More Lifestyles category, Page 20
This WWII weapons bunker has a new mission: Sheltering a scientist’s insect collection
LOS ANGELES — A World War II-era weapons bunker in Irvine, Calif., has a new mission — sheltering preserved insect specimens. When a collection of bugs floating in specimen bottles outgrew his laboratory, Robert Fisher moved them into an abandoned weapons bunker at the former El Toro Marine Corps Air...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: Jan. 6-8
Friday family fun The monthly Family Fun Night is planned for 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at Smithton Public Library, 615 Center St. The free event will feature stories, games, crafts and more all-ages activities with a moon theme. Visitors will have a chance to steer a BeeBot moon rover...
Willie’s Random Acts of Kindness Day honors memory of Greensburg infant
Though William David “Willie” Fennell lived only a few hours after his birth Jan. 6, 2020, his brief life continues to have an impact on others. His parents, Will and Lindsay Fennell of Greensburg, in conjunction with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Laurel Region, are inviting people to perform...
Big Brothers Big Sisters social media posts showcase kids needing mentors
For Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Laurel Region, one could say the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. What that means, Executive Director Stephanie Babich Mihleder said, is that the group has a long list of kids it would love to serve — if only they had...
Greensburg Y family fitness series includes in-person, virtual classes
A family-oriented health and fitness program is returning to the Greensburg YMCA this month, with a new twist. Half of the program’s 12 classes will be conducted virtually, allowing more people to participate. The six-week Fit Family and Friends program begins Jan. 17 with “Spin to Win,” an in-person cycling-based...
Tradition of hiking in the new year reaches all 50 U.S. states
BOSTON — A simple plan to get more people enjoying the outdoors on New Year’s Day has become a nationwide movement after a hike at a Massachusetts park more than three decades ago. Just 380 people participated in the initial First Day Hike in 1992 at the nearly 7,000-acre Blue...
New Year’s resolutions can be about more than self-improvement
People tend to focus New Year’s resolutions on self-improvement and fulfillment. Maybe it’s time to rethink the resolution. In 2020, about 75% of adult Americans set a goal to better themselves in 2021. But Forbes reported there is research to show that, year after year — for a variety of...
From panties to potatoes, global New Year’s customs predict what’s to come
Watching the ball drop in Times Square, toasting with champagne and shooting off fireworks are familiar ways many in America may choose to ring in the New Year. Around the globe, other countries and cultures have their own unique New Year traditions. Fodor’s lists several unusual examples: Fashion forecast In...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: Dec. 30-Jan. 1
Artsy interlude Weekend hours will be 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. today and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, 221 N. Main St., Greensburg. The museum will be closed Sunday for New Year’s Day. Current exhibits include “Gatecrashers: The Rise of the Self-Taught Artist in America,” featuring...
Holiday Family Day draws dozens of visitors to Historic Hanna’s Town
Historic Hanna’s Town was a hive of activity Thursday, as dozens of people gathered for Holiday Family Day. “People are looking for something to do between Christmas and New Year’s, so as long as they want to come, we’re happy to be here,” said Lisa Hays, executive director of Westmoreland...
6 ways to make extra money in retirement
More than 1 in 4 retirees say they’re spending more than they can afford, according to an October 2022 survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. With inflation at 7.1% in November, it’s not surprising that savings aren’t going as far as they used to. But there are ways to...
Pittsburgh’s First Night to kick off New Year with a bangVideo
New Year’s Eve will start with a bang in downtown Pittsburgh — and end the same way. Pyrotecnico Fireworks will bookend Highmark First Night Pittsburgh, with displays at 6 p.m. and midnight on Saturday. In the hours between, the free annual event will feature music, dance, theater, visual arts, comedy,...
Down time: What to do in the lull between Christmas and New Year’s Eve
’Twas the day after Christmas … You’re off work and the kids are home from school. You’ve visited all your friends and relatives. The kids already are tired of their gifts. Now, you’re just waiting for New Year’s Eve. What to do in the meantime, while school is closed and...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: Dec. 23-25
Most people probably have plans to gather with family and friends this weekend, but here are a few things to do if you want to get out and about. Final requests Before he heads back to the North Pole, Santa will take last-minute gift requests from 11 a.m. to 8...
Bringing a dog along for a holiday stay? Make sure to plan
NEW YORK — Traveling with dogs can be stressful. Throw in holiday home stays at one of the most chaotic times of the year and double that stress for humans and animals alike — especially when hosts have pets of their own. Large gatherings, unfamiliar smells and sounds, mixing older...
Not just for kids: Toymakers aim more products at grown-ups
NEW YORK — Since the pandemic, Elizabeth Hulanick has turned to toys from her childhood to relieve stress. She and her co-workers chip in to buy Legos at Target and play at their desks. She also started playing with Silly Putty again, noting she felt comforted by the bouncy rubbery...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: Dec. 16-18
Christmas classics Westmoreland Performing Arts will stage these holiday shows on Friday in Science Hall Theater at Westmoreland County Community College, 145 Pavilion Lane, Hempfield: • “A Christmas Carol,” 6 p.m. WPA’s Home and Cyber School Theatre Troupe will present an adaptation of the Charles Dickens’ classic through a series...
The problems with using buy now, pay later to fund travel
Book a flight or hotel room now, and pay it off later? It’s an increasingly common trend in travel spending. Companies like American Airlines , United Airlines and vacation rental website Vacasa now offer the option to make reservations now and pay it back incrementally over time with “buy now,...
No, holiday tips are not mandatory — especially if your finances have changed. Here’s what etiquette experts say
Ah, the holiday season. It arrives each winter, bringing feelings of gratitude, merriment, generosity — and financial anxiety. The cost of gifts and gatherings isn’t the only subject that weighs on people’s minds this time of year. Holiday tipping can be stressful, too, with individuals, couples, and families deciding which...
Sharing a roof, and money, with adult kids
When Amanda Claypool was 28, she left a government contracting job in Washington, D.C., and moved back to her parents’ house in upstate New York while she figured out her next step. Then the pandemic struck, and her temporary return lasted longer than she’d planned. Living with her parents for...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: Dec. 9-11
Cookies galore The annual Christmas Cookie Tour is set for 5 to 8 p.m. today in downtown Irwin. Local businesses, churches and restaurants will be open to offer cookie samples, while supplies last. The family-friendly festivities will include horse and carriage rides, Christmas karaoke, kids’ cookie decorating and a visit...
Greensburg rec department accepts Santa letters, entries for holiday decorating contest
Greensburg’s recreation department is initiating a holiday decorating contest for residents, with entries due by 4 p.m. next Friday, Dec. 16. “If you live in the city, you can send in a picture of your house or apartment that you have decorated,” said Lydia Kinkaid, recreation program manager. Photos of...
Jewish Americans confront antisemitism with resolve, worry
NEW YORK — Jewish Americans are closely following the recent upsurge in antisemitic rhetoric and actions with a mix of anxiety and resolve — along with a yearning that a broader swath of Americans, including leaders across the political spectrum, speak out against anti-Jewish hatred. New Yorker Rizy Horowitz, who...
7 no-regret New Year’s resolution parties
Some people call them resolutions, others goals, and there are even those who may refer to them as a little pointless. But regardless of semantics, New Year’s fill-in-the-blanks offer an opportunity for a clean slate. In celebration of new beginnings and shaking the dust off another year in the rearview,...
Speaker series highlights Westmoreland County’s ‘hidden treasures’
There are people who go about their work quietly, making positive differences in the community without getting much public recognition. The Westmoreland Diversity Coalition intends to shine a light on some of those people, and their diverse backgrounds, through its new Hidden Treasures Speaker Series. Maria LaVelle, CEO of Pheple...
