TribLive stories, Page 2347
Study says Philly court reporters not accurate with black dialect
PHILADELPHIA — There are times in court when Qawi Abdul-Rahman, a Center City-based defense attorney, gets the sense that folks listening didn’t understand a piece of testimony. “You get it all the time, truthfully,” Abdul-Rahman said. He’s been concerned that the true meaning of statements like “I don’t fool with...
Iowa town relies on one-page Hotsheet to deliver local news
LE MARS, Iowa — It’s a common sight in most every public setting anymore. Look around and you’ll see people with their heads bent over their smartphones, fingers swiping at the screens and thumbs punching out messages. It shouldn’t be a revelation to anyone that information nowadays is just a...
Though later than usual, Erie welcomes ice fishing season
Luke Soboleski and two friends dragged their equipment-laden sled onto the Misery Bay ice on a recent sunny afternoon, joining about 25 other huts dotting the popular Presque Isle State Park ice-fishing spot. Soboleski, 19, of McKean, and his friends drilled three holes — one for each fisherman — and...
Parents of 2 Parkland victims want Pulitzer for local paper
PASADENA, Calif. — Two parents who lost daughters in last year’s Parkland, Florida, school shooting are calling for their local newspaper to win the Pulitzer Prize, saying the South Florida Sun Sentinel has stayed on the story to demand accountability long after the national media left. The parents, Ryan Petty...
Editorial: Is Wolf’s minimum wage increase too high for Pennsylvania?
Everybody wants a raise. That means a lot of people hear Gov. Tom Wolf’s resurrection of a plan to increase the minimum wage and think that’s a good thing. The people who sign those paychecks — or the people who believe they will lead to higher prices to offset the...
Parents sue 28 former Penn State fraternity members in son’s death, settle with the university
The parents of Tim Piazza, who died after an alcohol-fueled fraternity pledge party at Pennsylvania State University two years ago, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against 28 former members of the fraternity, but settled with Penn State without filing a lawsuit, their lawyer said. Neither the university nor Jim and Evelyn...
Letter to the editor: Release DOJ documents, secure border
There is an ongoing debate about President Trump and Russian collusion, and Hillary Clinton and the Democrats’ interference in the presidential election. Both sides of the political aisle scream and point fingers regarding whose side is the most corrupt (both are). There is a simple fix to this debate: Order...
Letter to the editor: Where’s property tax relief?
Where’s the property tax relief we were promised? Pennsylvania is second in the nation in gambling revenue intake behind Nevada. In 2017 Pennsylvania took in 3.2 billion — and that was before we started keno and sports betting. Some estimates project that this will create an additional $1 billion to...
Letter to the editor: GOP is all about money
There have been a lot of letters in the Trib lately running down the Democratic Party. We were Republicans for almost 60 years, and we used to think the Republican Party was sympathetic toward the poor and the middle class. Now it seems like they are all about money and...
Letter to the editor: Writer’s thoughts on wall, asylum misguided
I’d like to challenge letter-writer Paul Gernhardt (“Why build the wall?,” Jan. 22, 2019), as I found his missive to be quite dubious. The cost of the wall is not $5.7 billion. It is projected to be much higher, although that is of the assumption that the U.S. will actually...
Hampton High School renovation plans take next step
A final feasibility study on a Hampton High School renovation was the focus of a special public school board meeting Jan. 28, bringing the potential project a few steps closer to reality. The study was presented by VEBH Architects, the firm that provided a first conceptual renovation design to the...
Walter Williams: Why are we demonizing white men?
Rush Limbaugh’s December 2018 Limbaugh Letter has an article titled “Demonizing White Men.” It highlights — with actual quotations from people in the media, academia and the political and entertainment arenas — the attack on white men as a class. You can decide whether these statements are decent, moral or...
John Stossel: We should choose how our money is spent
Sunday is the Super Bowl. I look forward to playing poker and watching. It’s easy to do both because in a three-hour-plus NFL game there are just 11 minutes of actual football action. So we’ll have plenty of time to watch Atlanta politicians take credit for the stadium that will...
Editorial: What can Bill Murray teach Punxsutawney Phil?
Everyone worries about job security in a world of changing industries and technologies. Manufacturing, medicine, journalism — you name it and someone is concerned about what is evolving and whether it means they should be updating their resume. So when does Pennsylvania’s favorite rodent have to start updating his LinkedIn...
Twilight Night gives ‘sneak peek’ at several high school spring musicals
On Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, at Memorial Park Church in Allison Park, some of the area’s most talented teens took part in Twilight Night. Now in its third year, Twilight Night features high school musical soloists presenting a few songs from their school’s upcoming musicals as a sneak peek...
Deer Lakes postpones plays until next weekend
Due to the inclement weather, Deer Lakes School District has postponed this weekend’s performances of, “You Can’t Take It With You.” The play is rescheduled to be at 7 p.m. Feb. 8 to 10 in the high school auditorium, 163 East Union Road, West Deer. Admission is $8....
South Fayette business owner ready to compete in 2020 Olympics
Anna Tobias of Avella won the 2008 Olympic Gold medal in Laser Radial Sailing and, on Feb. 9, from 5-8 p.m., her friends will be holding a fundraiser aimed towards her quest again for the gold at the upcoming 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The location will be T2 CrossFit,...
Review: Netflix’s ‘The Umbrella Academy’ is even weirder than the comic, and it’s an absolute must seeVideo
Those wondering what Netflix’s post-Marvel superhero future will be need look no further than the refreshingly weird “Umbrella Academy,” which begins streaming Feb. 15. This unlikely team of heroes, based on the Eisner Award-winning Dark Horse Comics series by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá, provides a strikingly different streaming experience...
Adam Levine says he expected controversy surrounding Super Bowl halftime showVideo
The controversy surrounding Maroon 5’s upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance hasn’t surprised frontman Adam Levine. The singer said he “expected” contention when his band signed on for the gig and told Entertainment Tonight that it’s their goal to “speak through the music” when they take the stage Sunday in Atlanta....
‘Jane the Virgin’ creator says finale should bring closure and other TV scoops
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — A roundup of news from the Television Critics Association winter meeting, at which TV networks and streaming services are presenting details on upcoming programs. Tissues, please The upcoming final season of “Jane the Virgin” is already drawing tears. The CW show’s creator, Jennie Snyder Urman, said...
Letter to the editor: Walls may have helped Native Americans
Questions to the question presented in the letter “What if Native Americans had built walls?” (Jan. 22, TribLIVE): Doesn’t this historical event support why a wall might have helped? Did the Native Americans have the ability to build a wall, or did they miss the opportunity? What happened to the...
Letter to the editor: Ideas for border security
On the subject of border security, I have a question and a suggestion. First, the question: Why should the Trump administration, or any administration, have to bargain with the opposition party to achieve needed national security? Shouldn’t national security be foremost with all parties? No negotiations should be necessary. Now,...
Letter to the editor: Pelosi says it’s OK
Nancy Pelosi was speaker of the house in 2008 when she stated a commitment to border security by using options that would work. She also acknowledged the “challenge” of undocumented people in the country and said, “we certainly don’t want any more coming in.” Ten years later and Pelosi is...
Letter to the editor: Goodbye, America
It is with heavy heart that I put pen to paper to bid farewell to the amazing country in which I have been blessed to live and raise a family. I am 78 years old, and as I look around, I do not recognize the great nation in which I...
Longtime Baldwin officer named new police chief
Tony Cortazzo remains calm, even in the most intense situations. The quality stood out to Baldwin Borough council members as they sought a new leader for the borough’s 22-member force. “He has a very calm, balanced demeanor about him,” said council Vice President Marianne Conley. Council on Jan. 15 named...
