As American flags popped up around homes and businesses and were waved by jubilant crowds in the wake of Osama bin Laden's killing this week, our flag came down.

Mom would ride around and around, mowing the lawn

Fences are most popular in more densely populated areas where they provide privacy and security. At some point in your life -- rural dweller or not -- you will probably have a fence to contend with. If the fence in question proves to be older than younger, sagging may be involved. Doesn't that make fences just like people?

CHICAGO -- For home buyers who need to finance their purchase using a mortgage, a cash buyer can be their worst enemy. That's because when a buyer makes a cash offer, the seller knows it's a solid deal -- and that financing hiccups won't delay a closing. Sometimes, that's enough for the seller to accept a lower bid for a cash deal instead of a higher bid from a financing buyer.

There is a new buyer emerging in the new home market, one who wants the advantages of a single-family home without the maintenance hassles. Hawthorne Partners teamed with Epcon Homes & Communities to satisfy that buyer, and The Courtyards at Cobblestone in Ohio Township is the latest answer to that demand.

The dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law will step down after the 2012 school year and return to the classroom. Mary Crossley was appointed in 2005 and said she will spend the remainder of her time finalizing the projects she orchestrated as dean.

If Lewis Carroll had directed Alice to an orchestra concert in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," it might have sounded like the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Friday night in Heinz Hall. Sometimes confusing and often unintelligible, the PSO's performance of David Del Tredici's "Final Alice" was ultimately absurd, tossed down the rabbit hole by a faulty microphone.

Thomas Jefferson's baseball team needed a turnaround after losing three of four games, so the Jaguars turned to their ace pitcher to get them back on track. Greg Schneider tossed a complete game with 13 strikeouts to lead host Thomas Jefferson to a 5-2 victory Friday against WPIAL Class AAA No. 4 Chartiers Valley in Section 3.

Can't walk the leadoff batter of an inning. Just can't do it. Not in the eighth inning. Not with a one-run lead. And certainly not when he can run like Houston center fielder Michael Bourn can. But that's how it went down for the Pirates in a miserable eighth inning Friday as they frittered away a lead that dissolved into a 3-2 loss against the Houston Astros at PNC Park.

Clint Hurdle made a few impressions on me while I followed the Pirates out west over the past week, but not enough where I feel like I have a full gauge just yet. Still, I can put enough pieces together to reach at least one firm conclusion: This most definitely is the guy in charge.

All right -- this is a partial breakdown of contributions in some of the key races on the ballot this May.The reports aren't all in yet, but I'm posting this now, because of some interesting developments.

Seven decades of raging against that good night Kansas City Star In 1960, after the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the New York Yankees in an electrifying seven-game World Series, the Yankees fired manager Casey Stengel, who had turned 70 in July. The Yankees said he was too old. ... and more »

Austin American-Statesman

Hines Ward speaks out about LAPD incident abc7.com LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and "Dancing With The Stars" contestant Hines Ward is speaking out about his brush with the LAPD this week. He spoke exclusively with Eyewitness News Entertainment Guru George Pennacchio. ... UPI Sports Calendar for Saturday, May 7UPI.com Steelers' Ward calls police hassle no big dealAllentown Morning Call all 41 news articles »

Rum Bunter

Pirates pitchers showing progress at the plate Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Rob Biertempfel is the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Pirates beat writer. He can be reached at 412-320-7811 or via e-mail. Pirates pitcher Jeff Karstens realizes the majority of his at-bats are not going to ... Pirates Decision Time: If Not Ross Ohlendorf, Then Who?Rum Bunter all 3 news articles »

PennDOT to unveil signs providing Parkway East travel times Pittsburgh Post Gazette Some might want to avert their glance, but the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is going to start telling parkway commuters how long it will take them to reach their destinations. ... PennDOT to Start Posting Travel Times for Parkway East on May 9PR Newswire (press release) PennDOT to begin posting estimated travel timesPittsburgh Tribune-Review Multi-Car Crash Near Fort Pitt Bridge Slows Parkway TrafficWTAE Pittsburgh all 11 news articles »

Union Approves RG Contract Wheeling Intelligencer STEUBENVILLE - Although a majority of United Steelworkers Local 1190 didn't want it, the new contract with RG Steel was approved by a 57-to-43 percent margin when the vote tally concluded at union headquarters in Pittsburgh Thursday. ... Steelworkers approve contractYoungstown Vindicator USW Membership Ratifies Agreement With RG SteelPR Newswire (press release) United Steelworkers Officials: New Contract With RG Steel has PassedWTRF Patch.com all 35 news articles »

Boston Globe

Protesters want Pittsburgh officers fired Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Mildred Johnson, a former Pittsburgh police sergeant and assistant chief chaplain. "I don't think it will be hard for them to reintegrate back in." Their reinstatement on Thursday was made a day after US Attorney David J. Hickton announced that federal ... 'Justice For Jordan' Rally Asks DA For Charges On CopsWTAE Pittsburgh Group protests student's beating in PittsburghAlbany Times Union Pittsburgh to reinstate 3 officers in beating caseThe Associated Press Pittsburgh Post Gazette -BET (blog) -Hip-Hop Wired all 140 news articles »

Globe and Mail

Harris: Dangerous mix for Mendenhall Tribune Review John Harris is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review sports columnist and can be reached at 412-481-5432 or via e-mail. It looked like the Steelers had upgraded their problematic running game upon selecting Rashard ... Champion won't pay out Rashard Mendenhall's contractUSA Today Commentary: Cut Rashard Mendenhall some slack, he's just tweeting like the ...Palm Beach Post Rashard Mendenhall loses Champion endorsement over bin Laden tweetsThe Star-Ledger - NJ.com Buffalo News -ESPN (blog) all 415 news articles »

Bay News 9

Pirates' bullpen blows chance at .500 in 3-2 loss to Astros Pittsburgh Post Gazette Pirates pitcher Chris Resop walks off the field after being taken out of the game in eighth inning of Friday's game at PNC Park. Can't walk the leadoff batter of an inning. And certainly not when he can run like ... Astros-Pirates PreviewCBSSports.com Recap: Pittsburgh vs. HoustonSacramento Bee Pirates return home to take on the AstrosLos Angeles Times Houston Chronicle (blog) -LubbockOnline.com -Sports Chat Place all 326 news articles »

Flying to outer space likely will become more affordable as private entrepreneurs compete with government agencies and each other, the first private female space explorer said on Friday during a visit to Pittsburgh.

Record-breaking flooding on the Mississippi and lower Ohio rivers could reduce the availability of barges and disrupt commerce in the Pittsburgh region, port and Coast Guard officials said Friday.

The Port Authority of Allegheny County says a black employee who sued the agency for race discrimination orchestrated an incident in which a black baby doll with racial slurs written on it was hung in the East Liberty garage.

The Allegheny County District Attorney wants a 17-year-old boy accused of robbing a PNC Park usher while he was suffering a fatal heart attack to be tried as an adult.

Groups attended rallies at 18 family support centers across Allegheny County to protest potential funding cuts for them included in Gov. Tom Corbett's budget proposal.

A U.S. Secret Service investigation into alleged forged documents stemming from the corruption trial of state Sen. Jane Orie yielded inconclusive results, according to a report obtained Friday by the Tribune-Review.

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's political action committee donated $2,000 each to the campaigns of at least two city council candidates he is supporting, according to campaign finance reports filed Friday.

Rich Fitzgerald, a Squirrel Hill Democrat, spent more than $1 million in the first five months of the primary campaign, according to finance reports filed on Friday, the last due before the May 17 primary.

The three police officers accused in the beating of a Homewood teen are free to return to work. But some people want them fired, a pending civil suit hangs over their heads and the district attorney still could file criminal charges.

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who is exploring a run for president, said he would have used U.S. forces to remove Moammar Gadhafi rather than just bomb Libya as President Obama has done.

Rare missteps by relievers Chris Resop and Jose Versa on Friday allowed the Houston Astros to nab a 3-2 victory against the Pirates.

An uncharacteristic stumble by the Pirates' bullpen kept the club from reaching the .500 mark tonight.

Students at the Chartiers Valley middle school and high school were evacuated from the complex this morning because of a gas odor.

Cindy Crawford visits Levin store to introduce furniture line Pittsburgh Tribune-Review JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review staff writer and can be reached at 412-320-7889 or via e-mail. The supermodel has a line of furniture -- Cindy Crawford Home -- which she ... and more »

Dalje.com

Hines Ward chalks up being handcuffed to misunderstanding National Football Post After being handcuffed at gunpoint by police and then released in a case of a mistake stemming from his female companion reporting her car stolen in a mixup involving a valet and forgetting to call off the alert, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines ... People in the newsColumbus Dispatch Hines Ward speaks out about LAPD incidentabc7.com Steeler Hines Ward briefly cuffed by LAPDUPI.com Allentown Morning Call all 45 news articles »

Route 22 traffic stop leads to big heroin seizure Pittsburgh Tribune-Review A traffic stop for speeding on Route 22 in Salem Township on Thursday netted state police a heroin cache, valued at more than $100000, allegedly on the way to Pittsburgh. State police in Kiski confiscated 100 bricks of suspected heroin, ... Police seize $100000 in heroin during traffic stopPittsburgh Post Gazette all 5 news articles »

SB Nation

Pittsburgh Pirates Could Set Tone for May with Series Sweep of Astros Bleacher Report The Pittsburgh Pirates were a league-worst 17-64 on the road en route to a dismal 57-105 record, last season, while they went 40-41 at home. So far this year, the Pirates are 11-8 on the road and 4-8 at home. After taking two out of three in San Diego ... Pirates return home to take on the AstrosLos Angeles Times HOUSTON ASTROS (12-19) AT PITTSBURGH PIRATES (15-16); PNC PARK AT 6:05PM CTThe Cypress Times MLB Odds: Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston AstrosDonbest.com W*USA 9 all 45 news articles »