UPDATE: Rep. Doyle accepts NAACP invitation for debate against opponent Jerry Dickinson
Updated: Fri., May 8 at 2:45 p.m. In a press release, the NAACP Pittsburgh Branch announced that Rep. Mike Doyle has accepted an invitation to a Congressional Town Hall Forum hosted by the organization. Doyle had previously declined the invitation, citing an inability to settle on a date due to his uncertain congressional schedule. Doyle…
Photos: First Responders Procession honors Pittsburgh healthcare workers on National Nurses Day
In honor of National Nurses Day, Pittsburgh Public Safety held a procession of approximately 75 vehicles through the city on Wednesday evening, including stops at UPMC Presbyterian and Allegheny General Hospital, to thank local first responders on the frontlines. Beginning in Oakland at 7:45 p.m., Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto spoke with various hospital workers at…
State Rep. candidate Danny DeVito loses Supreme Court challenge to reopen Pa
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to lift Pennsylvania’s coronavirus business closure order. A lawsuit, led by the campaign of local state Rep. candidate Danny DeVito (R-Carnegie) and other businesses, argued that their constitutional rights were being violated by Gov. Tom Wolf’s orders to close all “non-life-sustaining” businesses as a way to halt the spread…
Russell (Cr)owes Pennsylvania over $100,000
In 2014, actor Russell Crowe shot the film Fathers and Daughters in Pittsburgh. The city seems to have left a positive impression on him because in 2018, he tweeted, “Pittsburgh. What a town …” but now, Crowe owes Pennsylvania $129,833.50. According to a report by Variety, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue filed an application for a judgement…
At City of Asylum, The Show Must Go On(line)
The show must go on … even if it’s not in person. While the stay-at-home order is in effect, City of Asylum has introduced The Show Must Go On(line) Pittsburgh, a virtual shared programming channel for the arts in the city. Programs from City of Asylum, City Theatre, New Hazlett Theater, and more will be…
Altoona Hotel Pizza: The slice with yellow cheese from Central Pa. you’ve never heard of
Pennsylvania is home to a lot of obscure and unique styles of pizza. Philadelphia has tomato pie, Northeastern Pa. has Old Forge Pizza, and Beaver County has Ohio Valley Pizza. They don’t get a lot of play outside of their respective regions, but they are acknowledged. Many Pennsylvanians can, at the very least, name and…
Pittsburgh International Airport sees the light with ultraviolet robotic clean-up crew
The COVID-19 outbreak has highlighted the need for better cleaning methods, and the Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is responding with autonomous robotic floor scrubbers. Yesterday, PIT announced the deployment of two self-driving robots that use ultraviolet (UVC) rays to more thoroughly and efficiently clean floors throughout its terminals and other facilities. As reported by PIT’s…
C.J. Mitchell addresses mental health in ‘The Survival of C.J. Mitchell’
“Writing this album is the most brave and liberated I’ve ever felt in my life”
As stay-at-home orders continue, more renters are organizing to demand relief from their landlords
The pandemic quarantine period began in mid-March and has now stretched through two rental payment periods. Most renters pay on the first of the month, but many are now out of work and unable to pay their rent or have to drain their savings to do so. As the situation inevitably stretches through more rental…
Takeout review: Pupusas from Café Agnes
Last Tuesday, my phone rang warning me I had an upcoming event in 30 minutes: order pupusas from Café Agnes. Every week, Café Agnes, a small Salvadoran farmers market stand, takes a limited number of online orders for frozen pupusas and tamale dinner kits. And for the past few weeks, I have missed the cutoff…
Lynn Cullen Live – 5/5/20
Video Archive Lynn and Susan are discussing the newest Lincoln Project campaign video; Mourning in America. They are also talking about what they think the future is going to look like. Many women are not wearing makeup, not coloring their hair, or dressing up. Will this continue after we no longer have to worry about…
Mars Jackson and Cam Chambers are quite the pair in new single ‘Look Up’
Happy (belated) birthday, Mars Jackson! Yesterday the Pittsburgh-based musician celebrated his journey into this world with the release of “Look Up.” The song is Jackson’s first single since he dropped “Heart Dance” ahead of his 2018 album Good Days Never Last Forever. Unlike the pessimistic title of Good Days Never Last Forever, “Look Up”, which mixes…
#CPQuestionOfTheWeek: Do you think Pittsburgh is ready to reopen?
It’s a hotly contested question, being debated by folks all over the country: When is too soon to ease COVID-19 restrictions? Last week, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that Allegheny County was not one of the 24 counties in Pennsylvania allowed to reopen this week, despite the expectation from many that Pittsburgh’s Stay at Home Order phase…
Western Pa. State Rep compares Gov. Wolf’s office to Nazis; Pittsburgh’s Jewish Rep condemns
Today, during a state House committee meeting, state Rep. Cris Dush (R-Jefferson) criticized the transparency of Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to re-open Pennsylvania during the coronavirus pandemic. While many Republicans have criticized Wolf over his plan, Dush took it a step further and said the governor has “refused all sorts of information” and compared that…
Godshot is a modern feminist dystopia
Choosing books to read during quarantine has proved challenging. It’s been a tricky balance of trying to find something that’s both captivating and allows for escape, but nothing too sad to rock my already unstable emotional state. Yet I also want something that makes me think. Chelsea Bieker’s debut novel Godshot checks all of those…
Cheryl Capezzuti spreads joy through puppets with new social distance public art project
A new project from local artist Cheryl Capezzuti will ensure that people across Pittsburgh will be able to mark “Saw giant puppet” off their pandemic BINGO card. Over the past month, Capezzuti has been loaning out her collection of giant parade puppets to people all over the city as a way to help them entertain…
Today is last day to buy Turner Dairy Farms’ Star Wars-themed blue milk
May the Fourth Be With You, so better drink a bunch of blue, birthday-cake flavored milk. Two weeks ago, local dairy Turney Dairy Farms released a limited edition Blue Bantha Milk in homage to the Star Wars films. In the original 1977 film, Luke Skywalker is served some blue milk made from a Bantha, a…
Scoobi moped rentals return to Pittsburgh streets
Pittsburgh spring weather has arrived in full bloom, and in addition to sun, showers, and flowers, that means it’s time for scooter rentals. The Pittsburgh-based mobile scooter company Scoobi has brought its fleet of mopeds out of hibernation. More than 100 mopeds are now available to rent through smartphones throughout Downtown, South Side, Oakland, much…
I want to like Star Wars, I swear. Here’s why I don’t
I don’t like Star Wars. There, I said it. Most of my friends know this, because I use my opinion as both as a source of pride, having escaped sheepish consumerism, and as a way to be super annoying in a group of people; two of my most charming characteristics. I was texting with a…
Lynn Cullen Live – 5/4/20
Video Archive Lynn is telling of a drive by 100th birthday celebration she stumbled upon while walking her dog since the last show. It was a nice scene to witness during this time. She is also talking about individual liberty, the reopen protests, and much more. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5…
Colony Cat Cafe, Pittsburgh’s first cat cafe, announces closure during COVID-19 pandemic
After three years of providing Pittsburghers with caffeine, food, feline companionship, and almost 350 adoptions, Colony Cat Cafe in the Strip District has announced it will be closing at the end of this month. In a Facebook post on Sunday evening, owners Sue and Erik Hendrickson said the state-mandated coronavirus closure “proved to be something…
Takeout review: Sushi tacos from Mad Noodles
Food purists, avert your eyes. The perfect marriage of Tex-Mex and Asian cuisine has just been delivered to my doorstop, in the form of a delicious absolutely-not-authentic-at-all sushi taco. Discovering a unique food item after weeks spent pouring over online menus (which eventually all start to look the same if you’re like me and have been…
Beaver County officials discuss the county’s need for more Personal Protective Gear
In a telephone town hall organized by U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Mt. Lebanon), elected officials and labor leaders on April 30 discussed the major health problems that Beaver County is facing. Out of all the counties in Western Pennsylvania, coronavirus has hit Beaver County the hardest. The county has the highest cases per capita of…
Row House Cinema screens work by local filmmakers through its virtual theater
Local movie theaters have been staying active with virtual film screenings. Patrons can pay a cheaper price than a normal ticket to rent a movie that would otherwise be screening in theaters right now, from their homes. Row House Cinema is taking it a step further by showing a lineup by Pittsburgh filmmakers, with a…
More than 50 protest in Pittsburgh calling for a nationwide rent and mortgage freeze during coronavirus pandemic
Today, dozens gathered in cars and held a drive-by protest throughout Pittsburgh calling for city, county, state, and federal officials to support freezing rent and mortgage payments for the month of May. In total, 42 cars met in the parking lot of the former Shop ‘N Save in the Hill District. Signs reading “Cancel Rent”…
Pittsburgh Fringe Festival goes online today – here’s what to expect
Theatergoers value the excitement of a live experience, something that COVID-19 has made impossible for the foreseeable future. This extends to the Pittsburgh Fringe Festival, an annual showcase that gives aspiring playwrights and performers a chance to bring their visions to life. To keep its mission going, the event has moved online with a full…
Gov. Wolf announces that Allegheny County, Pittsburgh area will not reopen on May 8
Gov. Tom Wolf announced today that 24 Pennsylvania counties will be reopening next week with some COVID-19 restrictions lifted. However, Allegheny County and its surrounding counties that make up the greater Pittsburgh metro area, are not on the list. Only 24 counties in Pennsylvania’s northwest and northcentral are set to partially reopen at 12:01 a.m.…
The kids’ menu is boring and the best thing that’s happened to parents
Feeding your children is difficult. At first, your only goal is to get to the point where you are not washing 25 rubber nipples each night or laboring over the precise amount of Costco brand formula for tonight’s dinner and tomorrow’s breakfast. Then you get fancy — cocky, almost. You dip your toes into the homemade-purée-that-you-freeze-for-storage-and-thaw-for-dinner scene.…
At Home With: Joy Ike
Everybody is dealing with COVID-19 quarantines and restrictions in different ways. While there’s no single right way to cope — social distancing and staying TF home aside — connecting with friends, family, and neighbors is a good place to start. You can contact your loved ones on your own, but you might also be curious…
Celebrate Bandcamp Friday with these new releases
Maybe it’s because Bandcamp waived its share of revenue today. Or maybe it’s because musicians have had time to work on projects. Whatever the reason, there was an influx of new releases and rereleases uploaded to the music streaming platform in the past 24 hours. Here are some of our Pittsburgh favorites: Don’t Let the…
Justin Strong keeps a 90-year-old business viable by doing what he’s always done — adjusting to the times
“In these uncertain times …” begins every commercial that’s trying to sell you a product you probably don’t need right now. It’s both maddeningly condescending but also sadly honest. Times are “uncertain,” “unprecedented,” and “trying,” and businesses around the city are struggling to serve their customers and pay their employees, all while remaining viable enough…
PG&H launches online store to support Pittsburgh makers and artists
As local artists and makers face months of lost income, some supporters are trying to create new opportunities for them to stay afloat. Now, PG&H has launched an online store to support artists and makers impacted by the COVID-19 shutdown. The new effort from PG&H, a project by Bridgeway Capital’s Creative Business Accelerator and the…
Pittsburgh City Council looking to end housing discrimination based on perceived immigration status
Ever since the coronavirus pandemic hit Pittsburgh, there has been an increase in discrimination, specifically against the Asian community, according to the city’s Human Relations Commission director Megan Stanley. Stanley contacted Pittsburgh City Councilor Erika Strassburger (D-Shadyside), who told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the commission has experienced an uptick in complaints about landlords denying people housing…
Lynn Cullen Live – 4/30/20
Video Archive Lynn is discussing a couple of stories that are interesting her. First is the death of the man in Arizona who drank fish tank cleaner. It is now being investigated by homicide detectives. Also, the Wall Street Journal had a story about beloved local restaurants closing during the Covid-19 shutdown. The Original Hot…
For Sale With Baggage: Rock and ‘Rona
Stuff can be complicated, especially when trying to get rid of it. The process can remind us that our things can have worth that’s hard to put a dollar amount on; they can call to mind other people from our lives; they can bring up memories of what they were (or weren’t) used for. For…
Give Big Pittsburgh to raise critical coronavirus relief funds as part of #GivingTuesdayNow
Each year, the worldwide GivingTuesday campaign encourages the public to donate to organizations and nonprofits. As many food banks, libraries, museums, and others struggle to operate during a pandemic, GivingTuesday is more critical than ever. As a result, GivingTuesday will launch #GivingTuesdayNow on Tue., May 5 ahead of its usual fall event date to help…
Lynn Cullen Live – 4/29/20
Video Archive The number of nursing home Covid-19 deaths is the first topic of discussion today. Locally 8 new deaths have occurred in Allegheny County. In neighboring Beaver County 52 deaths have occurred in the Brighton Rehab & Wellness Center alone. This isn’t just happening here. All over the country nursing homes Covid-19 infections, and…
At Home With: Maya Haptas
Talking skateboarding and sauerkraut with the founder of Shred Your Fears
Pittsburgh soapmakers help wash away the worries of COVID-19
Paul Barnard has been making soaps, candles, and other products through his company PSquare Scents since 2004. He opened his Bellevue shop in 2019, but due to the spread of coronavirus, he’s had to close his brick-and-mortar location and return to his online roots. “We have had to rely more heavily on e-commerce,” says Barnard.…
Restaurants are using creativity and reinvention to survive COVID-19’s impact
As coronavirus shutdowns extend from weeks to months, the future of the food industry is becoming increasingly uncertain. In order to survive, restaurants are getting creative. All over the city, restaurants have turned to bulk foods, grocery sales, and meal kits to make up for lost revenue. It’s this type of creativity, notes Jessica Lewis,…
Popular Shadyside novelty shop continues to sell puzzles, cards, and gifts through pandemic
It’s not unusual, even in “normal times,” to have to fight for a spot to look at the merchandise at Kards Unlimited in Shadyside. The novelty store, with an expansive selection of unique greeting cards, books, and toys, has long been one of the go-to spots for Pittsburghers in need of a gift or a…
PNC Bank leaves many Pittsburgh small businesses waiting on help, while securing loans for corporations
Meredith Grelli woke up at 6 a.m. on the first day small-business loan applications could be submitted. She and her business partners worked for nine straight hours to ensure their applications and forms were flawless. Grelli was hopeful she could secure some much needed cash to pay her employees and the bills at her two…
Local recommendations for Bandcamp’s revenue-free sale, May 1
Musicians on Bandcamp collectively earned $4.9 million on Fri., March 20 when the online streaming platform waived its revenue share from all sales for 24 hours. The idea was to help artists across the world who could no longer earn income from concerts and touring amidst pandemic closures. Bandcamp plans to do this again on…
Free Will Astrology (4/29 – 5/6)
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Is there an area of your life where you would like a do-over? A chance to cancel the past and erase lingering messiness and clear a path for who-knows-what new possibility? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to prepare — not to actually take the leap, but rather make…
Trans advocacy organization SisTers PGH branches out with BroThers PGH, a program geared at trans men
For years, transgender advocacy organization SisTers PGH has provided services and programming for the trans and nonbinary community in Pittsburgh. From organizing pride celebrations and protests, to providing assistance with housing and groceries, SisTers has established itself as a strong voice for the community, with leadership from founder and president Ciora Thomas. Now, the organization…
