JoAnne Klimovich Harrop stories, Page 55
How to buy a wedding dress during a pandemicVideo
In the showroom at MB Bride & Special Occasion, Tracey Hess holds two essential devices for bridal-wear shopping these days: An iPhone is in her right hand and an iPad in her left. She positions the electronics with precision, so the people she’s connecting with virtually can see the dress...
Woodland Hills hosts summit on tough topics with Western Pa. high schools
Mental health. Racial injustice. Student grief and loss. Economic hardships. Self-care in a pandemic. Cultural discrepancies. Misrepresentation in media. These were topics explored by Western Pa. high schoolers on Thursday. A virtual Student Summit organized by students at Woodland Hills High School included peers from Aliquippa, Mt. Lebanon, Hampton, Gateway,...
Levin Furniture reopens stores in McMurray, Robinson; soon Mt. PleasantVideo
Jeff Federoff had just been laid off from his job at Levin Furniture & Mattress. The new ownership had gone bankrupt — and then the pandemic hit. “I open my mail and there is a letter and a check from Robert Levin,” said Federoff, a 20-year employee from Canonsburg, as...
Grab a gown: Bridal shop donates dresses to St. Vincent De Paul in Monessen for a sale
Brides, here’s an opportunity to find the wedding dress of your dreams at a price you won’t believe. The St. Vincent De Paul Society Thrift Store in Monessen, located at 1701 Grand Blvd., is having a Say “Yes” to the Dress Sale from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday....
Flamingo Fest at National Aviary brings a touch of the tropics this weekendVideo
Skinny legs, long necks and a pink color are distinct characteristics of this bird. Flamingos are easy to spot in the wetlands at the National Aviary on Pittsburgh’s North Side. The 10 flamingos — four males and six females — live among 150 birds and 40 species. Guests can learn...
Pizzeria Davide opens location in Carnegie
There is another slice to the Pizzeria Davide pie. The Carnegie location joins pizza shops in Robinson and the Strip District. The restaurants are owned by Aimee DiAndrea and Dave Anoia, who also have DiAnoia’s Eatery and Pane e Pronto, an Italian takeout bread and catering kitchen, in the Strip...
Bellevue council president, borough’s 1st Black member, to run for mayor
Bellevue Borough Council President Val Pennington is running for mayor. The first Black member of Bellevue’s council, he would also be, if elected, the first Black mayor of the borough along the Ohio River. Pennington spent Sunday afternoon at a North Borough Progressives political action committee petition drive-thru on Cliff...
Arsenal Cider Tap House opens in Dormont
Bill Larkin made cider at home as a hobby. He would bring samples to friends and family for parties and get-togethers. “They would tell him how good the cider tasted and asked if they could buy some,” said his wife, Michelle Larkin. “Bill asked me, ‘why don’t we make it...
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra celebrates its longevity with virtual program
The sounds of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra have resonated for 125 years. (That’s a quasquicentennial, according to the dictionary.) Feb. 27 will mark its first performance this year. The original plan included a year-long celebration culminating with a gala. But the pandemic crashed that party. “We definitely still want to...
East End Brewing creates a first-time brew that’s not beer
The latest beer from East End Brewing Co. is a gin and tonic. Yes, really. The Larimer brewery just released G&T Hard Seltzer. It’s been more than year in the making. “It was a new flavor profile for us,” said Scott Smith, owner of East End. “It does have a...
Hilltop Coffee in Arlington a special meeting place for ownersVideo
Many of the dates Jami Szalla and husband Dan Gladis went on before they got married were in coffee shops. Now, the couple has a place for a forever date night. They own Hilltop Coffee, a shop in Arlington that opened in December. “We have always enjoyed coffee shops and...
Point Park University offers students no-contact ashes during pandemic Ash Wednesday
Samuel Paratore emailed his professor to say he would be late for class. He had an important stop to make. The Point Park University freshman from Johnstown wanted to make sure he received ashes for Ash Wednesday, which signifies the beginning of Lent. “I was raised Catholic and I wasn’t...
Here are some spots for Allegheny County fish fries
The annual Lenten fish fries may look a little different this year because of the pandemic. There will be no indoor dining, but meals will be available for takeout and delivery. Here are some places to enjoy meatless Fridays in Allegheny County. CHURCHES Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church,...
Condado Tacos invites local artists to paint at South Hills spotVideo
A painting of icon Andy Warhol can be seen crawling out of a grave, spray cans in his hands. A zombie hovers above. On the other side of the room trolley cars appear to be rolling by South Hills Junction. The city of Pittsburgh appears in the background. Across the...
Pittsburgh’s Miss Freddye nominated for several music awards
A song published 120 years ago, “Wade in the Water,” is making waves for a local singer today. Freddye Stover, known in the regional music scene as Miss Freddye, debuted her version of “Wade in the Water” as her latest single. ‘I grew up in church listening to ‘Wade in...
Pittsburgh’s Original Oyster House to reopen just in time for Lent
The Original Oyster House is reopening Tuesday, a day before Ash Wednesday. The Lenten season that begins Wednesday is usually a busy period for the seafood restaurant. “We are ready to go and excited to be back,” said owner Jennifer Grippo. “The staff is super-pumped. When they all came back...
Greensburg mom is among those who shortened hospital stay after giving birth because of pandemic
Francis Regis Johns IV was born at 8:50 a.m. Jan. 10. By 8 p.m. on Jan. 11, he was comfortably at his Greensburg home. “He was good, and I was feeling good, so the best option was to come home,” said Francis’ mother Sarah Johns. UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital in Oakland...
Pittsburgh artist, Millie’s Ice Cream create frozen treat for Black History Month
The middle of winter isn’t when people generally think of buying frozen desserts. Pittsburgh artist Cue Perry has whipped up a reason to embrace the cold. Perry collaborated with Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream to create “Blackout Brownie,” a gelato, for Black History Month. Proceeds from the sale of pints of...
New Kensington’s Knead Community Café has provided food for the soul for 4 years
At Knead Community Café in New Kensington, a meal is more than just a plate of food. “This is about community and feeding everyone,” said Mary Bode, who opened the nonprofit restaurant with her husband, Kevin, four years ago on Feb. 20. “We care about everyone who walks through the...
Grant money available for teaching artists in Western Pa.
The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council has created the Teaching Artists Opportunity Grant — to benefit arts educators in Western Pennsylvania. It will provide up to $2,000 per artist for continued learning and professional development. According to a survey by the council, more than 40% of artists earn income from teaching...
Wife shows true love for husband through kidney donationVideo
At 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 31, Dan Sturm texted his wife, Tanya. “You awake?” he asked. “Yes,” she answered. “I am coming over,” he replied. Dan, 61, made his way to his wife’s room across the hall on the 11 North hospital floor inside UPMC Montefiore in Oakland. Connected to...
Squirrel Hill’s Amazing Books & Records to write a new chapter with moveVideo
Eric Ackland’s love of books came from before he was born. “I feel like I’ve been reading since the womb,” said Ackland, standing in the newest location of Amazing Books & Records in Squirrel Hill on Thursday. “My mom was an English teacher. I was reading by age 3. I...
Heinz History Center to host Ohio State professor for virtual Black History Month event
Hasan Jeffries grew up in Brooklyn in the 1980s. His childhood experiences of inequality inspired him to stand up for the rights of all. “The interest is partly personal,” said Jeffries, an associate history professor at Ohio State University, who will host a virtual lecture on the civil rights movement...
Neighbors, friends raise money to help displaced tenants of South Side fire
Jared Murphy and his girlfriend were about to drive across the Birmingham Bridge to get to the South Side when they saw huge clouds of smoke. “I live near there so I thought it might be my apartment,” said Murphy. It wasn’t his place, but someone he knew lived there....
Digital series connects music lovers to Pittsburgh Symphony
On a warm fall night in Downtown Pittsburgh, members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performed in the Heinz Hall garden. Principal oboist Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida complemented the symphony’s strings ensemble for Ennio Morricone’s “Gabriel’s Oboe” with a sound that resonated, a memorial to the composer who died in July. Port...
