Editor's Picks category, Page 410
April in America is an unforgiving time, and now coronavirus
For a generation, mid-April has delivered some of American life’s most cataclysmic moments — a week when young men have shot up schools, terrorists have blown up fellow humans, members of a religious sect have burned to death in their compound and environmental calamity has sullied the ocean. Now, as...
CMU to launch website tracking covid-19 activity based on Google, Facebook surveys
Carnegie Mellon University is launching a website this week that uses data from Facebook and Google surveys to try to pinpoint covid-19 activity nationwide. Data from the Facebook surveys alone, broken down to a county level, show that Beaver County has the highest percentage of residents with covid-19 symptoms, compared...
Westmoreland County Blind Association making thousands of masks, selling for $3 each
When the Westmoreland County Blind Association announced it had masks for sale for $3 apiece, the response was predictable but still overwhelming, said Executive Director Tim Miller. “When I got in, the phones were ringing nonstop, and they really haven’t stopped since,” he said. As of Monday afternoon, the association...
Masked masses face reality of Gov. Wolf’s order to enter businesses
The masks — in a variety of styles and colors — were plentiful Monday. Only the eyes and hair of customers and employees were visible at the Shop ’n Save store on North Main Street in Greensburg. It was the first full day of a bizarre, government-mandated scene officials hope...
Food Podcast: Breaking down where those in need can find food assistance
In recent weeks, lines in excess of a mile long have formed by people lining up at food distribution points across Western Pennsylvania. In this week’s Food Podcast presented by Clearview Federal Credit Union, Brian Gulish discusses the multiple ways those in need of food assistance can get it. “Most...
Helpers are available to help children deal with coronavirus concerns
One child who attended Frock Child Care Center in Mt. Pleasant thinks they did something wrong and can’t go back to school. Another is worried that their parents can’t afford to send them anymore. As the world grapples with hundreds of thousands of deaths due to the coronavirus, children are...
Photo of protesters at Ohio statehouse compared to zombie movie
A photo of protesters outside the Ohio Statehouse from this week has draw comparisons to a scene from a zombie movie. The photo taken by Joshua A. Bickel of The Columbus Dispatch on Monday shows protesters outside the Ohio Statehouse Atrium where reporters were listening to the state’s coronavirus response...
High schools plan graduation ceremonies through uncertainty of a pandemic
It’s a challenge to stay optimistic, but Lauren Michaels, 18, is doing her best. The Kiski Area High School senior was disappointed when she learned schools would not reopen this academic school year. She doesn’t mind finishing her courses online, but the prospect of missing out on certain year-end rites...
Murrysville man gives back to community amid coronavirus pandemic
Andrew Thompson was overwhelmed when he found a thank-you note posted on the front door of a home he was delivering groceries to. The note, which read “Thank you, Andrew, for delivering,” is one of several the 41-year-old Murrysville resident has received since he started working for Instacart, a grocery...
Governors feel heat to reopen from protesters, president
Stores in Texas can begin selling merchandise with curbside service, and hospitals can resume nonessential surgeries. In Florida, people are returning to beaches and parks. And protesters are clamoring for more. Governors eager to rescue their economies and feeling heat from demonstrators and President Donald Trump are moving to ease...
10 years after BP spill: Oil drilled deeper; rules relaxed
NEW ORLEANS — Ten years after an oil rig explosion killed 11 workers and unleashed an environmental nightmare in the Gulf of Mexico, companies are drilling in deeper and deeper waters, where payoffs can be huge but risks are greater than ever. Industry leaders and government officials say they’re determined...
Letter to the editor: Safer ways to exercise religious freedom
I would like to thank those who choose to exercise their religious freedom by attending services at their church. Thank you for potentially exposing yourselves to covid-19 and possibly passing it on to family, friends, co-workers and others. Thank you for likely extending stay-at-home orders and increasing the number of...
Where to buy liquor legally in Pennsylvania
With state liquor stores open on a limited basis and the Liquor Control Board’s online service working slowly, Pennsylvanians in search of booze have been driving over state lines to shop. It is possible to buy Pennsylvania-made liquor, legally. Below is a list of distilleries operating online that will ship...
Greensburg girl’s quarantine routine couldn’t be any cuter
By now, we’ve all pretty much found our homebound routines. For some, it’s work. For others, it’s school. And still others have become Amazon’s best customer. And then there’s 7-month-old Abigail Smeltzer of Greensburg. Her routine is being adorable. Her parents, Katie and Andrew Smeltzer of Greensburg, captured Abigail recently...
Relief checks are a lifeline for some, a cushion for others
Millions of Americans received government relief checks this week, and more are on the way. For some, the payment gets them to a more comfortable place financially; for others, the money just gets them to next month. Bridget Hughes, a mother of three, received a $2,200 stimulus check this week...
Swissvale’s Triangle Bar makes most of massive sandwich order gone awry
Staff at a popular Swissvale eatery known for its Battleship and Destroyer subs had a sinking feeling Thursday when no one showed up to claim an afternoon order of 300 sandwiches. But, according to Triangle Bar and Grill staff member Rob Bradica, all turned out well. The surplus sandwiches —...
Hospitals looking for more help; lawmakers say Pennsylvania shorted on CARES Act relief
Hospitals across the region that are looking to recover revenue they lost while preparing to meet a surge in covid-19 cases say they need more help and are seeking a more equitable piece of the pie as the federal government rolls out the remaining $70 billion of a $100 billion...
Nurses suspended for refusing covid-19 care without N95 maskVideo
Nurse Mike Gulick was meticulous about not bringing the coronavirus home to his wife and their 2-year-old daughter. He’d stop at a hotel after work just to take a shower. He’d wash his clothes in Lysol disinfectant. They did a tremendous amount of handwashing. But at Providence Saint John’s Health...
Maryland police remind people to wear clothes in publicVideo
Listen, your neighbors don’t want to see your unmentionables. File this under: This shouldn’t need to be said. But police in a Maryland town have found it necessary to remind citizens to not go out nude in public. The Taneytown Police Department shared their message on Facebook. “Please remember to...
At-home workouts: Flatten your tummy as you flatten the curveVideo
“Covid-15” memes abound, referring to the weight we’re afraid we’ll gain without access to gyms, fitness centers and exercise classes. Laps between the couch and the fridge aren’t going to keep you fit while you’re sheltering at home, but there are plenty of ways to flatten your tummy while you’re...
Youngwood boy gets his own personal parade thanks to borough’s volunteer firefighters
On a cold and gray afternoon in Youngwood, one little boy’s birthday turned out to be a heartwarming, bright-blue celebration. On a day normally highlighted with a school celebration and then dinner at Hoss’s, Garrett Hamilton’s seventh birthday was looking to be a little less than thrilling this year, thanks...
Collectible seashells pile up on Outer Banks during coronavirus tourist banVideo
Seashells don’t normally stand a chance on Outer Banks beaches this time of year. The interesting ones get snatched up by families on spring break and end up as keepsakes or in crafts back home. This year, the coronavirus pandemic prompted counties along North Carolina’s coast to close their beaches...
Comcast launches preview of new streaming service
Comcast began offering a preview of the premium tier of NBCUniversal’s new streaming service Peacock to some customers on Wednesday. With most people under stay-at-home restrictions because of the coronavirus pandemic, Comcast said it has seen a 50% increase in on-demand consumption year-over-year. Voice remote searches for free content are...
Pittsburgh muralist Kyle Holbrook dips into film with ‘Art of Life’ on Amazon
Pittsburghers might remember Kyle Holbrook as the artist who, in 2019, created a mural of Pirates great Roberto Clemente on the side of the Clemente Museum in Lawrenceville and another of the late rapper Mac Miller in East Liberty. Holbrook, a Wilkinsburg native who splits his time between Pittsburgh and...
Apple rolls out cheaper iPhone as pandemic curbs spending
NEW YORK — Apple is releasing a new iPhone that will be vastly cheaper than the models it rolled out last fall at a time when the economy was booming and the pandemic had yet to force people to rethink their spending. The second-generation iPhone SE introduced Wednesday will sell...
