Editor's Picks category, Page 413
Jews prep for a pandemic Passover: Smaller but no less vital
Passover and its epic story — how the Jewish people escaped to freedom after plagues struck their oppressors — are uniquely resonant this year, as Jews find ways to honor the holiday amid the outbreak of what feels like a real-life plague. The coronavirus has forced Jewish families to limit...
Pittsburgh pays tribute to 3 fallen officers on 11th anniversary of Stanton Heights ambush
Western Pennsylvania’s law enforcement leaders paid tribute Saturday morning to the three Pittsburgh police officers killed by a gunman during a Stanton Heights ambush 11 years ago. Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto joined Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich at the bureau’s Zone 5 station for a brief ceremony in honor of...
Hunt for medical supplies creates marketplace of desperation
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Shady middlemen, phantom shipments, prices soaring by the hour, goods flown in on a private plane. What sounds like an organized-crime thriller is now the new reality for governors desperately trying to find the medical equipment their states need in the throes of a pandemic. With the...
Western Pa. clergy send signs of hope to their communitiesVideo
As churches refrain from holding gatherings during this time of coronavirus precautions, we asked clergy for messages they would like to send to their parishioners. Revs. Gary and Lisa Lyon of Cross Roads Community Presbyterian Church in Leechburg; Jennifer Marsalese, director of children’s ministry at Cornerstone Ministries Murrysville; and JD...
How to make facemasks from household itemsVideo
Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Rachel Levine on Friday asked all Pennsylvania residents — even those who are healthy or not showing symptoms of the coronavirus — to wear some type of face covering when in public. This could include a bandanna, T-shirt or other masks that are not medical grade....
Famous Pittsburghers ‘Rock’ thanks to city’s medical workersVideo
The Pittsburgh medical community is rocking the effort to address the coronavirus outbreak. And now a number of famous Pittsburghers have taken to YouTube to express their thanks for the work. And to remind everyone to stay home. In a video — “We Will Rock You Pittsburgh – Stay Home....
Westmoreland County treasurer buys historic Greensburg building
Westmoreland County Treasurer Jared Squires has purchased a long-vacant, five-story building in downtown Greensburg, with plans to turn it into a dance studio, office space and apartments. Squires’ company, Line 6 Inc., bought 205 S. Pennsylvania Ave. from the Greensburg Community Development Corp. for $95,000. “I’ve seen this building a...
U.S. sheds 701,000 jobs, ending a record-long hiring streak
WASHINGTON — A record-long streak of U.S. job growth ended suddenly in March after nearly a decade as employers cut 701,000 jobs because of the viral outbreak that’s all but shut down the U.S. economy. The unemployment rate jumped to 4.4% from a 50-year low of 3.5%. The monthly job...
Mexican brewer of Corona beer suspends productionVideo
Looks like we won’t have Corona beer to kick around anymore. For a little while, at least. Grupo Modelo announced Thursday that it is suspending production of its Corona beer and other brands, including Modelo and Pacífico, after it was declared among the nonessential businesses in a Mexican government order...
Animal Friends offers telemedicine for fur babies
Ohio Township’s Animal Friends now offers telemedicine appointments for pet owners who have questions about their pet’s health. “We want struggling pet owners to know they have a place to turn – especially now,” said Dr. Amanda Zetwo, Animal Friends’ Medical Director of Clinic and Community Services, in a news...
High-speed disinfecting process proves invaluable to Western Pa. ambulance crewsVideo
As the coronavirus continues to spread and send many patients to the hospital, ambulance crews are balancing a thorough disinfection process with getting back on the road as quickly as possible. It’s a situation that has led to an uptick in business for cleaning and restoration companies that have a...
UPMC nurse opens up about front-line battle against coronavirusVideo
There is no doubt that Western Pennsylvanians are indebted to the people on the front lines in the fight against covid-19. They include Jonathan Crossett, a nurse clinician who is part of the covid-19 response team at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Oakland. Crossett, a married father of a 4-month-old boy,...
Pirates home opener history includes some memorable momentsVideo
Under normal circumstances, the Pittsburgh Pirates would have played the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday at PNC Park in their 139th home opener. But the game — just like almost every sporting event around the globe over the past three weeks — was postponed (not yet canceled) by the coronavirus pandemic....
PennDOT further extends expirations on licenses, vehicle requirements
Pennsylvanians have until the end of May to renew driver’s licenses, vehicle registrations and inspections that were scheduled to expire between March 16 and April 30. The new May 31 deadline applies to the following, according to PennDOT: • Driver’s licenses, photo identification cards and learner’s permits expiring from March...
Harmar company that makes hemp- and algae-based medicines adds hand sanitizerVideo
Another local company has whipped up a new “craft” hand sanitizer in travel-size bottles to donate to the homeless, local police and others. Thar Process follows others including Wigle Whiskey, which has converted production facilities in the Strip District to produce the much in-demand product during the covid-19 pandemic. Thar...
From ibuprofen to mosquitoes, Pittsburgh doctor addresses coronavirus myths
There are plenty of myths and rumors circulating online about the coronavirus. There are also many unknowns that doctors are trying to figure out. The Tribune-Review posed some questions to Dr. Nitin Bhanot, Allegheny Health Network’s division director of infectious disease. Here are his responses: Question: There’s been speculation that...
Virtual ‘porch concerts’ bring Hampton band students, families togetherVideo
Hampton Township School District organized “porch concerts” across its municipalities Tuesday night, in which band students — along with their families — performed songs of their choosing for neighbors and passersby. Students across the district played a variety of songs — the Star Wars theme song, “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,”...
Carnegie Museum researchers discover new reptile genus, species
The Carnegie Museum of Natural History might be closed to the public right now, but its staff is still busy with research — including the discovery of a reptile from the Late Paleozoic period that had a crucial role in shifting its species’ diet from eating insects to eating plants....
Allegheny County map shows where free food is being distributed
Allegheny County has created a map to assist those who may be seeking free food distributions during the coronavirus pandemic. The map breaks down the distributions into groups, including some that serve only students or only seniors. The map can also be filtered to include specific results. It includes school...
Analyst: Egg prices jump as demand increases during pandemic
The price of an 18-pack of large eggs was $2.59 Monday at the Giant Eagle in the Edgewood Towne Centre. On Sept. 21, 2019, a similar package of eggs from the same store was $1.99. Nationwide, sales of eggs have doubled since January. People are buying more when they shop...
Adapting: Greensburg nursing home staffer helps residents adjust
Editor’s note: Adapting is a regular series spotlighting the ways a global pandemic is changing the everyday lives of people in Western Pennsylvania. Excitement fills the halls of Greensburg Care Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays as bingo numbers are called over the loudspeakers, residents checking their cards while sitting in...
Pittsburgh couple’s virus song goes viral on YouTubeVideo
A Pittsburgh couple used their housebound time to fight back at coronavirus with a parody song. Claire and Mel Vatz based their “We’re All Home Bound” on the Simon & Garfunkel classic “Homeward Bound.” The couple sent the video to about 35 friends and family Sunday night. The YouTube video...
Holocaust Center to host virtual events for Genocide Awareness Month
In a time of social distancing, the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh is promoting a national series of virtual events for the month of April, Genocide Awareness Month. April 1 is the start of #TogetherWeRemember, including 30 days of free, all-digital content and workshops from leaders around the country in the...
Former WYEP ‘Soul Show’ host Stephen Chatman dies of covid-19
Stephen Chatman was a different kind of radio host. His former colleagues at WYEP remember him as easygoing at the microphone — never formal. He spoke to listeners like he was talking with friends, casually and unhurried. “It was that really personal aspect that he brought,” said Michael Canton, WYEP’s...
‘Masks for all’ movement grows while medical officials still recommend targeted use
The debate over who should wear a face mask is continuing as some health experts and lawmakers urge the public to wear a mask when they go out to run an errand or visit a communal space. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends that anyone who is...
