TribLive stories, Page 619
Pine-Richland places in Healthy High School Challenge
Pine-Richland High School placed 13th out of 184 schools nationwide in the Sodexo Healthy High School Challenge, earning $1,000 for the high school student government. Schools earned points for every meal combo and healthy a la carte items purchased. Based in Gaithersburg, Md., Sodexo provides catering, facilities management and employee...
‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour’ coming to Disney+ in March
LOS ANGELES — The blockbuster “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” concert movie will join the Disney+ streaming service March 15. Walt Disney Co. announced Wednesday that it secured streaming rights to last year’s smash hit film in a deal that demonstrated, once again, the enormous appeal — and economic prowess...
WPIAL, City League Class of 2024 college football commitments
A look at where Western Pennsylvania senior football players signed to play at the Division I and II levels during the early-signing period in December and Wednesday: Division I FBS Name, high school, position, college Tyree Alualu, North Allegheny, LB, Temple Demetrius Ballard, Valley, DE, Buffalo* James Cardinali, Pine-Richland, OL,...
Westmoreland happenings: Turkey dinner, Senior Citizen news, bingos, more
Church News • Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1120 Harvey Ave., Greensburg, will have worship services Wednesdays from Feb. 14 (Ash Wednesday) through March 20 at the church. Fellowship will begin at 6 p.m. and the service will be at 7 p.m. Sunday services are 9:30 a.m. Details: 724-837-3540 or wpcgreensburg.org. •...
Trib Lunch Box: New social media app?, Jail lawsuit, U-haul trial begins
Here are some noon headlines from TribLive, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. • Police work interest declines in the region “Our biggest issue is finding people who want to police anymore,” said Penn Township police Chief John Otto. • Another social media app? Bluesky offers users a place to...
Coca-Cola releases 1st new permanent flavor in years, aimed at younger audience
A new flavor of Coke is on its way to store shelves soon. The Coca-Cola Company has announced that a new permanent flavor of soda, Coca-Cola Spiced, is being added to the lineup. The new Coca-Cola Spiced will offer “a unique alchemy of our iconic cola, raspberry and spiced flavors,”...
Cynthia Shapira: Transforming Pa. higher education
To say that higher education is in a state of flux would be an understatement. Around the world, colleges and universities are racing to adapt to the changing needs and demands of students, and to do so in ways that provide relevant and affordable education. At a time when more...
Prince musical ‘Purple Rain’ to premiere in Minneapolis before moving to Broadway
MINNEAPOLIS — The musical adaptation of Prince’s “Purple Rain” will have its first public performance in Minneapolis, Prince’s hometown, in spring 2025 before the show transfers to Broadway. The producers behind the live theater version of Prince’s iconic 1984 film announced Tuesday that the show will bow at the State...
Letter to the editor: Moderates and libertarians
Regarding Dave Anderson’s op-ed “Time to drop the term ‘moderates’ ” (Feb. 2, TribLive): Libertarians are extremists? Possibly from Anderson’s point of view, but most libertarians would say they just want to be left alone as long as they aren’t bothering anybody else. Sound familiar? I suspect underneath most “moderates”...
Pa. woman says voices told her to kill 5-year-old son, police say
A Cambria County woman is in prison after police say she killed her 5-year-old son. Cambria County coroner Jeff Lees ruled that the death of Samson Bowser was a homicide and caused by asphyxia due to “compression of the chest and obstruction of the airway,” WJAC reported. Police and EMS...
Letter to the editor: Thoughts on abortion
I think abortion should be between the mother and her doctor. My husband says the father should be involved, as well. I think abortion clinics should be banned. We don’t need them anymore now that we have Obamacare. I think the majority of Americans would agree that abortion for convenience...
Florida sheriff: ‘1,000-pound’ military bomb found at construction site
Construction workers found an inert, “1,000-pound” military bomb near Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office. The bomb was reported shortly before 3 p.m. by construction workers at the northeast corner of the airport near Helicopter Drive, where Wilton Simpson Technical College is...
Letter to the editor: Insiders’ opinions of Trump are telling
The following are opinions about ex-President Donald Trump by those who worked with him in Washington. “He puts himself before country. His actions are all about him and not about the country.” — Mark Esper, secretary of defense “The depths of his dishonesty is just astounding to me … ....
Letter to the editor: Students should have a voice
The Hempfield school board doesn’t believe high school seniors are old enough to accept responsibilities like curiosity, empathy, service, integrity and courage, and have allowed Moms for Freedom, a fascist group who just last month were outed for hiring a known sex offender and convicted pedophile, Dr. Phillip Fisher, to...
Editorial: Shapiro wants to build on ‘what we did last year together.’ Really?
Ah, time has come once again for that wonderful rite of February when a state icon pops up for a moment in the sun. No, not Groundhog Day. That was last week. Tuesday was the governor’s budget address. Much like the festivities at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, the annual event...
Letter to the editor: Biden’s policies failing Americans
In his election campaign, Joe Biden promised to work to bring Americans together and to improve their lives. His policies since then have done exactly the opposite. His promise to stop fossil-fuel production caused higher world oil prices (restricting supply of anything always results in higher prices for that commodity),...
The Stroller, Feb. 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. Grants available to Westmoreland County performing arts groups The Westmoreland County...
Letter to the editor: Coverage needed on legislators’ failure to act for abuse victims
Contributions to the Tribune-Review from Spotlight PA are one reason I am glad to pay for my Trib subscription. Even when their investigative reporting does not draw a line to what’s happening in my home county, I appreciate the Spolight team’s mission of “hold(ing) power to account” anywhere in Pennsylvania....
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Feb. 6, 2024
High schools Basketball Boys Tuesday’s results Class 6A Section 1 Central Catholic 57, Butler 48 New Castle 65, Pine-Richland 62 North Allegheny 73, Seneca Valley 52 Section 2 Baldwin 63, Hempfield 50 Upper St. Clair 67, Canon-McMillan 44 Mt. Lebanon 57, Norwin 22 Class 5A Section 1 Thomas Jefferson 60,...
High school roundup for Feb. 6, 2024: New Castle moves into playoff position with win over Pine-Richland
Ralphie Blundo scored 34 points as New Castle defeated Pine-Richland, 65-62, to pull into a tie for fourth place in Section 1-6A boys basketball Tuesday night. Damien Harrison added 13 points and JT Warren had 12 for the Red Hurricanes (14-7, 3-6). Carson Baer scored 24 points and Grant Spacciapolli...
102-year-old British veteran flies a Spitfire on a delightfully bumpy ride for charity
LONDON — A former Royal Air Forces pilot has taken to the skies in a Spitfire at 102 years old. Jack Hemmings, an ex-squadron leader with Britain’s air force, is believed to be the oldest pilot to fly the World War II plane. His 20-minute flight, from an airfield in...
Postal Service, once chided for slow adoption of EVs, announces plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions
The U.S. Postal Service announced sweeping plans Tuesday to reduce greenhouse emissions by diverting more parcels from air to ground transportation, boosting the number of electric vehicles, cutting waste sent to landfills and making delivery routes more efficient. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy described a mix of environmental initiatives and cost-cutting...
Gigantic replica of Emperor Constantine looks out over Rome as 3D technology brings past to life
ROME — Emperor Constantine, the 4th-century ruler whose embrace of Christianity helped spread the Christian faith throughout the Roman Empire, now has a reconstructed statue befitting his larger-than-life role in history. Rome authorities on Tuesday unveiled a massive, 13-meter replica of the statue Constantine commissioned for himself after 312 AD....
Census Bureau halts changing how it asks about disabilities following a backlash
The U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday halted plans to change how it asks people about disabilities after facing a growing backlash. Advocates for disabled people had argued that proposed changes to disability questions on the bureau’s American Community Survey would artificially reduce their numbers by more than 40%, limiting the...
IRS expects to collect hundreds of billions more in overdue and unpaid taxes thanks to new funding
WASHINGTON — The IRS is poised to take in hundreds of billions of dollars more in overdue and unpaid taxes than previously anticipated, according to new analysis released Tuesday by the Treasury Department and the IRS. Tax revenues are expected to rise by as much as $561 billion from 2024...

