At first glance, a group of white musicians playing Middle Eastern music in Pittsburgh bars — of all places — might seem odd. But for members of local band Ishtar, traditional Middle Eastern songs — played with a few twists of their own — have given them a new musical life. Front woman and Spring Hi...

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson shakes hands with kids from the Sarah Heinz House Boys and Girls Club after the Earth Day Live with Energy Star event on April 21. (Photo/Kelly Thomas) Unbeknownst to those living in them, many households hide a nefarious vampire population. But these vampires don’t su...

About 75 people came to the city's first PreservePGH meeting on April 19. PreservePGH is the first phase in the 12-phase PlanPGH program. (Photo/Henry Clay Webster) What would you like to see in Pittsburgh in five or 10 years? Alan Perry wanted to see overnight camping return to Riverview Park. “I’d...

Soon, with a little help from the latest round of Charm Bracelet Project microgrants, crops will grow in community gardens, artists and writers will take to the streets and young songwriters will take to the airwaves. The Charm Bracelet Project’s Northside Microgrant Fund gives $500 to $10,000 to lo...

Mark Purcell doesn’t just want you to vote him on to Harrisburg. If he wins the May 18 Democratic primary for the 20th District of the Pennsylvania State House, he wants to walk there. “At my age, if I’m willing to walk to Harrisburg, I’ll get listened to,” said the 63-year-old native and former com...

Although only four neighborhoods of the Northside’s 14 have official historic districts, older houses of all types and architectural styles pepper each and every neighborhood. Many older Northside houses sit vacant and waiting for industrious owners to restore them to their former glory — many for a...

Northside historic districts Allegheny West: alleghenywest.org , 412-323-8884 Historic Deutschtown: www.deutschtown.org , 412-321-1204 Manchester Historic Society: www.manchesterhistoricsocietypa.com , 412-321-7707 Manchester Citizens Corporation: www.manchestercitizens.org , 412-323-1743 Mexican Wa...

Do you know what kind of chemicals are in that can of paint you painted your bathroom with? Or how about where that old vanity is going after its tenure in your rented dumpster? How much energy are your brand new incandescent light bulbs going to suck up per year? “A lot of people don’t put a lot of...

-Historic homes require more effort, yield greater benefits -Resources for renovating historic homes -Green renovation saves money and the earth -Moving is stressful, so plan ahead -Graph of Home Sale Prices by Neighborhood -Graph of Northside Housing Occupancy by Neighborhood

Finding a new place to live is no easy task, but getting all your stuff there can seem just as daunting. Moving is one of life’s most stressful transitions, but here are a few tips that will make the process easier. Plan Ahead There’s no reason not to start booking equipment and services as soon as ...