JoAnne Klimovich Harrop stories, Page 12

When Pam Maniet greets visitors at Bethel Presbyterian Church on April 6, she will be emotional. It will be the first Tartan Day, a day to celebrate Scottish heritage, without her father, Angus MacDonald. He died Dec. 27. “I know I will have a knot in my stomach at the...

Maria Rovers knows the feeling of caring for a child with health issues. There is intense worry and incredible fear, sleepless nights and unpredictable days. “I have been there,” the Bethel Park resident said. “It’s hard to understand unless you’ve lived it.” Rovers’ son Sean, 16, was diagnosed in 2017...

Pittsburgh’s favorite neighbor would have turned 96 on Wednesday. To celebrate the life of Fred Rogers, host of the long-running WQED children’s show “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh on the North Side is offering free admission on March 20. Rogers was born on that date in 1928...

Pittsburgh painted the town green on Saturday. From leprechauns and bagpipers, to jig dancers and flags waving of orange, green and white, the city celebrated its annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. Spectators started arriving by 6 a.m. with parade participants lining up by 6:30 a.m. It’s a special day, Dee...

They left Ireland for greener pastures. By 1850, 10,000 Irish immigrants were living in Pittsburgh. They settled in three neighborhoods — Downtown, the Strip District and the Hill District — according to Anne Madarasz, chief historian for the Senator John Heinz History Center. Many were Catholic and drawn to what...

It is St. Patrick’s Day weekend, which includes the annual parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Downtown. The Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show is happening all weekend and the Penguins host games on Saturday and Sunday, so plan accordingly. Here are some ways to spend it. Go to the movies...

You’ve hailed a cab. No. 125 pulls up. In his book “Not a Bad Trip: A Pittsburgh Cab Story,” the driver will take you on some of the thousands of trips he has made throughout his career. Howard “Howie” Ehrlichman of Wilkins slid behind the wheel of a Checker Cab...

It’s the weekend. If you are not attending the opening weekend of the Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show at the David Lawrence Convention Center, here are some other ways to spend it. Pierogi contest The St. Practice Day Pierogi Contest and Charity Crawl starts at 2 p.m. on Saturday on...

A sea of green will make its way through Downtown Pittsburgh on March 16. What began more than 150 years ago as a way to honor the patron saint of Ireland has evolved into a city-wide celebration held the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day — unless March 17 falls on...

Mark Bowe’s ancestor Edward Keenan built Union, W. Va.’s, oldest church west of the Allegheny Mountains in the 1700s. It is currently the Rehoboth Church and Museum. “My seven-time grandfather was a cabin builder,” said Bowe, co-owner of Barnwood Living, a company that salvages antique log cabins, barns and timber...

A vintage 4020 John Deere tractor is parked inside the establishment with built-on shelves displaying of bottles of alcohol. The signature bright green paint on the vehicle with bold yellow wheels and large rear tires is consistent décor. It’s pretty much a given who owns this place. Country music star...

A drive-thru is becoming the lane to be in. North Park Lounge is joining restaurant chains such as McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Starbucks and Dunkin in creating more easily accessible food and drink options. Chillin’ drive-thru is slated to open early next month. “I’ve been noticing more and more of these...

For more than a decade, the Byham House was home to some of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s students. They slept in dorm rooms, ate meals in the spacious dining room, perused their artist roles for upcoming performances in the study hall and most likely danced in the hallways. A few show...

It’s the first weekend in March. Here are some ways to spend it. Disney on Ice Disney on Ice presents “Find Your Hero” at 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at PPG Paints Arena, Uptown. An immersive experience includes...

Jan Domzal would carefully place and sew each block in its proper place. Each piece was more than a swatch of fabric to her. “Jan wanted every inch of the quilt to be perfect,” said her friend, Karen Womack of the Blackridge section of Penn Hills. “Each quilt was crafted...

“Free Beer Tomorrow” is a sign inside many Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bars. Well, tomorrow has finally come. The business is giving beer away to celebrate Leap Day, Feb. 29, at all of its 34 Pennsylvania locations. Guests can get one 12-ounce domestic bottle. This is not the first time...

Imagine that it’s 2 a.m. and you are a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle — a caregiver for a child in the hospital. You haven’t eaten all day. “I talked to parents and families who were waiting with their sick children in the hospital, and they were hungry,” Joan “Joni”...

The Novo Asian Food Hall, featuring seven authentic dining concepts, opens at 4 p.m. Friday. Located in the Terminal in Pittsburgh’s Strip District, the 8,600-square-foot space will offer dishes from Korean delicacies to Vietnamese street food. “We are thrilled to introduce Novo Food Hall to the vibrant dining and cultural...

Grist House Craft Brewery is expanding with a second tap room. The Grist House Beer Crib will be located inside the Freedom Farms Farmers Market on Route 8 in Penn Township, Butler County, which also houses the Freedom Farms Farm-to-Fork Kitchen. “We are so excited for this,” said Christie Massari,...

Three animal deaths at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium this month have brought “profound sadness” to its staff, officials said Monday during a news conference. “This is a lot for our staff to deal with right now,” said the zoo’s president and CEO Jeremy Goodman. “It is very tough when...

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey had never learned how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, known as CPR, an emergency procedure to maintain the blood flow to vital organs and to restore normal heart function after sudden cardiac arrest. When he was asked by the American Heart Association of Greater Pittsburgh to join...

Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh Aux. Bishop Mark Eckman, one of three auxiliary bishops in the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, was taken to George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C., earlier this week. He was at an event for new bishops and became ill. Jennifer Antkowiak, executive director of communications and...

It’s the final weekend of February. Here are some ways to spend it. Take the plunge The 14th annual Pittsburgh Polar Plunge is Friday and Saturday on Art Rooney Avenue near Acrisure Stadium on the North Shore. This event invites participants of all ages — plungers under 18 will need...

Four Pitt students are taking what they’ve been learning in the classroom and broadcasting it. KDKA Radio and the university are collaborating on the “KDKA Next Take” news show. The slot runs from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., Monday through Friday. Senior Jaime Ely, junior Margaux Rentzel and freshman Ryan...