LEETSDALE, Pa. (KDKA) - A Leetsdale facility that has a long history in making steel is experiencing a rebirth as demand increases for solar energy.Justina Whipkey is playing a key role in the future of renewable energy taking place right here in Western Pennsylvania at the old Bethlehem Steel Plant, a factory used during World War II, now transformed to produce components like tubes for solar panel systems."It makes me feel like I'm part of something so much bigger than myself," Whipkey said. Tony Calandra is the CEO of Jennmar Holdings at JM Steel."What better story to bring manufacturing back...

DETROIT (KDKA) - We now know who the Steelers' first-round selection is and that is offensive lineman Troy Fautanu out of the University of Washington. Now, the Steelers will have six more picks going into the rest of the draft, two in the third and two in the sixth and the rest are as follows:2nd round - 51st overall pick3rd round - 84th overall pick3rd round - 98th overall pick (originally held by Eagles, acquired in Kenny Pickett trade)4th round - 119th overall pick6th round - 178th overall pick (originally held by Panthers, acquired in Diontae Johnson trade)6th round - 195th...

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The weekend is here and we've got plenty of events to help you plan a fun one. There will be a lot of great events going on and here's to hoping the weather holds so we can enjoy it! YinzerFestWe've told you about this one all week long! It's YinzerFest at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and there you can check out live cooking demonstrations, live music, comedy, and vendor booths where you can get one-of-a-kind crafts. It's a celebration of all things Pittsburgh and you have until Sunday to check it out. The full schedule is available on the event's...

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - What is in your medicine cabinet or bathroom drawer right now? Well, tomorrow is National Drug Take Back Day which draws attention to the need to get rid of old meds. You might be surprised by some of the recommendations, I certainly was, so let's start with this: we're talking about getting rid of anything you don't actively need right now. Remember, your medicine was intended for you and only you. "Leaving a whole bunch of medications in your medicine drawer means someone else may have inadvertently taken something and that runs the risk of poisoning others," explained Cleveland Clinic Dr....

POLK COUNTY, Fla. (KDKA) - A man wanted for skipping his court date in Allegheny County as well as leading police on a high-speed chase was found and taken into custody in Florida. According to the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office, Hermas Craddock was taken into custody by the Polk County Sheriff's Office around 6 p.m. on Thursday evening. Craddock was accused of leading Pennsylvania State Police troopers on a high-speed chase down Route 28, nearly ramming two troopers and tossing a weapon from his car earlier this year. RELATED STORIES: Reward offered for Pittsburgh-area man wanted after court no-showAllegheny County DA's office asks for...

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - It is now safe to plant without fear of frost…at least through Mother's Day.  We did see frost this morning.  There were frost advisories posted for places north of Pittsburgh through 9 a.m. Today is going to be fantastic though with highs near 70 degrees.  WEATHER LINKS: Current Conditions | School Closings & Delays | Submit Your Weather PhotosNoon temperatures will be in the low 60s. Sunny from start to finish.  Winds will be a little breezy this afternoon, coming in out of the southeast at around 10mph. Today may be the only completely dry day of...

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A couple from Pittsburgh is facing child endangerment charges. The charges come after a young boy ran away from home in February because he could not take the deplorable living conditions, authorities said. Pittsburgh police said a 12-year-old boy ran away to his aunt's home, and his adoptive mother reported him missing. According to the criminal complaint, the boy told officers that his "house was overrun with animals." There were around 60 cats, at least one large dog and some rabbits, according to the criminal complaint. The complaint added that the boy told police that he had "trouble sleeping or...

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Troy Fautanu is the newest member of the Pittsburgh Steelers after being selected in the first round of Thursday's NFL Draft. Fautanu heard his name called at No. 20 and now joins an offensive line ready to take the next step in 2024. What college did Troy Fautanu attend? The 23-year-old Fautanu spent five seasons at the University of Washington. After redshirting in 2019, he saw his first college football action in 2020 as a reserve before starting three games in 2021. He burst onto the scene in 2022, starting all 13 games for the Huskies and earning all-conference honors. The 2023...

MCKEES ROCKS, Pa. (KDKA) — The Sto-Rox Junior-Senior High School community came together on Thursday for a balloon release in honor of a 15-year-old boy who died in a shooting. Ahsan Edwards, who had the nickname "Peanut," was shot and killed on April 20 in McKees Rocks. His family moved from New Jersey to McKees Rocks to escape violence. Unfortunately, violence still found him.This sort of pain and tragedy for the school community is, unfortunately, all too familiar."We all miss him terribly. We've had tears, we've had our moments, we ache," said one speaker.Superintendent Megan Van Fossan said she saw Edwards nearly...

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Offensive lineman Troy Fautanu was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of Thursday's NFL Draft in Detroit. Fautanu was drafted No. 20 overall, one of Pittsburgh's seven picks in this year's draft. The selection on Thursday was announced on the stage by Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward. Fautanu was a star offensive lineman in college for the Washington Huskies. He was a third-team Associated Press All-American last season, helping lead the Huskies to a runner-up finish after a loss to Michigan in the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship. He started 15 games at left tackle for...

We had lots of fun planned on PTL and Talk Pittsburgh for the KDKA kids on Take Your Child to Work Day 2024. Mad Science stopped by for some cool STEM experiments. We made pizza in the kitchen with Crate Cooking School. Wild World of Animals brought by some cool critters like this tortoise.  Wild World of Animals also had some cook snake facts. The kids also got some hosting lessons from Heather and David. Boaz helped us with a PTL Sock...

A gay actor's speech that was canceled over his "lifestyle" is back on at a Pennsylvania school after residents spoke out.The Cumberland Valley School District's board voted 5-4 Wednesday night to allow children's book author Maulik Pancholy, who is gay, to speak against bullying during a May 22 assembly at Mountain View Middle School. The board voted after hearing from residents, including more than a dozen students.Why was Maulik Pancholy's talk canceled? The board on April 15 unanimously canceled Pancholy's talk after a board member cited concerns about what he described as the actor's activism and "lifestyle." Some board members also...

WAYNESBURG, Pa. (KDKA) -- The Greene County Historical Society Museum is set to open back up for the season this coming Saturday. And if you haven't been to this fascinating place yet, you may want to take some time and check it out. The museum has over 35,000 square feet and over 50 rooms full of the county's history. "This is sort of a blend between a gigantic, big historical site and a county historical society," said Matt Cumberledge, the executive director of the Greene County Historical Society. "There is a little bit of something here that will interest everybody."...

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Someone is going to churches in the Pittsburgh area and yelling at priests during Mass. St. Sebastian Church in Ross Township is one of the 10 churches that the man allegedly walked into to yell at a priest during Mass. In a statement, the Diocese of Pittsburgh said the man got in the priest's face and yelled that he was the devil on April 17.Parishioners told KDKA-TV this is disturbing, especially because his intentions were and still are unknown. The diocese is working closely with multiple law enforcement agencies to track down the man. Sources told KDKA-TV that officials expect an arrest soon.The diocese is appealing to the Catholic community to not be discouraged by the actions of one person.

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Protests over Israel's war in Gaza stretched into another day on college campuses across the nation, including at Schenley Plaza, near the University of Pittsburgh in Oakland.About 100 people, including Pitt students, are in their third day of protests at Schenley Plaza. It's a growing encampment across the street from the Cathedral of Learning, where things began with a sit-in Tuesday morning.The sit-in was organized by a group of students who are demanding the University of Pittsburgh divest from the Israeli government and any companies complicit in what they say are crimes of genocide. The protest has only grown in size since Tuesday when the crowd moved out of the Cathedral and into Schenley Plaza. Philosopher and activist Cornel West spoke to the crowd on Thursday. West, who is running for president as an independent, is speaking Thursday night at the Hosanna House in the Hill District.Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey's office says it supports everyone's right to peacefully assemble and there is no permit needed for the students to occupy this area. The city has been monitoring the protest and says so far there have been no reports of violence or evidence of hate speech.  

LATROBE, Pa. (KDKA) — A program dedicated to serving children in need has been put on hold temporarily after a devastating fire cost it thousands of dollars worth of inventory. The Rotary Club of Latrobe has been working for nearly a decade to provide meals to local students who may not otherwise have one. "This is the need we see. We see the kids coming back to school on Monday saying that they're hungry," said John Watson, president of The Rotary Club of Latrobe. Its storefront was damaged on Tuesday after a fire tore through it and several neighboring businesses...

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Star Penn State football player Abdul Carter is accused of assaulting a tow truck driver. The 20-year-old football player from Philadelphia is facing a simple assault charge in connection with the March 16 incident, WTAJ reported. According to the TV station, a tow truck driver told police officers that he noticed a Dodge Challenger parked in a lot without a parking pass at the Aspen State College apartment complex. The parking lot requires all residents to register their vehicles and obtain a parking pass.WTAJ reported, citing the criminal complaint, that when the driver attempted to tow the vehicle,...

Buying a house is costlier than anytime in at least the last decade, with property buyers hit with the double whammy of rising mortgage rates and home prices, according to real estate company Redfin.The average interest rate on a fixed 30-year home loan rose to 7.1%, marking the first time this year rates have topped 7%, according to Freddie Mac. Meanwhile, the median asking price for U.S. home — what homeowners hope their property will sell for — jumped to a record $415,925 for the four weeks ended April 21, Redfin said.The median U.S. home sale price — what buyers actually paid...

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A Texas man was arrested after police said he brought a large amount of marijuana and a gun he didn't have a license for to the Pittsburgh International Airport. Allegheny County police said they were called to the airport around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday after TSA agents found a gun and marijuana inside 28-year-old Stephon Wilson's checked luggage during a routine inspection. Police said the man from Houston didn't have a valid concealed carry permit or a medical marijuana card. The FBI and DEA were notified, and county police said they seized both the gun and the drugs. Wilson is facing multiple charges, including one felony count of carrying a firearm without a license and misdemeanor possession of marijuana and mushrooms. He was set to be transported to the Allegheny County Jail pending arraignment. Last year, the TSA said a record 6,737 guns were caught at airport checkpoints across the country, and Pittsburgh was part of the "disturbing" trend. Passengers are allowed to travel with guns in checked baggage if they're unloaded, packed in a hard-sided locked case and declared at the check-in counter.Travelers who bring guns to an airport checkpoint can face federal civil fines up to $10,000.