Laurels & lances: Food fest, fight, overcoming and outstanding
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Laurel: To a really big dill. Who doesn’t love a big old pickle? Now who doesn’t love an even bigger pickle? Exactly. And that’s what makes a bigger, better Picklesburgh festival something you can really sink your teeth into. The July 26-28 festival is going to be expanded and we are here for it.
Bring on the koshers, the bread-and-butters, the spicy garlic bad boys, because if the sweet baby gherkin that was last year’s event was enough to score first place in a USA Today reader poll of specialty food festivals across the country, well, we can just imagine what super-sizing will do.
Lance: To all being in this (area code) together. There is zero reason to fight over a number. Yes, the Pittsburgh area code is part of the name of Shop412. But getting into a smackdown with Pitt over putting the number on the football team’s helmets? Come on.
You can’t own a number that belongs to everyone with phone. What next, Shop412? Are you going to say people can’t print it on their business cards or stencil it on store windows? Maybe this seemed like a good business move, but sorry, the party you are trying to reach is unavailable.
Laurel: To kids getting to be kids. Wexford’s Variety — the Children’s Charity gave a number of area kids the chance to do things all kids do. They can ride a bike or go for a walk or ask Mom “Are we there yet?” just like any other kids. But these little ones have issues that make that more challenging.
An adaptive bike for special needs child can be $1,800, but it can be a priceless gift of normalcy and freedom. A communication device can let a non-verbal child overcome disabilities to answer questions and express needs, instead of staying trapped behind the wall of a medical condition.
Kudos to the Rotary of Westmoreland and Westmoreland Intermediate Unit for being a part of a truly life-changing program.
Laurel: To a group of kids that make us proud. The Outstanding Young Citizens Awards banquet may have been for the 100 area high school students whose achievements were noted, but Trib Total Media was honored to have a diverse group of future leaders in attendance. We were even more honored that 489 nominations were received from 104 schools. There may have been just two scholarship winners and 10 other medalists, but they represented hundreds of amazing kids who are going on to do great things.