Editor's Picks category, Page 224
Jaded with education, more Americans are skipping college
JACKSON, Tenn. — When he looked to the future, Grayson Hart always saw a college degree. He was a good student at a good high school. He wanted to be an actor, or maybe a teacher. Growing up, he believed college was the only route to a good job, stability...
TV Talk: Strong sweeps ratings for WTAE-TV; PBS explores ‘Age of Easy Money’Video
The February weekday sweeps ratings for local TV stations have been released. WTAE-TV and KDKA-TV were neck-in-neck with the stations tying in the number of time period wins in household ratings, while WTAE won more news time periods in the key demo of viewers ages 25-54. WPXI-TV ranked third in...
‘Survivor’ theme chosen for latest Mr. GS pageant at Greensburg Salem High
The Greensburg Salem Student Council Association is taking a tip from reality TV for this year’s annual Mr. GS high school pageant. A “Survivor”-themed video will introduce the group of seniors competing for the title in this year’s event, set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 9 in the high school...
Hempfield ‘Seussical’ brings students young and old to the stage
As students at Hempfield Area High School venture into a world of imagination this weekend with “Seussical,” a few Who-sized performers will be among their number. The show, which kicked off Wednesday with its first performance and continues through Saturday, brings together a whopping 65 student actors to illustrate popular...
YouTube star sentenced to prison, ordered to forfeit $30M in large-scale cable piracy caseVideo
PHILADELPHIA — A YouTube star who built a sizable following with slickly produced videos flaunting his fleet of luxury and sports cars, collection of diamond-encrusted bling, and his spacious Swedesboro, N.J., home will be forced to give up nearly all of it after he was sentenced Tuesday to 5 1/2...
The man behind @Super70sSports landed a TV show with Jimmy Kimmel. Here’s how it happened
CHICAGO — Ricky Cobb has tweeted for nearly 3,000 consecutive days. The man behind the hilarious Super 70s Sports Twitter account — which Cobb started in earnest on Jan. 1, 2015 — has posted at least 60,000 times since then. And that’s a conservative estimate considering he frequently tweets 30...
Review: ‘Scream VI’ goes to the big city and strikes outVideo
In “Scream VI,” the psychotic, knife-wielding serial killer known as Ghostface is set loose on the streets of New York City. Yawn. The former terror of the fictional California town of Woodsboro has made the cross-country trip to the City That Never Sleeps, bringing his creepy mask, black cloak and...
National Women’s History Month: Pennsylvania’s 1st female judge appointed in Allegheny County
Debra Todd was recently sworn in as the first woman in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s history to serve as chief justice. March is National Women’s History Month, here’s a look at the history of women in Pennsylvania’s judiciary, starting with their expanded role across the board in 2023. Women make...
Penguins sign 4 Make-A-Wish kids to 1-day contracts
The Pittsburgh Penguins made four transactions Wednesday morning ahead of their practice session at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry. In this case, cap space and corresponding movements to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton were not necessary. To the sound of applause and cameras snapping, general manager Ron Hextall welcomed four youths from Make-A-Wish...
Slap fighting: The next big thing, or unsporting stupidity?
LAS VEGAS — The competitors stand rigidly upright with their hands behind their backs, waiting to absorb a brutal slap to the face. When the open-handed blow is delivered, there’s a sharp report and the reaction can be dramatic. Some fighters barely move, while others stumble backward or fall to...
Exchange students from France, Chile savor Highlands girls basketball playoff run
Camille Gigon and Augustina Gutierrez-Collado became fast friends when they met in August and joined the Highlands girls volleyball team. “I had never played (volleyball) before,” Gigon said. “But it was a great experience for me. I got to learn a new sport, and I got to meet a lot...
Medical tourism: Traveling outside U.S. for care is common
The recent kidnapping of four Americans in Mexico highlights a common practice for many people in the U.S.: traveling to other countries for medical care that either is not available at home or costs a lot less. The four were abducted — leading to the deaths of two — during...
Elon Musk apologizes after mocking laid-off Twitter employee
SAN FRANCISCO — If you’re not told you are fired, are you really fired? At Twitter, probably. And then, sometimes, you get your job back — if you want it. Haraldur Thorleifsson, who until recently was employed at Twitter, logged in to his computer last Sunday to do some work...
As bourbon booms, thirst for rare brands breeds shenanigans
SALEM, Ore. — Buttery, smooth, oaky. These are characteristics of the best bourbons, and a growing cult of aficionados is willing to pay an astonishing amount of money for these increasingly scarce premium American spirits — and even bend or break laws. Premium spirits have always been expensive and sought-after....
TV Q&A: Where has WPXI’s Gabriella DeLuca been?
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. Question: Where has WPXI-TV reporter Gabriella DeLuca been lately? — Mike, via email Rob: DeLuca is on maternity leave. She posted on Twitter about giving birth...
What to do if you’re concerned you might be laid off
NEW YORK — The job market in the U.S. remains strong overall, but recent high-profile layoffs at technology and media companies and predictions of a recession later this year may have you thinking about job security. If you’re worried you could be laid off — or if you’ve lost your...
Taylor Swift, Pink to be honored at 2023 iHeartRadio Awards
NEW YORK — Taylor Swift will receive the 2023 iHeartRadio Innovator Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards later this month, which will feature performances by Kelly Clarkson, Keith Urban, Pat Benatar, Muni Long, Cody Johnson, Coldplay and Pink, who is this year’s Icon Award recipient. The Innovator Award is presented...
Hershey debuts plant-based Reese’s Cups, chocolate bars
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are getting the vegan treatment. The Hershey Co. said Tuesday that Reese’s Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups, which go on sale this month, will be its first vegan chocolates sold nationally. A second plant-based offering, Hershey’s Plant Based Extra Creamy with Almonds and Sea Salt, will...
Toblerone drops iconic design due to rules on ‘Swissness’
GENEVA — The makers of Toblerone are stripping images of Switzerland’s famed Matterhorn and the Swiss flag from the packaging of the milk-chocolate treat as they move some production to Slovakia. Mondelez International of Deerfield, Ill., which owns the Swiss-born brand, said Monday that it’s in the process of adapting...
‘Dilbert,’ Scott Adams draw ire from fellow cartoonists
NEW YORK — Cartoonists are pushing back against racist remarks made by “Dilbert” creator Scott Adams, with one artist even using his own strip this week to lampoon the disgraced cartoon now dropped by newspapers nationwide. Darrin Bell is transforming his strip “Candorville” — which usually features young Black and...
Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa tour coming to Pittsburgh area
Two rappers with Pittsburgh connections are bringing their tour to the area this summer. Wiz Khalifa, who was grew up in Pittsburgh, and Snoop Dogg, a self-professed member of Steeler Nation, will visit the Pavilion at Star Lake on July 18 as part of the High School Reunion Tour. Also...
Pittsburgh Pop podcast: Talking KDKA’s new afternoon talk show, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, ‘Mandalorian, ‘Survivor,’ ‘Succession’Video
In this episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including that KDKA-TV will launch a new afternoon talk show, “Talk Pittsburgh.” Think of it as a “Pittsburgh Today Live” spin-off. In the podcast, Owen...
Toy maker Funko dumps $30M in dolls to cut inventory
A toy maker known for its line of big-headed pop culture dolls depicting characters from film, TV and animation is planning to toss out about $30 million worth of the collectables to deal with some of the financial losses it is experiencing. Funko Inc. reported last week that it suffered...
Hoda Kotb returns to ‘Today’ show after family health issue
NEW YORK — Hoda Kotb returned to NBC’s “Today” show Monday after spending a few weeks tending to her 3-year-old daughter, Hope. “My youngest, Hope, was in the ICU for a few days and in the hospital for a little more than a week,” Hoda said at the top of...
Tap-It Brewery & Grill brings the heat with popular habanero beer
It took Shane and Kari Hissem a couple of tries to get the heat index just right when they started brewing habanero beer at their Tap-It Brewery & Grill, near the Mt. Pleasant Township village of Norvelt. “How much bite depends on how much habanero oil goes in,” Shane Hissem...
