TribLive stories, Page 182
Letter to the editor: Political violence is never OK
I completely agree with Sen. Kim Ward’s comments (“ ‘It’s a scary time in politics,’ state Sen. Kim Ward says following Minnesota shootings,” June 17, TribLive), in which she decried the recent political killings in Minnesota. Neither she nor any other person serving in our governments (whether elected or appointed)...
The Stroller, June 22, 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. Greek Food Festival planned...
Letter to the editor: America has always been great
Notwithstanding bloviation from the White House, America has always been great. Correction: It was, until the Project 2025 gang took over, shredding the Constitution, gutting our institutions and instigating a brain drain. Let’s look at some previous examples of our greatness: The Revolution freed this country from the tyranny of...
Pirates farm report for June 21, 2025: Esmerlyn Valdez blasts 2 homers for Greensboro
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 42-31) managed four hits in a 4-1 loss to Columbus (Guardians). C Shawn Ross (.233) went 1 for 3 with his first homer. 2B Nick Solak (.353) went 1 for 4 with a double. RF Matt Fraizer (.278) and SS Alika Williams (.253) had singles. CF Jack Suwinski...
Nicole Stallings: Sounding the alarm for Pa.’s rural hospitals
Pennsylvania’s rural hospitals are struggling. Declining patient volumes, workforce shortages and chronic underpayment have left many on a lifeline. About half are operating at a loss, according to fiscal year 2023 data from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council. Another 17% are barely breaking even or operating with margins...
J. Byron Fleck: Pitt’s $246 million bet against its students, employees
By July 1, the University of Pittsburgh will have made a choice: fund up to a quarter-billion-dollar commitment to pay its professional football and men’s basketball players — or protect its students, families and employees from financial ruin. The money? $246 million over 10 years, taken directly from student tuition,...
Dwight Boddorf: Reinventing Tarentum, a small town with a big vision
The odds haven’t been in our favor, and for towns like Tarentum, they rarely are. At its peak, Tarentum was home to over 11,000 residents and was built on industry, tight-knit neighborhoods and a strong tax base. Today, we’re a town of just over 4,200. We’ve lost more than half...
Letter to the editor: All hail Trump the king
Evidently, the Democrats, liberals and others who follow their thinking have tired of calling President Trump a Nazi, an oligarch and a fascist. So they came up with a clever new idea. Now Trump is a “king.” Personally, I am not offended by this latest political distraction. Our president has...
Letter to the editor: Trump’s bill will harm veterans
Last weekend, President Trump threw an extravagant military parade on his birthday, and taxpayers are footing the $45 million bill. While it may seem like Trump is honoring the military, I know, as a former Army soldier, what we really need is to end the Republican-backed assault on programs veterans...
Editorial: Pets should have legal protections from being treated like trash
Families don’t always look the same. Sometimes they are small and nuclear. Sometimes they are blended from remarriage. Sometimes they are extended with grandparents or grandchildren. And for many people, families include animals. According to Forbes, 66% of American households include pets. That’s almost 87 million families. Most pets are...
The Stroller, June 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. Saxonburg to welcome annual...
Letter to the editor: Reschenthaler not representing
It’s best for me to think of Rep. Guy Reschenthaler’s weekend newsletters as attempts at humor. Witness his June 9 email. I want him to take me to the Westmoreland County grocery store where eggs are $2.52 so I can purchase there. He claims to be a great supporter of...
Pirates farm report for June 20, 2025: Ji Hwan Bae has 2 hits on rehab assignment with Bradenton
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 42-30) lost 4-2 to Columbus (Guardians). RHP Thomas Harrington (4-7, 5.58) started and went 5⅓ innings, allowing four runs on four hits, including two homers. He walked two and struck out six. RHP Yohan Ramirez (3.76), RHP Michael Darrell-Hicks (0.00) and RHP Kyle Nicolas (3.72) combined to throw...
Up close and personal: Kids get first hand look at critters during visit from Pittsburgh Zoo in Natrona
There’s nothing like seeing it up close. And that’s what the kids at the Summer Lunch and Arts Program at Natrona Riverfront Park got to do this week during a visit from Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium educators. The zoo staff brought some friends, of course, including Rose, the eastern pine...
Gov. Ron DeSantis: Florida will help evacuate more Americans from Israel
TAMPA, Fla. — Sonia Delgado had spent more than eight hours in an airport in Larnaca, Cyprus, when she learned her rescue flight back to the United States, funded by the state of Florida, wasn’t coming that night. The Atlanta resident had gone to Tel Aviv, Israel, with her daughter...
Penn State to rely on young, inexperienced group of defensive tackles
Penn State’s defensive tackle room — although veteran and built for it — took on an extremely heavy workload in 2024. Dvon J-Thomas, Coziah Izzard and Zane Durant combined for 1,571 snaps, a large portion coming through the four-game postseason stretch because of Hakeem Beamon’s surprise departure and Alonzo Ford...
Letter to the editor: We already defeated America’s only king
What a great celebration Saturday in our nation’s capital for the United States Army’s 250th anniversary. George Washington would be very proud. Yes, we did defeat a king — it was King George III of England. America’s first and only king. And then there was whatever was going on that...
Vacation Bible School, contemporary services and more at Sewickley area houses of worship
Antioch Baptist Church 332 Elizabeth St., Sewickley. 412-741-7688. antiochfwbaptist sewickley.org. Morning worship and praise service is at 10:45 a.m. First Sunday Sunday School is at 9:30 a.m. First Friday virtual Bible study is at 7 p.m. A link is available via Pastor Dean’s Facebook page. Beth Samuel Jewish Center 810 Kennedy...
Letter to the editor: Defending our right to protest
Our right to protest is not up for debate. It is protected by the First Amendment — because protest is how everyday people make their voices heard when the system fails them. Let’s be clear: Peaceful protest is real, and it matters. It’s not chaos. It’s not a threat. It’s...
The Stroller, June 20, 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. Easy Star All-Stars to...
Laurels & lances: Careers & cash
Laurel: To forging new paths. High school students spend a lot of time thinking about the future. For some, that’s about preparing for college, applying to schools and choosing a major. The number of students learning new skills to enter the job market when they graduate, however, is growing. According...
Letter to the editor: Politicians should account for their costs
As a follow-up to my letter “Wasteful spending in Westmoreland” (March 9, TribLive), I would like to bring to light wasteful spending in our 14th District by our representative. I previously asked what our local elected officials are doing to save taxpayer dollars. It is quite apparent wasteful spending is...
Pirates farm report for June 19, 2025: Carlson Reed throws 5 no-hit innings for Greensboro
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 42-29) split a pair of games with Columbus (Guardians). In the first game, the completion of a game that was suspended after three innings Wednesday, Indianapolis lost, 8-7. RHP Eddy Yean (4-3, 2.97) gave up a run on four hits in 1⅔ innings to take the loss. RHP...
William M. Cotter: Pushing public notices to government websites is a bad move
Legislation in the Pennsylvania Senate risks allowing local governments to operate in the shadows, leaving taxpayers unaware of decisions affecting their pocketbooks, their communities and their quality of life. State Senate Bill 194, sponsored by Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Adams/Franklin, would allow school districts and municipal and county governments the option...
Jasmine Thompson: To be seen, heard and loved — the power of Black educators
During sessions of “The Girls Room,” which I established during my first teaching job as a safe space for high school Black girls to be seen and celebrated, we read novels like “The Skin I’m In” by Sharon Flake, talked about our goals, walked into womanhood together and discussed the...

