TribLive stories, Page 154
Hempfield Area begins new school year
Students in the Hempfield Area School District returned to classrooms Thursday. The district instructs more than 5,000 students across its nine schools — Fort Allen, Maxwell, West Hempfield, West Point and Stanwood elementaries; West Hempfield and Wendover middle schools; Harrold School for ninth graders; and high school. To help students...
Sen. Devlin Robinson: Standing up for Pittsburgh transit — funding, safety and accountability
Public transit keeps Pittsburgh and Allegheny moving. It gets people to work, to school, to the doctor, and to see family and friends. It keeps our economy running and our neighborhoods connected. In fact, I know firsthand the need for a safe and reliable public transit system because this is...
Allegheny County to pay $425K to man charged but never tried in 2016 Wilkinsburg massacre
Allegheny County will pay $425,000 to one of the men accused of killing six people and an unborn child nearly a decade ago in Wilkinsburg to settle a lawsuit alleging malicious prosecution. The figure is included in a copy of the July 23 settlement agreement with Robert J. Thomas obtained...
Panini A. Chowdhury: Community benefits agreement — a path to faster, fairer development
Many of Pittsburgh’s biggest developments are taking far too long to move from vision to reality. The Lower Hill redevelopment, the Bakery Square expansion and the Esplanade riverfront development project are all examples of projects that could be transforming neighborhoods right now but are instead bogged down in prolonged review...
‘Purple Rain’ co-star Apollonia sues Prince’s estate over the trademark of her name
MINNEAPOLIS — Be careful if Prince bestowed a stage name on you because his estate might claim that it owns the rights — even some 40 years later. That is the crux of a lawsuit filed Tuesday by Patty A. Kotero, better known as Apollonia, co-star of Prince’s 1984 movie...
Gallery: Photos from Aug. 21, 2025
Embark on a visual journey around the Western Pennsylvania region with TribLive’s latest collection of captivating images for Thursday, August 21, 2025. From the rustic landscapes of Western Pa. to diverse corners of the globe, experience the shared moments of humanity....
Through the Years: 40 years ago, Plum rewarded new coach with season-opening win
Each week throughout the high school football season, the Valley News Dispatch will take a look at the players, coaches and events that shaped our scholastic legacy. In 1985, Plum rewarded new coach Bill Helsley with a 27-12 victory over Highlands at Mustangs Stadium. Quarterback Phil Kinney pulled off a...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Aug. 22-24
Summer vacation is coming to an end — if it hasn’t already — even if it’s still blazing hot outside. Get some family time in with these events around Pittsburgh this weekend. Pittsburgh Water Lantern Festival This festival is both a fun and a meaningful experience for attendees. Held at...
Gustavo Arellano: Can homegrown teens replace immigrant farm labor? In 1965, the U.S. tried
I sank into Randy Carter’s comfy couch, excited to see the Hollywood veteran’s magnum opus. Around the first floor of his Glendale home were framed photos and posters of films the 77-year-old had worked on during his career. “Apocalypse Now.” “The Godfather II.” “The Conversation.” What we were about to...
Letter to the editor: It’s worth protesting Trump’s actions
I have attended several anti-Trump rallies and suggested to liberal friends that they go, but they say “it won’t help.” My response is that President Trump would collapse without the support of his sycophants in Congress. If these sycophants see massive crowds protesting Trump’s power grabs, they might worry about...
Former Frazier quarterback working to restore program’s luster
Settling in as Frazier’s new coach, Tony Battaglini begins to think more and more that the team has underachieved the past few seasons. Now it’s time to turn the Commodores’ program around. Battaglini has brought a coaching staff full of, not just experience, but championship experience to Perryopolis and has...
With star quarterback returning, Elizabeth Forward sets goals high
Coming off another conference championship and a semifinal loss to Central Valley in the Class 3A playoffs, the Elizabeth Forward Warriors enter the 2025 season with a little bit of a chip on their shoulders. Let’s call it the “overlooked chip.” Gone are stalwarts such as Charlie Nigut, Jace Brown...
With new coach at helm, Charleroi driven to earn respect
Charleroi’s Scooter DeUnger has a daunting task ahead of him as he takes over as football coach at his alma mater. The Cougars have fallen on hard times, with last year’s 1-9 campaign marking their third straight season around the bottom of the conference. They have an overall record of...
The Stroller, Aug. 21, 2025: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. Community fair to feature...
Westmoreland happenings: Soup and salad bar, band concert, car cruise, more
Fundraisers • Congregation Emanu-El Israel Sisterhood will sponsor a rummage sale 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday and 9 a.m. to noon Monday at the synagogue, 222 N. Main St., Greensburg. Please use the back door of the building. Details: 724-834-0560. • The Norwin Elks will host a car cruise...
Letter to the editor: Medicaid means survival for many
When I was first diagnosed with diabetes, I didn’t have Medicaid. I knew I needed the hospital, but my biggest fear wasn’t the illness — it was the bill. After only a few days of treatment, I was staring at $74,000 in charges, with no safety net to fall back...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Aug. 20, 2025
High schools Golf Wednesday’s results Boys Class 3A Section 1 Kiski Area 202, Hempfield 214 Medalist: Max Mottura (KA) 35 Section 3 Mars 181, Knoch 217 Medalists: Jackson Geiger (M) 32; Aaron Voltz (K) 39 Section 5 Canon-McMillan 191, Chartiers Valley 194 Medalists: Chase Werthman (CM) 36; Gavin Waldron (CV)...
Pirates farm report for Aug. 20, 2025: Nick Dombkowski, 2 Indy relievers throw 3-hit shutout
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 71-50) blanked Syracuse (Mets), 6-0, with three pitchers combining on a three-hit shutout. LHP Nick Dombkowski (2-5, 6.38) started and went six innings, allowing two hits and no walks with four strikeouts. RHP Jack Little (0.00) pitched two no-hit innings. RHP Ryan Harbin (7.36) threw a scoreless ninth....
Fox News hosts were determined to help Trump stay in office after 2020 election, legal filing says
The 2020 presidential election is history, but a legal dispute over Fox News’ reporting on President Trump’s false claims of voter fraud is heating up. A motion for summary judgment by voting equipment company Smartmatic filed Tuesday in New York Supreme Court laid out in detail how phony allegations that...
Backup QB Tyson Bagent signs 2-year contract extension with BearsVideo
CHICAGO — Chicago Bears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent has signed a two-year contract extension, the team announced Wednesday. The two-year deal is worth a reported $10 million with a maximum value of $16 million with incentives. Bagent, a former undrafted quarterback out of Division II Shepherd University, was entering the...
Straight talk from The Birdie as he makes his Week Zero picks in the A-K Valley
If you count the City League, independents and Kiski School, Trib HSSN produced 128 high school football team preview stories to get ready for this season. The Birdie read every one of them. Not for editing or proofreading purposes, of course. No one trusts the feathered fella to do actual...
2025 Western Pa. high school football schedule for Week Zero
Friday KDKA Kickoff Classic (at Wolvarena) North Allegheny at Woodland Hills, 5 p.m. LaSalle College vs. Central Catholic, 8 p.m. Nonconference Allderdice at Fox Chapel, 7 p.m. Baldwin at Thomas Jefferson, 7 p.m. Blackhawk at Beaver Falls, 7 p.m. Brashear at Cornell, 7 p.m. Brownsville at Bentworth, 7 p.m. Burrell...
Trib HSSN’s 2025 preseason WPIAL football rankings
WPIAL football rankings Class 6A Rank, Team, 2024 record 1, Central Catholic, 12-3 2, North Allegheny, 10-2 3, Mt. Lebanon, 3-8 4, Canon-McMillan, 3-7 5, Hempfield, 4-6 Class 5A 1, Pine-Richland, 11-1 2, Peters Township, 11-2 3, Woodland Hills, 8-3 4, Penn Hills, 7-5 5, Upper St. Clair, 11-1 Class...
The Birdie is ready to feast his eyes on Westmoreland County football in Week Zero
Last season: 102-34 (.75%) Seeing is believing. The Birdie huffed on his bifocals and wiped them with his T-shirt. He then went to several local training camps to get a closer look at teams and either perpetuate or dash the hype surrounding them. (Some of the stringers, he thinks, tend...
Editorial: Sinkholes are a Pennsylvania problem. Lawmakers could do something about them
Remember when old movies and television shows gave us the impression quicksand was the great scourge lurking beneath our feet? Nope. The number of deaths due to quicksand is so small it’s not statistically significant enough to track. But sinkholes are another story. The number of sinkholes is too varied...

