TribLive stories, Page 552

After starting the season 1-4, the last thing many expected from the Shady Side Academy football team was an appearance in the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals. But the Bulldogs turned the season around, winning six in a row before falling to Avonworth, a step away from the WPIAL title game....

I used to be a mall Santa. From the ages of 17 to 27, I dressed up as a hairy, overweight elf to bring joy to children throughout the Pittsburgh area. It was good honest work. OK … it was honest work. For three to four hours a day, seven...

Transportation officials in multiple states are testing whether roads made from grocery bags, juice cartons, printer ink cartridges or other discarded plastic can make pavement last longer, save money and reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. On sections of a busy, four-lane road that cuts through...

Free will and abortion Regarding the article “Non-religious voters wield clout, tilt heavily Democratic” (Dec. 4, TribLIVE): I am a retired nurse who once had the unfortunate privilege of carrying a much too large aborted, macerated baby to the morgue of my hospital. It was really awful. But even having...

Letter-writer Gary Pedicone says “Can’t fix stupid, but you can prove it” (Dec. 8, TribLIVE), blaming FOX News, Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity. Yes, you can fix it, Gary: You can start by not drinking the Kool-Aid passed out by CNN, NBC, CBS and the other networks passing out that...

Three members of one family died in an overnight fire in Pittsburgh’s Brighton Heights neighborhood, in a house where about a dozen people lived, according to police and neighbors. Pittsburgh firefighters responded to the 3400 block of McClure Avenue just before 2 a.m. The situation quickly developed into a three-alarm...

Being in politics was never meant to be a career. Tony DeLuca and his fans took that to new heights when the lawmaker won again (“GOP sues over special elections in Pa. House majority battle,” Dec. 11, TribLIVE). We were all reminded of his win again despite the fact that...

Over the past two years, protests at schools have been on the rise. Aside from the push and pull about pandemic protocols, there also have been vocal demands about the content of curriculum and what is on the shelves of the libraries. Pennsylvania, in particular, has been a main battleground...

I was angered and offended by another anti-Trump propaganda AP article, this one titled “Antisemitic celebrities stoke fears of normalizing hate” (Dec. 4, TribLIVE). This article attributed a “surge in anti-Jewish vitriol” by citing Donald Trump hosting Kanye West and Nick Fuentes. Where is the real antisemitism being harbored in...

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. Apollo Meals on Wheels seeking volunteer help Apollo Area Meals on...

In reference to the editorial “Financial literacy is key to student debt crisis” (Dec. 8, TribLIVE): I believe those of us who grew up in the low- divorce 1970s and ’80s toxic male environment of watching Westerns were more self-reliant and possessed a better work ethic. Of course, today, with math...

High Schools WPIAL Basketball Boys Friday’s results Class 4A Section 2 Lincoln Park 78, Beaver 76 Blackhawk 60, Hopewell 25 Class 3A Section 1 Beaver Falls at Riverside, (n) Ellwood City 63, New Brighton 48 Neshannock 73, Freedom 23 Section 2 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 69, Brentwood 48...

Jake Pollaro banked in the game-winning 3-pointer just before the buzzer to lead North Hills to a 55-53 nonsection boys basketball victory over Seneca Valley on Friday night. Royce Parham and Jayden Thomas each scored 13 points and Pollaro finished with 10 for North Hills (4-1). Andrew Roy scored 21...

Shady Side Academy began formal defense of its WPIAL Class 3A crown Friday night with a 59-50 victory over Burrell at Mellon Gym. The Bulldogs (5-1, 1-0 Section 3-3A) led the entire way but couldn’t shake the Bucs (2-4, 0-1) until the final minutes of play. Eli Teslovich led Shady...

A Carnegie man accused of killing a 70-year-old man at a homeless encampment in Scott last year was found not guilty Friday. Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Bruce Beemer announced his verdict in the nonjury trial following three days of testimony, which began on Nov. 1. Vendell Nasir III, 29,...

I hate when the Democratic Party and their supportive liberal media use a person’s family member to attack, hurt or help a Black candidate for office. In most instances the family member is used to hurt the Black candidate if he is a Republican and help the Black candidate if...

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. on Friday criticized Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and the city’s police department for failing to curb violence and ensure that the public feels safe. “You have to have the cooperation of the elected officials,” Zappala said. “The city’s a problem right now....

STATE COLLEGE — Iconic Beaver Stadium has been around since 1960. And Penn State AD Pat Kraft intends to make sure the current home of the Nittany Lions is the future home of the program. Renovation is the word to associate with Beaver Stadium moving forward. Kraft also made it...

During infectious disease outbreaks, clinicians and public health officials are tasked with providing accurate guidance for the public on how to stay safe and protect themselves and their loved ones. However, sensationalized media coverage can distort how the public perceives new emerging infections, including where they come from and how...

Kody Brown and his “sister wives” are no more. At least for now. Meri Brown, 51, of TLC’s reality TV show “Sister Wives” confirmed this week that she has ended her 32-year marriage to Kody Brown, 53. She is the most recent partner to leave Kody. While the show is...

PHILADELPHIA — It’s the ultimate rabbit hole of hobbies: genetic genealogy. There are legions of self-taught ancestry bloodhounds who upload their DNA to multiple databases in search of kin who did likewise, plugging gaps in their family tree. Joseph Augustus Zarelli’s biological mother had third and fourth cousins who did...

Chartiers Valley Middle School has been named a PA Don Eichhorn Schools: “Schools to Watch.” The designation recognizes the level of academic excellence, developmental responsiveness, social equity, and organizational structures and processes at the school. “What an honor to be recognized for our outstanding team and their commitment to helping...

Three takeaways from the Penguins’ 4-2 win in Florida on Thursday night: Short story Defenseman Kris Letang scored the Pittsburgh Penguins’ first goal, setting a team record in the process. Letang’s score at 4:17 of the second period, on a two-on-one with forward Bryan Rust, was short-handed and allowed him...

With four weeks remaining in the NFL’s regular season, the Houston Texans are an odds-on favorite to secure the top overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. This shouldn’t surprise anyone. Most of us expected the Texans to be the worst team in the league. The intrigue currently comes with...