Mary Pickels stories, Page 11
5 things to do in Westmoreland this weekend: Sept. 27-29Video
It looks to be a fabulous fall weekend, and early leaf peeping, long hikes in the cooler temperatures and grilling dinner or assembling s’mores around the bonfire might be in order. And, of course, if it’s autumn in Westmoreland County, festivals and outdoor markets are getting ready for their last...
Red Sand public art project represents human traffickingVideo
Volunteers gathered at Excela Frick Hospital in Mt. Pleasant this week for this year’s final local installation of the Red Sand Project. Snipping open small bags, they poured the brightly colored sand into sidewalk cracks outside the hospital’s emergency entrance. The Blackburn Center is sponsoring the public art installation, which...
The Frick Pittsburgh announces new executive director
David Burstin, chair of The Frick Pittsburgh board of trustees, announces Elizabeth E. Barker as the museum’s fourth — and first woman — executive director. Barker’s appointment follows a 9-month national search, Burstin says in a release, following former executive director Robin Nicholson’s departure for a position in Georgia. Barker,...
Seven Springs celebrates fall with Autumnfest weekends
For 35 years, Seven Springs Mountain Resort has been celebrating the season of Jack Frost, pumpkins, hearty fare and Halloween. Autumnfest returns this year for four weekends, beginning on Sept. 28-29 and concluding Oct. 19-20, with food and entertainment centering on the season. The weekends feature more than 80 artisans...
Blackburn Center reschedules final Red Sand project in Mt. PleasantVideo
Because of inclement weather, the Blackburn Center rescheduled its final Red Sand Project event for 5 p.m.Wednesday at Excela Frick Hospital in Mt. Pleasant. The art installation was previously set for Monday, said Karen Evans, the center’s advocacy program manager. Earlier installations were held this month at the Westmoreland County...
Help needed with annual Crick Falls Cleanup effort
A spot popular with ATV-riders and partiers seeking seclusion leads to a mammoth cleanup effort from the Jacobs Creek Watershed Association each year. The association needs both volunteers and operators of off-road vehicles, says Annie Quinn, executive director. “The majority of trash is beer cans,” Quinn says. The association will...
Scottdale Historical Society offers borough fright nights
When darkness falls, even small towns that appear innocent by day can seem intimidating, full of shadows, dark alleyways, deserted streets. Everyone remembers Haddonfield, right? With Halloween approaching and imaginations heightening, the Scottdale Historical Society is planning “scary walking tours” in the borough. The tours are set for 8 p.m....
Peebles stores closing, reopening as Gordmans in 2020
Another store is planning to close in the Countryside Plaza in East Huntingdon. Signs advertising “mega closing event” began appearing in the Peebles department store windows not long ago. Unlike grocery store County Market, which closed in August, and Payless shoe store, which left the plaza two years ago, the...
‘The Nanny’ explores deadly mystery in English upper class
Fans of Daphne du Maurier’s “Rebecca,” along with devotees of the “Downton Abbey” series, likely will enjoy English author Gilly Macmillan’s newest novel, “The Nanny.” Inside a rambling mansion outside of London, Lady Virginia Holt, her daughter, Jo, and Jo’s young daughter, Ruby, share an uneasy existence. Thirty years ago,...
‘Designing chefs’ heat up fundraising competition in North HuntingdonVideo
Minutes after being introduced to each other on Sept. 19, four area restaurant chefs and their sous chefs are slicing and dicing, stirring and breading, putting on a cooking show/fundraising competition at The Kitchen by Vangura in North Huntingdon . While colleagues, friends and family cheer them on, the teams...
Carnegie Library, CMU help Book Fairies in fight against banned books
As part of Banned Books Week, Sept. 22-28, Carnegie Mellon University’s English department is partnering with the ACLU and the Book Fairies of Pennsylvania to shed light on the topic of book banning. The Book Fairies share the joy of reading by leaving their books in public places to be...
Ligonier Country Market features music, art demonstration
Ligonier Country Market will offer several special features during its 8 a.m. to noon Sept. 21 event. Music will be provided by The Cash Out Show, a trio paying tribute to Johnny Cash. A local artist demonstration will give a preview of the same-day Ligonier Art Walk, held in town...
5 things to do in Westmoreland this weekend: Sept. 20-22Video
The kids are back in school, vacations are wrapping up, but the autumn fun is just getting started. Festivals and other events are popping up all over the region this weekend, and the good times are rollin’. Get outdoors and grab some grub, listen to some tunes, meet up with...
West Overton takes ‘whiskey road show’ to Bushy Run BattlefieldVideo
Aaron Hollis delivers the bad news first while discussing “Distilling Whiskey” during a program at Bushy Run Battlefield on Sept. 18. “I don’t have any samples,” he says, as the audience jokingly groans. Hollis, manager of learning and guest experience at West Overton Village in East Huntington, spoke as part...
Scottdale, Mt. Pleasant welcome fall with annual festivalsVideo
Autumn heralds festival season for several local communities, and Scottdale and Mt. Pleasant will host their popular versions back-to-back over the next two weekends. The Scottdale Fall Festival, set for Sept. 20-22, offers visitors the opportunity to stroll along its downtown and browse the offerings of vendors featuring a wide...
Lauren Daigle brings tour to PPG Paints ArenaVideo
Two-time Grammy award winner Lauren Daigle is bringing her first headlining arena tour, the “Lauren Daigle World Tour,” to PPG Paints Arena. The 44-city tour kicks off Jan. 18 in Melbourne, Australia, and heads to the United States in February. She lands in Pittsburgh on July 9, 2020. She will...
Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra launches 51st seasonVideo
The Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra, under the artistic direction of Daniel Meyer, will open its 2019-20 season next month, with five Saturday concerts at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg. Season subscriptions and single tickets are now on sale. The WSO also presents its production of the “The Nutcracker,” featuring Greensburg’s Laurel...
Westmoreland Cultural Trust hosts Blues, Brews & BBQ
The Westmoreland Cultural Trust will host “Blues, Brews & BBQ,” a new event pairing smoky flavors and soulful tunes, all washed down with some cool brews. The 6 to 10 p.m. Sept. 20 event will be held in the Trust’s Art in the Alley and the Helman-Ghrist parking lot in...
Jeannette native pays Adele tribute with Palace Theatre showVideo
Growing up in Jeannette, Amy Jo Slater was active in singing and dancing, performing with area community and professional troupes, including Stage Right and Idlewild Park & SoakZone. She returned to Stage Right two years ago to portray the Fairy Godmother in a new version of “Cinderella,” created by the...
With kilts and bagpipes, Ligonier Highland Games returns to Idlewild ParkVideo
The Ligonier Highland Games, a regional celebration of all things Scottish, returns to Idlewild Park and SoakZone with colorful kilts, bleating bagpipes, haggis and more. The 61st annual opportunity to “get your plaid on” will take place Sept. 14 and 15. Last year, the popular event expanded from one day...
Ball caps become wearable works of art for cancer patientsVideo
The trials and tribulations that come with a cancer fight are daunting. A few crafters are doing their part to make it just a bit brighter for those doing battle. Manning work stations inside a meeting room at Excela Square at Latrobe, volunteers select bright, freshly washed silk flowers, attaching...
Author holds Italian cookbook release at DiAnoia’s Eatery
Cookbook author Katie Parla will attend an event at Pittsburgh’s DiAnoia’s Eatery, 2549 Penn Ave., as she releases her newest book, “Food of the Italian South: Recipes for Classic, Disappearing and Lost Dishes.” The cookbook explores the Italian South’s culinary traditions. Guests can meet Parla, enjoy some of her recipes...
UPMC Health Plan signs on as YMCA Turkey Trot sponsorVideo
Lace up your sneakers, put the kids in the stroller and the dog on a leash, set the table early and head to Pittsburgh’s North Shore on Thanksgiving Day. Start training, and sign up now — registration is open — for the YMCA Turkey Trot, set for 7 a.m. to...
Flax scutching demo among Ligonier Country Market highlights
Along with produce, prepared foods and crafts to sample and buy on Sept. 7, Ligonier Country Market will offer several special features between 8 a.m. and noon. Music will be provided this week by folk-rock duo Woods Rising, with Derek Woods and Sara Woods. The two have been playing music...
WSO Cheap ‘N Chic sale has it all, from costume to couture
Shopping for items with designer names attached to them typically means a hefty price tag will be attached as well. Not so for the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra’s fundraising Cheap ‘N Chic event, set for 6-8 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Greensburg Garden and Civic Center, 951 Old Salem Road. “It’s...
