Stephanie Ritenbaugh stories, Page 7
Sharpsburg tech firm to launch program to boost marginalized people in the field
At Deeplocal’s offices in Sharpsburg stands a grandfather clock, wrapped in vines and otherworldly fragments from the Upside Down — another dimension that’s featured in the Netflix hit “Stranger Things.” The design firm created the 3D model, which mysteriously appeared on a street in Santa Monica, Calif., to count down...
New president named to Allegheny Valley Hospital
A new president has been named to lead Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison. Allegheny Health Network tapped Dr. Mark Rubino to head the campus. Rubino is the president of Forbes Hospital in Monroeville. He will maintain that responsibility as he also leads the 188-bed acute care hospital in the Natrona...
Madness: Pa. gambling revenue hit new record in March
The month of March tends to yield higher gambling revenue for Pennsylvania and last month was no exception. In fact, it broke records. Money generated from gambling during March was about $515.3 million, an increase of 11.35% compared to the previous year, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Of...
UPMC Mercy Pavilion: 8 eye operating rooms, 83 exam rooms, 10 rehab rooms, massive research space — and 1 cool coffee shop
It’s not unusual for a hospital to have a coffee shop in the lobby. But at the new UPMC Mercy Pavilion, which will house institutes for ophthalmology and rehabilitation, the goal is that it will be more than just staff and patients ordering a latte in between appointments. The Uptown...
These doctors will lead convergence of eye care and rehab at UPMC Mercy Pavilion
A new medical facility at UPMC Mercy Pavilion in Pittsburgh’s Uptown section will marry for the first time the disciplines of ophthalmology and rehabilitation — and top doctors in those fields — when it opens this week. “To my knowledge, this is the first physical space that will be bringing...
Deb Docherty, founder of Docherty Agency in Pittsburgh, dead at 63
It plays like the lore from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Deb Docherty began a career in the entertainment industry when she was discovered in the early 1980s while standing at a phone booth in Downtown Pittsburgh. An agent saw her from the street asked her if she was interested...
Aurora opens terminal for driverless trucks in Texas
Self-driving vehicle startup Aurora Innovation, Inc. opened its first commercial-ready terminal for autonomous trucks that will serve as a “blueprint” for the Pittsburgh-based company’s future network of 24/7 driverless operations. The terminal in Palmer, Texas, near Dallas, deploys autonomous trucks for Aurora’s pilot customers, including FedEx, Schneider, and Uber Freight,...
Deadline approaches to file federal tax returns, extensions
The deadline to file federal income taxes is less than a week away, but it’s not too late to get your paperwork in or seek an extension. Kim McHenry, a franchisee of H&R Block in Leechburg and Vandergrift, has been reminding clients of the looming Tuesday deadline. It’s the busiest...
PPG’s Glidden to be Walmart’s primary paint brand
PPG struck a deal for the Pittsburgh-based company’s Glidden brand to become the primary paint brand at the world’s largest retailer. The 3-year agreement expands PPG’s relationship with Walmart. Glidden products will include a new line of Grab-n-Go ready-to-use paint as well as tint-able paints and Olympic wood stain products...
Easter Egg Hunt grows in second year at Puckety Presbyterian in Lower Burrell
Two-year-old Vivian Jones held up her purple Easter basket, decorated with pale purple tulle, to show her latest collection. “I got more eggs,” she said. She was among the roughly 200 kids that scoured the grass at Puckety Presbyterian Church’s second annual Easter egg hunt in Lower Burrell. And for...
Easter Grab n’ Go gives books to kids at Knead Community Cafe
During the few hours of clear skies on Saturday, families stopped by Knead Community Cafe in New Kensington to pick up a free lunch, coloring books, journals and other treats at the Easter Grab n’ Go. Six-year-old Hunter Karafa took a moment to sort through this bag of goodies —...
As family exits Giant Eagle leadership, question of what’s next remains
It’s increasingly rare for a family-owned business to survive more than 90 years — rarer still when more than one family is involved. But Giant Eagle had done just that. Founded by five families in 1931, the O’Hara-based grocery chain grew into a regional powerhouse whose name has been enshrined...
Fire destroys home, vacant business in Harrison
A fire destroyed a home and an empty business along River Avenue in the Natrona section of Harrison on Saturday. The blaze started at 21 River Ave. Homeowner Jeff Martinka said he was cooking home fries and went into his backyard to eat a meal. Then he turned around and...
Virtual reality gaming company coming to the Strip District
A new entertainment option — one with your choice of zombies, pirates or space exploration — will be setting up shop in the Strip District. Virtual reality gaming company Sandbox VR is expected to move into The Terminal on Smallman Street this summer. The 5,571-square-foot location will be the first...
Last McDonald’s in Downtown Pittsburgh expected to close
The last McDonald’s in Downtown Pittsburgh is expected to go dark by the end of April. The fast food restaurant opted not to renew the lease at the spot on Stanwix Street just outside Market Square. Nick Nicholas, who owns the building that housed the Golden Arches for about 50...
Workers to start some maintenance, construction at Parks Township nuclear waste dump
People near the nuclear waste dump in Parks Township will start to see some activity as the Army Corps of Engineers prepares to excavate the area. Over the next few months, the Army Corps’ Pittsburgh District said, more workers will be on hand performing maintenance such as repairing fencing, drainage,...
Report shows Pittsburgh region attracted $1B in tech investments amid economic downturn
Tech investment in the Pittsburgh region slipped in 2022 compared to the record set in the previous year, attracting about $1.05 billion across 176 deals. The latest report from North Side-based Innovation Works and Ernst & Young noted that the economic downturn and shrinking valuations took their toll in 2022....
Giant Eagle’s new CEO, board chair leaves chain without Shapira family in leadership
Giant Eagle has been a family run business for many decades, but the supermarket chain is changing course with the departure of longtime chief executive Laura Shapira Karet. The O’Hara-based grocer has appointed Bill Artman as interim CEO to replace Shapira Karet, who has led the chain for 11 years....
Highmark reports loss in 2022, citing investment losses, supply chain and staffing woes
As with many health care systems, inflation, supply chain woes and staffing challenges took a bite out of Highmark Health’s finances during 2022. Highmark reported a net loss of $346 million on $26 billion in revenue. Excluding investment losses, the organization reported net earnings of about $47 million. Meanwhile, the...
Allegheny Health Network names new president
Allegheny Health Network has named its Chief Operating Officer James Benedict as president of the network. Benedict joined AHN as its executive vice president and COO in 2017. He “was one of the chief architects of the network’s successful operational turnaround and its nearly $2 billion capital investment and market...
Pittsburgh’s Strip District attracts ‘melting pot’ of new residents
Rob Brandegee picked up and moved to Pittsburgh’s Strip District to enjoy its convenience and bustling city living atmosphere. For the growing population of Strip District residents like him, it’s not uncommon to take a walk and run into friends and acquaintances. “It’s very sociable, and it really has a...
Water works suppliers with operations in Harrison to merge
Two water works supply companies with operations in Harrison are joining up. National Road Utility Supply Inc., a water works distributor with operations on Alter Road as well as in Tridelphia, W.Va., and Morgantown, W.Va., is being acquired by CITCO Water. Financial terms were not disclosed. “The teaming up of...
What went wrong: Pittsburgh experts explain failures of Silicon Valley, Signature banks
The federal shutdown of two banks is unique and not a symptom of a widespread problem, two Pittsburgh financial experts said. “I do think that this is more of a unique situation in banking and not an overall barometer for what’s happening in the tech world,” said Dave Mawhinney, executive...
PNC says it is not in talks to acquire Silicon Valley Bank
PNC Financial Services has surfaced in reports to be among the potential suitors in talks to acquire SVB Financial Group. However, the Pittsburgh-based bank on Monday said that talks are not taking place. “PNC is not in talks to acquire SVB Financial or Silicon Valley Bank,” the bank said in...
AmEx: Small business starts hit a record high in 2021
A record number of people decided to strike out on their own and start a new business in 2021, according to data from American Express. “In 2021, we saw over 5 million new business applications were filed, which was the highest year on record, and about a 50% increase form...
