Editor's Picks category, Page 260

They are the universal symbols of the holiday season. Menorahs and dreidels, wreaths and trees, unity cups and bowls of fruit — all integral parts of Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. While each has its own customs and meanings and ways to celebrate, all three share one thing in common: light....

Mancini’s Bakery is taking Christmas carbs to a new level. The popular bakery created an 8-foot-tall Christmas tree crafted from its Italian bread. The holiday display should draw fresh attention, said Nick Mancini Hartner, co-owner of the bakery and the mastermind behind the bread tree. “I’ve always enjoyed playing with...

Plum School District will be closed Thursday due to Wednesday’s heavy snowfall. A message from Superintendent Brendan Hyland about the snow day was posted on the district’s twitter page and newsfeed. The closure was in large part a result of Wednesday’s snow storms. “Students are directed to close their Chromebooks,...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A Juneau health care worker was hospitalized and treated for a serious allergic reaction after receiving the covid-19 vaccine Tuesday, hospital and health officials said Wednesday. The worker felt flush and took an antihistamine around 10 minutes after receiving the vaccine Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. She felt...

For many in the U.S. the coronavirus pandemic has brought insurmountable hardship and loss, while others have seen their fortunes soar. CBS News reports that MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos, is among those who have seen a substantial increase in their fortunes. Scott, however, has chosen...

We’ve all heard of ways to help food and beverage industry workers through the second round of pandemic shutdowns: order takeout, buy gift cards and post positive reviews on social media. That’s good as far as it goes, said Downtown Greensburg Project founder Jessica Hickey, but it doesn’t help everyone....

Last Christmas, Mariah Carey had quite a happy holiday by scoring her 19th No. 1 song. This year, she’s back — atop Billboard’s Hot 100 chart at No. 1 — with her 1994 seasonal song “All I Want for Christmas is You.” The song jumps up a position from last...

Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Q: Why did NBC only broadcast two weeks of “This is Us” and “The Blacklist” and then they are not going to broadcast again until January?...

Health care workers on the frontlines battling the coronavirus are getting the covid-19 vaccine first. So will first responders, teachers, other “essential” workers and adults with covid health risks. But, if you aren’t one of those, where do you fit in line? The New York Times developed a tool in...

It’s the season of giving, and Trib Total Media wants to show its gratitude to locally owned businesses. The Trib announced Monday it will give new matching grants to local small businesses recovering from the covid-19 pandemic and ensuing economic downturn. With the Shop Local Marketing Grant 2021, Trib Total...

It’s an idea that not only helps restaurants deal with another shutdown but also provides food for people in need this winter. Starting Monday, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and 412 Food Rescue joined forces to provide restaurants regular weekly income and bring free meals to people experiencing food insecurity. The program...

A Freeport catering business is distancing itself from a similarly named Brentwood restaurant that is flouting the state’s covid safety regulations. On its Facebook page, Cracked Egg Catering Co. said it has no affiliation with the Crack’d Egg, a diner defying state shutdown orders. “Cracked Egg Catering Co. is a...

Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — The state Department of Corrections defied federal guidelines and a doctor’s order last week, demanding that an officer who...

In late October, Crocs, the Colorado-based brand known for its lightweight and bulbous clogs, reported its quarterly earnings. It was a stark contrast to other fashion brands hobbled by the ongoing pandemic — think J. Crew and Brooks Brothers, two gentlemen’s clothiers from another era that both filed for bankruptcy...

Not surprisingly, requests for assistance from the Bethlehem Project are up substantially this year. A partnership between Blessed Sacrament Cathedral and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Greensburg, the Bethlehem Project provides funds for emergency shelter or rental support, along with assistance to residents of three Westmoreland County shelters as...

A former deep-sea treasure hunter is about to mark his fifth year in jail for refusing to disclose the whereabouts of 500 missing coins made from gold found in an historic shipwreck. Research scientist Tommy Thompson isn’t incarcerated for breaking the law. Instead, he’s being held in contempt of court...

It’s inaccurate to consider this a literal “best of” list for that implies a TV critic can watch every TV series released this year. It’s nearly impossible for any one person to make such a claim in the current 500-series-relased-annually era, so instead consider this my list of favorites from...

Some parents upset with North Allegheny’s new remote learning plan are expected to rally at the intermediate school at 9 a.m. Monday, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI. The group, North Allegheny Parents for In-Person Education, disagrees with the district’s plan to keep students learning from home through Jan. 18....

A misty morning on the Youghiogheny River has earned a Latrobe woman an award in the Pennsylvania Parks and Forest Foundation’s “Through the Seasons” photo contest. Clare Kaczmarek, 68, won the Judges’ Choice award in the contest’s “Motion” category for her photo of the river running through a bed of...

Kaitlin Smith was getting increasingly worried about covid-19 outbreaks at Quality Life Services, a nursing home chain where she works as a clinical reimbursement specialist. For weeks, she had been on daily calls with all of the facility administrators, hearing about rising infections and staffing struggles. Then one Friday last...