TribLive stories, Page 330
Girl Scouts announce retirement of 2 fan-favorite cookie flavors
The Girl Scouts have gone cookie cutter. In a bittersweet statement issued Tuesday, the Girl Scouts of the USA revealed two fan-favorite treats, the S’mores and Toast-Yay!, will be discontinued at the end of 2025. That means cookie-lovers have just one year left to stock up before the sweet snacks...
Pa. Sen. John Fetterman the lone Democratic co-sponsor on GOP-led Laken Riley immigration bill
Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania is the first Senate Democrat to sign onto a Republican-led bill that would require federal authorities to detain undocumented immigrants arrested for theft-related crimes. The bill, passed Tuesday in the House, is slated to come up for a Senate vote on Friday. In addition to...
Idaho lawmakers move to restore ‘natural definition’ of marriage, bring back same-sex ban
BOISE, Idaho — An Idaho House committee will consider a formal statement asking the U.S. Supreme Court to end same-sex marriage nationwide and allow the state to restore its ban on such unions. State Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, proposed the measure that calls the 2015 decision from the nation’s highest...
Peter Morici: U.S. needs a saner approach to immigration
Americans have been appalled by thousands of illegal immigrants — those granted temporary legal status or who crossed the border undetected — exacerbating homelessness and straining shelters, schools and social services budgets. President-elect Donald Trump promised aggressive deportations during his campaign, but he hardly has a mandate. He won the...
Bruce Yandle: We should stop waiting for the pre-covid economy to return
For those waiting and hoping to see the economy return to pre-covid levels of activity, recent employment data, while showing considerable strength, must be discouraging. The data are reminiscent of American novelist and playwright Gertrude Stein’s comment following a disappointing visit to her childhood hometown, where she had hoped to...
Tom Holland and Zendaya confirm engagement rumors
After bringing the romance of Peter Parker and Mary Jane to the big screen, “Spider-Man” co-stars Tom Holland and Zendaya are engaged after three years of dating. TMZ first reported the couple’s engagement on Monday. The media outlet stated that a source shared that Holland proposed to the “Euphoria” and...
Gallery: Photos from a snowy day Jan. 7, 2025
Embark on a visual journey around the Western Pennsylvania region with TribLive’s latest collection of captivating images for Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025....
Letter to the editor: A different look at Afghanistan pullout
I am really tired of Republican letter-writers harping about President Biden’s “humiliating Afghanistan surrender to the Taliban” (“Biden a flawed president, flawed man,” Dec. 21, TribLive). Another wrote of “A bungled, shameful Afghanistan pullout.” (“Hope for a better tomorrow with Trump,” TribLive, Dec. 27). Where were these writers while we...
Editorial: Farmers market and food shuttle could change climate of food desert
Think of a desert, and a specific image comes to mind. It’s sandy and hot and seems endless and empty. But that’s not every desert. There are frozen deserts that still qualify for the definition because of the lack of rainfall. There are deserts landscaped with mountains or those dotted...
The Stroller, Jan. 7, 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. Lower Valley Food Bank...
Letter to the editor: Help is on the way thanks to Trump
To me and all the Americans who voted to oust the radical Democrats from offices across the country, every day is now Christmas Day as we read or see the deconstruction of their DEI/woke/ESG identity politics that have turned the American dream of success through merit into a nightmare of...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Jan. 6, 2025
High schools Basketball Boys Monday’s results Class 5A Section 1 Penn-Trafford at McKeesport, ppd. Class 2A Section 2 Brentwood at Leechburg, ppd. Nonsection Beaver at Lincoln Park, ppd. Tuesday’s schedule Class 6A Section 1 Butler at Seneca Valley, 7:30 p.m. New Castle at Pine-Richland, 7:30 p.m. North Allegheny at Woodland...
High school roundup for Jan. 6, 2024: Karis Thomas sets pace for Shady Side Academy
Karis Thomas hit six 3-pointers and finished with 24 points to lead Shady Side Academy to a 54-26 victory over Deer Lakes in Section 2-3A girls basketball Monday night. Cassie Sauer added nine points and Cameron Capel had eight for the Bulldogs (12-0, 5-0). Rowan Kelly led the Lancers (8-3,...
Parents of teen killed in McCandless crash sue driver for wrongful death
The parents of a Beaver County student who was killed when the car she was traveling in with five others crashed at a McCandless intersection are suing the driver. Taylor Orlowski, 18, of Baden was killed in the one-car crash Dec. 23, 2023. Jonathan Tourney, 14, of Richland also was...
Man who tossed explosives at police officers during Pitt protest sentenced to 5 years
The University of Pittsburgh police sergeant said Brian DiPippa ruined her life. DiPippa, 38, was protesting at a university event in Oakland hosted by the Pitt College Republicans on April 18, 2023, when, investigators said, he threw a homemade explosive into a line of officers providing security there. The officer,...
What a new study does — and doesn’t — say about fluoride and its link to IQ
A new report linking fluoridated drinking water to lower IQ scores in children is sure to ratchet up the debate over a practice that’s considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. The report published Monday in JAMA Pediatrics synthesizes the results of dozens of research...
A small group of donors dominated these high-profile Pa. races during the 2024 election
HARRISBURG — A handful of groups were responsible for the vast majority of donations and independent spending in high-profile Pennsylvania elections for positions that make critical decisions about public education funding, investing state savings and more. A Spotlight PA analysis of eight races — three for consequential row offices and...
John Dorfman: Robot Portfolio gained 22% in 2024
The Robot Portfolio returned more than 22% last year but was edged out by the surging Standard & Poor’s 500. Each year, the Robot — a naive stock-picking paradigm — generates a theoretical portfolio of 10 very unpopular stocks. The idea is that stocks advance by exceeding expectations, and low...
Here’s a look at the highlights of Pittsburgh theater in 2025
For theater lovers in Pittsburgh, 2025 is a year full of the promise of great shows. From national tours to community theater, well-worn favorites to world premieres, 2025’s stage calendar is quickly filling with highly anticipated productions. Here’s a look at shows for which you should get tickets as soon...
Lanhee J. Chen: Romney’s Senate exit marks an end to the bipartisanship Washington desperately needs
Mitt Romney delivered his farewell speech before the U.S. Senate in early December. It isn’t hyperbole to say it marked the end of an era. Romney’s decades in public service will be considered historic — he is the only American to serve as governor of one state and senator for...
Proposed Allegheny County Jail warden spent career with state Department of Corrections
The proposed choice to become Allegheny County’s new warden retired two years ago from a lengthy career with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and once served for several months as the interim warden at the jail he now seeks to run. According to his resume, Trevor Wingard most recently served...
Hempfield grad Jordan Crupie excels leading off 200 medley relay for IUP women’s swimming
As a junior at Hempfield, swimmer Jordan Crupie posted a time of 57.57 seconds in the 100 backstroke. That was her personal best at the time, and she anticipated trimming a few more ticks from that mark before she headed off to IUP to continue swimming. But she remained stalled...
Westmoreland County Senior Spotlight: Jeannette’s Stone Markham
After Jeannette’s football team made a run to the WPIAL Class A semifinals, the boys basketball team has stepped up in similiar fashion, opening its season with a perfect 9-0 overall record and 3-0 mark in the section. The strong start builds on last year’s success, when the Jayhawks reached...
Knoch grad Kennedy Christy finishes volleyball career at Juniata with 3rd consecutive national title
As she segued from her final collegiate volleyball season to the holiday season, Kennedy Christy accompanied some friends to Hawaii. And if anybody deserved to relax on the warm beaches of the 50th state, it was Christy. Every college athlete dreams of going out a champion, and the Knoch grad...
Amir Sommer: Our words about Israel-Hamas war can add to hostilities — or help on path to peace
The language people use to talk about the Israel-Hamas war has power: It can contribute to misunderstanding and alienation, but it can also bring about appreciation for concepts that can seem impossible during this kind of conflict, such as peace. I was born to a Palestinian Arab father and an...
