JoAnne Klimovich Harrop stories, Page 39
John DeSantis remembered fondly by Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show exhibitors
The late John DeSantis “never met a stranger.” Those are words from Jenn Tompkins, co-owner of Rent The Chicken in South Buffalo Township. Her company will be one of the more than 1,500 exhibitors for the 40th annual Duquesne Light Co. Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show, which DeSantis founded. He...
Disney on Ice’s ‘Let’s Celebrate’ at Pittsburgh’s PPG Paints Arena a ‘dream job’ for skater
Sophia Cucci fell in love with ice skating when she was 3 years old. There was no better feeling than lacing up her skates and gliding around the rinks in her native Michigan. Her passion for the sport continued through high school and college. “I wasn’t done skating,” said Cucci....
2nd immersive art exhibit coming to North Side
First Vincent van Gogh, now Frida Kahlo. A second interactive art exhibit is coming to Lighthouse ArtSpace Pittsburgh, a converted warehouse, on Pittsburgh’s North Side. Lighthouse Immersive, a producer of experiential art exhibits, partnered with Impact Museums, which operates immersive experiences built around art, entertainment and social causes, and collaborated...
Western Pennsylvania high school students take Polar Plunge for Special Olympics
Fox Chapel Area High School students suited up as characters from the Disney movie “Frozen.” It was the perfect fashion for Friday morning. With temperatures in the 30s and wind chills in the 20s, the teens took a plunge into 4 feet of cold water — dressed at Elsa, Anna,...
Pittsburgh streets and landmarks to be featured in Monopoly game
A “Get Out of the Allegheny Jail Free” card? The newest Monopoly game could include that saying as well as other Pittsburghese references. And you, Steel City residents, can help decide. Pittsburghers are encouraged to submit their suggestions for the upcoming board game. Hasbro, the makers of Monopoly, has partnered...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Feb. 25-27
It’s the final weekend of February. Here are some ways to spend it. Beer here The Pittsburgh Winter Beer Fest is Friday through Sunday at the David Lawrence Convention Center. Approximately 400 local, regional and hard-to-find craft beers from more than 130 breweries — including Fat Head’s Brewery, Penn Brewery,...
Support for Ukraine in Squirrel Hill march unites people from various countries
Anastasia Gorelova is Russian. The Carnegie resident stood on the corner of Forbes and Murray avenues in Pittsburgh holding a sign that read, in Russian, “No To War.” Not only was she at a vigil and peaceful protest on Thursday in Squirrel Hill supporting the people of Ukraine after the...
UPMC doctor involved in research to treat pulmonary hypertension with cancer medicines
Allison Dsouza was unable to walk a short distance without becoming winded. The Munhall resident’s trouble breathing led to a diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension, high blood pressure in the blood vessels in the lungs. Pulmonary hypertension is a rare, incurable lung disease. She has what’s called “idiopathic” pulmonary hypertension, which...
A step ahead: Bodiography celebrates 20 years of dance
When Maria Caruso returned to her dance studio Bodiography on Sunday after a month away in Brazil, she played a recording of Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah.” It’s the song she’s been rehearsing for a solo to celebrate her company’s upcoming 20th-anniversary celebration. But she didn’t take a step. She looked at...
Shorty’s Pins x Pints opens on Pittsburgh’s North Shore
Shorty came up tall on Monday. By 3:30 p.m., there was a line to get into Shorty’s Pins x Pints on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. The take-you-back-in-time game room and bar establishment opened at 4 p.m. after nearly two years because of delays from the pandemic. People of all ages filled...
Seeing double: 2-22-22 is not your ordinary Tuesday
Some dates just stick out. Today is one of those. It’s Feb. 22, 2022, or 2-22-22. People are calling it “Twosday” and it falls on a Tuesday, which makes it even more of an anomaly. Known as a palindrome, which means it reads the same backward and forward, people take...
Satchels of Caring Foundation closing after nearly 2 decades giving hope to cancer patients
Over the course of 19 years, these hand-sewn fabric bags contained more than scarves, journals and tissues. They also carried hope for recipients dealing with cancer. What started as a project in 2003 through the American Cancer Society, the Satchels of Caring Foundation was formed initially to help women who...
Serving up smiles: Whitehall Eat’n Park employee celebrates 50 years and counting
Carol Kusan was working as a server at a bar/restaurant. She explained that if her infant son was sick, she would need to call off. Her boss told Kusan she was required to be there Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights for her shifts. “I left, and applied for a job...
Crushed Grapes Wine Tasting event raises funds for Pittsburgh’s Sisters Place
Sisters Place helped a teen and his family with a place to live after a house fire so he could concentrate on his education. Sisters Place welcomed a homeless mom and her kids to provide them food, shelter and love. Sisters Place became a place of refuge for a mother...
Initiative to help women in workforce receives $207K grant from Richard King Mellon Foundation
EmployHER Pittsburgh gives women the support they need for better access to employment. The organization recently received some backing as well. A grant of $207,000 from the Richard King Mellon Foundation will be used to continue the development of EmployHER Pittsburgh by providing the aforementioned access to better employment as...
Pittsburgh International Auto Show features a $133,795 Maserati
As guests make their way up the escalator to the second floor, they can catch a glimpse of it. The shiny smooth black finish and sleek design of the 2022 Maserati Levante Modena S stands out. At $133,795, it is believed to be the most expensive new car available for...
Western Pennsylvania athletes ready for Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon
Every time Tom Weir has participated in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon, he has turned left to venture into Downtown at the Birmingham Bridge. On May 1, Weir, 60, of Hempfield, plans to make a right turn, hoping it’s the correct one. The bridge from Pittsburgh’s South Side is...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Feb. 19-21
We’ve reached the weekend. Here are some ways to spend it. Undie Run Cupid’s Undie Run Pittsburgh is from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. Hundreds of people are expected to participate in a 1-mile run on the North Shore while wearing underwear, costumes or tutus. McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon on...
Pittsburgh International Auto Show drives into town
After stalling last year, the Pittsburgh International Auto Show is rolling once again. “We are so happy to have the show this year,” said Lisa McIntyre, CEO of Greater Pittsburgh Automobile Dealers Association, host of the event. “It is always the perfect opportunity to see what’s new in automobiles from...
Beer here: East End Brewing Co. expanding to Mt. Lebanon
East End Brewing Co. is moving south. No need to panic, the beer will still be brewed and served in Larimer. The brewery is expanding to add a taproom in Mt. Lebanon. “We will bring the beer, other drinks and food to the South Hills,” said owner Scott Smith, a...
Couples say ‘I do,’ again on Valentine’s Day inside Van Gogh exhibit on Pittsburgh’s North Side
Patti Fleet put on her white gloves on Monday, the same pair she wore the day she married her high school sweetheart, Chuck, on Aug. 26, 1967. “They are a little tight, but they still fit,” said Patti, 75, of North Huntingdon, before she and Chuck renewed their vows inside...
Power of love: Couples navigate pandemic challenges to find that special someone
The covid-19 pandemic has affected so many of life’s memorable moments and even impacted everyday events, from schooling to dining out to visiting family members. One thing it hasn’t overpowered is love. “Dating and marrying during the pandemic was and has been an extremely unique experience. Looking back, it all...
Bethel Park woman meets the Beaver County man to whom she donated a kidney
Erin Prindle is a trail runner. The Bethel Park mom laces up her Saucony shoes and ventures out. She often takes new paths. “I love running in the woods and being in nature; it’s cathartic,” she said. “Navigating a new trail is like life in the way that sometimes you...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Feb. 11-13
It’s Super Bowl weekend. Here are some ways to spend it in Pittsburgh. Prehistoric times Jurassic Quest takes over the David Lawrence Convention Center from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Guests can walk among the huge animatronics roaring dinosaurs that...
Singer Jimmy Mowery from ‘The Voice’ to perform at The Mall at Robinson
Music is a lot more than notes and harmonies to singer Jimmy Mowery. It’s a way to honor his late father who was shot and killed on Thanksgiving Day when Mowery was 11 years old. He turned to music to heal, a career his father gave up to get a...

