Editor's Picks category, Page 9
How to protect yourself from ticks year-round
WASHINGTON — Ticks can be active in any season and it’s important to check for and remove the bloodsuckers as quickly as possible — especially after you’ve been outside hiking, gardening or enjoying nature. “Humans are outside more in summer so we hear about more tick infections,” said Sam Telford,...
You’ll flip over upside-down cakes
Some cakes are so fancy, they are intimidating. French gateaux and Viennese tortes. The kind of things you see on “The Great British Bake Off.” Those cakes on the internet that you believed in your heart were a tennis ball or a rack of ribs or a sleeping dog. Those...
Editorial: Public participation shouldn’t just happen when convenient for government
We talk a lot about transparency. The free flow of information is important. We want government to be accountable to the people for their actions, their spending and their process. When government does things without telling people what’s happening is when things go wrong. We have critiqued municipalities, school districts,...
Lower Burrell woman’s ‘achingly honest’ debut memoir tells story of love, loss
Laura Burkett’s sister, Danielle, ran away to Puerto Rico when she was 15 because she got a bad perm. That’s the opening, truthful anecdote to the 52-year-old Lower Burrell woman’s debut work, “This Is Not My Life: A Memoir of Sisterhood, Suspicion, and Starting Over.” It launched June 3. The...
Cars, motorcycles, tattoos on tap at inaugural Whiskey Throttle Fair
Joe Fidanzato loves to flaunt his shiny, silver 1981 GMC Caballero Diablo any chance he can get. Fidanzato, 75, of Monongahela polished the wheels after parking the car Saturday morning off a dusty road at the Westmoreland Fairgrounds in Mt. Pleasant Township for the Whiskey Throttle Fair. The fair featured...
The Lumineers, Pantera, Wiz Khalifa among July’s top concerts in Pittsburgh
The Billy Joel-Rod Stewart show slated for July 5 at Acrisure Stadium would have been the highlight of the month before health concerns forced the entire tour’s cancellation. There are still plenty of big shows coming to the Pittsburgh area in July, including Pittsburgh’s own Wiz Khalifa: Top concerts July...
Opa! Oakmont Greek Food Festival continues through weekend
Bob Zazac and his daughter Mia braved the elements in order to keep their father-daughter tradition of attending the Oakmont Greek Food Festival alive. The huge fundraising weekend at Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church kicked off Friday. The hot and humid afternoon gave way to thunderstorms shortly before...
‘It’s humongous’: World’s largest rubber duck amazes crowd at Idlewild park
When Katie Luttner and her two grandchildren approached the giant, bright yellow duck through the trees at Idlewild & SoakZone on Friday, they were in awe. “I’ve never seen it before, and I didn’t realize how huge it is,” she said. “(It’s) bigger than what I expected.” The “World’s Largest...
On the water: Riverlife launches Shore Thing in the heart of the Sister Bridges
Pittsburgh has a new floating barge river attraction. Shore Thing is a 4,800-square-foot modular floating barge platform that will be a space for art, play, food and community when it opens on Tuesday. It’s the brainchild of Riverlife, the nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating Pittsburgh’s riverfronts. The floating destination is...
Stache bash and facial hair phenoms coming to Pittsburgh for contest
Downtown will be full of hairy happenings next week, as Pittsburgh hosts the 2025 World Beard and Moustache Championships. Mad Viking Beard Club Pennsylvania, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing together facial hair enthusiasts, and the World Beard and Moustache Association have joined forces to put on the three-day event....
Tour a Downtown Pittsburgh condo on the market for $4.25 million
Floor-to-ceiling windows on the 19th floor of the Fairmont Pittsburgh hotel building provide panoramic, stunning scenes of Pittsburgh from a unique vantage point — but they belong to a condominium, not a hotel suite. “The views are unbelievable,” said Robyn Jones of Piatt Sotheby’s International Realty. “You can literally see...
Pat McAfee, Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg donate $50,000 to Pittsburgh Public Schools
Pittsburgh Public Schools got some love from three celebrities, one of whom is its own alumni. Sports commentator and former NFL player Pat McAfee, rapper Wiz Khalifa and entertainer Snoop Dogg collectively donated $50,000 to PPS, according to TribLive news partner WTAE. The school board accepted the donation Wednesday. McAfee...
Vinci Winery coming to downtown New Kensington in old-school Italian style
A new establishment in downtown New Kensington brings together three of Sam Iovino’s passions: wine, cigars and food. “I’m old-school Italian. I believe in entertaining,” said Iovino. “I love entertaining and getting people together.” Iovino, 56, of Monroeville plans to open Vinci Winery at 1021 Barnes St. on July 9....
Here are 5 things to do in Westmoreland this weekend: June 27-29
June is wrapping up, and next week will be a short week for many. But there’s still lots going on all around Westmoreland County. Here are a few things you can do this weekend to close out the month. Ligonier Valley Bluegrass Festival Get ready for a full weekend of...
Adam Sandler visiting Pittsburgh for comedy show this fall
Comedian Adam Sandler will bring his You’re My Best Friend tour to Pittsburgh this fall. Sandler, who’s starred in comedies like “Happy Gilmore,” “Billy Madison” and “Grown Ups,” will perform on Sept. 20 at PPG Paints Arena. Tickets go on sale to the general public at noon Friday at ticketmaster.com....
Mama Duck, duckling inflatables set to pump up crowds at Idlewild and SoakZone
Jase Wiarda occasionally calls a company with a pressure washer to give his rubber duck a bath. “It’s a weird phone call to make,” he said. “People think it’s a prank.” That is, until they realize their services are being sought to clean the “World’s Largest Rubber Duck” — a...
Music history is littered with projects planned, anticipated, even completed — and then scrapped
NEW YORK — The idea that Bruce Springsteen wrote, recorded and ultimately shelved entire albums of music may seem odd to the casual listener. Why put yourself through all that work for nothing? Yet “lost albums” are embedded in music industry lore. Some were literally lost. Some remained unfinished or...
Shark attacks at Hilton Head Island leave 2 injured in a week
Two shark attacks were reported within a week in a popular Pittsburgher vacation spot — Hilton Head Island, S.C. The latest incident happened on Sunday around noon at Coligny Beach Park, People reported. The attack happened near a lifeguard and in front of the beach path. WRDW reported that the...
Longtime editor-in-chief Anna Wintour steps down at Vogue after 37 years
NEW YORK — Anna Wintour is seeking a head of editorial content to handle more of the day-to-day operations at Vogue while retaining plenty of power to keep her a force at the magazine that built her reputation in fashion, a person familiar with the decision said Thursday. Wintour will...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: June 27-29
Whether you’re a walker, a biker, a dancer or a driver, it’s a great weekend to be on the move in Pittsburgh. Here are some destinations right in your backyard to check out. OpenStreetsPGH Three and a half miles of car-free fun will stretch through Shadyside, East Liberty, Larimer, Point...
Pro wrestling gets its own 24/7 SiriusXM channel
Pro wrestling has gone from a once a week show on SiriusXM to having its own channel. The satellite radio provider announced Thursday that Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7 will take over Channel 156 beginning Tuesday. Channel 156 has been SiriusXM Fight Nation, which has carried pro wrestling, MMA and boxing...
Podcast: Why are younger people behind on financial literacy?
“Are you saving for retirement?” It’s a question that gets a range of answers, especially across age groups. Some think it’s too early to start; others believe it’s never too soon. Among millennials and Generation Z, one trend stands out: a significant gap in financial literacy. Many young Americans lack...
TV Talk: ‘The Bear’ back in better shape, more story for former Pittsburgher star
Spoiler alert: This column addresses Season 4 of “The Bear,” now available in its entirety, with mild thematic spoilers. There was general consensus that Hulu’s restaurant dramedy “The Bear” declined in quality last summer during the show’s third season. But, good news: “The Bear” returns much improved, fresher and with...
Editorial: Namdar needs to sell Pittsburgh Mills
Is there a big sale coming at the Pittsburgh Mills mall? Maybe, but at just 35% occupancy of the 900,000-square-foot building, don’t expect it at a store. No, the “everything must go!” moment appears to be for the property itself. Area Realtors have received an email from Namdar Realty Group...
Friends by chance, they’re steady fixtures at Sandcastle — even amid the heat wave
More than an hour before Sandcastle Water Park opens in West Homestead, a tight-knit group of friends can be found waiting to claim lawn chairs by the pool. Chuck George became friends with Roseanne Fowler and Roseann Hill more than eight years ago after meeting them at the water park....
