TribLive stories, Page 289
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Feb. 24, 2025
High schools Basketball WPIAL playoffs Boys Class 6A Semifinals Monday’s results Upper. St. Clair 59, Central Catholic 39 New Castle 67, Mt. Lebanon 56 Finals Saturday’s schedule Upper. St. Clair (23-2) vs. New Castle (21-3) at Petersen Events Center, 5 p.m. Third place Wednesday’s schedule Central Catholic (14-10) vs. Mt....
High school roundup for Feb. 24, 2025: WPIAL’s top scorer earns trip to The Pete as Clairton tops Geibel
WPIAL leading scorer Iyanna Wade finished with 22 points and got a strong effort from her supporting cast to lead No. 3 Clairton past No. 2 Geibel Catholic, 52-32, in the Class A girls basketball semifinals Monday. Karma Fuqua scored 16 points and JuJu Childs added 10 for the No....
Fast-starting Blackhawk fends off Elizabeth Forward comeback bid in Class 4A semifinals
It was always going to be difficult for the Elizabeth Forward girls basketball team to knock off Blackhawk in the WPIAL Class 4A semifinals. Coming off a state championship last season, the No. 1 Cougars are as good as ever, only losing to Mt. Lebanon and Shady Side Academy this...
John Dorfman: Want to predict the economy? Well, then enter my derby
Terry Johnson, the winner of my Derby of Economic Forecasting Talent (DEFT) for 2024, likes to count trucks. Specifically, he counts the number of big rigs — 18-wheelers and the like — on a 45-mile stretch between Lincoln and York, Neb. More trucks means the economy is doing well. Fewer...
Ex-school van driver denies sexually assaulting student, pleads no contest to showing porn
A former school van driver originally accused of sexual assaulting one of his intellectually disabled passengers in Pittsburgh pleaded no contest on Monday to a reduced charge of corruption of minors. As part of the plea deal, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office withdrew more serious felony counts of institutional...
Stan Drayton on coaching Penn State’s star runners and ‘identifying their weaknesses’Video
UNIVERSITY PARK — Stan Drayton, Penn State’s new running backs coach, has worked with some serious talent during his 32 years as a coach. Drayton helped mold Brian Westbrook at Villanova, Zeke Elliott at Ohio State and Bijan Robinson at Texas. At the pro level, Drayton worked with Chicago’s Matt...
Athan Koutsiouroumbas: Black men poised to shake up Pa. political landscape
Thanks in part to Black men, Pennsylvania’s political tectonics are shifting in ways that were unimaginable just a short time ago. In the 2024 presidential election, 24% of Pennsylvania’s Black men voted for President Trump. Given that 14% of Pennsylvania’s Black men voted for Trump in 2016, adding 10 points...
Chris Sandvig: Administration, lawmakers must work together to keep transit rolling in Pa.
If you’ve ever been four-wheeling and got stuck in the mud, then you know it takes everyone getting out of the vehicle and working as a team — pushing and pulling — to get rolling again. It’s also like that with transportation funding. It’s really a fitting analogy, because that’s...
Sophomore Kedrick Curtis blossoms in 2nd season with Seton Hill men’s basketball team
To most basketball observers in Westmoreland County, Kedrick Curtis is the kid who hit the miracle shot for Seton Hill. Against Glenville State on the last day of November, Curtis, a sophomore forward from Baltimore, heaved in a three-quarter-court shot as time expired to give the Griffins a 73-72 victory....
Westmoreland County Senior Spotlight: Franklin Regional’s Henry Patts
In sports, people often root for the underdog but expect the favorite to win. For Franklin Regional wrestling, winning the WPIAL Class 3A title Feb. 1 wasn’t a surprise. “One of the most electric feelings I’ve ever felt in my life,” senior wrestler Henry Patts said. “No one thought we...
Deer Lakes grad Tia Germanich making difficult decision to choose bowling over softball pay off
Tia Germanich grew up in two worlds. One was softball. She played throughout her youth and, eventually, starred for Deer Lakes, earning second-team all-star honors from the Valley News Dispatch after her senior season. With her talent came opportunities to play in college, mostly from Division III schools. The other...
Gallery: Photos from Feb. 24, 2025
Embark on a visual journey around the Western Pennsylvania region with TribLive’s latest collection of captivating images for Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. From the rustic landscapes of Western Pa. to diverse corners of the globe, experience the shared moments of humanity....
Letter to the editor: Correcting Trump’s false statements on Ukraine, Zelenskyy
There you go again, President Trump — your nose is getting longer and longer. The American people are not stupid. We see what you are doing changing the narrative. Let’s get this straight: Ukraine did not start the conflict with Russia. Russia invaded Ukraine. Many thousands of Ukrainians have been...
In brief: South Hills Women’s Club, Lent events and more in Bethel Park
AUP/Association of University People The Association of University People invites singles 50+, who are four-year college graduates, to join them for activities and to meet new people. Activities include monthly dinners, social gatherings, concerts, meeting up at local wineries, day trips and Scrabble. Those interested can attend three activities as...
In brief: Plum, Oakmont area news, events for the week of Feb. 24, 2025
Plum launches 2025 military banner program Plum is launching its 2025 military banner program to honor those who have served in the military or who are currently serving. Orders include a single-sided, 2-foot by 3-foot, 18-ounce vinyl banner to be displayed along Mike Thomas Way from Memorial Day through Veterans...
In brief: House fire, fish fry and more in the South Hills
House fire A Jefferson Hills home was heavily damaged after an early morning house fire on Jan. 26. According to Pleasant Hills Volunteer Fire Company, the company was called to a home on Hunters Field Circle just before 3:30 a.m. Firefighters encountered flames in the back of the home. No...
In brief: Bridgeville, Carnegie area news and events, week of Feb. 24, 2025 and beyond
Park grants awarded in Carnegie Carnegie was awarded $200,000 from state grant funding to make the Irishtown Tot Park and Carnegie Municipal Park more accessible to children with disabilities. It’s part of funding authorized by the Commonwealth Financing Authority in January to improve local parks and economic development projects. The...
Letter to the editor: This government shake-up is necessary
I can’t remember a government shake-up like this one in all of my 70 years. Although many are having tantrums and making apocalyptic warnings, it is way overdue. Thomas Jefferson rightly said that “the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and...
In brief: Penn Hills and Verona area happenings, week of Feb. 24, 2025
Municipality seeks paving bids Penn Hills is seeking bids for its 2025 road work program. Between paving and associated work, the chosen contractor would cover about 54,400 square yards. Sealed proposals are due by 10:30 a.m. March 26. A mandatory prebid meeting is planned for 1:30 p.m. March 11. Contractors...
Paralyzed man narrowly escapes fire that killed 3 in Kittanning
One of the people who survived a massive duplex fire that killed three people in Kittanning said he was able to get out because a boy knocked on his door to alert him to the blaze. “We had just enough time to get out,” Robert Campbell said. Surveying the damage...
Editorial: Credit card bill will hurt those it’s supposed to help
President Donald Trump has taken many productive steps during his first weeks back in the Oval Office. But supporting a bill to cap credit card interest rates — based on a campaign promise the president made — wouldn’t be one of them. The odd couple of Sens. Bernie Sanders, the...
The Stroller, Feb. 24, 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. Maple syrup to be...
Letter to the editor: Speak up before they come for you
In the 1920s and ’30s, Martin Niemöller, a prominent Lutheran pastor in Germany, sympathized with many Nazi ideas and supported radical right-wing political movements. However, after Adolf Hitler came to power, Niemöller became an outspoken critic of Hitler’s interference in the Protestant Church. He ultimately spent the last eight years...
In brief: Happenings from the North Allegheny area
Community help sought to tidy up rain gardens, roadsides McCandless’ Environmental Advisory Committee is seeking the community’s help with two spring projects. The committee needs volunteers from 9 a.m. to noon March 29 to tidy up the town’s rain gardens at 830 Aufman Lane. The gardens, originally installed in 2010,...
Editorial cartoons for the week of Feb. 24
Editorial cartoons for the week of Feb. 24....
