TribLive stories, Page 1610
No rust on these Rams as Highlands prepares for baseball season
While much of the world was on lockdown last summer, Highlands managed to get a baseball season in. The team, dubbed the “Summer Rams,” played in the new Western Pennsylvania Baseball League and did quite well. The league consisted mostly of high school-aged players whose season was called off due...
Highlands softball hopes leadership, versatility are paths to WPIAL playoffs
The Highlands softball team went into the 2020 season with high expectations, only to have those expectations dashed by the season’s cancellation. But the hopes of returning to the WPIAL playoffs for the first time since 2018 haven’t dimmed. Coach Jen Koprivnikar feels the aspects of leadership and versatility is...
As thousands of unemployment claims expire, Pa. residents refile, wait on federal benefits
Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan 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 — Shawn McCreary has measured the last year in time waiting. As a substitute teacher, there have been exactly zero...
Pagan woman sues Pleasant Hills Panera over religious discrimination
A Clairton woman who worked as a baker at the Pleasant Hills Panera claims that she was discriminated against and ultimately fired because she is Pagan. Tammy McCoy said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court that she was hired at the Panera on Clairton Boulevard in October 2019....
Suez Canal blocked by grounded mega-ship, causing huge traffic jam in the seaVideo
On any given day, more than 50 ships traverse the 120-mile Suez Canal, bearing millions of tons of cargo that make up some 12% of the world’s trade volume. But not since Tuesday, after a mammoth vessel ran aground in the vital waterway. In the more than 24 hours since,...
Virginia abolishes death penalty after executing almost 1,400 people over 400 yearsVideo
NORFOLK, Va. — After more than 400 years and nearly 1,400 lives, the death penalty is dead in Virginia. Gov. Ralph Northam signed legislation Wednesday abolishing it in a state that has executed more people than any other. The ceremony was at Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, where lethal injections...
Food Podcast: Clearview executive knows what it means to experience food insecurity
For Lisa Florian, being involved with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is personal. “Growing up, my family was no stranger to standing in line at the food bank. I personally am grateful to be able to give back where I once had to receive,” said Florian, the senior vice...
Lawsuit alleges defamation by mother of Wilkinsburg mayor
A data analyst working for Wilkinsburg is suing the mayor’s mother, alleging her Facebook posts railing against the position amount to defamation and libel, according to the lawsuit. Kate Luxemburg filed the lawsuit against Beverly Garrett in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday. Beverly Garrett is the mother of...
Former Penn State standout Donovan Smith reportedly cashes in with new contract
Former Penn State left tackle Donovan Smith has had a good couple of months. In February, he won Super Bowl XLV with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And Wednesday, he reportedly agreed to a lucrative contract extension to continue to protect Tom Brady’s blindside. Smith and the Bucs agreed to a...
Big Ten alters attendance policy to reflect local guidelines, restrictions on coronavirus mitigation
The Big Ten announced Wednesday it will allow schools to host fans at games in accordance with local health guidelines and restrictions for the rest of the 2020-21 regular season. The policy is effective immediately, and it also covers spring football games. Previously, Big Ten competitions were closed to the...
Wilkinsburg man pleads to manslaughter after friend is killed in drug deal gone bad
A Wilkinsburg man with ties to two high-profile cases pleaded guilty Wednesday to involuntary manslaughter in an unrelated shooting. Demetres Beck, 26, admitted to Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Edward J. Borkowski that he and a friend, Kierre Simmons, participated in a robbery on Dec. 29, 2014. According to Deputy...
Faculty union blasts leader of Pa. state universities: ‘His job was to improve the system, not tear it down’
Instructors and coaches are blasting the leader of the state-owned universities for saying that the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education should be reorganized or dissolved. At a Senate budget hearing last week, Chancellor Dan Greenstein warned that if a proposal to consolidate some universities doesn’t happen, he will come...
Editorial: On ballot questions, clear language should be the only option
When you cast a vote, it’s important to know exactly what’s going on. You need to know what the race is. You also need to know exactly who the people are. No one needs a situation like the confusing butterfly ballots in Florida in 2000 that some say had third-party...
Pa. museums, historical sites to reopen April 30
Twenty-three Pennsylvania-run museums and historical sites, including the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg, Landis Valley Village in Lancaster and the Ephrata Cloister, will all reopen on April 30, albeit with reduced hours and at a limited capacity. According to a press release from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission,...
Westmoreland news includes palm distribution, Swiss steak dinner
Church services • Derry First United Methodist Church will distribute palms from 10 a.m. to noon March 27 in the church parking lot, 311 N. Ligonier St., and at the 11 a.m. March 28 in-person Palm Sunday service. Alternate arrangements: 724-694-8333 Employment help • Westmoreland County YWCA, Greensburg, is offering...
Former Pitt employee charged with stealing over 13,000 masks at start of pandemic
The former director of emergency management at the University of Pittsburgh was indicted Tuesday in federal court on charges that he stole thousands of masks from campus at the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic and sold them on his eBay page. Christopher Casamento, 42, of Ross had access to N95...
Penn State’s Tariq Castro-Fields hoping to stay healthy, lead CBs
Tariq Castro-Fields isn’t supposed to be analyzing the benefits of one more spring practice this year. Fact is, there was never supposed to be a 2021 season for him in a Penn State uniform. In an ideal world, he’d have been long gone, pursuing his NFL dreams. After his junior...
Baldwin football team adds life skills to training program
Football season always means training. This year, members of the Baldwin High School football team are not just toning their muscles for the season, they are learning skills for life. Once a week before team workouts, members of the football team – along with any of their student peers who...
Letter to the editor: Disagree with election results? Return stimulus checks.
Here’s a novel idea for everyone who thinks Joe Biden’s election to the presidency was fraudulent, and especially for those who continue to display Trump signs and flags to disagree with the election results: When your stimulus checks arrive, don’t accept them. Return them to the U.S. Treasury Department, since...
Carnegie Carnegie staffer gives tips for navigating news shared on social media
Did you know that a Pew Research Center poll shows that more than two-thirds of adults get at least some of their news from social media? Just under half of those people get their news from Facebook. I feel safe in generalizing that most of us have a distrust of...
Letter to the editor: Resist oligarchy with antitrust laws
We all know Punxsutawney Phil, the weather-predicting groundhog. Lesser known, there are many sage woodchucks all over the region, spanning all areas of expertise. Henrietta Woodchuck lives in the vacant lot behind the house here in Perry Hilltop. Her specialty is world politics and macroeconomics. It’s a popular double major...
Man arrested, accused of leading police on a chase in Franklin Park, Ross
A North Versailles man was arrested after fleeing from police after a stop early Tuesday morning, according Ross police. A Franklin Park Police officer stopped Kasey Gusty, 36, on Route 79 southbound around 12:30 a.m. due to suspicion that Gusty was driving while on a DUI-related suspension. As the officer...
Letter to the editor: 11 million illegal immigrants
For over a decade the accepted number of illegal immigrants living within our borders has been 11 million. This has been repeated by the liberal media and picked up and parroted by politicians and taken as gospel by those who can’t substantiate that on their own. We are told that...
The Stroller, March 24, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s meetings, events and fundraisers in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Redemption Church to deliver free food for Easter dinner Redemption Church in Lower Burrell will deliver free food that can be cooked for Easter...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for March 23, 2021
High schools Basketball Boys PIAA playoffs Class 6A Semifinals Tuesday’s results Archbishop Wood 72, Lower Merion 68 Reading 68, Upper St. Clair 46 Finals Saturday’s schedule Archbishop Wood (19-0) vs. Reading (25-2) at Giant Center, 7:30 p.m. Class 5A Finals Friday’s schedule Archbishop Ryan (12-5) vs. Cathedral Prep (17-7) at...
