East End category, Page 3
Swissvale woman sentenced to 6 years probation for yearslong sexual relationship with teen
A judge on Tuesday sentenced a Pittsburgh-area therapist to probation for having a yearslong sexual relationship with a boy starting when he was 14. Rachel Witkowski, 43, of Swissvale pleaded guilty to three of the 11 charges against her — statutory sexual assault by a person 11 or more years...
Morning Roundup: South Side patrol figures; road work projects to impact traffic
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, July 18: Latest South Side patrol figures released Pittsburgh police officers on the bureau’s South Side Entertainment Patrol made seven arrests along East Carson Street over the weekend. The special patrol was launched last summer to tamp down...
Immerse yourself in arts and culture: A weekend of diverse events in Pittsburgh
If you’re looking to fill your weekend with all things arts and culture, there is no shortage of events happening in and around the city this weekend. From performances that reflect the beauty of the African diaspora to the Filipino American Association of Pittsburgh’s Summer Picnic, start planning out your...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: July 26-28
Another summer month is almost over! As we say goodbye to July, the calendar is still packed with events. If you’re in the mood for goats, dinosaurs, tunes or treats, give one of these events a spin this weekend. Goat Fest PGH Adorable goats have become an integral part of...
Peppi’s diner building set for demolition in Point Breeze
Peppi’s Old Tyme Sandwich Shop in Point Breeze is set to be demolished next month following its closure in June. Owner Lou Bosser said an offer was made for the property that was “too good to be true.” The Strip District and North Side shops remain open. “(The) offer had...
18th century Braddock coat of arms slated for auction
An English auction house will accept bids on a coat of arms belonging to Gen. Edward Braddock, an ill-fated British military leader during Southwestern Pennsylvania’s involvement in the French and Indian War. Painted in oil on canvas, the heraldic design dates from the mid-18th century and is about 10 inches...
Police arrest man linked to Gainey staffer in Downtown Pittsburgh shooting
Pittsburgh police have arrested a city man previously convicted on drug charges in connection with a shooting Downtown earlier this week. Ray Rivera, 58, of East Liberty, shot a man twice in the arm while the victim was in a car near Smithfield Street on Tuesday afternoon following an argument...
Convicted killer of Swissvale mom and young daughter refuses to leave jail cell for sentencing
Kareef Easington didn’t want to face justice, but there was no escaping it. Convicted of two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting death last year of a Swissvale woman and her 7-year-old daughter, Easington refused to leave his jail cell Thursday to attend his sentencing — and face his...
Faces of resilience: There is no ‘typical’ Latino immigrant story
A politically persecuted Venezuelan journalist reinvented himself as a Pittsburgh-based Spanish radio show host. A boy whose family was ripped apart by deportation decided to dedicate his life to helping the Latino community that supported him. A woman worked to provide immigrant children better opportunities than she had as a...
Neighbors look for closure after body discovered in river near Springdale
Closure is about the best neighbors of Bunnie Lee can hope for now that it appears his body has been found, 11 years after he disappeared. “Now, we have closure, but it brings a lot of questions,” said longtime East Liberty neighbor Dorret Payton. “He was missed. He still is.”...
Fido-friendly outdoor dining options plentiful in Western Pennsylvania
Sharing meal time with man’s best friend has never been easier as more local establishments roll out dog-friendly outdoor dining options. According to statistics from Yelp, online searches for businesses using “dogs allowed” increased by 58% between 2021 and 2023, and the company noted more than 47,400 U.S. businesses describe...
Barnes & Noble coming to The Meridian in East Liberty
A new Barnes & Noble location is set to open in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood as part of The Meridian development. Stacy Short, vice president of leasing at ECHO Realty, which is developing The Meridian, said construction is underway with a predicted opening in late summer of 2025 for most,...
Long-delayed Pittsburgh park projects cause frustration
Carol Hardeman said she’s frustrated that the promised park projects in Pittsburgh’s Hill District neighborhood still haven’t started, years after residents hoped they would be done. Hardeman, who serves as executive director of the Hill District Consensus Group, said the lengthy delays to projects that were supposed to improve a...
A stroll down ‘AI Avenue’: Pittsburgh’s new tech hub
Startup tech company Netail is working to develop an AI technology called Profitmind to help with quicker and more detailed retail sales analytics. Pearl Street Technologies is working to better the power grid to help reduce backlog and expedite the transition to decarbonization. Strategy Robot is developing AI products to...
Pair threw Garfield woman to street in carjacking, police say
A teenager remained held in jail without bail and his suspected accomplice was awaiting arraignment Tuesday in connection with a 3 a.m. carjacking in Pittsburgh’s Garfield neighborhood. The victim was checking email in a car in front of her Broad Street home when Daniel Cain, 18, swung open her car...
Peppi’s Old Tyme Sandwich Shop closes Point Breeze location
Peppi’s Old Tyme Sandwich Shop has officially closed one of its three locations in Pittsburgh. The Point Breeze location on Penn Avenue, near Braddock Avenue, shut its doors indefinitely last week, according to owner Lou Bosser. The Strip District and North Side shops remain open. Bosser said an offer for...
Drums Not Guns helping students to heal through challenging experiences
Students at Westinghouse Academy and other local schools are benefiting from a fairly new initiative that aims to reduce violence through exposure to the arts. Linda “Imani” Barrett, a Hill District native, founded Legacy Arts Project in 2004. One of their programs is an initiative called Drums Not Guns. “The...
County, nonprofits collaborate to serve those displaced by Downtown Pittsburgh shelter fire
Storm clouds gathered above the shuttered Second Avenue Commons homeless shelter as Ronald McGinnis literally planned his next steps. On Tuesday, the 59-year-old homeless man, who entered the Downtown shelter six weeks ago, watched people pour out of the building as flames shot off its roof and smoke filled the...
Alleged victim takes stand in Homewood school sex assault case
A jury trial opened Wednesday for a former Pittsburgh Faison School fourth-grade teacher who authorities allege sexually assaulted a student multiple times when the pair were alone. Police arrested James Zeigler, 42, of Pittsburgh, last year on six criminal charges — including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, and...
Rain haikus project reveals student poetry when sidewalk gets wet
Pittsburgh summers may be notoriously rainy, but this year there’s an advantage to a mid-afternoon shower in certain parts of the city — rain-revealed poetry to enjoy. PA Humanities, as part of its 50th year celebration, brought a Rain Poetry project to three sites in Pittsburgh this spring. Students from...
Mixtape in Garfield using space for different entertainment experiences
Mixtape, the music-themed cocktail lounge in Garfield, continues to transform. It’s been a Halloween-inspired space dubbed House of Burton, a holiday bar called Tinseltown and The Tipsy Elf, an “Alice in Wonderland” venue with the moniker Wonderland: An Immersive Adventure, and is currently decked out as a 1980s retro arcade,...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: May 10-12
Craving music? Good food? Some shopping? Don’t let the weekend go to waste. Here are a handful of fun things to do in Pittsburgh. Pittonkatonk Get ready to enjoy some free live music without boundaries. Starting at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Vietnam Veterans Pavilion in Schenley Park, Pittonkatonk is...
Homewood’s BBQ maestro: Drew Allen’s journey from DJ to pitmaster extraordinaire
Drew Allen, owner of Showcase BBQ in Homewood, moves swiftly. If you can’t keep pace with his speed, you might lose sight of him amid a haze of smoke. Patrons queue up before the restaurant opens, eagerly anticipating the savory, finger-licking taste of his ribs that are hailed by many...
What to know about the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon
Preparing for a marathon is a challenge even if you aren’t the person running 26.2 miles. Someone has to make sure every step of the course is clear: the twists, the turns, the bridges and the hills. That person is Brian Schmidt, director of operations for P3R, the organization hosting...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh: April 26-28
Rain or shine, it’s a good weekend to get out and about. Here are some things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend. August Wilson Birthday Celebration Block Party Legendary Pittsburgh playwright August Wilson will be celebrated with a birthday block party this Saturday. Held at the August Wilson House, 1727...

