Wireless companies boost signal at Heinz Field

By Aaron Aupperlee

Published: Friday, July 12, 2013, 10:31 p.m.
Updated 16 hours ago

If going to the game just isn't enough, wireless companies will make it easier for fans to text, tweet, post photos and update their Facebook status during Steelers games this fall.

Verizon booted up its upgraded wireless network at Heinz Field in time for last week's Taylor Swift concert. After seeing a significant spike in traffic during the concert, Sprint decided to make similar upgrades and will wheel in a portable antenna in the meantime.

“It was a trigger event for us,” Sprint spokeswoman Kelly Schlageter said. “There was a huge crunch for us, and we needed to add capacity.”

Too many people on cellphones in a concentrated location can overload the capacity of nearby towers and antennas, said Alex Hills, a distinguished service professor in engineering and public policy and electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University.

The explosion of smartphones and people texting, sending photos and videos — and posting to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social networks — floods towers with data.

“When it's full, it's full,” Hills said, adding that people must wait for a spot to open on the tower before connecting a call or sending a tweet.

To address the problem, wireless networks install dedicated antenna systems at venues where large crowds typically gather. AT&T installed hundreds of small wireless signal transmitter/receivers at Heinz Field to build a “distributed antenna system” in October.

Verizon followed suit, building its antenna system in time for the Swift concert, said Don Carretta, executive director of Verizon's network in Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. Sprint will roll out its antenna system in six to eight months, Schlageter said.

The upgraded systems are not foolproof, however. Some AT&T and Verizon customers reported problems at the Swift concert.

Shanna Canarini, 20, drove from Lowell, Ind., about 45 miles south of Chicago, to see Taylor Swift at Heinz Field. She has AT&T service and tried several times to send photos and texts to family and friends before giving up.

Brittany Williams, 21, of LaPlace, La., about 30 miles west of New Orleans, did not mind her limited connection to social media. She wanted to enjoy the concert.

“However, when I touched Taylor's hand, I tried texting my mom and aunt, because I was so excited and wanted to share it instantly,” she said.

The text did not make it, and Williams, still excited but a little frustrated, had to wait to tell them after the show.

Aaron Aupperlee is a Trib Total Media staff writer. Reach him at 412-320-7986 or aaupperlee@tribweb.com.

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YMCA tags swimmers with color-coded wristbands

YMCA staffers show the color-coded wristbands that swimmers in the summer camps must wear.
By Tory N. Parrish

Published: Friday, July 12, 2013, 11:33 p.m.
Updated 16 hours ago

Youngsters who swim at YMCA summer camps must wear wristbands color-coded to their skill level under a policy prompted by the near-drowning of a child last month, officials said.

The YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh implemented rules on Monday that also seek to reduce the size of groups of children at play in the water.

In addition to improving safety, the measures will allow more interaction between campers and counselors, said Todd Brinkman, district vice president of camping services.

“And that's been a priority of our camps always,” he said.

On June 13, a 6-year-old boy and other children in a YMCA summer camp at Carson Middle School in McCandless were using the outdoor pool at Baierl Family YMCA in Franklin Park. Lifeguards said the boy “did not appear to be conscious or breathing at the time that he was rescued from the pool,” the state Department of Public Welfare said in a June 21 report.

Lifeguards turned the boy's head to the side, allowing him to cough up water and clear his airway, said Brinkman, who said the child did not have to be resuscitated.

The Welfare Department found that a camp employee was unable to locate another child for about two minutes on June 20 at the pool. It ordered the middle school's camp to be closed.

Child care staff were not assigned to supervise specific children, according to the report, which found “gross incompetence, negligence and misconduct in operating a facility likely to constitute an immediate and serious danger to the life or health of the children in care.”

The YMCA leases the space in the school from North Allegheny School District, Brinkman said. That camp location will not reopen this summer, he said.

The YMCA has worked to strengthen its pool safety for at least a year, but the Baierl YMCA incident hastened the process, Brinkman said.

“We decided to make it universal across the board for (the new rules),” he said.

The policy breaks swimmers into smaller groups — five children to each counselor, as opposed to 15 children with three counselors, he said.

Children will wear wristbands that denote their swimming skills: red for nonswimmers, yellow for middle-level swimmers and green for advanced swimmers.

The YMCA fired several counselors at the middle school camp and will randomly check staffers to see if they can identify and locate campers without help.

The YMCA agreed to suspend its camp swimming programs until it investigated all of the sites, Welfare spokeswoman Anne Bale said.

Most of the swimming programs have been reinstated, and the rest likely will be within days, Brinkman said.

Last year, about 2,000 children participated in YMCA summer camps, he said.

Tory N. Parrish is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 412-380-5662 or tparrish@tribweb.com.

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Gun found in Whitaker yard after shooting

By Michael DiVittorio

Published: Saturday, July 13, 2013, 1:01 a.m.
Updated 15 hours ago

Whitaker police have recovered a handgun believed to have been used in a shooting Thursday night when one person was wounded.

Police were called to Whitaker Way and Frank Street about 11:22 p.m. The victim was transported to a hospital. Allegheny County dispatch said homicide detectives were sent at 11:43.

Whitaker police Chief John Vargo said his department received a call Friday morning from a woman who saw a gun in her yard along Frank Street. Officers recovered a 22 mm revolver.

County police continue to investigate.

No further information about the victim or suspects was available.

Anyone with information regarding the shooting should contact county police at 412-473-3000.

Michael DiVittorio is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-664-9161, ext. 1965, or mailto:mdivittorio@tribweb.com?subject=RE: Gun found in Whitaker yard after shooting story on TribLIVE.

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Owners call off Hulu sale again

By The Associated Press

Published: Saturday, July 13, 2013, 12:01 a.m.
Updated 16 hours ago

The on-again, off-again sale of Hulu is off — again.

Hulu's owners — 21st Century Fox, Disney and NBCUniversal — said Friday that they will remain owners of the online video service, while providing a cash infusion of about $750 million to ensure its growth.

The owners accepted formal bids for Hulu as recently as last week as part of their second attempt in three years to sell the company. But the announcement suggests the bids were too low. Reports pegged the high end of bidding around $1 billion, which is half of what Hulu was valued at when the existing owners bought out Providence Equity Partners' 10 percent stake for $200 million in April 2012.

Among the bidders were DirecTV and a partnership of AT&T and a group led by former Fox executive Peter Chernin. Time Warner Cable Inc. reportedly was interested in buying a stake in Hulu, rather than taking it over completely.

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Connellsville Adopt-A-Block event set July 20 in Yough Park

By Nancy Henry

Published: Saturday, July 13, 2013, 12:36 a.m.
Updated 4 hours ago

Yough Park in Connellsville will come alive again on July 20 when the 9th annual Connellsville Adopt-A-Block event will be held from 2-8 p.m.

“The park will be overflowing with music, drama, fun, games, free food, face painting and balloon art for kids of all ages. We invite everyone of any age to this free event sponsored by the Connellsville Area Ministerial Association and supported by local individuals, businesses and organizations,” said the Rev. Robert Strader of World Christian Outreach Ministries.

Strader is the coordinator of the Adopt-A- Block party, which has been the name of this community event from the time it began nine years ago. It is always held on the third Saturday in July.

Participating churches include World Christian Outreach Ministries, Connellsville Church of God and Calvary Assembly of God. Other churches of the CAMA may not be there but reportedly are helping behind the scenes with money, prayer and other needs. The CAMA members have helped the block party grow each year.

The day will officially begin in the stage area with prayer, followed by opening remarks by City Councilman Tom Karpiak. The National Anthem will be sung by Toni Brayo.

A live ministry from Word of Life Ministries in Greensburg, FOCUS, will perform drama for children and adults. “Loving Hands Puppetry,” from World Christian Outreach Ministries, also will perform. Tialar Sokol, as well as Ignited Youth, will be part of the program.

“A Christian rap artist will be there this year,” Strader added. “I think he will be enjoyed especially by those ages 14-30. His name is Doug Sevier, aka ‘Fresh Rev.'

“Also from Greensburg will be a praise and worship team named ‘Power and Praise,' featuring Mark Adams.”

Guest speaker, who will be giving the Word of God at 6:30 p.m., is the Rev. Eugene Cooper.

Face painting will be offered throughout the day by various artists, including those from the Spring Valley Bruderhof Community, whose members will also prepare blueberry pancakes for everyone to enjoy.

They use no electric, no propane. They bring their own wood, start the fire and cook naturally, organizers noted. This group has been part of Adopt-A-Block for three years.

Seth The Balloon Dude will be at the park making favorite balloon animals and other designs for kids, from 3-6 p.m.

Popcorn will be given out by Patty Pritts of the Connellsville Senior Citizens Center. Hot dogs in the afternoon, hamburgers in the evening and drink will be served, also at no charge.

“We are hopeful and prayerful that all our Fayette County Human Service Agencies that have always been on hand will be able to attend this year,” Strader said. “We know that Rendu Services will be there as they are every year. We appreciate their willingness and support. It enables those in need to connect with resources that can help.”

There will be free giveaways every half-hour, starting at 3 p.m. Businesses throughout Connellsville and Fayette County have donated. Organizers expressed thanks to those who are generous in their giving for the yearly event.

“If anyone comes to Christ on this day and wants to be baptized in the water, we will offer that right there in the river,” Strader said. “It is a community block party. It is about souls. Our emphasis is on trying to change lives in the community. There are those who are fed up and want their lives to change. This is the place to come for that. We have a prayer tent with people who will minister to them, share the Gospel with them and pray with them.”

“This is one of the great opportunities we have, as different churches in the community, to come together to represent the one church of Jesus Christ on that day, put aside our differences in the ways we worship and come together as one,” said the Rev. Matt Goldsberry, pastor of Calvary Assembly of God Church. “It is also a great way to highlight the city, highlight Yough Park and even reach people who are traveling through who will see that we love our community.

“It is a good, positive place,” he continued. “We get people from the bike trail and from the river who enjoy seeing the activity going on. It's not about any one church; it's about the church as a whole.”

“It is a time to come together in our city,” said the Rev. Don Smith of World Christian Outreach Ministries. “It shows us working together, not just as churches but as people working for the community. We want to help anyone who needs it by making resources available to them. We have a religious program throughout the day; food, music and giveaways. It is a wonderful day of fellowship in an outdoor setting and a good day to come together and enjoy each other in the city of Connellsville. That's what it's all about.”

“The event is growing every year, and we really want to thank the city for its support,” Goldsberry said. “Without it, this would be very hard to have it like we do. There is something for everyone of all ages to enjoy. I think we gave out 600 hot dogs last year, as well as hamburgers, beverages and blueberry pancakes. We have a spiritual theme, but we also offer information from area agencies for those who need help. There is information for children to those who are in need of employment. It is a well-rounded afternoon.

“If you can only come for an hour, come for an hour,” he continued. “If you can come and stay all day, do that. It is a day to celebrate family, community and the Lord.”

The church is always a vital part of any neighborhood, organizers noted. Everyone is invited to attend this free event, which will be held rain or shine, and bring a lawn chair to sit.

Nancy Henry is a freelance writer.

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