Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens has received $2.5 million from the Heinz Endowments.

The grant underwrites Phipps' "living building" expansion project, the Center for Sustainable Landscapes, which will house education, research and administration. The center, powered entirely by renewable energy, is slated to be one of the world's greenest buildings, Phipps officials say, and it forms the third phase of Phipps' multi-year expansion project. A ceremonial groundbreaking is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Sept. 18.

In a written statement, Phipps Executive Director Richard V. Piacentini says that he is honored to receive the generous grant, which will bring international recognition to the Pittsburgh region.

-- Kellie B. Gormly

Honsberger will resume radio show

Fred Honsberger is getting ready to get behind the microphone again.

Broadcast of "The Fred Honsberger Show" will resume Monday. The opinionated host has been off the air since June 13 because of a broken shoulder.

The show is broadcast from 3 to 5 p.m. on KDKA radio (1020 AM) and KDKAradio.com .

-- Bob Karlovits

3 Doors Down concert is postponed

Lead singer Brad Arnold 's acute laryngitis has forced the band 3 Doors Down to postpone three shows, including this Sunday's appearance at the Post-Gazette Pavilion in Burgettstown.

Hinder, Fingers Eleven and American Bang also were scheduled to appear.

A rescheduled date for the concert will be announced at a later date.

-- Tribune-Review

Saxophonist Kenny Blake to play at Hill House

Saxophonist Kenny Blake will be one of the featured performers in an eight-concert series that opens Saturday at the Hill House in the Hill District.

The series, in the Blakey Program Center at 1908 Wylie Ave., is called "Jazz Live at the Hurricane." It recalls the days of the Hurricane Lounge, a noted Centre Avenue jazz club from the '40s and '50s.

Blake will be joined by drummer Roger Humphries , bassist Dwayne Dolphin , pianist Don DePaolis and trumpeter Don Donahue .

Music begins at 7 p.m. Admission is $12 and series tickets are $80. Dinners are available with prices ranging from $7 to $12. Seating is limited to 100.

Other concerts are at 7 p.m. Sept. 28; 7 p.m. Oct. 12; 7 p.m. Nov. 23; 6 p.m. Dec. 12; 7 p.m. Dec. 12; and 7 p.m. Jan. 9.

Details: 412-392-4463.

-- Bob Karlovits

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has 2 CDs coming out

Two new commercial recordings featuring the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will be released this fall. Some recording plans for the 2008-09 season also were announced on Thursday by the symphony.

The orchestra's first CD with new music director Manfred Honeck will be released Sept. 24 on the Octavia label. It was recorded May 9 to 11, 2008, at Heinz Hall concerts and will include the full concert program -- Giuseppe Verdi's "La Forza del Destino" Overture, the world premiere of Alan Fletcher's Clarinet Concerto featuring Michael Rusinek , and Richard Strauss' "Ein Heldenleben" (A Heroic Life).

Later in the fall -- perhaps in October, according to the symphony -- Penta-Tone will release the final installment of Marek Janowski 's cycle of symphonies by Johannes Brahms. The German Romantic composer's Fourth Symphony and Hungarian Dances were recorded in concert in November 2007.

Janowski will record an all-Richard Strauss album -- "An Alpine Symphony" and "Macbeth" -- at November concerts. He'll also start an all-Hector Berlioz album that will be completed in the 2009-10 season. Both releases will be on Penta-Tone.

"Other recording activities this season are yet to be confirmed," said Jim Barthen, the symphony's vice president for public affairs.

-- Mark Kanny

Cultural happenings today:

• PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh presents "Wicked" at 8 p.m. at the Benedum Center, 719 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $29.50-$79.50. 412-456-6666.

• CLO Cabaret presents "Shear Madness" at 7:30 p.m. Performances continue through Sept. 28 at the Theater Square Cabaret, 655 Penn Ave., Downtown. $39.50. 412-456-6666.

• City Theatre presents "The Wonder Bread Years" at 8 p.m. The play has an open-ended run at the theater, 1300 Bingham and 13th streets, South Side. $35. 412-431-2489.

• Anthony Rapp performs his one-man show "Without You" at 8 p.m. at City Theatre. The play continues through Sept. 21 at the theater at 1300 Bingham and 13th streets, South Side. $40. 412-431-2489.

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