JoAnne Klimovich Harrop stories, Page 17

It’s finally the weekend. And it looks packed with pumpkins, circus performers, coffee, chocolate, and some “Boo-tiful Music.” ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’ Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey will be at PPG Paints Arena at 7 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday and...

Cortney Williams had more actors than parts. Instead of trimming the cast, she added characters. Williams, an English teacher at Bethel Park High School, wrote plays so everyone could be included. “I thought, if they are willing to come and put in the time, then there needs to be a...

Bethel Park High School teachers Leigh Totty and Chelsea Casagranda incorporate the study of the Holocaust in their curriculums. “Learning about the Holocaust is an integral part of understanding humanity, understanding history and the challenges facing our world today,” said Totty. A part of that history will be heard as...

With espresso, lattes, cold brews and even cocktails, coffee options these days are overflowing. “There is a style of coffee for everyone, and you can drink coffee any time of the day, which has opened up a whole new world of coffee,” said Abi Mohrmann, chief of staff with Espresso...

Pitt is definitely it for Luciana “Miss Lu” Bair. She claims to be the biggest Panthers fan, and she’s got a pretty solid case. Let’s start with the vehicle she drives. It’s a 2023 Dodge Durango with custom seating in the school’s colors of blue and gold. Her tires have...

Before chef Randy Herbe has his students touch a piece of food, he gives them something more important to digest. “The first thing I teach them is respect … respect for others, respect for themselves and respect for me,” said Herbe, the instructor for Community College of Allegheny County’s Community...

Don’t let the rainy forecast dampen your weekend plans. There are plenty of fun things to do around the Pittsburgh area. Let’s take a look at just five highlights. Night market The Allentown Night Market is from 7 to 11 p.m. on Saturday along Warrington Avenue in Allentown. There will...

Violins rescued from the Holocaust will be played by Gateway High School students. The performance is one of more than 50 happening throughout the region as part of Violins of Hope, a collection of more than 100 string instruments that have been rescued and restored by violin makers Amnon and...

Tepache Mexican Kitchen & Bar in O’Hara was scheduled to open at 5 p.m. on Oct. 10, but guests started arriving hours before. “We let them in,” said Jovanny Segoviano, one of four ownership partners. “We were prepared for that. People want this.” They certainly do. By 5:30 p.m. the...

Gateway Clipper Fleet owner and CEO Terry Wirginis recalled secretly transporting pop star Taylor Swift and her troupe on The Countess away from then Heinz Field to another undisclosed location after her concerts in 2011 and 2015. “She was very nice,” Wirginis said. He talked about the time an 18-pound...

Alexis Komperda didn’t sleep Monday night — she wanted to be awake so she didn’t miss the opening of Raising Cane’s in Oakland. By 5:30 a.m., she and her friend Crystal Savko, freshmen at La Roche University in McCandless, were the first two in line for the 8:30 a.m. opening....

Forget about walking the red carpet, for the Pittsburgh Steelers the runway was green, complete with hash marks and yard markers. The annual Rock Steelers Style fashion event was Friday at Stage AE on Pittsburgh’s North Side. The theme was “Gameday — Fashion Edition.” More than 40 players and their...

Encased in glass, each violin represent a heartbreaking story. Jewish musicians played these instruments in concentration camps and ghettos during the Holocaust for survival, resistance or comfort. Some were hidden away only to be discovered many years later. More than 100 violins have been rescued and restored by violin makers...

The leaves are changing and the temperatures are about to fall — it’s the time of year to think about getting the house ready for winter. “It’s getting darker earlier, and when it does I start to think about insulation and windows and other projects I need to get done...

Known as the “Ghost Host,” Jackie Mishol greets guests as they enter. Dressed in a black-and-white striped pantsuit, she invites them to immerse themselves in the Burton Bar, a “Beetlejuice” movie-themed speakeasy in Garfield. The Halloween pop-up establishment debuted in Denver last year and was “a big hit,” said Shelley...

We’ve reached the weekend — three days off for some on Columbus Day. Here are some ways to spend it. Last call The 16th annual and final Steel City Big Pour will be held on Saturday at Rockwell Park in North Point Breeze. There will be more than 20 restaurants...

Leanne Jacobs-Rohan knows she will go to a corner and sob — it’s what she’s done the past nine years each April 24 and Oct. 15. April 24 is the date her son Hazen died. Oct. 15 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. “I grieve every day, but those...

Chris Canning lives 25 miles from New York City and often travels to the city to shop. But not for herself. She’s in search of items for others. Canning, of Westchester County, N.Y., owns Burkewood Road, a home goods and lifestyle brand featuring home decor, serving pieces, table top linens,...

Many salad bars during the pandemic suffered, others closed entirely, as having groups of people taking food from the same containers was a concern because of a possible spread of covid-19. One restaurant that felt the loss was Hoss’s Steak and Sea House, where the salad bar is a core...

Martin Thomas always makes room at the table because to him, enjoying a meal together feeds both the body and the soul. “Meals spent together are just so important,” said Thomas, executive chef at Chartiers Country Club in Robinson. “Being able to prepare food for others is what a chef...

The final baby was born at Heritage Valley Sewickley Hospital on Sept. 28, as the labor and delivery unit closed at the end of September. Formerly Sewickley Valley Hospital, it was built in 1907. The first baby administrators could find a record for born there was in 1914, according to...

Saturday is a day to celebrate Hispanic culture and heritage as the second annual Hispanic Heritage Festival is happening at three locations. “The event is a celebration of Hispanic culture and heritage, embodying the values of diversity, inclusion and understanding within the Pittsburgh region,” said Melanie Marie Boyer, executive director...

Betsy Gianakas was cleaning behind the mantel of one of the fireplaces in her home when she found an old report card. Gianakas told her mom the woman’s name — and it turned out to be a friend of her mother’s who at one time lived in the home. That...