Megan Swift stories, Page 7

Point Park University is revamping its performing arts department, it announced Monday. The School of Dance and the School of Theatre, Film and Animation will be the two parts of Point Park’s Conservatory of Performing Arts. “With having these two new focused schools, we’re really positioning Point Park and Downtown...

About 200 snow geese were found dead last week in the Allentown area — likely because of the bird flu. The dead birds were found in both Nazareth Township in Northampton County and Upper Macungie Township in Lehigh County, the Pennsylvania Game Commission reported. Preliminary in-state testing revealed the presence...

Pittsburgh police are investigating two shootings that happened overnight Saturday — one in East Liberty and the other downtown. At 10:30 p.m. Saturday, police were called to a residence in the 6200 block of East Liberty, where a male believed to be in his early teens was found with a...

The Cincinnati Bengals delivered the final blow to the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday night — the team’s fourth consecutive defeat and end to its regular season. With losses to the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs and now the Bengals, the Steelers blew a chance to clinch the AFC North...

An Acrisure Stadium employee was arrested Saturday before the Pittsburgh Steelers game — after threatening fellow employees with a kitchen knife. Just before 4 p.m., Pittsburgh police responded to reports of a “disorderly employee” working in an Acrisure kitchen area. The employee was a male, who has not been identified,...

A snowstorm coming into Western Pennsylvania starting Sunday evening will likely impact the Monday morning commute. Allegheny County will see between 3-6 inches of snow, and Westmoreland County will see between 3-10 inches, according to Andrew Kienzle, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Moon. Pittsburgh is expected to...

For Craig Shevchik, polar plunging into Keystone Lake at the beginning of January is tantamount to spending time in the freezer. “I’m cold,” was his first reaction after emerging from the lake on Saturday morning. Shevchik, 52, of Greensburg, led the charge into the freezing cold water for the fourth...

Editor’s note: One-fourth of the way through this century, TribLive is looking ahead to the next 25 years, using the events of the past 25 as a road map of what possibly is to come. This installment of the occasional series looks at technology and social media. Jessica Ghilani vividly...

A grassroots group trying to thwart the demolition of one of Pittsburgh’s oldest gay bars is pushing for Donny’s Place to be designated as a historic city landmark so it can’t be torn down. The defunct establishment at 1226 Herron Ave. in Polish Hill opened in 1973 and closed two...

In Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood on Tuesday, the sound of holiday songs filled the air outside the closed Starbucks at Forbes Avenue and Atwood Street. But the carolers weren’t fueled by holiday cheer. They were actually striking baristas from various stores in the Pittsburgh area demanding a union contract alongside their...

Donavon Epps anticipates a busy Christmas Day on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. As front of house manager at Bar Louie, he said the Steelers’ 1 p.m. home game against the Kansas City Chiefs should bring in a good amount of fans — despite the holiday. Bar Louie will operate from 11...

David Pratt felt relieved upon learning that the Environmental Protection Agency banned two known carcinogens used in consumer products and dry cleaning. Environmental advocates pushed for the banning of some of the chemicals for over 30 years, he said. Both have been used since the early 1900s. “It means that...

The Penn State Nittany Lions take the field Saturday for the team’s first-ever playoff home game, and hotel prices are surging in the State College area. The Nittany Lions will play the Southern Methodist University Mustangs, a team that’s used to playing under sunny skies in Texas. Weather forecasts for...

Russia said it has developed a cancer vaccine that will be distributed to Russian patients for free starting in early 2025 — but the news has drawn skepticism. Andrey Kaprin, the general director of the Radiology Medical Research Center of the Russian Ministry of Health, announced the development on Dec....

Planning a trip to the United Kingdom in 2025? If so, you’ll need more than just a passport. Starting Jan. 8, American citizens will need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization in order to enter the U.K., Time Magazine reported. “U.S. citizens transiting through or traveling to the United...

Could your Stanley travel mug be dangerous? About 2.6 million of Stanley’s switchback and trigger action stainless steel travel mugs sold in the U.S. have been recalled due to a burn hazard, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The mugs’ lid threads can shrink when exposed to heat and...

After being put up for sale this summer, Brewers Bar in Lawrenceville — Pittsburgh’s oldest gay bar — will remain intact with new ownership in 2025. Justin Beiter will be the face of the bar as a co-owner and operator. He said it will be rebranded, but it will remain...

If you’re single and looking to find love, Pittsburgh could be the city for you. The Steel City came in 4th place in a recent study ranking American cities based on “dating friendliness,” the New York Times reported. WalletHub compared 182 cities, including the 150 most populated cities and at...

Eat’n Park isn’t smiling over a St. Louis bakery producing a similarly named cookie. McArthur’s Bakery and The Pioneer Cafe in St. Louis, which employs adults with disabilities, has received a cease and desist letter from Pittsburgh-­based restaurant chain Eat’n Park alleging trademark infringement over its popular Smiley Cookies. McArthur’s...

This weekend, the annual Geminid meteor shower will once again appear — with shooting stars streaking across the sky. It will peak Friday and Saturday under a nearly full moon, which will reduce visibility, but bright meteors may still be spotted in the days leading up to the peak, according...

President-elect Donald Trump has launched a new fragrance line titled “Fight, Fight, Fight” — for men and women. Selling for $199 each, Trump announced the line on Sunday in a Truth Social post, USA Today reported. “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!” the post reads, on top of a photo...

This January, the seven visible planets will align in the sky in a “planet parade.” The rare celestial event will start just before Jan. 21, with Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus lining up for several weeks, Business Today reported. People will be able to view Venus, Mars, Jupiter...

The Allegheny County Health Department issued 13 health code violations to the Pittsburgh Popcorn Company’s processing facility. According to the Food Safety Assessment Report, an inspection took place on Dec. 4 at the facility in the South Side Slopes. Out of 33 total food safety assessment and general sanitation categories...

The future of the popular social media app TikTok is growing murkier. A court ruling Friday indicates TikTok will be banned next year in the United States unless it’s sold before then — which is unlikely, according to experts. Jessica Ghilani, associate professor of communication and Cyber Institute Affiliate Scholar...

New robotic shorts could transform the way older adults and frail people walk. Designed to improve mobility and independence, the WalkON shorts were created to be worn over everyday clothes and could help those with chronic illnesses as well, the Washington Post reported. “A pouch-like harness goes around the waist...