ICE agents take Brentwood man, leaving family seeking answers
Maklim Gomez Escalante texted his wife at 12:50 p.m. Jan. 20, letting her know he had arrived at the Magisterial District Court in Baldwin to testify as scheduled at 1 p.m. The text was followed by one more: “ICE agents are here.” She didn’t hear from him again that day....
Pittsburgh Marathon announces partnership with Reykjavík Marathon in Iceland
The Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon has announced a partnership with Iceland’s Íslandsbanki Reykjavík Marathon as “sister marathons” In an collaborative Instagram post last week, the marathons said the new partnership is “connecting two iconic cities through the shared passion of running.” View this post on Instagram A post shared...
Turning Point USA announces alternative Super Bowl halftime show, including Gabby Barrett
One of Pittsburgh’s own, the country singer Gabby Barrett, was announced as a performer in Turning Point USA’s “All-American Halftime Show” — a counterpoint to the Super Bowl halftime show Sunday night. The alternative halftime show will compete with Bad Bunny’s performance as part of the game, held at Levi’s...
Can Pittsburgh build it? LEGO skyline needs community votes
A Pittsburgh LEGO set has the potential to be reviewed by designers for production — but it needs 10,000 community votes first. At the beginning of January, creator “Chris74” posted a LEGO model of the Pittsburgh skyline on the LEGO Ideas crowdsourcing platform, which gives regular people the opportunity to...
‘He cared’: Eugene Khorey, 1st principal of Brashear High School, dies
When Brashear High School first opened in 1976 — uniting racially diverse students in the Pittsburgh Public School District — Eugene Khorey was at the helm as its first principal. Just two months short of turning 100 years old, Khorey, of Munhall, who was known as “Gene,” died on Jan....
Ice forces closure of Allegheny River traffic, disrupting Pittsburgh shipping
The Allegheny River in Pittsburgh is shut down to all traffic through March 1. The U.S. Coast Guard made the announcement Thursday afternoon after several inches of ice accumulated in the wake of last weekend’s snowstorm. “I’ve been referring to this as a once-in-a-decade freeze,” said Shane Checkan, navigation chairman...
Giant Eagle again offers free home grocery delivery in wake of snowstorm
Once again, Giant Eagle will offer free home delivery for eligible grocery orders this Thursday through Saturday. The offer comes as Western Pennsylvania residents are restocking their refrigerators and trying to stay warm amid frigid temperatures. Eligible orders must cost at least $35 and be placed through the website or...
There’s a proper way to dig out from the snowstorm: Here’s how to do it
When some Highland Park neighbors noticed their road hadn’t been plowed after the massive weekend snowstorm, a group of residents came to the rescue. All it took was one person’s message to a local text group called “Dude Dads,” which Gary Steinbauer and others residents are in. People began exiting...
Passengers without Real ID soon have to pay fee before flying
Starting Sunday, travelers without a Real ID or Real ID-compliant document such as a passport will be required to pay a $45 fee to verify their identity before passing security at TSA checkpoints. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Transportation Security Administration, is enacting the fee. This move...
Ye, formerly Kanye West, releases public apology for antisemitic behavior via paid ad
Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, issued a public apology Monday for his previous antisemitic behavior — by paying for a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal. Addressed “To Those I’ve Hurt,” the apology was for Ye’s history of “impulsive” behavior, including using antisemitic imagery and describing...
TikTok outage hampers ability to post videos
Some TikTok users continue to report problems posting videos and viewing metrics following a weekend outage. The outage came after TikTok was sold by its Chinese owner, ByteDance, to a group of investors to create a new U.S. TikTok, the New York Times reported. This allowed TikTok to avoid the...
New episode of ‘The Pitt’ honors Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life attack
Along with the latest episode of “The Pitt” on Thursday night came a storyline honoring Pittsburgh’s synagogue shooting victims. The Oct. 27, 2018, shooting killed 11 people across three congregations — Tree of Life, New Light and Dor Hadash. The reference came during “9:00 a.m.,” Episode 3, Season 2 of...
East Liberty becomes stage for anti-ICE protests
Hundreds of anti-immigration enforcement demonstrators protested Friday afternoon in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood — with the intention of speaking with management at the local Target store. “Target says its mission is to help all families discover the joy of everyday life, but families cannot experience joy when they are being...
Giant Eagle offers free home grocery delivery ahead of impending snow
Worried about having enough groceries for this weekend ahead of the impending snowstorm? Well, Giant Eagle said it will offer free home delivery for eligible orders from noon Thursday through Saturday. Eligible orders must cost at least $35 and be placed through the website or mobile app. The orders also...
Francesca’s women’s boutique chain to close all stores
The women’s boutique chain Francesca’s is closing all of its stores for good — including those in Western Pennsylvania. After more than 25 years in business, a representative confirmed to Women’s Wear Daily that it’s “liquidating our inventory and closing soon,” People reported. Francesca’s began liquidating its inventory on Friday,...
Touchless ID coming to Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport is among the airports next on the list to receive TSA PreCheck Touchless ID. The new security option will be available in March at the airport’s main security checkpoint, according to Ian Cava, TSA spokesman. Though there are 12 security lanes overall at Pittsburgh International Airport, it...
Pittsburgh chef, restaurant receive semifinalist nods in James Beard awards
A Pittsburgh area chef and restaurant were honored as semifinalists by the James Beard Foundation for its 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards. The semifinalists were announced Wednesday in the prestigious national awards, which recognize “leaders who collectively embody the breadth of American culinary excellence.” Jamilka Borges, executive chef and co-owner...
Former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya announces Republican Senate bid in Minnesota
A former NFL sideline reporter is making a bid for the U.S. Senate. Michele Tafoya announced Wednesday that she’s running as a Republican for an open Senate seat in Minnesota. She retired from NBC in 2022. A California native, Tafoya joins a fledgling Republican primary field in the race to...
Viral Chinese app ‘Are you dead?’ comes to U.S.
“Are you dead?” That’s the question a viral app has been trying to ask people who are living alone in China. The app is called Sileme in Chinese, which translates to “Are you dead?” in English, and it has surged in downloads online, Reuters reported. It’s “a lightweight safety tool...
Trump birthday card to Epstein statue appears on National Mall
It didn’t take long in 2026 for a new giant statue to appear on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. This time, it’s a replica of a birthday note and crude drawing signed “Donald J. Trump” and a “Donald” signature that was part of a 2003 book of 50th birthday...
Ballerinas flock to Pittsburgh to compete in renowned scholarship competition
Paige Radford stepped onstage Friday at the Pittsburgh Playhouse for her first-ever dance competition — a moment she’s been preparing for since she was 2. Radford, 10, of Marshall, was a contestant in the Youth America Grand Prix semifinals, which began Friday at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. The YAGP is the...
Georgie’s Corner Cafe to close indefinitely Sunday in Shadyside
Georgie’s Corner Bakery & Café announced it will close for good this weekend. The Shadyside coffee shop at 5743 Walnut St. will have its last day of business on Sunday, according to a post on its Instagram account. As of Friday afternoon, though, the account no longer exists. The announcement...
Will Bearista cups return to Starbucks? Here’s the latest
After the “Bearista” cups sold out at Starbucks before the holidays last year, many people have been clamoring for another chance to snag one. The 20-ounce Bearista cold cup, made of glass, was initially sold as part of Starbucks’ holiday merchandise drop for $29.95. Shaped like a bear holding its...
PNC mandates 5-day office work week for all employees
PNC said today that all employees will return to the office five days a week starting May 4. In a memo sent Wednesday morning, Chairman and CEO Bill Demchak said PNC has “always been an in-office company. “It’s not just how we operate — it’s part of our culture,” he...
Cheese recalled in Pa. classified as potentially deadly by FDA
Pecorino romano cheese products sold in 20 states — including Pennsylvania — have been recalled from stores nationwide due to the risk of serious illness or even death. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration updated the status of the recall on Jan. 6 to Class I, meaning there is a...
