Editor's Picks category, Page 387
Heinz Ketchup jigsaw puzzle might leave one seeing red
Kraft Heinz released a limited number of 570-piece, single-color puzzles to help fans around the world pass the time during the pandemic. Puzzle people spent many hours trying to complete them because all of the pieces were red. The 570 is a nod to the number 57 on the iconic...
Kitten rescued from engine after 4-mile ride to Leechburg
Sue Wadsworth got a furry surprise Tuesday morning. A 1-pound kitten managed to get inside the engine of her SUV and take a four-mile ride from Allegheny Township to Leechburg, where it was pulled out unharmed after an hourlong rescue effort. “It was so cute,” Wadsworth said of the kitten....
Pittsburgh council wants to make Juneteenth an annual city holiday
Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday asked Mayor Bill Peduto to declare June 19 — a commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States — an annual city holiday, starting in 2021. Council President Theresa Kail-Smith sponsored the “will of council” request, which will be sent to the Mayor’s...
Pittsburgh Professional Women helps businesses through pandemic
For 15 years, the organization Pittsburgh Professional Women has been dedicated to helping women excel in business. This year, it set its sights on helping them get through the coronavirus pandemic. “Anytime you find yourself in a frustrating situation where you have no control, you just have to look at...
Ford City dog learns to retrieve rocks from riverVideo
Sit. Stay. Roll over. Swim 7 miles and dive to the bottom of the river to retrieve rocks. These are just a few of the tricks that Diesel, a pit bull mix, has mastered. Sara Burk and her family fostered pets through Orphans of the Storm Shelter near Kittanning. She...
Port Authority tool allows riders to gauge social-distance capacity on buses
A new tool from the Port Authority of Allegheny County will tell riders whether the bus headed for their stop is at a safe social-distancing capacity, officials said Monday. The Room2Ride tool on the Port Authority’s website relies on the past two weeks of ridership data to let people know...
Reports: Michael Keaton to return as BatmanVideo
It’s been nearly 30 years since Michael Keaton played Batman, but he may be answering the Bat-Signal once again. The Hollywood Reporter says the Pittsburgh native is in talks to reprise the role in Warner Bros.’ upcoming DC movie “The Flash.” And it might not just be the Flash movie,...
Pittsburgh Zoo welcomes new sea lion pup
The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium welcomed a new California sea lion pup. Kelilah gave birth to the pup on Wednesday. Both mom and pup are doing well, zoo officials said. “We are all very excited and happy for Kelilah,” Henry Kacprzyk, curator of the Zoo’s Kids Kingdom, said. The...
Sarris Candies, Schneider’s Dairy team for chocolate milkshake
Sarris Candies and Schneider’s Dairy are teaming up for what they’re calling the ultimate summer treat. Schneider’s will begin selling pint bottles of Sarris chocolate milkshake — made with real Sarris chocolate. The limited edition will go on sale July 2. Based in Canonsburg, Sarris Candies was founded in 1960...
Petition wants to rename Columbus, Ohio to ‘Flavortown’ after native son Guy Fieri
After the mayor of Columbus, Ohio, announced last week that the city was removing the large statue of Christopher Columbus that stands in front of city hall, some want to do more and rename the city. How does Flavortown, Ohio, sound? More than 26,000 have signed a Change.org petition to...
Statues on Gettysburg’s battlefields are history lessons rather than racist symbols, park official says
In recent weeks, a number of Confederate statues and monuments have been targeted by protesters as symbols of racism and slavery. As a result, a number of them are no longer standing. When it comes to Confederate markers, you’re unlikely to find a place with as many such examples than...
National coin shortage linked to coronavirus pandemicVideo
The novel coronavirus pandemic has caused a coin shortage in the country, according to the Federal Reserve. “What’s happened is that, with the partial closure of the economy, the flow of coins through the economy has gotten all — it’s kind of stopped,” Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell said recently....
Tom Petty’s family tells Trump to stop using ‘I Won’t Back Down’ on campaign
The family of late singer Tom Petty has told President Donald Trump to not use the song “I Won’t Back Down” on his campaign. After Trump used the song Saturday night at a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the members of Petty’s family posted a statement to Twitter. “Trump was...
Playwright August Wilson to get Hollywood Walk of Fame star
August Wilson is going Hollywood, after a fashion. The famed playwright from Pittsburgh will be honored with a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Los Angeles. Wilson was among the Hollywood Walk of Fame’s 2021 honorees announced last week. Also announced...
Comedian Billy Gardell, WDVE’s Bill Crawford take crack at ‘dad jokes’Video
A wise man once said, “There’s a fine line between a numerator and a denominator.” That man was probably a dad, because that’s a classic example of the humor we love to hate — the dreaded dad joke. When does a joke become a dad joke? When it becomes apparent....
Protests bring ‘moment of hope’ after decades of racial justice rallies in Pittsburgh, region
News archives in Southwestern Pennsylvania detail a history of encounters between black men and youths and white police officers. Jonny Gammage, Charles Dixon, Michael Ellerbe, Jordan Miles, Leon Ford and Antwon Rose II are among the names that stand out. Four died in confrontations with police. Two survived, their lives...
Sounding off: Stop being selfish and wear your mask
This is a reminder to those of you who seem to have forgotten your masks since “going green” to continue wearing your face covering into the store and not below your nose — or even worse, not at all. The Centers for Disease Control recommends wearing a cloth face covering...
Lernerville Speedway holds opening night with pandemic restrictions in place
Racing returned to Lernerville Speedway in Buffalo Township on Friday with thousands of fans eager to see the green flags waving — in spite of the covid-19 pandemic. “It feels great to be back here again,” said Pat Snow of Bruin, Butler County. “We’ll be camping here next week for...
Police: Indiana County woman cited after mask incident at Giant Eagle
An Indiana County woman was cited this week after state police said she yelled profanities at employees and pushed a shopping cart into a produce display after refusing to wear a mask inside a Giant Eagle. Troopers said they were called Sunday to the grocery store on Ben Franklin Road...
Company plans ultimate balloon ride to the edge of spaceVideo
Looking for a trip that’s out of this world? Well, almost. How about a balloon trip up 19 miles over the Atlantic Ocean? That would be high enough to view the Earth’s curvature and take in a sight that only astronauts have been lucky enough to see. The company —...
Review: Munhall native Gabby Barrett shines on debut album ‘Goldmine’Video
As the big day drew closer Thursday afternoon, Gabby Barrett felt a “roller coaster of emotion.” It’s understandable, those twists and turns of excitement and nervousness, along the tracks of happiness. The Munhall native and “American Idol” finalist was hours away from the June 19 release of “Goldmine,” her first...
Trump claims he ‘made Juneteenth very famous’Video
President Trump claims he deserves credit for creating popularity for Juneteenth after drawing derision for scheduling his political rally in Tulsa, Okla., on the same date. Juneteenth, which will be celebrated Friday, commemorates the order that the Emancipation Proclamation be enforced in Texas. The date is recognized as a holiday...
Photos: Rally and march for Black Trans Lives held in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, Downtown
A Pittsburgh Action for Black Trans Lives rally and march was held Thursday. Members of the black transgender community and their allies met at Freedom Corner in the Hill District before marching to the Pittsburgh City-County Building where several speakers addressed the crowd with their own personal stories. The nearly...
They stopped to smell (and pick) the flowers Thursday at a farm in Peters Township
A number of people took advantage of a perfect day Thursday as summer approaches to pick their own flowers and fruits at Simmons Farm in Peters Township. The family-owned, 150-acre farm has been in operation for 75 years. It offers pick-your-own flowers, sweet corn, strawberries, apples, peaches and pumpkins....
Oakmont Greek Food fest goes on, with major changes
The annual Greek Food Festival in Oakmont will take place this month, but in a different way. The event is scheduled for 2 to 8 p.m. June 26-28 at the Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church at 12 Washington Ave. Organizers said much had to change for the celebration’s...
