Will the Steelers stick with a hiring pattern when choosing the team's next head coach? With more on that, here's News Radio KDKA's Jeff Hathhorn:

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Team President Art Rooney II is holding a news conference today at noon.

A Penn Hills school bus went up in flames this morning on Frey Road. It happened a few minutes before 9 a.m. 40 students were on board a bus heading for Penn Hills Elementary when it became disabled. After the children were transferred to another bus and were on their way, smoke starting coming from the first bus and it was quickly engulfed in flames. Images and video from the scene are on KDKA Radio's social media pages.

Wednesday's announcement that the Post-Gazette will cease operations on May 3rd shocked the paper's staff, following the resolution of a three-year strike. Owner Block Communications said it could not survive under the conditions of a court ruling. Longtime PG journalist Doug Oster, who also hosts the Organic Gardener on KDKA Radio, shared his reaction with Rob Pratte. The PG strike was the longest in Pittsburgh's history.

After 240 years of publishing, the Post-Gazette will shutdown on May 3.

Leaders in Mars Borough and Adams Township are exploring a potential merger. Representatives from both municipalities are saying a combined government could be mutually beneficial for residents. Discussions about merging began recently while the two communities were addressing challenges tied to the Mars Area Public Library replacement project. Municipal leaders say a merger could help advance shared developments and bring economic benefits, including for downtown Mars businesses. Both boards have unanimously agreed to explore the proposal further.The boards plan to hold a joint public meeting—tentatively scheduled for January 22nd at Twelve Oaks Mansion in Adams Township—though the date and location are subject to change.

Pittsburgh City Council has approved a 2026 budget that includes a 20-percent property tax increase, the city’s first in a decade.

After weeks of a contentious budget process, council voted to raise property taxes, saying the city faces a precarious financial future. Councilwoman Barb Warwick says council was warned that action was needed now to avoid deeper cuts later. Warwick says while the decision was difficult, council could no longer delay addressing the city’s finances. Mayor Ed Gainey now has ten days to sign or veto the budget. If he vetoes it, Warwick says council has the six votes needed to override.

Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh is warning pet owners of a scam in which callers demand money for finding missing pets in need of emergency care. Frennier stresses the shelter will never demand payment over the phone, require online-only payments, or push owners to make immediate decisions. . If you get a call like this, she advises you to hang up and call the shelter directly to verify the information before taking any action.

There's a new cell phone policy for Pittsburgh Public Schools. In the fall of 2026, students are prohibited from using cell phones and electronic devices on district property, including school buses. On the Big K Morning Show, school board President Gene Walker said it is both an educational and safety issue. Previously, cell phone policy was left up to individual schools.

Tens of thousands of people are headed to Acrisure Stadium tonight for a frigid Steelers/Dolphins game. David Schallenburger, meteorologist with the National Weather Service recommends they dress in layers. He says temperatures will be around 16 degrees for kickoff and then by the end of the game, he says it'll dip into the mid teens, and a wind child in the single digits. So bundle up! He says it doesn't take much wind in conditions like this to knock that feel-like temperature way below what the actual temperature is.