10 books in 10 words or less
Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America; Essays by R. Eric Thomas Released February 2020 via Ballantine Books (Penguin Random House) Memoir, 264 pages A laugh-out-loud memoir that’s both touching and relatable. You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat Released June 2020 via Catapult Books Contemporary Fiction, 272 pages A young…
“Let’s just start over”: Owners of pop-up series Menuette open Oak Hill Post in Brookline
At the beginning of March, Christian Schulz and Rebecca Nicholson, partners behind the musical composition-inspired pop-up Menuette, signed a lease for the former home of Parker’s in Brookline. The dinner series, already well-known in the neighborhood for its events at Hitchhiker Brewing Co., The Korner Pub, and 802 Bean Company, was set to get a…
Rally held in Downtown Pittsburgh calls for police reform and to drop charges against Black Lives Matter protesters
Today, more than 60 gathered in Downtown Pittsburgh and blocked off Grant Street in front of the City-County Building. The protesters were calling for several reforms to city and state police. This rally, “F.J.E (Freedom Justice Equality) Wednesdays,” was organized by local LGBTQ groups TransYOUniting and PGH LGBTQ+ Coalition, and organizers said it will be…
Port Authority rejected for federal grants to expand electric bus network
This March, Port Authority of Allegheny County’s first electric buses hit the streets of Pittsburgh. They were heralded as a positive step forward in the push for sustainability and the fight against climate change. (The transportation sector generates the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions of any sector in the U.S.) Port Authority was hoping…
Voter outreach campaign Remember What They Did pairs damning quotes with original art
As the November election fast approaches, voter outreach is ramping up. That means more TV and web ads, and, for one campaign, more billboards. Remember What They Did, a new multi-state campaign that combines original art with damning quotes from President Trump and his party, launched in Pittsburgh this week. The campaign, which will also…
Strip District bar, which earlier denied COVID stats, temporarily shut down over COVID safety violations
Lefty’s in the Strip was ordered to close this Friday by the Allegheny County Health Department for breaking COVID-19 safety restrictions. The bar in the Strip District will be required to stay closed for at least seven days and to submit a COVID-19 prevention plan before it reopens. This comes less than two months after…
Pittsburgh Art Commission to host first meeting to discuss Christopher Columbus statue removal
The fate of the Christopher Columbus statue in Schenley Park will be up for discussion starting this week when the City of Pittsburgh Art Commission hosts its first meeting on the issue. The meeting will take place virtually on Wed., Aug. 26, kicking off proceedings to remove and relocate the statute. The statue is the…
Mayor Peduto tells WESA he plans to run for reelection, amid recent criticism
During a sit-down interview, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto spoke with Kevin Gavin of WESA’s The Confluence about issues ranging from police and protesters, to his plans for the future. When asked, Peduto said that he would “absolutely” be running for a third term next year, and that he has “never” considered resigning, even amid calls from…
With deadline set to expire, Gov. Wolf asks lawmakers to extend moratorium on evictions, foreclosures
With advocates warning of a coming wave, Gov. Tom Wolf has asked state lawmakers to extend an eviction and foreclosure moratorium first put into place this spring, and to approve additional financial assistance measures for tenants and landlords. Wolf extended the moratorium with an executive order in July, but he says he is prohibited under…
ScareHouse finds new home at Pittsburgh Mills
ScareHouse, a major haunted attraction in Pittsburgh, will rise from the dead this year at an unlikely new location, the confines of the Pittsburgh Mills mall. The ScareHouse team announced the move on social media, along with details about its reopening in September. “You know that Pittsburgh Zombies love shopping malls — and we think…
Pa. Senate GOP advances “first pass” at election fixes; Wolf says talks are ongoing
With barely two months left until the Nov. 3 general election, Pennsylvania lawmakers are “actively negotiating” changes to the state’s election code as they try to resolve crucial questions of election security in the Legislature rather than in the courts, Gov. Tom Wolf said Tuesday. But there’s not yet consensus among Democrats and Republicans on…
At Home With: Jon Moss, Editor-in-Chief of The Pitt News
Everybody is dealing with COVID-19 quarantines and restrictions in different ways. You can contact your loved ones on your own, but you might also be curious how your favorite strangers in Pittsburgh are coping, so Pittsburgh City Paper is reaching out to artists, activists, workers, and makers to see how they’re doing. Today, it’s Jon…
Gov. Wolf recommends legalizing recreational marijuana as part of COVID-19 relief
Gov. Tom Wolf (D-York) reaffirmed his support for recreational marijuana today and called for legalizing cannabis as part his economic and social relief proposals in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The proposals include hazard pay for frontline workers, increased housing assistance, and funding for small business recovery, which is where recreational marijuana falls. Wolf’s suggested…
Pittsburgh City Council introduces police facial recognition, predictive policing ban
The Pittsburgh Police have been under some intense criticism as of late for their recent arrest of a protest marshal using an unmarked van and their use of pepper spray and other less-lethal weapons on protesters last week in Mellon Park. The city did announce some staff reassignments after this incident, but no discipline was…
Lynn Cullen Live – 8/25/20
Video Archive Lynn and Susan are discussing the first night of the Republican National Convention to start things off. They are talking about the unrest in Kenosha after the shooting of Jacob Blake. Then there is the an idea Lynn has covered briefly before, having young people become poll workers. LeBron James has just helped…
Sean Parnell says veteran organizations can create an “unhealthy entitlement” mindset
Congressional candidate Sean Parnell (R-Ohio Township) first catapulted into fame for co-writing a book called Outlaw Platoon, which is a war memoir of Parnell’s time spent as an infantry platoon leader in the Army during the Afghanistan War. The book chronicles his experiences in battle from 2006-2007, and has spent time on the New York…
Lawrenceville Distilling Co. creates a canned gin gimlet
Joe DeGroot, co-founder and distiller of Lawrenceville Distilling Co., spent the better part of a year working on his recipe for one of the distillery’s newest products: canned gin gimlets. His year was not wasted. DeGroot’s final product is a strikingly fresh, summer crusher of a cocktail, hitting the essence of a good gimlet with,…
PA students are in the midst of a mental health crisis as they prepare for a largely virtual year
Pennsylvania schools have retrofitted buildings and overhauled class schedules to protect public health this fall — but they’ve said less about how they’ll support their students’ mental health, even though state and federal data show that young people are increasingly contemplating suicide and self harm. Reports of suicidal threats and self-harm tendencies among Pennsylvania school…
LGBTQ Coalition and TransYOUniting announce takeover of 2021 Pittsburgh Pride, plan to work with organizations throughout region
Today marked a new direction for Pittsburgh Pride when it was announced that the 2021 event would be presented by LGBTQ organizations across the city and Western Pennsylvania. This comes shortly after the event’s original host, the Delta Foundation, announced it would dissolve. TransYOUniting founder Dena Stanley made the official announcement on the steps of…
Lynn Cullen Live – 8/24/20
Video Archive The Republican National Convention starts tonight. Lynn is talking about the line-up of speakers. She is also discussing a CBS News poll which asked the question “Are you better off than you were four years ago?”. Then there is the news that Kellyanne Conway is leaving the White House at the end of…
Democratic National Committee is buying all ads on The New Pittsburgh Courier homepage for four days
According to a recent CBS News/YouGov poll, this year’s election is very much on the mind of Black Pennsylvanians. When asked how much they have been thinking about the presidential race, 67% of Black people in Pennsylvania said they have been thinking about it a lot, and another 18% were thinking about it somewhat. But…
PHOTOS: Three demonstrations merge in Pittsburgh on Saturday, following week of criticisms directed at Pittsburgh Police and Mayor Peduto
Three demonstrations merged in Pittsburgh on Saturday, following a week of protests after a bike marshal who was helping to clear traffic during a Civil Saturdays march through Oakland was arrested by rifle-wielding, plain clothes Pittsburgh Police officers and taken away in an unmarked white van one week ago today. Today’s first demonstration began with the…
Pittsburgh Police Sergeant shares racist and anti-protest material on social media during ongoing Black Lives Matter demonstrations
UPDATE: 12:40 a.m. Aug. 22: According to the Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety, the officer who shared racist and anti-protest posts on Facebook has been “placed on paid administrative leave until further notice pending the outcome of the investigation” from the Office of Municipal Investigations. The officer in question is George Kristoff, a sergeant in police Zone…
April in Paris of Appalachia artist to launch new driveable billboard museum
After the success of his April in Paris of Appalachia outdoor art exhibition in July, local artist Sean Rothermel announced this week he will be launching another driveable billboard art exhibit in October, the Pittsburgh Outdoor Museum of Art (PoMA). PoMA will continue Rothermel’s goal of providing a socially distant art-viewing experience across Pittsburgh while showcasing…
Peduto announces changes to police department following controversial police tactics this week; no discipline mentioned
Today, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto announced some changes to how police will be dispatched and respond to protests moving forward. No firings or punishments of police officers were announced, according to the press release. These announcements come after Pittsburgh Police used pepper spray on protesters in Mellon Park, after an apparent attempt to kettle protesters,…
For Sale With Baggage: Cheetah vs Leopard
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 Sale…
These beers will change how you think about low-alcohol brews
Andrew Witchey, owner and head brewer of Dancing Gnome brewery, has been brewing low-alcohol beers for years. His latest, a hoppy brew named Sassafras, comes in at a striking 2.8% ABV. Similar to the low-or-no alcohol trend of lighter beverages like hard seltzers, there are clear benefits to beers like Sassafras. As Witchey points out,…
Pittsburgh’s Jewish Community Center creates childcare program for kids attending online classes
The Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh’s “All Day at the J” program, beginning on Mon., Aug. 31, will provide a physical daytime learning environment for kids K-6, who are attending online classes while their parents and/or guardians are away at work. The program, which is now full with a wait list as of Aug. 19,…
Apteka in Pittsburgh is selling its own kvass. What is it?
To many, beer can be a polarizing drink. The bready, bitter, hoppy flavors can be too much for some. Even though alcohol is extremely popular across the world, some avoid beer for this reason, and opt for wine, hard seltzer, cider, or other non-beer drinks. With that in mind, one would think there would be…
Handmade Arcade forges ahead with DIGITAL DIY: A Virtual Marketplace
Since its founding in 2004, Handmade Arcade has connected dozens of artists, crafters, and designers with consumers looking for handcrafted goods. This year, though, it looked as if COVID-19 would put their in-person events on hold, including its massive holiday-time craft fair. “When everything shut down in March, our immediate response was to think creatively…
Two new-ish Pittsburgh albums you should know
Nicole Mitchell and Lisa E. Harris – EarthSeed The name EarthSeed comes from the 1990’s novels Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents written by award-winning Black science-fiction author Octavia E. Butler. The fiction books chronicle 21st-century America as it unravels into horrific, tyrannical mayhem, and those who were once considered middle-class citizens…
Police escalate protest outside Peduto’s house with pepper spray, projectiles, and apparent kettling
Last night, protesters gathered outside Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto’s house in Point Breeze for the third time this week. While it began peacefully, the night ended with chemical and projectile weapons used by police on protesters. Pittsburgh City Paper witnessed Pittsburgh Police using apparent pepper spray on protesters at close range, and give confusing dispersal…
Lynn Cullen Live – 8/20/20
Video Archive Breaking news this morning – former Trump advisor Steve Bannon has been arrested. He was indicted on fraud with 3 others by the US Southern District of New York. As more of this story comes out Lynn will be sharing it. Night three of the Democratic National Convention had a forceful speech from…
Lynn Cullen Live – 8/19/20
Video Archive The Senate Intelligence Committee report on Russian interference in the 2016 election released yesterday is where Lynn is starting. This bipartisan report includes a lot of new details, even more than what was found in the Mueller Report. In addition to the report Lynn is discussing Tom Friedman’s new column on the possible…
What you need to know when filing an unemployment claim in Pennsylvania
As of Aug. 8, there were more than 133,000 unemployment claims in the Pittsburgh metro area. That is down from a high of nearly 200,000 claims in mid-May, but the region is still experiencing historic levels of unemployment not seen since the collapse of the steel industry in the 1980s. In June, the unemployment rate…
The Employment Guide
Being unemployed can be incredibly stressful no matter the situation, but for the millions of Americans faced with unemployment during the coronavirus pandemic, it can seem like an even more difficult time than ever before to navigate the job field. That’s why Pittsburgh City Paper has put together this guide to help make things a…
Seven Days of Arts + Entertainment: Aug. 20-26
Thu., Aug. 20 Vegan Junk Food Just because your food is made from plants doesn’t mean you can’t eat junk like everyone else. Traveling vegan truck Vuture Food will make a stop at Allegheny City Brewing. The menu will be announced the morning of, and all food will be served to-go. 4-9 p.m. 507 Foreland…
What places in Pittsburgh can help with job training for a new career
Unemployment is high. Historically high. And there is no certainty it will be dropping significantly anytime soon since there is no clarity of when a vaccine will be made available and if it will work at stemming the spread of coronavirus. Correspondingly, some industries like hospitality, newsrooms, and performing arts have been decimated. But other…
Need help finding an interview outfit? There are resources in Pittsburgh that can help.
Whether you’re interviewing in person or over Zoom, it’s important that you present yourself looking, and feeling, your best. If you can’t afford business attire for your interview, or your new job once you’ve landed the position, here are local resources that can help. Dress for Success pittsburgh.dressforsuccess.org Call 412-201-4204 or email pittsburgh@dressforsuccess.org Specifically for…
Pittsburgh-based company uses video games to help users learn job skills and career interests
With social distancing looking like it will be here for the foreseeable future, it is more vital than ever that everyone has ways to learn outside the typical classroom setting. Simcoach Games, a Pittsburgh-based technology spinoff of Carnegie Mellon University, has been doing just that since 2005. The company partners with leading organizations in the…
Accessing free public computers, internet, and curbside printing in Pittsburgh
Libraries offer many essential services beyond free books and other media. Computer and printer stations at public libraries provide a free place for anyone to use the internet, allowing them to apply for jobs, print resumes, apply for unemployment, and other needs. While Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh locations are still closed for entry, there are…
How to find health care when you’re out of work
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that over 16 million people across the country are currently unemployed. For many, the loss of a paycheck also means the loss of employer-provided health-care benefits. If you’re confused about how to apply for health care while out of work, here are some tips to help you get…
Refresh your resume with these expert tips
One of the most challenging aspects of job searching is the dreaded resume, that necessary document that determines whether or not you nab that all-important interview. While deceptively simple, the standards for resumes constantly change and vary depending on the industry. Plus, the more candidates who apply for a position, the more important it is…
How to apply for food assistance, even if you’ve never done it before
Applying for food assistance can be confusing. Pittsburgh City Paper talked with Ann Sanders, public policy advocate at Pittsburgh food access nonprofit Just Harvest, about what steps people can take to apply for food stamps, aka SNAP, and where to go for help. The main food assistance program in the U.S. is the Supplemental Nutrition…
Looking for a job? These local job-listing sites provide the Pittsburgh touch
When first searching for a new position, many job seekers immediately turn to well-known national employment sites like Monster, Indeed, or Glassdoor. But Pittsburgh provides a wide variety of job postings, and unless you’re looking to relocate, City Paper recommends searching locally. Here are a few to get you started. BEST IN TOWN One of…
Job losses and financial insecurity are taking a toll on mental health during the pandemic
It would be difficult to find someone who hasn’t struggled with their mental health at some point during the pandemic. Whether it’s loneliness from isolation, stress over paying bills, or sadness about canceled plans, there are dozens of factors that make this a stressful time. But for those who have lost a job or are…
Seven Days of Music: Aug. 20-26
Thu., Aug. 20 (IRL) Bobby Thompson and The Groove 7-9 p.m. Pittsburgh Shrine Center Pavilion, Cheswick. Free.Every week this summer, a different band or musician performs as part of the Miller Lite Thunder Thursdays Summer Music Series, put on by Syria Shriners in conjunction with Moondog’s and the Starlite Lounge through Oct. 1. Masks are…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY: Aug. 20-26
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Magic lies in challenging what seems impossible,” says Leo politician Carol Moseley Braun. I agree with her, but will also suggest there’s an even higher magic: when you devise a detailed plan for achieving success by challenging the impossible, and then actually carry out that plan. Judging from the current astrological…
