TribLive stories, Page 1138
Acrisure enough, the Birdie’s back for another season of A-K Valley football picks
When The Birdie heard that Acrisure was spending $150 million to put its name on the big football field on the North Shore, a thought popped into his bird brain. “The Birdie writes the most-read weekly high school football prediction column in the A-K Valley,” he boasted. “What company wouldn’t...
Military families’ housing benefits lag as rents explode
When Kristin Martin found out her husband was being transferred to Naval Base San Diego, securing housing for their family of five quickly took over her life. On-base housing wasn’t an option — the waitlist for a four-bedroom home in the neighborhoods they qualified for was 14 to 16 months....
George Guido: A-K Valley teams aim for return to WPIAL glory
The 124th season of local high school football is upon us, as all 13 area teams will have Week Zero games. Four of those 13 teams have new coaches – Matt Bonislawski at Highlands, Dave Heavner at Valley, Ryan Tempalski at Springdale and Tim Burchett at Knoch. Will any team...
Column: Who runs college football? At the moment, nobody.
ATLANTA Pete Thamel of ESPN reports, the College Football Playoff’s board of managers raised a salient question: Because nobody really runs college football, should the CFP nominate itself? Thamel’s sources told him the conversation, conducted via Zoom this week, didn’t run beyond five minutes. You’d have to think changing the...
Problematic properties in West Deer to be razed
The West Deer supervisors have approved the demolition of properties on School Street and Eisenhower Drive. The affected buildings are a duplex at 17-19 School St., and the structure at 1130-1132 Eisenhower Drive. After a public hearing last week, the supervisors approved the demolitions 4-0 vote, with Supervisor Jennifer Mann...
African migratory birds threatened by hot, dry weather
MOMBASA, Kenya — Africa’s migratory birds are threatened by changing weather patterns in the center and east of the continent that have depleted natural water systems and caused a devastating drought. Hotter and drier conditions due to climate change make it difficult for traveling species who are losing their water...
Monessen players invested in finding success
When the clock struck zeroes in the fourth quarter of his team’s WPIAL Class A playoff loss to Cornell, Monessen coach Wade Brown noticed something surprising: Several of his players were crying. An outpouring of emotion isn’t unusual in the wake of a crucial loss. Brown, however, wasn’t sure his...
Penguins sign college defenseman Jack St. Ivany
When the Philadelphia Flyers picked defenseman Jack St. Ivany in the fourth round of the 2018 NHL draft, one of the team’s amateur scouts gave a glowing scouting report on the California native. “His mobility is good. His first pass is good. His transition game is good. We’re excited about...
Nicholas Goldberg: Is there anything Democrats and Republicans won’t fight about?
It’s gotten to the point where even the most obviously nonpartisan issues that Americans ought to be able to address cooperatively and rationally have fallen victim to the country’s culture of extreme political polarization. Hostility has grown so intense, especially on the Republican side, that subjects that should be entirely...
Ellen Jovin: How fighting over grammar can help fix a divided America
Four years ago, I decided I needed to host a pop-up grammar-advice stand. The plan was simple: I’d sit on the streets of New York City and help people with their questions. I ordered a folding table, drew a “Grammar Table” sign and waited for the weather to cool. On...
Letter to the editor: Democratic magicians
Just as many of the great magicians in history, the career politicians of the Democratic Party have become masters of misdirection. The Clintons, Obamas and Bidens have perfected this art. Any time they want to draw attention away from their self-serving and corrupt operations, they drag out Donald Trump. They...
Letter to the editor: Media trying to prevent Trump from running again
It is not social media causing problems with people taking things into their own hands. It is the liberal press; I think they’ve been lying about President Trump, calling him a Russian spy and now accusing him of espionage over nuclear secrets, just to try and prevent him from running...
Sounding off: Abortion, state of nation, voter ID, Jan. 6 among hot topics
More important issues than abortion We all thought the abortion issue was decided long ago. I am weary of all the coverage devoted to it over the years. Every election, the subject is brought out and debated again, mainly by men who would rather make a show of power by...
Letter to the editor: We need Wolf’s stimulus checks
Pennsylvania citizens: I am writing to prompt you to write or call your state senator and representative regarding the $2,000 stimulus checks Gov. Tom Wolf wishes to give all Pennsylvania citizens. Wolf would like to give every Pennsylvania citizen who makes $80,000 or less a check for $2,000. I wrote...
Editorial: Westmoreland commissioners should be open about settlement money
Watch movies or television shows with cartels and kingpins, and you come away with one message pretty quickly: Drug money can make things go bad in a hurry. A lot of money plus little trust equals suspicion. It’s not just a fictional truism. You can see it in criminal court...
Western Pa. dishes out Italian beef sandwiches featured on ‘The Bear’
Italian beef sandwiches are having a national moment thanks to FX’s restaurant-themed television “The Bear.” The sandwiches featured on the popular series starring Jeremy Allen White as a chef are a staple of the Chicago area. The juicy, slow-cooked beef sandwiches topped with peppers are also popular at some Allegheny...
The Stroller, Aug. 20, 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. Native tree, shrub sale continues through Aug. 31 The Penn State Extension...
Letter to the editor: A thief is a thief, no excuses
The tempest in a beer can that is the FBI retrieval of unreturned government property from Mar-a-Lago brings to mind this scenario: You throw a party for your spouse, parent, etc. After the guests leave, you discover many pieces of your silverware are missing. Fortunately, a friend remembers seeing “Jim”...
The Birdie predicts Acrisure or bust for Westmoreland County powers
Acrisure or bust. That is the Birdie’s slogan for the 2022 season. He wants to be back on the big stage. “Penn-Trafford, Belle Vernon, I’m looking at you,” the bullish prep prognosticator said as he prepared his season-opening remarks. “You can take the Heinz out of that stadium, but you...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Aug. 19, 2022
High schools WPIAL Football Saturday’s scrimmages Penn Hills at North Allegheny, 9:30 a.m. Pine-Richland at Mt. Lebanon, 10 a.m. Seneca Valley at Cathedral Prep, 11 a.m. Central Catholic at McKeesport, 9 a.m. West Allegheny at Canon-McMillan, 10 a.m. Fox Chapel at Hempfield, 10 a.m. South Fayette at Woodland Hills, 10...
Pirates farm report for Aug. 19, 2022: Cal Mitchell, Mike Burrows headline Indy win
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 56-57) scored three in the seventh to beat Iowa (Cubs), 3-2. LF Cal Mitchell (.322) went 2 for 3 with a double and a three-run homer, his seventh. RHP Mike Burrows (4.31) started and threw five scoreless innings, allowing four hits and one walk and fanning six. LHP...
Gary Franks: The Trump reality show and the media’s addiction
I trust we all would agree that addictions — whether it’s drugs, alcohol, gambling or anything else — are not healthy. So why not define former President Donald Trump as a media addiction? Yes, the mainstream media (both left and right), cable stations, social media, newspapers and radio are all...
Knoch senior football player Jake Murphy put into new role
As Tim Burchett and the new coaching staff at Knoch install a new offense, plans are to build around Jake Murphy. Murphy, a senior, was a first-team Greater Allegheny Conference inside linebacker last year and a second-team tight end. But this season, Murphy will be moving into a slot receiver...
Editorial: Lawmakers’ big raises are an affront to Pa. taxpayers
Aren’t raises great? Everyone likes more money. Everyone appreciates finding out that hard work and service to an employer is rewarded with a little bit extra in the bank account. For too many people, that just doesn’t happen. There are pay freezes. There are sad conversations about how valuable you...
New West Deer municipal complex could cost $11 million, but no tax hike vowed
The West Deer supervisors viewed plans for a new municipal complex this week — along with its $11 million price tag. Matthew Franz, a vice president for HHSDR Architects and Engineers, and HHSDR associate David Kent unveiled proposed artist renderings and a floor plan to the supervisors. The new complex,...
