Editor's Picks category, Page 15
Western Pennsylvania teachers get creative with classrooms in learning
Jessica Pilyih rarely sits at her desk. And her students don’t sit at theirs, either. “I am not a desk person,” Pilyih said as she sat at one of the semi-circular round tables inside her fifth-grade classroom at Holiday Park Intermediate School in the Plum Borough School District. “I have...
After 57 years, wounded Vietnam veteran recognized for helping others heal
On a remote mountain in North Vietnam, 19-year-old Andy Nigut’s body lay limp. Terrified and going in and out of consciousness, he was struggling to breathe. The young Marine attempted to scream for help but quickly realized something sharp was lodged in his throat after his battalion was attacked Oct....
Billy Strings delivers bluegrass magic at PPG Paints Arena
Billy Strings and his drum-tight (but drumless) band brought two sets and 25 songs of pure bluegrass magic to the first of two back-to-back PPG Paints Arena shows on Friday night. I’m already jealous of those who have tickets for Saturday night’s sold-out show. The 33-year-old guitar virtuoso may not...
TV Talk: YouTube TV vs. ABC unleashes new wrinkle in retransmission spats, taking out WTAE
Pay TV subscribers are accustomed to losing channels when negotiations go south between station groups and cable or satellite providers. In those instances, TV stations get yanked from the cable lineup until a deal is reached, which can take hours, days, weeks or months. If the dispute is between Disney...
Explore the lore of the McRib, making its fall return at McDonald’sVideo
You love it — or you hate it. Opinions are pretty divided on the McRib sandwich from McDonald’s. Some people love the smoky barbecue taste and have given the sandwich a cult-like following. And speaking of cults, others look at a McRib and see only the Lovecraftian horror of meat...
How to help food banks cope with increasing demand
Amid food banks and local pantries stepping up to fill the gap left by lack of SNAP benefits, here are ways to donate throughout the region. Armstrong County Community Action Food Bank Armstrong County Community Action Food Bank accepts monetary and food donations. Due to the food bank’s affiliation with...
Giant Eagle opens Market District in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty
Giant Eagle cut the ribbon Thursday on its newest Market District store in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood, the seventh location in the city for the upscale grocery store. The store, at 6310 Penn Ave., is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. It offers curbside pick-up and delivery along...
Dancing Gnome reopens original taproom as 925 in Sharpsburg
There’s more room to roam for customers at Dancing Gnome Brewery with the expansion of a new specialty cocktail bar located a block away from the well-established brewery in Sharpsburg. 925 opened on Oct. 17 in the original Dancing Gnome location at 925 Main St., serving Pennsylvania-produced wines, liquors, Dancing...
Strip District penthouse offered at $1.1 million
A luxury penthouse boasting a dramatic glass catwalk that gives a nod to Pittsburgh’s reputation as a “City of Bridges” is on the market for $1.1 million in the Strip District. The North Penthouse is the largest unit in Springfield Lofts. Listing agent Austin Kyle Rusert of Coldwell Banker Realty...
Bill Murray and his Blood Brothers bring old-fashioned good times to the Palace Theatre
On Thursday night, a pumped-up crowd at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg got to see the star of “Ghostbusters,” “Groundhog Day” and “Caddyshack” tear through the vocals of Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone.” Bill Murray has cultivated a decades-long career as an award-winning actor and comedian, cementing himself as...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Nov. 7-9
Before things really gear up for the holiday season, take advantage of this less-busy weekend with tons of happenings around the city. Try these out! Pet Expo Do you have a pet? Do you want a pet? Do you have family or friends with pets? This would be a great...
TV Talk: ‘Breaking Bad’ creator returns to his ‘X-Files’ roots with ‘Pluribus’Video
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. It’s impossible to write much about “Pluribus,” the new Apple TV series from “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan, without giving too much away. Suffice it to say, “Pluribus” is the most original, unexpectedly thought-provoking and...
5 things to do in Westmoreland this weekend: Nov. 7-9
Before we fall into the holiday rush, get out this weekend and experience these great events: Pure Gold Wind the clock back to the good old days with Pure Gold at the Lamp Theatre. This group of talented musicians has kept things fresh with some new personnel and will bring...
Farmers’ Almanac announces last edition after over 200 years of publishing
The iconic and beloved Farmers’ Almanac, a guide to living in harmony with nature’s rhythm that has been published for two centuries, has reached its final season. The Lewiston, Maine-based company that produces the Almanac announced Thursday that the 2026 edition would be its last after it began publishing annually...
More Outback Steakhouses expected to close in Bloomin’ Brands turnaround plan
The parent company of Outback Steakhouse is cooking up a turnaround strategy to improve its restaurants. As part of its turnaround plan, Bloomin’ Brands has closed nearly two dozen U.S. restaurants and has decided to not renew the leases of more than 20 additional U.S. restaurants, the company said in...
Pirates announce details for PiratesFest 2026
PiratesFest will return to a single-day event at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center on Jan. 24, 2026. The fan event will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will include interactive games and attractions for all ages. Pirates players, alumni, coaches, broadcasters and mascots will be in...
Fighting food insecurity the goal of Light Up Night, Pittsburgh’s holiday season
As Pittsburgh prepares to kick off its holiday season, organizers are shining a brighter light on the issue of food insecurity. This year’s Highmark Light Up Night and Peoples Gas Holiday Market will place a special emphasis on supporting the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, which is facing heightened demand...
Journey plans farewell Final Frontier tour, including Pittsburgh show in 2026
It will be the end of an era for Journey. The arena rock icons are saying goodbye, announcing their Final Frontier tour on Thursday. The second show of the tour for the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers will be in Pittsburgh — March 2, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena....
Q&A: The Beths’ Liz Stokes on New Zealand band’s 1st Halloween show, new album and more
The Beths have toured all over the United States for more than seven years, but the New Zealand indie rock band hit a first last Friday — playing a Halloween show here. And singer/guitarist Liz Stokes was feeling the pressure. “When we’re at home, you grab what you have and...
TV Talk: ‘Death by Lightning’ unearths forgotten U.S. presidential assassin historyVideo
One of the more welcome aspects of the streaming era is that it’s opened space for a greater diversity of stories, including forgotten tales from American and world history. While I still await the day some global streamer recounts the tale of how an Austrian archduke and a Belgian princess...
Chicago takes fans back through the decades at UPMC Events Center show
Few rock bands can brag about still touring with original members after nearly six decades, a cavalcade of personnel changes, more than two dozen albums and 20 Top 10 singles. Chicago can. Now in their 58th year, the Windy City band blew through Southwestern Pennsylvania on Wednesday night to deliver...
Starbucks union says it plans to strike on Red Cup Day if contract not reached
Starbucks union members voted Wednesday to approve a strike across the United States on the coffee chain’s popular Red Cup Day next week unless a contract agreement is reached. In a statement, Starbucks Workers United announced the strike would begin next Thursday, the day Starbucks plans to celebrate its annual,...
Whitehall dad’s front yard food pantry goes viral after surprise cash donationVideo
AJ Owen just wanted to help hungry neighbors with a front yard food pantry — he didn’t expect internet fame to show up, too. The Whitehall resident created the pantry to help people in fear of losing support from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). After the 36-year-old single...
‘Predator: Badlands’ sticks its 2 stars together to take the franchise to new places
SAN DIEGO — “Predator: Badlands” belongs to a long-established cinema subgenre: two opposed people reluctantly stuck together with a common purpose. The film, the seventh in the franchise (not counting the “Alien vs. Predator” offshoots), has the buddy comedy energy that comes with that dynamic. It also belongs to the...
Pittsburgh’s Zack Keim on music, Penguins’ collaboration and coming homeVideo
It’s been a busy year for Pittsburgh indie singer-songwriter Zack Keim. The Fox Chapel Area High School graduate, 28, released his second solo album, “Battery Lane,” in February, logged more than 100 shows around the country and completed a 10-concert tour of Spain. “My music’s really big in Spain for...
