TribLive stories, Page 1136
Ex-Shaler substitute teacher convicted in Capitol riots
The former Shaler substitute teacher accused of attacking a police line during the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection was convicted by a federal judge Tuesday on several felony charges. Robert Morss, 29, of Glenshaw; Geoffrey William Sills, 31, of Mechanicsville, Va.; and David Lee Judd, 36, of Carrollton, Texas — were...
Man gets 3 to 6 years for fatal shooting over marijuana in Stowe
Peyton Wiser’s defense attorney described his client as a kind, gentle teen who took in injured animals and homeless friends when they needed help. But the prosecution said Wiser also sold marijuana and, when confronted for selling bad product, chose to shoot a man twice in the head instead of...
Verona’s Battle in the Borough 4 benefits first responders
An event to benefit first responders wrapped up, fittingly enough, in an ambulance. Verona’s Battle in the Borough 4 took place Aug. 20 at Cribbs Field, with the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance putting on a series of matches pitting “babyfaces,” as they call fan favorites, against villainous “heels.” Culminating the...
Nathan Picarsic: Time for Taiwan to be called Taiwan
It’s August in Pennsylvania. That means kids across the commonwealth are getting ready to return to school. But a talented few from Hollidaysburg are too busy to sharpen their pencils just yet: They’re in Williamsport chasing dreams in the Little League World Series. Unfortunately, one of their potential competitors, a...
Doug Sprankle: Skill games mean health insurance for my employees
I could tell hundreds of stories I’ve heard of how businesses, along with fraternal clubs and veterans organizations, have benefited in tremendous ways from legal skill games. Instead, I will just tell my story. Sprankle’s Neighborhood Markets is a small family business run by my father, brother and I with...
Mary Sanchez: Every vote in America is now about abortion
The pro-choice jubilation that overtook the state of Kansas is beginning to subside, as all victorious celebrations eventually do. What’s less clear is if the revelers fully grasp that they’re still running against howling headwinds. This is despite the overwhelming support Kansans showed for reproductive rights in the Aug. 2...
Doctor accused UPMC surgeon of drug use and ‘compromised patient care’
The attorney for the doctor who filed a whistleblower complaint against the head of UPMC cardiothoracic surgery published his client’s original anonymous complaint in court on Tuesday. Written in all capital letters and displayed on the projection screen, the complaint was filed by Dr. Jonathan D’Cunha against Dr. James Luketich...
Monessen looks to build on ‘promising finish’ to 2021 season
Football camp 2021 was full of uncertainty for Monessen. The Greyhounds were coming off a winless season during which they had to forfeit their final three games because of a personnel shortage. They also were under a new coach: Wade Brown. When the dust settled, Monessen had won four games...
New look, new faces greet Aquinas Academy students in Hampton
Students are returning to a campus with a new look for the school year, as Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh is in the process of completing a $5.2 million building that will house the lower- and middle-school students. For the fall semester, the lower school students will occupy the completed second...
Letter to the editor: Is pope giving Biden a free pass?
I am not now or will I ever be a Biden Catholic. The Catholic Church has laws; the government at different levels has laws. No one is above the law, not even President Biden. The pope is supposed to be the guiding light for the days of our lives. I...
Man fired shots at Pa. Walmart because someone laughed at him, police say
A Harrisburg man said he started firing a gun inside a busy Dauphin County Walmart on Sunday evening because his pride was hurt, court documents said. Luis D. Jose, 27, shot a man around 5:17 p.m. in the electronics section of the Walmart in Swatara Township, police said. As shots...
Editorial: Schools should walk line with pros and cons of cellphones
Cellphones are a great tool. They are the Swiss Army knife of electronics. If you have a smartphone in your pocket, you have more than just a way to call home. You can take a picture or make a video. You can send an email or read a book. A...
Letter to the editor: Jeannette school merger would benefit students
I had a conference call with the state Department of Education some time ago, and the only way a merger between Jeannette City and Hempfield Area school districts can happen is if the Jeannette City School Board has five votes in favor of a merger. When five votes are received,...
The Stroller, Aug. 23, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15068. Please include a daytime telephone number. Woods Family Band to perform free concert in Harrison A free blues...
Letter to the editor: Some actions climate change zealots can take
To all climate change zealots: If climate change is such an emergency, why waste time writing letters to the editor trying to convince us “deniers” that immediate action is required? Here are several immediate actions you can take, without our involvement. 1. Stop flying in airplanes. Except, of course, for...
John Dorfman: Occidental Petroleum, U.S. Steel look good on cash flow
Suppose you run a successful food-delivery business. Two years ago, you spent $1 million on a fleet of a dozen new trucks. On your books and tax records this year, you will subtract $200,000 from your earnings (profits) reflecting depreciation on those trucks. But you aren’t actually laying out any...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Aug. 22, 2022
High schools WPIAL Golf Monday’s results Boys Wildcat Invitational At Latrobe Country Club Team scores: 1. Franklin Regional 393; 2. Central Catholic 399; 3. Fox Chapel 408; 4. North Catholic 410; 5. Pine-Richland 412; 6. Erie Cathedral Prep 431; 7. Latrobe 447; 8. Erie McDowell 477 Individual scores: 1. David...
Court orders release of memo about Russia probe from Justice Department to Barr
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Justice Department must release a 2019 memo advising then-Attorney General Bill Barr on how to handle the conclusion of the Mueller investigation and the department’s decision not to charge Donald Trump, a federal appeals court ruled. The 3-0 decision Friday, by a panel of judges of...
Top UPMC surgeon testifies about suboxone use
A secretly recorded conversation between the head of UPMC’s department of cardiothoracic surgery and the doctor treating him with suboxone for a previous problem with prescription narcotics is at the center of a hearing in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court. Dr. James Luketich, who is the subject of a federal...
Freezing state officials’ pay this year ‘is the right thing to do,’ Pa. lawmaker says
Pennsylvania’s rank-and-file lawmakers could see their salaries rise above $100,000 in December, but some members are seeking legislation to freeze or eliminate the automatic pay raises they receive. House State Government Committee Chairman Seth Grove, R-York County, said he supports a pay freeze to ensure — at least this year...
Donald Trump to rally for Doug Mastriano and Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania
Former President Donald Trump will appear at a rally on Sept. 3 in Wilkes-Barre to boost Republican candidates Mehmet Oz and state Sen. Doug Mastriano in their key midterm election campaigns. The rally at Mohegan Sun Arena comes a little more than two months before Election Day in a race...
Commonwealth Court orders Pa.’s health department to release information on medical marijuana program
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — A panel of Commonwealth Court judges has ordered the Wolf administration to reveal how many medical marijuana patients have...
Liz Weston: 3 reasons not to tap your home equity right now
Soaring real estate values mean many homeowners are awash in equity — the difference between what they owe and what their homes are worth. The average-priced home is up 42% since the start of the pandemic, and the average homeowner with a mortgage can now tap over $207,000 in equity,...
Rich Askey: Mastriano’s school funding cut would mean lost jobs, lost opportunities for Pa. students
It isn’t every day you hear a candidate for office say, “Hey, let’s cut public school funding by billions, lay off a ton of teachers, and send class sizes through the roof.” Yet that’s what state Sen. Doug Mastriano wants to do if elected governor in November, even if he...
After historic season, Leechburg hungry for more
By now, many are familiar with the season of firsts for the 2021 Leechburg Blue Devils. First winning season since 1991. First time in the playoffs since 1988. First playoff victory since 1978. First team in Alle-Kiski Valley history to score 500 points in a season make playoffs. The list...
