Editor's Picks category, Page 430
Utah woman fights charges after stepkids see her topless at home
SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah woman charged with a crime after her stepchildren saw her topless in her own home is fighting the case that could force her to register as a sex offender, pointing to a court ruling that overturned a topless ban in Colorado and helped fuel...
Glitch in Medicare drug plan finder could cost consumers
WASHINGTON — A glitch in Medicare’s revamped prescription plan finder can steer unwitting seniors to coverage that costs much more than they need to pay, according to people who help with sign-ups as well as program experts. Serving some 60 million Medicare recipients, the plan finder is the most commonly...
It wouldn’t be the holidays in Pittsburgh without sinkhole bus gingerbread housesVideo
This year’s Christmas is filled with visions of … buses in sinkholes. It’s not as festive as the traditional sugarplums, but the infamous sinkhole in Pittsburgh’s Downtown figures prominently in the 2019 Pittsburgh Gingerbread House Competition. The annual competition is displayed this year at the City-County Building in Downtown. This...
Where and when to shop on Black Friday in Western Pa.
Christmas season seems to start earlier and earlier every year, at least according to store displays – need some holly with your Halloween pumpkin? Still, lots of folks don’t get into the spirit until after Thanksgiving. Once the pumpkin pie is eaten, though – watch out. It’s time to go...
Mickey the macaroni penguin celebrates 35th birthday at Pittsburgh zooVideo
Mickey the macaroni penguin is doing Yankee Doodle dandy. At 35 years old, she is said to be among the oldest penguins living in captivity in the United States. She celebrated her milestone birthday at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium on Wednesday, making loud trumpet calls and pecking at...
12 Days of Christmas to cost nearly $40,000 this year, PNC calculates
Plan to spend about $40,000 on Christmas gifts this year if you’re using the 12 Days of Christmas as your shopping list. This year, PNC is reporting a total cost of $38,993.59 to buy all 12 gifts — including five golden rings, a bunch of drummers drumming and a lot...
Latrobe woman lived long enough to see her Christmas sleigh wish fulfilled
Rita Ruffner was all about Christmas, so much so that she wanted her son, a former Hollywood set designer, to make a Santa’s sleigh for her front yard. Jeffrey Michaels, 51, of Las Vegas started work on the sleigh this summer. He finished days before his mother’s 80th birthday Oct....
Hear Joy Ike’s brilliant cover of Mister Rogers’ ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?’Video
Yes, there has been a Mister Rogers overload these past few … years. But Pittsburgh native singer-songwriter Joy Ike’s cover of Fred Rogers’ “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” is spot on and just in time. Not to mention amazing! Armed with a baritone ukulele, Ike seemlessly bops through the iconic...
Prince Andrew to step back from public dutiesVideo
LONDON — Britain’s Prince Andrew said Wednesday he is stepping back from public duties with the queen’s permission. Andrew said it has become clear to him in recent days that his association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has become a “major distraction” to the royal family’s work....
Former altar boys sue Pittsburgh diocese alleging years of sexual abuse
Two former altar boys have accused a priest of almost daily sexual abuse for more than three years in the 1980s, according to a 27-page lawsuit filed against the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Bishop David A. Zubik and St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in McDonald. The diocese has yet to be served...
Beer here! Brentwood Distributing launches online beer delivery services
Since 1956, the Dangelo family has delivered beer to bars, restaurants, hotels and other businesses throughout the Pittsburgh region. Thanks to modern technology, they’ve expanded their reach to include all of Pennsylvania. In June, the Dangelos’ wholesale company, Brentwood Distributing, launched Beverages2U. People across the state can now use the...
New acts rule Grammys as Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Billie Eilish lead nominationsVideo
The Grammys are screaming “Cuz I Love You” to Lizzo: The breakthrough singer-rapper scored a whopping eight nominations, including bids for the top four awards, making her the show’s top-nominated act. Lizzo picked up nominations for album of the year with her major-label debut, “Cuz I Love You”; song and...
10 tips for hosting a stress-free Thanksgiving dinner
Whether you’re a first-time host or a seasoned veteran, whipping up a Thanksgiving dinner is no piece of pie … er … cake. Add in a bit of forgetfulness, a touch of poor planning and some overly eager houseguests, and you could quickly find yourself in the middle of a...
Greensburg cafe offers cat and kitten cuteness, with a coffee chaserVideo
On its second day of business, Greensburg’s new Cattfeinated Cat Cafe is quickly filling with customers, many of whom are immediately drawn to the cat “lounges.” The cafe offers baked goods from Peinetti’s in Jeannette and coffee drinks in three sizes — kitten, queen and tom. “Everything is made off-site,...
Nerf gun, Power Rangers claw among latest unsafe toys, watchdog says
BOSTON — A Nerf dart gun, ice cream-scented Nickelodeon slime and a plastic Power Rangers claw are among the toys topping a consumer safety group’s list of worst toys for the holidays. World Against Toys Causing Harm unveiled its annual list Tuesday at a Boston children’s hospital. A realistic toy...
Pittsburgh receives perfect score for LGBTQ protections
Pittsburgh got a perfect score on the annual Municipality Equality Index Scorecard (MEI) on Tuesday, a report from the Human Rights Campaign that rates cities on their inclusivity of LGBTQ communities. The report bases scores on the existence of LGBTQ protections by city government, including non-discrimination laws, services and programs,...
Ski slopes at Seven Springs, Hidden Valley to open this weekendVideo
A late Thanksgiving means an early start to the ski season at Seven Springs and Hidden Valley resorts. Sort of. “Typically the past few years, we’ve been opening on Black Friday (Nov. 23, 2018, and Nov. 24, 2017), which we’ve called ‘White Friday,’” said Katie Buchan, spokeswoman for Seven Springs,...
Pirates post opening for Pierogi jobVideo
Do you have what it takes to be a Pierogi? The Pittsburgh Pirates have put the call out for a new team member by posting a job listing: “2020 Pierogie.” (Of course, the misspelling leads us to wonder if they meant to write “Pierogies,” plural.) The team’s mascots are famous...
Judge: Trust fund can’t be used to pay victims of clergy abuse in Pittsburgh diocese
The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh can’t use an $8 million trust fund intended to help needy boys to pay victims of clergy sexual abuse, an Allegheny County judge has ordered. Judge Lawrence O’Toole issued a three-paragraph order last week dismissing the diocesan request to use the 120-year-old Toner Trust that’s...
Doobie Brothers to tour with Michael McDonald for 50th anniversaryVideo
Oh, they’re takin’ it to the streets — again. The Doobie Brothers are set to hit the road (aka the ‘Streets’) in support of the band’s 50th anniversary. (Yeah, that’s a five and a zero.) And they’re doing it with former frontman Michael McDonald. Sure, McDonald has dabbled in reunions...
Boats, motorcycles next to caskets: New Kensington funeral home personalizes services
Editor’s note: Building the Valley tells stories of businesses big and small and the employees who make them special. If you know of any standout employees, bosses or companies with a great story to tell, contact reporter Madasyn Lee at mlee@tribweb.com. Ross Walker grew up thinking living with dead people...
Andrew McCutchen, Mayor Peduto serve chili, talk reducing poverty on Pittsburgh’s North SideVideo
Former Pirates player Andrew McCutchen spent Monday night serving up bowls of chili alongside Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto while the pair discussed ways to reduce poverty across Western Pennsylvania. Between scoops, the hairnet-donning outfielder — whom fans affectionately refer to as “Cutch” or “No. 22” — fist-bumped, shook hands and...
OpenTable names top Pittsburgh-area restaurants for November 2019
The restaurant booking service OpenTable has released its monthly tally of eateries that diners rate the highest. The top-ranked spots in the Pittsburgh region include six in the city proper and four that are farther afield. Siempre Algo Siempre Algo is a casual neighborhood favorite along the transforming East Ohio...
Political signs waning in mid-November
From Labor Day through early November, most busy roadsides and intersections are awash in political campaign signs. The small placards emblazoned with a candidate’s name appear by the thousands as office seekers fight for name recognition and public awareness of their campaign efforts for the hundreds of political offices up...
Search for time capsule at former Riverview Elementary School in Harrison comes up empty
The whereabouts of a time capsule buried on the grounds of a former elementary school in Harrison remains a mystery. During the 1950s, 10-year-old Edward Zembrzuski stood outside near a flagpole at Riverview Elementary in Harrison, watching as each class presented an item for inclusion in a school time capsule...
