Editor's Picks category, Page 368
Clouds will likely block view of ‘Christmas Star’ tonight; won’t be visible again until 2080
The planets Jupiter and Saturn will be so close to one another tonight that they will look like a single bright point of light in the sky — a phenomenon that some refer to as the “Christmas Star” or “Star of Bethlehem.” But viewers in the Pittsburgh region and most...
New Kensington couple launches catering business, helping people celebrate ‘any way they can’Video
After years working for others in the restaurant industry, Philip Call says frustration drove him to start his own catering business. Trained in French culinary techniques, Call, 35, of New Kensington says there is a proper and correct way to do things, “and then there’s everything else.” “I’ve always been...
Necromancer Brewing set to open in March in Ross
For Ben Butler, the space just felt right. After months of searching for a site for their new brewery, Butler and his business partner Aaron Easler have signed the lease. Look for a March opening of Necromancer Brewing Co. at 2257 Babcock Blvd. in Ross. “I grew up in Ross,...
‘A way to say thank you:’ Wreaths Across America event held at Penn Township cemeteryVideo
When Sharon Bollenbacher decided to spend her Saturday morning at Jeannette Memorial Park as part of a local initiative for Wreaths Across America, she knew the event would hold extra meaning. Bollenbacher’s 22-year-old daughter, Laura, is scheduled for her first deployment with the Army the day after Christmas, where she...
TV Talk: Peggy Finnegan bids Pittsburgh viewers farewell as she retires from WPXI-TV
Humble to the end, retiring WPXI-TV news anchor Peggy Finnegan twice tried to make Channel 11’s farewell coverage about everyone else. On Friday’s noon newscast, anchor Gordon Loesch tried to celebrate Finnegan but she turned it around and praised his work as an anchor and reporter over his 17 years...
‘Senior Secret Santa’ delivers gifts, cheer to homes of nearly 100 Apollo-Ridge studentsVideo
Apollo-Ridge School District’s Senior Secret Santa didn’t circle the world in a supersonic sleigh, but he covered 220 miles Friday in a four-wheel drive SUV delivering gifts to the district’s 96 high school seniors. Apollo-Ridge High School Principal Dan Consuegra donned the outfit of the jolly old elf to serve...
Winter is here: 5 facts about the season
Monday is the official first day of winter, though a glance out the window will tell you the season is already here. Here are a few winter facts and stats so you can start the season informed: 9 hours, 16 minutes and 58 seconds That is how much daylight to...
Taming the pandemic: Pitt virologists forge ahead with coronavirus vaccineVideo
Millions of doses of the covid-19 vaccine have shipped around the nation, but virologist Sham Nambulli’s work is far from done. He rises daily in his South Fayette home, hops into his Toyota Camry and heads north on I-79 toward the Parkway West. His destination is the University of Pittsburgh’s...
Sewickley artist Claire Hardy’s rose paintings will be in the background of ‘The Bachelor’Video
While drama is always in the forefront of “The Bachelor,” the background should interest Western Pennsylvania viewers when Season 25 of ABC’s romantic reality show starts Jan. 4. First, the season, starring suitor Matt James was filmed at Nemacolin Resort in Fayette County. Second, paintings by Sewickley artist Claire Hardy...
Holiday symbols represent the meanings for the season
They are the universal symbols of the holiday season. Menorahs and dreidels, wreaths and trees, unity cups and bowls of fruit — all integral parts of Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. While each has its own customs and meanings and ways to celebrate, all three share one thing in common: light....
Have a carby Christmas: Mancini’s bakes up a holiday tree
Mancini’s Bakery is taking Christmas carbs to a new level. The popular bakery created an 8-foot-tall Christmas tree crafted from its Italian bread. The holiday display should draw fresh attention, said Nick Mancini Hartner, co-owner of the bakery and the mastermind behind the bread tree. “I’ve always enjoyed playing with...
TV Talk: Powerful, filmed-in-Pittsburgh ‘Ma Rainey’ debuts on NetflixVideo
The latest Netflix adaptation of one of Pittsburgh native August Wilson’s plays, the filmed-in-Pittsburgh “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” stars Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman in a period piece that feels relevant and timely. An almost unrecognizable Davis, jettisoning any semblance of vanity, stars as Ma Rainey, a real...
West Deer coffee, tea shop owner spreading holiday cheer to seniors 1 mug at a timeVideo
Jennifer Urbanek is bringing a mugful of joy to seniors this holiday season. The owner of The Hungry Cupcake coffee and tea shop in West Deer is donating Christmas coffee mugs packed with tea, hot chocolate mix, candy, lip balm, socks and stuffed animal key chains to older residents at...
Snow day! Plum School District closed Thursday due to weather, playing in snow encouraged
Plum School District will be closed Thursday due to Wednesday’s heavy snowfall. A message from Superintendent Brendan Hyland about the snow day was posted on the district’s twitter page and newsfeed. The closure was in large part a result of Wednesday’s snow storms. “Students are directed to close their Chromebooks,...
Alaska health care worker hospitalized after receiving covid-19 vaccine
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A Juneau health care worker was hospitalized and treated for a serious allergic reaction after receiving the covid-19 vaccine Tuesday, hospital and health officials said Wednesday. The worker felt flush and took an antihistamine around 10 minutes after receiving the vaccine Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. She felt...
MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, has given $4.2 billion to charity in 4 months
For many in the U.S. the coronavirus pandemic has brought insurmountable hardship and loss, while others have seen their fortunes soar. CBS News reports that MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos, is among those who have seen a substantial increase in their fortunes. Scott, however, has chosen...
Downtown Greensburg Project sets up virtual tip jar for food service workers
We’ve all heard of ways to help food and beverage industry workers through the second round of pandemic shutdowns: order takeout, buy gift cards and post positive reviews on social media. That’s good as far as it goes, said Downtown Greensburg Project founder Jessica Hickey, but it doesn’t help everyone....
Mariah Carey returns to No. 1 with ‘Christmas’ song
Last Christmas, Mariah Carey had quite a happy holiday by scoring her 19th No. 1 song. This year, she’s back — atop Billboard’s Hot 100 chart at No. 1 — with her 1994 seasonal song “All I Want for Christmas is You.” The song jumps up a position from last...
TV Q&A: Why so few episodes of ‘This is Us’ this season?
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: Why did NBC only broadcast two weeks of “This is Us” and “The Blacklist” and then they are not going to broadcast again until January?...
Where do you fit in line for the coronavirus vaccine?
Health care workers on the frontlines battling the coronavirus are getting the covid-19 vaccine first. So will first responders, teachers, other “essential” workers and adults with covid health risks. But, if you aren’t one of those, where do you fit in line? The New York Times developed a tool in...
Trib Total Media announces $1 million Shop Local Marketing Grant program
It’s the season of giving, and Trib Total Media wants to show its gratitude to locally owned businesses. The Trib announced Monday it will give new matching grants to local small businesses recovering from the covid-19 pandemic and ensuing economic downturn. With the Shop Local Marketing Grant 2021, Trib Total...
412 Food Rescue helping restaurants feed the hungry this winter
It’s an idea that not only helps restaurants deal with another shutdown but also provides food for people in need this winter. Starting Monday, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and 412 Food Rescue joined forces to provide restaurants regular weekly income and bring free meals to people experiencing food insecurity. The program...
Freeport business distances itself from similarly named Brentwood eatery flouting covid rules
A Freeport catering business is distancing itself from a similarly named Brentwood restaurant that is flouting the state’s covid safety regulations. On its Facebook page, Cracked Egg Catering Co. said it has no affiliation with the Crack’d Egg, a diner defying state shutdown orders. “Cracked Egg Catering Co. is a...
Pa. corrections department tells officer with covid symptoms to return to work early
Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — The state Department of Corrections defied federal guidelines and a doctor’s order last week, demanding that an officer who...
Crocs, the kicks you love to hate, are 2020’s cool shoe
In late October, Crocs, the Colorado-based brand known for its lightweight and bulbous clogs, reported its quarterly earnings. It was a stark contrast to other fashion brands hobbled by the ongoing pandemic — think J. Crew and Brooks Brothers, two gentlemen’s clothiers from another era that both filed for bankruptcy...
