JoAnne Klimovich Harrop stories
Betsy Wentz Interior Design partners with Abner Henry for high-end furniture line
In Paris on a holiday trip with her family in December, Betsy Wentz noticed a beautiful console table in the window of an antique shop. Not long before that vacation, she had been asked if she wanted to design a furniture collection. “I took a picture of the table and...
Patients who need kidney transplants share their stories in hope of finding living donors
Dave Lackner remembered being on vacation in Stone Harbor, N.J., in 2007 when the phone call came in. “They had found a kidney for my dad,” Lackner, of Mt. Lebanon, said of that call nearly 20 years ago. The family scrambled to get the patriarch on a flight home for...
Jewish Association on Aging partners with RubyWell to assist family caregivers
Caregivers need comforting, too. Being the person who takes care of a family member is a noble calling. These people are compassionate and often make sacrifices and go above and beyond for their loved ones. The Jewish Association on Aging and RubyWell launched a grant-funded family caregiver support program in...
Fern Hollow Nature Center breaks ground on renovation
Fern Hollow Nature Center facility sits empty, its contents packed into two pods. Shovels have been used to remove the first few piles of dirt and heavy equipment is on site. The long-awaited transformation for the future of this Sewickley Heights community resource is underway. A ceremonial groundbreaking for the...
Works by East Suburban Artists League to be displayed at Monroeville Public Library
For Larry Brandstetter, it all began with the sketch of a house. “When I was 6 years old, my aunt asked me to draw a house,” said Brandstetter, whose work will be shown with other members of the East Suburban Artists League at the Monroeville Public Library beginning May 29....
Distribution of another round of adaptive bikes brings more smiles to children and families
Yisene Bayala’s smile says it all. When the 4-year-old caught a glimpse of his new bicycle, he grinned from ear to ear. He waved his arms and walked toward his new ride. “I see a difference in him already,” said his mom, Ellie Voyvodich-Bayala of Shaler. “He loves this bike.”...
‘A life well lived’: Noted hairstylist Arnold Zegarelli dies at 89
Dressed impeccably in a fitted suit, a crisp, clean shirt, tie and sharp dress shoes, Arnold Zegarelli created a presence in the salon. And as one of the best-known hairstylists in Pittsburgh and beyond, he stood the test of time in the beauty industry. The nationally recognized stylist died Saturday...
Sewickley Hunt Club’s Derby Party raises money for the Sewickley Hounds Foundation
The Sewickley Hunt Derby Party on May 2 welcomed 144 people — most wearing fashionable hats — at The BarN in Sewickley Heights. Co-hosted by Bill and Jodie Welge and the Sewickley Hunt Club, guests dined on appetizers and desserts and toasted the evening with, of course, mint juleps. The...
Sewickley Valley Chamber launching ‘Thursday Night Live’ series
As a way to provide more time to shop and visit Sewickley, some businesses are staying open later each week on Thursdays beginning May 7. Termed “Thursday Night Live” by the Sewickley Valley Chamber of Commerce, the concept will give people who may not be able to stop during the...
Quaker Valley School District holds spring business roundtable
Quaker Valley School District created an initiative called Portrait of a Learner last fall as a way to continue to evolve and engage with students, teachers, staff and the community. Details of that initiative and other school projects were discussed at a spring business roundtable on April 22 at the...
Silo turned into an Airbnb stop on the Sewickley House Tour
Jennifer DeSalvo wanted to create a space that was unique and that also honored the history of the former farm she owns. So, she purchased a silo. “One of my favorite parts of the property is the woods surrounding it,” DeSalvo said. “The silo becomes one with its surroundings.” The...
Sewickley art exhibitions support Youth Arts Possibilities program
First National Bank Exhibition Hall in Sewickley is hosting exhibitions to raise money for arts programs for children in underserved communities. Ron Donoughe captures Western Pennsylvania on a canvas. The Lawrenceville artist has painted images all over town, many done in an outdoor setting. His work is being featured at...
Get in the spotlight: Studio 77 Media in Marshall offers variety of multimedia recording services
The red carpet was rolled out for the grand opening of Studio 77 Media. Guests were given tours of the state-of-the-art space, which encompasses a green screen room, a podcast room and a broadcasting room. The studio offers a range of multimedia recording services in Marshall. “Our mission is to...
The Future of Pittsburgh Ball ready to shine on New Year’s Eve
The nearly 1,000-pound Future of Pittsburgh Ball was tested Tuesday and is ready to rise on New Year’s. Mounted on an 80-foot-tall pole atop Penn Avenue Place in Downtown Pittsburgh, the illuminated sphere will rise Wednesday night as the city rings in the new year during the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s...
Western Pennsylvania restaurant openings and closings in 2025
Many restaurants and other food and beverage establishments came onto the culinary scene in Western Pennsylvania in 2025, while others had to close their doors for good. Here are the notable food scene openings and closings in 2025. _______________________________________ Hi, We’re Open 1930 by Atria’s This well-known establishment in Mt....
Former TribLive journalist publishes 2nd fiction thriller
When crime reporter Rita Locke discovers a prominent funeral director who was murdered is accused of burying empty coffins, she decides to dig a little deeper. Even if that includes putting her life in danger. That’s always been her modus operandi — her way of approaching a newspaper story —...
‘The curse’ of the Terrible Towel is real
For Steelers Nation, there is magic to the Terrible Towel. So when other teams disrespect or mistreat the beloved towel, sometimes bad things happen. Those consequences are often referred to as “the curse of the Terrible Towel.” “You can’t disgrace the Terrible Towel,” said U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran and four-time...
Iconic Terrible Towel has been waving for 50 yearsVideo
The Terrible Towel has lasted so long — half a century — that you might think it was made of steel. There are few places, if any, where a simple piece of cloth has carried such weight. The gold towel first unfurled at Three Rivers Stadium on Dec. 27, 1975,...
Duck-themed Elf on the Shelf brings holiday cheer to South Park Elementary Center
South Park Elementary Center has two real-life Elves on the Shelf — and unlike the popular holiday toy, these elves don’t stay put. On Friday, Principal Kelli Dellarose and assistant principal Katelyn Vogel dressed in the familiar red-and-white outfits, taking on the role of the mischievous elves who traditionally watch...
Demeatria Boccella recognized by Mayor Ed Gainey for dedication to Black arts
Demeatria Boccella sees the beauty in everyone and everything. The Shadyside resident has built groundbreaking platforms that celebrate the cultural contributions of the African Diaspora and continues to broaden global understanding of Black arts, fashion and beauty. She founded FashionAFRICANA, a program that attracts global talent, designers and leaders to...
Yinzer Dogs opens brick-and-mortar location in Cranberry
The Yinzer Dog has a house n’at. The Original Yinzer Dogs food truck — inspired by the Original Hot Dog Shop, a popular Oakland spot from 1960 to 2020 — opened a brick-and-mortar location this past weekend in Cranberry. The location “is great because it is close to the UPMC...
Upper St. Clair High School senior class has 16 sets of twins
One might do a double-take looking at the list of seniors at Upper St. Clair High School. There are 16 sets of twins in the 2026 graduating class — roughly one in every 10 members of the 299 students is a twin. Thursday is doubly special as it is National...
For more than 4 decades, Thomas Jewelers has given shine to Sewickley
Justin Thomas spent time at his father’s jewelry store as a 12-year-old, where he learned how to change watch batteries, taking in all the information about the inner workings of these timepieces. His expertise has expanded past making a watch tick again as he helps fashion precious metals into beautiful...
Aleppo man shares memories of the race track he helped build
At 87, Earl Seiler returned to the track he helped build and took one last lap — this time on foot, hand-in-hand with his daughter. The Aleppo resident and his daughter, Nancy Patterson of Edgeworth, walked from the starting line to the finish at Pittsburgh International Race Complex at the...
‘Sports360,’ 1st major exhibition at the Kamin Science Center, set to open
An exhibition that immerses visitors in the science of athletic performance is about to debut. Details of the “Sports360” exhibit were announced Thursday at a pep rally at the Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin Science Center on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. The exhibit officially opens Saturday with a family-friendly tailgate....

