By Carol Whaley, Director of Humane Programming Tuesday, Sept. 28 was a big day in Pittsburgh as the City Council unanimously voted to ban the surgery used to declaw cats for non-therapeutic reasons. Two days later, Mayor William Peduto’s office signed the City of Pittsburgh’s ordinance, crafted in a partnership between Animal Friends’ Humane Legislation Committee members and Councilman Bobby Wilson’s office. This legislation makes Pittsburgh City Council the commonwealth’s f

Whether your holiday celebrations include candy canes and sugar plums, lighting menorahs, decorating a tree, seeing the light show at Phipps Conservatory or attending midnight Mass, December offers lots of meaningful moments to savor. The downside of the season is the stress that often accompanies attempts to find the perfect presents for everyone on your gift list. A variety of apps aim to minimize that anxiety. Giftster takes the stressful guesswork out of present-getting.

The holiday season is here, and we’re all searching for the perfect gifts for the special people in our lives. If you’re hoping to reach beyond mass-produced gifts for something unique and customized, local businesses have plenty to offer. From art finds and experiences to fine jewelry to delicious gift baskets, get ready to shop! Give a Gift of Creativity Experiences often make the best gifts. For art enthusiasts, consider a gift card for an in-studio workshop at family-owne

Agora Cyber Charter School, an online public school established in 2005, has delivered an uninterrupted education to Pennsylvania students in grades kindergarten through 12th for the last 16 years. “Agora’s elementary program builds a strong foundation of skills as students transition from learning to read to reading to learn,” explained Jansen Hornbake, elementary school principal. “The students develop a deep conceptual understanding of math skills that lay the groundwork t

While wandering through the Borough of West View, younger Pittsburghers or those new to the area may wonder why there is a carousel horse on top of the West View Plaza Shopping Center sign. West View is proud of its heritage as the site of West View Park, which operated its last Dips roller coaster ride in September of 1977 after over 70 years in business. The amusement park had a hard time recovering after Danceland, which hosted the then-unknown Rolling Stones in 1964, burn

Buying, wrapping and sending gifts, mailing cards, baking cookies, decorating the house, attending parties and work functions, preparing holiday meals….the list goes on and on. With so many holiday chores to do, it only makes sense to try to delegate some of the work—which is why a number of local families hire professionals to decorate the outside of their homes. Not only does it save time, but it often looks better and is much safer, especially for those who shouldn’t be cl

William Behre, president of Slippery Rock University, is so passionate about increasing the COVID-19 vaccination rate at the school that he is prepared to wear his emotions on his sleeve. Or, more precisely, under his sleeve, right on his arm. The University recently launched a campaign, “Rock the Shot, Ink the President” that will include various prize drawings for students based on rising campus COVID-19 vaccination rates. It culminates with Behre receiving a permanent Slip

From the outside, Public Lands looks like a gorgeous new retail store dedicated to outdoor experiences. And indeed, it is that. But it is also so much more. The new store located in Cranberry Township is Dick’s Sporting Goods’ latest concept with a mission to “celebrate and protect public lands for all.” And they do that in a variety of ways. “There are many stores doing good work, and we wanted to be very clear from the beginning on how we were going to show up and do advoca

Knitting a sweater in a month can be daunting for even the most skilled of knitters, but NaKniSweMo—National Knit a Sweater in a Month—is a challenge more knitters are embracing. The movement was actually inspired by another intimidating movement, National Write a Novel in a Month, which is also in November, according to Lisa Krack, owner of Darn Yarn Needles and Thread in Harmony. “That idea was to write a novel of 50,000 words, so someone thought it would be fun to have a c

With the holidays fast approaching, the dedicated team of volunteers at Toys for Pittsburgh Tikes gears up for action. Each year, the 45 helpers gather to sort donated toys and purchase additional gifts with the monetary donations they have collected throughout the year. “After Thanksgiving, it is pretty much all hands on deck to prepare for the holidays,” said Javid Shojaie, Toys for Pittsburgh Tikes chairman. “We could always use more volunteers. As our organization grows,

Grazing boards are quickly becoming an essential for any party, especially during the holidays. They are the perfect item as they have endless possibilities. Some must-haves for the board are cheese and charcuterie. When it comes to picking cheese, you want to include some fan favorites. “The three cheeses that you can almost always find on my boards are brie, Manchego, and some type of cheddar. These three are widely loved and pair well with all the other elements,” said Sar

Thanks to Tickets for Kids Charities and its supporters, tens of thousands of local children have been able to enjoy cultural, sports and other experiences that may not have been accessible to them otherwise. We spoke with Executive Director Jason Riley about the concept behind this nonprofit, which started in Pittsburgh in 1994 and eventually merged with several other like-minded organizations. Pittsburgh remains its headquarters and the market with the greatest impact. The

The holidays are fast approaching, bringing with them some cool displays and other outings suitable for the entire family. From train displays to holiday light extravaganzas, there is something for everyone to enjoy this holiday season. Holiday Train Displays When November rolls around each year and western Pennsylvanians start hankering for fall fun, most think about pumpkin patches and apple picking. While those certainly are fun activities, did you know that November is al

There are so many things to love about October—cooler temperatures, colorful leaves, and the chance to get scared out of your skull at haunted houses! And even if you don’t like to be frightened, you can still enjoy the holiday at some calmer events, including hayrides, pumpkin picking and fall festivals. Here's just a short list of things happening this Halloween…. Zombies of the Corn Oct. 1-2, 8-9, 15-17, 22-24, 29-31. 282 Rochester Road, Freedom, PA. Stop the zombie apocal

When Pine-Richland graduate Sean Freeland decided to pursue an acting career, he didn’t know that he would land on some of TV’s biggest hits, including The Walking Dead, Nashville, Constantine and Ozark. Now the actor is branching out into new territory, serving as a producer on the new film, Electric Jesus, which will start streaming Nov. 2. The film, which follows the story of an Alabama preacher's daughter who runs off with a touring Christian hair metal band during the su

Now that you’ve got your costume together, how about a wickedly delicious cocktail to go with it? No one celebrates spooky season quite like Fine Wine & Good Spirits, who have provided the following recipes perfect for this year’s Halloween celebration. Whether you are a ghost or a ghoul, these seasonal spirits are sure to get you in a frightfully fun mood. No tricks, just treats! Harvest Moon Manhattan Ingredients 2 oz Evan Williams 1783 Straight Bourbon 1 oz 19 Crimes Red B

By Kathleen Beaver, Animal Friends’ President & CEO We all have to make choices. It’s just part of life. We make choices every day when it comes to how we spend our hard-earned dollars. Can we adjust that thermostat and save a few dollars? Is a big vacation really in the cards this year? Can we get a few more years out of our car? Those are the easy decisions. The harder ones are the life and death decisions. How can I afford the surgery for my dog that was just hit by a car?

Mitch’s BBQ Serves Up Classics, as well as Creative Twists Mitch’s BBQ, located in Warrendale, has been a staple in Pittsburgh’s barbecue scene since 1992. This family-run joint serves up barbecue classics like ribs and brisket, and sides such as mac-and-cheese and potato salad. Their menu has some surprises that you wouldn’t typically find at a barbecue restaurant, including brisket bao buns, ramen and kimchi. Mitch’s menu is large and extremely daunting, and you can become

Fall is here, and with it come some incredible new businesses to support! As always, restaurants are booming here in the ‘burgh and there’s a new vintage store to check out, too. Mindy’s Take & Bake— 1100 N. Canal St., Sharpsburg Looking for high quality, delicious meals without the effort of cooking? Check out Mindy’s Take & Bake, a chef delivery/pick-up service that brings homemade meals to your door. A new menu filled with seasonal dishes goes out every Sunday morning for