TribLive stories, Page 163
Some Pennsylvania lawmakers want to ban fluoride in public drinking water. Here’s what to know
A bill recently introduced to the state Senate would ban fluoride in Pennsylvania’s public drinking water, part of growing skepticism toward the naturally-occurring mineral that dental health experts have considered essential for decades. The Fluoride Choice Act, introduced by Sen. Dawn Keefer, R-York, would prevent fluoride from being added to...
PennDOT reopens Penn Hills exit ramps closed for Rodi Road paving
PennDOT is planning to close Rodi Road this weekend, beginning at 9 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday. Milling and paving operations will take place, weather permitting, between Maple Lane and William Penn Highway. The work also will require the complete closure of the eastbound I-376 ramp to Penn Hills/Rodi...
Stuart I.R. Haniff: Lawmakers must protect Pa.’s anti-hunger programs
A hunger crisis is happening across Pennsylvania — in every county and every legislative district — but you wouldn’t know unless you look. Food insecurity, according to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap Report, has risen 40% over the last two years in the commonwealth. Now, one in eight of...
Laurels & lances: New tech, new info
Laurel: To new access. We hear a lot about the dangers of technology, especially related to artificial intelligence. Yes, there are valid questions to raise. Yes, Hollywood movies and science fiction books have postulated vivid scenarios. But artificial intelligence also can give back accessibility that makes life easier. In some...
Supermarket squabble: Richland Shop ‘N Save sues neighboring Walmart over grocery sales
When Walmart was planning its Richland location in 1998, the company agreed it would not operate a full-service grocery store there — at least in part to try to protect the Shop ‘N Save store adjacent to it in Richland Mall. But in 2008, Walmart sent a letter offering to...
In brief: Recycling available in Blawnox, volunteers need and more
Free Blawnox recycling Blawnox junior councilman Simon Passerrello-Carnevali has launched a new recycling service for residents. The family recently installed a shed along Maple Way next to the Christ the King Parish St. Edward Church. They also partnered with Shady Side Academy student Kabeer Chopra of Fox Chapel, who launched...
Pete Shelly: It’s time to rein in the skill games industry
Pennsylvania lawmakers have an opportunity to finally address a critical need and pass common-sense legislation to regulate and tax skill games in the coming days as they work to finalize the fiscal year 2025-26 state budget. This challenge is about much more than generating new tax revenues. It’s about public...
Rep. Summer Lee: One Big Beautiful Bill will harm many
On the Fourth of July, President Trump signed into law one of the most harmful bills in modern history. This legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), makes the biggest cuts to Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) ever, guts clean energy tax credits and investments, threatens hundreds of...
Gallery: Photos from July 17, 2025
Embark on a visual journey around the Western Pennsylvania region with TribLive’s latest collection of captivating images for Thursday, July 17, 2025. From the rustic landscapes of Western Pa. to diverse corners of the globe, experience the shared moments of humanity....
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: July 18-20
No plans for a summer vacation on the horizon? No worries. Take a staycation right here in Pittsburgh this weekend with a whole bunch of fun, active and relaxing events. Vintage Grand Prix A local tradition returns to Schenley Park this weekend. Gawk at — and cheer on — your...
Triaxle crashes, catches fire along Route 66 near Youngwood
More than a dozen passersby stopped Thursday morning to rescue a man trapped in a burning triaxle truck after it crashed in New Stanton, according to fire Chief Rob Cammarata. Joe Schiavone and Steve Parsons were headed to a job for Perfect Industrial Cleaning when they came upon the ball...
Letter to the editor: Clearances protect children
I must take issue with letter-writer who objected to the requirement for clearances in order to volunteer with a church (“What would Jesus think of all these clearances?,” July 14, TribLive). It is not only the Catholic Church that has this requirement, but any organization where children are served —...
Letter to the editor: Trump can’t win
You are damned if you do and damned if you don’t. That’s what our president is up against. Dion Urban East Vandergrift...
Letter to the editor: The president hates me
The president of the United States hates me, and he tells everyone. He hates me because I care about people and the environment. He hates me because I voted for Kamala Harris, Josh Shapiro, Chris Deluzio and Anita Kulic, among others. He says I have TDS, and I probably do...
Victim in fatal Point Breeze rollover crash was Allderdice grad
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the teen killed in a Point Breeze car crash early Thursday as a Pittsburgh Allderdice High School graduate from Squirrel Hill. Jakob James Sirlin, 18, was killed and three others hospitalized after a vehicle rollover crash on Beechwood Boulevard, according to Pittsburgh...
Editorial: Energy and innovation aren’t the same as money and power
The Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit at Carnegie Mellon University was ostensibly, as the name implied, about energy and innovation. In reality, it was about money and jobs. The event provided an opportunity for investors and politicians to get a moment in the sun as they announced a roster of...
The Stroller, July 17, 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. ‘The Roeblings of Saxonburg’...
Letter to the editor: Leg shackle referendum should be reviewed
At the recent Allegheny County Jail Oversight Board meeting, Allegheny County Councilwoman Bethany Hallam showed support for sheriffs taking over inmate hospital trips. They voted in favor of studying feasibility. She is vocally against corrections officers using leg shackles on inmates at the hospital but not sheriffs. This flip-flop is...
Westmoreland happenings: Parish festival, Civil War weekend, meetings, more
Festivals • The annual St. Pius X Parish Festival, Mt. Pleasant, will be held 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, July 20, at the church, 224 Summit St. There will be food including the famous parish pizza, games of chance, raffles, bingo, basket auction, children’s games and more. Entertainment will...
Greyhound sued over fatal bus stabbing on Parkway East
The family of an Indiana man who was stabbed to death on a Greyhound bus as it traveled on the Parkway East two years ago is suing the bus company for wrongful death. Cozell McQueen Jr., who represents the estate of his father, filed the complaint on Wednesday in Allegheny...
Officials celebrate start of construction phase for Etna Center for Community
Officials celebrated the start of construction of the Etna Center for Community on July 11. Congressman Chris Deluzio, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, state Sen. Lindsey Williams and state Rep. Lindsay Powell joined borough officials and the Etna Community Organization for the ceremony. Once complete, the Etna Center for Community, at...
Families of killer, victim describe anguish over ambush murder outside North Side bar
Akil Tennyson intimately understands the pain he caused when he murdered a father of three last year on the North Side. When he was 2, Tennyson’s own father was fatally shot. “This is the worst thing I could have done as I understand the pain of not having a father...
Lawsuit claims Pennsylvania’s outdated tax assessment system hurts low-income homeowners
A lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court alleges the state’s property tax assessment process is unconstitutional, harming low- income homeowners who are typically overassessed. Filed by Mon Valley Unemployed Committee Inc., the complaint names as defendants the commonwealth, Gov. Josh Shapiro and Attorney General David Sunday. “The General Assembly’s failure...
Emma Watson loses driver’s license for 6 months over a series of speeding tickets
Call her Emma Walks-on. Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger in all eight “Harry Potter” films, lost her driving privileges for six months Wednesday in Britain after racking up more than a dozen points on her driving record in the space of two years. She was also ordered to pay...
Philip Martell: It’s time to modernize school funding and stop punishing property owners
For decades, Pennsylvania’s public school funding model has relied too heavily on one thing — the local property tax. It’s a system that rewards wealthier ZIP codes and punishes rural and working class communities. No matter how much we tinker around the edges, we cannot fix education in this commonwealth...
