Editor's Picks category, Page 173
Taylor Swift, Pink, Ed Sheeran among Pittsburgh’s biggest concerts in 2023
Taylor Swift broke attendance records with two shows this summer at Acrisure Stadium — and that doesn’t even include the tens of thousands of ticket-less fans who partied along outside the stadium. Swift’s pair of mega-shows were the highlight of Pittsburgh’s 2023 concert schedule, which also drew stadium shows from...
State, federal legislators look to keep AM radio a standard, free feature in vehicles
In recent years, some car manufacturers, including Ford, Tesla and Volkswagen, have quietly proposed removing AM radio from some vehicles. Members of the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters think it’s the tip of a subscription-based iceberg and are hoping recent bipartisan federal legislation can stop it in its tracks. “The best...
The secret life of gift cards: Here’s what happens to the billions that go unspent each year
Gift cards make great stocking stuffers — just as long as you don’t stuff them in a drawer and forget about them after the holidays. Americans are expected to spend nearly $30 billion on gift cards this holiday season, according to the National Retail Federation. Restaurant gift cards are the...
How to celebrate New Year’s 2024 in, around Westmoreland County
New Year’s Day falls on a Monday this year, meaning those who stay up late will be ringing in 2024 on a Sunday night. Although that may not be the day of the week that one might associate with revelry, there are more than a few places where you can...
Last-minute appetizers can still be fancy and fun
It’s the holiday season and you have people coming to visit. It’s an impromptu get-together: You need party food, and you need it now. So what can you do when you barely have enough time to get in the kitchen let alone run to the store? It’s time to get...
Options abound for Western Pennsylvanians celebrating a dry holiday
Recovering addict Lisa Hoey of Pittsburgh’s South Side says alcohol was an integral part of her holidays. It was part of nearly every detail — from baking cookies and entertaining, to watching TV specials and wrapping gifts, said Hoey, now sober for more than two decades. An alum of O’Hara...
Holiday tree house: Ligonier Township home decked out with dozens of themed Tannenbaums
Jane Mattern decks out more than 40 Christmas trees, at least one for every day of the holiday season and for every room of her family’s expansive Ligonier Township home. The variously themed trees range from an 18-foot live Fraser fir that stretches toward the living room’s cathedral ceiling to...
Pitcairn police chief surprises Gateway students as The Grinch
Pitcairn Police Chief Scott Farally’s annual undercover assignment is quite a few steps off the beaten path. Each year, Farally can be seen around the borough in December, dressed as everyone’s favorite holiday sour-puss, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. This year, PTO parents at Dr. Cleveland Stewart Jr. Elementary arranged...
West Deer 11-year-old collects gifts for Belair nursing home residents
A West Deer boy is giving back to the community in ways bigger than himself. On Friday, Colton Petrosky, 11, distributed gift bags to more than 70 residents of Belair Healthcare and Rehabilitation in Lower Burrell. Colton, dressed as an elf, made the rounds with Santa Claus. “I just wanted...
Looking for a last-minute gift? Try these local Black-owned businesses
With the holiday season rapidly approaching, knowing just the right gift to give may be tricky. But, there are still three days until Christmas. For anyone who still feels like summer was last week — this one is for you. There is still time to get something unique and with...
Ponche Navideño is a warm Latin American Christmas drinkVideo
Sipping on a warm spicy fruit punch is traditional in Latin American cultures. Ponche Navideño is a marker of the holiday season and a staple to Mexican Christmas festivities. Known as Merry Christmas punch, Dec. 24 is that date it is commonly consumed. “Maybe here in America, punch is for...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Dec. 22-25
We’ve made it to the weekend. It is three days off for some with Christmas Day on Monday. In between those final shopping stops at the mall, local retailer or Peoples Gas Holiday Market, here are some other ways to spend it. Christmas Day at Pitt The annual Christmas Day...
Light ’em up: Synchronized light displays becoming more popular since pandemic
Western Pennsylvania saw its first decent snowfall Dec. 18. But it’s been “snowing” at Dr. Lou DiToppa’s house for a while now. DiToppa of North Huntingdon has been ramping up his Christmas decoration display for a few years. It began with brightly lit snowflakes around his house, front yard and...
Were your holiday deliveries stolen? What to know about porch piracy and what you can do about it
NEW YORK — You found the perfect holiday gift online. You ordered it. A notification arrived on your phone, showing the package had arrived. But when you open your doors, the parcel is nowhere to be found. If this has happened to you, then count yourself among the unlucky group...
Oakmont Council approves Local Remedy Brewing’s conditional-use application
Oakmont residents will see a new addition to the borough’s shopping district in 2024 after council approved Local Remedy Brewing’s conditional use application in a 6-0 vote Dec. 18. Before the vote, a public hearing was held to discuss the conditional use of the proposed site. According to borough Solicitor...
5 things to do in Westmoreland: Dec. 22-24
There are plenty of festive things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend to foster the holiday spirit as Christmas approaches. The Westmoreland Museum of American Art: Cantilever Tours The Westmoreland on North Main Street in Greensburg will continue its series of free tours from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday....
Heinz Ketchup bottle from Acrisure Stadium finds new home at History CenterVideo
The second of two Heinz ketchup bottles removed from Acrisure Stadium last July can now be found at the Senator John Heinz History Center in the Strip District. The 35-foot ketchup bottle stopped traffic on Thursday morning. As it came down the southwest corner at 12th and Smallman Streets, trailing...
TV Talk: Broadcast networks roll out new, returning seriesVideo
Anthony Anderson hosts the Emmy Awards next month (8 p.m. Jan. 15, Fox) and broadcast networks start to premiere new and returning scripted series, so just imagine January is the new September. This weekend, NBC gets into the holiday spirit, gifting viewers a new holiday-themed episode of “Night Court” (8:30...
Jak’s, a traditional Bulgarian bakery, opens in Bloomfield
As a freshman at what is now called the Professional High School of Tourism in his native Bulgaria, Zhelyazko “Jak” Latinov studied the standard math, geography and history. He studied English but it wasn’t a core subject. In addition to his regular classes, he attended a technical school where he...
Christmas tree recycling programs open drop-off sites
Pittsburgh and Allegheny County officials are encouraging residents not to let their live Christmas trees end up in a landfill after the holidays. Both the city and the county launched their annual recycling programs on Tuesday. Pittsburgh’s program allows people to drop off trees at one of 11 drop-off sites...
The poinsettia by any other name? Try ‘cuetlaxochitl’ or ‘Nochebuena’
SANTA FE, N.M. — Like Christmas trees, Santa and reindeer, the poinsettia has long been a ubiquitous symbol of the holiday season in the U.S. and Europe. But now, nearly 200 years after the plant with the bright crimson leaves was introduced north of the Rio Grande, attention is once...
TV Q&A: Is Katelyn Sykes back on the news?
Q: Is Katelyn Sykes back reporting the news? I thought I just saw her reporting for WPXI, Channel 11. — PSU, via email Rob: Sykes, who left WTAE-TV in November 2021 and took a job working in communications for the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Nursing, began working as a...
White elephant gift exchange parties popular with millennials
Millennials are revamping white elephant holiday parties. The tradition stems back to Southeast Asia when the white elephant — considered a sacred animal — was given by a high-ranking person as a gift to someone who displeased them. The gift was given almost as a punishment because the recipient would...
Plum man who died in Parkway East crash remembered for generosity, baking skills
Ronald Richards made “the best lady locks around,” said Sean Hartley, whose family owns the Shop ’n Save on Golden Mile Highway in Plum. “He was making them for Christmas even this week. I saw him on Saturday at the store,” Hartley said. Hartley hired Richards to manage his store’s...
Tay Waltenbaugh, former Community Action leader, had passion for helping people
At 6 feet, 7 inches tall, Tay R. Waltenbaugh was a larger-than-life person who had a passion for helping those in need become self-sufficient. “He did so much for so many people. No one was more committed to helping others in Westmoreland County than Tay,” said county Commissioner Ted Kopas....
