing the effort. The strike will be...

A fifth Democratic candidate for Allegheny County executive has entered the field, and one with arguably the largest base of progressive support. State Rep. Sara Innamorato, D-Lawrenceville, announced her candidacy Thursday at an event in Millvale. She was flanked by more than 60 supporters inside the Millvale Food + Energy...

A former Allegheny County councilman said Thursday that he is running to replace outgoing County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. Attorney Dave Fawcett, 64, of Oakmont, said he is seeking the Democratic nomination in next year’s race. He joins a growing Democratic field, which already includes Allegheny County Councilwoman Liv Bennett, Pittsburgh...

Less than one year after collapsing, the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh could reopen before Christmas and reconnect a vital artery in the city’s East End. PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan said the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh’s Frick Park is anticipated to reopen before the end of 2022, and possibly...

Allegheny County government announced Tuesday it is distributing the first Connect Cards for its discounted-fare pilot program for low-income public transit users. Nearly six thousand applicants have been approved, as well as an additional 3,300 children in these approved households, according to the county’s Department of Human Services (DHS). DHS...

Allegheny County Council adopted its 2023 budget on Dec. 6 in a seemingly typical process, but confusion over amendments led to some contentiousness. The budget of just more than $3 billion passed unanimously at first with no discussion. The contention came about after council voted on another resolution and about...

Pennsylvania fans of pop singer Taylor Swift will have another opportunity to purchase tickets to shows within the state, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said on Tuesday. Tickets for Swift’s “Eras Tour” received such high demand when pre-sales began in November that Ticketmaster canceled sales, leading to a national fiasco. Politicians...

Following the death of longtime incumbent state Rep. Tony DeLuca, an Allegheny County district has its first nominee to fill that seat. Joe McAndrew of Penn Hills secured the Democratic nomination after winning a nominating session on Sunday. McAndrew prevailed among eight candidates to replace DeLuca, who passed away in...

John and Gisele Fetterman already have become political celebrities after the high-profile victory in this year’s Pennsylvania Senate race. Their profiles are poised to rise even higher as both will appear in a new Netflix film that premieres later this month. In a tweet, John Fetterman shared a photo of...

Democratic and Republican committees in Allegheny County will pick their nominees to run in three pivotal special election races for state House within the next week and a half. The three races will determine which party holds power in the state House. Allegheny County Democrats said Thursday they will hold...

Drama surrounding billionaire Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter continues to escalate as a series of tweets deemed “The Twitter Files” showcases the social media giant’s internal struggle over the 2020 story about the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop. Hunter Biden is the son of President Joe Biden, who was a...

Pittsburghers who love Disneyland, beaches, and sunshine can rejoice. Pittsburgh International Airport is getting a new flight to Orange County in Southern California. The low-cost carrier Breeze Airways announced Tuesday it will be flying nonstop between Pittsburgh and John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Calif., starting on March 31. Breeze...

The Pittsburgh Penguins are partnering with Pittsburgh Public Schools to provide free tickets to students, teachers and staff at elementary and middle schools to attend regular season home games. The PPS All-Stars initiative, announced Tuesday, is a new mentoring program that also includes career path development sessions for students. The...

Pittsburgh’s unemployment rate is one of the lowest the region has seen in the past 50 years, but that isn’t necessarily a sign that the city’s economy is humming, according to a University of Pittsburgh economist. The unemployment rate for October was 4.1%, the Pennsylvania Center for Workforce Information and...

Pittsburgh’s unemployment rate is one of the lowest the region has seen in the past 50 years, but that isn’t necessarily a sign that Pittsburgh’s economy is humming, according to a University of Pittsburgh economist. The unemployment rate for October was 4.1%, the Pennsylvania Center for Workforce Information and Analysis...

Nearly four decades after the collapse of the steel industry, the Pittsburgh region has emerged as a growing technology hub in the fields of robotics and life sciences. Those industries are likely to see a boost from the newly created Keystone Space Innovation Center on Pittsburgh’s North Side. The facility...

World Cup fever has hit Western Pennsylvania. After a tense match against Iran, team USA advanced out of the group stage of the World Cup thanks to a goal from American superstar and Pennsylvania native Christian Pulisic. The win means that the Stars and Stripes will move on to the...

University of Pittsburgh sophomore Noah Stockwell got the idea of competing on the popular TV game show “Wheel of Fortune” sort of as a joke. He wound up having the last laugh after winning a massive prize on an episode that aired on Nov. 24. “I figured it would be...

A special election to fill the late state Rep. Tony DeLuca’s vacant seat will be Feb. 7, outgoing House Speaker Bryan Cutler announced Wednesday. DeLuca, D-Penn Hills, passed away in October after a brief battle with lymphoma, but his name still appeared on the November ballot, and he was reelected...

More than $670 million in investment losses contributed to an overall net loss for local health care giant Highmark Health during the first nine months of the year, according to the organization’s third-quarter financial report for 2022. Highmark Health reported $19.5 billion in revenue from January through September, about a...

Another candidate is running for a soon to be vacated state House seat in Pittsburgh’s eastern suburbs in a race that is sure to attract more candidates. Abigail Salisbury, a Swissvale borough councilwoman and a Democrat, announced on Tuesday her intention to run in Pennsylvania state House District 34, which...

Election Day is over but there are still some Pennsylvania state House seats that will need representatives. One Edgewood elected official is putting her name up for consideration. Bhavini Patel, an Edgewood councilwoman and Democrat, announced on Monday her candidacy for state House District 34, which includes Pittsburgh neighborhoods Homewood,...

Sunday’s windy and unstable atmosphere led to hail blowing through parts of the Mon Valley and Westmoreland County, including record-setting, 2-inch hail stones. Reports show that Perryopolis, in Fayette County, experienced hail stones that were more than two inches in diameter, which is only the third time in recorded history...

Hungry passengers waiting to board flights at Pittsburgh International Airport might no longer have to leave their gates. Soon, they could be able to hail a robot vendor to bring them a snack. An autonomous vending robot run by California-based tech company Ottonomy is being tested at Pittsburgh International as...