Julia Felton stories, Page 74

The University of Pittsburgh is joining an initiative to develop a more diverse and inclusive STEM faculty. Pitt is one of 19 universities joining a three-year program to develop inclusive faculty recruitment, hiring and retention. The Aspire: The National Alliance for Inclusive & Diverse STEM Faculty program is facilitated by...

Duquesne University has canceled all fraternity and sorority activity for the rest of the semester after officials said Greek organizations repeatedly violated covid-19 precautions. In a letter to students, Senior Vice President for Student Life Douglas Frizzell said that several Greek organizations had committed “repeated and egregious violations of the...

The final piece linking the Great Allegheny Passage to Point State Park is ready for bicyclists. On Monday, the city of Pittsburgh unveiled two-way bicycle lanes in a strategic part of Downtown. Now a biker can start from the fountain at the Point and roll for more than 150 miles...

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders is visiting Pittsburgh on Saturday to campaign for former Vice President Joe Biden, the man who defeated him for the Democratic presidential nomination. Political experts said Sanders’ visit is designed to energize young and progressive Democrats. “This is a calculated move to energize the base of...

Eric Trump made a surprise visit Thursday to Oakmont Bakery, where he passed out cookies decorated with his father’s face to dozens of supporters. Oakmont Bakery is hosting its traditional presidential Cookie Poll. The bakery serves up sweets adorned with images of President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe...

Chipotle Mexican Grill says it plans to hire approximately 200 new employees from Western Pennsylvania next week. The restaurant on Monday is hiring for positions ranging from crew members to general managers. Interviewees must sign up in advance to schedule a 15-minute interview timeslot. Covid-19 precautions will be in place...

Woodland Hills School District announced Wednesday that online schooling will be extended for at least another 30 days. The district cited statistics from the Pennsylvania Department of Health showing that the number of covid-19 cases in Allegheny County have not been trending downward over the last two weeks. Per the...

The Allegheny County Elections Division on Tuesday announced expanded hours for voters to apply for, receive and return absentee and mail-in ballots before Election Day. For those who prefer to cast their ballots on Election Day, 1,323 polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov....

State Sen. Joe Pittman, R-Indiana, is facing his first reelection challenge just 16 months after being sworn in to represent the 41st Senate District. Democrat Tony DeLoreto, a restaurateur from Indiana, is looking to knock off Pittman. Pittman has been representing the district since June 2019 after winning a special...

Shoppes at Pittsburgh Mills, a shopping plaza near the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills in Frazer, is going up for auction. The property is a six-tenant retail center, comprising 9,907 square feet. Current tenants include Mattress Firm, Bob’s Sub, Sports Clips Haircuts, SweetFrog and American Discount Uniform. The property, built in...

The former location of NOLA on the Square in Market Square in Downtown Pittsburgh is up for lease. Ron Sofranko of Sofranko Advisory Group, the restaurant broker handling the location, called it a turnkey operation. “A chef could go in there tomorrow and clean it up and get it all...

A history teacher from Pittsburgh Allderdice High School was honored as a Yale Educator of the Year. Erin Provance, who lives in Greensburg, was nominated for the award by Daniela Naumov, a former student who is a freshman at Yale University. The Yale Educator Recognition Program “recognizes outstanding educators from...

The South Buffalo Volunteer Fire Department is hosting a truck and tractor pull to memorialize a friend. The Kevin Haas Memorial Truck and Tractor Pull will be held at the fire hall on Saturday. It’s a fitting tribute to Haas, who died in May, said Erin Pflueger, a member of...

Allegheny County Council President Pat Catena on Tuesday called on local leaders to reconsider removing a controversial statue of Christopher Columbus from Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park. Last week, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto echoed the recommendation of the Pittsburgh Art Commission to remove the statue. He directed the statue be displayed on...

Homecoming is traditionally marked by bustling football stadiums and crowded dances. This year has been, obviously, very different. Though covid-19 has forced school districts throughout Western Pennsylvania to scale back homecoming celebrations, schools — and parents — are still trying to salvage part of the hallmark high school experience. Students...

Our furry friends will be the center of attention at Humane Animal Rescue’s upcoming virtual gala. The Oct. 22 event, dubbed “A Very Burgh Paws Party,” will replace Humane Animal Rescue’s annual gala, which was nixed during the pandemic. The gala typically draws over 400 people, according to Dan Rossi,...

Freeport Area School District on Thursday voted to allow students in-person instruction four days a week, with Fridays serving as an online instruction day. The plan will go into effect on Oct. 13. Students were previously learning in a hybrid model, in which they could be in-person twice a week....

The Shrine of the Blessed Mother, often called “Our Lady of the Parkway” because of its location overlooking the Parkway East from a South Oakland hilltop, received historic designation by Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday. The Shrine was created in the mid-20th century and blessed in September 1956. Though not...

Aurora, a Pittsburgh-based autonomous vehicle company, will be moving into a new headquarters space in the Strip District. They expect to move into the new location at 1600 Smallman Street by the spring, a company spokesperson said. With over 100,000 square feet, the headquarters will house an array of employees,...

Freeport Area High School has been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. The National Blue Ribbon School distinction recognizes top public and non-public schools annually. Freeport Area High School was one of 367 schools nationwide to earn the title for this year. Principal...

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump announced early Friday that they have tested positive for covid-19. But this is hardly the first time a president has fallen ill in office. Here’s a brief history of presidents who have faced severe ailments while in the Oval Office: Andrew Jackson...

Well, this stinks. Stink bugs are showing up in homes across Western Pennsylvania. With fall and winter approaching, they’re becoming more prevalent as they seek shelter in homes and buildings. “I would say anecdotally speaking, there was an increase in stink bugs from last summer. Stink bugs tend to have...

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Cedars-Sinai believe they have discovered why some covid-19 patients develop severe inflammation. Since March, scientists have sought to understand this issue. Pediatric covid-19 patients can sometimes display Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), a rare but potentially fatal complication that...

With flu season approaching and covid-19 still spreading, public health officials are warning of a “twindemic.” Local health experts are emphasizing increased vigilance this year. Flu shots Doctors generally recommend flu shots. This year, it’s more important than ever, said Dr. Amy Crawford-Faucher of the Allegheny Health Network, where she...

With in-person live performances postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Stage Theatre is moving to new platforms to reach their audiences remotely. Beginning Oct. 1, Prime Stage Theatre will host the Prime Stage Mystery Theatre Podcast. The first program, penned by local writer Lawrence Connolly, is titled “A Knavish...