A man and woman died in a house fire in Pittsburgh's Beltzhoover neighborhood early Monday morning.Firefighters responded just before 5:40 a.m. to the 400 block of Cedarhurst Street. The first crews arrived within four minutes. The family said the victims are 74-year-old Charmaine Anderson and 76-year-old Larry Anderson. Larry would've celebrated his 77th birthday on Tuesday. "For them to go out together, we couldn't have had it another way," said Christo Washington, the oldest grandson. Washington described his grandparent's home as the music house, adding that many of his family members share the same passion for music as Charmaine and Larry did."You hear the name Anderson, you're going to know this is the music house. All of us, top to bottom, sing, dance, music, all of it. We got it from this house," Washington said. "My grandfather played the guitar, played the bass, the piano (and) my grandmother played the bass also, she was a singer. They had a group for years and years and years, they toured around."One victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Another later died at the hospital, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety."They died together, 57 years. One wouldn't have been without the other," said Lenise Anderson, the victims' oldest daughter. "It helps to know they're together. They'll be greatly, greatly, greatly missed. But they're happy, and they're together – that's all that matters."

Reactions are pouring in after the conviction of Robert Bowers, the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter who was found guilty of killing 11 people in 2018.Here's what some have said so far:"I am grateful to God for getting us to this day," Rabbi Jeffrey Myers of the Tree of Life Congregation, who survived the attack, said. And I am thankful for the law enforcement who ran into danger to rescue me, and the U.S. Attorney who stood up in court to defend my right to pray. Today I'm focused on being with my congregation and praying, singing and clapping in praise of God as we do each Shabbat. In the face of the horror of our community has experienced, I can think of no better response than practicing my Jewish faith and leading worship.""Today's verdict was a step toward justice in Pittsburgh, but the horror and pain of October 27, 2018, will never go away," Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said on Twitter. "My heart remains with the families of the 11 victims who were massacred as they worshipped at Tree of Life that day. May their memories be a blessing."While the verdict will not bring back your loved ones who were so violently killed, my hope is that today provides some level of comfort and helps to ease the pain, even if ever so slightly. May their memories always be for a blessing," said Carole Zawatsky, CEO of Tree of Life. "Let us, this day, reaffirm our resolve to bring light into our world and keep the memory of each of the victims in our hearts as we do the work of Tikkun HaOlam, repairing our broken world.""I am thankful for everyone who got us to this day. Every day for the past four and a half years, I’ve tried to look for the helpers: the public safety department and law enforcement officers, the attorneys, our fellow Pittsburgers who have continued to offer their care and support day in and day out," Tree of Life President Alan Hausman said, echoing Fred Rogers. "The way our community and people of all faiths came together after October 27, 2018, has helped me and continues to inspire me and give me strength as we move forward.""Our community has been waiting a long time for this day," Michael Bernstein, chair of the Tree of Life Interim Governance said. "We are grateful to the Justice Department and the jury for their work to get us to a verdict. Today is a reminder that we live in a nation where vulnerable communities can be confident that those who engage in hate-fueled violence will be held accountable. It also marks the start of a new chapter for our community as we continue to heal and move forward as work to build a world in which hate no longer impacts any community. As the legal process continues, our energies will lie in building a better future for all as a part of the collaborative movement across communities and generations to uproot antisemitism and identity-based hate in all its forms.""Justice has been served," the American Jewish Committee said in a statement. "We realize it does little to ease the pain for the families and friends of the 11 people murdered at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh simply for being Jewish and practicing their faith. However, we hope this verdict allows them to continue the slow process of healing if not closure. The memories of those taken will always be a blessing. Countering the antisemitic hate that invaded their sacred and joyous space must be the job for all of society, not just the Jewish community.""In the 7th chapter of the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, Moses delivers the powerful message: ‘the Lord has set His heart on you because the Lord loved you.’ Those words were spoken to the beloved Jewish people," said Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik. "At this delicate time for the Pittsburgh Jewish Community and beyond, we all need to embrace not only God’s words but especially at this time set our hearts on our Jewish sisters and brothers as God does.""Gisele and I are remembering the victims whose lives were taken during the horrific Tree of Life massacre in Pittsburgh over four years ago," said U.S. Sen. John Fetterman. "Today, a jury found the shooter guilty of all charges. This is a step towards justice for such a hateful, disgusting, and antisemitic attack. We all must continue to stand in solidarity with Pennsylvania’s Jewish community against the evil of antisemitism.""Today's conviction is a step towards justice for the 11 Jewish worshippers killed by a white supremacist gunman in 2018," U.S. Rep Summer Lee said. "May the memories of those taken from us be forever a blessing. And May the strength and resilience shown by the survivors, the victims’ family members, and the entire Jewish community throughout this heartbreaking trial forever be an inspiration to us all. They inspire me to work even harder to confront the root causes of hatred, racism, and bigotry so that no community has to live in fear of such senseless violence ever again.""Five years ago, our city was shaken when 11 lives were taken in an act of antisemitic hate," said Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey. "Today, we remember the lives of Bernice Simon, Sylvan Simon, Melvin Wax, Daniel Stein, Irving Younger, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Joyce Feinberg, Richard Gottfried, Cecil Rosenthal, and David Rosenthal. May their memories be a blessing. Pittsburgh, please join me in praying for the family and friends of those we lost and those who survived this horrific tragedy. I hope that today helps our Jewish brothers and sisters, and our entire city, begin their journey towards healing. As we continue to eliminate hate from our beloved city, remember: Pittsburgh is stronger than hate."

PITTSBURGH —

"You are the jury."

That's what Judge Robert Colville told the people picked Thursday as the 12 jurors and six alternates for the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial. The 18 have been told to be back at the federal courthouse Tuesday morning for the opening statements in the trial of defendant Robert Bowers.

Bowers is charged with the shooting and killing of 11 worshippers from three congregations inside the Tree of Life synagogue in Squirrel Hill in 2018.

Maggie Feinstein, the director of the 10.27 Healing Partnership, was among those observing the court proceedings. She spoke with reporters about the people who spent weeks going being screened as potential jurors.

"Jurors sense the responsibility of their civic duty and to being the crucial part of the building of a just society. And that was exceptional to watch," Feinstein said. "A lot was asked of them and the unique perspective on crime, punishment and justice that were brought out represent how important it is to have a diverse set of jurors who can evaluate the evidence to arrive at answers."

The defendant was active in conferring with his attorneys during the final strikes of potential jurors. The defense challenged some of the strikes by the prosecution, arguing that they removed all four African American potential jurors, the sole Hispanic potential juror and the sole Jewish potential juror.

The prosecution then outlined the reasons they were struck, saying they were not related to race, ethnicity or religion. The prosecution said the reasons included their positions on the death penalty, emotional responses during their interviews and – in the case of one potential juror – failing to show up in court on Thursday.

There was one potential juror who was allowed to leave early because his pregnant wife was going into induced labor. But the judge told the other jurors that the man will be part of the jury, however, and will be back to join them on Tuesday.

Between now and the trial's start Tuesday, the judge will consider motions on how certain graphic and troubling evidence will be handled.

"The attack on Oct. 27, 2018, is awful, and reliving the details will be extremely difficult for many people. We understand that the community may feel motivated to reach out and support, and we welcome that support," Feinstein said. "I'm here because I'm hearing some broader anxiety in the community, and I want to remind people that it's not your duty to absorb every graphic detail in order to provide support to each other."

"It's not your responsibility to bear witness to all of the details, either through what is in the news or by coming to the courthouse. Some will choose to do these things, but for others, if they do that, they may not have the energy to give support to other people. It may drain them of all that energy."

Video above: Tree of Life shooting: Some family members want death penalty

She says the healing partnership has therapists and drop-in counseling available during the trial.

"It is reasonable for many people to experience trauma related to the legal process. There are many resources across the city, from therapists to healing meditation communities, from houses of worship to community centers. At the 10.27 Healing Partnership, we will continue to offer programs for wellness and for healing, as well as drop-in counseling support five days per week. We welcome you."

Colville has ruled that the names of the jurors will be sealed.

Bowers is facing a total of 63 counts in federal court, including hate crime charges. The U.S. Department of Justice has said it intends to seek the death penalty.

The Oct. 27, 2018, shooting killed 11 Jewish worshippers and injured others, including police, at the Tree of Life — Or L'Simcha Congregation building in Squirrel Hill. Two other congregations, New Light Congregation and Congregation Dor Hadash, were also observing Shabbat services during the attack.

BETHEL PARK, Pa. —

When a Pittsburgh-area high school football coach tweeted a change to his team's workout, he didn't expect all the attention.

Brian Delallo, who coaches at Bethel Park High School, published the following tweet:

"Due to the expected severe weather, Monday's weightlifting workout has been cancelled. Find an elderly or disabled neighbor and shovel their driveway. Don't accept any money - that's our Monday workout."

"This is just something, one of the many traditions we have that we have kept going," Delallo said.

Delallo said the shoveling workout started with the previous coach, more than a decade earlier, but he thinks he may have been the first to tweet it.

He said his players quickly saw the tweet and Delallo said by early Monday they were already out shoveling and sending photos.

"He wanted us getting in some sort of workout and what better workout than shoveling driveways," said Braedon Del Duca, a junior who plays guard and tackle for the team.

Del Duca and teammate Colton Pfeuffer went door to door together.

"It's just nice getting out here, helping out the community, just helping out others that need help," said Pfeuffer, also a junior who plays wider receiver and safety,

Delallo said the shoveling workout is a way for the team to support the community that supports them.

"It's about community, we talk about it in our program all the time," said Delallo. "This is another chance we have to go out and interact with our community in a positive way and show them that they're important to us."

Del Duca and Pfeuffer said they saw it work first hand when they knocked on a door, spoke to a homeowner and offered to shovel their snow.

"She was excited, she asked how much it was. We said it was free of cost. She was all excited and thankful for it. It was just nice to see that," Pfeuffer said.

"We'd love to do it for everybody that we can," Del Duca said.

Watch the video above to learn more about this story.

CONNEAUT LAKE, Pa. —

A historic roller coaster caught fire at a Pennsylvania amusement park on Tuesday evening.

Watch video from the scene in the video player above, courtesy of WJET in Erie.

Pittsburgh sister station WTAE was told the Blue Streak roller coaster at Conneaut Lake Park was in the process of being disassembled when the fire started.

As of this time, no injuries have been reported.

The coaster was built in 1937 and has been opened and closed a number of times over the years. It didn't operate last year due to the need for a structural evaluation, officials said.

Conneaut Lake Park has operated as an amusement park since 1892, when it opened as Exposition Park, but has been closed a number of times during years of financial difficulty. The park didn't operate in 2020 during the pandemic but reopened for a shortened season in July.

After a few close calls, 65-year-old John Bernheisel has been released from a Pittsburgh-area hospital. He had been fighting COVID-19 for two months. His close calls included being put on and off a ventilator twice. He spoke with sister station WTAE as he was released and exited UPMC East hospital on Thursday."I got a beautiful bride waiting for me at home, I want to get there," Bernheisel said.What does this day mean to him?"You have no idea, I can't put it in words. I can't believe I'm outside. It's the first time in nine weeks. I can't believe I'm alive. It was bad," Bernheisel said.While Bernheisel was fully vaccinated, he said he was on medication for a form of leukemia that had compromised his immune system.He's grateful for the care, commitment and professionalism of those who cared for him."Oh, I'm going to cry again. The hospital staff, from top to bottom, is just remarkable. I can't believe — they treated me like royalty. They were so kind, so patient, so effective. Each person did what they did remarkably well. It just blows my mind they've got all those people in one building," Bernheisel said. "After nine weeks in the hospital, there's many times I didn't think we would see this day. And I am very thankful to God and all these wonderful staff," said Melody Agate, his daughter.Bernheisel recalled family, "Standing over me, being really kind and saying nice things. I found out, they're telling me I'm going to die. I didn't find that out until later. It's a good thing."Last week, Bernheisel's family and friends gathered outside his hospital window on Christmas Eve to show their support."I looked out there, boy, that flipped my mind. It put me in a very fine place, to know that people care about me. And I got to see all seven grandkids, which was outstanding," he said.Regarding vaccination, Bernheisel said he intends to get a booster shot as soon as doctors advise he can, and that he's glad he got his first and second shots. "I believe in personal choice, adults can make their own minds up. I'm glad I did it, I'd certainly do it again and I would encourage people to do it. I wouldn't have made it if I hadn't," Bernheisel said.

SOUTH FAYETTE TOWNSHIP, Pa. —

Jared Quinteros is easily brought to tears when he reflects on the outpouring of support he is receiving after a fallen tree severed his spine.

He and his wife Kara Leo were walking along a Pittsburgh-area trail in June when a tree struck the two; Leo did not survive.

Quinteros uses a wheelchair and watches as residential, commercial and industrial contractors donate time, materials and labor to do a complete makeover of his house so that it is easily accessible to him.

"How do you repay this? I've thought about it over and over again," Quinteros said.

More than two dozen professional contractors are pitching in, even residents in the surrounding community, by donating money, doing chores around the house, anything to make Quinteros comfortable.

"I wish Kara could see it. She would really love this," Quinteros said.

Watch the video above to learn more about this story.

PITTSBURGH —

A woman who found her dog lifeless on a grooming table at a Pennsylvania PetSmart in November is speaking out.

"Kobe was a very loving and energetic dog," A.J. Ross told sister station WTAE.

Ross took Kobe, a toy poodle, to a PetSmart in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh for a routine nail clipping last November.

Ross was told she wasn't allowed to be with Kobe during the appointment because of COVID-19 rules. Ross ran a quick errand, and when she came back, Kobe was lifeless on the grooming table.

"I scooped him up. And I run out the store, and I was overwhelmed when I left the store in the moment, because I thought if I could just get him outside and get him some fresh air, and I’m like shaking him, maybe he would start breathing again. And he was just, like, lifeless in my arms," Ross said.

She rushed Kobe to a nearby vet, who tried to revive him, but was unsuccessful.

Ross called Humane Animal Rescue after viewing the video of what happened two weeks after Kobe died.

Ross says, and the criminal complaint confirms, that Kobe had two leashes placed around his neck from opposite sides, effectively choking him.

Ross says the video shows he had no feet on the grooming table, either.

"It’s extending his neck and choking him and all four paws are suspended. So it’s almost like a doggie paddle, he couldn’t have his feet grounded enough to have any air, for over a minute," Ross said.

According to the criminal complaint, employees at the PetSmart claim the dog passed out and went limp, but police say video footage showed the dog hanging by two leashes.

Four women are facing charges in connection with the dog's death.

Heather Rowe, Elizabeth Doty, Julie Miller and Shaphan Stonge have all been charged with cruelty to animals.

A former attorney for Rowe deferred to PetSmart's statement.

PetSmart released the following statement:

"We are heartbroken by and truly sorry for the loss of Kobe. After this terrible accident, we launched an internal investigation and found unintended failure to adhere to our pet safety processes. Additionally, we cooperated with an external investigation, terminated the responsible associates and facilitated an autopsy to help provide answers."

Ross says she's speaking out because she wants stricter rules and regulations for pet groomers in Pennsylvania so what happened to Kobe doesn't happen to other dogs.

"I don’t want this to occur again," Ross said.

WTAE reached out to the Humane Animal Rescue, who wouldn't comment on this case.

However, they did give the following suggestions for owners to ask as they make a decision about where they get their pets groomed:

1. May I see your facility?

How does it look? How does it smell? You’ll want to see a well-ventilated salon, clean workstations, sturdy tables and tubs, as well as pet-friendly products. Ask yourself, is this a place I’m comfortable leaving my dog?

2. Besides brushing, shampoo and haircut, what services do you provide?

You’ll want to understand what services a groomer or grooming salon offers. Groomers have the proper tools and knowledge for removing mats, trimming nails and cleaning ears. Professional groomers can make you aware of ear infections, tooth decay, and skin infections.”

3. May I stay and watch while you groom my dog? (With COVID restrictions, this may not be possible)

Your own nerves can make your dog more anxious, but it’s not unreasonable to want to observe, at least the first time. It’s also a good opportunity to observe your dog’s behavior for future visits.

4. Do you have experience with my dog’s breed?

Some breeds have particular grooming needs, so you may want to seek out a groomer who has experience with your specific breed. Ask whether he or she knows what the breed standard is and whether they can perform the correct hair cut for your breed.

5. What kind of training do you have?

Training can vary. Some groomers learn on the job through apprenticeships or mentoring programs. Others attend classes at a pet grooming school. You’ll want to get a sense of the groomer’s experience, training, and knowledge. Don’t shy away from asking any questions you have about your dog’s care.

6. What kind of products do you use?

The preference here is for gentle, high-quality washing and grooming products, with a minimum of harsh chemicals.

7. What type of credentials/certification does the business have?

Low Stress Handling and Restraint or Fear Free Certification or other voluntary continuing education programs are a good sign that the groomer is committed to providing the best and safest services.

8. How will my dog be housed?

Your dog’s safety when outside your care is an important concern. You’ll want to know how your dog will be housed when not on the grooming table. Pets not being groomed must be secured in a crate or in a secure designated play area (with owner’s consent) Your dog should have a crate to himself, with clean padding, plenty of air and in view of salon personnel.

9. What is their emergency procedure? Does the staff have any basic medical and first aid experience?

Of course, you hope it won’t be needed. You want to know if a staff member familiar with first aid is always present. The groomer should ask you about your dog’s health and any medical conditions, such as skin problems, allergies, arthritis, or any other ailments. This helps determine how they’ll handle your dog, what products they’ll use and whether your dog has physical limitations.