Find inspiration for achieving your financial resolutions and money goals in 2026
NEW YORK — The start of a new year usually brings new motivation to achieve goals like eating healthier or finally cleaning your basement. Many resolutions also focus on financial goals, such as paying off credit card debt, saving for a new house or simply getting more educated about money....
A power outage can turn dangerous fast. Here’s how to prepare
Power outages can come from winter storms, heat waves, wildfires or a delivery driver backing into the power line by your house. But depending on how long they last or what the temperature is outside, they can be serious or even fatal, no matter the cause. One of the biggest...
Ancient meditation practices find new life in modern religious communities across America
On most Monday nights, the sanctuary of All Saints Episcopal Church — with its vaulted ceilings, stone arches and stained-glass windows — seamlessly transforms into a space of quiet contemplation. It’s in this Gothic Revival church in Pasadena, California, that Betty Cole, a longtime Zen practitioner and “card-carrying Episcopalian,” leads...
Why your holiday gift returns might go to a landfill and what you can do about it
The holiday season will soon come to a close, but the busiest time of the year for product returns is just beginning. The National Retail Federation estimates 17% of holiday purchases will be sent back this year. More retailers are reporting extended return windows and increased holiday staff to handle...
Looking back on pop culture that had Western Pennsylvania buzzing in 2025
The past year has been a lively time in Western Pennsylvania for music, movies, TV, art and social media. From new art spaces to blockbuster series to sold-out TikTok-driven events, 2025 was a great time for
water cooler conversations and fun stories around town. Here are just a few. ‘The...
Foods with healthy-sounding buzzwords could be hiding added sugar in plain sight
Many consumers feel pride in avoiding the glazed pastries in the supermarket and instead opting for “all natural” granola that comes packed with extra protein. Same goes for low-fat yogurts “made with real fruit,” “organic” plant-based milks and bottled “superfood” smoothies. Buyer beware: Healthy grocery buzzwords like those often cover...
‘The past gives comfort’: Finding refuge on analog islands amid deepening digital seas
As technology distracts, polarizes and automates, people are still finding refuge on analog islands in the digital sea. The holdouts span the generation gaps, uniting elderly and middle-aged enclaves born in the pre-internet times with the digital natives raised in the era of online ubiquity. They are setting down their...
Squirrel Hill’s Murray Avenue Grill closing after nearly 40 years
After 40 years in Squirrel Hill, the Murray Avenue Grill is turning off the lights and serving its final meals. The restaurant announced the closure in a social media post. “It has been our privilege to serve this community and to build lasting relationships with our customers, employees and neighbors.”...
Former Rockette teaches aspiring dancers at Greensburg workshop
Bright lights and big kicks were the order of business Saturday for aspiring dancers in Greensburg. The Spectacular Holiday Dance Workshop, held at Seton Hill University and The Palace Theatre, welcomed students of all ages to step into the magic of Broadway with a 2½-hour class taught by former Radio...
A beginner’s guide to Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa has become a nationally recognized celebration of African culture and community in the United States since its founding in 1966 and also is celebrated in countries with large African descendant populations. The holiday, which serves as a nationwide communal event reinforcing self-determination and unity in the face of oppression,...
Volunteering with children can build character and create lasting family memories
NEW YORK — When Cami Teacoach’s son turned three she set out to find volunteer opportunities they could do together. He made Valentine cards for senior citizens. They hiked and picked up trash. He helped harvest produce at community gardens and made seed balls out of mud, throwing them into...
Allegheny River’s only floating Airbnb of its kind is in Blawnox
Full-time Pittsburgh River Rescue diver Greg Tersine spends much of his time in and around water, so building a floating house on the Allegheny River felt natural for the water-loving Blawnox resident. “I grew up on the rivers,” said Tersine, a homeowner in Blawnox and Squirrel Hill. “I was looking...
What you need to know about Highmark First Night in Pittsburgh
Downtown Pittsburgh will put on its holiday best to host the annual Highmark First Night, presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. The Cultural District will be ringing in the new year with a jam-packed lineup of performances, activities, fireworks and a midnight ball-raising. Tens of thousands of people are expected...
A look at aging baby boomers in the United States
The oldest baby boomers — once the vanguard of an American youth that revolutionized U.S. culture and politics — turn 80 in 2026. The generation that twirled the first plastic hula hoops and dressed up the first Barbie dolls, embraced the TV age, blissed out at Woodstock and protested and...
Fast shipping is increasing emissions. Here’s why delivery has become more polluting
It feels simple: You shop, find something you want and click to buy. It shows up today, overnight or tomorrow. We’ve gotten used to that speed. But that convenience comes with a climate cost. Multiple factors shape the environmental toll of a delivery. These include the distance from a fulfillment...
Want to read more in 2026? Here’s how to revive your love of books
NEW YORK — People stop reading in adulthood for lots of reasons. But it’s never too late to turn the page on old habits and start again. Curling up with a good book can reduce stress, increase creativity and boost empathy. A recent analysis of U.S. government data found that...
NORAD continues decades-long tradition of tracking Santa’s trip around the world
PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. — Sometimes kids drop the phone after hearing Santa won’t show up if they’re not asleep. Others who call the NORAD Tracks Santa hotline wonder if St. Nick will be able to find them. Adults who also remain devoted to the jolly figure said to...
Demeatria Boccella recognized by Mayor Ed Gainey for dedication to Black arts
Demeatria Boccella sees the beauty in everyone and everything. The Shadyside resident has built groundbreaking platforms that celebrate the cultural contributions of the African Diaspora and continues to broaden global understanding of Black arts, fashion and beauty. She founded FashionAFRICANA, a program that attracts global talent, designers and leaders to...
TribLive Taste Test: Peanut-butter-and-jelly candy
Peanut butter and jelly — two great tastes that taste great together. But what happens when you start throwing other ingredients into the mix? Today, we aim to find out, by trying Peanut Butter & Jelly M&Ms and Reese’s PB&J Peanut Butter Cups. I don’t know if there is such...
Upper St. Clair High School senior class has 16 sets of twins
One might do a double-take looking at the list of seniors at Upper St. Clair High School. There are 16 sets of twins in the 2026 graduating class — roughly one in every 10 members of the 299 students is a twin. Thursday is doubly special as it is National...
Baltimore cyclist finds joy in collecting lost hubcaps and stringing them into artVideo
BALTIMORE — Cyclist Barnaby Wickham has collected more than 700 lost hubcaps, mostly on bike rides around Baltimore. They have inspired a quest to turn litter into art, including Christmas wreaths, a giant fish and a large head of Snoopy. It is a hobby that developed nearly two years ago...
For more than 4 decades, Thomas Jewelers has given shine to Sewickley
Justin Thomas spent time at his father’s jewelry store as a 12-year-old, where he learned how to change watch batteries, taking in all the information about the inner workings of these timepieces. His expertise has expanded past making a watch tick again as he helps fashion precious metals into beautiful...
Closure of Grant Bar in Millvale after over 90 years an emotional hit for owners, customers
The owners and staff of the Grant Bar & Restaurant worked through their tears for their last night of service at the packed restaurant on Nov. 29, a week after announcing on Facebook that the Millvale establishment would permanently close after operating for more than 90 years. Jackie Roethlein, wife...
Vatican unveils Nativity scene, lights Christmas tree in St. Peter’s Square
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican unveiled its Nativity scene Monday and lit the 82-foot Christmas tree that towers above it in St. Peter’s Square as a band, chorus and dancers in traditional costumes from Italy’s northernmost South Tyrol province performed. The spruce tree hailed from Italy’s German-speaking majority autonomous province...
Rob Reiner’s death elicits social media tributes honoring film legacy
Online tributes poured in Monday across the internet and social media following the news of filmmaker Rob Reiner’s death. Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, were found dead Sunday at their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles in an apparent homicide. Investigators believe they suffered stab wounds, the...
