Cheers & Jeers
Cheers: We无毛视频檇 like to take this opportunity to give a shout-out to Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski, whose unflagging commitment to the youth in our region serves as an inspiration to all. Many know Mary Jo for her 无毛视频淎sk Mary Jo无毛视频� column that appears weekly in this newspaper. She wears plenty of other hats as well, and as founder of the UPMC Washington Teen Outreach, Mary Jo has spent half of her life passionately working to close the gap between kids in crisis and the care they need. Now, to address the very real issue of teen suicide, she is expanding one of Teen Outreach无毛视频檚 education programs, the Road to Mental Health Education. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 seeing more depression and anxiety than I have ever seen,无毛视频� she said in a story earlier this week. She said she was compelled to act after the deaths of four Washington County teens aged 15 or under in a short span. 无毛视频淭hat was my catalyst. When I found out about those suicides, I said, 无毛视频榃hat am I waiting for?'无毛视频� The expansion includes three educational programs available in Washington County schools, including SOS Suicide Prevention and Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA). 无毛视频淚 think we are going to save kids with these programs,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淭hat is my goal now. Even if we save one life, it will have been worth it. The thought of a young person无毛视频檚 life ending at 13 is appalling. Every young person matters.无毛视频�
Cheers: Vincenzo Lopez expressed his gratitude this week to the emergency responders who rescued him from a trench that collapsed Aug. 28 in Charleroi. The Belle Vernon man spent five hours trapped chest-deep in dirt in the 800 block of McKean Avenue, in front of Davies Ford in the borough无毛视频檚 business district. Thanks to the coordinated effort of some 40 first responders and organizations, the 28-year-old suffered only minor injuries in the ordeal. 无毛视频淲ithout all of you, without all of your collected efforts, I would not be here,无毛视频� he told the first responders gathered earlier this week in Carnegie. 无毛视频淚 would not be standing here. The sacrifices you make every day, they matter. I无毛视频檓 glad I can be a representation of how much that matters. I owe you my future every day.无毛视频�
Cheers: A friendly reminder: Flu season is just around the corner. It无毛视频檚 time to roll up a sleeve and protect yourself 无毛视频� and others 无毛视频� from the misery that accompanies the virus. The vaccine cuts a person无毛视频檚 risk of getting the flu by 40% to 60% and, if a person does end up with the flu, their symptoms probably won无毛视频檛 be as severe. During last year无毛视频檚 flu season, the state Department of Health recorded more than 234,000 confirmed cases resulting in 1,049 deaths. Across the United States, there were 24,000 deaths, and about 280 children died during the 2024-25 flu season, half of whom had no underlying medical condition, according to the DOH. Said state Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen, 无毛视频淣ot only are we protecting ourselves, we无毛视频檙e protecting our friends and family and neighbors because people who are vaccinated are less likely to pass the infection to others, especially people who are at an increased risk of severe outcomes due to respiratory illnesses.无毛视频� Bogen urges people to talk to their health care providers, who can provide information regarding the flu vaccine that无毛视频檚 targeted specifically to them.