TribLive stories, Page 378
Then & Now: The Great Pumpkin of Aspinwall has been enthralling visitors since 1995
For more than 25 years, residents of Aspinwall and the surrounding areas have been flocking to the zero block of Fourth Street to see the latest creation of the “Great Pumpkin of Aspinwall.” Joel Keefer, 73, has been carving oversized pumpkins since the mid-1990s. What started as a 450-pound surprise...
Letter to the editor: Don’t miss Duquesne-Robert Morris game
This Saturday, Duquesne and Robert Morris renew their FCS Division 1 football rivalry with a noon kickoff at Rooney Field. If you are a college football fan, it doesn’t get much better than this, as both teams enter the contest undefeated in NEC conference play. The winner of the mythical...
Letter to the editor: Drill, baby, drill is a false promise
“Drill, baby, drill” is a rallying cry and a promise to lower prices and improve our lives. But is it really true? According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, we produce much more natural gas than we use, exporting about 75% of our output. We also produce more electricity than...
Editorial: Pennsylvania still has lessons in wake of election
Everyone knew Pennsylvania would be a key player in the 2024 presidential election. What was less certain was the state being a microcosm of the election as it played out across the country. On Tuesday, as ballots were counted, the areas that voted for the Democratic and Republican candidates were...
The Stroller, Nov. 7, 2024: 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. Holiday art exhibit set...
Letter to the editor: Allow ACHD to protect us
As Allegheny County Council votes this month on a fee increase for Title V operating permits, some are arguing that this will place an unfair burden on U.S. Steel, a company that earned $2.14 billion in 2023. Nonsense! The Allegheny County Health Department has been admonished by the Environmental Protection...
High school roundup for Nov. 7, 2024: Latrobe skates past Hempfield
Joey Crimboli had a five-point night with two goals and three assists to lead Latrobe to a 7-2 victory over Hempfield in PIHL Class 2A hockey Thursday night. Dylan Morris also scored twice and Jaxson Kettering had a goal and an assist for Latrobe (3-2). Guerin Gardner had a goal...
Stellantis will cut 1,100 jobs at Toledo’s Jeep Gladiator plant
Stellantis NV said Wednesday it plans to cut a shift at its Toledo plant that builds Jeep Gladiator pickups, which will result in about 1,100 indefinite layoffs by early next year. The move from two to one shifts does not come as a surprise, with Gladiator sales slowing this year...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Nov. 6, 2024
Field hockey PIAA tournament Class 3A Quarterfinals Saturday’s schedule Villa Maria Academy vs. Manheim Township (17-3) at Exeter Township, 11 a.m.; Methacton (17-4-2) vs. Emmaus (24-1) at Quakertown, 1 p.m.; Central Bucks West (21-4) vs. Easton (19-5-1) at Quakertown, 11 a.m.; Conestoga (19-3) vs. Mechanicsburg (17-5-1) at Exeter Township, 5...
Betting odds more accurate than polls in forecasting Trump’s win
LAS VEGAS — Betting odds proved to be a much better prognosticator than polls in forecasting Donald Trump’s landslide victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election. Several prominent polling experts, including Nate Silver, The New York Times and FiveThirtyEight, had the race at essentially a 50-50 toss-up...
The Birdie learns his lesson, makes A-K Valley playoff picks
Last week: 2-2 Season: 83-24 (77.6%) Back when The Birdie took the SATs, his score resembled his area code. And that was before they introduced 724. In other words, learning isn’t exactly his strong suit. Still, as the high school football season winds down, he thinks it’s important to take...
2024 Western Pa. high school football schedule for Week 11
Football WPIAL playoffs Friday’s schedule Class 6A Semifinals Seneca Valley (3-6) vs. Central Catholic (8-2) at West Mifflin, 7 p.m.; Mt. Lebanon (3-7) at North Allegheny (9-1), 7 p.m. Class 5A Quarterfinals Franklin Regional (8-3) at Pine-Richland (8-1), 7 p.m.; Bethel Park (9-2) at Woodland Hills (8-2), 7 p.m.; Penn...
The Birdie remembers slobber knockers of days gone by, makes Westmoreland County playoff picks
Last week: 7-2 (77.8%) Season: 98-34 (74.2%) The Birdie didn’t predict a Jeannette-Greensburg Central Catholic rematch, but he’s beaming with excitement and anticipation that it is happening. He wishes, however, the teams could get in a time machine and play the game a couple of decades ago. The Westmoreland County...
‘Overjoyed’ or ‘disgusted’? Western Pa. voters weigh in on Trump presidential victory
Philip Manns stayed up until 2 a.m. watching the election returns on TV on Tuesday, pleasantly surprised by now President-elect Donald Trump’s performance Election Day. “I was watching all night, and I was just surprised he was doing so well,” said Manns, 81, of Hempfield. “I think the pollsters all...
Disciplinary board suspends Pittsburgh-area lawyer with history of courting controversy
A well-known, Pittsburgh-area attorney with a history of disciplinary infractions going back 30 years has been suspended from practicing law over allegations that he failed to properly represent a client in Indiana County. The state Supreme Court Disciplinary Board recommended a nine-month suspension for attorney Milton Raiford in its report...
Check out these upcoming programs at the Cooper-Siegel and Sharpsburg libraries
The Cooper-Siegel Community Library and its Sharpsburg branch offer a variety of programming for visitors of all ages. To view a complete list of offerings, visit coopersiegel.librarycalendar.com. Events at both libraries are listed and can be viewed according to age group and location. Registration is required for most programs as...
James Stavridis: North Korea troop deal exposes Putin’s weakness
Russian President Vladimir Putin is suffering grievous manpower losses as a result of his illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine. He has lost about 200,000 killed, double that number wounded and at least 500,000 young men fleeing the Russian Federation to avoid the draft: a butcher’s bill of over a...
Ken Zapinski: Maintaining a robust economy is also a public health issue
Most of the major metro regions in the U.S., including Pittsburgh, would not meet the new Clean Air Act standard for tiny soot pollution, according to the latest data from the Environmental Protection Agency. Of the 50 largest metro areas, 26 would violate the new standard established by the EPA...
Westmoreland happenings: Turkey dinner, book sale, omelet breakfast
Art • The Loyalhannon Spinners Guild will host a free display of some of its finished works and the raw fleece and tools used to get wool ready for spinning through Nov. 14 during regular operating hours at the Greensburg Hempfield Area Library, 237 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Greensburg. Membership in...
Gallery: Photos from Nov. 6, 2024
Embark on a visual journey around the Western Pennsylvania region — and the world — with TribLive’s latest collection of captivating images for Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. From the rustic landscapes of Western Pa. to diverse corners of the globe, experience the shared moments of humanity....
Letter to the editor: Use math to set well pad setbacks
The state of Pennsylvania is over 100 years a Keystone State. In the 1920s, Canonsburg was called the “most radioactive town in America.” Also in the past decade, the Canon-McMillan School District was studied for three years by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the University of Pittsburgh for suspected...
Letter to the editor: Harris, Walz didn’t ‘fail interviews’
Here’s a response to the letter “Harris, Walz failed their ‘interviews’” (Oct. 22, TribLive), in which the writer said he thinks Kamala Harris sounded stupid, faulted President Obama (who is not on the ballot) for not strengthening the Affordable Care Act and vaguely criticized Tim Walz for saying the NRA...
Editorial: Was dog attack a pit bull problem or a pet owner one?
People expect a few scares on Halloween. Maybe there’s a guy in a hockey mask with a rubber knife lumbering down the street. Maybe an animatronic zombie lunges off the neighbor’s porch. Maybe there’s a spooky haunted house set up in the garage at the end of the block. But...
Letter to the editor: Police chief has fouled out
Well, Pittsburgh police Chief Larry Scirotto, or should I say former chief as of Nov. 1, has taken his ball and gone home (“Pittsburgh police Chief Scirotto to step down amid refereeing controversy,” Oct. 25, TribLive). While he has gotten good reviews as chief, I guess he became greedy and...
The Stroller, Nov. 6, 2024: 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. Food, pet supply drive...

