The Allegheny Front

Walleye fishermen Chase Cominsky and Jacob Runyan were on quite a streak. They won fishing tournament after tournament--rewarded with expensive boats and tens of thousands of dollars in cash. But last fall, it all came crashing down when they were caught cheating at a championship event on Lake Erie. What the judge found and what happened next. Plus, we head out into the wilds of Pennsylvania with the people who keep an eye on the state’s bears.

National transportation officials held hearings in East Palestine, Ohio, to find answers about the Norfolk Southern train derailment. Testimony casts doubt on the decision to vent and burn vinyl chloride. Plus, wildfire smoke is pouring into the U.S. from Canada. How does that impact youth sports? The spongy moth damages Pennsylvania forests every summer. We talk with DCNR about what it's doing to prevent the worst damage. Plus, the garden of a refugee community helps sustain its own members and the neighborhood where it grows.

We talk with the EPA regional administrator about environmental test results on farms near East Palestine, after the train derailment and fires there. And, we visit a Black urban farmer in Pittsburgh's Hill District in our series, "Sowing Soil with Soul." Plus, every part of this invasive poison hemlock, now common along Pennsylvania roadsides, is poisonous.

Beaver County residents protested Shell's ethane cracker because of recent air pollution violations. Meanwhile, officials met with residents in East Palestine, Ohio, to discuss the results of health surveys taken after the train derailment and fires there. But many people affected are still wondering where to get help for their symptoms. And we talk with a Penn State researcher about a UN treaty that could end global plastic pollution, maybe. Plus, climate activists are looking to change the way investment firms do business.

Some residents of the Mon Valley say money from an air pollution settlement with U.S. Steel isn't being spent on the public health and environmental projects it was supposed to fund. We'll also dig into state-led efforts to thwart ESG investment strategies that consider risks like climate change. And, teenagers who live in the shadow of a massive new petrochemical plant and nearby the East Palestine train derailment are becoming more aware of environmental threats.

If you shine a black light on a southern flying squirrel, it glows pink. But why? We dive into the questions about biofluorescent animals. Plus, we'll hear about how researchers are using a program trained to identify bird species from hours of birdsong recorded in the forest. It's helping in forest and bird conservation. Plus, a $10 million fine for Shell for air pollution violations at its Beaver County ethane cracker and news about the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

After a coal-fired power plant closed, people gathered at a public performance to memorialize what it meant to the community. And, we talk with The Incline about a seven-newsroom collaboration that examines air pollution and misinformation in southwestern Pennsylvania. Plus, researchers are looking at how drinking water from private wells might increase the risk of illness among children. News about federal proposals to curb pollution from power plants and leaks from pipelines.

Shell's ethane cracker in Beaver County has gotten off to a rocky start, with excessive emissions and reported odors. Now, some supporters are not questioning if Shell can be a good neighbor. And a new book looks at the opportunities and challenges of reducing our exposure to chemicals to reduce cancer risk. Plus, energy efficiency programs that are climate- and budget-friendly. The "Dirty Dozen" list of big climate polluters in Pennsylvania is out.