Allegheny County has released coronavirus data by race
UPDATE: 2:40 p.m., Thu. April 23: As of today, out of 1,149 positive coronavirus cases in Allegheny County, 625 of them were of white people, which makes up 54% of cases. Black people made up 17% percent with 193 cases. Asians were 13 cases, or a little over 1%. The remaining 315 cases were of…
Quarantunes with Lyn Starr
We’re stuck at home. Musicians are stuck at home. We’re looking for entertainment. Musicians are looking to entertain. So City Paper is working with Pittsburgh artists and bands to bring you Quarantunes, a series of at-home performances to bring a little enjoyment to your day. Fun fact: Lyn Starr, the founder and CEO of local…
Drive-by protesters call for more releases of inmates at Allegheny County Jail, state prisons
Today, more than 20 people in cars held a drive-by protest in Downtown Pittsburgh calling for more inmates and prisoners across the state to be released given the coronavirus pandemic. Protesters remained in their cars for the 30-minute duration, but flashed signs in car windows and honked consistently on their route that drove past the…
Extra Ordinary, The Booksellers, and more movies to watch through your favorite theater while quarantined
Watching movies at home just isn’t the same as being able to see it in a theater. You might miss sharing a movie in the dark with strangers, or buying expensive popcorn that is always worth it. But movie theaters, like most businesses, will struggle with closures, especially as so many movie releases have been…
Playlist: Music to relax to
Times are tough. Here are a few tunes to help you relax.
Pittsburgh Black elected officials encourage mail-in voting and advocate for further state coronavirus aid
In a virtual town hall held today by racial- and social-justice advocacy group 1Hood Media, local Black elected officials encouraged attendees to take action during the coronavirus pandemic. Allegheny County Councilor Liv Bennett (D-North Side) called for an election conducted completely by mail, echoing Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald’s calls from yesterday. Both Bennett and…
Redfishbowl hosts virtual raffle to raise COVID-19 relief funds for local artists and businesses
The Lawrenceville studio space Redfishbowl already planned on doing an art raffle before the COVID-19 shutdown started. It first began as a project with OneUp Skate Shop, which donated 20 skateboard decks for various artists to paint. “Originally, we were just going to host an event with an auction in our studio, and after the…
Right now, CatVideoFest can come to you
Already binged Tiger King? Bored with cat memes online? Need a feline fix? For the first time ever, you can screen CatVideoFest at home through Carnegie Science Center’s Rangos Giant Cinema and the Harris Theater. Long time CatVideoFest curator, Will Braden, created Best of CatVideoFest: Creature Comforts Edition. The 40-minute reel is specifically designed for home-viewing…
The Cultural Trust cancels Three Rivers Arts Festival, other programming through June 14
The annual Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival, featuring 10 days of free art and music, has been canceled by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. The cancellation extends to all Cultural Trust programming through June 14, which includes the EQT Children’s Theater Festival, originally scheduled for May 14-17. The Three Rivers Arts Festival (TRAF) was originally…
CMU student develops bulk takeout app offering seven days of food from select restaurants
Jay Qin wants to give Pittsburgh a new way to support restaurants and delivery drivers. Qin is the founder and CEO of Chutoro, a “restaurant subscription” service. The soon-to-be-mobile app offers a seven-day menu from select eateries that is delivered in bulk at a set time throughout the week. It’s designed to be a more…
Protective hairstyle tutorial: Learn how to braid your own hair during quarantine
There’s a misconception that every Black woman knows how to braid. Black hair requires a lot of time and patience, and usually, it’s easier to have someone else do it. But right now, that might not be an option. And that’s OK! So here is a tutorial of two simple braids you can do at…
Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announces 2020-21 Trust Cabaret Series
Two weeks after announcing its PNC Broadway season lineup, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has followed up with its 2020-2021 Trust Cabaret Series. Beginning on October 12 and running through April 2021, the series will bring a variety of acts to the Greer Cabaret Theater. Kicking it all off is Tony Award-winning actor Chita Rivera in…
Lynn Cullen Live – 4/14/20
Video Archive Last Tuesday Susan was sharing how extremely upset she was over the Wisconsin primary election taking place during this dangerous time with Lynn. Today she is in a much better mood now that the results have been released. The Democratic challenger for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Jill Karofsky, upset the conservative incumbent. They…
OurStreets app is helping connect Pittsburghers to essential supplies when stores run out
The coronavirus pandemic has led to an acute problem at big box stores, grocers, and other businesses where people shop for essential supplies. Some items, like toilet paper, are always out of stock. However, many of the essential supplies are out there; they are just at stores and businesses that might not immediately come to…
At Home With: Steve ‘Stevo’ Parys
Everybody is dealing with the COVID-19 quarantines and restrictions in different ways. While there’s no single right way to cope — social distancing and staying TF home aside — staying connected with friends, family, and neighbors is a good place to start. You can contact your loved ones on your own, but you might also…
Support local bookstores by ordering these highly recommended, semi-recent releases
While you can’t physically browse at bookstores right now, you can still enjoy new works and support independent book shops by making purchases online. Here are some semi-new release to choose from: Writers & Lovers by Lily King at White Whale Bookstore Lily King is one of the authors taking part in the recently announced…
Kelly Malone of Workshop PGH talks putting her business before her health during COVID-19 crisis
Local artist and maker Kelly Malone would do anything to help her business, Workshop PGH, survive the COVID-19 response. The do-it-yourself school and shop in Garfield, where staff members teach sewing, woodworking, fiber and textile arts, leatherworking, and more, has especially struggled because of how much it depends on face-to-face interactions. While some operations have shifted…
County Executive Rich Fitzgerald calls for primary to be done by mail-in only
On Mon., April 13, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald called for all voting for Pennsylvania’s June primary to be held by mail. The primary, which was originally scheduled for April 28, was pushed to June 2 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In a press release, Fitzgerald called for an expansion of Pennsylvania’s emergency declaration to allow…
Lynn Cullen Live – 4/13/20
Video Archive Images of how the environment has changed since we’ve been social distancing is the first topic Lynn is talking about today. The images from LA she finds especially breathtaking. Lynn is also talking about how long it will take us to go back to the way we were before or if we even…
(Away From) Home With: Benji.
Everybody is dealing with the 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…
3 Rivers Comicon has been canceled. But there are still ways to support the industry
The golden age of comic books is estimated to have taken place between 1938 and 1956, nearing the end of the Great Depression and through World War II. So it’s no surprise that heroes like Superman, Captain America, Wonder Woman, and others emerged when America was in desperate need of escapism. Todd McDevitt, owner of…
After three months on the road, The Living Street come home – and stay there, obviously
The Living Street is a fitting name for Edward J. Angelo and Nick Guckert’s band, since the folk duo spends more time touring across the U.S. than in their hometown of Pittsburgh. But now fresh off a three-month East Coast tour, they are now home like the rest of us. However, that doesn’t mean the…
Biggies Bullies and Petagogy provide pet supplies to restaurant and hospitality workers affected by COVID-19
People out of work or underemployed due to the COVID-19 shutdown are now struggling to feed themselves and their families, with lines of cars being reported at food distribution events and banks in the region. In the midst of all this chaos, furry family members can sometimes be forgotten. Now a local rescue group and…
Avoid scams, report price-gouging, and know your rights with AG Josh Shapiro’s coronavirus guide
With growing reports of price-gouging, housing insecurity, and general confusion surrounding what rights Pennsylvanians have as tenants, employees, and citizens during the coronavirus, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro has published a guide to help ease that uncertainty. “My office is working to protect the health, safety, and financial security of all Pennsylvanians during this public…
YMCA and Fogo de Chão partner to keep Pittsburghers fed during coronavirus
The YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh and Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão have teamed up to provide families in need with emergency meals. Fogo de Chão is donating prepackaged meals to the YMCA, which then distributes them to area families via their Y On The Fly van. (Y On The Fly is the YMCA’s mobile program…
The Mixus Brothers still have their eyes on Mr. Smalls
Hopefully, the third time’s the charm for The Mixus Brothers. On Sat., April 18, alongside Molly Alphabeat, The Dead End Streets, and Arlo Aldo, the Pittsburgh alt-country duo was scheduled to perform at Mr. Smalls Theatre. Drummer Johnny Willett and banjoist/guitarist Jacob Stempky were going to promote their recently released The Lonesome Gods – Chapter One.…
At Home With: Charlie Batch
Everybody is dealing with the 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…
As panicked shoppers flock to supermarket chains, Pittsburgh’s small markets and grocers remain quietly stocked
Supermarket chains have been the target of panicked shoppers for weeks. In early March, as the coronavirus began to spread in Pennsylvania, people took to the shelves. The lines for stores started early, extending from the doors before they opened. Meat became scarce, boxed pasta practically flew out of stores, and aisles of paper goods…
Trump said vote-by-mail was ‘corrupt,’ but the RNC is sending Pa. voters mail-in ballot applications
Yesterday, President Donald Trump dismissed the idea of mail-in voting serving as a useful tool during the coronavirus pandemic. Congressional Democrats have floated the idea of expanding mail-in voting as part of another coronavirus stimulus package. Trump tweeted that mail-in voting is “‘RIPE for FRAUD,’ and shouldn’t be allowed!” Trump also called mail-in ballots “corrupt”…
Pittsburgh companies produce face shields to protect health-care and grocery store workers from COVID-19
Local makers and small businesses have responded to the COVID-19 crisis by using their skills to make face masks, hand sanitizers, and other protective gear for frontline workers and residents. As the number of confirmed cases increases in Allegheny County, so does the need for resources, especially for medical professionals. Now, various area businesses have…
Quarantunes: Punchline reminds people to ‘Just Stay Home’ in new single
We’re stuck at home. Musicians are stuck at home. We’re looking for entertainment. Musicians are looking to entertain. So City Paper is working with Pittsburgh artists and bands to bring you Quarantunes, a series of at-home performances to bring a little enjoyment to your day. Just stay home! That’s what alt-rock band Punchline is urging…
At Home With: Dani Kramer
Everybody is dealing with the 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…
Cartoons from the pandemic: Pandemic Menstrual Syndrome
Getting your period sucks, no matter the time, day, or place. It can make you cry, make your skin break out, and give you a sudden craving for a huge brownie. But under quarantine, PMS turns into Pandemic Menstrual Syndrome, with all the same usual feelings, dialed up to 11, and trapped in your house.
Black community leaders call on Allegheny County to collect race data for COVID-19
In a virtual town hall held on Facebook on April 7, a group of Black community leaders in Pittsburgh called on county, state, and federal officials to collect race data related to coronavirus infections and deaths. Other states and jurisdictions have been collecting some coronavirus data related to race, and they have shown the infections…
Gov. Wolf closes schools for the rest of the academic year
Governor Tom Wolf announced on Tue., April 9 that all Pennsylvania schools will remain closed for the rest of the 2019-2020 academic year and learning will continue online. Wolf initially announced school closures on March 13, to begin on March 16, for at least 10 days. The closure applies to all public, charter, and private…
Lynn Cullen Live – 4/9/20
Video Archive Lynn is covering a bunch of topics today including Bernie Sanders dropping out of the Presidential race, what is happening locally in the Pittsburgh area, and how people are coping at this difficult time. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
Getting out the vote in the time of coronavirus: Young advocates transition to digital organizing
Empty streets. Shuttered businesses. An uncharacteristically quiet city. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, this has become the new normal — a life lived online, if only for the time being. But that hasn’t stopped NextGen from soldiering on in its mission to organize young people at the polls. According to State Director Larissa…
Lynn Cullen Live – 4/8/20
Video Archive In the second part of the show Lynn will be joined by Pittsburgh City Paper Photographer Jared Wickerham. They will be talking about Jared’s cover story, Portraits of the Pandemic. Before then Lynn is discussing celebrating Passover virtually, the resignation of the acting Navy Secretary, Trump removing Glenn Fine as the oversight leader…
At Home With: John Schalcosky of The Odd, Mysterious & Fascinating History of Pittsburgh
Everybody is dealing with the COVID-19 quarantines and restrictions in different ways. While there’s no single right way to cope — social distancing and staying TF home aside — staying connected with friends, family, and neighbors is a good place to start. You can contact your loved ones on your own, but you might also…
Ceramicist Reiko Yamamoto reacts to COVID-19 with Tiny Smile fundraiser
At first glance, the Tiny Smiles magnets made by Pittsburgh-based ceramic artist Reiko Yamamoto don’t seem like much. But the small, flat discs, all featuring a face with a slightly upturned mouth, are meant to have a larger impact on isolated customers and nonprofits dealing with the COVID-19 shutdown. “I thought of it more as…
Portraits of the Pandemic: A photo essay of essential workers on Pittsburgh’s frontlines
Across Pittsburgh, as the city becomes more and more still under a stay-at-home order, a large group of people continues to wake up every morning to go to work. As the global coronavirus pandemic hits our city, Pittsburgh City Paper is celebrating the essential workers on the frontlines. They’re driving your buses, delivering your mail,…
How the pandemic has shined a light on the fissures in Pittsburgh’s already-precarious housing situation
From bartenders to business owners to librarians, thousands of Pittsburghers are suddenly without work and without pay. Most were not prepared for how swiftly COVID-19 would spread, and how aggressively it would shift every aspect of American life. Since March 15, over 1 million Pennsylvanians have filed for unemployment, which is around 12% of the…
Free Will Astrology (4/8 – 4/15)
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Moses did 40 years’ worth of hard work in behalf of his people, delivering them out of slavery in Egypt. Yet God didn’t allow him to enter into the Promised Land. Why? At the end of his travails, he made a minor mistake that angered God beyond reason. Petty? Harsh? Very…
How Pennsylvania health-care workers and nurses are trying, but still struggling, to build their political power
Since the outbreak of coronavirus, a consensus has emerged that nurses, hospital employees, and health-care workers are the frontline workers of this pandemic. They have been compared to soldiers during wars and first-responders during 9/11; they have been praised for their bravery and sense of duty. But in the grand scheme of things, both in…
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra continues to bring music to the city with ‘Extraordinary Measures’
“Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.” That quote came to the mind of Mary Persin, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s vice president of artistic planning, at the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak. “This time, in general, is a challenging and unusual time,” says Persin. “A disruption of everything we know to be ‘normal.’” In an effort to…
The Local 913: James Wolff
James Wolff was unintentionally well-positioned for our current crisis. “I had a house in Lawrenceville, but I had to get out,” he says. “The city, I feel like it was taking years off my life, so I got a little cabin outside of the city.” Soft spoken and thoughtful, it’s not all that surprising that…
