TribLive stories, Page 1630
Sally Pipes: Biden’s health care agenda entrenches a status quo that isn’t working
Health care reform is back on the agenda in Washington. At the end of January, President Biden signed two executive orders that aim to make it easier for people to sign up for coverage. On Saturday, the House passed a $1.9 trillion covid-19 relief package that includes billions in new...
Steel City Con postponed again, this time to June
Maybe the third time will be the charm for the Steel City Con. The pop culture convention, originally scheduled for December, had been rescheduled for April. But now it’s been postponed again, this time until June 11-13 at the Monroeville Convention Center. Organizers cited the state’s current indoor capacity of...
Pittsburgh home health care agency to pay $1.6M in wages, damages for ducking overtime
A Pittsburgh home health care agency is required to pay more than $1.6 million in back wages and damages to hundreds of employees — as part of a settlement — after it misclassified them and failed to pay overtime. The U.S. Department of Labor filed a complaint against Christian Home...
Art and crafts store Michaels signs a deal to go private
NEW YORK — Arts and crafts retailer Michaels is going private. The retail chain, based in Irving, Texas, said Wednesday that it has agreed to be acquired by Apollo Global Management Inc. for a transaction valued at $5 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, approved by Michaels’ board, Apollo...
Big winner in Minnesota snowplow contest: Plowy McPlowFace
MINNEAPOLIS — The next time it snows, the Minnesota Department of Transportation will dispatch Plowy McPlowFace to clear the roads. Darth Blader and Plow Bunyan will be out there, too. They are among the winning names in MnDOT’s “Name a Snowplow” contest in which the agency sought witty monikers for...
Westmoreland news includes super bingo, safe driving class
Classes • A Seniors for Safe Driving class will be offered from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 13 at Circleville United Methodist Church, 11600 Parkway Drive, North Huntingdon. The PennDOT-approved class is for drivers who are at least 55 years old. Safe drivers can receive a 5% discount on...
Gov. Wolf: Teachers, school staff move to front of line for Johnson & Johnson covid vaccine
Most teachers across Pennsylvania could be vaccinated and ready to return to classrooms by the end of March, state officials said Wednesday as they announced that educators and school staff will receive priority for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Gov. Tom Wolf said giving educators the first shot at the...
Top Pa. senator appoints colleague’s wife to lucrative Gaming Control Board seat
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 — The top Republican in the Pennsylvania Senate has quietly appointed the spouse of a colleague to a coveted spot...
Editorial: A good step for Penguins fans, but caution is on deck
The Pittsburgh Penguins took their shot two weeks ago when they asked the state for a little more freedom. PPG Paints Arena was only allowed to have 500 people at games — including the players, the coaches, the guy who drives the Zamboni, the workers who run the lights, the...
Amazon changes the logo on its app after customers say it looks like Hitler
Amazon has tweaked its iPhone app after customers said the design looked like Adolf Hitler and his mustache. The app featured the Amazon smile with a blue piece of packing tape with a jagged edge overhead. Although it was supposed to look like a cardboard Amazon package, it drew comparisons...
Dolly Parton changes words to ‘Jolene’ to encourage covid vaccinationsVideo
Country music legend Dolly Parton changed the words to her 1973 hit song “Jolene” to encourage people to get the covid-19 vaccine. Parton received the vaccination in Nashville, Tenn., on Tuesday. She posted the new version of “Jolene,” on Instagram. “Well, hey, it’s me, I am finally going to get...
Letter to the editor: Dems threatening each other?
Once again, Joseph Sabino Mistick does his “OK for me but not for thee” routine (“Our represenatives must have room to do right,” Feb. 20, TribLIVE). He goes on about how the elected Republicans need to be independent from the wishes of their electorate but, again, conveniently ignores the Democrats...
Fort Pitt Museum virtual storytime, Creativebug and more at Sewickley Public Library
Sewickley Public Library, 500 Thorn St., is again offering express library services. The Express Library gives users a chance to come into the library to browse the collection, check out items and use the public computers. The library is taking precautions to ensure the safety of library staff and patrons,...
Woman claims she was bitten by rat at Allegheny County Jail
Chavail Futrell got picked up on a bench warrant for missing court and was held at Allegheny County Jail on Feb. 8. Even though there were holds on her for minor drug charges out of Allegheny and Fayette counties, both were lifted by Feb. 10. Still, Futrell, 35, wasn’t released....
Letter to the editor: College students come through with vaccination help
Regarding the article “Pitt students, volunteers create VaccinatePA to connect residents with vaccination info” (Feb. 20, TribLIVE): So the people that we pay taxes to, who are supposed to know stuff, have let us down in a big way. They’ve had since mid-October to prepare a Pennsylvania-wide site for registering...
Letter to the editor: America’s dangerous money game
After having read the article “Board games provide low-tech alternative to online obsessions”, which claimed renewed interest in board games during the pandemic, I decided it might be a great day to blow the dust off the family Monopoly game. As my game dealer dealt me out the designated $1,500...
The Stroller, March 3, 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. Maple sugaring program on tap The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania will sponsor outdoor programs on maple sugaring March 13 at Beechwood Farms Nature...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for March 2, 2021
High schools Basketball Boys WPIAL playoffs Class 6A First round Tuesday’s results Upper St. Clair 54, Canon-McMillan 39 Seneca Valley 82, Mt. Lebanon 54 Penn-Trafford 53, North Hills 50 Butler 59, Norwin 46 Fox Chapel 63, Bethel Park 44 North Allegheny 45, Central Catholic 41 Hempfield 66, Baldwin 63 Pine-Richland...
High school roundup for March 2, 2021: Pine-Richland girls rally past Peters Township
Kaili Doctor and Sophie Catalano scored 14 points each as Pine-Richland mounted a second-half surge and defeated Peters Township, 54-45, in a WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball first-round matchup Tuesday night. The No. 10 Rams (7-10) outscored Peters Township 21-10 in the third quarter. Sarah Pifer added 12 points, including...
Intel told to pay $2.18 billion after losing Texas patent trial
Intel Corp. was told to pay VLSI Technology LLC $2.18 billion by a federal jury in Texas after losing a patent-infringement trial over technology related to chip-making, one of the largest patent-damages award in U.S. history. Intel pledged to appeal. Intel infringed two patents owned by closely held VLSI, the...
Covid forces Plum girls out of WPIAL basketball playoffs
Plum girls basketball is the latest team to drop out of the WPIAL playoffs because of covid protocols. The Mustangs will forfeit a Class 5A first-round game against second-seeded Chartiers Valley that was scheduled for Thursday night. Chartiers Valley will advance to the quarterfinals, where it will face the winner...
Eastern area real estate transactions for the week of Feb. 28, 2021
Chalfant Federal National Mortgage Assn. sold property at 314 Highland Ave. to Jonathan Dietz for $154,900. Bridgett Bothell sold property at 1010 Pin Oak Court to Maciej Skrzypczak for $98,000. Delmont Shawn Kelley sold property at 23 W Pine St. to Shawn Kelley and Traci Peters for $1 (state deed...
Shaler area real estate transactions for the week of Feb. 28, 2021
Etna John Wolfendale sold property at 13 School St. to Ryne Decaprio for $110,000. Millvale Timothy Davis sold property at 217 Colton St. to Robert Digioia for $182,000. Reserve William Stickle sold property at 1919 Mt. Troy Road to Lydia Joy George for $97,000. George Broderick Jr. Exr sold property...
Hampton area real estate transactions for the week of Feb. 28, 2021
Hampton Jered Rabold sold property at 2961 Harts Run Road to Brian Hilliard and Kristin Morrison for $215,000. Richard Wylie sold property at 2501 Royalview Drive to Butler Valley Logistics LLC for $80,000. Mark Seske sold property at 5025 S Pioneer Road to Charles Mussari Jr. and Liza Jeanne Mussari...
The Herald area real estate transactions for the week of Feb. 28, 2021
Aspinwall Susan Warshafsky sold property at 25 Fourth St. to Matthew Holmes and Bianca Botero Murphy for $385,000. Blake Armstrong sold property at 704 Center Ave. to Mallory Puniak for $155,000. Maribeth Nigro sold property at 206 Virginia Ave. to Bartely and Danica Griffith for $329,000. Etna John Wolfendale sold...
