Editor's Picks category, Page 161
Review: ‘Company’ is a heartfelt musical comedy in shiny new wrapping
Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Company” may be a classic at this point, but the production in the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh season opened Tuesday night with a fresh take. The show’s original Broadway run began in 1970, with music and lyrics by Sondheim and a book by George...
Oakland is hammock city when sun’s out in Pittsburgh
When Yasmine Zaky noticed the sea of colorful hammocks hanging between trees in front of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, she knew she needed one of her own. “Seeing all these people (while I was) walking past here every day — I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, I definitely need one,’...
TV Q&A: Did SportsNet Pittsburgh move to a more expensive tier on Verizon’s FiOS TV?
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Q: Verizon’s FiOS TV has apparently removed SportsNet Pittsburgh, the MLB Network and perhaps a couple of other channels from its lower-priced packages. (Full disclosure: I...
Upper St. Clair graduate’s cabaret show celebrates friendship with Elizabeth Taylor
In 1981, Ann Talman placed a call from New York City to her hometown Upper St. Clair, announcing: “Dad! I got the Broadway show. And guess what? Guess who’s playing my mother? Elizabeth Taylor!” What followed was 18 months of touring with a cast that also included Maureen Stapleton and...
ABBA, Blondie, Notorious B.I.G. enter National Recording Registry
LOS ANGELES — ABBA, Biggie, Blondie and Rudolph are entering America’s audio canon. New inductees into the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress include ABBA’s 1976 album “Visitors,” The Notorious B.I.G.’s 1994 album “Ready to Die,” Blondie’s 1978 breakthrough “Parallel Lines” and Gene Autry’s 1949 version of “Rudolph...
Sudden Little Thrills Music Festival lineup includes SZA, The Killers, Wiz KhalifaVideo
A new music festival from the organizers of internationally known events like Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo will be rocking Pittsburgh later this year, and they just announced their lineup. Sudden Little Thrills Music Festival will be held on Sept. 7 and 8 at Hazelwood Green. The event will be headlined Saturday...
TV Talk: CBS starts a fire of controversy cutting off Billy Joel, reschedules show
After promoting “Billy Joel: The 100th at Madison Square Garden – The Greatest Arena Run of All Time” for weeks, CBS blundered nationally by cutting off the program mid-“Piano Man” to go to late local newscasts. CBS released a statement saying, “A network programming timing error ended last night’s Billy...
Expiring tax refunds worth $43.4M could belong to Pa. taxpayers — see if you’re eligible
More than $1 billion in unclaimed tax refunds is set to expire in a few weeks, and a good chunk is up for grabs for Pennsylvanians. Roughly 940,000 people across the U.S. are eligible for unclaimed refunds for the 2020 tax year with a median return of $932, the Internal...
Your morning coffee may be hundreds of thousands of years old
That coffee you slurped this morning? It’s 600,000 years old. Using genes from coffee plants around the world, researchers built a family tree for the world’s most popular type of coffee, known to scientists as Coffea arabica and to coffee lovers simply as “arabica.” The researchers, hoping to learn more...
With ‘functional’ beverages, brands rush to quench a thirst for drinks that do more than taste goodVideo
Supermarket beverage aisles are starting to look a lot more like a pharmacy. There are sodas made with mushrooms that supposedly improve mental clarity and juices packed with bacteria that claim to enhance digestive health. Water infused with collagen carries the promise of better skin, and energy drinks offer to...
Only 26% of Americans say they get at least eight hours of sleep, new Gallup poll says
NEW YORK — If you’re feeling — YAWN — sleepy or tired while you read this and wish you could get some more shut-eye, you’re not alone. A majority of Americans say they would feel better if they could have more sleep, according to a new poll. But in the...
The IRS is quicker to answer the phone on this Tax Day
WASHINGTON — On this Tax Day, the IRS is promoting the customer service improvements the agency rolled out since receiving tens of billions in new funding dollars through Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act. From cutting phone wait times to digitizing more documents and improving the “Where’s My Refund” tool to show...
SummerSounds 2024 lineup sees return of crowd-pleasers, showcases new acts
The 2024 Greensburg concert series SummerSounds opens June 7 in its first year under new management. SummerSounds concerts are held Fridays throughout the summer, with main artists taking the Robertshaw Amphitheater stage, supported by pre-show musicians. In March, the SummerSounds volunteer arts organization made its merger with the Greensburg Community...
Building the Valley: Boutique, hair supply store creates opportunities for entrepreneur in beauty industry, beyond
Good Hair Boutique, a hair supply store catering to natural hair products and protective styles, has a glamorous feel with products galore. The West Tarentum beauty supply store is a mecca for all things self-care — it’s a hair supply store, an impromptu salon, a makeup artist studio and a...
‘Rock ‘N Remember Live!’ struck a sweet, nostalgic chord at the Benedum Center
Saturday was a perfect day to enjoy some golden oldies at the Benedum Center, and “Rock ‘N Remember Live!” delivered with a jukebox’s worth of classic artists. “Rock ‘N Remember Live!” presented by Spotlight Productions featured six bands and singers from the ’50s and ’60s in two and a half...
Iconic Pittsburgh restaurant dishes taste great in yinzer kitchens
Some recipes are synonymous with a particular place. Chicago is hot dogs and deep dish pizza. Can you even think about cheesecake and bagels without New York coming to mind? Philadelphia is more than just cheesesteak — think soft pretzels, scrapple and water ice. And then there’s Pittsburgh. Our food...
Skateboard decks painted by Greensburg Salem students on display in advance of auction
At the Greensburg Salem School District, art has wheels. Eighteen hand-painted skateboard decks decorated by high school students are being auctioned off for charity through a collaboration between the district and the Greensburg Business and Professional Association, also known as Shop Greensburg. The boards feature colorful imagery ranging from outdoor...
Pittsburgh’s Girls of Steel preparing for world robotics event in Houston
Ava Miller may be a member of a robotics team, but she’s learning about a lot more than just robotics. Miller, 16, is a sophomore at Plum High School and one of about 40 girls from 17 schools in the Pittsburgh region who are members of the Girls of Steel...
Family of late Chief Justin McIntire buys guitar made in his honor at police fundraiser
A custom guitar honoring fallen Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire fetched $2,000 at auction Saturday to benefit the Harrison Police Department. In a crowd of about 100 people, it didn’t go to just anyone. McIntire’s sister, Tiffany Black, came out on top of a friendly bidding war with her husband,...
High heels in Greensburg help mark continued struggle against gender violence
Krystle Karas isn’t a fan of high heels. “We are fans of comfort,” said Karas, 41, of Delmont, who along with more than 1,000 other men and women walked one mile Saturday morning in downtown Greensburg to send a message of support of victims of gender-based violence. There was both...
It’s almost April 15. Here’s how to reduce stress and get your taxes done
NEW YORK — For many people, tax season isn’t only about gathering W-2 forms or calling an accountant. It can also bring intense feelings of stress or anxiety about dealing with finances. Financial stress during tax season can manifest in different ways, whether that’s procrastinating on your tax return until...
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra fascinates with celebration of George Gershwin
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, as part of their 2023-2024 PNC Pops season, brought a heavy dose of “Fascinatin’ Rhythm” to Heinz Hall on Friday night with their Gershwin celebration. This selection comes in what would be the 125th year of George Gershwin’s life. Gershwin, in some ways the quintessential 20th...
‘It is fitting’: Westmoreland courthouse law library renamed for woman who showed caring, compassion to all
If a defendant unable to afford representation walked into the law library at the Westmoreland County Courthouse looking for help, librarian Betty Ward treated them the same as an attorney with decades of experience. Watching Ward work was on-the-job training, said Pamela Snyder, who served as librarian assistant since 2016....
The Garment District’s Jennifer Baron on physical media, vintage instruments, new releasesVideo
For Jennifer Baron, the multi-instrumentalist behind Pittsburgh band The Garment District, physical media is important. The thousands of albums — from vinyl (45s, 12-inchers and 78s) and eight tracks to cassettes and CDs — spread throughout her home are proof enough, alongside turntables on two different floors. “I would say...
TV Talk: Katherine Amenta out at WPXI-TV
After anchoring this morning’s newscasts, Katherine Amenta is no longer with WPXI-TV. Her contract is up in July and was not renewed, possibly due to budget cuts. Amenta could not be reached for comment; WPXI news director Scott Trabandt did not respond to queries but confirmed her departure in an...
