Pennsylvania grandmother who fell down sinkhole looking for cat found dead after 4-day search
Marlene Lenthang
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The days-long search for a Pennsylvania grandmother, who fell through a sinkhole while searching for her cat, ended in tragedy when rescuers found the woman’s body, authorities said Friday.
The remains of Elizabeth Pollard, 64, were found at about 11:05 a.m. about 30 feet below surface, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Steve Limani told reporters.
Pollard was last seen around 5 p.m. on Monday in Unity Township, about 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. She fell through a sinkhole and into a decades-old mine shaft.
On Wednesday, state police said that the nature of search shifted from a rescue to a recovery mission.
“Obviously, it would have been best if we could have found her alive,” said Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Chief John Bacha, the chief of operations for the search and rescue. “We knew after a period of time that that was probably not going to be likely, unfortunately.”
The family was grateful their loved one’s body was found, recovered by searchers who toiled for more than 80 hours over 3 1/2 days, officials said at the presser.
“Like to have had a better outcome,” said Marguerite Fire Chief Scot Graham, the incident commander. “We were able to bring Elizabeth home.”
Pollard had been reported missing by a relative Monday.
State troopers discovered her car parked near a restaurant with her 5-year-old granddaughter still inside. The granddaughter was in good condition despite freezing temperatures, police said.
About 15 to 20 feet from Pollard’s car, authorities found the sinkhole.
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With the rescue and recovery complete, engineers will work to fortify any points of possible erosion.
“They’re going to talk about putting a grout in there, eventually and shoring up the entire entire area,” Limani said.
With abandoned mines dotting much of southwestern Pennsylvania, authorities urged residents to keep an eye out for possible sinkholes and call the state.
“My hope is that a tragedy like this never happens again,” Unity Township Supervisor Mike O’Barto said.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.comView comments(15)
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Under Biden, America got 150 countries to agree a 15% global corporate tax. Under Trump, America gets an exemption
Fatima Hussein, The Associated Press
U.S. multinational corporations will be exempted from paying more corporate taxes overseas in a deal finalized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The OECD announced Monday that nearly 150 countries have agreed on the plan, initially crafted in 2021, to stop large global companies from shifting profits to low-tax countries, no matter where they operate in the world.
The amended version excludes large U.S.-based multinational corporations from the 15% global minimum tax after negotiations between President Donald Trump’s administration and other members of the Group of Seven wealthy nations.
OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann said in a statement that the agreement is a “landmark decision in international tax co-operation” and “enhances tax certainty, reduces complexity, and protects tax bases.”
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called the agreement “a historic victory in preserving U.S. sovereignty and protecting American workers and businesses from extraterritorial overreach.”
The most recent version of the deal waters down a landmark 2021 agreement that set a minimum global corporate tax of 15%. The idea was to stop multinational corporations, including Apple and Nike, from using accounting and legal maneuvers to shift earnings to low- or no-tax havens.
Those havens are typically places like Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, where the companies actually do little or no business.
Former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was a key driver of the 2021 OECD global tax deal and made the corporate minimum tax one of her top priorities. The plan was widely panned by congressional Republicans who said it would make the U.S. less competitive in a global economy.
The Trump administration in June re-negotiated the deal when congressional Republicans rolled back a so-called revenge tax provision from Trump’s big tax and spending bill that would have allowed the federal government to impose taxes on companies with foreign owners, as well as on investors from countries judged as charging “unfair foreign taxes” on U.S. companies.
Tax transparency groups have criticized the amended OECD plan.
“This deal risks nearly a decade of global progress on corporate taxation only to allow the largest, most profitable American companies to keep parking profits in tax havens,” said Zorka Milin, policy director at the FACT Coalition, a tax transparency nonprofit.
Tax watchdogs argue the minimum tax is supposed to halt an international race to the bottom for corporate taxation that has led multinational businesses to book their profits in countries with low tax rates.
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Congressional Republicans applauded the finalized deal. Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, R-Mo., said in a joint statement: “Today marks another significant milestone in putting America First and unwinding the Biden Administration’s unilateral global tax surrender.”
This story was originally featured on Fortune.comView comments(2.4k)
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Chiefs cut ties with QB after end to disappointing season
Billy Heyen
Chiefs cut ties with QB after end to disappointing season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Kansas City Chiefs aren’t used to starting the offseason this early.
But on Monday, the Chiefs were officially in that mode. They didn’t make the playoffs after a 6-11 season that included a torn ACL for Patrick Mahomes and that now has the retirement decision of Travis Kelce looming.
The Chiefs didn’t waste time making some roster moves, either.
On Monday, the waived QB Shane Buechele.
The Chiefs had just signed Buechele off the Bills‘ practice squad. They needed the depth for the final two weeks of the season with Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew hurt.
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Chris Oladokun started the final couple games, but Buechele was active as the backup.
In Week 18, Buechele came on in relief against the Raiders. He went 7-for-14 for 88 yards and ran once for four yards.
The 27-year old QB spent most of the season on Buffalo’s practice squad. With the Bills in the playoffs, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them sign him back to their practice squad now just to have a familiar face around just in case.
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Even if Buechele doesn’t land a spot right now, he’ll surely get one before next summer. He’s a trustworthy, reliable presence in any QB room.
His appearance for the Chiefs in Week 18 was actually his first regular season action in the NFL.
He’ll keep working to try and get back on a field.
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Bill Belichick, Jordon Hudson Expected To Push For NFL Job After Firing
Andrew Holleran
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The first firing of Week 18 came on Sunday night. The Atlanta Falcons have fired head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot on Sunday night. Atlanta improved to 8-9 on the season with a win over the New Orleans Saints.
Bill Belichick and his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, had a rough first year at North Carolina. The six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach and his 24-year-old girlfriend led the UNC Tar Heels program to a bowl-less season. The drama-filled season led to some angry UNC fans and upset professors.
“When you agreed to pay a king’s ransom to hire Bill Belichick, did you also know that you were hiring Jordon Hudson to serve as the primary face of UNC athletics?” a longtime UNC professor wrote in response to the drama.
Belichick has said that he is committed to North Carolina. However, we know not to believe what coaches say in public.
A coach is never going to admit publicly that they are considering other jobs. It’s part of the business. That doesn’t mean that Belichick is considering an NFL job, of course, but if he’s offered one…would he really refuse?
The Falcons could be the job he pushes for
The Falcons fired Morris on Sunday evening. According to reports, Belichick and Hudson strongly pursued the Atlanta Falcons job prior to Morris’s hiring. However, the Falcons’ owner, Arthur Blank, and their front office, disagreed on who to hire.
The front office won out.
Atlanta’s owner could go back to Belichick, whom he reportedly has a strong admiration for.
Arthur Blank wanted to hire Belichick/Hudson last season but – reportedly – was swayed by Kraft & his own front office.
Falcons won 4 straight to close the season & NFC South is wide open every year https://t.co/FwBPhA5le1 pic.twitter.com/TGbIkAVabu— Bill Speros (@billsperos) January 5, 2026
If the Falcons are interested in Belichick this time, they could have to go through Hudson, as well.
One longtime UNC official said that Hudson is behind everything Belichick does.
