Pittsburgh Bridge Collapse ‘Simply Unacceptable,’ Biden Says

Megan VerHelst
·5 min read
A Pittsburgh Transit Authority bus was on the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh when it collapsed Friday morning. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
A Pittsburgh Transit Authority bus was on the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh when it collapsed Friday morning. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

ACROSS AMERICA — Good morning! It’s Saturday, Jan. 29. Portions of the country are hunkering down to ride out a powerful winter storm expected to produce blizzard conditions throughout much of the day. Meanwhile, here’s a look at the other stories we’re following today:

Bridge Collapses As Biden Visits

At least 10 people were injured when a Pittsburgh bridge collapsed early Friday morning.

A bus was on a portion of the span when the collapse occurred and could be seen upright on a section of the collapsed bridge. According to The Associated Press, rescuers had to rappel nearly 150 feet while others formed a human chain to help rescue people.

The bridge collapse occurred just hours before President Joe Biden's scheduled appearance several miles away, where he was expected to talk about infrastructure. Biden visited the collapse site and noted there are 45,000 bridges across the country in poor condition.

"That is simply just unacceptable," Biden said. »Pittsburgh Bridge Collapse: 10 Injuries, Biden Visit To Continue, via Pittsburgh Patch

Fallen Officer Remembered

Hundreds of people made their way into St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City and filled out the surrounding area outside the church to pay their respects Friday at the funeral for Jason Rivera, the 22-year-old rookie police officer who was gunned down in Harlem last week while responding to a domestic dispute.

Hundreds of NYPD members also gathered outside the cathedral.

"I felt this obligation as a citizen of the city, lived here my whole life, to pay tribute, [say] thank you, show respect," Lower East Side resident Isaac Krinsky told Patch as his voice began to break. "It's very troubling to see what's going on. Defund the police, I think it's ridiculous. We should be supporting the police, they protect us." »Police Officer Jason Rivera's Funeral Held At St. Pat's Cathedral, via Midtown-Hell’s Kitchen Patch

Family Found Frozen To Death Identified

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have identified a family of four found frozen to death near the Minnesota-Canada border last week. The chief medical examiner of Manitoba confirmed the cause of death for each family member was due to cold exposure. Among the dead were an 11-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy. » Family Found Frozen To Death Near MN-Canada Border Identified, via Southwest Minneapolis Patch

Officers Should Have Stopped Chauvin: Witness

It was the duty of the three other Minneapolis police officers at the scene to stop Derek Chauvin's use of excessive force on George Floyd, according to a witness called to testify in this week’s federal trial. »Officers Should Have Stopped Derek Chauvin: Witness, via Southwest Minneapolis Patch

More national headlines on Patch:

Around ‘The Patch’

An Oregon court ruling regarding a bakery that refused to serve a same-sex couple contained some deja vu but also a twist. »Gresham Bakery That Refused Gay Couple Loses Again On Appeal, via Portland Patch

St. Petersburg's police chief terminated an officer Wednesday following a review of a body cam video that showed the officer using a Taser on a man in a wheelchair. »St. Petersburg Cop Fired For Tasing Man In Wheelchair Who Was No Threat: Police Chief, via St. Pete, Florida, Patch

A Georgia family has been missing their beloved pet, Marley, since September. In exchange for her safe return, they're offering a huge reward: $4,000 cash and a Corvette. »Bring Marley Home: GA Family Offers Corvette, Cash For Dog Who Went Missing, via Marietta, Georgia, Patch

More local news:

This home for sale in Agoura Hills, California, is located behind private gates with an open floor plan, high ceilings and incredible views. (Redfin)
This home for sale in Agoura Hills, California, is located behind private gates with an open floor plan, high ceilings and incredible views. (Redfin)

House Hunting

The idea of living in a tiny house or a compact condo lost some of its luster during the pandemic, as families sheltered in place for extended periods. If you’re looking to call California home and want a place to stretch your legs, here are 13 homes currently for sale that sit on at least an acre.

This Day In History

In 1936, Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb were among the first players to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

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This article originally appeared on the Across America Patch