Since we’re well into Sober October, the global 31-day challenge to abstain from alcohol that began in 2014 to raise awareness for cancer, I wanted to highlight a social group in Erie that gathers for booze-free “Happier Hours” each month.

The group, Sober Erie, was launched in 2023 by health coach Joelle Mineo, 35, and self-described “retired party girl,” 32-year-old Katrina Turner.

Sober Erie requires nothing but similar preferences to join. The group frequents places in the city and surrounding area that have a good selection of non-alcoholic mocktails, a list that they said is growing. 

During a recent “Happier Hour” event, Turner recalled when she decided to get out of the drinking game.

“I was drinking every day and it affected everything in my life,” she said. “But one day I just woke up and I was sick of it. Sick of feeling sick. I wasn’t taking care of myself. I felt overwhelmed.”

When she’s not at her day job at Erie Insurance, Turner offers sobriety coaching online and has a podcast, “Sober, Shockingly.” She said she was the quintessential “party girl,” who was always down for a night out.

Mineo said she stopped drinking in 2011 on her 21st birthday when she lived in Buffalo. A couple of years ago, she and her husband moved to Erie and started the group to offer an opportunity for people who don’t want to drink to go out and socialize without feeling pressure to get “lit.”

“It’s about inclusion,” Mineo said.

More of your responses to our QOTW: Has your outlook on the future changed—for better or worse—since Donald Trump returned to the White House?

Here’s what you’re saying:

“I feel like I'm living in another country. Trump does whatever he wants without going through Congress. What happened to our system of checks and balances? Do we have free speech? Trump is trying to control what we see on TV and what our press is allowed to report. Isn't this what happens in Russia? This $250 million ballroom is supposedly funded by private donations. Let's see a list of donors and how much they donated. Are there foreign countries on that list?”

— Sandy, Lester

“Life not only is worse, but now the future looks devastating. This is coming from a second-generation veteran.”

— Tonya, State College

“It’s been an overwhelming change for the better for my family and me. It feels like America is finally waking up after drifting for years, losing touch with the values that made us strong. We were on the edge with morals slipping, families stretched thin, and the American dream buried under red tape. Then Trump came in like a wrecking ball. He is cutting regulations, pushing for energy independence, ending endless wars, securing the border, and making our communities safer. He stands up to global bullies and doesn’t play political games. That no-BS approach really resonates with people like me, who are sick and tired of empty promises. I’ve always been proud to be American, regardless of who's in office, but that pride feels stronger now. Trump 2.0 brought back a sense of direction and strength. Say what you want about the guy, but he delivers, he means what he says, and he fights for ‘We the People.’ America is BACK!!!” 

— Dave, Erie 

“The country is definitely worse with the Trump regime. He took an oath to uphold the Constitution and yet he wants to take away our rights. I am hopeful that the people will rebel and get him out of office and that his puppets will see that he is hurting our once beautiful republic.” 

— Kathy, Downingtown

Tell us about how you feel about the future with Trump back in the White House, and please let us know where you live.

Philadelphia 76ers legend and NBA Hall of Fame inductee Julius "Dr. J" Erving stars in the 1979 cult classic "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh." (Associated Press)

As cult classic movies from the '70s go, few are more “of the era”—from over-the-top astrological readings and towering afros, to colorful funky threads and a disco soundtrack—than 1979’s “The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh.”

For the uninitiated, it’s a sports comedy starring Philadelphia 76ers legend Julius Erving about a down-on-its-luck basketball team—the Pittsburgh Pythons—turning to astrology in an effort to reverse its fortunes. The team takes the advice of an astrologer (played by Stockard Channing, fresh off “Grease”), who tells them that if they want to win, the roster should exclusively feature players born under the Zodiac sign of Pisces.

As the name would imply, the Steel City features prominently in the movie. The fictional Pisces were loosely based on the Pittsburgh Pipers (later, the Condors), who played in the American Basketball Association in the late '60s and early '70s. The film was shot in and around Pittsburgh, with the dearly departed Civic Arena serving as the Pisces’ home.

With the 2025-26 NBA season now underway, we thought it would be fun to take a deep dive into this Pittsburgh-set-and-shot cult classic.

• Approximately 2 million Pennsylvanians will not get their SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits in November if the federal shutdown continues and government support for the program falters. Find out more here.

• The Republican-led state Senate passed a new $47.9 billion budget proposal Tuesday that Democrats quickly dismissed as “unserious.” Get the details about the new budget plan in this story.

• For the third straight year, a bill to help domestic violence victims collect unemployment benefits if they have to leave their job over safety concerns has stalled in the state Senate. Find out about the measure’s latest holdup here.

• Discussing the government shutdown on a recent podcast, Pa. Republican US Rep. Scott Perry (Dauphin) said that Democrats “hate the military” and only serve in the armed forces to “get the credential” to run for public office. Find out more about what Perry said here.

• Wondering if the government shutdown will impact your Social Security check? We’ve got what you need to know in this story.

Welcome to our weekly advice column, courtesy of Grace: She’s the big sister who shares her own mistakes so you can avoid making them, the coworker who builds you up to ask for the raise you deserve, and the friend who is always happy to listen.

We all need someone like Grace in our corner. Submit your own questions here. 

Dear Grace,

I really like this guy. We went on a couple of dates, but then he ghosted me. After a week of not responding to my messages or calls, out of the blue, he texted me again last week. Now he’s back to ghosting again! I can’t stop thinking about him. What do I do? Keep trying or move on?

– Lovesick

Dear Lovesick,

Oh, friend—I know that feeling. The spark of a new connection, the excitement of hearing from someone you like, and then… silence. Again. It’s confusing, disorienting, and more than a little frustrating. It makes sense that you’re stuck thinking about him, not because he’s your person, but because your heart is trying to make sense of something that doesn’t make sense. Here's some advice to help clear your head.

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Patrick Berkery with stories from USA Today via Reuters Connect, Kalena Thomhave, Peter Hall and Ian Karbal of the Pennsylvania Capital-Star, and Galvanize Together. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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