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A slice of Jurassic Park in Pittsburgh, going inside The Jurassic Alcove | KD Sunday Spotlight

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A slice of Jurassic Park in Pittsburgh, going inside The Jurassic Alcove | KD Sunday Spotlight


In South Park, off Brownsville Road, there’s a brick building holding a tiny slice of Jurassic Park.

Step inside, and the founder, Domanic Bianco, will give you a tour of The Jurassic Alcove. He brings six full-sized dinosaurs to life and probably a thousand more into one room.

“There are actual dinosaur footprints. So, you are able to touch them and feel what a dinosaur’s footprint would feel like in its plaster cast,” said Bianco.

It’s a hands-on experience that’s truly a culmination of decades of gathering and creating.

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“Yeah, the whole thing is my collection,” he said. 

It’s more than a mecca for fans of the Mesozoic era. 

“I love two things, number one, dinosaurs obviously,” Bianco said. “But I love bringing people together.” 

So he’s bringing people together from near and far, young and old, to see his free museum.

“It’s just a blast to be able to use my own knowledge with dinosaurs and talking to people about it,” he said.  

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During his guided tours, he shares a plethora of dinosaur facts. One example he told KDKA was, “a really large Triceratops can grow to be the size of one of the elephants at the Pittsburgh Zoo.”

He has the credibility to back up his information. 

“My actual job is to create a magazine called the Jurassic Mag,” he explained.  

Through his job, he said he’s “gotten to interview the world’s top paleontologists like Dr Steve Brusatte, and Dr Paul Sereno. I’ve gotten to interview actors from Jurassic Park and Jurassic World.” 

He’s even met Jurassic celebrities and worked with big names. 

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“My social media initiatives with companies like Mattel and Reebok and really neat companies,” he said.

So, he formalized The Jurassic Alcove nonprofit in 2023 to share it with his community. 

“Very proud that out of all of our reviews, they’ve been five stars,” said Bianco.

Now there’s a pit to dig for fossils; a paleontological tent complete with a projector; dinosaur video games; sensory craft tables; dinosaur movies; fossils, and all sorts of memorabilia.

“It’s an incredible honor that one Allegheny County parks has allowed me to do this,” he said.

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When you come here, it’s a miniature break from reality with a step into a land well before our time that’s truly one man’s dream come true, made available to you.

“It’s quite literally a dream come true,” Bianco said. “If you have something that you love, whatever it may be, try to pursue it as much as you can. Do whatever you can to be involved with it.”

The Jurassic Alcove takes visitors of all ages and even facilitates parties. As a new feature, Bianco plans to have an eye-spy game inside the paleontology tent soon.

For more information on The Jurassic Alcove, you can check out the Facebook page. 

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Pittsburg, PA

Allegheny County to hold 100th birthday bash for the Andy Warhol Bridge this summer

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Allegheny County to hold 100th birthday bash for the Andy Warhol Bridge this summer


With America celebrating its 250th birthday this summer, a major landmark in Pittsburgh will celebrate its 100th birthday. 

Allegheny County announced a 100th Birthday Bash for the Andy Warhol Bridge on Saturday, June 27, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato made the event official on Friday morning and said it will feature art, music, games, and more. 

“Allegheny County’s history is filled with innovation and creativity, beautiful architecture, and talented homegrown artists, and the Andy Warhol Bridge encapsulates all of that in one iconic structure,” said Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato. “I hope everyone will come down for a fun day of art, community, and a shared celebration of our history on June 27.”

Part of the celebration will be art projects hosted and led by the Andy Warhol Museum and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. Local artist Strawberry Luna will also create a special, commemorative poster celebrating the bridge’s history. 

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The Andy Warhol Bridge is the only bridge in the country to be named for a visual artist, according to Allegheny County. 

“As our nation commemorates the U.S. Semiquincentennial, it is fitting that we recognize the oldest of the three Sister Bridges, which represent Pittsburgh’s tradition of innovation, ingenuity, and ‘we can do it’ spirit,” said Andy Masich, president and CEO of the Senator John Heinz History Center. “These iconic bridges, painted in ‘Aztec Gold’ as an homage to the city’s official colors, are symbols of Pittsburgh’s vibrancy, culture, and most importantly, its people.”

Formerly known as the Seventh Street Bridge, it was renamed the Andy Warhol Bridge in 2005 to honor the famous artist as well as the 10th anniversary of the Andy Warhol Museum, which is two blocks away. 



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Man critically injured after assault in Pittsburgh

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Man critically injured after assault in Pittsburgh


A man was critically injured after being assaulted by a group of people in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood on Thursday evening, authorities said. 

Pittsburgh Public Safety said officers were called to South St. Clair and Eva streets around 5 p.m. for reports of a man who was assaulted by a group of people. The assault happened next to a Whole Foods store. 

At the scene, which bordered a park with a playground, first responders found a man who was unconscious and not breathing. Officers and medics performed CPR on the man until he was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. The exact nature of his injuries was not released. 

Pittsburgh Public Safety said “several males of unknown age” were detained and transported to police headquarters for questioning. It was not immediately known if any of them would be charged. 

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A KDKA-TV crew observed a second police scene nearby on Centre Avenue next to The Fresh Market, which was previously a Whole Foods. At that scene, KDKA-TV observed what appeared to be at least one teenager being taken into a police car. A witness told KDKA-TV they saw police questioning nearly 10 people, ranging from grade schoolers to teenagers. 

Pittsburgh Public Safety did not say what led up to the assault.

“Those kids, whoever they were, need to be reprimanded for that, because that was horrible, horrible,” said Asia Wilter, who was nearby on Thursday evening.

Over the weekend, another man was assaulted outside a 7-Eleven store on Penn Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh. Police say the assault started inside the 7-Eleven after the victim mentioned to an employee that he believed a group of teenage males was shoplifting.

Pittsburgh police say the victim scraped his elbow and had a small abrasion on his face. He refused to be transported to the hospital, but police say he went on his own to get checked out. Police are searching for the teens. 

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Earlier this month, six teenage girls were charged after authorities said they chased a woman into a Sephora store in East Liberty and beat her. Sephora’s loss prevention officer estimated the teens caused approximately $30,000 in damage.



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Bystander helps students involved in school bus crash in Pittsburgh’s Highland Park neighborhood

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Bystander helps students involved in school bus crash in Pittsburgh’s Highland Park neighborhood


Just before 8 a.m. on Thursday morning, a school bus rammed into a tree in Highland Park. 

The students on the bus were being transported to Schiller STEAM Academy when the driver began to swerve, ultimately running off the road and colliding with the tree on Bryant Street. 

On Thursday morning, a school bus transporting about 10 students rammed into a tree on Bryant Street in Highland Park. 

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KDKA Photojournalist Dan Votjko


According to EMS, about 10 students were on the bus, and they were evaluated on the scene. Medics on the scene determined the students had not been injured in the crash. 

A woman who lived nearby heard the crash and immediately jumped into action to help the students. 

“Utmost importance was the kids’ safety,” said Vinnie Branch, the bystander. “I just wanted to make sure they were safe, and I just went into mom mode to protect them.” 

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“I think it looks a lot worse than it turned out to be,” said Brian Haravan, Pittsburgh EMS District Chief. “Thankfully, the utility pole wasn’t damaged, so while the school bus and property were, everyone else seemed ok.” 

The driver of the bus was taken to the hospital for evaluation, and the cause of the crash is under investigation. 



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