Paul Guggenheimer stories, Page 40

Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh is scheduled to resume operations at 8 a.m. Monday. The casino made the announcement Thursday after Gov. Tom Wolf eased covid-19 restrictions. It had been closed since Dec. 12. The reopening means some 1,086 casino employees will return to work next week with more to follow...

The Harmar Supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday to adopt a $2.7 million budget for next year that cuts the township’s property tax rate by more than a half-mill. The move decreases the tax rate from 3.45 mills to 2.9 mills. At that rate, the owner of a property assessed at $100,000...

Just a few weeks ago, Steelers fans were wondering if their undefeated team would lose a game this season. Now, the question is, will the Steelers win another game this season? After three straight losses following its 11-0 start, this team is looking like it has forgotten how to play...

It’s a challenge pastors often face, but it never has been more conspicuous than after a year like 2020. What inspiring words can church leaders possibly say during Christmas Eve services after so much death and disappointment? Even though the long-awaited end of 2020 is coming, what about the beginning...

Commuters forced to deal with construction on a portion of Bigelow Boulevard that runs through the University of Pittsburgh campus will receive a Christmas Eve gift. Pitt and the City of Pittsburgh are reopening a “reimagined” Bigelow Boulevard between Fifth and Forbes avenues on Thursday. Pitt partnered with the city...

It’s perhaps the most unofficial Christmas tradition there is. On Christmas Day, many members of the Jewish community go out to eat at Chinese restaurants because they are usually the only ones open. This is often followed by a trip to the nearest bowling alley. It’s a ritual that goes...

PNC Bank is closing its Harmar branch on March 19. PNC will consolidate that branch on Anchor Road near the Target department store with one less than 4 miles away at 2010 Pittsburgh Mills Blvd. in Frazer. “We constantly evaluate our branches, together with our other available channels of banking,...

People aren’t the only ones facing food insecurity this holiday season. Pets need help as well. With that in mind, 412 Food Rescue and the Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team (PAART) are teaming up to distribute food for people and pets experiencing food insecurity during Christmas week. On Wednesday, the...

The holidays can be stressful and depressing under normal circumstances. But this year’s pandemic has only added to people’s anxiety, particularly for seniors who may be experiencing extreme isolation and loneliness. On Wednesday, members of the Wolf administration hosted a video conference to discuss resources for older Pennsylvanians and others...

Workers across the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh system have voted by a substantial margin to join the Pittsburgh-based United Steelworkers union. Out of the 529 employees eligible to vote, a total of 353 votes were counted. Of that number, there were 278 yes votes. The workers will become part of...

The state Department of Community and Economic Development has announced it is providing nearly $4 million in support to communities struggling during the covid-19 crisis. The money is part of federal CARES Act funding. Included in the package is funding for four projects, two of them in Western Pennsylvania. In...

Five students and staff members at Allegheny Valley School District have tested positive for covid in the past week, the district said. Spokeswoman Jan Zastawniak said those infected were last in a school building more than a week ago, and the cases are unrelated and do not suggest school community...

It’s an idea that not only helps restaurants deal with another shutdown but also provides food for people in need this winter. Starting Monday, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and 412 Food Rescue joined forces to provide restaurants regular weekly income and bring free meals to people experiencing food insecurity. The program...

Since its inception, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank has evolved beyond emergency food assistance and providing non-perishable food items to distributing more than 12 million pounds of fresh produce in 2020. This month marks the 40th year of operation for the Food Bank, which opened its doors in Pittsburgh’s...

Americans could start receiving a covid-19 vaccine as early as this month, as three drugmakers have produced vaccines deemed highly effective. Health and government officials are moving quickly to organize the distribution and delivery systems for the vaccines. Three drugmakers — AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer — are seeking regulatory approval...

With covid-19 on the rise again and more help needed for those impacted by the pandemic, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald has announced the county is committing an additional $2 million to programs through the United Way. The United Way’s Students and Families Food Relief Fund will receive $1 million...

Most adult ex-convicts know how tough it is to adjust from being in prison to being back in the real world, especially when they can’t find a job. It can be even tougher for young adults with a prison record but no job experience. But now Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania...

Forget about those sugar plums dancing in heads this holiday season and make way for a new Yuletide treat: the Cannoli Christmas Tree. A cannoli tree may seem like something out of a debaucherous dessert dream. But Char Hixson, proprietor of Char’s Creative Confections in Harmar, is baking them up...

When covid-19 safety precautions postponed the annual after-winter return of Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources staff to keep tabs on the impacts of shale gas drilling, they knew they had a lot of ground to make up. But since then, the DCNR has managed to get back to...

A collection of very old baseball cards turned out to be a treasure trove for an Altoona-area woman who works on the front lines of the pandemic. The woman, who did not want to be identified, was going through her late grandfather’s belongings when she found a rare 1916 Babe...