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Community Corner

🌱 Police Officer Shooter's Trial + $1M To PGH Parks Conservancy

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Good morning, friends. It's me, Rachel Tasker, your host of the Pittsburgh Patch newsletter — here to explain all the most important things happening locally. In today's issue, you'll read about these stories and more...

  • Trial begins for man accused of shooting off-duty Pittsburgh officer.
  • Duquesne Light Company commits $1 million to Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy for Allegheny Commons Park.
  • Russian jet collides with American drone over Black Sea, U.S. military says.

But first, today's weather: Mostly sunny. High: 47 Low: 28.

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Here are the top stories in Pittsburgh today:

1) The trial for a man being accused of shooting an off-duty Pittsburgh officer is underway as of yesterday morning. Both the prosecution and the defense made their opening statements on Tuesday in relation to the case against Christian Bey, who is charged with criminal homicide in the July 2019 death of officer Calvin Hall. Testimony resumes Wednesday morning. The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office said it would not seek the death penalty against Bey.

(WTAE Pittsburgh)

2) The next phase of construction on the North Promenade in Allegheny Commons Park on Pittsburgh's North Side has a new sponsor — Duquesne Light Company. The business has committed $1 million to Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy for the job. Starting this summer, a new phase of construction will begin and stretch from Federal Street toward the George Washington Monument. "Having spaces where community members can safely gather with family and friends is one of the many great amenities that Pittsburgh has to offer," said Christine Waller, vice president of communications and corporate responsibility at Duquesne Light. "Our vision of a clean energy future for all starts with making our region a cleaner, healthier and safer place to live, work and play."

(Patch)

3) A Russian jet reportedly collided with an American drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday, the U.S. military says. As the incident took place over international waters, the White House called the Russian plane's intercept of the unmanned aircraft "reckless." "Our MQ-9 aircraft was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9," U.S. Air Force General James Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa, said in a statement.

(Patch)

4) In commemoration of National Equal Pay Day, Mayor Ed Gainey called on the city's businesses to provide equal pay for men and women. Gainey joined female leaders of his administration and other women for a press conference held at his office to advocate for closing the gender pay gap in the city. "We've been wrong for years and decades for not paying women what they're worth," Gainey said. "That's a form of discrimination we have to end."

(TribLIVE)

5) A 7-month-old infant was found dead from fentanyl poisoning by Allegheny County police. First responders were dispatched to a home on the 8100 block of Chaske Street shortly before 7 a.m. Tuesday, where they found the unresponsive infant being given CPR by her father. Reports state that the child was being cared for by her grandmother and her grandmother's friend Monday night and had been put to bed when her parents returned home that evening. "The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office announced that the infant died from acute fentanyl toxicity."

(Pittsburgh Patch)

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Today in Pittsburgh:

  • Hero Appreciation Wednesdays (8 AM)
  • Preschool Storytime! — Northland Public Library (10 AM)
  • Knitting and Crochet Group — Mount Lebanon Public Library (10 AM)

From my notebook:

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with another update.

— Rachel Tasker

About me: Rachel is a native Pennsylvanian with stops in Erie and State College before making Pittsburgh her home in 2020. She's got a background in a little bit of everything... from working in media newsrooms and public health to the 2016 Presidential election in Washington, D.C. and the 2019 Super Bowl where (surprise!) Tom Brady won... AGAIN. She loves good coffee, bad reality T.V., attending local events and trying new food in the 412. She resides in the South Hills.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Pittsburgh Patch newsletter? Contact me at pittsburgh@patch.com

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