Pittsburgh All Local

Punxsutawney Phil has made his call on Groundhog Day 2026 on Gobbler's Knob. The translator said Phil saw his shadow and this long, cold winter will continue for six more weeks. Phil predicts winter far more often. 107 times with just 21 early spring forecasts. Icy temperatures kept the crowd bundled up. It was 2 degrees when Phil made his prognostication.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner has identified the woman killed as 31-year-old Jacinta Stevens of Pittsburgh’s West End. Investigators say her vehicle went off the outbound Parkway East near Second Avenue around 4:30 Thursday afternoon—right at the start of rush hour—and plunged into the Monongahela River. First responders and a dive team arrived within minutes, pulling Stevens from the vehicle and administering CPR before she was taken to a local hospital, where she later died. Authorities say Stevens was the only person inside the car and confirm no other vehicles were involved. The cause and manner of death remain under investigation.

UPMC is giving the city a one-time gift of ten million dollars to help purchase nine new ambulances and a rescue truck this year.

Mayor Corey O’Connor says the donation will help the city replace aging EMS vehicles and better support first responders. When asked whether the gift could bring an end to the city’s ongoing nonprofit lawsuits against UPMC, O’Connor said no — adding discussions are still ongoing. O’Connor also says the funding will help the city purchase additional EMS vehicles in 2027.

Pittsburgh City Council will put two of Mayor O'Connor's top public safety nominees under oath. News Radio KDKA's Timira Rush has the details. Acting Police Chief Jason Lando and Acting Public Safety Director Sheldon Williams will be sworn in during their City Council interviews today — a requirement added after the resignation of former Chief Larry Scirotto. The former chief stepped down after questions arose about his return to NCAA refereeing, despite earlier assurances to council. The under-oath process is intended to add accountability moving forward. Council may also address past allegations connected to Chief Lando’s tenure in Maryland, though prosecutors there found no criminal wrongdoing.

There's a push underway to use AI and robotics in helping the city battle future snow storms. Pittsburgh Technology Council CEO Audrey Russo tells Rob Pratte on KDKA that she plans to meet with Mayor O'Connor next month to discuss the possibility of using driverless plow trucks to clear the city's streets. She says not only would it save the city overtime, but it would also avoid the need to put human beings out in these sub-zero temperatures.

Mayor Corey O'Connor has declared a State of Emergency . O'Connor said due to the storm, the city has joined multiple other areas in Western Pennsylvania to declare a State of Emergency which gives the city the power to bring in additional help. According to the Mayor, there are more than 50 trucks on the roads right now working a 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift.

Mayor Corey O’Connor announced the city is ramping up preparations for this weekend’s storm, including a new Snow Response Command Center at the City-County Building, extended garage hours, and extra staffing from the Forestry Division and Public Safety. Acting Public Safety Director Sheldon Williams says the department is taking proactive measures ahead of the storm.

Williams urges residents to stay off the roads, check on your neighbors, and call 911 only for true emergencies.

Pittsburgh is looking at what could be a sizeable snowfall this weekend, Saturday night into Sunday. So just how much snow will we get? National Weather Service meteorologist Chris Leonardi is going with 8 to 12 inches for the Pittsburgh Metro area. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch that goes into effect 7pm Saturday and goes until 1pm on Monday.

Scott Twp Police along with EMS and fire crews, responded to a Denny’s on Greentree Road after a vehicle crashed into the building. Police say a 91-year-old man accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake, sending his SUV through the front window and into a dining table. Three people were taken to St. Clair Hospital with minor injuries. The restaurant remains closed as a structural engineer inspects the damage, and police continue their investigation.

Pittsburgh's top cop was personally involved in an arrest Wednesday night. Jason Lando was driving home on the South Side when he noticed someone acting suspiciously, looking in the windows of homes. Lando asked for help from other officers in finding him and as they were checking the area they saw another man sitting in a car that was idling who reacted when he noticed the police presence. That man was intoxicated. Chief Lando went on to tell KDKA's Marty Griffin that the incident shows he's always on duty.