The Almanac - Feb. 9, 2025

the almanac F E B R U A RY 9, 2025

SOUTH HILLS COMMUNITY NEWS

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RISKY BUSINESS COURTESY OF RON ARNONI

Magisterial District Judge Ron Arnoni has co-authored the book “Navigate Your Path to Success.”

Paths to success Magisterial district judge is co-author of book on leadership By Brad Hundt COURTESY OF FAYETTE COUNTY DRUG AND ALCOHOL COMMISSION

Logan Embacher, a prevention specialist for Fayette County Drug and Alcohol Commission, delivers a “Stacked Deck” presentation at a Fayette County high school. Stacked Deck is one of the programs offered by the drug and alcohol commission to address youth gambling.

Staff writer

kmansfield@observer-reporter.com

It’s one of the most anticipated times of the year for sports fans: the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl. And sports betting ads are everywhere. Turn on the television, and you’re bound to see an ad – often featuring a celebrity popular with the younger generation – promoting the use of one of the many sportsbooks operating in the betting industry. Gambling rates among teens and young adults are climbing, and experts say easy access to sports betting and other forms of online wagering has led to gambling problems among some of them. A 2023 survey by the NCAA of 3,527 18- to 22-year-olds found that sports betting is widespread in that population. Fifty-eight percent said they had participated in at least one sports betting activity, with 4% of

“HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH YOUR KIDS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF PROBLEM GAMBLING. RESPECT THAT IT’S MEANT TO BE FOR PEOPLE 21 AND OLDER, BECAUSE THE BRAIN, THAT PREFRONTAL CORTEX, HASN’T FULLY DEVELOPED YET.” JODY BECHTOLD, CEO OF THE BETTER INSTITUTE them betting daily. About 6% of those participating in sports betting reported losing more than $500 in a single day. And about 28% of students have bet using a mobile app or website. Additionally, McGill University’s International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors reports between 60% and 80% of high school students

gambled for money in 2023, and up to 6% are considered addicted to gambling. “Obviously, we’re not seeing kids walking into casinos – there are policies to prevent that – but kids are accessing it other ways, including online betting through apps and websites and offshore betting,” said Josh Ercole, executive director of the Council of Compulsive Gam-

bhundt@observer-reporter.com

bling of Pennsylvania. “And especially with sports betting, there are an endless number of wagers that can be placed. It’s gone from being a one-time bet, like will the Steelers beat the Ravens and cover the spread, to now, where every down, every pitch, every time a player has the ball or is shooting a basket is an opportunity to place a wager, and you can do it for virtually every collegiate or pro sport anywhere. The availability has increased at a meteoric level. And the more normalized it becomes, the more likely you’ll see kids become engaged.” Online sports betting has become far more accessible since a 2018 Supreme Court decision that ruled the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was unconstitutional. So far, 39 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized online sports betting or some type of online gambling.

There’s been plenty written about leaders, and there are scores of courses, seminars, books and training sessions that seek to help cultivate their leadership skills. So, the question is: Are leaders born that way, or is leadership a learned skill? It can be both, according to Ron Arnoni, a magisterial district judge whose district includes Bethel Park and Upper St. Clair. The jurist believes that leaders are “not afraid to do the hard stuff.” “There are different types of leaders for different types of situations,” Arnoni added. Arnoni offers additional thoughts on leadership and how people can excel with “Navigate Your Path to Success,” a book co-written with motivational speaker Brad Killmeyer. It offers advice on how to be a leader, how to communicate more effectively, the benefits of feedback, and more.

SEE RISKY PAGE A2

SEE BOOK PAGE A2

Online gambling among youth on the rise By Karen Mansfield

Staff writer

BP native named executive director of State Library of Ohio

Upper St. Clair High School science students visited a mobile planetarium recently.

By Jill Thurston Staff writer

jthurston@observer-reporter.com

SUBMITTED PHOTO

USC students take trip into outer space Dozens of Upper St. Clair High School students recently took a trip to outer space thanks to a visit from the Pittcon Planetarium. Science classes took turns filtering into the school’s small gym for the chance to experience the portable planetarium.

An outreach program of the Pittsburgh Conference for the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh and the Society of Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh, the portable planetarium provided 30-minute lessons about the sun, planets, stars and constellations.

MCKEES ROCKS Pittsburgh Curling Club taps into sport’s popularity PAGE A2 What’s happening, B3

A cross between an igloo and a bounce house, the planetarium stands 14 feet tall and 30 feet wide. The planetarium can accommodate 25 to 30 students at one time. SEE SPACE PAGE A2

SPORTS Upper St. Clair anticipates top seed in Class 6A playoffs PAGE B1 Real estate transactions, A6

Mandy Knapp, 42, a native of Bethel Park, was recently appointed to lead the State Library of Ohio as its executive director. A resident of Westerville, Ohio, Knapp has more than 20 years of experience in both public and academic libraries. In her new role, Knapp will supervise a staff of about nine employees, communicate with the State LibraryBoard and work collaboratively on the vision to bring information to people. In a press release, State Library Board President Janet Carlton said, “Ms. Knapp’s extensive and varied background in libraries and public library administration positions her as an outstanding candidate to head the State Library.”

Mandy Knapp

Knapp holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Management from Ohio State University, a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Otterbein College in Ohio. SEE LIBRARY PAGE A2

SIGHTS & SOUNDS ‘Ital-Yinz’ mug sales rise after TV appearance PAGE B3 Classifieds, B4-6