TribLive stories, Page 334
‘On top of the world’: Marc Fogel enjoys 1st breakfast back in the U.S.
Marc Fogel woke up Wednesday morning in a plush Washington, D.C., hotel and enjoyed a breakfast of bacon and eggs for the first time in more than 31⁄2 years. “He’s just grateful and on top of the world right now,” his mother, Malphine Fogel, told TribLive. “There’s only good things...
Westmoreland happenings: Pancake breakfast, bingo, more
Fundraisers • A pancake and sausage breakfast will be served from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Feb. 15 at the Greensburg Masonic Center, 349 Donohoe Road, Hempfield. Menu: buttermilk or buckwheat pancakes, waffles, sausage, fruit cup and beverage. Cost: $10; children 5 and older, $5; younger than 5, free. • Jeannette...
Who is Steve Witkoff? The man behind Marc Fogel’s release
When teacher Marc Fogel returned to the United States on Tuesday after three and a half years’ imprisonment in Russia, he was accompanied by a figure many don’t know much about — Trump envoy Steve Witkoff. “What a dynamic man this guy is,” Fogel said of Witkoff during a press...
Marj Halperin: A mass exodus from civil service would be disastrous for our communities
Civil service is another term for “professional workforce” and we want this in government, right? And yet, as I write this, our government is being taken over by the opposite kind of worker. The uncredentialed Elon Musk is running a massive government operation. His team of similarly unaccredited private-sector tech...
Penn State football’s spring session could look different
James Franklin covered a wide range of topics Tuesday in his first appearance with local media of the offseason, ranging from hiring Jim Knowles to Drew Allar’s confidence heading into 2025. After all, the offseason has been a busy one, with multiple coaching searches on top of typical responsibilities. Asked...
Letter to the editor: Good job, NFL, on the happy festivities
Congratulations, NFL, on happy pregame festivities. Everyone seemed to be celebrating America being HAPPY AGAIN! God bless America! Tom Pyo Hempfield...
Greensburg councilmen will run as team for 3rd term
Two candidates for Greensburg council are running as a team in seeking their third terms. Donnie Zappone, 39, and Gregory Mertz, 40, plan to turn their attention to the redevelopment of Main Street and other areas, if elected, as well as improving parks and neighborhood beautification, they said in a...
Letter to the editor: Kids taking over the Treasury
I gotta quit reading news on my phone and in newspapers. I get enraged. I read that Elon Musk recruited six kids to help him in his Department of Government Efficiency, effectively taking over the Treasury Department and thereby Social Security. Those kids are under 25 years old. One is...
Photos: Marc Fogel returns to U.S., greeted by Trump
Marc Fogel, an history teacher from Oakmont who was deemed wrongfully detained by Russia, was released and returned to the U.S. on Tuesday. Steve Witkoff, a special envoy for President Donald Trump, left Russia with Fogel and brought him to the White House, where Trump greeted him. “I feel like...
Letter to the editor: Democrats’ rebellion against Trump is selfish
Now that the Democrats have lost their selfish hold on the American people, they are rebelling against a duly elected president and his appointees. In my opinion, it’s not because of their concern for the American people who had to endure four long years of a liberal, woke, incompetent Biden...
Letter to the editor: Fetterman’s objectivity refreshing
It’s been a breath of fresh air to see Sen. John Fetterman being objective in putting Pennsylvanians’ interests above political alliances. As Cabinet choices move through the confirmation process, Fetterman and Sen. Dave McCormick have a singular opportunity to play a critical role in restoring the health of all Americans....
Letter to the editor: Trump bringing Project 2025 to life
Anyone have voter remorse yet? I think anyone with half a brain can see what is happening. It’s Project 2025. The project President Trump said “I have nothing to do with.” Since it’s been proven that he lies often, we can assume he was lying when he said that. A...
The Stroller, Feb. 12, 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. Armstrong Conservation District to...
Letter to the editor: Preventing discrimination in Pittsburgh
This letter is to address concerns raised about my “no” vote on City Council Bill 1426 (“Pittsburgh government must focus on issues, not battling ideologies,” Feb. 6, TribLive). I voted yes on Bill 1425, introducing a ballot referendum to amend the Home Rule Charter to prohibit discrimination in who may...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Feb. 11, 2025
High schools Basketball WPIAL playoffs Boys Class 6A First round Monday’s schedule Woodland Hills (11-11) at Seneca Valley (11-11), 7 p.m.; North Hills (7-15) at Butler (15-6), 7 p.m.; Norwin (10-11) at Mt. Lebanon (15-7), 7 p.m. Quarterfinals Feb. 20 schedule Woodland Hills/Seneca Valley winner at Upper. St. Clair (20-2),...
High school roundup for Feb. 11, 2025: Peters Township rallies to knock off Mt. Lebanon
John Ripepi scored the game-winning goals with 3:22 left in the regulation to lift Peters Township to a 4-3 victory over first-place Mt. Lebanon in PIHL Class 3A hockey Tuesday night. Blacke Evancic and Luca Maietta also scored in the third period as Peters Township (6-10-2) came back from 3-1...
Seattle council passes bill letting police use weapons on crowds
SEATTLE — The Seattle City Council passed a bill Tuesday allowing police officers — in limited cases — to use weapons like tear gas, pepper spray and blast balls to control crowd movement during protests. Past councils greatly restricted the use of these so-called “less lethal” weapons in the wake...
Senator accuses Kash Patel of directing FBI personnel ‘purge’
WASHINGTON — The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday accused FBI director nominee Kash Patel of acting behind the scenes to direct a “purge” of career officials at the agency, adding to what he called “myriad red flags” about Patel ahead of a panel vote set for...
Woodland Hills claims school’s 7th WPIAL team rifle title
Led by two shooters with perfect scores, Woodland Hills claimed its first WPIAL team rifle championship since 2016 on Tuesday at the Dormont-Mt. Lebanon Sportsmen’s Club in Canonsburg. Avery Thomas and Shamira Pennell had perfect scores of 100-10x for the Wolverines. All eight scoring players for Woodland Hills hit the...
Commentary: U.S. Open and British Open put out the welcome mat for LIV Golf players. The door remains narrowVideo
SAN DIEGO — The road to Oakmont might have started in Riyadh, yet another reminder of the fractured landscape in golf. Along with Adrian Meronk winning $4 million for his first LIV Golf title in Saudi Arabia’s capital last week, he took the first step toward a spot in the...
Editorial: Finally. Marc Fogel is free
It took 1,278 days, but it finally happened. Marc Fogel, 63, of Oakmont, was released Tuesday from the Russian penal colony where he had been imprisoned since August 2021. He was sentenced to 14 years for possession of 17 grams of medical marijuana legally dispensed in Pennsylvania. It’s about damn...
21 Pine-Richland students snag 33 awards in arts competition; 4 head to national judging
Twenty-one Pine-Richland High School art students recently won 33 awards in the regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition, including four Gold Key awards and 11 Silver Key awards. They are students of art teachers Ramon Riley and Mary Anne Andreassi. These awards, presented by the Alliance for Young Artists...
Ming Xie: If FEMA didn’t exist, could states handle the disaster response alone?
Imagine a world in which a hurricane devastates the Gulf Coast, and the U.S. has no federal agency prepared to quickly send supplies, financial aid and temporary housing assistance. Could the states manage this catastrophic event on their own? Normally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, known as FEMA, is prepared...
‘Our prayers have been answered’: Marc Fogel freed from Russian prisonVideo
Clutching a can of Iron City beer with an American flag draped around his neck, Marc Fogel met President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday night, telling him he will forever be indebted to him. “President Trump is a hero,” the teacher from Oakmont said during his first...
15 Pine-Richland athletes officially commit to continuing sports journey at collegiate level
Fifteen student-athletes at Pine-Richland High School recently participated in National Signing Day, signaling their intent to continue their sports journey at the collegiate level. They are: Anthony Annichine, Tiffin University, baseball; Grant Argiro, Colgate University, football; Jackson Bojanic-Hubbell, Penn West-California, football; Roman Chiacco, University of Mount Union, football; James Cook,...
