Editor's Picks category, Page 406
Enclosed portion of Pittsburgh Mills mall closes indefinitely over coronavirus outbreak
The Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills will close at 6 p.m. Tuesday and remain closed “until further notice,” the mall announced on its Facebook page. The closure applies to the enclosed mall only. The mall advised shoppers to check with other stores outside the mall about their status. “In response to...
Pitt postpones spring commencement ceremonies
The University of Pittsburgh has postponed all in-person spring commencement ceremonies at the main campus in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood, Chancellor Patrick Gallagher announced Tuesday. “This decision was not made lightly,” Gallagher said in a statement. “We know this news will be upsetting both to graduates, who have worked so hard...
Blood donations at critical shortage because of coronavirus pandemic
Blood banks are asking healthy donors to turn out “in full force” as donations drop in the face of the spreading coronavirus. “If we don’t have enough blood to meet the sick patients’ needs, we’ll have another public health crisis on top of the pandemic,” said Kristen Lane, spokeswoman for...
Tell us your stories: What’s keeping you strong in the coronavirus pandemic?
While it’s time for social distancing, the Trib wants to hear from you – and share your stories about life in this public health emergency. • How are you keeping strong? • What are your fears? • What gives you hope? • What are you doing to help your family,...
Fallout from coronavirus: Movie theaters close, airlines cut flying, Walmart limits hours
WASHINGTON — U.S. movie theaters are closing nationwide due to the coronavirus pandemic, turning dark nearly all of the country’s 40,000-plus screens in an unprecedented shutdown. United Airlines will slash 50% of its flying capacity in April and May and warns the cuts could extend into the peak summer travel...
‘People rely on us’: Western Pa. restaurant owners adjust to life as takeout-only service
Rich Cupka had to close his two South Side bars, Cupka’s Cafe and Cupka’s Cafe II , but he plans to make good use of the time off. He’s ordered paint and floor stripper and plans to immediately begin sprucing up his establishments. His South Side coffee shop Cup Ka...
‘Riding the storm’: Westmoreland shops add delivery to bolster business
Some local businesses are finding ways to stay afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic by venturing into new territory — delivery. Orders have exploded for Greenhouse Winery, based in Sewickley Township, since starting a wine delivery service last week, said general manager Steve Helinski. They saw 12 orders the first day...
Pittsburgh college student recounts ‘bizarre experience’ getting screened for covid-19 at Detroit airport
Leah DeFlitch wasn’t sure what to expect when she boarded a plane in Amsterdam bound for her family’s Pittsburgh home early Sunday. She soon learned her pilot wasn’t sure what was in store for the passengers, either. It was only days after President Trump mandated health screenings for the novel...
Gun and ammunition sales soar; permits issued more than double in Western Pa.
In 100 years, the Army Navy & Indoor Pistol Range in Latrobe has seen just about everything, said owner Mark Boerio. But nothing like coronavirus. Boerio is not planning to close the store as the virus spreads across Western Pennsylvania. As of Tuesday, Allegheny County reported seven confirmed cases while...
Gas drops below $2 per gallon at nearly 40,000 stations across the country
Gasoline prices are continuing to fall in the Pittsburgh area and even more sharply across the nation, an industry analyst says. “The root cause continues to be coronavirus related,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for the price-tracking firm GasBuddy. “Such a large decline at this time of year...
As coronavirus spreads, 5 important things to know right now
Dr. Amesh Adalja, a Pittsburgh-based infectious disease and critical care physician, fielded a range of questions from the Tribune-Review on Monday morning. Adalja is a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. He works on pandemic preparedness, emerging infectious diseases and hospital preparedness. What are the most...
Western Pa. patients line up for drive-by coronavirus testing
Patients concerned they might have been exposed to covid-19 were able to take advantage of drive-by testing at three locations Monday across Western Pennsylvania, and the testing is expected to be offered Tuesday, as well. Central Outreach Wellness Center, with locations on the North Shore, Aliquippa and Washington, had about...
All Starbucks in U.S., Canada shift to takeout-only model
All Starbucks locations in the U.S. and Canada will be moving to a “to go” only model as it works to help slow the spread of covid-19, the company announced Sunday night. Seating will be suspended in the coffee shops, but takeout orders will still be accepted through the Starbucks...
Pitt, Duquesne go online only for rest of semester; Duquesne closes dorms
The University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University announced Sunday that they have committed to online-only classes for the remainder of the semester amid the coronavirus pandemic. Duquesne also announced it is closing dorms for the rest of the semester and asked students living on campus to return home. “We have...
Fed slashes rate to near zero, eases lending rules
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve took emergency action Sunday and slashed its benchmark interest rate by a full percentage point to nearly zero and announced it would purchase more Treasury securities to encourage lending to try to offset the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. The central bank said the effects...
Editorial: Pennsylvania’s handling of school closings gets ‘F’
This is not an editorial about coronavirus. It’s an editorial about questionable government decision-making that just happens to involve coronavirus. The thing is it could be about any big, important issue. Probably a few smaller, more mundane ones, too. For days, there was hemming and hawing about what would close...
Coronavirus in Pennsylvania: King of Prussia Mall closes; prison quarantine; 66 cases
One of the nation’s largest malls, in suburban Philadelphia, has closed amid a call from Pennsylvania’s governor for nonessential businesses to close to help stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic as the number of cases in the commonwealth increased to at least 66. The security office of the King...
Apple store in Shadyside among those nationwide closed over coronavirus fearsVideo
Would-be shoppers at the Apple store on Walnut Street in Shadyside were greeted by a closure notice, part of the tech giant’s decision to close all stores outside of China for two weeks in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Stores, for now, are scheduled to reopen March 27. “Apple has...
6 arrested during Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day celebrationsVideo
Six people were arrested Saturday in Pittsburgh’s South Side during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Public Safety spokesman Chris Togneri said in a news release that a public works employee was uninjured when he was struck by a car at East Carson and 17th streets by a restaurant employee who was...
Editorial: We will get through this coronavirus pandemic together
We are all in this together. The word “pandemic” is scary. It takes the already frightening “epidemic” and turns up the volume and shines a spotlight. The changes are pouring out faster than we can track, like water from a hose. It’s overwhelming. It’s confusing. It’s relentless. We understand. We...
A message to Trib readers from the CEO: We are prepared to serve you
To all of our readers: Trib Total Media is prepared to serve you through the challenging days and weeks ahead. We will provide the news you need to understand the coronavirus pandemic, keep you informed about local actions taken for public safety and report the story of our community pulling...
Trib offering free eTrib access to help keep readers better informed during pandemic
Trib Total Media is offering free access to its electronic editions in effort to help those in the community be better informed about the health crisis involving the coronavirus pandemic. “We understand as more of our readers practice social distancing or self-quarantine, they many not be able to purchase our...
Coronavirus didn’t stop St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in PittsburghVideo
The crowds were smaller than in previous years, but Pittsburgh’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations lived on Saturday. Earlier this week, the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade was canceled as a precautionary measure to prevent the potential spread of the coronavirus. As health experts recommend social distancing, Pittsburgh officials asked bar...
‘Ridiculous’ run on supermarkets leaves workers, shoppers shaking their heads
After working in supermarkets since the 1980s, Michael Moses, manager of Golden Dawn in New Kensington, never has seen anything like the influx of customers and buying sprees over the last several days. One of the few stores that still had toilet paper and paper towels left Saturday afternoon, Golden...
Amid coronavirus, Comcast makes Wi-Fi network free, expands unlimited data to all
With businesses and schools closed and thousands of residents now working and studying from home during the coronavirus outbreak, Comcast announced Saturday it will make its Xfinity Wi-Fi services free for everyone for the next 60 days. “During this extraordinary time, it is vital that as many Americans as possible...
