TribLive stories, Page 381
Dan DeBone: Literacy is essential; Pa.’s workforce depends on it
There’s a looming crisis threatening our future workforce and economic stability: Pennsylvania’s literacy crisis. Today, only 1 in 3 of Pennsylvania’s fourth-graders are reading proficiently. It is a flashing warning sign of a system that’s not adequately preparing our children for the future. By fourth grade, students transition from learning...
Judge sides with Penn State after professor alleges he was not promoted due to discrimination
A federal judge sided with Penn State last week in a lawsuit brought by a tenured associate professor at a commonwealth campus who claimed he was wrongfully denied a promotion, granting the university’s request to rule in its favor as a matter of law. U.S. Circuit Judge D. Michael Fisher’s...
Gallery: Photos from Jan. 23, 2025
Embark on a visual journey around the Western Pennsylvania region with TribLive’s latest collection of captivating images for Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. From the rustic landscapes of Western Pa. to diverse corners of the globe, experience the shared moments of humanity....
Letter to the editor: Why doesn’t Trump have war settled yet?
During the June 27 presidential debate between President Joe Biden and then-former President Donald Trump, Trump stated, “I will have that war settled between Putin and Zelenskyy as president-elect before I take office on Jan. 20. I’ll have that war settled.” Trump was sworn in at noon on Jan. 20....
‘Robin & Me’ at Pittsburgh Playhouse is a heartfelt 1-man nostalgia trip for elder millennials
Walking into the Highmark Theatre at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, I experienced the same sort of brain-tingling zip of nostalgia that I assume people born in the 1950s felt seeing “Forrest Gump.” As the audience surveyed the cozy-looking set for “Robin & Me: My Little Spark of Madness,” the memory-tickling strains...
Letter to the editor: Rooneys need higher standard for Steelers
The Steelers have given Pittsburgh much. They’ve asked much, too. For years, Coach Mike Tomlin defenders have fought for his honor because, well, it’s the Steelers. They know what they’re doing. It’s the Rooneys. The Steelers way. Winning and character, not substandard teams making a Bob Nutting-style buck for a...
Editorial: Gainey overplayed his hand with Highmark announcement
Commitments are agreements. They are an acknowledgment of accord. When a couple gets married, both parties agree to the love and honor, sickness and health vows. When that couple buys a house, they sign on the dotted line, with the seller and the mortgage company agreeing to their parts in...
The Stroller, Jan. 23, 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. NK cat rescue asking...
Letter to the editor: Kash Patel should not lead FBI
As citizens, we don’t often talk about (or even know) what the FBI has stopped from happening. It has been reported the FBI prevented attacks on employees on the first night of Hanukkah, the stop of a terrorist attack in Houston and the attempt in Nashville to use a weapon...
West View Elementary students enjoy ‘magical’ experience with Met Opera’s HD Live in Schools program
On a chilly December morning, West View Elementary third graders filed into theater No. 5 at the North Hills Cinemark to watch the Metropolitan Opera’s 2006 rebroadcast of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “The Magic Flute.” The children chattered excitedly until the screen came to life, and a hush fell over the...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Jan. 22, 2025
High schools Basketball Boys Wednesday’s results Class 5A Section 2 Penn Hills 51, Hampton 46 (OT) Class 4A Section 3 Derry 54, Greensburg Salem 41 Class 3A Section 3 South Park 55, Shady Side Academy 52 Nonsection Carrick at Aquinas Academy, ppd. Frazier at Brownsville, ppd. Leechburg at Springdale, ppd....
High school roundup for Jan. 22, 2025: Penn Hills boys win in OT; wrestling section titles decided
Amon Hawthorne scored 20 points as Penn Hills rallied from four points down entering the fourth quarter to beat Hampton, 51-46, in overtime in Section 2-5A boys basketball Wednesday night. Aiden Thompson added 18 points for Penn Hills (6-7, 6-1). Zach Danner scored nine points to lead the Talbots (9-7,...
Rep. Barry Loudermilk to lead select subcommittee to continue Jan. 6 probe
WASHINGTON — Rep. Barry Loudermilk, who has led the charge for House Republicans to reexamine the events of Jan. 6, 2021, is slated to continue his probe this Congress under the auspices of Jim Jordan and the House Judiciary Committee, according to Speaker Mike Johnson. Johnson announced Wednesday his intent...
Robert Morris men run road winning streak to 4 with late victory over Youngstown StateVideo
Robert Morris’ midseason surge in men’s basketball continued Wednesday night with another road victory, the Colonials’ fourth consecutive success away from UPMC Events Center. Kam Woods’ driving layup with 2 seconds left carried RMU to a 72-70 victory against Youngstown State at Beeghly Center in Youngstown, Ohio, giving the Colonials...
Law enforcement groups criticize Trump pardons for Jan. 6
WASHINGTON — The Capitol Police union and other law enforcement groups sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s pardons for his supporters who attacked the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, a move that cut against years of pro-police messaging from Republican members of Congress. The union wrote in a statement Tuesday...
Man who pleaded guilty to delivering cocaine from his Maserati headed to prison
A Washington County man accused by police of driving a Maserati to deliver cocaine around the region, will serve 12½ years in federal prison. Dirk Barfield Jr., 38, was still on supervised released from a 2009 federal case when he was arrested on the new charges. According to federal prosecutors,...
Westmoreland happenings: Chili cookoff, art exhibit, pancake breakfast, more
Fundraisers • Action for Animals Humane Society will sponsor a “Love Is In the Air” fundraiser from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 8 at Rizzo’s Malabar Inn Reception Hall, Crabtree. Cost is $60 and includes an Italian dinner buffet, appetizers and dessert. There will be a cash bar, a basket...
Madison Jackson: Pittsburgh’s public transit needs a winter wake-up call
Public transportation was a top factor in my decision to move to Pittsburgh four years ago. While I knew it wasn’t New York City or Washington, D.C., I was told by many people that Pittsburgh’s bus network was robust enough to live car-free in neighborhoods like Squirrel Hill and Shadyside....
Gallery: Photos from Jan. 22, 2025
Embark on a visual journey around the Western Pennsylvania region with TribLive’s latest collection of captivating images for Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. From the rustic landscapes of Western Pa. to diverse corners of the globe, experience the shared moments of humanity....
Letter to the editor: Letters lacking substance
In reading the editorial page, I notice that many of the political letters have no substance whatsoever. Letter-writers seem to want to vent their frustrations because other people they deem ignorant, stupid and out of touch don’t see things as they do. These are not opinions; they are invitations to...
Letter to the editor: Grateful to be in church with Father Moineau
I wrote in a previous letter that I would return to church when Father John Moineau did (“Praying for Father Moineau,” Sept. 24, Triblive). I have returned, and I am overwhelmed to share Mass with Father John in New Kensington each week. I cannot express how grateful I am to...
Editorial: Gergely seat illustrates importance of respect with lack of majority
Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives is once again locked in a tie. The chamber has reflected the paper-thin margins of state politics since 2023 — or more precisely, since the moment votes were counted in the 2022 general election. That election gave the Democrats a narrow majority with one hand but...
The Stroller, Jan. 22, 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. Local food bank seeking...
Subzero temperatures require caution and planning
The region’s bout with frigid temperatures is not to be taken lightly, area doctors say. While Western Pennsylvania is familiar with the cold, it’s been some time since low temperatures dipped below zero, and that makes the cold more dangerous than usual. The last time it was this cold was...
Letter to the editor: Will our species go extinct?
I found the letter “More meat, more CO2 among resolutions” (Jan. 12, TribLive) appalling. Has the writer heard about climate change? He obviously isn’t a climatologist and chooses to ignore the findings of those who are, as well as the overwhelming evidence that climate change is real and here now....
