Editor's Picks category, Page 399
Western Pa.’s libraries see e-books, audiobooks become more popular during pandemic
With libraries in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties closed since mid-March to stem the spread of the coronavirus, more patrons are using the electronic resources — books, audiobooks, movies and music, a trend that likely will continue when they reopen, library officials and library directors say. “There has been a significant...
Joe Rogan inks exclusive multi-year podcast deal with SpotifyVideo
Spotify gave Joe Rogan 100 million reasons to make a move. Rogan, owner of the world’s top podcast, announced an exclusive deal Tuesday with the Swedish streaming behemoth worth $100 million, the Wall Street Journal reported. Joe Rogan announces exclusive Spotify deal and Spotify adds 1.7 billion in market cap...
In the market for a spaceship or jungle? Quirky Plum home for saleVideo
Strange noises are the first thing you notice when walking into Epoc I, the name of a Plum house that has been getting a lot of attention as of late. Not just regular noises, like a creaking door or the shuffling of feet or the pleasantries exchanged between host and...
Religious freedom bill proposed in Pennsylvania as churches navigate reopening
As some churches prepare to open, two Pennsylvania lawmakers want to prevent the state from restricting religious gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic or any future emergency. State Rep. Eric Nelson, R-Westmoreland, said religious leaders have been confused about whether churches are affected by state-mandated coronavirus shutdowns. “Our religious community is...
‘Community’ cast reunites for charity table readVideo
The cast of “Community” always talked about six seasons and a movie. Well, that movie hasn’t happened yet (but it’s closer to reality now), but the Greendale gang did get back together for a charity table read. Actress Gillian Jacobs, who was raised in Mt. Lebanon, was among the community...
Gov. Wolf voices ‘general concern’ over Ben Roethlisberger’s trip to barbershop
Ben Roethlisberger’s visit to a barbershop wasn’t enough to make Tom Wolf pull his hair out, but Pennsylvania’s governor wasn’t pleased the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback violated the state’s yellow phase reopening after the coronavirus shutdown. During his daily press briefing Tuesday, Gov. Wolf criticized Roethlisberger’s decision to get a haircut...
During shutdown, new U.S. citizens celebrate alone
Four new U.S. citizens were welcomed Tuesday morning in a large, mostly empty room on the sixth floor of a building in Wilkins Township. The newly minted citizens all wore face masks. They sat in chairs spaced six feet apart. There were no friends. There were no families. After taking...
Who’s the baby daddy? Love triangle drama at Pitt peregrine falcon nest
With two male suitors for one female, and two eggs to tend, uncertainties abound at the top of the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning, the region’s most popular nesting site for the peregrine falcon. The drama of peregrine falcon couples in Oakland, Downtown Pittsburgh, Tarentum and elsewhere is closely...
Company’s bumper tables help social distancing at restaurantsVideo
OCEAN CITY, Md. — A company in Baltimore has created bumper tables designed to allow people to practice social distancing while eating and talking in outdoor settings amid the coronavirus pandemic. The inflated tube tables created by Revolution Event Design & Production were debuted at Fish Tales, a restaurant in...
Chuck E. Cheese selling its pizza under different name on food delivery sites
Have you ever ordered from Pasqually’s Pizza and Wings from a food delivery service? Well, it’s not actually a new pizza shop. It’s — wait for it — Chuck E. Cheese. If you search for Pasqually’s Pittsburgh on GrubHub, it pulls up a location with an address of 20 McIntyre Square...
Ken Osmond, Eddie Haskell on ‘Leave It to Beaver,’ dies
LOS ANGELES — Ken Osmond, who played the two-faced teenage scoundrel Eddie Haskell on TV’s “Leave It to Beaver,” died Monday, his family said. Osmond died in Los Angeles at age 76. No indication of the cause was given. “He was an incredibly kind and wonderful father,” son Eric Osmond...
Kecksburg’s UFO Festival shelved, but firefighters hope ‘Old-Fashioned Day’ is a hit
Summer celebration cancellations have now gone intergalactic, with the annual Kecksburg UFO Festival becoming the latest to shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic. “There was a lot of discussion about it, but there is too much uncertainty right now regarding what is going to be allowed come the end...
Heading back to the office? Prepare your dog for separation anxiety
While your cat might have resented your recent work-from-home schedule, chances are your dog loved it. Dogs love having their owners around. While science disputes the notion that dogs are true pack animals, no one denies that most dogs are pretty sociable. More time at home for you means more...
West Deer woman to appear on ‘The Price Is Right’
Mary Kay Giarrusso is hard of hearing, so she didn’t know at first that she should come on down. But her husband, and everyone around her in the studio audience, recognized the signature call. “When I heard, ‘Mary Kay Giarrusso, come on down. You are the next contestant on ‘The...
‘This Is Us’ stars Mandy Moore, Justin Hartley co-host Red Nose specialVideo
Mandy Moore and Justin Hartley, stars of the Pittsburgh-set TV show “This Is Us,” will co-host NBC’s Red Nose Day special to raise money and awareness for children in need. The network’s sixth annual event, airing 9-11 p.m. Thursday, will include musical performances, sketches and short films that illustrate how...
Social distancing costs mount for fire companies forced to cancel fundraisers
Gun bashes that can bring in thousands of dollars for fire departments aren’t allowed. Neither are purse bashes, cash bashes, drag queen bingos, burger sales or any of other typically crowded fundraisers that are the lifeblood of local fire departments, which struggle with finances even in good times. Throw in...
Editorial: Local leaders should be better than Congress
Vandergrift Council’s recent Zoom meeting might be the perfect example of the relationship between some government officials amid the coronavirus pandemic response. It had everything. Important things that needed to be done. Action to be taken to stay in compliance with a higher authority. A dictate that was really pointless...
University students recreate campuses in Minecraft to host graduationsVideo
The notion of a video game enthusiast as a sweaty, jobless loser alone in his mother’s basement goes back as far as video games, themselves. Not only do gamers come in all shapes, sizes, ages, genders and income brackets, but the concept of players as antisocial is equally outmoded. Many...
Married music teachers use old-school rendition to show they miss studentsVideo
Time away from the classroom isn’t just affecting students. Teachers are feeling the impact as well. Two music teachers, who are a married couple, have found a creative way to cope with withdrawal from their pupils. Joe Wilson is music department chair and marching band moderator at Central Catholic High...
Pittsburgh hospital flyover to salute those on front line of covid-19 pandemic
The Pennsylvania Air National Guard is planning a flyover of several Pittsburgh-area hospitals Tuesday afternoon in honor of covid-19 front-line responders. Two aircraft, piloted by airmen from the 171st Air Refueling Wing at Pittsburgh International Airport and the 193rd Special Operations Wing at Middletown, are slated to appear in formation...
Parade honors Richland World War II veteran who turns 100 on Armed Forces DayVideo
It’s fitting that Bryce Billetdeaux turned 100 on Armed Forces Day. It’s also fitting there was a parade to celebrate the milestone. The World War II U.S. Navy veteran was honored Saturday. With covid-19 restrictions in place, cars lined up at the Richland Township Municipal Building on Dickey Road and...
U.S. layoffs surged to record high of 11.4 million in March
WASHINGTON — U.S. layoffs soared in March to a record 11.4 million after state and local governments closed restaurants, bars, movie theaters and other nonessential businesses in response to the intensifying viral outbreak. The Labor Department also said Friday that job openings plunged, and hiring fell, though those changes weren’t...
Coronavirus pandemic causes shift in environmental, sustainability efforts
With its economic and health impacts unmistakable, the coronavirus pandemic is revealing environmental tradeoffs as it lingers on. From a spike in hand-sanitizing wipes to paper towels to personal protective equipment (PPE), sustainability has been moved to the back burner. “In the middle of a global health pandemic, you want...
Leaders warn that coronavirus in care facilities presents wide-reaching public health concern
As coronavirus cases in nursing and personal care homes continue to rise, a growing chorus is calling for those numbers to be recorded separately from the overall number of cases and deaths. Those cries are getting particularly loud in Pennsylvania, where one of the metrics for easing pandemic-related restrictions focuses...
CDC alerts doctors to covid-19 linked condition in childrenVideo
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning doctors about a serious rare inflammatory condition in children linked with the coronavirus. In an alert issued Thursday, the CDC called the condition multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. The agency’s case definition includes current or recent covid-19 infection or exposure...
