Stephanie Ritenbaugh stories, Page 2
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to expand heart institute
About 600 kids come to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh each year for heart operations. The demand for care is so great that the Lawrenceville hospital is expanding its Heart Institute to handle the growing number of patients. Many patients travel from outside the state or country. “This year is...
What would recreational marijuana legalization do for Pennsylvania tax revenue?
Seven years after Pennsylvania legalized marijuana for medical use, lawmakers are debating whether to allow recreational use — and what that would look like. It has created quite a buzz in the evolving industry. “Pennsylvania has a lot of market potential,” said Brendan Mitchel- Chesebro, a marketing content manager for...
AGH, nurses strike deal on 3-year contract
After a final 26-hour negotiation meeting, unionized nurses at Allegheny General Hospital struck a deal with hospital management on a new contract. The three-year agreement between the 1,200 nurses and nurse practitioners represented by SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania and AGH’s parent company, Allegheny Health Network, will make significant investments in wages...
PepsiCo opens distribution center in Coraopolis
PepsiCo has an eye on expansion as it opened a 150,000-square-foot distribution center and warehouse in Coraopolis. The facility officially opened Wednesday near Pittsburgh International Airport. It handles about 10 million cases annually of beverages like Pepsi, Starbucks, Gatorade and Rockstar that it sends to retailers in Allegheny, Butler, Beaver...
U.S. Steel to cut more than 100 workers related to IT
U.S. Steel is laying off more than 100 workers as the Pittsburgh steel maker changes its IT operations. According to a WARN notice filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, the Pittsburgh steelmaker is letting go of 105 workers, primarily at a location on the South Side. U.S....
Equitrans gas pipeline firm faces criminal charges in connection with 2018 Greene County house explosion
After a two-year investigation into a 2018 house explosion in Greene County that left a family homeless, the state Attorney General’s Office announced criminal charges against Equitrans Midstream Corp., accusing the company of failing to fix a natural gas leak that led to the blast. A couple and their 4-year-old...
What to know about the latest eyedrops recall
John Shields expects more calls to Allegheny Eye Associates in Lower Burrell from concerned customers after federal regulators issued another recall on eyedrops. The Food and Drug Administration has issued warnings for 26 over-the-counter eye care products because of the potential for infection that could result in partial vision loss...
Southwestern Pa. jobless rate fell again in September
The unemployment rate in Southwestern Pennsylvania dropped to a new record low in September — the lowest in nearly 50 years. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the seven-county region fell one-tenth of a percentage point over the month to a record low 3.5% last month, according to the state...
On track: U.S. Steel converts 2 diesel locomotives to battery power
Within U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works, diesel-powered locomotives chug along the plant’s rail lines, hauling tons of steel, coke, scrap metals and iron ore for steel production. Now, those engines will be a little cleaner. U.S. Steel converted two of its diesel switcher locomotives at the Mon Valley Works’ Edgar...
Credit card companies charged $105B in interest in 2022 while consumer debt climbed
If you noticed you’ve been getting charged higher interest on your credit card, you’re not alone. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that in 2022 credit card companies charged consumers more than $105 billion in interest and more than $25 billion in fees. And more people are carrying debt. Total...
U.S. Steel still weighing interest from ‘highly credible bidders’ as it considers sale
U.S. Steel says it is still reviewing bids to buy the iconic Pittsburgh-based company, but executives on Friday refrained from giving a timeline for a decision. On the steelmaker’s third-quarter earnings call, David Burritt, president and CEO, noted that after “receiving multiple unsolicited proposals from credible bidders, ranging from the...
Restaurant openings and closings in Pittsburgh region
Restaurants come and restaurants go. Some catch a wave of trendiness, some struggle to keep staff, some just fizzle. TribLIVE reported on several openings and closings of restaurants in the region this week. Here they are: Openings The second Alta Via restaurant is scheduled to open today in Market Square....
Argentine restaurant, Balvanera, opens its doors in Pittsburgh’s Strip District
For the owners of the Argentine restaurant Balvanera, opening in the Strip District is a bit of a homecoming. Meredith Boyle grew up in Aspinwall. On one of their many trips back to her hometown, her husband Chef Fernando Navas fell in love with the city as well. So when...
Uno Pizzeria in Waterfront has closed
Uno Pizzeria and Grill, one of the original tenants at The Waterfront in Homestead, has baked its last pie. A note on the Facebook page of the Boston-based chain said it is permanently closed. The Waterfront management office confirmed the restaurant has gone dark. Calls to the restaurant were unanswered...
Tech startup for sexual assault survivors moves to Lawrenceville
A health care tech startup that provides at-home early evidence kits for sexual assault survivors has moved its headquarters to Pittsburgh. Leda Health has officially moved from the Brooklyn borough of New York City to Lawrenceville. The Butler Street location is under construction, with the goal to be completed Nov....
‘We’re all coming together’: Plum teachers revive festival to support Rustic Ridge families
After stopping by the airbrush booth and trying their hand at carnival games, it was time for the Betancourt family and their friends to swing by the food trucks. The group had donned their Halloween costumes to attend the Festival of Honor Sunday at Plum Senior High School. The event...
New Kensington house fire victim identified
A man who died after he was trapped in a New Kensington house fire on Saturday has been identified. Scott Fularz, 45, was the homeowner at 723 Kennedy Ave. The fire was reported about 11:45 a.m. Saturday. Fularz and a 4-year-old child were inside. Police officers were able to find...
‘A miraculous painting:’ Traveling exhibit discusses da Vinci’s Last Supper at St. Mary’s in New Kensington
Leonardo da Vinci’s mural of the Last Supper may be the most famous depiction of Jesus’ final meal with the disciples before his crucifixion. But it is only one of many paintings interpreting that moment from the New Testament. This weekend, the community is invited to St. Mary of Czestochowa...
Man dies after fire in New Kensington home
A man died in a fire late Saturday morning in New Kensington, according to Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson. The fire was reported about 11:45 a.m. Saturday at 723 Kennedy Ave. A man and a 4-year-old child were inside, according to Ed Saliba Jr., chief of the New Kensington Fire...
Sold Taylor Swift concert tickets online? You may have to pay taxes
Over the summer, Swifties were willing to shell out notoriously high prices to get a seat at the Taylor Swift “Eras Tour.” Now, Uncle Sam wants to collect on those who resold their tickets on online marketplaces. This year, the Internal Revenue Service is requiring third-party businesses, like Ticketmaster, StubHub...
Sharpsburg pet shop closes, but rescue operations continue
After five years in Sharpsburg, the pet shop Sara’s Pets and Plants has closed its doors. But the nonprofit rescue associated with the store will continue its mission to aid exotic animals and place them in loving homes. Owner Sara Smith said the cost of operating the for-profit shop became...
PNC Bank’s financial rating remains stable, market agency says
PNC Financial Services Group remains “stable,” following a recent announcement of layoffs and other cuts to expenses, according to credit analyst group Fitch Ratings. An issuer default rating is an assessment of how vulnerable an institution is to defaulting on financial obligations. Fitch Ratings held the bank’s long-term and short-term...
A sweet tenant: RIDC’s rooftop hives in Hazelwood, New Stanton give bees a home
On top of the former steel mill along the Monongahela River, a couple of thousand lives are thriving. And buzzing. To keep an eye on them, one must climb a ladder to the roof and duck beneath a dozen or so steel I-beams that crisscross the top of the 1,200-foot-long...
PNC says it will cut workforce by 4%
PNC Financial Services Group said it will cut its workforce by 4% by year’s end as it looks to pare down expenses. The move is expected to slash costs by $325 million in 2024, the Downtown Pittsburgh-based bank said on its third-quarter earnings call Friday. PNC did not specify what...
Auto dealer #1 Cochran expands in Ohio
Auto retailer #1 Cochran is expanding with another purchase in eastern Ohio. The Pittsburgh car dealership chain is acquiring the Flynn Automotive Group for an undisclosed amount. It’s the fifth deal this year for #1 Cochran. The transaction includes The Honda Store and Donnell Ford, both in Boardman, Ohio; Power...
