UPDATE: Allegheny County outdoor events increase limit to 100; indoor dining remains at 25% capacity
Update: Fri., Aug. 28: Outdoor events and gatherings in Allegheny County will increase to allow up to 100 people, according to health department director Dr. Debra Bogen. The increase, which takes effects at 12:01 a.m. on Sat., Aug. 29, was announced today “due to the decrease in the county’s positivity rate and rolling daily average…
Pittsburgh Riverhounds host first professional sporting event amidst pandemic
No fans, no fake crowd noises pumped in, no win. However, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds took a big step being the first professional sports team in Pittsburgh to host an official game, five days before the Pittsburgh Pirates are slated to host their debut amidst an ongoing pandemic. I requested a photo credential through the Riverhounds…
Gov. Wolf criticizes the “relentless series of vile slurs” directed at Health Secretary Levine
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf (D-York) spoke out today on Twitter against transphobic comments that have been directed at state health secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, who is transgender. His comments also address an incident at the Bloomsburg Fair and one of the Pennsylvania event’s Facebook posts depicting a man impersonating Levine that went viral. “This is…
Follow these 6 Pittsburgh Instagram accounts when you miss exploring the city
One of the best parts about living in a city is being able to explore all the nooks and crannies that make it special. That’s harder now that we’ve been quarantining for four months due to coronavirus, especially if you don’t have a car and can’t just drive around town. If you miss exploring Pittsburgh,…
Ballot question will decide if Pittsburgh should force police to cooperate with review board investigations
Yesterday, Pittsburgh City Council passed a bill that would add a ballot question for city voters this November, asking if the city’s Citizens Police Review Board should be strengthened. The ordinance was introduced by Pittsburgh City Councilor Ricky Burgess (D-Point Breeze) and was passed unanimously by council. The question asks if Pittsburgh’s Home Rule Charter…
About 8,000 immigrants in Pennsylvania may not become citizens in time to vote this year
According to a new report, there are about 315,000 immigrants in the U.S. who are on the path to become naturalized U.S. citizens, but likely won’t get to citizenship by November. This means they won’t make it in time to participate in one of American citizens’ most sacred rights — voting — in one of…
Grill it like you mean it: Tips for a great grilling season from the Pennsylvania Beef Council
Summer is peak grilling season. And if you’re planning to fire up a few steaks this year, the Pennsylvania Beef Council is here to help with a guide and a few tips that will guarantee a great grilling season. The first thing you need to know is your cuts and grades. Steaks come from various…
Helpin Aht! Records created BAIL compilation album to raise money for bail funds
New Pittsburgh label, Helpin’ Aht! Records, pulled together their first album, BAIL, in about two weeks. “This felt like an immediate need,” says Sheridan Woika, the creator and sole operator behind the label. “With a bail fund, it’s like your friends and neighbors are getting arrested and the reason they can’t be home is because they don’t…
Garfield bar Mixtape announces closure
Another local establishment has announced that it will close after facing insurmountable changes due to COVID-19 restrictions. Mixtape, a bar and cafe on Penn Avenue in Garfield, announced on July 20 that it would be closing permanently. Owners Katie Molchan and Elaina Holko explained their closure with Instagram and Facebook posts, saying that it was “truly…
Lynn Cullen Live – 7/21/20
Video Archive Lynn and Susan are starting off with some light hearted animals stories, including Lynn’s latest dog walking adventure. On a more serious note, they are discussing the return of the coronavirus briefings, Kanye West, and the unidentified feds being used in Portland. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on…
Grist House Craft Brewery releases a strawberry guava hard seltzer
Hard seltzers may have been the drink of summer 2019, but it’s clear the trend isn’t going anywhere. A fad that started with White Claw has now made its way to big-name and craft breweries. And Grist House Craft Brewery in Millvale is one of the latest, local spots to get in the seltzer game.…
At Home With: Ashley Olinger
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 — 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 how…
PHOTOS: March in honor of Jonny Gammage through Brentwood and Whitehall
Today, about 50 protesters marched through the Pittsburgh suburbs of Brentwood and Whitehall in honor of the late Jonny Gammage, a Black man killed by police in 1995 near the edges of the boroughs and the Pittsburgh city limits. On what would’ve been his 56th birthday, protesters marched along Route 51 in the South Hills…
The Moat Rats’ debut album fulfills the group’s dream of having that big band sound
This year, 2020, is the year of the rat in the Chinese zodiac. So it only felt appropriate for local multi-genre band, The Moat Rats, to name their debut full-length album after the first of all zodiac animals. “2020 has been such a transformative year,” says The Moat Rats’ lead vocalist Karli Blotzer, “and I…
Adda announces new cafe location, big Burrito temporarily closes several restaurants, and more Pittsburgh food news
Announcements Adda Coffee and Tea House The popular cafe recently announced that it would be opening a third location in Garfield, adding to its locations in Shadyside and the North Side. Adda Bazaar will be located on Penn Avenue in the space that formerly housed Gluten Free Goat Bakery. Like the other Adda locations, this…
Black workers protest in Pittsburgh, demand hazard pay and paid sick leave
Today, about 100 people marched through the streets of Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood, advocating for the rights of Black workers. The protest was billed as supportive of the #BlackWorkersMatter movement, and it included grocery workers, bus operators, and health-care employees, as well as people supporting them. The protest started at 8:30 a.m. at the corner of…
Pittsburgh Mask Maker Spotlight: East Eight Co.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, designers, artists, and sewing hobbyists have taken to their sewing machines to fill the demand of masks for the public to wear. Pittsburgh City Paper is taking a look behind the scenes and highlighting local mask makers. Name: Diana Misetic and Dino Misetic, CEOs and co-founders of East Eight…
For Sale with Baggage: Literal grandfather clock
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…
Allegheny County adds medical care to nondiscrimination bill in response to Trump’s transgender policy reversal
Earlier this week, Allegheny County Council unanimously passed a bill that would add protections for people seeking medical treatments to the conditions of its nondiscrimination bill. The bill was later signed by Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. It comes on the heels of the Trump administration rolling back health-care protections for transgender people. Before the…
Allegheny County Council rejects bill to ban police from using “less lethal” weapons like tear gas
Earlier this week, Allegheny County Council voted down a bill that would have curtailed the use of “less lethal” weapons by police. The bill would have banned police from using “less lethal” weapons, a category which included tear gas, bean bag rounds, and flash-bang grenades. During Black Lives Matter protests on May 30 and June…
Meet the musician: Nolo Wrldpul
One day, while scrolling through Reddit, the voice of New Kensington native Nolo Wrldpul caught my attention. Inviting and glossy, paired with contemporary downtempo R&B beats, his music is reminiscent of early tracks from The Weeknd. Wanting to find out more about this budding artist, Pittsburgh City Paper reached out to Nolo Wrldpul – he prefers…
Four unexpectedly entertaining competitions to watch right now
Professional sports may or may not be happening. You’ve binged all your favorite shows. Books are blah. It’s too hot to go outside. What is there to do? Here are four weirdly satisfying competition and compilation shows to watch that I currently can’t get enough of. Jelle’s Marble Runs on YouTube Never would I ever…
Little Italy Days rescheduling its four-day festival in Bloomfield for this October
Little Italy Days, the annual free four-day festival which brings thousands of people to Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood every summer, has announced its plans to return this October during what the organizer advertises as “Columbus Day Weekend.” Festival producer Sal Richetti says he is aware of the controversy that comes with holding “the region’s largest heritage…
Lynn Cullen Live – 7/16/20
Video Archive It’s sure to be an interesting show today. Sally Wiggin is joining Lynn to discuss the age of America’s leadership, doomscrolling, creating new habits, and much more. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
Lynn Cullen Live – 7/15/20
Video Archive Pittsburgh is losing a bunch of reporters as more are taking the company buyout from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. This latest round has 14 staff members leaving at the end of the week, including columnist Brian O’Neill. Lynn reached out to O’Neill to let him know he will be missed, and is sharing…
Takeout review: Happy Day Dessert Factory
The soft opening for Happy Day Dessert Factory, a new North Side ice cream shop, was set for March 16. If you’re keeping tabs on the pandemic, that means 20-year-old Galen Moorer Jr., owner of the shop, planned to launch his business one day after restaurants were ordered to close their dining rooms. Moorer, however,…
Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star Josh Bell finds his voice with social reform book club
When Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Josh Bell watched former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick take a knee in protest over police brutality against Black Americans, he saw how loud and powerful the backlash became, and how it eventually led to Kaepernick not playing football in the NFL again. Bell believed Kaepernick was doing the…
Seven Days of Music: July 16-22
Thu., July 16 (livestream) Billy Strings. 8 p.m. Live Nation. $10. fans.com Since the onset of social distancing and the cancelation of in-person concerts, Live Nation has been filling the music void with livestreams of both audience-free performances and previously-recorded shows from musicians around the world. Tonight, catch Billy Strings as he plays live from…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY: July 16-22, 2020
CANCER (June 21-July 22): As a Cancerian, you have a natural propensity to study and understand what author Margaret Atwood describes as “echoes and emptiness and shadow.” I believe this aspect of your repertoire will be especially active and available to you in the coming weeks. For best results, regard your attunement to these echoes…
Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz discusses his new memoir Remain in Love, David Byrne’s boorish behavior, and buying albums in Downtown Pittsburgh
If Chris Frantz decided to write a nasty, acerbic tell-all memoir, no one would blame him. In Remain in Love (St. Martin’s), the former Talking Heads drummer recounts more than a few incidents when the band’s lead singer, David Byrne, exhibited boorish behavior, including taking credits for lyrics that Frantz wrote and telling a film…
Mask Maker Spotlight: Topaz Thimble
Since the beginning of the pandemic, designers, artists, and sewing hobbyists have taken to their sewing machines to fill the demand of masks for the public to wear. Pittsburgh City Paper is taking a look behind the scenes and highlighting local mask makers. Name: Kati Grimes Business: Topaz Thimble Neighborhood: Downtown Pittsburgh Website: topazthimble.com @TopazThimble…
