Megan Swift stories, Page 20
Elon Musk’s PAC halts $1M daily giveaway after DOJ warning
After receiving a warning letter from the U.S. Department of Justice, Elon Musk’s super PAC didn’t announce a $1 million daily winner Wednesday for signing its petition. The letter to America PAC warned that its giveaway in battleground states to swing voters could be illegal, CNN reported, by violating federal...
Bar and restaurant to replace Hambone’s in Lawrenceville
Butler Street Derby will open its doors Friday at the former location of Hambone’s in Lawrenceville. The new bar at 4207 Butler St. will be a nightlife experience, with DJ sets, signature cocktails and food. Dishes includes burgers, wings, sandwiches, tater kegs, fresh salads and burrata toast. The popular bar...
Predicting this year’s trendy Halloween costumes
With Halloween around the corner, time is running out to come up with costume ideas for the festive occasion. There’s still time to scramble, though. From pop stars to superheroes, there are plenty of options for any age. Here’s a list of predicted popular costumes that will take to the...
Zillow to show climate risk data on home listings
If you’re looking to purchase a home, it might be important to consider potential environmental threats. Zillow is adding a climate risk threat score to every home listing on its platform, the Washington Post reported. According to a Zillow survey in 2023, 80% of buyers now consider climate risks when...
Girl Scout membership dues to increase over next 2 years
The price to be an annual member of the Girl Scouts of the USA is going to increase over the next two years, according to news reports. For the next year, membership dues will stay at $25, but it will increase to $45 in 2026 and to $65 in 2027,...
McKees Rocks woman gets $1M from Elon Musk PAC
A McKees Rocks woman received $1 million from billionaire Elon Musk’s political action committee — all for signing a petition. Musk, the founder of Tesla and Space X who’s gone all-in on Republican Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy, has already committed at least $70 million to help the former president. Now,...
Halloween not here yet, but the PPG Plaza Christmas tree is up
Christmas in October? The giant Christmas tree is up and towering over Pittsburgh’s PPG Plaza. For those who were wondering, the 60-foot, 11,939-pound tree is indeed fake. It has 540 pre-lit branches and was installed on Oct. 4 this year, according to Anthony Battistella, marketing manager at JLL property management....
Tree of Life families urge sharing of survivors’ stories at Pittsburgh summit
For Audrey Glickman, a survivor of the Tree of Life attack, sharing her story brings a sense of healing. “We didn’t choose to be shot at,” she said. “Having survived it, we have a reason to do what we’re doing.” Glickman spoke Monday at the Eradicate Hate Global Summit at...
No time to wait! Once-in-a-lifetime comet still visible in Western Pa.
If you look up at the night sky, you might be able to catch a glimpse of a rare, ancient comet — as long as you’re looking in the right spot. The Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comet, which has been visible to the naked eye this week in Western Pennsylvania, will once again...
Aldi to offer cheapest Thanksgiving basket in 5 years
Increased prices can mean increased stress when it comes to planning holiday meals — especially at Thanksgiving. Shoppers at Aldi can expect some relief as they prep for the big feast, according to the discount supermarket chain. Aldi will offer its lowest-priced Thanksgiving basket in five years during this coming...
Purple Tour pumps up music, Pitt students, during early voting at Soldiers & Sailors
Music was bumping outside Pittsburgh’s Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum on Fifth Avenue Wednesday as part of a dance party encouraging people to vote early in the presidential election. Dubbed Party to the Polls, the event was part of a 40-stop nonpartisan Purple Tour across the country encouraging...
Fields or Wilson? Steelers fans weigh in before big game
If Sarita Pearce had her way, Mason Rudolph would still be quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers. “I don’t care what anybody says, I love Mason,” said Pearce, 64, of Lincoln Place. “Anytime they would bring him in, he did well.” She’s not thrilled with the Steelers’ current quarterback situation. “I’m...
Unpasteurized apple cider could cause health risks
Is that apple cider pasteurized? Your health might depend on it. Drinking unpasteurized glasses of apple cider could cause health risks, the Washington Post reported. Though most juice sold in the United States has been pasteurized, unpasteurized apple cider is more common at orchards and farmers markets, which are popular...
New installation to brighten Mellon Square for Light Up Night in Pittsburgh
A new light installation will launch in Pittsburgh’s Mellon Square just in time for the holiday season. Titled “Aurora: Illuminating the Holiday Magic of Mellon Square,” the installation was created by Pittsburgh-based artist Joshua Challen Ice, and it will debut on Nov. 23 for Light Up Night in the city....
Millions of pounds of chicken, turkey recalled in listeria scare
If you have ready-to-eat chicken and turkey products in your fridge, you might want to make sure they aren’t among the products that have been recalled due to possible listeria contamination. Millions of pounds of recalled foods produced by BrucePac, a pre-cooked meat producer out of Oklahoma, were sold at...
Starbucks and ‘Wicked’ collaboration expected to launch next week
Starbucks will launch a “Wicked” drink collaboration on Oct. 22 — to celebrate the upcoming movie release in November. “Wicked” is the musical about two witches, Elphaba and Glinda, who become friends. The Broadway hit has been made into a movie that opens in November. A sequel will follow in...
Bethany Beach firefly could be 1st on endangered species list
The Bethany Beach firefly could be added to the Endangered Species Act list, the Washington Post reported. If the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposal goes through to classify it as threatened, it would be the first time a firefly is added to the list. The Bethany Beach fireflies emerge...
Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium launches 20-year makeover
The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium is renovating its grounds over the next 20 years. “It’s not a secret that a lot of our facilities are over 30 years old and at the end of their life,” said Jeremy Goodman, the zoo’s president and CEO. “What was state of the art...
UPMC names new president, CEO of health plan
Mary Beth L. Jenkins will be UPMC Health Plan’s next president and CEO starting Jan. 1, the health care provider announced Friday. She will also serve as president of UPMC Insurance Services Division and executive vice president of UPMC. “Mary Beth’s forward-thinking work within UPMC’s successful integrated health care delivery...
A Western Pennsylvania native, college student and Florida visitor all brace for Hurricane Milton
Kyle Swan evacuated from the Tampa area Wednesday morning after official notice that his family’s Sarasota, Fla., home would be in the path of impending Hurricane Milton. “It was very worrisome,” he said. “I’ve lived here my whole life, and I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a Category 5 hurricane.”...
Jake’s Shake no more, but Rusty’s ready to pour for Penguins’ home opener
Jake Guentzel is gone, but the shake remains. It’s now being taken over by Penguins winger Bryan Rust. Formerly named Jake’s Shake, the Milkshake Factory favorite was discontinued after Guentzel was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes last March. In a new partnership with the Milkshake Factory, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced...
Wendy’s launches Krabby Patty menu for SpongeBob’s 25th anniversary
“Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?” Many are familiar with the answer: SpongeBob SquarePants. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the animated Nickelodeon show, Wendy’s launched a Krabby Patty Kollab menu in collaboration with Paramount. The menu items include a Krabby Patty Kollab Burger and Pineapple Under the...
Dancing with the Stars: Live! returns to Pittsburgh
The cast members of “Dancing with the Stars” will bring their ballroom moves onto the Benedum Center stage in Pittsburgh once again in February. The Dancing with the Stars: Live! tour will come to the city on Feb. 4, 2025, featuring professional dancers Emma Slater, Alan Bersten, Brandon Armstrong, Britt...
Spirit Halloween stores morph into Spirit Christmas
From ghosts to garland, scary to sparkly. You’re most likely familiar with Spirit Halloween, the pop-up retail chain that sells costumes and decor, sometimes in vacant big store buildings. Shoppers can soon welcome the holidays with Spirit Christmas stores. For the first time this year, some Spirit Halloween stores will...
Spacefaring tree takes root at Pittsburgh’s Riverview Park
A tree grown from a seed that orbited the moon is taking root in Pittsburgh. Allegheny Observatory and Riverview Park were chosen to be the caretakers of a Moon Tree, according to Kerry Handron, special events and outreach coordinator at the observatory. The small sweetgum tree was delivered this summer...
