Editor's Picks category, Page 9
Robert Duvall, acting legend known for intense roles, dead at 95
When Robert Duvall was floundering around in college, his father, a career Navy man who retired with the rank of rear admiral, told him to shape up — and start acting. “I wasn’t pushed into it but suggested into it,” Duvall once told an interviewer. “They figured I did skits...
Obama shuts down alien buzz and says there’s no evidence they’ve made contact
Former U.S. President Barack Obama said he did not see evidence that aliens “have made contact with us,” after sending social media abuzz by saying aliens were real on a podcast over the weekend. During a lightning round of questions with podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama was asked, “Are...
Pittsburgh local music spotlight: Cathleen IrelandVideo
Cathleen Ireland’s latest album, “In the City,” drew inspiration from driving through Pittsburgh. “It encapsulates the ‘night out on the town’ excitement from getting ready to getting out to hanging out with friends,” Ireland said, “with the gorgeous lights of Pittsburgh as the backdrop and the music on center stage.”...
Biodegradable Mardi Gras beads help make Carnival season more sustainableVideo
NEW ORLEANS — It is Carnival season in New Orleans. That means gazillions of green, gold and purple Mardi Gras beads. Once made of glass and cherished by parade spectators who were lucky enough to catch them, today cheap plastic beaded necklaces from overseas are tossed from floats by the...
Whether it’s a mini-sabbatical or an adult gap year, more people are taking extended work breaks
If you daydream about getting a break from work, you might picture two weeks of vacation or a long weekend getaway. But some people dare to imagine something bigger and find ways to get a substantial breather from stress or their day-to-day routines. Mini-sabbaticals. Adult gap years. Micro-retirement. Extended career...
Fiber fair dazzles in Delmont
When Dorothy Gallagher was a teacher in Poland, she took up knitting as a side hustle. “Making one sweater bought me a kilo of sausage,” she said. “Now I hand spin silk, cat fur, alpaca — all for the mental clarity and dexterity benefits.” Gallagher was among 20 or so...
Mike Viola bringing ‘rock show’ to Pittsburgh, celebrating 25 years of musicVideo
It’s quite possible you’ve heard Mike Viola’s work without even knowing it was him. Maybe it was the main vocals in the 1996 movie “That Thing You Do!” or several songs in 2007’s “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.” It could have been from his touring with Panic! At the...
Constitution Under Construction: Who’s on First?Video
The foundation of any structure is more than a hole in the ground. It is the difference between a pile of bricks and a house built to weather a storm. The First Amendment to the Constitution carries that weight for every change that follows. While the Constitution is where the...
Here’s where to satisfy your Lenten fish cravings in Western Pennsylvania
All menus are subject to change and availability. Events begin either Feb. 18 Ash Wednesday or Friday, Feb. 20. To have your nonprofit’s fish fry added to this listing send complete information as soon as possible to vndnews@triblive.com. Allegheny County Collier Township Rennerdale Volunteer Fire Department, 30 Suburban Ave., Carnegie,...
Local wineries using Pennsylvania grapes are turning out some easy-to-love libations
France, Italy, California, and Australia are well-known wine regions. Pennsylvania, alas, doesn’t crack the top 50 for most people. But don’t count out local wineries. Pennsylvania has a winemaking tradition that dates to the late 1600s, when William Penn himself established a vineyard in Philadelphia, as documented by the Pennsylvania...
The most romantic Valentine’s Day gift? Communication (every day)
Valentine’s Day is a holiday all about communicating love. Whether through a bouquet of flowers, a card scrawled with heartfelt words or heart-shaped candies stamped with affectionate phrases, this is the time to express love to our nearest and dearest. But what about the other 364 days of the year?...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Feb. 13-15
Are you ready for Valentine’s Day? Be honest. Did you procrastinate making reservations or buying a gift? No worries. Here are some events where you can take someone special for the holiday weekend. Symphony Dances from ‘West Side Story’ The classic musical “West Side Story” is based on the tragic...
Lori Falce: Who do you play for?
I did not watch “Miracle” the other night just because of the Olympics. Yes, it was offered up to me by my streaming service, I am sure, because of the amount of golden and glorious dreams in the air right now. As a lover of both hockey and inspirational sports...
Review: Dropkick Murphys mark 30 years with pulse-pounding show at Stage AE
While the lineup of Massachusetts-bred Celtic punk band the Dropkick Murphys may have changed over their now 30-year-long history, plenty about them has stayed the same. They’re proudly from Boston; they’re proud of their Irish influences; they speak (and sing) on behalf of working people everywhere; and they will rock...
VolunTOTs of Southwestern PA marking 5 years with free community party
When Cami Teacoach was 3, her mom took her volunteering. So, when Cami’s own son, Bennett, was the same age, she followed suit. But there weren’t any good opportunities for her toddler to learn the value of helping others. That’s when she took matters into her own hands, founding VolunTOTs...
Sewickley antiques collector shares true meaning of Valentine’s Day
“Remember me.” Those simple words speak volumes when they are written on a valentine or inscribed on silver by someone whose heart belongs to you. For Milana “Mim” Bizic of Sewickley, it’s a message she takes seriously. As the former national vice president of the Love Token Society, Bizic has...
Here are 5 things to do in Westmoreland County: Valentine’s Day options galore
Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday this year, which is good news for some — but bad news for the procrastinators among us. Did you forget to make a reservation or buy a gift? Don’t worry. You can take your valentine to one of these events instead. ‘Rhapsody in Blue’...
McDonald’s says focus on value is bringing back customers
McDonald’s focus on value is paying off. The fast food giant said this week that its global same-store sales — or sales at locations open at least a year — jumped 5.7% in the October-December period. That’s better than the 3.9% Wall Street was expecting, according to analysts polled by...
Viral violinist Mia Asano playing 1st solo headliner show in PittsburghVideo
Electric violinist Mia Asano is no stranger to going viral on the internet, with dozens of her TikTok clips garnering views in the millions. Those covers, which range from Guns N’ Roses to Papa Roach to the 1990s X-Men cartoon theme song, could be on tap when Asano plays her...
Nemacolin named top hotel in Pennsylvania, 28th in the U.S. in annual report
Nemacolin, the exclusive Fayette County resort known for its luxury accommodations, fine dining and expansive grounds, was named Pennsylvania’s top hotel Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report. The Laurel Highlands destination earned the No. 28 spot nationwide — one of only two businesses in Pennsylvania to crack the top...
TV Talk: Catchy loves ‘Lucy;’ HBO documents crazy ‘Neighbors’Video
Digital subchannel Catchy Comedy, available locally over the air on Channel 2.5, debuts a new programming block featuring all five TV series starring Lucille Ball, presented together for the first time. From her 1951-60 classic sitcom “I Love Lucy” to her final, misbegotten ABC sitcom “Life with Lucy” (1986), Catchy...
Kingfly Spirits in Strip District abruptly closes
Distillery Kingfly Spirits has closed its doors for good after seven years of serving the Strip District. In a social media post on Wednesday, the distillery wrote “as of today, we are moving on to the next chapter of life,” stating that Kingfly would not be conducting future bottle sales,...
James Van Der Beek, the ‘Dawson’s Creek’ star who later mocked his own hunky persona, dies at 48
NEW YORK — James Van Der Beek, a heartthrob who starred in coming-of-age dramas at the dawn of the new millennium, shooting to fame playing the titular character in “Dawson’s Creek” and in later years mocking his own hunky persona, has died. He was 48. “Our beloved James David Van...
VisitPittsburgh opens applications for $15K grant in event marketing
Tourism company VisitPittsburgh is offering $15,000 worth of marketing to four mid-sized cultural festivals or events planned between the end of spring through winter. On Monday, applications for the Festivals & Cultural Events Fund (FCEF) opened, with new parameters surrounding the grant. Derek Dawson, VisitPittsburgh’s vice president of Strategic Initiatives,...
Look back: 25th anniversary of the Three Rivers Stadium implosion
It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since Pittsburghers watched the implosion of Three Rivers Stadium. It was on Feb. 11, 2001 — a quarter-century ago — that the home of the Steelers and Pirates was brought down in a thick cloud of dust on the city’s North Shore....
