Megan Swift stories, Page 8
Heinz Ketchup Smoothie coming to select Smoothie King locations in Pittsburgh
After launching the Heinz Ketchup Smoothie, Heinz and Smoothie King say they are bringing the concoction to Pittsburgh. “The home to HEINZ felt left out, but now, Pittsburgh is in on the fun!” the Tuesday announcement said. Starting Wednesday, the ketchup smoothie will be available at select Smoothie King locations...
Instagram rolls out map feature, sparking privacy concerns
Is Instagram the new Snapchat? It seems that way, as a map feature similar to Snap Map was just launched — eliciting mixed reactions from users. instagram showing y’all location oh that’s not pic.twitter.com/Qx9n5dn7zs— kaydenciaga⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ (@i30clip) August 6, 2025 On Wednesday, Meta rolled out several new features on the social...
What are ‘gas station drugs’? Medical professionals warn of addictive effects
Easily found on store shelves, the small blue bottle labeled “Feel Free” is sparking concern as doctors and social media users warn about the dangers of so-called “gas station drugs.” Manufacturer Botanic Tonics touts the Feel Free drink as a blend of “plant ingredients,” claiming it provides an energy boost...
Heinz partners with Smoothie King to launch ketchup smoothie
Pittsburghers love their Heinz Tomato Ketchup — but will they love it in smoothie form? For the first time, Heinz fans can get their ketchup in smoothie form through a new partnership with Smoothie King, Kraft Heinz announced Wednesday. The new blend won’t be available in Pittsburgh, according to the...
Apple moves down Walnut Street in Shadyside
This weekend, a new Apple store is opening on Shadyside’s Walnut Street — just one block away from its current location at 5508 Walnut St. The new location is at 5436 Walnut St., the former site of the Gap store. The storefront is now dark brown brick, a contrast to...
‘Love Is Blind’ TV show casting in Philly
The popular Netflix reality TV show “Love Is Blind” is coming to Pennsylvania — but not to Pittsburgh. Philadelphia is one of five new cities on the docket for casting. The show, which premiered in 2020, is described by Netflix as a “social experiment.” The show gathers single men and...
ESPN signs Penn State grad Katie Feeney to create social media, digital content
Sports and lifestyle influencer Katie Feeney is headed to ESPN. A Penn State University grad, Feeney, 22, will be a sports and lifestyle content creator for the sports giant. She will serve as a weekly contributor on “College Gameday,” “Sunday NFL Countdown” and “Monday Night Countdown,” as well as the...
Wildfire smoke mostly missing Western Pennsylvania so far
Wildfire smoke has returned to Pennsylvania, but its impact on air quality so far is far less severe than what the region experienced during the summer of 2023. Chris Leonardi, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Moon, said as of Wednesday, Southwestern Pennsylvania is seeing some “very modest haze...
Pittsburgh police identify ‘person of interest’ in Downtown shooting
Pittsburgh police released photos Sunday of a person of interest in the Friday afternoon shooting in Downtown Pittsburgh. Two people were wounded in the incident, which took place on a busy section of Penn Avenue between Ninth and 10th streets. On social media, police said they are seeking the public’s...
Hazelwood fire spreads to 4 row homes, sends 2 firefighters to hospital
A fire in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood Saturday night injured two firefighters. One firefighter suffered burns to his wrists, and the other suffered from smoke inhalation and shortness of breath, TribLive news partner WTAE reported. Both were taken to a hospital and are expected to be OK. The fire broke out...
Monroeville shooting sends 2 to hospital
Two people were injured in a shooting Saturday evening in the Monroeville retail corridor. Monroeville police were notified of the shooting at 6:49 p.m. in the 4000 block of William Penn Highway, near Miracle Mile Shopping Center. The Allegheny County Police Department responded as well. At the scene, first responders...
Weapons safety paramount at Battle of Bushy Run reenactment
Bryan Sherwood has been reenacting for 40 years, and he said he’s never felt unsafe surrounded by numerous period replica weapons. Sherwood, 57, of Ellicott City, Md., participated in the Battle of Bushy Run reenactment as sergeant of the Grenadier company of the 77th Regiment of Foot, also known as...
Jefferson Hills homicide by vehicle suspect turns himself in
The suspect in a vehicle homicide turned himself in Friday, according to the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office. William George Haughey surrendered shortly after 1 p.m. to deputies and was arrested. Haughey, 42, was charged by Jefferson Hills Police earlier in the week with numerous counts — including homicide by vehicle,...
Justin Timberlake announces Lyme disease diagnosis
In an Instagram post Thursday, singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake revealed his diagnosis of Lyme disease — shedding light on what he’s been going through the last two years. “I wanted to write something from the heart,” Timberlake, 44, wrote. “This has been the most fun, emotional, gratifying, physically demanding and, at...
Pete Davidson to make surprise Pittsburgh visit
Pete Davidson is coming back to Pittsburgh last minute — this weekend. Davidson, an actor and comedian, will take the stage at Bottlerocket Social Hall at 1226 Arlington Ave. in Pittsburgh’s Allentown neighborhood for one night only on Saturday with an “intimate crowd of just 140 people,” the venue announced...
Reese’s and Oreo to collaborate on 2 new desserts
Reese’s and Oreo are teaming up to create two new desserts — the Reese’s Oreo Cup and Oreo Reese’s Cookies. Each treat will have a blend of the iconic flavors:The Reese’s Oreo Cup brings together milk chocolate and white creme peanut butter cups with Oreo cookie crumbs.The Oreo Reese’s Cookies...
Radioactive wasps found in former South Carolina nuclear weapons site
Radioactive wasps were on the loose in South Carolina, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, The State reported. The newspaper said the discovery was made July 3 at an old nuclear weapons facility in South Carolina. The Savannah River Site in Aiken is 310-square-miles, and it produced plutonium and...
Sephora opens Strip District Terminal store
A new standalone Sephora store is now open in the Strip District Terminal. Sephora carries more than 300 makeup, skincare, hair and fragrance brands, according to the store announcement. The beauty giant’s latest Pittsburgh area location opened last week at 1649 Smallman St. Other standalone Sephora locations in the region...
Pop-Tarts drop new flavored ice cream sandwiches, pints
Pop-Tarts are a household name — but have you heard of the Pop-Tarts ice cream sandwich? This summer, Kellanova announced its Pop-Tarts were being made into ice cream sandwiches and ice cream pints to help people cool off amid the heat. Kellanova, the parent company of popular brands like Pringles,...
Sheetz unleashes chainsaw on MTO sandwiches to customers’ delight
Getting a Sheetz sandwich sliced in half by a real chainsaw was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Sean Starr. Starr, 36, of Bloomfield, drove to the Sheetz gas station in Seven Fields Friday to participate in the Sheetz x Liquid Death Chainsaw-Sliced Sandwich Experience, where people got to have their Made-to-Order...
AMC tells moviegoers to expect lots of trailers and commercials
Late for the movies? You’ll probably still make it if you’re headed to an AMC movie theater. AMC Theatres announced this month it would be putting more regular advertisements ahead of movie screenings alongside regular movie trailers, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It’s typical for patrons to show up at...
Bacteria risks found at all Lake Erie beaches in Pennsylvania, report says
Health risks were found at all of Lake Erie’s Pennsylvania beaches last year, a new report says. The beaches tested in 2024 were found to be potentially unsafe for swimming on at least one day, according to the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center’s latest analysis of bacteria testing titled “Safe...
Canvas to feature AI technology for educational interactions
AI technology will soon be brought into the classroom through a new integration with the Canvas learning platform. Canvas is the main online platform used by numerous universities like the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State University, as well as K-12 school districts. Instructure, the maker of Canvas, and OpenAI...
Pittsburgh stands out as only U.S. city cheaper to buy than rent, report says
Pittsburgh came out on top in a new Realtor.com rental report as the only U.S. city where it’s cheaper to buy a home rather than rent. According to the report, renting saves over $900 per month compared to buying a home in 49 out of 50 of the largest cities...
Pittsburgh council votes against preservation of Donny’s Place
Donny’s Place — one of Pittsburgh’s oldest gay bars — will not receive official historic designation, clearing the way for its demolition. Pittsburgh City Council voted Tuesday against making the shuttered bar a historic landmark amid legal battles over its proposed designation. The defunct establishment at 1226 Herron Ave. in...
