Pittsburgh Regional Transit closes Oakland bus lane after 45 years
After nearly a half-century in operation, buses will no longer look like they’re going in the wrong direction on Fifth Avenue in Oakland starting next week. On Sunday, Pittsburgh Regional Transit will close the outbound bus lane on Fifth Avenue — which has been flowing against traffic in the heart...
Pittsburgh City Paper closes
Pittsburgh City Paper is closing after 34 years of operation. Employees at the alt-weekly Pittsburgh City Paper publication posted on social media that the news outlet was closing. Colin Williams, news editor at the City Paper, posted on Linkedin on Wednesday saying “It’s the end of an era — ownership...
Brandy Melville’s Shadyside opening rekindles debate over size exclusivity
Emily Anderson remembers feelings of shame and self-consciousness in what she refers to as the “universal experience growing up fat or plus size” while trying to shop at size-exclusive clothing stores. “As a teenager I didn’t feel like I belonged in clothing stores,” said Anderson, a yoga therapist for All...
What to look for in 2026 in Western Pennsylvania
Big things are on the horizon in Western Pennsylvania in 2026. With 2025 wrapping up, here is a look at 10 major things set to shape the region in 2026. Pittsburgh to host the 2026 NFL Draft In April, Downtown Pittsburgh will be the nexus of what is expected to...
Fort Pitt Museum shut down for new historical display
The Fort Pitt Museum – part of the Senator John Heinz History Center’s family of museums – will temporarily close for the next two months while the museum sets up a new exhibit ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft and the United States Semiquincentennial (250th anniversary). Fort Pitt Museum Assistant...
Death of teen struck by car in West Mifflin ruled accidental
The death of a 13-year-old boy struck by a car in West Mifflin over the weekend has been ruled an accident, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said Monday. Terrel “TJ” Byars Jr. was struck Saturday evening in front of a Speedway convenience store at 4315 Kennywood Blvd. He died...
Water main break temporarily closes Pittsburgh Zoo
A water main break has disrupted several events at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. The zoo shut down for repairs Monday around 12:30 p.m., according to its website. That forced the closure of Wild Illuminations, its annual holiday lantern experience, according to Michael Schroeder, a zoo spokesman. Wild Illuminations, which...
Study of water contamination from road salt flags problems in Washington County
Rock salt, or sodium chloride, is widely used to prevent ice and reduce winter driving accidents, but scientists warn that its excessive application is causing environmental damage and contaminating drinking water in parts of Southwestern Pennsylvania. A study conducted by the Stroud Water Research Center, a Chester County nonprofit, revealed...
Shapiro designates $5M to state-funded research to tackle neuro diseases
Gov. Josh Shapiro chose the University of Pittsburgh as the backdrop Friday to unveil a new $5 million research grant in the state’s 2025-26 budget — a nod to Pitt’s prominent role in neurodegenerative disease research. Scientists based in Pitt’s Biomedical Science Tower in Oakland walked Shapiro and state Health...
Coffee and music collide at new Squirrel Hill spot
Lattes streamed and tunes spun on vinyl at Squirrel Hill’s new music themed coffee shop this week. Pre Amp Coffee Studio opened on Nov. 11 – just before Thanksgiving. Since then, co-owner Danny Ryan said the space has been busy. “Squirrel Hill, particularly, you get a lot of people that...
Historic Park House returns to North Side after closure
North Side’s Park House has opened its doors once again, promising live music from Pittsburgh musicians. On Dec. 5, the Park House opened for the first time in over 4 years, celebrating the anniversary of the repeal of prohibition. “We intend to continue the Park House’s tradition of serving up...
Squirrel Hill’s Murray Avenue Grill closing after nearly 40 years
After 40 years in Squirrel Hill, the Murray Avenue Grill is turning off the lights and serving its final meals. The restaurant announced the closure in a social media post. “It has been our privilege to serve this community and to build lasting relationships with our customers, employees and neighbors.”...
VA disputes memo that says Pittsburgh will slash 10% of its positions
The VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System plans to cut nearly 10% of its positions as part of the agency’s effort to reduce its workforce nationwide, according to a memo. The memo obtained by TribLive shows the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System was allotted 4,551 positions out of about 18,000 allocated to the...
North Braddock faces large property tax loss from U.S. Steel
North Braddock is set to lose a big chunk of its real estate tax revenue. That’s because Allegheny County ruled that the value of U.S. Steel’s land has dropped by 53%. On Tuesday, North Braddock officials were notified by the county that it will not be receiving anticipated real estate...
Death penalty trends show divide between public and officials
When Burgettstown resident Joshua George was charged with the 2022 death of his 6-month-old son, the Washington County District Attorney’s office sought the death penalty. George, 40, was acquitted in October. His case now serves as a cautionary tale. At a news conference online on Tuesday, anti-death penalty advocates and...
Parkway East to experience stoppages for Commercial Street Bridge beams
PennDOT says Parkway East drivers should anticipate intermittent stoppages later this week, when trucks begin delivering beams for the Commercial Street Bridge replacement project. On Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., trucks will deliver beams for the new bridge. The trucks will travel on southbound I-79, eastbound...
Pittsburgh-area natives share their stories of Brown University shooting
Nate Chinman was studying for a math final Saturday when a warning text from a friend just five minutes away in Brown University’s engineering and physics building upended everything: Don’t come by the engineering building. Chinman, a 19-year-old Squirrel Hill native and graduate of Allderdice High School, was one of...
A half-million people could attend the NFL Draft. Where will everyone stay?
Rena Ostlund views the 2026 NFL Draft as a prime opportunity to earn extra income. She’s listed her Oakmont home for rent during what’s expected to be Pittsburgh’s largest tourism event ever. Her asking price: $15,000 for three nights. “I know it is very lucrative to do this,” Ostlund said....
What is dry needling? More about the treatment that led to T.J. Watt’s injury
After Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt needed emergency surgery for a partially collapsed lung following a “dry needling” treatment this week, many sports fans are asking, “What is dry needling, and how could it result in such a serious complication?” The freak injury suffered at the Steelers’ practice facility,...
Verona police warn of gift card scams at Giant Eagle
Gift cards are a fast, convenient go-to for holiday gifting — but local police are warning Pittsburgh shoppers that they could also be a gateway to scams. On Tuesday, the Verona Police Department said it was alerted by the Giant Eagle in the River Town Shopping Center that several customers...
Tenants confront property managers over unsafe living conditions in Pittsburgh, region
LaTonya Smith, 57, said there are days when she gets home from work and just sits in her car to avoid the stress and problems awaiting inside her Pittsburgh apartment. “For like two hours I am like ‘oh I do not want to go into this building. I can barely...
Legal battle over Pittsburgh Zoo elephants continues
A Washington, D.C.–based animal-rights group has filed a lawsuit in Somerset County seeking to secure the liberty of two Pittsburgh Zoo elephants. The elephants were recently moved to an international conservation center in Fairhope, where the suit claims they are being forcibly bred. Wednesday’s lawsuit is the second in a...
Local vendors eye NFL Draft 2026 contract opportunities
After months of education and training, business members of the NFL’s 2026 Source Program got their first opportunity to meet face-to-face with potential buyers in the 2026 NFL Draft. On Tuesday, Pittsburgh vendors gathered at the Community College of Allegheny County Foerster Student Service Center in Pittsburgh’s North Side for...
Cutting-edge Tourette syndrome treatment helps woman reclaim daily life
In the Neurology Department at Allegheny General Hospital’s Hemlock Building, Abigail Bailey’s body folded forward in her chair. Her muscles tightened as if someone had forced the air from her lungs. Her nose burned, her chest hitched and she gripped the chair’s armrests to keep from collapsing. Abigail’s younger sister...
Pittsburgh hosts rally for Riverhounds’ USL Championship title
Flurries, cold temperatures and 13 mph winds couldn’t keep Pittsburgh’s soccer lovers inside, as a boisterous crowd of roughly 100 Pittsburgh Riverhounds fans huddled together Thursday outside the City-County Building in Pittsburgh. The crowd chanted and cheered through clouded breaths to celebrate a USL Championship trophy — nearly 30 years...
