Patch Poll: During What Times Should Municipalities Restrict Noisy Activities?

A concern about noisy nighttime trash collections in Ross Township raises a bigger question of whether trash collection, lawn mowing, construction and other noisy activities in Pittsburgh's north suburbs should have time limits.

Complaints from residents in a North Hills community have brought to light a problem that many municipalities have faced over time—when to restrict noise-making activities. Noise at night has been the topic of conversation at many board of commissioners and council meetings throughout the Pittsburgh area over the years. Most recently, Ross Township commissioners are amending an ordinance to restrict the collection of garbage from commercial and/or non-residential areas from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. Currently, trash collection is not allowed in Ross between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. under an ordinance enacted in 1993. The township's decision was made after residents complained about noisy, night garbage collections near three North Hills School …

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Patch Poll: How Do You Celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

Let us know what this holiday means to you.

For some it's green beer and bangers. For others, it is a time for religious reflection on St. Patrick himself. Some people decorate their houses green. Others, who aren't Irish or Catholic, shun the fun. How do you celebrate? Vote in our Patch Poll and tell us in the comments section how you will spend your day.

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Patch Poll: Love or Hate the Steelers' Throwback Uniforms?

The Pittsburgh Steelers are again wearing their horizontally striped throwback jerseys and socks for Sunday Night Football against the Ravens. What do you think of them?

Patch Poll: Love or Hate the Steelers' Throwback Uniforms?

For the first time, the Pittsburgh Steelers will wear their horizontally striped throwback jerseys and socks in a game when they take on the Washington Redskins today at Heinz Field. What's your take on the 1934 replicas?

Killer bees? Depression chic? Those are some of the kinder phrases thrown about by some Pittsburgh Steelers fans who are less than thrilled that players will be donning throwback uniforms at 1 p.m. today when they meet the Washington Redskins at Heinz Field. Steelers officials unveiled the black-and-gold horizontally striped jerseys and socks earlier this year in honor of the team's 80th anniversary. The Steelers haven't worn this style of uniform since 1934, and the throwback garb is intended to reflect the team's Depression-era roots. Steelers’ players are looking forward to wearing the throwbacks today for the first time in a game, according to the team's official blog on its website. Players say they enjoy celebrating the team's …

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Survey: PA Dems More Unified on Outcome of Monday's Debate

A Patch flash survey of political activists in Pennsylvania shows differing takes on the impact of the final presidential debate

Pennsylvania Democrats sound a bit more confident than Republicans that Monday night's foreign policy debate will help win votes for their candidate in the Keystone State, according to brief overnight surveys by Patch. When asked if their candidate's debate performance will help him in Pennsylvania: When asked who won: When asked who the consensus winner as declared by national media would be: The catchy phrases that stuck with debate watchers varied: In their survey comments, Pennsylvania Republicans repeatedly noted Romney's presidential bearing: Democrats, in their comments, criticized Romney for being inconsistent and praised Obama's performance: One Democrat was "pleased at the bi-partisan tone of Mr. Romney on those immediate foreign…

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PA Politicos Split on Who Won Second Presidential Debate

Patch flash surveys of GOP and Democratic activists in Pennsylvania show diverging views of Tuesday's presidential debate.

A non-scientific sampling of Pennsylvania Democrats and Republicans shows they agree that national media will view President Barack Obama as the consensus winner of the second presidential debate —a town hall-style forum at Hofstra Univefsity. "Overall, good debate.  Mitt shined, but was less shiny with the very assertive Mr. Obama.  Anything was better than last time for Obama, so that will be the take away from this debate," said a GOP survey taker. Patch conducted Red Keystone and Blue Keystone flash surveys overnight of Pennsylvanians who are in involved in politics—elected officials, candidates and party activists. Who won the debate? Of 25 Democrats who responded, 17 said Obama won by a wide margin and four said he won by a slim …

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Sue T

11:55 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012

He was talking about 9/11/2001 immediately before making that statement and many think that is the act of terror he is refering to. I think it is ambiguous and can be interpreted either way. I also don't see it as really an issue since he said days later that he won't call it an act of terror yet....(i.e. on the View). What I do see as an issue is that he didn't call it an act of terror at the UN…   more ›

Patch Poll: What Issue Will Most Influence Your Vote this Election?

Sometimes, candidates' platforms force us to choose which of the many issues is most important to us.

Can you be pro-life, yet support a candidate who is cutting programs that affect the health and well-being of the poor? Can you be in favor of gay marriage when your faith says it's wrong? Can you be anti-Obamacare knowing your relative has coverage only because of the Affordable Care Act and will have no insurance if it's repealed? Can you be a hunter and own a gun for sport, yet favor gun control to keep weapons off the street? Sorting through the conflicts between values, morals and beliefs is particularly difficult this election. The same people who give to food banks might still support tax cuts that target programs that feed the hungry. Or those with a relative who is gay might oppose gay marriage for moral or religious reasons, yet …

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Patch Poll: Does Splitting the Housework Ensure a Happy Home?

Results of a new study may surprise you, suggesting that couples who divide household chores equally are more likely to divorce. How do you handle the housework at home? What do you think?

She dusts and vacuums. He washes the dishes and takes out the trash. The couple that splits household chores, 50-50, is a couple that's likely to stay happy, right? Wrong, according to a new report that suggests the divorce rate among couples who share housework equally is around 50 percent higher than in homes where women do most of the work. The study, conducted in Norway, runs contrary to other surveys—never mind modern-day opinion—that suggest couples are more likely to stay together and describe themselves as happy in relationships where responsibility for home tasks is equally shared, according to a story in The Telegraph newspaper. Apparently divvying up the chores in an organized structure results in a relationship that's more …

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Poll: What Impresses You More—Landing on the Moon or Mars?

The accomplishments are mind-boggling, and memories of the moon launch flood back after the death of Neil Armstrong.

NASA will hold a televised news conference Monday at its Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA, about the activities of its Curiosity rover mission on Mars. New images and an update of the rover's progress will be part of the 5 p.m. ET news conference that will be broadcast live on NASA TV and online. In all honesty, did you ever think you would see Mars so clearly?  Back in 1969, plenty of people did not think we would see the moon, much less step on it. Plenty of them were reminiscing about their memories of the event following the death Saturday of astronaut Neil Armstrong, the man who took that first step onto the lunar surface. The very thought of touching the moon or Mars is mind-boggling.  So that brings me to a question: Which …

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