More Lifestyles category, Page 40
WWII code-breaker, Julia Parsons of Forest Hills, to be honored for 100th birthday and top-secret serviceVideo
Julia Parsons knows how to keep a secret. She was tight-lipped about one for more than 50 years. Parsons, 99, of Forest Hills, was a code-breaker in World War II. She served in the U.S. Navy’s WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), after graduating from Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie...
Blackburn Center’s ‘Walk a Mile’ event gets new name, goes virtual
The Blackburn Center’s annual walk against gender-based violence is returning after a hiatus with a new name and format. Formerly called Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, the event has been rebranded as Walk a Mile in Their His Her Our Shoes to reflect the universality of intimate partner violence....
Pie for The Palace a sweet ending for Westmoreland Cultural Trust gala
When the Westmoreland Cultural Trust throws its annual Party at The Palace, they go all out. So when organizers added a pie-in-the-face finale to this year’s event, they went all out for that, too. No chintzy shaving cream in a pie tin for this group. These pies had graham cracker...
Light of Life Rescue Mission moves to new, more spacious location on the North Side
The Light of Life Rescue Mission known for lending a hand to the homeless, is also extending its reach. It unveiled a new location on Wednesday that is much larger than the original one and can help it serve more people. “This has been 25 years in the making,” said...
Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital makes Newsweek list of top maternity centers
The Family Additions Maternity Center at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital made Newsweek’s list of Best Maternity Hospitals 2021. Excela Health is one of 217 hospitals across 36 states on the annual list compiled by the news magazine in partnership with The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization that reports on...
Hasbro giving Mr. Potato Head gender neutral name
NEW YORK — Mr. Potato Head is no longer a mister. Hasbro, the company that makes the potato-shaped plastic toy, is giving the spud a gender neutral new name: Potato Head. The change will appear on boxes this year. Toy makers have been updating their classic brands to appeal to...
Kennywood gets roller coasters on track for new season
Spring is a month away, summer is a distant four months away, but work is being done now to ensure the roller coasters and rides at Kennywood are ready for the new season. On Tuesday, the park shared on social media several photos of track being replaced on the Racer...
Living with Children: Here’s the solution
A therapist takes a 10-year-old boy into what she calls “therapy.” The young fellow is belligerently defiant toward his parents and throws titanic tantrums when things don’t go his way. At school — virtual, going on a year — he’s distractible and doesn’t finish his work without being hovered over...
Flamingo Fest at National Aviary brings a touch of the tropics this weekendVideo
Skinny legs, long necks and a pink color are distinct characteristics of this bird. Flamingos are easy to spot in the wetlands at the National Aviary on Pittsburgh’s North Side. The 10 flamingos — four males and six females — live among 150 birds and 40 species. Guests can learn...
Party at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg adds ‘pie in the face’ finale
Six community members are stepping up to the (pie) plate in support of The Palace Theatre and Westmoreland Cultural Trust. They’re willing to take a “Pie for The Palace” during the Trust’s Party at The Palace virtual fundraising event Saturday, beginning with a VIP party at 7 p.m. and main...
Sewickley’s Edgeworth Club keeps duckpin bowling tradition rollingVideo
Joe Sawyer dampens his right hand with a wet green cloth, grabs his ball and lines a shot slightly right of center, much like he has done for about 33 years. The Sewickley resident winds up, takes a few steps and lets the ball go with an underhanded toss down...
Homeowners should be proactive to prevent ice dams as thaw approaches, experts say
The weather is expected to warm up this week, which is good news. But it could also bring problems for property owners. All of the snow and ice from recent storms and bitter cold that’s built up on roofs is about to melt — and could cause “ice damming.” Ice...
Pandemic brain fog? Here’s how to clear itVideo
Are you having trouble focusing, feeling lonely or hopeless, lacking motivation, withdrawing from people? These are some of the symptoms of pandemic fatigue, a condition brought on by the stresses and fears of the past year, combined with having too much free time. The hallmark of pandemic fatigue is a...
Greensburg artist Pamela Cooper takes ‘leap of faith’ with new studioVideo
Artist Pamela Cooper is taking a leap of faith by renting studio space in Greensburg. For the first time, she’s hoping to support herself solely by making art. If all goes well, she’ll offer art classes remotely and in her space in the Westmoreland Cultural Trust’s Incubator for the Arts...
Artists brave elements during Ligonier winter paint-outVideo
Painting outside in Ligonier on a 28-degree February day, under a light drizzle, is “not for the faint of heart,” said Jan Pini of Venetia, Washington County. Nevertheless, she worked with pastels en plein air Friday morning at the Loyalhanna Watershed Association grounds, just west of the borough. Pini and...
Pittsburgh panel to address safety for spring bird migration
Many area residents are eagerly awaiting the spring arrival of migratory birds in the Pittsburgh region. Local experts will be featured in an online forum Wednesday, offering tips to help keep these feathered friends on a safe flight path. The free program, presented by the Frick Art & Historical Center,...
Pittsburgh woman creates dual artist market, fundraising website
A Pittsburgh woman has combined her love of art, talent for organization and desire to do good to create a website that is equal parts artist marketplace and fundraising outlet. Desiree Canovic, a senior program manager for Highmark, realized a long-standing dream by creating LocalGood, which launched in October. “It...
Greensburg’s singing florist Gary Pratt has new album, record label
Greensburg’s singing florist Gary Pratt is celebrating two steps forward in his musical career. The owner of Le Jardin Florals and Home Accents has a new album and a new record label. With a March 26 release date, “Something Worth Remembering” will be the country singer’s third full-length album. The...
Gisele Fetterman introduces PA Kindness Poem ProjectVideo
The new PA Kindness Poem Project kicked off today with a video introduction from Pennsylvania’s second lady, Gisele Barreto Fetterman. The Pennsylvania Humanities Council (PHC) has partnered with Philadelphia poet laureate Trapeta B. Mayson on the project, which it describes as “a mission to help spread kindness throughout the state.”...
Things to do in Western Pa.: Feb. 17, 2021
Before February is over, take in some more Black History Month-inspired programming. Then look ahead to March, for an upcoming St. Patrick’s Day bash or spring-themed art classes. Details on those and other arts and educational opportunities are here, in this week’s Big List. Art • Where are they?: Carnegie...
Greensburg Garden Center offers spring ‘Tea-In’ or ‘Tea-Out’
Greensburg Garden Center will offer two ways for supporters to enjoy its annual spring tea on March 20. A “Tea-In” option includes a sit-down meal at Maplewood Presbyterian Church, while a “Tea-Out” option will allow people to pick up a box featuring the same meal to enjoy at home. “We...
Party at The Palace Theatre reimagined as livestream event
There’s no need to dress up and head to downtown Greensburg to enjoy this year’s Party at The Palace. The Westmoreland Cultural Trust’s signature fundraising event, held in the historic Greensburg theater, will be virtual this year. The event will stream live at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27 from the theater...
Living with Children: Most shy kids outgrow their shyness
Researchers have found what many personal testimonies will confirm: Most shy children, even the most painfully shy of them, are not shy adults. The progression from introversion to extroversion does not require therapy, behavior modification, or any extraordinary measures. More often than not, it just happens. Most shy kids outgrow...
Wife shows true love for husband through kidney donationVideo
At 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 31, Dan Sturm texted his wife, Tanya. “You awake?” he asked. “Yes,” she answered. “I am coming over,” he replied. Dan, 61, made his way to his wife’s room across the hall on the 11 North hospital floor inside UPMC Montefiore in Oakland. Connected to...
Board games provide low-tech alternative to online obsessionsVideo
A board game called Pandemic was a customer favorite early last year at Mr. Nice Guy Games in Monroeville. “It was our No. 1 seller in February and March,” said Christy Kotwica, who owns the store with her husband, Ron Kotwica. “We ordered four times what we’d normally order, and...
