Pittsburgh author makes NPR’s 2021 Books We Love list
Pittsburgh authors have been taking the literary world by storm over the past two years, from Deesha Philyaw’s hit The Secret Lives of Church Ladies to Brian Broome winning the Kirkus Prize. But the year is not over yet, which means that others can still make waves. Now, NPR has recognized another local writer. Certain…
On the Tahn: Dance parties and live music at Roxian, Cobra, and more (November 24-28)
Wed., Nov. 24 STRANGEWAYS Belvedere’s Ultra-Dive 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Friendsgiving, but for a cause. Bring non-perishable and canned goods to Belvedere’s for STRANGEWAYS and the first 100 guests will get their first drink free, courtesy of Belvedere’s and Crown Royal. This dance party is also serving as a food drive for the Greater Pittsburgh Community…
Hunt Armory ice rink in Shadyside will open to public this week
Created in 1916, the Hunt Armory in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood served mainly as a training and shortage center during its long history, and it was once the site for speeches by former U.S. Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower. But what was originally a storehouse for weapons and ammunition is now becoming an ice rink…
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra nominated for two Grammy Awards
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra received some welcome news when the organization was nominated for two Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy announced on Tue., Nov. 23, via a livestream from Los Angeles, that PSO’s recording of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 was nominated for Best Orchestral Performance and Best Engineered Album, Classical. Included in the nominations were…
Pittsburgh pastry chefs to showcase skills on Food Network gingerbread competition show
Few pursuits in the baking world are as intimidating as the construction of a gingerbread house. At least, this is how Pittsburgh pastry chef and cakemaker Marla Mae Harvey feels. Even so, when her friend and fellow pastry chef Daniel Wilson asked her to appear on the Food Network show Holiday Baking Championship: Gingerbread Showdown,…
Pittsburghers mourn traffic fatalities during a spike locally and nationally
On Nov. 21, advocates and Pittsburgh neighbors held a memorial in Oakland to honor lives lost to traffic deaths. The memorial coincided with the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, an international event to commemorate the lives of people killed in traffic crashes. This day of remembrance came after news of events last…
Seasonal ciders, a new brunch pop-up, and more Pittsburgh food news
Brassero Grill 532 Braddock Ave., Braddock. brasserogrill.jimdo.com On Sun., Nov. 28, Brassero Grill will be hosting a Sunday Brunch Pop-up and Record Sale. It’s set to be the perfect afternoon for eating and buying vinyl, so show up from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Coven Brewing 4901 Butler St., Lawrenceville. instagram.com/coven.brewing Word on the street is that…
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/23/21
Video Archive Lynn and Susan are discussing car problems Lynn had while going to the grocery store. Hilarity ensued of course. This and more today on Lynn Cullen Live. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
5 Questions with Mini Trees
Mini Trees, the solo project from Los Angeles-based musician Lexi Vega, makes indie pop and alternative music that often confronts heavy topics with haunting melodies and vocals. As a listener, you’ll easily be swept up in the storytelling of the lyrics and Vega’s evocative voice. Mini Trees will appear for a headlining show on Wed., Dec. 1 at…
Port Authority announces housing and walkability plans for South Hills Junction station
Pittsburgh doesn’t have many underground subway stations, but the city has plenty of above ground transit stations for its light-rail and busway lines. And with some of the bigger stations, the Port Authority of Allegheny County hopes to implement Transit-Oriented Development, aka TOD, which encourages dense housing and amenities within walking distance of high-quality public…
PHOTOS: Punks Invade Roxian Theatre for ANTIfest
After a long postponement due to the pandemic, ANTIfest — the popular music festival featuring Swiss Army, Doll Skin, Bad Cop/Bad Cop, Punchline, Suicide Machines, and headlined by Anti-Flag — finally went off on Sat., Nov. 20 at the Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks. For this photographer, and I assume many in attendance, I had…
Puttshack to bring “upscale” mini-golf experience to Pittsburgh
Fans of mini-golf will soon be able to enjoy the pastime all year round in Pittsburgh, all thanks to a new tenant in The Terminal building in the Strip District. Puttshack, a company that claims to deliver the first and only upscale, tech-infused mini-golf experience, announced that it signed a lease to move into The…
Pa. Republican Senate candidate Sean Parnell suspends campaign
Republican Senate candidate and Pittsburgh-area resident Sean Parnell has suspended his campaign. The news comes right after a ruling from a Butler County judge was published that ruled against Parnell in a custody case, granting Laurie Snell, Parnell’s estranged wife, sole legal and primary physical custody of their three children. It had been rumored that…
Activist Zarah Livingston to run against Pittsburgh-area Dem lawmaker Tony DeLuca
A Pittsburgh-area criminal justice advocate says she’s mounting an independent run against a longtime Democratic state representative, citing in part a recent vote against community bail funds. Zarah Livingston, 27, of Penn Hills, told the Capital-Star on Monday that she plans to challenge state Rep. Anthony DeLuca (D-Penn Hills) for a seat in Pittsburgh’s eastern…
5 Questions with CHVRCHES
Scottish synth-pop band, CHVRCHES, released their latest album Screen Violence in August. The work stands out for a number of reasons, including for a guest spot by Robert Smith of The Cure, and for being what Pitchfork describes as “full of nightmare imagery, alluding to sleep paralysis, drowning, gutting, and the ‘final girl,'” the latter…
Pittsburgh City Council introduces single-use plastic bag ban
On Nov. 22, Pittsburgh City Councilor Erika Strassburger (D-Shadyside) introduced a bill that would regulate the sale of single-use plastic bags within the Pittsburgh city limits. If passed, the bill would ban the use of single-use plastic bags, and businesses will be able to provide consumers with a recycled paper bag for a fee of…
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/22/21
Video Archive “When I see these men, mostly, these Rittenhouse types, I see Brown Shirts in late ‘20s early ‘30s Germany. I see the thugs, through intimidation and action, starting to terrorize parts of the populace, while making other parts of the populace feel safer. Doing the job that police are supposed to do. This…
Now Hiring: LGBTQ+ Coordinator, Drivers, Baristas, and more job openings this week in Pittsburgh
We searched the web to find some of Pittsburgh’s best job openings this week. If your company is hiring, send your listing for consideration to jobs@pghcitypaper.com. Nonprofit Big Siblings LGBTQ+ Coordinator. East Liberty nonprofit Big Brothers and Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh is currently hiring a Big Siblings LGBTQ+ Coordinator, starting at $35,000-38,000 a year. The…
Nebby post alert: Are community flyers in Pittsburgh legit or parody?
Despite the proliferation of social media, there are still plenty of old-fashioned ways to communicate with the community. One that is tried and true is posting community flyers. They help to find lost pets, connect neighbors to services, or help you find someone to teach you to play a musical instrument. But, according to some…
Pa. lawmakers ready bipartisan home-grow bill for medical marijuana users
Two Pennsylvania lawmakers who already were leading the push for legalized recreational marijuana are expanding that crusade with a long-sought bill that would allow medical marijuana users to grow their own cannabis at home. In a Thursday memo seeking co-sponsors for their proposal, Sens. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) and Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) will address disparities in…
Buffalo Rose to showcase talents at major Folk Alliance International Conference
Pittsburgh folk musicians Buffalo Rose received some exciting news that could bring big opportunities for the band. Buffalo Rose has been chosen for an Official Showcase at the 2022 Folk Alliance International Conference, taking place February 2022 in Kansas City. This opportunity is expected to bring Buffalo Rose a completely new status, according to the band’s…
Pittsburgh NAACP criticizes “lack of transparency” in investigation of Jim Rogers’ death
On Oct. 14, Jim Rogers died inside a local Pittsburgh hospital while still under police detainment from a medical emergency. A day earlier, Rogers was tased by Pittsburgh police after the police responded to a 911 call and reports that Rogers had stolen a bike in Bloomfield. According to WPXI, the arrest occurred around 10:30…
Arcade Comedy Theater lampoons white allyship with The Thanksgiving Play
The last five years have really put liberals through their paces. Time and time again they are challenged to reach across the aisle, show their less-tolerant loved ones the error of their ways, and push themselves to become better informed about the hardships experienced by marginalized groups. This, while noble, can lead to the holidays…
House Dems pass $1.85T domestic policy bill; Pa. lawmakers split on party lines
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Democrats united around a landmark $1.85 trillion social spending and climate bill on Nov. 19, sending the major plank of President Joe Biden’s economic agenda to the Senate. Democratic leaders in the House heralded the 220-213 near party-line vote on the administration’s Build Back Better bill, touting its provisions on child…
UPMC workers go on one-day strike demanding better wages and right to unionize
Workers at Pittsburgh’s health care giant, UPMC, have been fighting for higher wages, lower health insurance rates, and the right to unionization for years. And this resolve appeared to only get stronger during the pandemic, as health care workers became over taxed as the weight of the country fell on their shoulders. On Nov. 2,…
“Rent to Own” companies ordered to deed 285 homes to consumers in Pennsylvania
In a recent Allegheny County Common Pleas Court ruling, several companies specializing in “Rent to Own” real estate schemes were ordered to deed 285 homes in Pennsylvania to customers who either currently live at the proprietors or who most recently occupied them. About three dozen of the homes are located in Allegheny County, which is out…
On the Tahn: Dance parties and live music at Club Cafe, Kelly Strayhorn Theater, and more (Nov. 18-21)
Thu., Nov. 18 Cobwebs Belvedere’s Ultra-Dive 9 p.m. The goths come out at night for Cobwebs, a night of deliciously haunting dance music by DJs Crash Zero and Satyrion. 4016 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $5. belvederesultradive.com Fri., Nov. 19 \\TECHNiQUE// Belvedere’s Ultra-Dive 9 p.m. Get your fill of 1980s post-punk, New Wave, rock, and pop, all…
Wolf says he opposes Pa. House bill tightening rules on community bail funds
Gov. Tom Wolf’s office says it opposes a controversial bill that passed the Pennsylvania House this week that would regulate nonprofit bail funds as for-profit bail bondsmen. In an email Wednesday evening, Wolf spokesperson Elizabeth Rementer said that the bill would create barriers to the nonprofit groups, which collect community donations to pay to free…
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/18/21
Video Archive “‘To not see that white people, rich people, have an entirely different reception in court than do black people, and poor people, and brown people, and people that the powers of court don’t see as part of their tribe.’ Lynn is discussing the trials of Kyle Rittenhouse and the men who shot Ahmaud…
Soulshowmike’s Album Picks: Contenders for the best of 2021
Approaching 2021’s end, I’m in the throes of Top 10 album selections for The Soul Show on WYEP. The winners will be featured on Jan. 1, and you’ll see the full list in my Pittsburgh City Paper column next month. In this month’s Album Picks, I list some (not all) of my albums in contention…
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/17/21
Video Archive “Lynn is discussing the Pittsburgh Penguins possible sale and a Texas woman who recently moved to Pittsburgh’s question on Next Door App about needs for surviving a Pittsburgh winter. Plus Lynn discusses Polish forces at the border with Belarus used water cannons and tear gas against migrants trying to cross the border.” Audio…
Pittsburgh mental health advocate works to improve conditions for herself and community
When people ask “What do you do?,” it’s been difficult for Delaine Swearman to answer. That’s because the question’s subtext is usually about employment. These days, she might say, “I do archery, I’m a dragon boat paddler, I’m a cat mom, I’m an aunt.” She’s certainly busy working. She’s an admired public speaker and a…
Wicked Skatewear opens full-service shop for Pittsburgh roller skating community
Since opening at the end of October, Wicked Skatewear has been settling in as part of the Bloomfield neighborhood, offering Pittsburgh roller skating enthusiasts a new place to find quad skates and accessories. Still, owner Suzy Dancisin says there has been some confusion over the exact scene to which they cater. “Radio Skateshop is right…
Seven Days in Pittsburgh: Nov. 18-24
Thu., Nov. 18 KIDS • VIRTUAL Have your kids ever wondered why the leaves change colors in the fall? Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has the answers. The nonprofit will present a reading of Why do Leaves Change Color? by Betsey Maestro during its Virtual Nature Story event. Make sure you have some colorful leaves, crayons, paper,…
Future of Pittsburgh Pride remains uncertain as questions surround Delta Foundation’s dissolution
Last August, the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh voted to dissolve, citing financial difficulties and problems staying afloat after the cancellation of its Pittsburgh Pride parade and festival due to the pandemic. It was the end of a fairly long and controversial tenure for the LGBTQ nonprofit organization, which was mostly known for organizing the city’s…
Nature lover Nyjah Cephas on overalls, homemade earrings, and channeling Ms. Frizzle
Name: Nyjah Cephas Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Title: Naturalist Educator with Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Job/Work: Outdoor Education at Frick Environmental Center Website: instagram.com/nyjacado How would you define your style? I guess I’d describe it as a farm mom core with lots of patterns. I totally say that as a joke, but I also think it’s kind of…
Chrome Cable releases new “out of this world” album, Utopia
For Cole McCloskey, who performs under the name Chrome Cable, music has always been a huge part of his life. Learning to play guitar from his father at a young age set him on a path toward where he is today, having just released his debut album UTOPIA. And it’s truly been a family affair.…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY: Nov. 18-24
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Some people become so expert at reading between the lines they don’t read the lines,” wrote author Margaret Millar. That’s not a common problem for you Scorpios. You are an expert at reading between the lines, but that doesn’t cause you to miss the simple facts. Better than any other sign…
