JoAnne Klimovich Harrop stories, Page 58
Franklin Park 6th grader wins gingerbread house competition
The winning entry, “Christmas on the Mountain,” was inspired by the creator’s name. Eva Mountain, 12, fashioned a cozy cottage gingerbread house for the 18th annual City of Pittsburgh Office of Special Events’ annual Gingerbread House Competition and Display. It was held virtually because of the pandemic. The Franklin Park...
Western Pa. wine and cheese experts to hold virtual session on ‘perfect pairings’
Dee Weinberg was at a cheese counter having trouble deciding which variety to purchase to complement a specific wine. “The thought came to me that if I wasn’t sure what cheese was best with the wine I had, then other people probably would have the same problem,” said Weinberg, founder...
Harrison native’s book encourages readers to climb to new heights
Paola Corso recalled a walk through her late father’s neighborhood in Brackenridge. “Luckily, it was windy that day, and I spotted a pair of concrete steps under some leaves,” said Corso, a poet, photographer, literary activist and Harrison native. “I thought about the days my father and grandfather walked those...
The clock will strike midnight later in 2021 for the Cinderella BallVideo
The daughters and dads dance will have to wait. The 95th annual Cinderella Ball has been moved because of the pandemic. Traditionally held in January at the historic Omni William Penn Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh, the committee decided to host it on June 26 at the Allegheny Country Club in...
Press House brews coffee-flavored beer, readies new Sewickley café
First came the coffee named after a beer and next came the coffee in the beer. Press House Coffee on Pittsburgh’s North Side debuted Iron City Bean coffee with Iron City Brewing Co. in Lawrenceville in June. Last week, Press House introduced Fresh Grounds, a collaboration with North Side’s Allegheny...
Pittsburgh musicians raise their voices off stage to save local venuesVideo
Musicians communicate through song. They feed off the energy of live performances. Many haven’t performed live for months because of the pandemic. That hasn’t kept them from making new music for when they return to Pittsburgh-area venues. There is one tune that’s about to be heard that will help the...
Penn Hills woman recalls pain of losing her sister to covidVideo
Editor’s note: This is the first in a series highlighting five people whose lives were reshaped by the coronavirus pandemic. Kim Fife and her sister, Tami Fife Dixon, talked every day. They shared thoughts and dreams and reminisced about growing up together. As kids, they dressed alike and slept in...
Jason Mraz to headline Rock, Reggae & Relief benefit concertVideo
There is hope that live music is coming back in 2021. Rock, Reggae & Relief, a festival benefiting hospitality workers and food insecurity, has announced a lineup of artists. It’s scheduled for Aug. 28. “We feel safe that, by then, most people will have taken the (covid) vaccine, and it’s...
Immaculate Heart of Mary, the venerable Polish Hill church, adorned in Christmas finest for public viewVideo
The Christmas scene inside the massive dome contains 400 feet of garland, 100 bright red poinsettias and over 100 illuminated trees of various sizes. Red bows, wreaths and candles adorn the pews. Music fills the church as volunteers finish decorating for Christmas Masses at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish...
Mt. Lebanon couple donates $1 million to UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital Research Institute
Terri Bone remembered calling the neonatal intensive care unit from her hospital room to check on her newborn daughter. “The nurse told me, ‘she stopped breathing last night, but she is OK,’ ” said Bone. “ ‘Premature babies do that sometimes.’ ” After 10 days in the NICU at what...
Don’t kick it to the curb: Pittsburgh offers Christmas tree recycling
Go green and recycle that Christmas tree. The City of Pittsburgh has five drop-off locations for live trees starting Saturday and running through Jan. 26. The program was started to invite residents to recycle rather than send trees to a landfill, which happens when they are placed at the curb...
Dad creates adventures in a box without leaving Beaver County home
Elliott Cramer was helping move a neighbor’s water heater when he had a revelation. Some might say it was out of the box — or, rather, inside a large cardboard box. “I thought, the cardboard box would make for a perfect rocket ship,” said Cramer, who was assisting a neighbor...
Winners announced in Tarentum holiday window contest
Santa Claus sits in a chair, reading a magazine. Nearby is a Christmas tree adorned with bright bulbs and ornaments, along with colorfully wrapped presents underneath. A string of lights frame the space, and snowflakes decorate the scene. Santa has a couch decorated with fluffy pillows to lounge on. It’s...
Necromancer Brewing set to open in March in Ross
For Ben Butler, the space just felt right. After months of searching for a site for their new brewery, Butler and his business partner Aaron Easler have signed the lease. Look for a March opening of Necromancer Brewing Co. at 2257 Babcock Blvd. in Ross. “I grew up in Ross,...
Last call for sweets: Longtime Homestead bakery Blue Bonnet closing for good on Christmas Eve
The bread will no longer rise at Mantsch Blue Bonnet Bakery after Thursday. The longtime Homestead staple for fresh bread, homemade buns and tasty sweet treats from doughnuts to cakes to cookies is closing on Christmas Eve. “It’s time to retire,” said owner Michael Mantsch, 66, of West Mifflin, who...
Voting still open for People’s Choice award in Pittsburgh’s Gingerbread House Display and Competition
There are 14 more days remaining to vote for the People’s Choice award in the City of Pittsburgh’s Gingerbread House Display and Competition. The recognition is new for the 18th annual event, which went virtual this year because of the pandemic. More than 1,500 votes have been cast for the...
Holiday symbols represent the meanings for the season
They are the universal symbols of the holiday season. Menorahs and dreidels, wreaths and trees, unity cups and bowls of fruit — all integral parts of Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. While each has its own customs and meanings and ways to celebrate, all three share one thing in common: light....
Pittsburgh CAPA dance students take steps in virtual concert
Kasey Coles pushes the living room couch out of the way. Her studio space is now ready. Such is the life of a senior dance major at Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, a creative and performing arts magnet school, Downtown. Pittsburgh Public Schools are stuck in remote learning because of the pandemic....
Pittsburgh ‘Menorah Parade’ lights up the cityVideo
Despite months of pandemic gloom, the lights of Hanukkah shined bright Tuesday evening on Pittsburgh’s East End. More than 75 vehicles illuminated with menorahs drove through the streets, honking horns and yelling “Happy Hanukkah” to the people lining the course. The annual Menorah Parade celebrates Hanukkah, known as the festival...
Pittsburgh Irish Festival instrumental in the virtual ‘An Irish Christmas Concert’
Go green on Wednesday. At 8 p.m. the Association of Irish and Celtic Festivals will host “An Irish Christmas Concert,” with support from the Embassy of Ireland and Irish festivals in the U.S., including the Pittsburgh Irish Festival. The virtual performance will be a livestream event of seven acts from...
Pittsburgh’s Menorah Parade traveling an alternate route
Look for the festive line of vehicles with illuminated menorahs driving through Pittsburgh at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The annual Menorah Parade to celebrate Hanukkah will go on, but with some changes to its destination based on Pennsylvania’s latest covid-19 restrictions. The procession will begin at Rodef Shalom in Shadyside and...
Play it Forward Pittsburgh Toy Drive changes game plan because of Wolf’s covid-19 ordersVideo
The plan to distribute toys to 200 families on Friday and 300 on Saturday turned into 500 on the same day. That doesn’t sound like fun, but organizers of the Play it Forward Pittsburgh Toy Drive scrambled to make sure bicycles, trucks, dolls, stuffed animals and more get into the...
Regent Square’s Frick Park Tavern on ‘pause’ until spring
Even before Gov. Tom Wolf announced new covid-19 orders on Thursday, Jimmy Brown planned to temporarily close his Regent Square restaurant. “It doesn’t make sense to stay open the way things are,” said Brown, owner of the Frick Park Tavern on Braddock Avenue. “We are a sit-down and enjoy kind...
Downtown Pittsburgh ice rink still open with capacity changes
The Rink at PPG Place in Downtown Pittsburgh plans to stay open, but with capacity changes, in light of Gov. Tom Wolf’s new pandemic restrictions. Outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 people. “The ice rink will be open and abiding by the state requirements,” said Byron Sharp, president of Magic...
Brighton Heights man connects puppeteers to perform virtually during pandemic
Brighton Heights resident Tom Sarver, a nationally recognized artist, created a Virtual Puppetry Residency that connects creative people from around the globe. Their work can been Saturday at the International Puppet Festival, an online show featuring 32 artists. There will be children’s, all-ages and adult shows (may contain adult humor,...
