Latest news with #GreaterPennsylvaniaChapter
Express Tribune
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Charley Scalies, actor from The Wire and The Sopranos, dies at 84
Charley Scalies, the Philadelphia-born actor best known for his memorable roles in HBO's The Wire and The Sopranos, has died at the age of 84. His daughter, Anne Marie Scalies, confirmed he passed away on May 1, 2025, at a nursing facility in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. Scalies gained widespread recognition for portraying Thomas 'Horseface' Pakusa, a loyal and gruff longshoreman in season two of The Wire. He appeared in all 12 episodes alongside Frank Sobotka (Chris Bauer), embodying the struggles of Baltimore's working-class dockworkers. He later returned to HBO in The Sopranos, playing Coach Molinaro in the surreal dream episode 'The Test Dream' during the show's fifth season. In the episode, he scolds Tony Soprano for abandoning his potential, delivering one of the show's more introspective moments. Born July 19, 1940, Scalies began his career in sales and consulting before transitioning to acting in the 1990s. His early performances in local theater included roles in Guys & Dolls, Chicago, and The Wizard of Oz. He appeared in films like 12 Monkeys, Liberty Heights, and Jersey Girl, and on TV shows including Homicide: Life on the Street, Law & Order, and Cold Case. Scalies is survived by his wife of 62 years, Angeline, five children, and four grandchildren. His family encourages donations in his memory to the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association or PCS Theater in Swarthmore.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
PA Alzheimer's Association chapter hosts RivALZ to end ALZ draft party fundraiser
Football season might be over, but that wasn't stopping girls from grabbing flags for a good cause. The Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer`s Association hosted its RivALZ to end ALZ draft party on Saturday. The fundraising event hosted all-women's flag football teams who will compete against each other later this year The draft party event was the last time rival teams, the Guarians and the Warriors, would be raising money together, with each team choosing their own charity to support during their flag football matchup Grover Cleveland students collect 4,000 books for needy kids Alex Benacci, co-captain of the Guardians, shared how impactful this event has been for the community. 'We've raised, I think, close to over $240,000 within the eight years that we've been doing this. It all stays in Pennsylvania. It just feels really great to be raising money towards such an important cause that can affect a lot of people in their families,' said Benacci. The flag football game will take place on Friday, June 27. If you'd like to get involved in the event, more information can be found by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
11-02-2025
- Health
- CBS News
University of Pittsburgh researchers develop test to detect Alzheimer's earlier
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A breakthrough in the fight against Alzheimer's was made by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, where a test was created to detect the disease in the brain earlier. Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Thomas Karikari is one of countless researchers nationwide working to combat Alzheimer's. "We don't want to wait until when it's too late to be able to diagnose where we can't really do anything," Karikari said. He recently published a study about a new spinal tap test and eventual blood test he helped develop that can measure a protein in the brain about a decade before it would show up on scans. "What this test does is that it actually is able to pick up the emerging ones, so in the very early stages," Karikari said. The protein is called tau and appears as abnormal clumps throughout the brain. It's one of a few factors that medical experts use to diagnose Alzheimer's. The one commonly talked about is amyloid plaque, but researchers have learned that not everyone who has plaque goes on to develop Alzheimer's or dementia. "From these studies, we're beginning to understand that the tau doesn't wait to show up later; it starts almost about the same time the plaque starts," Karikari said. As a result, seeing how early tau shows up on top of plaque can open the doors for early diagnosis and intervention and help doctors target the right people for treatments. It's something that's all the more important, as last year's Alzheimer's Association report revealed 11.5% of adults 65 and older in Pennsylvania have Alzheimer's, which is higher than the national average of 10.9%. The numbers are only expected to rise. "We can be able to diagnose them earlier, we can be able to treat them earlier, and the chances of success of treatment also be better," Karikari said. Vice President of Programs and Services for the Alzheimer's Association Greater Pennsylvania Chapter Sara Murphy released the following statement to KDKA-TV about the study: The Alzheimer's Association Greater Pennsylvania Chapter is excited to see the progress being made in cerebrospinal fluid biomarker research from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Early detection is crucial as it allows for timely access to FDA-approved treatments that can slow cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease. With an earlier diagnosis, we can improve the quality of care and quality of life and potentially reduce the financial and emotional impact of the disease on families. These advancements in biomarker tests and early detection are significant steps forward in Alzheimer's care, and we are committed to supporting research that can make a real impact for individuals and families affected by this disease. Karikari said he hopes to submit the test to the FDA for approval in a couple of years after doing more verification studies with various demographics, as required by the agency.
