The city of Pittsburgh may adopt legislation addressing ownership of exotic animals. Mayor Bill Peduto described the recent incidents involving alligators roaming Pittsburgh neighborhoods after escaping from their owners as “ridiculous”. Three alligators were caught in the city within the past months. Peduto said Tuesday – quote “People, if you have alligators, don’t bring them in the city.” Pittsburgh does not have an ordinance to regulate ownership of exotic pets, but Peduto says something may be created very soon.

State Game Commission officials say they’re searching for a young black bear seen wandering around parts of Westmoreland and Washington counties over the weekend. The animal was spotted in Monessen Saturday and South Strabane Township Sunday. Warden Adam Traynor tells authorities that the bear was likely kicked out of his family in Fayette county and traveled toward Washington.

The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police said officers were flagged down last night because of a large turtle in the road. Police say the reptile was in the intersection of Butler and 47th streets in Lawrenceville. Officers said they called Animal Care & Control who took the turtle to a local shelter. No turtles, citizens or police were injured.

The owner of a captured alligator in the Beechview section of Pittsburgh said he is fighting to get his animals back. Mark McGowen said police and animal control raided his home, which contained 40 animals, taking more than 30 of them. McGowen said the officers told him the seized animals did not have adequate enclosures. The animals include:

3 Alligators
2 Guinea Pigs
6 Rabbits
1 Rattlesnake
5 Yellow Belly Sliders (under 4 inches)
4 Quail
4 Hairless Rats
1 Granite Burmese Python
1 Burmese Python
2 Green Iquanas
3 Chinese Water Dragons (one deceased)
1 Nile Monitor Lizard

McGowen was seen cleaning the alligator’s enclosure on the day the reptile escaped.
McGowen said his animals are around children all the time, and that he rescued them and nursed them back to health. He said they are an educational opportunity for kids. It’s not clear if McGowen will face any charges.

A man is facing charges after being found unconscious hanging out of the window of a car at an A-T-M in Chippewa Township a few months ago. Jeffrey Smith was discovered at the drive-up A-T-M at the F-N-B branch on the 26-hundred block of Darlington Road with the vehicle still running April 25th. Smith told police he had taken suboxone, and cops found two bottles of clonazolam in his pocket. Smith’s preliminary hearing is set for July 11th.

State Police in Lawerence County arrested a 68 year old New Castle man on charges of terroristic threats. The alleged incident took place on New Butler Road in Shenango Township. Police said the man pointed a firearm out of the window of his vehicle in the direction of a 38 year old man from New Castle. Police did not release the names of the two men. The investigation is continuing.

New details have come in on that overnight crash in Freedom. Beaver County Radio News intern Christina Sainovich has the update. Click on ‘play’ to hear Christina’s report…

PennDOT District 11 is announcing drainage improvement work on Service Creek Road (Route 3020) in Independence Township will begin today, weather permitting. Drainage improvements including cross pipe installation and slope erosion repairs will began at 7:00 this morning on Service Creek Road between Parrish Road and Davis Road. To allow the work to occur, the roadway will close to traffic around-the-clock in the construction area through late July.  Traffic will be detoured.

Posted Detour

West of the closure

• Take Service Creek Road to Clearview Road (Route 3022)
• Turn right onto Clearview Road
• Turn right onto Green Garden Road (Route 3016)
• Follow Green Garden Road back to Service Creek Road
• End detour

East of the closure

• Same detour in the opposite direction

Crews from Allison Park Contractors will conduct the roadway improvement work.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 950 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12TH, 2019

 

TODAY – MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGH – 76.

TONIGHT – CLOUDY WITH RAIN DEVELOPING AFTER
MIDNIGHT. A THUNDERSTORM POSSIBLE.
LOW – 57.

THURSDAY – SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. GUSTY
WINDS AND SMALL HAIL POSSIBLE.
HIGH – 67.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Nancy Pelosi is brushing back impeachment questions, saying “it’s not even close” to having enough support among House Democrats for a vote. Pelosi said at a policy conference Tuesday that her “stock goes up” when President Donald Trump attacks her, as he did last week. Trump lashed out at Pelosi while both were overseas last week, calling her “Nervous Nancy” after it was reported she privately told Democrats she’d rather see him voted out of office and “in prison” than impeached. Pelosi said she never criticizes the president while abroad and won’t do so now because she’s “done with him.”