Editor's Picks category, Page 370
Final goodbye: Recalling influential people who died in 2020
In a year defined by a devastating pandemic, the world lost iconic defenders of civil rights, great athletes and entertainers who helped define their genres. Many of their names hold a prominent place in the collective consciousness — RBG, Kobe, Maradona, Eddie Van Halen, Little Richard, Sean Connery, Alex Trebek,...
Feds award $10M to stabilize Pittsburgh’s Mt. Washington
Pittsburgh officials have spent a lot of time and money repairing landslides on Mt. Washington, which attracts millions of visitors annually for its dazzling view of Downtown. On Monday, city officials announced they have received nearly $10 million in federal grant money to make repairs and drainage upgrades to fix...
‘Baking With Lucy’ goes on, as daughter continues late mom’s online cooking show
Mary Ellen Raneri hasn’t taken much time to mourn her mother’s passing. She’s been too busy baking. Her mother, 98-year-old Lucy Pollock, who went viral this year with her “Baking With Lucy” Facebook videos, died Nov. 22 from complications of covid-19. The Latrobe resident said she feels like she owes...
The best streaming holiday music stations this season
You can’t have the holidays without the music. And these days, streaming seems to be the way to get in the festive spirit. But with so many services out there, how’s an eager ear to choose? And which one has the best holiday channels and playlists? Let’s take a look....
Where to find cut-your-own Christmas tree options around the Pittsburgh region
Still looking to cut down your own tree this Christmas? This interactive map shows some of the places in the Pittsburgh region growing real trees you can select and cut your own fresh evergreen. Those on the hunt for a tree are advised to call first or check the location’s...
Lower Burrell family keeps Italian nativity scene tradition alive, new pieces added yearlyVideo
An Italian Christmas tradition encompassing a couple generations continues in a Lower Burrell household. For at least six weeks out of the year, retired cabinet maker Pat Pesce shows off the family’s presepe, or nativity scene. It has grown from a small manger set that could fit on a coffee...
Audubon Society’s Christmas bird count still on, but things will be different this yearVideo
The National Audubon Society’s 121st annual Christmas Bird Count is set, with social distancing restrictions, in the region for Dec. 26. The longest-running volunteer census of the birds, the survey pinpoints trends in bird populations used by scientists and policymakers. Regionally, there are “count circles,” a series of count areas...
Gene-editing treatment shows promise for sickle cell disease
Scientists are seeing promising early results from the first studies testing gene editing for painful, inherited blood disorders that plague millions worldwide, especially Black people. Doctors hope the one-time treatment, which involves permanently altering DNA in blood cells with a tool called CRISPR, may treat and possibly cure sickle cell...
‘The Queen’s Gambit’ sparks chess boom in Pittsburgh
When “The Queen’s Gambit” became a smash hit on Netflix, a chess institute in Pittsburgh with a similar name got plenty of online attention — both good and bad. “We’ve been getting so many tags on social media, and specifically Twitter,” said Ashley Lynn Priore, president of The Queen’s Gambit...
As pandemic wears on, more people are food insecure
As the covid-19 crisis continues to worsen, many more people are looking for help putting food on the table. That’s the message Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank president and CEO Lisa Scales gave during a Governing in Crisis virtual discussion this week. Scales told the Trib reservations for drive-up food...
Christmas tree sales going well in Western Pa., but growers see scarcity of trees in futureVideo
John Fazio and family drove all the way from Swissvale to a tree farm east of New Alexandria this week so he and his son, John, could trudge up a hillside, where he got to lie down in 4 inches of snow and wield a bow saw to cut down...
Jupiter and Saturn to form ‘Christmas Star’ in sky this month
Two giant worlds are about to collide. Sort of. Jupiter and Saturn are meeting up this month. It’s something they do every 20 years, only this year the neighboring planets will appear closer to each other on the dome of our sky than at any point since the Middle Ages....
Just released 1970 Bob Dylan album features his sessions with George HarrisonVideo
It was supposed to be the start of the recording sessions for Bob Dylan’s “New Morning” album featuring George Harrison, fresh from the Beatles breakup. On May 1, 1970, Dylan was joined by drummer Russ Kunkel, bassist Charlie Daniels (yes, the later-famous Southern rock fiddler) and guitarist Harrison. The session...
Former Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton volunteer to take coronavirus vaccine on cameraVideo
Former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton have volunteered to get vaccinated for coronavirus on television to promote the safety of the vaccine once the Food and Drug Administration authorizes one. An FDA panel of outside advisers is scheduled to meet Dec. 10 to discuss whether to...
Pittsburgh ranked among top cities for LGBTQ inclusivity
Pittsburgh is among 94 cities across the country and four in Pennsylvania that earned a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2020 index ranking on LGBTQ inclusion. “We have continued to make strides toward being a more inclusive and welcoming city,” Mayor Bill Peduto said in a statement. “We...
In seismic shift, Warner Bros. to stream all 2021 filmsVideo
NEW YORK — In the most seismic shift by a Hollywood studio yet during the pandemic, Warner Bros. Pictures on Thursday announced that all of its 2021 film slate — including a new “Matrix” movie, “Godzilla vs. Kong” and the Lin-Manuel Miranda adaptation “In the Heights” — will stream on...
Kiski Township man loves his train display so much, he custom-built his house to fit itVideo
Russ Fry built a house around his beloved hobby. Fry, 86, of Kiski Township, is a second-generation train display enthusiast. He designed and constructed a new home on his rural property in Armstrong County about 10 years ago. Key to the design was including a large, custom basement and storage...
Study: Which Disney princess has the most expensive jewelry?
When you wish upon a star, hopefully you’ll get jewels as lavish as these. In a new study called “Kingdom of Jewels,” U.K.-based financial advisory company Money.co.uk worked in collaboration with David Allen of Purely Diamonds to conclude how much the jewelry of each Disney princess would cost in real-life...
TV Talk: MeTV turns 10, adds original programs
Break out the birthday candles: Digital subchannel MeTV, the over-the-air equivalent of cable’s TV Land in its heyday, turns 10 on Dec. 15. Digital subchannels came online after the 2009 conversion from analog to digital TV signals, offering local stations the opportunity to broadcast not just one channel but multiple...
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree turns on, with coronavirus rules
NEW YORK — Rockin’ around the Christmas tree looks different for visitors at Rockefeller Center this year, starting with the tree lighting ceremony on Wednesday. What’s normally a chaotic, crowded tourist hotspot during the holiday season was instead a mask-mandated, time-limited, socially distanced locale because of the coronavirus pandemic. The...
WWE’s Pat Patterson dies at 79
WWE legend and Hall of Famer Pat Patterson has died, according to the wrestling company. Patterson was 79. Born Pierre Clermont, he was the first WWE Intercontinental Champion and thought to be the first openly gay wrestling star, which he detailed in his 2016 book, “Accepted: How the First Gay...
TV Talk: Westmoreland County native Joe Kenda’s new series will help launch discovery+ streaming service
Investigation Discovery star Joe Kenda, who hosted “Homicide Hunter” on ID for nine seasons, will be the face and voice of a new series that will be available exclusively on discovery+, a new streaming service Discovery Networks will launch on Jan. 4. Kenda, who grew up in Herminie near Irwin...
London calling: Hempfield band submits video for U.K. New Year’s Day ParadeVideo
The Hempfield Area Marching Band has once again answered the call from across the pond. Last week, band members donned their uniforms and set out to the high school football field where they performed their rendition of “The Horse” by Cliff Nobles & Co. A video of the performance will...
Transportation Department tightens definition of service animals allowed on planes
The days of pets flying with their owners in airplane cabins for free are coming to an end. The Transportation Department issued a final rule Wednesday covering animals on airlines. It decided that only dogs can fly as service animals, and companions that passengers use for emotional support don’t count....
New Kensington shot-and-a-beer bar transformed into foodie havenVideo
Three self-described foodies have created a new dining and drinking experience in New Kensington. Friends and business partners Dante Cicconi, Corey Pistininzi and Sean Watson have opened botL, which Watson describes as “a restaurant with a bar.” The menu features 19 wines and 14 beers. Pistininzi makes a signature Old-Fashioned...
