Editor's Picks category, Page 419
Allegheny General Hospital unveils memorial to deceased organ donors
Swallowing tears, Joy Krumenacker faced the packed lobby of Allegheny General Hospital on Pittsburgh’s North Side. “Fifteen months ago, I entered this hospital to spend my very last weekend with my son,” she began. Allegheny General Hospital and the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) unveiled a memorial Wednesday...
Pittsburgh adoptee to compete in Animal Planet’s ‘Puppy Bowl XVI’Video
An adoptee from Animal Friends in Ohio Township has once again reached the pinnacle of puppy professional athletics: a spot on the roster for Animal Planet’s “Puppy Bowl XVI,” which will air at 3 p.m. on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 2. Kenny was one of a litter of puppies transferred...
‘Hope Scarves’ bring joy, optimism to UPMC cancer patientsVideo
In the crowded lobby of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center on Tuesday, Lara MacGregor, founder of Hope Scarves, stepped to the microphone and told a story of friendship. During a trip to a cancer conference in 2009, MacGregor was taking a moment in the lobby of her hotel. She felt overwhelmed...
PETA wants Punxsutawney Phil to retire; Groundhog Club president responds
PETA is suggesting Pennsylvania’s most famous groundhog call it a career. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent a letter to Punxsutawney Groundhog Club president Bill Deeley on Tuesday morning and asked for Punxsutawney Phil to retire “to a reputable sanctuary and start using a cutting-edge animatronic groundhog...
Beating away the day: WCCC uses drum circle to help students handle stressVideo
The sound of drums on Tuesday echoed through the recently renovated Student Achievement Center at Westmoreland County Community College near Youngwood. Students gathered for the monthly drum circle and worked together to beat away the stress of the semester. “It’s meant to help them learn to work together, to collaborate...
Wienermobile pulled over in Wisconsin for traffic infraction
WAUKESHA, Wis. — Oscar Mayer’s iconic Wienermobile got a grilling from a Wisconsin sheriff’s deputy because the driver of the giant hot dog failed to give enough room to another car on the road with emergency lights. The deputy pulled over the Wienermobile and gave the driver a verbal warning...
Judge frees Antonio Brown from house arrestVideo
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A Florida judge freed NFL free agent Antonio Brown from house arrest Tuesday, allowing him to travel freely as he awaits trial on charges that he attacked the driver of a moving truck. Circuit Judge Michael Usan agreed to let Brown travel freely within the United...
Alexa, read me a story: Audio content for kids on the rise
NEW YORK — Melanie Musson in Belgrade, Montana, does a lot of driving with her four girls. Juggling a broad age range, 1 to 9, she’s forever searching for ways to keep them all entertained without relying entirely on video. While she still adores paper and tablet books for her...
Ben Schmitt: Here’s what I found during my Dry January experience
The concept of Dry January left me a bit wary. I generally savor the post-work beer or cocktail after a long day of juggling breaking news, meetings and headlines. But, like a lot of people, I did my fair share of imbibing over the holiday season. So, after waking Dec....
Westmoreland lockup cashing in with online books, movies
Westmoreland County collected more than $161,000 last year from jail inmates who rented movies and books and made phone calls on tablet computers. Warden John Walton said the money from the first year of the program, which allows inmates recreational use of the tablets from the privacy of their cells,...
Fee Waybill talks Tubes, Bowie, and White Punks on DopeVideo
For nearly a half-century, Fee Waybill has been the voice and the face of The Tubes, the San Francisco-based band that made a name for itself in the early days of MTV with hit songs like “Talk to Ya Later” and “She’s a Beauty” — and the memorable videos that...
New clouded leopard cubs at Pittsburgh Zoo get names
The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium has given names to its new clouded leopard cubs. Zoo officials announced Monday that the cubs were named Gale and Lynn. The names were chosen by the daughter of a longtime zoo docent, Gail Noden. “In honor of my mother, who loved the zoo...
China virus outbreak rams global tourism, costing billionsVideo
Tourism from China was already weakening even before a new virus forced much of the country into a standstill. With tens of millions of Chinese ordered to stay put and many others opting to avoid travel as the new coronavirus spreads, tourism around the globe is taking a heavy hit...
Pittsburgh’s Cinderella Ball is a dream evening for 11 debutantesVideo
It’s a night that fairy tales are made of — from the young women dressed in pristine white gowns and elbow-length gloves to the glittering pumpkin and illuminated carriage. And, of course, daughters waltzing with their dads and Cinderella dancing with Prince Charming. On Jan. 25, 11 young women were...
A woman’s touch makes Aspinwall’s business district shine bright
Stroll, sip and shop your way around Aspinwall, a tiny historic borough that’s big on supporting its thriving small business district, which encompasses several blocks on two main avenues: Brilliant and Commercial. Aspinwall Chamber of Commerce President Giuseppe Francioni says the “ ‘Wall” is more than just a neighborhood. “We’re...
Newly accessible records tell story of Holocaust, journey of survivorsVideo
Steven Fenves and his family were swept up from their Yugoslavian home during World War II, when they were split up and forced into ghettos, then German concentration camps. That included Auschwitz, where his grandmother and then his mother died, caught in the Nazi death machine that slaughtered an estimated...
Liberating Dachau concentration camp uncovered horrors, area veteran saysVideo
At age 23 in the spring of 1945, Guy Prestia was in the Army fighting his way across southern Germany when his unit walked into hell on earth — the Nazi death camp at Dachau. “It was terrible. I never saw anything like those camps,” said Prestia, 97, who still...
State House scales back proposed emissions inspection overhaul
The state House scaled back a proposal that would have exempted many Pennsylvania drivers from vehicle emissions inspections — now calling for a study instead of an immediate overhaul. “They essentially gutted and replaced it,” said state Sen. Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee and the driving...
Bark and circumstance: Police dogs, partners graduate in PittsburghVideo
Five newly-trained police dogs had their day at the Pittsburgh Police K9 Training Academy in Highland Park. Shadow, Miky, Chooch, Rico, Baki and their human handlers were celebrated Friday as they graduated from a three-month training program at the academy. They’ll begin working in their home departments soon. As the...
Annual Sports Cards and Collectibles show returns to Westmoreland Mall
More than 40 vendors selling sports cards and other memorabilia have taken over Center Court at Westmoreland Mall for the weekend. The annual event, which has been going on for more than a decade, gives interested parties the opportunity to buy, sell and trade cards, wax products, action figures, gaming...
Cheers! Some bars and restaurants offer late-night happy hours
Happy Hour doesn’t have to be in the 4 to 6 or 5 to 7 p.m. time frame. Some restaurants and bars offer later deals and specials to accommodate guests who prefer to drink and dine later in the evening, especially on weekends. It also brings in business at times...
Outer Banks sea turtles rescued from frigid waters
The cold weather isn’t just a pain for us humans. For some sea turtles, it can mean life or death. More than 100 sea turtles, stunned by frigid waters, washed ashore on the soundside of Hatteras Island, N.C., on Monday and Tuesday. “When the water temperatures drop, they are not...
Steelers’ James Conner announces autobiography ‘Fear is a Choice’
Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner has a book coming out this year. Conner announced his autobiography “Fear is a Choice: Tackling Life’s Challenges with Dignity, Faith, and Determination” on Thursday. The book will be released June 16 via Harper Collins. pic.twitter.com/hlzlMDfX97— James Conner (@JamesConner_) January 23, 2020 According to...
Mr. Peanut is dead — long live Mr. PeanutVideo
Aw, nuts! Mr. Peanut, the mascot of the Planters Peanut Co., is dead. He was 104. The Planters’ mascot died a noble death: Sacrificing himself so that actors Matt Walsh and Wesley Snipes could live on. We’re devastated to confirm that Mr. Peanut is gone. He died doing what he...
In its 29th year, Ligonier Ice Fest offers visitors new additions
Visitors to the Ligonier Ice Fest might be too busy admiring the intricately carved ice sculptures to consider how the crystal-clear ice is made. It’s an intricate process, says Ernie DiMartino, owner of DiMartino Ice Co. in Jeannette, which produces them. “The ice is totally clear. You could read a...
