Editor's Picks category, Page 390
When protesters cry ‘defund the police,’ what does it mean?Video
WASHINGTON — Protesters are pushing to “defund the police” over the death of George Floyd and other black Americans killed by law enforcement. Their chant has become rallying cry — and a stick for President Donald Trump to use on Democrats as he portrays them as soft on crime. But...
JK Rowling’s tweets on transgender people spark outrage
LOS ANGELES — “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling is facing hefty backlash after she posted a series of tweets about transgender people. Rowling drew outrage Saturday on Twitter when she criticized an opinion piece from Devex that used the phrase ” people who menstruate.” “I’m sure there used to be...
Only surviving injured calf from turnpike crash heads to Beaver County rescue ranchVideo
It’s a good thing cows can’t speak English. If they did, Ribeye the calf might be a lot more worried about what his name means for his future. But the 3-month-old Holstein — one of 135 bull calves involved in a March 3 truck crash on the turnpike — has...
Cameron Barnett: 7 tips for white allies from a black Pittsburgher
Dear Potential White Ally, It’s me, your black friend/neighbor/co-worker/family member/acquaintance/person in the world. 2020 has been a lot to handle — an election year, a pandemic, economic depression, and now this. Brutal civilian and police killings of black Americans have punctuated the first half of this year. In Georgia, three...
Norwin student linking mask users, makers
A Norwin High School student’s community service project connects mask users with area crafters willing to make them. Lydia Berger, who will be a senior, said she came up with the idea for the covid-19 mask initiative days after the governor’s stay-at-home order went into effect in March. ”I was...
New Kensington-Arnold celebrates Class of 2020 with parade through cities
The back of Amanda Reidy’s car was filled with balloons when she arrived at Valley High School in New Kensington on Friday morning to participate in a parade for the Class of 2020, which includes her son, James. The parade through New Kensington and Arnold was just one of several...
No traditional graduation celebration? No problem for Highlands High grads who get parade instead
The Highlands Class of 2020 did not get to march at commencement on Friday evening, but they did get to be recognized. The seniors rode in cars, many poking out of the top of sunroofs, some riding in the back of pickup trucks, all escorted by police and volunteer firefighters...
Derry Area Middle School club receives Children’s Hospital fundraising award
Derry Area Middle School’s Farkleberry Club recently received the Youth Fundraiser Award from the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation. The club’s annual campaign, during the fall 2019 semester, raised $5,649.73 for the hospital’s Free Care Fund. The fundraising effort has been a tradition at the school for more than four...
June is the month to make emergency plans for your pets
We’ve heard about “go bags” and other types of preparation for both man-made and natural disasters. But when you’re planning a quick exit from danger for yourself and your family, you also need to think about your pets. We’ve all seen heartbreaking photos and videos of animals left behind in...
Pitt football players’ voices heard in shout-out against racial injustice
Expectations are high for the Pitt football team this season. But nothing any Pitt player will do while wearing a helmet will have the same impact as the words of nine of them in a 4-minute, 32-second video produced this week. My time on the team taught me more than...
Westmoreland Cultural Trust bringing back summer TGIS concerts
The Westmoreland Cultural Trust’s popular TGIS summer concert series will return on June 18, at a new location to accommodate social distancing protocols. Normally held in the courtyard of The Palace Theatre in downtown Greensburg, the concerts will move about 2 miles north to the Greensburg Garden and Civic Center,...
Abby Lee Miller issues apology amid ‘Dance Moms’ co-star’s claim of racist comments
Abby Lee Miller has apologized on social media for racially insensitive “words.” The former Penn Hills reality star put up a statement Thursday on Instagram. “I genuinely understand and deeply regret how my words have effected and hurt those around me in the past, particularly those in the Black...
At Greensburg Care Center, a barrier brings loved ones together
Before she was done visiting her husband, Linda Brigaman of Unity was asking when she could see him again. Recent in-person sessions with him in a special booth at Greensburg Care Center have been a lifeline as regular visitation at nursing homes across Pennsylvania are prohibited during the coronavirus pandemic....
Pine musician creates a video for his beloved Pittsburgh
Local musician Nick Navari wanted to bring some positivity to Pittsburgh during the pandemic. So, he came up with a video love letter. He played Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” with visuals of Pittsburgh’s most treasured spots in a two-minute video. The 24-year-old from Pine was filmed playing his own rendition...
Glazed, powdered or jelly? Yes, yes and yes — it’s National Doughnut Day
Friday is National Doughnut Day. It’s the perfect way to celebrate as Allegheny, Westmoreland and surrounding counties are headed into the “green phase” of the state’s coronavirus action plan. Always the first Friday of June, National Doughnut Day highlights everyone’s favorite cylindrical breakfast treat. Oakmont Bakery owner Marc Serrao said...
White House tightens security with extra fencing as protests continue in D.C.Video
Extra metal fencing has been installed around the White House on Thursday for protection against recent protests in response of the death of George Floyd. The added fortification is “standard anti-riot fencing and ranges from seven feet to more than nine feet high,” a source from the Secret Service told...
Lori Falce: Good cops have power to demand change
I have never known a bad cop. I’ve been a reporter for 33 years. I’ve known a lot of cops in that time. I’ve known young cops who were enthusiastic and idealistic. I’ve known veterans who were still moved deeply at bad crime scenes. I’ve known retired cops who carried...
GOP’s Murkowski says she’s struggling with supporting Trump
WASHINGTON — Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski acknowledged Thursday that she’s “struggling” over whether she can support President Donald Trump given his handling of the virus and race crises shaking the United States. Murkowski, long a critic of the president’s, told reporters in Washington that she was thankful for the...
Universal takes 1st steps reviving Orlando theme park bizVideo
ORLANDO, Fla. — With masks on their faces and temperature checks at entrances, Harry Potter fans and roller coaster lovers streamed back into Universal Orlando Resort this week in one of the first major steps toward reviving Florida’s theme park industry, which was left temporarily moribund by closures to stop...
ATI removes ‘priceless’ stainless steel cars from Harrison plant, plans to auction them
Stainless steel may be resistant to rust and the ravages of time, but the tangible history of Allegheny Ludlum may not be as resilient. That’s the fear of longtime employee Todd Barbiaux. He worries the company’s legacy, and a source of community pride, will fade with the loss of four...
Saint Vincent camp cancellation a blow for local members of Steelers NationVideo
Disappointment, anger and understanding. Local Steelers fans expressed a range of emotions after learning the Steelers won’t hold training camp at Saint Vincent College this summer because of new NFL guidelines prompted by the covid-19 pandemic. Ron Monack, 25, is a 2017 alumnus of the college in Unity and a...
Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf adjusts to online learningVideo
Students at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf are adjusting to online learning during the coronavirus pandemic. “The first few weeks were really tough,” Maureen Reilly-Price, a classroom teacher at Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Edgewood, said, “but now you can see it’s become more and more...
Fox Chapel teen catches pair of large flathead catfish on Allegheny River
Will Carnevale has been fishing off his family’s dock in Allegheny Township off the Allegheny River for quite some time, but this past weekend he received quite the surprise … twice. After casting his line Friday night, the Fox Chapel senior said he walked into the house for a few...
Scientists learn how tiny critters make ocean ‘snot palaces’
Master builders of the sea construct the equivalent of a complex five-story house that protects them from predators and funnels and filters food for them — all from snot coming out of their heads. And when these delicate mucus homes get clogged, the tadpole-looking critters — called giant larvaceans —...
Business is boomin’ for bike sales — but will interest last?Video
June 3 marked World Bicycle Day and, to borrow a phrase from a former, lamented Pittsburgh Steeler, the bike business is boomin’. Bike sales soared when covid-19 restrictions shut down many other forms of exercise and entertainment, and people took to the outdoors for a little fun. “This is unprecedented,”...
