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Legendary Harris always remained gracious

Brenda J. Linert

On a shelf in my home is a football bearing the logo of the Pittsburgh Steelers. It also bears a simple autograph: “Franco Harris 32.” I must openly admit I committed a grave sin of professional journalism in getting that ball autographed many years ago. It was the only time in my career that I’ve done that. The legendary Pittsburgh Steelers running back, along with his counterpart Jim Brown from division rival Cleveland Browns, paid a rare visit together to a Warren Steelworkers Union Hall on a rainy Saturday morning several years ago. They were stumping as part of a political ...

Musk’s media bans a concern, but no surprise

Brenda J. Linert

Elon Musk’s abrupt suspension of several journalists who cover Twitter is just the latest in the coverage of the billionaire’s takeover of the social media platform. Late last week, Musk apparently tossed from his platform reporters with The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, ...

‘Real stores’ bring many holiday pleasures

Brenda J. Linert

My husband and I spent a recent evening strolling the corridors of Eastwood Mall. If I’m being honest, I don’t get to the mall often, mostly because I’m always tight on time. I’m sure that’s what leads many shoppers to open up their laptops, especially this time of year. But, ohhh, the things you miss when you shop from your living room couch! We went to the mall in search of a jacket like the ones I’d seen on sales fliers that showed up in my Sunday newspaper, and he agreed it could be my Christmas gift (Yay, me!) We headed for Boscov’s! Remember that ...

Plenty of blame to go around in Ohio case

Brenda J. Linert

There’s plenty of blame to go around involving the horrific story heavily reported this summer about a pregnant 10-year-old child from Columbus who traveled to Indiana to terminate the pregnancy. Blame, of course, goes to the man who raped and impregnated the girl. The man charged with ...

Counting votes slowly doesn’t mean fraud

Brenda J. Linert

The Associated Press provides a regular column that its editors call “NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn’t happen this week.” (It’s their way, I suspect, of discrediting “Fake news!” without using that buzzword made famous by our last president.) The AP column is intended to explore untrue stories that spread — usually like lightning — via social media, leaving many who see the posts to believe they are informed and sending off a quick “retweet” or sharing it, further adding to swift spread of misinformation. I, too, see and hear my fair share of ...

Cut holiday stress with a few shortcuts

Brenda J. Linert

Holiday travel is so much work. I’m not traveling for Thanksgiving this year, but I know some people who are. In fact, one of our news reporters already jetted off to New England late last week with friends. She’s young. Somehow, she might even enjoy the crowds in airports and strange cities. Not me. I’m much happier staying home and cooking my own bird. I’m not even going home to Johnstown this year. I visited my parents there a couple of weeks ago. And I plan to see them again around Christmas, God willing. So rather than fight traffic and what could be snow-covered ...