TribLive stories, Page 814
Gary D. Alexander and Elizabeth Stelle: Medicaid eligibility matters
Should a health-care program for low-income seniors, the disabled, kids and pregnant mothers be co-opted by hundreds of thousands of healthy adults? Adults not even eligible for assistance? Since March 2020, that’s been the reality for the Medicaid program. But this spring, states regained their ability — for the first...
Barb Warwick: E-scooters are fun, but they aren’t a meaningful transit solution
On April 12, Pittsburgh City Council held a post agenda and public hearing on the Spin e-scooter pilot, which launched in 2021, to hear how the program is affecting city residents. The contrast in testimony was notable. People who use the scooters love them as a fun and convenient way...
Reps. Jason Ortitay and Justin Fleming: Early literacy legislation must be advanced
The human brain is hard-wired for spoken language, but we are not born with the natural ability to read. The skills that lead students to become competent, lifelong readers must be explicitly and systematically taught at a young age with ample opportunity for practice and improvement. Nearly half of Pennsylvania’s...
NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon on life, secret talents and duels with Dale Earnhardt
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In 1994, Jeff Gordon won his first race in NASCAR’s signature series, taking the checkered flag at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway at age 22. Gordon would win 92 more times after that, becoming racing royalty and a NASCAR Hall of Famer. Now he’s our...
Walgreens laying off 10% of corporate workforce
Walgreens is eliminating 504 corporate jobs, representing about 10% of the retail pharmacy giant’s corporate workforce, the company confirmed late Thursday. The affected jobs are mostly at Walgreens’ Deerfield, Ill., and Chicago offices. The roles represent about 1% of its overall U.S. workforce. “As we continue to transform our business...
Letter to the editor: Predictions for future of girls wrestling
Regarding the article “PIAA will sponsor high school girls wrestling after unanimous approval” (May 17, TribLIVE): Today, 14 “boys” declared their transgender status to challenge for capturing all of the first-place medals in the newly franchised PIAA “girls” wrestling. Dante “Killer” Kowalski, a 240-pound sophomore, spoke for the entire group:...
Letter to the editor: What is an ‘assault weapon’?
I am tired of people calling AR-15s “assault weapons.” In the case of a rifle, an assault weapon has a selective rate of fire … semiautomatic (one shot fired for each time you pull the trigger), to fully automatic (many shots fired with a single pull of the trigger). Some...
Speaker series, masked services and more at Sewickley area houses of worship
Beth Samuel Jewish Center Beth Samuel Jewish Center meets every Saturday at 10 a.m. in person and on Zoom for Morning Shabbat Services. First Friday Family Services take place at 5:45 p.m. on the first Friday of the month during the school year, accompanied by a congregational potluck. Kabbalat Shabbat...
The Stroller, May 26, 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. Tarentum senior center to host open house Highland Senior Center in...
Student news from the North Allegheny area
Five Providence Heights Alpha students participated in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Sciences state competition May 15 in State College. Aine Corrigan and Dylan DeVore earned first place awards. Lily O’Neill, Eva Palladino, and Isabela Oviedo received second place awards. The students were led by middle school science teacher Linda...
Letter to the editor: Steelers shouldn’t put up with Tomlin’s losses
When will the Steelers wake up and fire Coach Mike Tomlin?? Tomlin continually gets out-coached in the playoffs as evidenced by now going six years without a playoff win. Under Tomlin, the Steelers have only had three playoff wins in 12 years. I am so sick of hearing the mantra...
Report: Trump workers moved classified documents at Mar-a-Lago before prosecutors arrived
Former President Donald Trump’s workers at Mar-a-Lago reportedly moved boxes of classified documents just a day before federal prosecutors came to collect papers pursuant to a subpoena. The two Trump employees, including longtime valet Walt Nauta, brought boxes of documents to a basement storage room on June 2, just hours...
Pirates farm report for May 25, 2023: Andreas Alvarez homers twice in Altoona blowout win
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 22-25) gave up two in the bottom of the ninth and lost 5-4 to Columbus (Guardians). 1B Aaron Shackelford (.268) went 2 for 2 with two homers, his fifth and sixth of the season, and three RBIs. Indiananpolis had only four other hits, all singles. LF Canaan Smith-Njigba...
High school scores, summaries and schedules for May 25, 2023
High schools WPIAL Baseball WPIAL playoffs Class 6A Championship Wednesday’s schedule Mt. Lebanon (12-10) vs. North Allegheny (16-6) at Wild Things Park, 7 p.m. Class 5A Championship Tuesday’s schedule Shaler (18-4) vs. Bethel Park (17-4) at Wild Things Park, 7 p.m. Third place Wednesday’s schedule Plum (14-8) vs. Penn-Trafford (14-6)...
Authorities: Pressdee patients timeline shows ‘unusual, odd’ patterns
Heather Pressdee is charged with two counts of homicide, among other crimes, for intentionally overdosing at least three patients with insulin. Her actions, police say, led to two deaths and injuries for the third person, all in the second half of last year while she worked at Quality Life Services...
Neighbors stunned by Harrison nurse’s arrest
Some colleagues who worked with Harrison nurse Heather Pressdee referred to her as the “Angel of Death,” according to one former co-worker. “Things continued to happen with her patients — rapid response calls and ‘code blue’ calls — more often than what anyone would consider normal,” said Adam Kissell, 29,...
Paul Kengor: Fossil fuels are a blessing
I marvel at fossil fuels. I really do. Fossil fuels are found in the earth’s crust, the natural byproduct of decomposed plants and animals. The best examples are coal, oil and natural gas. Leftist environmentalists have a curious hate relationship with fossil fuels, even as these fuels are produced naturally,...
Jury set for Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial
The people who will determine if Robert Bowers lives or dies include a Catholic and a Protestant, an ICU nurse, a real estate manager, a paralegal, a postal worker, a parole board employee, an event manager and a brand-new father. They are among the 11 women and seven men who...
Supreme Court limits EPA protection for wetlands, ruling for property rights over clean waterVideo
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday limited federal protection for millions of acres of wetlands, ruling for property rights over clean water. In a 5-4 decision, the justices said the Clean Water Act does not forbid discharges of pollutants into marshy areas or dry creek beds because water does...
Ex-Greensburg police chief accused of taking backpack of drugs from evidence room
Former Greensburg Police Chief Shawn Denning, who resigned in January after his arrest by federal authorities, is facing more trouble as Westmoreland County detectives on Thursday charged him with taking items from the department’s evidence room. Denning, 42, of Delmont, is charged with theft, conspiracy and three counts of tampering...
Elwood Watson: Marjorie Taylor Greene is at it again
The Jezebel of the Republican Party is at it again. Just when you thought that she could not get any more disingenuous and despicable, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene engaged in some wild intellectual dishonesty by accusing New York Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman of calling her the equivalent of the N-word....
Angela Liddle: Protecting kids on social media requires all of us to be digitally diligent
Policymakers across the country this year have been laser focused on reining in social media companies, especially as it relates to their impact on children. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy told CNN that he believes 13 is “too early” for kids to join social media websites and apps, and U.S....
Pa. State troopers more likely to do optional searches for Black, Hispanic drivers than white ones
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. Black and Hispanic drivers were slightly more likely to face discretionary searches during traffic stops in Pennsylvania last year, according to...
Danitra Sherman: Addressing root causes of crime good policy, good politics
For decades, many American politicians saw a path to electoral victory through a combination of racist fear-mongering and harsh, punitive criminal law policies. From the infamous Willie Horton ad to “super-predators” to three strikes laws and the prison-industrial complex, this political strategy by both Democrats and Republicans fueled a multi-generational...
Beyonce remembers ‘My beloved queen’: Musicians, fans pay tribute to Tina Turner
Tina Turner, superstar singer and icon, died Wednesday at her home in Switzerland. She was 83. Musicians, celebrities and fans quickly took to social media to post their thoughts and memories of the singer. Singer Beyonce Knowles-Carter wrote on her website, “My beloved queen. I love you endlessly. I’m so...
