Editor's Picks category, Page 301
Pittsburgh Pop: Upcoming movies, midseason TV and ‘Being the Ricardos’
In this week’s episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including midseason cable/streaming series with local ties. Owen rates recent premieres “1883” and “With Love” and the pair preview what’s coming in midseason TV,...
Shop with Heroes event at Harrison Walmart pairs kids with first responders
A 9-year-old boy jumped on the edge of the shopping cart and scooted ahead of his newfound cop buddy, playing hide-and-seek in the superstore’s toy aisles. He paused to scour the shelves of Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! trading cards and snag some Japanese manga comic books, teaching Harrison police Officer Matt...
Practical presents: These gifts serve needs without taking up space
If you’re running out of time to find that special gift for that special someone, this could be the year when the thing to give is not a thing at all. As Christmas bears down upon us, here are a few ideas for practical gifts that can make life easier...
Heyday of trolleys in Western Pa. transformed regionVideo
It’s been well over half a century since 69-year-old Anne Elise Morris of Wilkinsburg took a ride on a trolley. But Morris’ vivid memories make it seem like she rode the trolley just yesterday. “Whenever we were going to Downtown Pittsburgh, we would dress up for that,” said Morris. “I...
Fresh-cut Christmas trees in short supply this season
Where are the fresh-cut Christmas trees? That’s what some Alle-Kiski Valley businesses are asking as fresh-cut trees are in short supply — or completely sold out. A large vacant lot has been empty for weeks at Kiski Garden Center in Allegheny Township. In previous years, it still would be offering...
Up, up and they pay: $2.6M winning bid for Superman #1 comic
NEW YORK — A rare copy of a Superman #1 comic book that sold on newsstands for a dime in 1939 was purchased for $2.6 million in an auction. The comic showing Superman leaping over tall buildings on the cover was sold Thursday night to a buyer who wishes to...
Play it Forward Pittsburgh helps families with holiday gifts for their children
Stephanie Badstibner of McKeesport recalled waiting in line overnight to be one of the first moms inside the Play it Forward Pittsburgh Toy Drive. It’s a free toy store where families can peruse thousands of items from cars and trucks to dolls and blocks. The mother of five wanted to...
Braddock’s Brew Gentlemen opens refurbished tap room after lengthy closure
The pandemic caused the initial closure of Brew Gentlemen’s taproom in March 2020. Owners Matt Katase and Asa Foster then decided to take the time to refurbish the indoor space in Braddock. Those enhancements will finally be visible Friday as the popular craft brewery reopens. “It’s been quite a journey,”...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Dec. 17-19
We’ve made it to the weekend. Here are some ways to spend it. Bakery Square for the holidays Walnut Capital, which manages Bakery Square in Larimer, will host a variety of free holiday happenings from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday in the...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County: Dec. 17-19
‘Does Someone Need a Hug?’ “Elf the Musical” comes to the stage of the Geyer Performing Arts Center in Scottdale at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, courtesy of Actors and Artists of Fayette County. A Sunday matinee is sold out. Based on the 2003 movie starring...
Sewickley Heights’ Wilpen Hall preserved as historic estate
When the doors open to Wilpen Hall, guests walk into a different time and place. “Once inside, you are standing in a living piece of history,” said Martin Maines, Wilpen Hall estate manager. “It is a very special place. Wilpen Hall is a slice of Americana that once existed.” The...
Steel City Con’s new layout made December’s show best of the year
A new layout, more space and quicker lines made attending Steel City Con’s December show at the Monroeville Convention Center enjoyable for most vendors and guests. The last pop culture and comic convention of the year at 209 Mall Plaza Blvd. featured more than 30 celebrities and 100 vendors. Parking...
Former WTAE-TV reporter Kelly Brennan releases book about daughter’s medical conditionVideo
This is the story of a little girl in a yellow polka dot dress. Her name is Caroline. Through the powerful words and colorful pictures on the 33 pages of “Caroline’s Infusion Day,” the reader is taken through a day at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Infusion Center in Lawrenceville....
Future of ‘double-fronted Beetle’ on Route 66 up in the air
With the exception of a few years in the early 2010s, the double-fronted Volkswagen Beetle, painted Hawaiian blue, has been a constant landmark along Route 66 in Salem Township. Created by Excel Auto Body’s original owner, Ed Britz, in 1970, it has been repaired and replaced over the years, and...
Can your pet get covid-19?
NEW YORK — Can your pet get covid-19? Yes, pets and other animals can get the coronavirus that causes covid-19, but health officials say the risk of them spreading it to people is low. Dogs, cats, ferrets, rabbits, otters, hyenas and white-tailed deer are among the animals that have tested...
TV Talk: ‘Yellowstone’ prequel, ‘Downton Abbey’ follow-up highlight midseason cable/streaming seriesVideo
Mid-season cable and streaming scripted series start in earnest in January, but with so much competition, some outlets chose to debut new shows this weekend. “With Love” (Friday, Amazon’s Prime Video): A five-episode, Christmas-set rom-com – it’s more rom than com – about a Latino family and their romantic entanglements....
Ligonier area provides props as ‘The Pale Blue Eye’ film crew arrives at Compass Inn
Staff at Fort Ligonier and the Laughlintown Antique Mall will be watching carefully when a locally filmed Netflix movie becomes available for viewing. There’s a chance items from either of those sites could make an appearance in “The Pale Blue Eye,” a period murder mystery that is being shot at...
Franktuary becomes latest Pittsburgh hot dog shop to close
There is one less option in Pittsburgh for folks seeking an A-list hot dog. First, it was The Original Hot Dog Shop in Oakland, closing early in the pandemic. Then D’s Six Pax and Dogz in Regent Square caught fire last August and closed for several months. (It just reopened...
Porch pirates love this time of year. Here are some tips to protect your packages
With an estimated $207 billion expected to be spent online by shoppers this holiday season and a record 20 billion parcels shipped to U.S. addresses last year, it’s not a surprise that thieves see all those packages on the porch as opportunity, too. Most people don’t report stolen deliveries to...
Stoney Richards departing Y108 morning show to focus on acting
WDSY-FM (Y108) is looking for a new host for its “Y’d Awake” morning show, and whoever is hired will have some big shoes to fill. After three years, Charles David “Stoney” Richards is leaving his popular morning gig to focus on his acting career. His last show is Friday. “It’s...
Prantl’s opens a 5th location — on Pittsburgh’s North Side
Prantl’s bakery is expanding — both in location and tasty treats. A fifth shop opened inside the former Priory Fine Pastries on East Ohio Street on Pittsburgh’s North Side. “We hope to carry on the tradition the Priory had in the neighborhood,” said Prantl’s owner Joe Cugliari. “They had a...
TV Q&A: Who puts together Jeff Verszyla’s wardrobe?
Q. Weatherman Jeff Verszyla on Channel 4 is the best-dressed man on that station. I would love to know what brand of suits he wears or the identity of his tailor. — Bob, Mt. Washington Rob: “Over the course of many years, I have built up a solid wardrobe,” Verszyla...
Penn-Trafford to get annual Make-A-Wish telethon back up and running
In a typical school year, video production students manning the annual Make-A-Wish telethon at Penn-Trafford High School could rely on the experience of the previous year’s class. The expertise of students who already had been through the four-hour live broadcast, with its massive production schedule and little room for error,...
Group launches website to provide news, give voice to Black community in Pittsburgh
A Pittsburgh-based group of artists and activists has launched a website aimed to amplify the city’s Black voices. The group behind the site, 1Hood Media, uses its platform to raise awareness for social issues. In launching BlackPittsburgh.com, 1Hood Media hopes to become a destination for news, events and resources catered...
What’s your religion? In U.S., a common reply now is ‘None’
Nathalie Charles, even in her mid-teens, felt unwelcome in her Baptist congregation, with its conservative views on immigration, gender and sexuality. So she left. “I just don’t feel like that gelled with my view of what God is and what God can be,” said Charles, an 18-year-old of Haitian descent...
