TribLive stories, Page 1379
Mashed potatoes: This holiday staple may have roots in 17th century English cooking
As families get ready to set their holiday tables, one of the quintessential side dishes is mashed potatoes. A perfect complement to any main course, the creamy indulgence of a good mashed potato is the equivalent of a warm hug. Regardless of how you celebrate, comfort food is a necessity....
Penn State’s Arnold Ebiketie becomes latest Nittany Lions defensive standout to accept Senior Bowl invite
STATE COLLEGE — Penn State defensive end Arnold Ebiketie became the latest Nittany Lions standout to accept an invitation to the Reese’s Senior Bowl. The Senior Bowl announced Ebiketie’s acceptance Tuesday, and it comes on the heels of safety Jaquan Brisker and linebacker/defensive end Jesse Luketa accepting invites to the...
Shaler area communities had a number of uncontested races
In Shaler, there were two contested races for commissioner – in wards 2 and 4. In Ward 2, Republican David Mizgorski beat Democrat Frank Jans 747 to 705. In Ward 4, Democrat Conrad Wagner received 609 votes, while Republican Matthew Thiel received 572. The Ward 6 race was uncontested, with...
2 Shaler Area students selected to PMEA District 1 Band Ensemble
Two Shaler Area High School students were accepted into the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 1 Band ensemble. Junior Grace Cosentino and senior Erika Kenst, who both play the clarinet, will represent Shaler Area in the PMEA District 1 Band Festival at Duquesne University on Jan. 28-29, 2022. As part...
Infamous anniversary: 100 years of sea lamprey in the Great Lakes
November marks the 100th anniversary of an infamous event in the history of Great Lakes fishing: the date when sea lamprey, native to the Atlantic ocean, first moved into Lake Erie from the Welland Canal in Ontario. The parasitic invaders decimated Great Lakes fish populations, which reached rock-bottom in the...
Peter Morici: Instead of standing up to Russia and China, Biden appeases them
The United States has slipped into cold wars with Russian and China characterized by military brinkmanship and economic competition. To address these challenges, President Joe Biden envisions a community of democracies and strengthening cooperation with Europe and the Quad (the U.S., Japan, India and Australia.) However, each member, most notably...
Port Authority instructor files discrimination lawsuit over Black Lives Matter mask
An instructor at Port Authority’s Ross garage filed a federal lawsuit this week against the agency, claiming racial discrimination after she was suspended for a week for wearing a Black Lives Matter mask. Monika Wheeler-Hanna, of Penn Hills, is also alleging harassment and retaliation. Her lawsuit is the second to...
Westmoreland happenings: Oil painting workshop, Christmas parade, craft and vendor show, more
Art • Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Ligonier Valley will offer a beginners oil painting workshop with local artist Doreen Currie from 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 30 and Dec. 2 at the museum, 1 Boucher Lane, Ligonier Township. Cost: $30 includes both days. A supply list will be...
With more depth, Penn State New Kensington men’s basketball happy to be back on court
Sometimes patience can be a virtue. At least that’s what Brant Mack hopes is the case. Mack was an assistant for Penn State New Kensington’s men’s basketball program for three years before taking over the head coaching job before last season. However, the season was canceled because of covid-19. But...
South West Communities Chamber of Commerce hosts Impactful Women: Women in Military
Another installment of South West Chamber of Commerce’s Impactful Women series took place on Nov. 9 with Women in Military. Around 30 guests attended the lunch at AC Hotels Marriott in Southpointe. Speakers included retired Naval Officer Amy Knight, veteran career development director for the Veterans Leadership Program; Casey Nowicki,...
Letter to the editor: Lack of urgency for change in Jeannette
In response to the article “Westmoreland commissioners told to ‘do the right thing’ with covid relief money” (Oct. 28, TribLIVE): On Oct. 28, I attended as Westmoreland County Community College was host to county commissioners for suggestions on how communities could use part of the $105 million in federal covid...
Jackie Calmes: Yes, Democrats have a messaging problem. The bigger problem is who has the megaphone.
Democrats have a messaging problem, as you’ve no doubt heard since their recent election losses. The problem hardly started with President Joe Biden, a weak messenger given that he’s been underwater in the polls since August. Weak messaging has defined Democrats for most of the years I’ve covered them. Theirs...
Letter to the editor: Perplexing questions
To poet laureate David Ninehouser (“Trump’s not afraid,” Oct. 29, TribLIVE) and Joe D’Astolfo, Biden pugilist-in-the-making, for “knocking some sense” into President Trump (”Enough with Trump’s ‘big lie,’ ” Oct. 8, TribLIVE), my questions: If a president’s son has sex with a Russian prostitute while high on crack and records it,...
Unity dairy farm draws a crowd for its open houseVideo
Hundreds of people flocked to Pleasant Lane Farms in Unity on Saturday for its second annual open house. The event featured the traditions of a seventh-generation farming family along with the latest in dairy herd technology and a growing cheesemaking operation at the 185-acre farm founded by the Fryes on...
Editorial: Invasive species are environmental threat everyone can fight
Pennsylvania is a state often associated with industry. Steel and glass. Coal and gas. But the Keystone State is just as famous for its nature. The U.S. Forest Service confirms that it has more areas wooded than not, with 16.8 million acres or 58% of the state. There are more...
The Stroller, Nov. 17, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your club meetings, community events and fundraisers for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Operation Christmas Child shoe box collection underway Grace Community Presbyterian Church, Lower Burrell, is conducting an Operation Christmas Child shoe box...
Letter to the editor: ‘Socialist’ labels on Democrats a dishonest strategy
It’s a good time for the Democrats to expose what Paul Krugman, winner of the 2008 Nobel Prize in economics, refers to as the “dishonest political strategy” used by conservative Republicans: calling most (if not all) congressional Democrats names like “socialists,” “Marxists,” “communists,” “far leftists” and “radical leftists.” I do...
Lincoln Park basketball standout LA Pratt commits to Duquesne
Lincoln Park basketball standout LA Pratt will play his college ball close to home. The 6-foot-5 point guard announced his verbal commitment to Duquesne via his social media accounts Tuesday afternoon. Pratt averaged 13 points per game for Lincoln Park last season, helping the Leopards to a 19-6 record, a...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 16, 2021
High schools Field hockey PIAA playoffs Class 3A Semifinals Tuesday’s results Emmaus 3, Conestoga 1 Lower Dauphin 3, Central York 2 Championship Saturday’s schedule Emmaus vs. Lower Dauphin at Whitehall, 3 p.m. Class 2A Semifinals Tuesday’s results Twin Valley 1, Southern Lehigh 0 Gwynedd Mercy 2, Mechanicsburg 1 Championship Saturday’s...
High school roundup for Nov. 16, 2021: Seneca Valley keeps repeat bid alive
Max Marcotte scored the winning goal with less than seven minutes left in regulation as defending state champion Seneca Valley earned a return trip to Hershey with a 2-1 win over Peters Township in the PIAA Class 4A semifinals Tuesday night. Beaux Lizewski assisted on the winning goal. Nathan Prex...
Jonathan Karl’s ‘Betrayal’ unearths new details about Trump’s attack on democracyVideo
The bountiful genre of Donald Trump books now has another entry, courtesy of Jonathan Karl. As the chief Washington correspondent for ABC News, he’s covered Trump since the start of his presidential campaign. Now he assesses the wreckage of the presidency in ” Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump...
Carnegie man gets 5 to 10 years state prison in fatal DUI crash on Parkway West
A Carnegie man pleaded guilty Tuesday to killing a South Park woman in a 2019 crash in which he was under the influence of drugs. Aaron Hutchison, 21, pleaded guilty to homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, as well as his fourth DUI offense, and related charges. As...
Butler woman pleads guilty in fatal 2020 wrong-way crash on Route 8
In February 2020, Kaitlyn Eckelberry’s life was all coming together. Her years of hard work in college and graduate school had paid off, and she had just passed her boards to become a physician’s assistant. She was hired at her dream job in orthopedics, had just signed a lease for...
Trib CEO Jennifer Bertetto recognized by Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association
The Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association on Tuesday honored Trib Total Media President and CEO Jennifer Bertetto with the 2021 Benjamin Franklin Award for Excellence. The award recognizes outstanding service that reflects positively on the news industry in Pennsylvania. Brad Simpson, president of the Harrisburg-based news association, praised Bertetto for being a...
Pa. school mask mandate will expire Dec. 4 if state Supreme Court doesn’t issue new stay
The school mask mandate in Pennsylvania will end on Dec. 4 unless the state Supreme Court grants a stay to Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration. On Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court granted a motion to lift a stay of its order from last week that found the acting secretary of health...

