Editor's Picks category, Page 420
141-year-old fruitcake is a Michigan family’s heirloom
TECUMSEH, Mich. — Some families pass down jewelry, watches or even recipes. But a Michigan family has its own heirloom: a 141-year-old fruitcake. “It’s a great thing,” said Julie Ruttinger, the great great granddaughter of Fidelia Ford, who baked the cake in 1878. “It was tradition. It’s a legacy.” The...
Unsung heroes: Pittsburgh men, decades-long study impact HIV/AIDS researchVideo
Somber tones from the Reuter Opus organ filled Heinz Memorial Chapel on a dark December night as a small crowd filtered into the towering neo-Gothic church on the University of Pittsburgh campus to mark World AIDS Day. As they have for more than three decades, the Pitt Men’s Study leaders...
Houses of worship attacked with deadly frequency in 2019
On Dec. 1, a band of assailants opened fire on worshippers at a small-town Protestant church in Burkina Faso, an impoverished West African country where the Christian minority is increasingly a target of attacks. The victims included the pastor and several teenage boys; regional authorities attributed the attack to “unidentified...
35 cats and dogs rescued from West Deer home
Thirty cats and five dogs living in “deplorable conditions” at a West Deer home were rescued, according to a local animal shelter that is caring for them. Authorities responding to a complaint from a resident Friday said there was a “pungent odor emanating from the house” and obtained a warrant...
Wellness-focused EVEN Hotel opens in former Kaufmann’s in Downtown Pittsburgh
The EVEN Hotel doesn’t believe in odd-numbered rooms, hence the name. Located in the historic former Kaufmann’s department store in Downtown Pittsburgh, the brand from InterContinental Hotels Group opened in late October. The grand opening was Dec. 4. It is one of 12 such hotels, and the chain expects to...
Artist teams with Pandora, Pittsburgh Improv for interactive muralVideo
This is no joke: There is an interactive mural at the Pittsburgh Improv comedy club in the Waterfront, Homestead. Artist Brian Holderman, of the West End, painted the piece that adorns the side of the building. He’s drawn a female comedian, audience members laughing, cocktails, a piano and a marquis....
With Taylor Swift turning 30, here’s a look at her Pittsburgh stops over the years
It’s Dec. 13 and for some, that’s a big deal. Taylor Swift turned 30 today. With a milestone birthday, let’s look back at some times the Reading-born music star has performed in Pittsburgh. Over the years, the Trib has covered her concerts, through photos (above) and stories.Aug. 7, 2018, Reputation...
Kennywood’s ‘Holiday Lights’ recognized in USA Today poll
Kennywood’s Holiday Lights are shining a little brighter today. The West Mifflin amusement park was chosen again as one of the country’s “Best Theme Park Holiday Events.” It finished 10th out of 20 nominees selected for the 10Best.com online vote conducted over the past month in a nationwide poll conducted...
Man dresses as mom to take driver’s test for her
After seeing his mom fail her driver’s test three straight times, a Brazilian man decided to lend a hand. In a dress. Heitor Márcio Schiave showed up at the State Department of Traffic in Porto Velho, Brazil, in a long skirt, floral blouse, heavy make-up, a handbag, earrings and a...
What was trending on Google in 2019? Find out here
Can you believe it? Another year (almost) gone. But while you get nostalgic about 2019 or try to find ways to skip ahead to 2020, check out the work Google has done to recap what was trending in the United States this year. In overall searches, Disney took the top...
Astrobotic to set up ground control for lunar mission on Pittsburgh’s North Side
A 47,000-square-foot building being renovated on Pittsburgh’s North Side is expected to be a key player in America’s next space odyssey. Astrobotic Technology Inc. announced Thursday it will locate its headquarters at 1016 North Lincoln Ave., near the Manchester neighborhood, thanks in part to $285,000 in state job-creation tax credits....
Laundromat, car dealership, grotto and pubs used in U.K. vote
LONDON — Some citizens in the English city of Oxford could have been forgiven for bringing their dirty laundry with them when they went to their polling station to cast their vote in Britain’s first December general election in nearly a century. That’s because the Ace Launderette was pressed into...
Local musicians to celebrate 40 years of The Clash’s ‘London Calling’ in Millvale show
When The Clash’s double-album “London Calling” was released in 1979, many young musicians took notice. They’d been listening to bands such as Aerosmith, Journey and Queen, artists they liked and perhaps thought they loved. But love at that age is fleeting and ephemeral. A favorite cartoon becomes childish, a first...
People in Dublin were hanging coats on a bridge to clothe the homeless; city officials took them downVideo
If there’s one lesson to be learned this time of year, it’s “It’s better to give than to receive.” Some Dubliners seemed to get that sentiment and were in-tune with the holiday spirit by hanging unwanted winter coats on a pedestrian bridge with the idea that someone in need will...
Settlement over bad air in Clairton calls for U.S. Steel to cough up $2 million
U.S. Steel will pay residents $2 million and invest $6.5 million to upgrade equipment at its Clairton Coke Works facility, according to a tentative settlement struck with residents in a 2017 class-action lawsuit. The proposed settlement was outlined in court documents signed by an Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas...
Stahlstown man watches childhood tree light up Rockefeller Center for NYC holiday tradition
When Mitch Schultz Jr. watched a rainbow of lights bring a holiday glow to this year’s Christmas tree at New York City’s Rockefeller Center, it added a stunning final chapter to his family’s 60-year history with a Norway spruce. “I trimmed it tons of times as it was growing,” said...
Mac Miller Fund will support Pittsburgh music programs
Even in death, Mac Miller continues to inspire and support youth music programs in his native Pittsburgh. A $100,000 grant established to honor the rapper’s legacy will go toward music programs for teens and young adults at the Homewood-Brushton YMCA, according to officials at the Pittsburgh Foundation. The Mac Miller...
Pittsburgh’s East End Brewing celebrates 15 years of beerVideo
East End Brewing Company in Larimer turns 15 on Thursday and its owner is celebrating by honoring local craft brewers this week. “When I first started this business I didn’t think I would last 15 hours or 15 days let alone 15 years,” founder and owner Scott Smith said. “It...
Actor Trevor Donovan visits Deer Lakes Middle School for anti-bullying assemblyVideo
Years ago, actor Trevor Donovan was an introverted, quiet kid who didn’t like to speak up. He was on a ski race team, but he wasn’t very good. He was always holding the other skiers up. Once, when the group was out skiing, he needed to use the bathroom. He...
Final full moon of the decade to peak at 12:12 on 12/12
The moon will appear full for the final time this decade on Dec. 12 at 12:12 a.m., according to NASA. A full moon in December is known as the Cold Moon in the Northern Hemisphere. Numerologists may have something to say about all the twelves in the date and time,...
The Pittsburgh sinkhole bus is back on the roadVideo
Pittsburgh’s infamous sinkhole bus that dropped partially into a Downtown street in October is back on the road. Port Authority’s 6015 bus, which can pick up any route that begins at the Collier garage, was put back into service on Saturday, about six weeks after a sinkhole partially swallowed it....
Smokey Robinson talks Pittsburgh, songwriting and wine makingVideo
If anyone in popular music can be called a legend, it’s Smokey Robinson. He rose to fame in the 1960s as the founder of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. He wrote and recorded such hits as “Shop Around,” “My Girl,” “You’ve Really Got a Hold On Me,” “I Second That...
Western Pa. Christmas Bird Count has 10th most volunteers, Audubon says
Pittsburgh isn’t exactly the bird capital of world, but its volunteers who count birds for the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count are ranked as the 10th largest group of counters in more than 2,600 count areas. Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count is the largest citizen survey in the country that measures...
Amid the holiday hustle and bustle, take time to care for yourself
This is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but often it’s the most stressful. “The season to be merry is also the season for stress and anxiety,” says Jyl Glunt, a health and wellness specialist at the Excela Health Well-Being Center-Mind Body Health. “Shopping, decorating, parties,...
Salem tattoo shop plans coat, shoe giveawayVideo
Dante Wiley Jr. knows how tough it can get for needy children during the holidays. “I didn’t have much growing up,” said Wiley, a Jeannette resident and general manager/part-owner at BullyInk tattoo parlor in Salem Plaza along Route 22. “I know how it feels. I know what it’s like to...
