Editor's Picks category, Page 443
Former Pittsburgh Symphony conductor Mariss Jansons dies at 76
FRANKFURT, Germany — Mariss Jansons, conductor of top classical ensembles including the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam, has died in Russia. He was 76. Jansons’ death in St. Petersburg was confirmed by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, where he was chief conductor. Jansons had canceled...
Staycation: Artisans, Amish featured in unique day trip to Mercer County and VolantVideo
One in an occasional series highlighting “staycation” ideas found in our own backyard: Take Interstate 79 north from Pittsburgh. Travel 60 miles to the Grove City exit. Just this once, ignore the college and the outlet mall most people associate with Grove City. Instead, head west for a day trip...
The Menzingers had the Pittsburgh crowd singing at Roxian Theatre
There ain’t nothing wrong with rocking on a Saturday night. The Menzingers came through Pittsburgh, playing the Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks, and brought a great energy for an hour and 15 minute set for a fun show. The healthy-sized crowd was with the Philadelphia punk band from the time...
Blaze pink for hunters spreading, but oh so slowly
If this is ultimately to be a tidal wave, it’s still far from cresting. But maybe that’s how things work. Head into the woods during a big-game hunting season these days and, in more places than not, you’ll see men and women sporting orange clothing. At least 40 states require...
Fans anxious for ‘a hot mess’ in Steelers-Browns rematch 2 weeks after on-field meleeVideo
Latrobe’s Brian Noel is out for revenge. Shamyra Edwards of Aspinwall just wants to watch good football. New Kensington’s Nikala Tallerico hopes that Browns and Steelers players — as well as their fans — behave during Sunday’s game in Pittsburgh — barely two weeks after an on-field melee in Cleveland...
Deer hunters like starting rifle season on SaturdayVideo
Michael “MadDog” Maddy said Saturday’s early start to the 2019 deer hunting season was, well, unusual. “There was nobody out there until about 9 a.m.,” Maddy said. For hunters such as Maddy, Saturday marked the first time since 1963 that rifle season for hunters in Pennsylvania started on the Saturday...
Fan loyalties in Shenango Valley divided between Steelers, Browns
You’re not just in Steelers Country when you visit the Shenango Valley, an area that’s about the same distance from Pittsburgh as it is Cleveland. Browns fans make up a sizable minority of the football fan base. That’s made the past couple of weeks interesting in the Shenango Valley as...
Franklin Regional band’s 3rd appearance in Macy’s parade a holiday high note
Winds may have kept the famous character balloons close to the ground during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, but the 187 members of the Franklin Regional Panther Marching Band were soaring high as they performed for the crowds lining the New York City parade route. “I think everyone...
Watch how fast Penguins’ all-time leading scorers climbed team’s ranksVideo
Most Penguins fan knows that Mario Lemieux is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. But do you know how quickly he and the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin climbed the team’s ranks? Here’s an animation of the Penguins’ all-time leading goal scorers from 1967 until now....
Vintage cameras see new light as lamps at Rosie’s Workshop in Ross Park MallVideo
Vintage cameras are seeing new light inside Rosie’s Workshop at Ross Park Mall. Owners Jen and Blair Koss find old cameras and turn them into functional pieces of art that can light up a room with the flip of a switch. The couple buys cameras and other materials and manufactures...
10 animals killed in barn fire at Ohio wildlife parkVideo
PORT CLINTON, Ohio — At least 10 animals were killed in a barn fire that erupted at an Ohio wildlife park, officials said. The blaze began about 6:15 p.m. Thursday at the African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton. Three bongos, three giraffes, three red river hogs and a springbok...
Vandergrift brothers’ Turkey Bowl spans 3 generations of family, friends
Between 50 and 60 years ago, three brothers decided to play football in their small Vandergrift backyard on Thanksgiving. Pete Guerrera was 12 or 13; Michael Guerrera was 7; and Anthony Guerrera was 5. Now that they’re in their mid- to late 60s — or early 70s in Pete’s case...
Greensburg Turkey Trot hosts largest race with more than 2,500 runners
More than 2,500 runners gathered outside of the Westmoreland County Courthouse Thursday for the 28th Annual Greensburg Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot. The yearly event was the largest in the history of the race, and race director Carol Palcic expected the runners to raise nearly $30,000 for local charities. This year...
Ligonier Township golden retriever Daniel wins group at National Dog ShowVideo
He could well be Ligonier Township’s most accomplished best friend. It’s doubtful many other dogs could claim the fame that Daniel has in the past couple years. The 5-year-old golden retriever, whose full name is Jack Daniels, racked up another feather in his cap by winning the best sporting dog...
Communities serve Thanksgiving meals ‘with love,’ fellowshipVideo
Westmoreland County residents who might otherwise spend the fourth Thursday in November alone or with a sparse menu can find a place at a communal table or a friendly knock at their door, thanks to volunteers who focus on the “giving” part of Thanksgiving Day. Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in...
‘Miracle’ reunion leads to adoption for thankful Greensburg family, teen
Amanda Ferree reached forward and squeezed the girl’s shoulder as they walked, both dressed in plaid button-down shirts, into a Westmoreland County courtroom. Her husband, Ian, wiped tears from his face on the witness stand as he recounted the fateful steps that brought the girl into their lives. And Leesa...
Warm the holidays with boilo, a favorite of coal miners in eastern Pennsylvania
Earlier this month, HangoverCure.org surveyed 1,000 drinkers and came up with a list of iconic state drinks. The answer in Pennsylvania turned out to be a bit of a mystery, at least on the western side of the state: boilo. So what is it? “Here in the anthracite region, boilo...
Tarentum couple sell vegan-inspired apparel from their home
Dan and Deborah Angeloni considered themselves outsiders in the fashion industry until a misfit donned one of their designs. Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein, original guitarist for the punk rock group the Misfits, regularly wears a T-shirt featuring a cow’s head below the word Meatless, a vegan-inspired play on the band’s...
Customers flock to Glen’s Frozen Custard as season draws to closeVideo
Tuesday’s mild weather prompted many devoted followers of Glen’s Frozen Custard to race to stands in Springdale and Lower Burrell before they close for the season at 10 p.m. Wednesday. Many customers went to scoop up Glen’s traditional cones, while others went for seasonal favorites such as homemade pumpkin roll...
Man rescued after being trapped under tombstone in Pittsburgh
Emergency responders were called to St. Michael’s Cemetery near Pittsburgh’s South Side Slopes neighborhood around 1 p.m. Tuesday after a man was pinned beneath a tombstone. The 47-year-old man was visiting the cemetery with his mother when he lost his balance and grabbed onto the tombstone, said Cara Cruz, a...
Mayor Peduto: Pittsburgh Center for the Arts must be restructuredVideo
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto said the Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media, which announced Monday it would close its main building at year’s end, must be completely restructured to secure sustainable funding for future operations. Peduto, who briefed reporters Tuesday during an unrelated event in Garfield, said the city has...
Drink beer, get a free koozie from Allegheny County breweries
Craft beer enthusiasts can drink their way to a free koozie while exploring Allegheny County’s 34 breweries. A new collaboration between VisitPittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Brewers Guild will offer the free koozie (the insulating covers for a can) to anyone who collects five stamps for buying five beers from guild...
‘Tis the season: Pa. alcohol sales spike as holidays approach
It’s the holiday season, and everyone is getting into the spirit — or at the very least, into the spirits store. November and December are far and away the busiest times of the year at Pennsylvania’s Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores. The top single sales day in each of...
Bruno Sammartino documentary set for New York, L.A. debut
A new documentary on Bruno Sammartino is set for release in New York and Los Angeles. “Bruno Sammartino” will be screened in at The Cinema Village in New York and The Monica Film Center in Santa Monica from Nov. 29 to Dec. 5. According to KDKA Radio, a premiere is...
‘This Is Us’ actor Blake Stadnik in Pittsburgh holiday paradeVideo
When he was a boy, Blake Stadnik marched with the Pittsburgh CLO Mini Stars in the WPXI Holiday Parade. On Nov. 30, the actor and “This Is Us” cast member and Ellwood City native will again participate in the parade, this time as a featured performer. “I was 10, 11...
