Editor's Picks category, Page 287

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will hold its second free fishing day of the year Saturday when anyone can fish legally on waterways in the state without a license. However, they must still obey state fishing regulations. The commission offers these days on holiday weekends when many people are...

This is anything but a normal Fourth of July holiday weekend. But there still are ways to safely gather with family and some — the operative word being some — friends while staying safe during the current spike in covid-19. “It is going to be a different holiday,” said Dr....

While planning your Fourth of July celebration, don’t forget about your pets. The noise and commotion that people enjoy — like loud music and fireworks — can be a major source of stress, especially for dogs. Though some of the larger municipal displays have been canceled this year, fireworks shows...

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University developed an automated method for making computers more polite. And they have the ill-fated energy company Enron to thank. How’s that? Well, it’s not unusual to receive impolite directives or requests such as “send me the data.” But the CMU researchers found a means of...

Those lovable pair of teen delinquents from MTV are headed back to the couch. “Beavis and Butt-Head” will return for two new seasons on Comedy Central. Emmy-winning creator Mike Judge, who also gave us the long-running animated TV series “King of the Hill” and movies like “Office Space” and “Idiocracy,”...

The Shady Side Academy Indian mascot, in use since 1936, will be discontinued effective immediately, the school announced Wednesday. The school’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously Tuesday evening to discontinue the use of the mascot. Board of Trustees chairman Jonathan Kamin, a 1991 Academy graduate, said the recent discussion and...

Dancing Gnome Brewery and Pittsburgh Brewing Co. have teamed up to bring back Robin Hood Cream Ale, a popular local brew from the late 1970s. The idea to do this came when Ben Butler, founder and owner of Top Hat, a Pittsburgh-based creative agency, introduced the two clients — Andrew...

As covid-19 cases continue to increase in Allegheny County, state officials Tuesday launched a new online dashboard that put the numbers into perspective by comparing them on a week-to-week basis. “This dashboard provides the entire community with early warning to changes in covid-19 infection so that we can take action...

The University of Pittsburgh has signed an agreement to buy all of the solar energy produced by a planned local solar plant, which amounts to about 13% of the Oakland campus’s energy consumption. The announcement came last week from Aurora Sharrard, Pitt’s director of sustainability. It is part of the...

A Pittsburgh Black Lives Matter leader was interviewed on NBC’s “Today” show on Tuesday. Tanisha Long, the founder of Black Lives Matter Pittsburgh and SW Pa., spoke briefly to hosts about her efforts to reach people in smaller communities across the region who might sympathize with the Black Lives Matter...

As covid-19 cases increase in southwestern Pennsylvania, educators are just one of the groups struggling to see what their future may look like. School districts across the nation are looking at the myriad forms that fall classes could take, and it is just one of the areas R.K. Mellon Foundation...

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre teachers, dancers and students hold fast to the old adage — “dance like no one is watching” — through the rocky days of the coronavirus pandemic. With practice spaces closed and classes canceled, they’ve had to do a bit of improvising to stay on their toes. Joseph...

When life hands you lemons, it doesn’t always have to turn into lemonade. Bethel Bakery in Bethel Park and nearby Spoonwood Brewing Co. decided on a new brew instead. They’ve teamed for a fourth time — this time to create the lemony, cake-infused Lemon Glaze Ale. The beer will be...

A historic house built in the early 1800s along the Youghiogheny River in West Newton was remodeled and converted into a vacation rental that should be available in August, the owner said. Real estate developer Gregory K. Barr of Baldwin took what was the long-vacant two-story wood-framed John C. Plumer...

Kennywood is looking for summer help. The amusement park in West Mifflin posted a message to social media Sunday saying it is looking for people for many departments. Has your summer been off to a slow start? Here's an idea: JOIN OUR TEAM! We’re still looking for outgoing individuals in...

Trib Total Media earned a prestigious national award from the national Society of Professional Journalists for a video documentary marking one year since the Tree of Life attack in Squirrel Hill. SPJ announced Friday that “Tree of Life: One Year Later” won the digital video category in the 2019 Sigma...

The Washington Salvation Army is hosting a Superhero Drive-Thru event to raise funds for back-to-school supplies for local students in need. The event is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. July 11 at Camp Agape in Hickory. During the event, children can meet their favorite superheroes and princesses, take...

Jacobs Creek Watershed Association will host its annual Lazy River Family Friendly Float Day on Saturday at Garfield Park in Scottdale. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. Float hours are 12:30-4 p.m. Participants are invited to bring their own rafts, canoes, kayaks, tubes or anything else that floats, or rent a...

Comcast will keep its public Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots open to everyone, including non-Xfinity customers, for the remainder of the year, the company said Thursday. The provider in March announced it would open access to its 1.5 million hotspots to anyone amid the coronavirus pandemic. “We saw a huge jump in...