TribLive stories, Page 954
Pa. Senate panel learns there’s little the state can do to implement own railway rules
In light of the disastrous train derailment near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border earlier this month, the Pa. Senate Transportation Committee held a hearing Monday on railroad regulations — or, in many ways, the lack thereof. The hearing — spurred by the Feb. 3 East Palestine incident that spilled thousands of gallons...
Reports: Death of Johnstown restaurant owner ruled a homicideVideo
Authorities are investigating a homicide involving the death of the owner of the Johnstown Freight Station in Johnstown, Cambria County, who was violently assaulted, according to reports from WJAC and WTAJ. It occurred on the morning of Feb. 20 when police reported to the restaurant/bar because of a call regarding...
John Dorfman: DEFT contest winners predict recession
“Think of the economy as a big exuberant dog that jumps up on people,” my father said to me long ago, “and think of the Fed as a man with a rolled up newspaper.” The man taps the dog lightly to get it to stop jumping, but that has no...
Pa. Chick-fil-A bans customers under 16 from dining in restaurant without adults
A Pennsylvania Chick-fil-A restaurant has banned customers within their dining room if they are under the age of 16 without an adult. The management of the Montgomery County store shared to their Facebook page that they “contemplated long and hard before posting this, but decided it was time” to limit...
Rupert Murdoch knew Fox News hosts endorsed false election fraud claims, depositions showVideo
NEW YORK — New court documents show that Rupert Murdoch and his top lieutenants at Fox News were aware that former President Trump’s claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election were false, but agreed to give them continued coverage in an effort to keep its unhappy viewers from fleeing....
Dr. Val Arkoosh: DHS needs help to prepare Pennsylvanians for Medicaid changes
As a doctor, I know firsthand the importance of having quality, affordable, consistent health care coverage in order to be healthy and thrive. Everyone deserves the dignity and peace of mind of knowing they can see a doctor they trust, or get essential preventive care like cancer screenings for themselves...
Pa. House preparing to consider critical chamber rules
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. HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania House Speaker Mark Rozzi, D-Berks County, says he will introduce chamber rules this week that would give Republicans...
Robert Morris basketball players earn Horizon League honors
Three Robert Morris basketball players were awarded Horizon League postseason honors Monday, as voted on by the league’s head coaches. Fifth-year forward Kahliel Spear was named to the second team and junior guard Enoch Cheeks earned third-team recognition for the Colonials men’s basketball team. Spear also was named to the...
Experts in lawsuit say mental health care at Allegheny County Jail is ‘grossly inadequate’
Experts retained as part of a federal lawsuit over the treatment of mentally ill people being held at Allegheny County Jail said the facility’s mental health care is “shockingly substandard.” The expert reports filed this month in federal court blamed the problems on issues including:A shortage in medical staffing.A lack...
David P. Hardy: Where is all the education money going?
State and national media are spotlighting Pennsylvania’s education funding system in the wake of a long-awaited Commonwealth Court decision. While the court did not issue a specific remedy, it acknowledged failures within the state’s education funding system. The court called for reforms that give all our students a meaningful opportunity...
Pro wrestler Kurt Angle headed for another serious surgery
Kurt Angle is headed back under the knife. The WWE Hall of Famer and Mt. Lebanon native made the announcement during a recent “Kurt Angle Show” podcast, according to reports. “I need surgery again so my neck is so jacked, it’s pathetic,” Angle said. “Back is on March 21st.” Angle...
UPMC, head of cardiothoracic surgery will pay $8.5M to feds to settle lawsuit
UPMC, a renowned cardiothoracic surgeon there and a physicians group will pay the federal government $8.5 million to settle a lawsuit accusing them of knowingly submitting hundreds of false claims to Medicare, failing to follow medical standards for surgery and knowingly placing patients at risk. The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed...
Westmoreland County Senior Spotlight: Norwin’s Anna Little
Excelling at one stroke is hard enough, but how about four? That’s what swimmers who compete in the individual medley have to do, racing in the backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle. One of those swimmers is Norwin’s Anna Little, who won the event at the Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association meet...
Norwin grad Hailee Culbertson hoping to build on breakout year with Alderson Broaddus softballVideo
To say Hailee Culbertson’s first two seasons of college softball were difficult would be an understatement. During her freshman year at Alderson Broaddus, the pandemic trimmed the Battlers’ schedule to a mere 10 games. In 2021, the effects of the pandemic were less prevalent, but, the Norwin grad said, issues...
A-K Valley Senior Spotlight: Apollo-Ridge’s Jake Mull
Many athletes participate in different activities within their school and sometimes go straight from one sports season to another. Apollo-Ridge’s Jake Mull takes that to another level. Mull is a five-sport athlete — basketball, baseball, football, soccer and track — and has broken multiple school records along the way. “My...
Large support group helping form Kiski Area’s fledgling unified track and field team
Kiski Area’s Sammy Plazio qualified for the PIAA cross country championships last fall as a freshman, an experience he described as “really awesome.” Now, he’s helping to pave the way for other Kiski athletes to pursue their dreams of competing for a state title. Plazio is among those supporting the...
Alison Dagnes: Misperceptions of Pa.’s college students
Misunderstandings about college students run deep and tend to be alleged with sweeping generalizations. Those on the right boost the perception that college students are lazy elites who occasionally get out of bed to do drugs and yell about insufficiently woke Republicans. Those on the left reinforce the belief that...
Pa. DEP to spend week testing water samples collected within mile of train derailment
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said Saturday that it has collected drinking water samples from 13 of the 16 known residential wells within a mile of the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment. The DEP announced last week that it would begin systematic collection and testing of water samples in...
Letter to the editor: How is Biden responsible for people who don’t want to work?
Regarding the letter griping about President Joe Biden (“Pity the fools who support Biden,” Feb. 20, TribLIVE), I’m only questioning one of the writer’s many implications. That one would be “He touted the grandeur of all these infrastructure jobs that are in our future, but we can’t even get folks...
In brief: Pancake breakfast, Sealarks group and more in Pine, Richland
Pancake breakfast Richland Township VFD’s annual all you can eat pancake and sausage breakfast returns 9 a.m.-1 p.m. March 5 at 5857 Meridian Road in Gibsonia. Donations are accepted and multiple Chinese auction baskets will be raffled. Proceeds benefit the Richland Township VFD. Writing Project The Western PA Writing Project...
In brief: Chamber leaders announced, kindergarten registration and more around Sewickley
Chamber leaders announced Sewickley Chamber of Commerce officials announced their new board of directors and board leaders. Their names and businesses they run are as follows: Leadership includes board president Denise Shirley of Gather; vice president Chris Bischel of Sewickley Confectionery; board treasurer Becki Meehan of Embody Physical Therapy; and...
Letter to the editor: Has America turned its back on God?
“We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government (but) on the capacity of mankind for self government to control ourselves according to the Commandments of God.” — James Madison. Founding Father also hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” Why cannot America control...
Editorial: Youth voices bring new perspective to local government
There is a lot of conversation about getting young people involved. It usually refers to voting. Sometimes it hits on things like volunteering or reading the news — anything that gets youth interested and engaged in what is going on around them. What is less mentioned is participation in government...
Monroeville area happenings, week of Feb. 27, 2023
First responder expo Monroeville Convention Center will host the annual Monroeville Fire & EMS Show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 4 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 5 at 209 Mall Blvd. The expo is an opportunity for local departments and related equipment and services vendors to...
Letter to the editor: Ziccarelli should pay for repairs
In the article “Westmoreland DA crash racks up nearly $33,000 in SUV repairs” (Feb. 16, TribLIVE), it was reported that Nicole Ziccarelli “has voluntarily paid for the $2,500 deductible out her own pocket so the cost does not fall onto the taxpayer.” Well, how generous you are. What about the...
