TribLive stories, Page 16
Trump dismisses affordability concerns as Democratic ‘con job’
President Trump on Tuesday dismissed concerns about affordability as a Democratic “con job” in a remarkable shift after recently latching onto the buzzword encapsulating widespread consumer worries about the cost of living. Trump branded affordability as a “hoax” in a speech to his Cabinet in which he also downplayed the...
Man arrested in Springdale Township sting on scam charges escapes custody
A Chinese national charged in connection with a large-scale scam in Springdale Township walked away from an alternative housing facility last month after being released there from jail. Zhudi Chen, 40, whom police have accused of stealing more than $100,000, left the facility in Pittsburgh using a fourth-floor fire escape,...
Crash that killed pedestrian in Aspinwall spurs lawsuit against driver
The daughters of a woman fatally struck by an SUV earlier this year in Aspinwall are suing the driver. Patricia A. Doane, of McDonald and Priscilla Pasikowski, of Shaler, filed the lawsuit as co-executors of their mother’s estate. Judith A. Mierzwa, 83, of Aspinwall, was struck Feb. 5 around 7:08...
Bowl projections: Where and when will Penn State play now that it has earned its 6th win?
Penn State is going bowling for the fourth straight season. Though the campaign went differently than anyone had hoped a few months ago, credit is due to interim coach Terry Smith for rallying his team to three straight wins to finish the season. And though there’s widespread uncertainty about who...
John Dorfman: Insiders buy at Carrier, Hershey and T-Mobile
A few corporate chieftains bought their own company’s stock in November. Numerous studies, most notably at the University of Michigan, have shown insiders do better, on average, than regular investors. Trades by chief executive officers generally do better than those of other insiders. Let’s glance at a quintet of insider...
Ronald Brownstein: The GOP tried loyalty, then rebellion. Both failed.
For Republicans, November was bookended by two ominous developments: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s resignation and the party’s resounding defeats in the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races. The Republican candidates in those races — Jack Ciattarelli in New Jersey and Winsome Earle-Sears in Virginia — tried one strategy for dealing...
Kenny Stein: Future of AI in Pa. begins with regulatory reform
Artificial intelligence and data centers are the hottest investment topics at the moment, reminiscent of the Amazon headquarters sweepstakes of the past. This time, increased energy demand, combined with flexibility in location, means that almost any part of the country where the energy supply is abundant is a potential data...
State budget was 135 days late, but Pa. lawmakers got their pay raise on time
Pennsylvania lawmakers just received a 3.25% pay increase on Dec. 1, raising their base salary to $113,575. Only New York and California’s legislators make more. The national average for state lawmakers was $47,904, less than half of what the commonwealth’s lawmakers made, per the National Conference of State Legislatures. The...
Frick Environmental Center exhibit evokes iconic Vanka murals for a new era
The murals of Croatian immigrant artist Maksimilijan “Maxo” Vanka have loomed over Millvale’s St. Nicholas Church for more than 80 years, heavily integrating the immigrant experience in the United States. Now, a new generation of creators is picking up that conversation. On Thursday, the Frick Environmental Center in Frick Park...
Tim Wesley: If the game was fixed, would we still watch? You bet!
Given the recent sports-betting and gambling scandals, this seems like a relevant question: If we knew the game was fixed, would we still watch? You bet we would. And we would probably still bet on it, too. It’s our nature. It’s entertainment, and we can’t resist. Examples abound, including Hollywood...
Gallery: 1st snow of the season falls on Pittsburgh and Western Pa.
The first snowfall of the season hit Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania on Tuesday morning, blanketing the region with a several inches of snow, closing or delaying schools, and bringing out shovelers to start cleaning up. Though some light snow showers are still making their way through the area, the heaviest...
Letter to the editor: Pollard, Huckabee should be tried for sedition
According to news reports Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who is an ordained evangelist minister, cordially welcomed Jonathon Pollard to the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. For those with short memories Pollard was condemned in 1986 by U.S. Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger as a traitor and spy for Israel whose...
Letter to the editor: Not impressed with new airport terminal
My first visit to the new Pittsburgh Airport terminal was to pick up my daughter. Her plane landed shortly before midnight on Nov. 25. I was in the wait lot until she texted that she was in the departure area. Signage to get from the wait lot to the terminal...
Snow blankets Western Pa. in 1st major event of the season
A group of parents got a winter weather alert Tuesday around 6 a.m. saying school was closed for a snow day. They quickly organized a text chain, swapping questions like: Who needed boots, who could borrow a sled, and who would take the first shift watching the kids in the...
The Stroller, Dec. 2, 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. Gift program benefits victims...
1 year after sinkhole death, Unity residents live in fear of mine subsidence
One year after a deadly sinkhole swallowed a woman searching for her cat near Marguerite Road, fear remains palpable for residents in a small Unity neighborhood. They worry abandoned coal mines beneath their homes could collapse at any time. That anxiety is real on Libby Lane, a few hundred feet...
Letter to the editor: What has happened to us?
So many questions, so few answers! Why does ICE continue to go after innocent people? Why are we fighting each other at the highest levels of government? What is in the Epstein files? Why have we built an invisible wall between the left and right? How can a religious person...
Editorial: Fire hydrants are critical infrastructure
A fire hydrant is part of the landscape, something your eye may just slide past. Like a light post or mailbox, it is expected to be just off the curb of a street. That makes them easy to ignore or to forget — unless, of course, you need one. But...
Poll shows Fetterman still tanking among Dems, while Republicans give him a thumbs up
Sen. John Fetterman remains more popular with Pennsylvania Republicans than fellow Democrats, according to a new poll. In the survey commissioned by RealClearPennsylvania and Emerson College, Fetterman has a 31% job approval rating from Democrats compared to 57% from Republicans and 30% from independents. The poll questioned 2,000 Pennsylvanians and...
Netflix offers mostly cash for Warner Bros. in new bid round
Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. was fielding a second round of bids on Monday, including a mostly cash offer from Netflix Inc., in an auction that could wrap up in the coming days or weeks, according to people familiar with the discussions. Bankers for Paramount Skydance Corp., Comcast Corp. and Netflix...
Eagles coach’s house vandalized after Bears loss
Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo has been the subject of scrutiny all season long. But on Saturday morning, that scrutiny turned criminal. Patullo’s house in New Jersey was vandalized early Saturday morning, according to a report from The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff Neiburg. The Moorestown Police Department confirmed to the...
In brief: Happenings across the Penn Hills area
River City Brass to present Christmas concert River City Brass will perform its Christmas Brasstacular concert at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at Linton Middle School, 250 Aster St. This year, the holiday tradition will feature new arrangements from “Home Alone,” “A Christmas Carol” and Duke Ellington’s “Nutcracker.” There might even...
Pennsylvania loses hundreds of pharmacies after a law promised help
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — As pharmacy closures have continued across the state, a bipartisan group of lawmakers has questioned how the...
Dr. Kim-Lien Nguyen: Subsidizing insurance just props up dysfunction. Empower consumers instead
Congress ended its impasse to reopen the government, but the Democrats’ reason for the shutdown remains unresolved: the renewal of expiring subsidies for insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Republicans offered an olive branch to end the standoff by proposing to make payments into Americans’ health savings accounts...
Property taxes expected to hold steady for Harrison residents but small fire tax to be added
Harrison residents likely won’t see a property tax increase in 2026, but they might pay a slight fee for a dedicated fire fund. The township commissioners approved a proposed $5.85 million budget that maintains the property tax rate of 5.6 mills. The owner of a home assessed at the median...
