TribLive stories, Page 285
Letter to the editor: Chainsaw cuts to VA will hurt veterans
The DOGE effort to make the government more efficient is trimming muscle and bone from the Veterans Health Administration. More veterans are now using the VA, while at the same time, VA’s service is improving with higher satisfaction ratings, higher quality care and better outcomes than the private sector. Finally,...
Demolition of Springdale boiler house succeeds partway; 2nd attempt scheduledVideo
The boiler house at Springdale’s former Cheswick Generating Station isn’t going down without a fight. The pull-down demolition of the structure started at about 9:35 a.m. Sunday. But only 70% of the building collapsed amid billowing clouds of soot-gray dust that wafted down the Allegheny River. “It’s not exactly what...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for March 1, 2025
High schools Basketball WPIAL playoffs Boys Class 5A Finals Saturday’s result Chartiers Valley 73, Peters Township 66 Class 3A Finals Saturday’s result South Allegheny 37, Aliquippa 35 PIAA Class 4A District 8-9 subregional Saturday’s result Clearfield 68, Obama Academy 60 Girls Class 6A Finals Saturday’s result Upper St. Clair 45,...
Butterfly effect of Derrick Brassard trade delivered defenseman to Penguins
On Feb. 1, 2019, former Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford swung a multiplayer trade with the Florida Panthers. Forwards Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann came to Pittsburgh and enjoyed varying levels of success. McCann was by far the more successful of the duo in a Penguins jersey. In parts...
High school roundup for March 1, 2025: Allderdice girls advance to PIAA 1st round
Bailey White scored 23 points and City League champion Allderdice rolled to a 64-48 victory over Erie in the PIAA Class 6A District 8-10 subregional final Saturday. Peyton Lynch scored 16 points and Seena Teshome added 10 for the Dragons (20-5), who will meet WPIAL third-place finisher Canon-McMillan in the...
Plum girls win rematch with Hempfield, take 3rd straight regional team bowling title
In a rematch of last month’s WPIBL finals, Plum defeated Hempfield in three games to win the girls team title at the Western PA Regional Bowling Championships on Saturday. Hempfield won the first game of the finals, 172-149, before the Mustangs roared back with victories in the final two games...
Westmoreland County athletes of the week: Hempfield’s Ashley Bensur and Hempfield’s Nico Kapusta
The Westmoreland County Athletes of the Week is presented by Smail Kia. Look for the tags and look for the savings at Smail Kia in Greensburg. Ashley Bensur School: Hempfield Class: Junior Sport: Bowling Claim to fame: Bensur reached the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Bowling League finals for the second time...
Peter Morici: Fixing America’s broken health care system
The assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson triggered a disturbing avalanche of sympathy for his accused killer, often laced with sarcasm about health insurance systems for prior review for many services and claims reimbursement. UHC is a large multistate insurer subject to scrutiny for its generally high denial rates. A...
Sheldon H. Jacobson: Our nation’s debt is far more than the national debt
The national debt has been making the news, placing much of the focus on federal debt. Yet to gain a full appreciation of the nation’s debt, one must step back and take a wider view of the situation. Take for example personal debt. Many are now addressing credit card bills...
Aliquippa girls fight off Neshannock comeback to win 1st WPIAL title since 1990
The Path to the Pete was free and easy for the second-seeded Aliquippa Quips, who entered Saturday’s WPIAL Class 2A girls basketball championship game seeking their first title since winning four in a row from 1987-1990. After a bit of a bumpy start, Aliquippa took the lead and didn’t hand...
Basketball tournament, Lent services and more at Sewickley area houses of worship
Antioch Baptist Church 332 Elizabeth St., Sewickley. 412-741-7688. antiochfw baptistsewickley.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. The third annual 3 vs. 3...
Stephanie R. Toliver: No going backward — don’t take down the Department of Education
Growing up in New Castle, Pa., where every public school received extra federal support due to the city’s high poverty levels, I saw the importance of governmental assistance. New Castle Area School District, one of the poorest in Pennsylvania, relied on Title I to fund essential services like tutoring, after-school...
Letter to the editor: It’s about time government tightens its belt
Isn’t it crazy that people are so upset about federal employees losing their jobs because of downsizing? The government has needed to be downsized for quite some time, and we finally have a president exercising his powers to do just that. Every business at some time will go through an...
Sounding off: Government waste, Trump, gift ban, taxes among week’s topics
It’s about time government tightens its belt Isn’t it crazy that people are so upset about federal employees losing their jobs because of downsizing? The government has needed to be downsized for quite some time, and we finally have a president exercising his powers to do just that. Every business...
Letter to the editor: Per capita taxes no longer relevant
Has anyone taken the time to question the per capita (head) tax that we have to pay every year? Per capita is Latin meaning “for each head.” This tax’s initial purpose was on the heads of southern slaves. This tax is also a direct tax on adults 18 and older...
Editorial: Police silence about shootings speaks volumes
How long can police remain silent about a shooting? Quite a while, it seems. On Feb. 14, yellow crime scene tape went up around McKinley Avenue in East Vandergrift. It happened after a raid on an apartment above the post office. The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force was leading the...
The Stroller, March 1, 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. Free transportation available to...
Hempfield public works employee seeks Republican nomination for supervisor
A man with experience working in Hempfield’s public works department announced his candidacy for township supervisor. Tony DeGregorio said he will seek nomination on the Republican ticket. In an announcement, he said he has more than 20 years of experience as a township employee. “As a supervisor, I will listen...
Letter to the editor: Trump not focusing on important issues
The price of eggs continues to rise and gas and grocery prices continue to be high, yet President Trump is not addressing these issues as he promised. Instead of focusing on lowering costs for health care and education and fixing our broken immigration policy, a member of the Republican- controlled Congress...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Feb. 28, 2025
High schools Basketball WPIAL playoffs Boys Class 6A Finals Friday’s results Upper. St. Clair 65, New Castle 43 Class 5A Finals Saturday’s schedule Chartiers Valley (22-3) vs. Peters Township (18-7) at Petersen Events Center, 7 p.m. Class 3A Finals Saturday’s schedule Aliquippa (20-4) vs. South Allegheny (22-3) at Petersen Events...
Butler bowler wins regional title
Butler’s Greg Wilbert got past Thomas Jefferson’s Dylan Roberts, 226-221, in a final match that came down to the last frame at the Western PA Regional High School Bowling Championships on Friday. Wilbert defeated top qualifier JJ Bingham of East Allegheny in the semifinals, 245-239, and Roberts topped Thomas Jefferson...
Derry, Burrell send 4 to semifinals at PIAA Class 2A Southwest Regional
Derry and Burrell each have four wrestlers in the semifinals and five others alive in the consolation bracket, leading the WPIAL contingent on the first day of the PIAA Class 2A Southwestern Regional on Friday in Altoona. Anthony Mucci (133), Mason Horwat (152), Ewan Olson (160) and Brady Brown (189)...
Zappala hits Palisades Plaza housing complex in Rankin with nuisance charges
The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office on Friday filed nuisance charges against a Rankin public housing complex, listing complaints like backed-up sewage, broken windows and mold. The charges involving Palisades Plaza are similar to ones lodged against West Mifflin’s Mon View Heights in September. Both complexes were managed by the...
ATI reaches tentative contract agreement with United Steelworkers
A tentative agreement was reached between ATI and the United Steelworkers on Friday, according to statements released by both the metals company and union officials. The union released a statement saying it’s a six-year deal impacting 1,000 union members across locations including Brackenridge, Harrison, Vandergrift, Latrobe, Washington, Pa., and Lockport,...
Hempfield farm providing beef for local school nutrition programs
Students in Hempfield Area and New Kensington-Arnold school districts are getting something special in their lunches these days. Both have partnered with Logan Family Farms in Hempfield for a monthly supply of ground beef. It became the star of the show for a smash burger event held at Hempfield Area...
