Report shows natural gas fracking didn’t produce promised jobs to Pa. and Appalachia
While still recovering from the Great Recession of 2008-2009, natural gas drilling — aka fracking — appeared in the Pittsburgh region and claimed to be able to offer economic relief. One of the first major energy players to move into the Pittsburgh region and greater Appalachia was Range Resources. The Texas-based oil and gas company claimed that…
Submit your special park story to Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s new monthly series
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy turns 25 this year, and to celebrate, the nonprofit organization is collecting stories about memorable experiences visitors have had in the many green spaces throughout the city. The First Friday monthly series features stories from people recalling special moments from their time in one of Pittsburgh’s many parks. “I created The…
City Book’s Writing Residency creates space for local writers
Despite the common wisdom that everyone has a book in them, writers need time, space, and support to bring those books and other projects out. City Books, an independent bookstore on Pittsburgh’s North Side, aims to give writers all three with its writers-in-residence program, something I had the honor of participating in as the fall…
Fetterman justifies — but does not apologize for — chasing down and brandishing shotgun at Black jogger while Braddock mayor
His political future now clear as a U.S. Senate candidate, Democratic Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman has addressed a controversial incident that occurred eight years ago when he was mayor of Braddock, Allegheny County. In December 2013, Fetterman chased a Black jogger in his pickup truck after hearing what he thought were gunshots while playing…
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Quantum Theatre’s NearBuy Supports Restaurants in Three Neighborhoods
With the arrival of the pandemic last March and live theater across the country shut down, Quantum Theatre found itself asking the same question as every other business reliant on bringing people together in person, “What now?” Now 30 years old, the company has built a national reputation for its experimental theater making. Producing eclectic…
Skipping Democratic endorsement, three Allegheny County judicial candidates join forces instead
The endorsement from the Allegheny County Democratic Committee is becoming a lot less popular than it used to be. With high fees just to seek the endorsement ($8,000 for county-wide seats), a committee that has a recent history of some members openly supporting Donald Trump, and many examples of local candidates winning their races without…
Portraits of Pittsburgh’s Strip District
Pittsburgh’s Strip District is home to all kinds of restaurants, retailers, and street vendors. Hence, why it is one of the busiest neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, especially on the weekends. Usually, you wouldn’t catch me in its crowded streets on a Saturday, but this week, a venture to the Strip was in the job description. At…
Pittsburgh-produced documentary Workhorse Queen looks at life after RuPaul’s Drag Race
Local artist Angela Washko has a complicated relationship with reality television, at once feeling weird about how much of it she watches while also being willing to become the subject of it. “I do feel some embarrassment and insecurity as someone who does consume a lot of it,” she says, adding, “I’ve auditioned many times for…
Gov. Wolf hopes to increase Pa. minimum wage to $12 by 2021, and $15 by 2027
On Feb. 8, Gov. Tom Wolf (D-York) held a press conference to reaffirm his belief in increasing the minimum wage in Pennsylvania, and outlined a plan that would incrementally raise minimum wage to $15 an hour, from its current rate of $7.25 an hour. At his press conference, Wolf emphasized that $7.25, which a press…
WQED’s Cartoon Academy invites everyone to learn to draw cartoons
Comics and cartoons are finding new life outside of the Sunday funnies. As the art form becomes more accessible from artists posting their work online, offering artistic and creative breaks in people’s feeds, Pittsburgh cartoon artist Joe Wos wants to teach anyone, regardless of age, how to get started drawing, too. Through WQED Education and…
Pa. has 5th most anti-government extremist groups among U.S. states
With 23 active anti-government extremist groups, Pennsylvania ranks fifth among U.S. states for the most anti-government extremist groups in the nation, according to a new report from the Southern Poverty Law Center. This puts the Keystone State only behind California, Ohio, Texas, and Florida, but also well ahead of some states with similar populations like…
Lynn Cullen Live – 2/9/21
Video Archive The extreme cold is the first topic of the day. Susan in Green Bay already has below 0 temps, while us here in the Pittsburgh area are expecting the cold soon. In a follow up to yesterday, Lynn is getting Susan’s opinion on the Springsteen Jeep ad that effected her so much. She…
Mayor Bill Peduto names appointees to Pittsburgh’s new LGBTQIA+ Commission
Nearly nine months after Pittsburgh City Council voted to create its LGBTQIA+ Commission, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto announced appointees to the group designed to address challenges facing LGBTQIA+ residents and visitors. On Feb. 8, Peduto named the people chosen for the LGBTQIA+ Commission, who will be introduced to Pittsburgh City Council on Feb. 9. The…
Lt. Gov. John Fetterman officially announces run for U.S Senate
After weeks of hinting at the possibility, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D-Braddock) announced the start of his official run for U.S. Senate in 2022 on Mon., Feb. 8. The Pennsylvania seat is up for grabs after U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Lehigh) announced last year that he will not be seeking reelection. Fetterman, who serves alongside Gov.…
Pa. parking-protected bike lane bill named in memory of Pittsburgher Susan Hicks
On Oct. 23, 2015, Susan Hicks was riding her bike in Oakland the exact way Pennsylvania law required her to: as if she were driving a car. Back then, the configuration on Forbes Avenue was not friendly to cyclists, and Hicks, a 34-year-old University of Pittsburgh educator, pulled her bike behind an SUV and waited…
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Healing Hearts Podcast goes in-depth on Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program
Chris Kohan, Co-Founder of The Healing Center, hosts a special new series of The Healing Hearts Podcast featuring growers in Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program from across the state. In seven episodes, he chats with Pennsylvania industry leaders to learn about their passion for healing with cannabis. The new shows include guests from Terrapin, Grassroots, Prime…
Lynn Cullen Live – 2/8/21
Video Archive <iframe width="560" height="315" The Super Bowl bored Lynn so much that she didn’t watch the entire game. Out of what she did see there were only a few commercials she feels to need to discuss. The one that she was most stunned by was the Jeep ad with Bruce Springsteen. She was also…
What can Pittsburgh Public Schools do to dig out of a $39 million budget hole?
News of a proposal to close several schools within the Pittsburgh Public School district recently led to some chaos among parents, advocates, and lawmakers. The blowback was so strong that PPS board members voted the next day to shelve the plan for the time being. But the realities of what brought up the proposed closures remain:…
How a new Pittsburgh-based HGTV home renovation show almost made me buy a painting of a duck
The longer I’m in quarantine, the more I sink into a seemingly endless cycle of watching home design shows. There’s the unsettling number of House Hunters episodes I’ve watched, the Architectural Digest celebrity home tours, the YouTube channel about tiny homes. I’m not particularly adept at home decor, and have no plans to buy a…
10 things to eat and drink in Pittsburgh this Valentine’s Day
Who needs candy hearts when there’s heart-shaped pizza? Sweeten up your V-Day eats with one of these holiday treats. Whoever your Valentine is, they deserve it. Breadworks 2110 Brighton Road, North Side. breadworkspgh.com Extend your Valentine’s Day this year thanks to Breadworks. Every Saturday in February, the bakery is serving up chocolate babka, made from…
Pa. House agrees to fast-track legislation to salvage sex abuse reform; Senate still uncommitted
The Pennsylvania House has reached a bipartisan agreement to use a seldom-invoked emergency power to salvage a constitutional amendment that will allow childhood sex abuse survivors to sue perpetrators in old cases, a maneuver that would potentially allow voters to ratify the measure in May. The deal would effectively undo an administrative snafu revealed earlier…
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Smoothie King offers customizable options to fit your health and fitness goals
Smoothie King smoothies are made just for you, with countless combinations of fruits, veggies, supplements, and enhancers for endless ways to Rule the Day! Each blend is crafted to help you achieve your health and fitness goals, using whole fruits and organic veggies, athlete-friendly proteins, and other wholesome ingredients — never any syrups or artificial…
Carnegie Museum of Art launches first-ever podcast series Mirror with a Memory
Right now might seem like the perfect time for Carnegie Museum of Art to explore podcast territory, but its first show, Mirror with a Memory, is more than just a fun distraction during the pandemic. “I think we’re all listening to more podcasts and taking in more media these days,” says Dan Leers, CMOA’s curator…
Commonwealth Press donated 100% of proceeds of Bernie chair yard signs in homage to Sanders’ own philanthropy
When Sen. Bernie Sanders was spotted sitting in a chair, arms folded with his iconic mittens during the presidential inauguration, his image quickly went viral and became a universally loved meme. Pittsburgh joined in on the fun too and created scores of yinzer-specific Bernie memes. The Sanders campaign itself even took part, and made merchandise…
Iron City Beer returning to Allegheny County with new Creighton brewery
When the Pittsburgh Brewing Company left Pittsburgh in 2009, the city was heartbroken. Makers of Iron City Beer, the brewery was synonymous with the blue-collar city that sprung it, and had been brewing lagers, pilsners, and ales at its Lawrenceville facility for more than 140 years. But after it was bought out in 2007, the…
Lynn Cullen Live – 2/4/21
Video Archive You hear from Lynn’s sister Susan every Tuesday. Today you get the chance to hear from her brother, William Miller. Bill is joining Lynn to discuss his newest book “Outrageous Fortune: Gloomy Reflections on Luck and Life.” Please note: This show ends abruptly due to technical issues. We’re sorry for the lack of…
Win a year’s worth of date nights at Eat’n Park, plus more Pittsburgh food news
Reopenings Leo. a public house 1207 Allegheny Ave., North Side. leopgh.com After closing “until further notice” on Jan. 28 to air “on the side of caution,” according to a social media post, Leo on the North Side is back open. (You can learn more about the owner by reading Tereneh Idia’s conversation with Michael Barnhouse…
Lynn Cullen Live – 2/3/21
Video Archive As the Super Bowl approaches epidemiologists are concerned that it might be a super spreader event. We are just now seeing numbers of Covid-19 cases drop again, but the worry is that watch parties will reverse this progress. Lynn is talking about the latest coronavirus news and, vaccine distribution to kick things off…
Sibyls Shrine focuses on creative Black mothers with Taking Care at Silver Eye
Being an artist presents enough difficulties without the added challenge of parenting, especially for mothers, who often bear the brunt of child-rearing. In response to this, local artist and activist Alisha B. Wormsley created Sibyls Shrine, an artist residency program. Launched in 2019, the program centers on “Black women, womxn, trans women, and femmes who…
Remembering Black Horizons, Pittsburgh’s long-running Black public affairs show, and its continued legacy
In 1986, legendary Pittsburgh Courier photographer Charles “Teenie” Harris was swindled out of his life’s work by a street vendor, who convinced Harris to sell his 100,000 photos and negatives for only $3,000. At the time, Harris was nearly 80 years old and didn’t have a lot of money. Even though Harris’ work is legendary…
Why three Pittsburghers founded The Glowt, a parody site mocking celebrity lifestyle brands
If you’re a reader of the lifestyle website Goop, you might follow their recommendations for “7 Ways to Renew Your WFH Space,” including buying an $800 countertop herb garden and a $345 coffee maker for those who have shifted to working from home. These kinds of lofty recommendations are part of the reason why three…
Seven Days in Pittsburgh: Feb. 4-10
Thu., Feb. 4 MUSIC • VIRTUAL Indie rock band Essential Machine is a family band, composed of married couple Karen and RJ Dietrich on drums and guitar, and their son Robert on keyboard. Tonight, they’ll perform live from The Palace Theatre in Greensburg for The VIP Experience (Virtually in The Palace), a new series featuring…
Takeout Review: Bistro Burger at Poulet Bleu
Poulet Bleu was one of the city’s biggest restaurant openings of 2018. It marked the first restaurant the Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group opened outside of Downtown, turning a small building in Lawrenceville into a bright, intimate, French bistro. Many in the city practically vibrated with excitement about the new eatery — more specifically, the discovery…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY: Feb. 4-10
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian author Alice Walker writes, “In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.” In the coming weeks, I hope you’ll adopt that way of thinking and apply it to every aspect of your perfectly imperfect body and mind…
