TribLive stories, Page 699
High school roundup for Dec. 16, 2023: Mt. Lebanon drops Aliquippa
Riley Farabaugh scored 19 points to lead Mt. Lebanon to a 55-44 boys basketball victory over Aliquippa at the Clash at North Allegheny on Saturday. Liam Sheely and Nate Girod each hit four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points for the Blue Devils (5-0), who jumped out to an 18-6...
A closer look at Robb Smith, who will be Penn State’s co-defensive coordinator in the Peach Bowl
STATE COLLEGE — Penn State will have co-offensive coordinators and co-defensive coordinators for the Nittany Lions’ Peach Bowl game with Ole Miss on Dec. 30 in Atlanta. Co-offensive coordinators Ty Howle and Ja’Juan Seider, were elevated to coordinator status shortly after Penn State coach James Franklin fired OC Mike Yurcich...
Philippe Lazzarini: We must prevent humanitarian aid from being used as an instrument of war
AMMAN, Jordan Every hour of every day of the last two months, aid agencies have pleaded for deliveries of humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip. We have been placed in the intolerable position of requesting permission to do lifesaving work. Last week, I wrote to the president of the United...
North Allegheny notebook: Tigers girls wrestling team wins at Butler
Behind victories by Audrey Morrison (142 pounds) and Kaylee Dean (235), North Allegheny took home the team title at the Butler girls wrestling tournament Dec. 9. Both had pins in their championship bouts. Morrison was 4-0 on the day, while Dean was 2-0. Sophia Folks (148) and Leyna Rumpler (155)...
Counterpoint: Balanced economic growth provides the best route for ‘fixing’ Social Security
The Social Security program is projected to face a funding shortfall in just over a decade. To be clear, this is not as big a nightmare as is often described. Even if we hit this date and Congress did nothing, the program would still be paying more than 80% of...
Point: Social Security can’t grow its way out of trouble
In just 10 years, Social Security will be insolvent. Some politicians think we can ignore the problem or grow our way out of it — but that’s a recipe for disaster. Without action, the law calls for an immediate 23% across-the-board benefit cut upon insolvency. That’s a $17,400 cut for...
Letter to the editor: Fighting the ideological book banning battle
The writer of the letter “Protect children from adult material” (Dec. 11, TribLive) makes vague claims that “adult material” is somehow being made available in public school. Yet he conveniently fails to list even a single title of the supposedly offending material. Instead, he chooses to hide his ineptly constructed...
Sounding off: Gun safety, book bans, Israel, university ‘leftists’ among week’s topics
What is Lisa Baker doing about gun safety? An open letter to Sen. Lisa Baker, chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee: Regarding gun safety legislation now pending before your committee, you are quoted in the Tribune-Review saying, “I said we would invite proposals from anyone that represented something of...
Letter to the editor: We must continue aid to Ukraine, Israel
I can’t believe it’s happening! Aid to Ukraine and Israel is being held up by Republicans in the House of Representatives who object to aiding our allies fighting Russian aggression and Hamas terrorism. I did not think I would see the day when so many Americans, especially Republicans, would side...
Editorial: Commissioners should take action to protect holiday displays
The tree outside the Westmoreland County Courthouse is 23 feet tall. It is covered with bright lights and red bows. Nearby stands a blue and white menorah in a silvery frame. These aren’t unusual for the season. Symbols of Christmas and Hanukkah are everywhere. But these types of holiday displays...
Student news from the Fox Chapel area
Matthew Fiedler, a graduate of Fox Chapel Area High School, has received a partial scholarship to Rochester Institute of Technology to pursue performing arts in instrumental music. Fiedler is a first-year student in the Computing Exploration program. Britta Lagerquist, was recently initiated into the Grove City College Circle of Omicron...
The Stroller, Dec. 16, 2023: 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. Food bank accepting donations for prepared baskets Allegheny Valley Association of...
Retailers, shoppers gear up for final holiday rush
Shoppers had their pick of products and parking Friday ahead of what retailers hope will be a chaotic and profitable weekend — the last full weekend before Christmas celebrations get underway. “It’s not very crowded. I was thinking it would’ve been busier on a nice Friday,” said Karen Belin of...
Letter to the editor: We must continue to support Israel
On Oct. 7, Israel was brutally attacked by the terrorist organization Hamas, which is the governing body in Gaza, elected and supported by the Palestinian residents of Gaza. Hamas massacred over 1,200 innocent civilians, including over 30 American citizens, women, children and infants. They committed mass rape and torture, burned...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for Dec. 15, 2023
High schools Basketball Boys Friday’s results Class 4A Section 2 Blackhawk 66, Hopewell 38 North Catholic 88, Ambridge 45 Class 3A Section 1 Neshannock 64, Freedom 21 Ellwood City 75, New Brighton 33 Beaver Falls 56, Riverside 52 Section 2 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 55, Brentwood 54 Seton...
North Allegheny grad serves at the Navy’s School Explosive Ordnance Disposal
U.S Navy Seaman Scott Nettrour, a 2017 graduate of North Allegheny High School, is assigned to Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. He joined the Navy three years ago. “Serving in the Navy offers many unique opportunities and great training,” said Nettrour. “There aren’t...
High school roundup for Dec. 15, 2023: Bethel Park knocks off Upper St. Clair
Jack Bruckner scored 16 points to lead four players in double figures for Bethel Park in a nonsection boys basketball victory over rival Upper St. Clair. Nick Brown added 13 points and Shawn Davis and Tanner Pfeuffer each had 10 for the Black Hawks (2-3). Christian Ito led Upper St....
Philly City Council bars hospitals from carrying out ‘medical deportations’ of undocumented immigrants
PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia City Council enacted what immigration advocates say is a landmark law to stop so-called medical deportations, in which hospitals spirit seriously ill, undocumented patients out of the country to deeply uncertain futures. Critics call it international patient dumping, an attempt by health systems to avoid the cost...
Police charge Springdale Township man in wife’s shooting
A Springdale Township man is accused of shooting his wife, then turning the gun onto himself in their home on Friday, according to court documents. Scott A. Mishler, 65, was charged by Allegheny County Police with aggravated assault and attempted criminal homicide in connection with the shooting that was reported...
Penn State OC Andy Kotelnicki makes memorable 1st impression
STATE COLLEGE — Andy Kotelnicki started by telling a story about growing up in a small town in Minnesota. Penn State’s new offensive coordinator was a kid when he was given a football helmet by his mom. It was the classic white Penn State helmet with a stripe down the...
Woman not injured in Homewood carjacking
Pittsburgh police are looking for three men and a woman who they say carjacked a driver in Homewood on Friday morning. Police responded to the 1400 block of Oberlin Street, near Chadwick Playground, around 8:30 a.m. for the carjacking report, spokeswoman Emily Bourne said. The victim, who police did not...
Lane restrictions to run through early April on Freeport Road in Aspinwall, O’Hara
Upgrades to traffic signals along Freeport Road in Aspinwall and O’Hara will begin Monday, according to PennDOT. Single-lane restrictions will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays through early April on Freeport Road between 23rd Street in Sharpsburg and Fox Chapel Road in O’Hara. There will be only...
Gary Franks: Attention Iowa and New Hampshire voters — polls say Haley beats Biden by 17 points!
Former President Donald Trump has a big lead over other Republicans fighting for the nomination, but he finishes a distant second to former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley in a theoretical head-to-head matchup against President Joe Biden. The liberal media is quick to cherry-pick what they want...
Pittsburgh’s URA to offer vacant land to urban farmers
Pittsburgh’s Urban Redevelopment Authority is looking to make vacant land it owns available for urban farming. The URA board on Thursday approved guidelines for the Farm-a-Lot Program. Through the program, farmers will be able to use vacant URA-owned land for personal agricultural or for the sale of agricultural products including...
Renee Y. Hsia: Same hospital, same injury, same child, same day — why did one ER visit cost thousands more?
The Kaiser Family Foundation recently reported that the annual cost of family health insurance jumped to nearly $24,000 this year, the greatest increase in a decade. While insurance executives and employers may cite a plethora of reasons, one of the chief culprits is lack of oversight over the Wild West...
