‘Ridiculous’ plan developed at Florida zoo saves wild rhino’s eyesight in Africa
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Corralling a wild rhinoceros into a small chute to give it eyedrops might seem like a crazy plan. But if it’s crazy and it works, then it’s not crazy. Animal behaviorists partnering with the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society in Florida traveled to Africa...
‘You’re older than our coach:’ 32-year-old stars on Westmoreland County Community College court
Julian Thompson calls himself “Unc,” as in uncle. As in, ahem, the elder statesman of the locker room. “I figured I’d get that out of the way and beat them all to it,” the Westmoreland County Community College basketball player said with a laugh. “I knew they’d want to call...
TV Q&A: How do news anchors get to TV stations during snowstorms?
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Saturday Tribune-Review. Q: I’ve often wondered how local TV news anchors manage to get to the studio during major snow events, such as the one we experienced recently....
Oakmont family recounts husband’s ICE detainment
For a time, Jose Flores thought he would never see his family again. The morning of Jan. 29, Flores was getting ready for work and to drive his 8-year-old daughter, Lily, to school. “It started like any normal day,” Flores, 47, said through an interpreter as he and his wife,...
Stephen Colbert says CBS lawyers pulled James Talarico interview as early voting begins in Texas
AUSTIN — Late-night host Stephen Colbert said his interview with Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico was pulled from Monday night’s broadcast over network fears it would violate regulatory guidance from the Trump administration on giving equal time to political candidates. The issue came just hours before early voting opened...
Pittsburgh airport welcomes 5 new dining spots
Travelers who have Pittsburgh International Airport as part of their commute now can now dine at five new airside concessions. At a grand opening on Tuesday, Pittsburgh’s airport became one of more than 50 airports across the United States, Canada and Brazil to house dining options operated by SSP America,...
Picklesburgh adds 4th day to Pittsburgh festival
Pickle lovers, this year’s dates for the Picklesburgh festival were just announced — including an extra festival day. Running four days long in 2026, the Downtown festival will be held from July 16 through July 19, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership announced. “Back by popular demand, Picklesburgh will kick off Thursday...
Actor Shia LaBeouf arrested after alleged fight during Mardi Gras in New Orleans
Actor Shia LaBeouf has been arrested after being accused of hitting two men early Tuesday morning during Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, police said. LaBeouf was charged with two counts of simple battery, New Orleans police said in a statement. Officers were called to a business around the French...
Bruce Springsteen returning to Pittsburgh on ‘Land of Hope & Dreams’ tourVideo
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are heading back out on the road, including a Pittsburgh stop this spring. Springsteen, 76, and his band are launching the American run of their “Land of Hope & Dreams” tour, with a May 19 show at PPG Paints Arena. “We are living...
Oscar Mayer Wienermobile returns to Pittsburgh
The giant hot dog-shaped vehicle — known as the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile — is once again returning to Pittsburgh this week. The Wienermobile will be in the Pittsburgh area from Thursday through Sunday, making appearances at various events. According to Trey O’Shea, otherwise known as “Tailgate Trey,” the schedule is...
Pittsburgh Pride reveals 2026 theme, festival dates
The official theme of Pittsburgh Pride 2026 has been announced as “Existence is Resistance.” According to Pittsburgh Pride’s Facebook page, the theme is “honoring the decades of LGBTQ+ communities showing up, showing out, and standing strong in the fight for equality for all.” Running from June 5-7 this year, specific...
Hall of Fame songwriter Billy Steinberg who co-wrote ‘Like a Virgin,’ ‘True Colors’ dies at 75
Billy Steinberg, who wrote the lyrics to some of the biggest pop hits of the 1980s — including Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors” and Heart’s “Alone” — died Monday at his home in Brentwood. He was 74. His death was confirmed by his lawyer, Laurie Soriano, who...
6-year-old Girl Scout from Pittsburgh breaks Western Pa. cookie sales record
Pim Marie Anorak Neill became enamored with selling Girl Scouts cookies at just 3 years old, long before she was old enough to become a Scout. Now a 6-year-old from Mt. Washington, Pim is the top seller in the organization’s 27-county Western Pennsylvania district. Pim has sold 106,800 boxes of...
Robert Duvall, acting legend known for intense roles, dead at 95
When Robert Duvall was floundering around in college, his father, a career Navy man who retired with the rank of rear admiral, told him to shape up — and start acting. “I wasn’t pushed into it but suggested into it,” Duvall once told an interviewer. “They figured I did skits...
Obama shuts down alien buzz and says there’s no evidence they’ve made contact
Former U.S. President Barack Obama said he did not see evidence that aliens “have made contact with us,” after sending social media abuzz by saying aliens were real on a podcast over the weekend. During a lightning round of questions with podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama was asked, “Are...
Pittsburgh local music spotlight: Cathleen IrelandVideo
Cathleen Ireland’s latest album, “In the City,” drew inspiration from driving through Pittsburgh. “It encapsulates the ‘night out on the town’ excitement from getting ready to getting out to hanging out with friends,” Ireland said, “with the gorgeous lights of Pittsburgh as the backdrop and the music on center stage.”...
Biodegradable Mardi Gras beads help make Carnival season more sustainableVideo
NEW ORLEANS — It is Carnival season in New Orleans. That means gazillions of green, gold and purple Mardi Gras beads. Once made of glass and cherished by parade spectators who were lucky enough to catch them, today cheap plastic beaded necklaces from overseas are tossed from floats by the...
Whether it’s a mini-sabbatical or an adult gap year, more people are taking extended work breaks
If you daydream about getting a break from work, you might picture two weeks of vacation or a long weekend getaway. But some people dare to imagine something bigger and find ways to get a substantial breather from stress or their day-to-day routines. Mini-sabbaticals. Adult gap years. Micro-retirement. Extended career...
Fiber fair dazzles in Delmont
When Dorothy Gallagher was a teacher in Poland, she took up knitting as a side hustle. “Making one sweater bought me a kilo of sausage,” she said. “Now I hand spin silk, cat fur, alpaca — all for the mental clarity and dexterity benefits.” Gallagher was among 20 or so...
Mike Viola bringing ‘rock show’ to Pittsburgh, celebrating 25 years of musicVideo
It’s quite possible you’ve heard Mike Viola’s work without even knowing it was him. Maybe it was the main vocals in the 1996 movie “That Thing You Do!” or several songs in 2007’s “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.” It could have been from his touring with Panic! At the...
Constitution Under Construction: Who’s on First?Video
The foundation of any structure is more than a hole in the ground. It is the difference between a pile of bricks and a house built to weather a storm. The First Amendment to the Constitution carries that weight for every change that follows. While the Constitution is where the...
Here’s where to satisfy your Lenten fish cravings in Western Pennsylvania
All menus are subject to change and availability. Events begin either Feb. 18 Ash Wednesday or Friday, March Feb. 20. To have your nonprofit’s fish fry added to this listing send complete information as soon as possible to vndnews@triblive.com. Allegheny County Collier Township Rennerdale Volunteer Fire Department, 30 Suburban Ave.,...
Local wineries using Pennsylvania grapes are turning out some easy-to-love libations
France, Italy, California, and Australia are well-known wine regions. Pennsylvania, alas, doesn’t crack the top 50 for most people. But don’t count out local wineries. Pennsylvania has a winemaking tradition that dates to the late 1600s, when William Penn himself established a vineyard in Philadelphia, as documented by the Pennsylvania...
The most romantic Valentine’s Day gift? Communication (every day)
Valentine’s Day is a holiday all about communicating love. Whether through a bouquet of flowers, a card scrawled with heartfelt words or heart-shaped candies stamped with affectionate phrases, this is the time to express love to our nearest and dearest. But what about the other 364 days of the year?...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Feb. 13-15
Are you ready for Valentine’s Day? Be honest. Did you procrastinate making reservations or buying a gift? No worries. Here are some events where you can take someone special for the holiday weekend. Symphony Dances from ‘West Side Story’ The classic musical “West Side Story” is based on the tragic...