Pittsburgh All Local

Former Pitt quarterback Phil Jurkovec is being held on theft and receiving stolen property charges after a truck was stolen from a hospital. Jurkovec is accused of stealing a box truck owned by Rental Time on Friday morning ---as a driver pulled into AHN Wexford to pick up chairs and tables used at hospital function the night before. Rental Owner Debbe Clager tells NewsRadio KDKA's David Ballarotto that when she was notified the truck had been stolen....she and police were able to monitor its whereabouts using its GPS. According to the criminal complaint---The vehicle was stopped outside Victory Church on Family Road and Jurkovec was taken into custody.

Allegheny County's Board of Health is modifying significantly its paid parental leave policy. Last night, the board approved reducing the length of leave from 18 weeks to 12. Smaller businesses will be exempt after the board decided the policy will apply only to businesses with 15 or more workers. The other change involves employee eligibility. Full timers qualify after 6 months, part-timers after working 625 hours. The changes aren't enough for the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. A release says the county should utilize an insurance based state funding model. The statement also says the revised policy still puts "an uncompetitive financial and administrative burden directly on local employers." If the Board of Health approves the parental leave proposal it will go to County Council for consideration.

A Butler County man is facing a terrorism-related charge, accused of planning an attack in support of ISIS. The FBI says agents arrested Jonathan Kramer outside a Cranberry hotel over the weekend. Kramer, about 20-years-old and living with his parents in Valencia, allegedly sympathized with the Islamic militant group and was charged in federal court with illegally buying a gun as part of a terrorist plot. Agents say they found a semi-automatic rifle, magazines, a scope and boxes of ammo in Kramer's hotel room. The criminal complaint also contends Kramer has a lengthy online history showing support for ISIS. He was as a juvenile in 2023 for “his role in a plot to commit a mass casualty incident.”

An argument led to gunfire overnight in the Hill District. Police were called to the New Granada Square Apartments in the 2000 block of Centre Avenue around 2:15 a.m. Officers found a man in the lobby who was shot in the chest and arm. EMS took him to a hospital in stable condition. Investigators say the man was shot during an argument in an apartment on an upper floor. Two people were taken to headquarters for questioning but there are no arrests at this time.

The US is commemorating the 25th anniversary of the day terrorists hijacked four airliners. Three were flown into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon and the fourth crashed in Somerset County. In Shankesville today...The names of the 40 passengers and crew were read aloud, each followed by the ringing of the Bells of Remembrance. One family member paused to read the name of their loved one. The observance began at 8:30 a.m., with a welcome and pre-recorded video by actor Gary Sinise, whose namesake foundation supports an annual gathering for Flight 93 families hosted by the Shanksville Volunteer Fire Department.

There's a public hearing this evening about the Allegheny County Board of Health's proposal for 18 weeks of paid parental leave. All employers in the county would be required to provide the leave at full pay. Supporters say the proposal will close a gap for parents who have to take unpaid leave. Business owners are pushing back, saying the proposal is too costly. Tonight's session for public feedback will happen in the Gold Room of the Allegheny County Courthouse at 5 p.m.

Municipalities preparing for winter are finding road salt prices have nearly doubled and officials are scrambling to secure enough of it for the season. The cost increase and bidding shortages are straining local budgets and forcing towns to cut back on essential maintenance. Patrick Conners is Executive Director of the South Hills Area Council of Governments. On the Big K Morning Show, Conners blamed uncertainty in the market and a lack of supplier competition for higher rock salt prices.

A fellow US Senator is reacting to last week's Wall Street Journal story about John Fetterman. More than a dozen former aides and lawmakers told the Journal Senator Fetterman canceled meetings with and sent dismissive texts about constituents and either skipped or minimized official events. Senator Dave McCormick says he's disgusted and disappointed. In an interview with KDKA's Marty Griffin, McCormick said there's very little tolerance for independent thinkers among Democrats. Fetterman said the story was a “hit piece” filled with “lies, half truths, innuendoes, smears and anonymous.”

Mayor Corey O'Connor says his team is working with Public Safety and coordinating with utilities on storm recovery. Around 70,000 power outages as of 9:45 in the Pittsburgh region. Duquesne Light has 19,000 customers without service. About 13,000 of them are in Pittsburgh. Penn Power has more than 43,000 customers off line in Westmoreland County, another 6,000 in Washington County and almost 3,700 in Allegheny County.

Mayor Corey O'Connor is "sounding the alarm" about the the city's finances. In an interview with KDKA's Marty Griffin, O'Connor said the city's financial position is worse than first thought. He said Pittsburgh's projected budget deficit over the next five years is $250 million. That number is about two times more than the city's rainy day fund. One reason for the red ink is the Gainey administration underestimated city spending and overestimated tax revenue. A budget for the next year is due at the end of the month.