Long Road Back

A crash one November night leaves scars nearly 40 years later

Selective History

Pittsburgh was founded on industry and the backs of its workers, so why have the city's 250^th birthday celebrations not been celebrating that fact?

LGBT Issues: Mayor looking for 'GLBT Council' members

Mayor taking applications for LGBT advisory panel, but some activists are concerned by the selection process.

Neighborhoods: Hazelwood resident hopes gardens are way to fight blight

Greener Stories

"In the last two, three years, people are knocking down our doors saying, 'How do we get involved? Help us. What do we do?'"

Mateo's Pasta & Panino

Homey Italian restaurant fits the bill.

Mad Elf

Beat the seasonal stress with this potent Pennsylvania holiday brew.

Indie-rock trio Donora releases debut full-length on Rostrum Records

"It looked like a tiny city was being built in the middle of the living room."

Paramount Styles is all out of class at 31^st Street Pub this week

With Failure American Style, Scott McCloud's whispery voice retains its sense of innuendo and intrigue.

Ishtar's Bellyrock offers pan-Levantine melodies and myriad influences

Some fundamentalists might hurl accusations of cultural poaching, but who cares?

Power-poppers The Lampshades are more than Alright

Vocalist Jaren Love has an off-kilter, bookish delivery akin to a Stephen Malkmus or a J. Mascis.

Black Moth Super Rainbow frontman releases solo disc Fucked Up Friends

A few tracks sound like a hybrid of soundtracks from '70s elementary-school educational films and adult films of that same era.

Ceann conjures up a fun night on the town with Making Friends

Ceann's music sets out to bring all partiers together under the common ground of, well -- partying.

Celebrate the holidays with silver, gold, food and ugly sweaters

Audience members are encouraged to dress in their most repulsive seasonal knits.

The Day the Earth Stood Still

Pointless, dull update of the classic cautionary tale

Yes Man

Jim Carrey is a fool for you

The Tale of Despereaux

A fractured fairy tale in too many pieces

At Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, Cat Chow and Jesse McLean work wonders with found objects and images.

The remainder of the works are inspired by minimalism, utilizing repetition and simple forms, and are no longer garments.

Mixed Report

This Just In: December 18 - 25

Highlights from the local TV news: Old Testament justice!

Savage Love

Sam McDonald's journey from "fat bastard" to published author invites questions about whether self-control can be its own kind of addiction.

"People said I was an alcoholic in the beginning and anorexic in the end. I think that's a cop-out."

January, Wilson Avenue

A poem by Lori Wilson

St. Nicholas

McPherson's writing in St. Nicholas is funny and filled with small moments of surprise.

A Musical Christmas Carol

Gregory hasn't made this a solid drama about memorable people.

The Santaland Diaries and Season's Greetings

Stephen Santa's sardonic wit, charm and surprising energy propel Crumpet as he leads the audience in a Santa cheer followed by a comical techno-dance number.