PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh plans to make Market Square more people-friendly in hopes of attracting people downtown.

The square already is home to restaurants and shops, and construction is under way on several projects nearby, including a hotel, apartments, offices and a YMCA. But the square also attracts vagrants and drug dealers.

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl outlined the plans Tuesday, including creation of more outdoor dining areas and wider sidewalks. Traffic also will be limited to make the square more inviting to pedestrians, and new lighting will be added.

Construction will begin this summer and will take about a year. The makeover will cost $5 million in public and private money. So for, $4.5 million has been raised.

PITTSBURGH — When Pittsburgh residents think of trash, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl wants them to think of him.Just months before the primary election, Ravenstahl's administration is spending more than $250,000 to buy 250 new trash cans — all with his name on them.The new cans will be distributed in 30 neighborhoods as part of the Taking Care of Business program — a plan designed to help revitalize neighborhoods.

WILKES-BARRE — A Pennsylvania woman was ordered to stand trial for marketing "gothic kittens" with ear, neck and tail piercings over the Internet.Dog groomer Holly Crawford faced a preliminary hearing Tuesday on animal cruelty charges.Crawford's home outside Wilkes-Barre was raided Dec. 17 after the SPCA of Luzerne County received a tip she was marketing the animals online for hundreds of dollars.A prosecutor says Crawford inflicted pain on the cats to make money. Her defense attorney says state law says nothing about piercing cats and docking their tails.