In photos: Pittsburgh’s Cultural District helps bring in the new year with First Night eventVideo
Despite a snowy and cold New Year’s Eve in the Pittsburgh region on Wednesday night, a crowd of revelers gathered Downtown for the 32nd annual Highmark First Night, hosted by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. The five-hour long event that spanned several blocks in downtown Pittsburgh’s Cultural District ends with the...
Pittsburgh rings in new year with First Night festivitiesVideo
Levi Griffith-Esposito’s New Year’s resolution is to be more creative and artistic. The Carson Middle School student is well on his way completing his first project, a multi-colored 2026 hat as part of Pittsburgh’s First Night Celebration. Arts and crafts were among the many activities Wednesday evening provided by the...
Pittsburgh City Paper closes
Pittsburgh City Paper is closing after 34 years of operation. Employees at the alt-weekly Pittsburgh City Paper publication posted on social media that the news outlet was closing. Colin Williams, news editor at the City Paper, posted on Linkedin on Wednesday saying “It’s the end of an era — ownership...
PennDOT eases some interstate restrictions in Allegheny County; Beaver, Lawrence limits remain in place
PennDOT has lifted the speed restrictions on highways in Allegheny County while they remain in effect in Beaver and Lawrence counties. The transportation department recommends motorists avoid unnecessary travel but those who do head out will see speeds reduced to 45 mph on these highways: Beaver County: I-376 (Beaver Valley...
Brandy Melville’s Shadyside opening rekindles debate over size exclusivity
Emily Anderson remembers feelings of shame and self-consciousness in what she refers to as the “universal experience growing up fat or plus size” while trying to shop at size-exclusive clothing stores. “As a teenager I didn’t feel like I belonged in clothing stores,” said Anderson, a yoga therapist for All...
What you need to know about Highmark First Night in Pittsburgh
Downtown Pittsburgh will put on its holiday best to host the annual Highmark First Night, presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. The Cultural District will be ringing in the new year with a jam-packed lineup of performances, activities, fireworks and a midnight ball-raising. Tens of thousands of people are expected...
No parade for this year’s Highmark First Night Pittsburgh event
The annual First Night parade will have a different look this New Year’s Eve. Instead of a single parade route on Dec. 31, there will be roaming performers throughout the Cultural District, according to an announcement by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust on Wednesday. The change is due to construction in...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Jan. 2-4
Welcome to 2026! Time for new beginning, new goals and new experiences all over Pittsburgh. Here are a few ideas for new things to do this weekend to get your year started right. Laser shows at Buhl Planetarium For fans of blockbuster Netflix show “Stranger Things” or pop superstar Taylor...
Ousted after 1 term, Ed Gainey leaves complex legacy as Pittsburgh’s 1st Black mayor
Ed Gainey swept into office four years ago as Pittsburgh’s first Black mayor, vowing to be a changemaker who would reimagine policing, make the city affordable for everyone and uplift minority voices. He strode into City Hall with bold ambitions. He was immediately confronted with challenges. Gainey had been in...
Up to 5 inches of snow possible by New Year’s Day
Western Pennsylvanians heading to Downtown Pittsburgh on Wednesday evening for First Night festivities should prepare to ring in the new year with snowfall and temperatures in the teens. About 3 to 5 inches of snow is expected to accumulate between mid-afternoon Wednesday and early Thursday morning, said Mike Kennedy, meteorologist...
Police investigate shooting at Waterfront shopping center
A person was listed in critical but stable condition after they were shot Tuesday night at The Waterfront, according to police. Allegheny County Police said a county 911 dispatcher was notified of the shooting shortly after 8:30 p.m. Police said the shooting took place in an unspecified parking lot. Police...
U.S. Steel’s contract dispute with Canadian company heads to arbitration
U.S. Steel’s lawsuit accusing a Canadian company of refusing to pay for millions of tons of iron ore pellets is heading to arbitration. The October lawsuit, filed in federal court in Pittsburgh, claimed Ontario-based Algoma Steel violated its agreement to buy the pellets from U.S. Steel. The deal was signed...
What to look for in 2026 in Western Pennsylvania
Big things are on the horizon in Western Pennsylvania in 2026. With 2025 wrapping up, here is a look at 10 major things set to shape the region in 2026. Pittsburgh to host the 2026 NFL Draft In April, Downtown Pittsburgh will be the nexus of what is expected to...
Fort Pitt Museum shut down for new historical display
The Fort Pitt Museum – part of the Senator John Heinz History Center’s family of museums – will temporarily close for the next two months while the museum sets up a new exhibit ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft and the United States Semiquincentennial (250th anniversary). Fort Pitt Museum Assistant...
Pittsburgh Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith retires
After 16 years on Pittsburgh City Council, Theresa Kail-Smith is retiring. That doesn’t mean she plans to stay away from council chambers, however. Kail-Smith said she expects to return to offer her perspective during the public comment periods that open each meeting. “Being a council member’s not all glitz and...
The Future of Pittsburgh Ball ready to shine on New Year’s Eve
The nearly 1,000-pound Future of Pittsburgh Ball was tested Tuesday and is ready to rise on New Year’s. Mounted on an 80-foot-tall pole atop Penn Avenue Place in Downtown Pittsburgh, the illuminated sphere will rise Wednesday night as the city rings in the new year during the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s...
10 people, 2 cats rescued from Marshall-Shadeland house fire
Ten people and two cats were rescued from a house fire early Tuesday morning in Pittsburgh’s Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety. Fire crews were dispatched around 1 a.m. to the 800 block of Woods Run Avenue. The blaze was brought under control around 1:45 a.m., Public Safety said....
The 25 most-read stories of 2025 on TribLive.com
The year 2025 was marked locally by the changing of the guard in the Pittsburgh mayor’s office, the changing of hands of U.S. Steel, uncertainty on college campuses and tragedy at PNC Park and PPG Paints Arena. We covered the stories, and you responded in droves online. Here were the...
Got Fios? Here’s how to watch the Steelers game on Sunday
As of Dec. 15, customers of Verizon Fios TV do not have access to local NBC affiliate WPXI — which also means no access to the Steelers’ final regular season game against the Baltimore Ravens this Sunday night. The current blackout is due to a dispute about retransmission fees between...
Pittsburgh invokes eminent domain to seize Homewood apartment building
Pittsburgh City Councilman Khari Mosley is invoking the city’s eminent domain powers in an effort to preserve a 100-unit apartment complex in Homewood as affordable housing. “We’re really trying to do three things: prevent displacement, preserve affordable housing and prevent the property from going into the hands of another bad...
Water main break temporarily closes Pittsburgh Zoo
A water main break has disrupted several events at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. The zoo shut down for repairs Monday around 12:30 p.m., according to its website. That forced the closure of Wild Illuminations, its annual holiday lantern experience, according to Michael Schroeder, a zoo spokesman. Wild Illuminations, which...
Pittsburgh police arrest woman for hitting puppy, sealing it in suitcase
Pittsburgh police arrested a “heavily intoxicated” woman on the North Side for stuffing a puppy into a suitcase and zipping the bag closed. Jayme White, 56, remained Monday in the Allegheny County Jail on $1,000 bail, court records show. Her home address was not listed in court records. Pittsburgh police...
Tree of Life gunman appeals death sentence, seeks new hearing
Nearly 2½ years after Robert Bowers was condemned to die for killing 11 worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue, his attorneys have appealed the death sentence and are seeking a new sentencing hearing. Bowers’ lawyers raised 16 claims throughout a nearly 500-page legal brief filed earlier this month with the 3rd...
Carnegie Mellon’s AI-driven speech reconstruction tool aims to bridge gap for children’s speech disorders
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University hope an AI-driven speech reconstruction tool can bridge the gap between a growing population of children with speech disorders and a significant shortage of speech-language pathologists. The tool combines machine learning with human speech to create audio clips of correct speech that sound like the...
So long 2025: Here are some events to ring in the New Year
Ready to put 2025 in the rearview mirror? New Year’s Eve is fast approaching, and it’s a great time to put on a fancy outfit, raise a glass and look forward to all of the good things 2026 will bring. If First Night isn’t for you, here are a few...
