PHOTOS: F.J.E. Wednesdays protest marches peacefully through Downtown Pittsburgh
A fairly new weekly protest made its way through Downtown Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, beginning at the City County Building before looping around the city and stopping in Market Square where diners heard their messages. F.J.E. Wednesdays — an acronym for “freedom, justice, and equality” — is a collaboration between TransYOUniting and Pgh LGBTQ Coalition…
Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures’ Ten Evenings series opens with best-selling author Susan Choi
In November 2019, Susan Choi’s Trust Exercise (Holt) earned a National Book Award for best novel. A bestseller, it became one of the most discussed books of the year. For Choi, the fanfare and acclaim still doesn’t quite seem real. “It definitely hasn’t sunk in at all,” Choi says. “I don’t know if it ever…
Rivers of Steel gives special consideration to BIPOC applicants for latest mini-grant program
Rivers of Steel is continuing its mission of preserving industrial and cultural sites throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania with its latest mini-grant program. And this year, special consideration will be given to applicants that are Black- or minority-led organizations, or organizations that primarily serve BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) audiences and communities, according to a press…
Song Spotlight: “McQueen Dreams” by Blunts & Blondes, DJ Afterthought, and Wiz Khalifa
What a surprise it was to start Labor Day weekend with a new tune from Tampa-based DJ Blunts & Blondes and Pittsburgh’s DJ Afterthought and Wiz Khalifa. The song, dubbed “McQueen Dreams,” dropped Fri., Sept. 4. And for me, an EDM lover who’s tapped into the Pittsburgh music scene, it was like a colliding of worlds.…
Strassburger, advocates call for bike-infrastructure improvements to Ellsworth Avenue following cyclist hit by driver
Two years after some residents voiced opposition to a bike-infrastructure proposal to Ellsworth Avenue in Shadyside, and the proposal was eventually dropped, a cyclist was seriously injured at the corner of Ellsworth and Morewood avenues when a driver hit her on her bicycle. The crash occurred on Sept. 2, and it led to the cyclist being…
As clock ticks down, problems plague Pennsylvania rental assistance program
The Keystone State has a big job for the month of September: allocating more than $140 million in federal funds that lawmakers have set aside to help Pennsylvanians pay rent and mortgage. There’s no shortage of demand for the money in Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 housing assistance program, which was intended to keep rent and mortgage payments…
Free election webinars aim to ensure hard-to-reach Pa. communities vote
As the 2020 election draws nearer, many organizations in Pennsylvania who normally do voter outreach in person may find themselves in a challenging position from constraints due to the coronavirus pandemic. This week, Allegheny County Councilor Olivia Bennett (D-North Side) begins co-hosting a weekly non-partisan webinar series featuring a team of training experts aimed to…
Quantum Theatre to support local businesses with launch of NearBuy program
Two industries majorly impacted by the pandemic will join forces for NearBuy, a partnership supporting local businesses and theater. Today, Pittsburgh immersive theater company Quantum Theatre announced the launch of its NearBuy program as part of its 2020-2021 season. Starting this month, Quantum will begin encouraging theater patrons to eat and shop at participating NearBuy partners…
Pittsburgh Police officer arrests man and threatens him with taser at Squirrel Hill farmers’ market
On Sun. Sept. 6, a Pittsburgh Police officer cuffed, arrested, and threatened to use a taser on a patron at the Squirrel Hill farmers’ market. According to videos and a first-hand account of the incident, the patron asked the officer why he was wearing a mask designed with the Thin Blue Line, the symbol of…
Track Review: “Garden” by Lyn Starr
Clocking in under two minutes, Lyn Starr’s newest single, “Garden,” is a tranquil, bite-sized treat. The track, which dropped Tue., Sept. 8, features Starr’s R&B vocals for the first time since he began releasing music in 2013. While he’s a classically trained vocalist, Starr has preferred to showcase his lyrical flow and rapping abilities. In “Garden,”…
Gov. Wolf announces restaurants can open at 50% capacity, but must complete self-certification program
Today, Gov. Tom Wolf (D-York) announced that restaurants across Pennsylvania can increase their indoor dining to 50% capacity beginning on Sept. 21. To ensure that restaurants are complying with COVID-19 safety protocols, establishments must complete an online self-certification process, which will make public information about their building’s capacity and include a signed statement from owners.…
Lynn Cullen Live – 9/8/20
Video Archive Lynn and Susan are covering as much as they can from the past four days. Top stories they are talking about include Trump’s disparaging remarks about veterans who died in battle, and his taking of art from the ambassador’s home in Paris, Wendy Bell being removed from the air, and the Covid-19 outbreak…
Details for third annual Highmark Blues & Heritage Festival announced
The August Wilson African American Cultural Center (AWACC) revealed the details for its annual Highmark Blues & Heritage Festival this morning, which will take place virtually on Sat., Oct. 3 from 12-6 p.m. Curated by the AWACC, the lineup features Rhiannon Giddens, Toshi Reagon, Rev. Shawn Amos, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, go-go band Rare Essence, New…
Joe Biden during Pa. campaign stop: “I’m going to be the strongest labor president we’ve ever had”
America’s labor unions — not Wall Street — helped build America’s middle class and will again, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said Monday as he delivered a Labor Day speech in a must-win state to a critical audience: union workers. “I’m going to be the strongest labor president we’ve ever had,” Biden said during a…
Frack Check: Trump inflates Pennsylvania fracking job figures by 3500 percent
Yesterday, President Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Latrobe, Pa., just an hour east of Pittsburgh. There, he lobbed many insults and made many false claims, but arguably none more egregious than one about jobs in Pennsylvania’s natural-gas, aka fracking, industry. According to WESA editor Chris Potter, Trump claimed during his speech that there…
Trevor Paglen: Opposing Geometries exhibition at Carnegie Museum of Art reveals the technological horrors behind beautiful images
You can’t avoid artist Trevor Paglen’s work at the Carnegie Museum of Art. His CLOUD #902 Scale Invariant Feature Transform; Watershed is right there, wallpapered across the museum’s Scaife Lobby. What looks like a serene, innocuous scene of clouds, however, hides a commentary on advancing technology’s impact on humanity and the environment. A closer look…
Beauty atop the blight
Parking garages have always been a point of contention when it comes to their builds in any neighborhood, including in Downtown Pittsburgh. They may be a necessary evil within the city limits, but they’re largely being underutilized during this pandemic with so many still working from home. Although our city has so many great photogenic…
Tereneh Idia’s column awarded top honors for second consecutive year at Western Pa. Golden Quill Awards
Pittsburgh City Paper received two Golden Quill awards from the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania’s 2020 annual awards ceremony Thursday evening, including the winner of Excellence in Written Journalism, Daily for Columns/Blogs for contributing writer Tereneh Idia’s column “Voices.” “These columns focus on the issues of justice for people who don’t have the same level…
EP Review: Insane Today by Cynimatics
[image-1] Cynimatics’ most recent release, Insane Today blends the ska and pop-punk genres to create a hardcore, feel-good success. The EP, which dropped July 24, is the first completely self-recorded and self-produced project for the Pittsburgh band since 2015. The songs have been in the works for a while but have aged for the better.…
KDKA Radio host Wendy Bell taken off the air indefinitely
Controversial radio host Wendy Bell has been taken off the air at KDKA Radio, “until further notice,” according to a statement from the station. The change comes after a clip went viral this week of Bell advocating on air for park rangers to shoot protesters, comments she made during a June 26 episode of her…
Preserving Underground celebrates reopening at new location
New Kensington record store Preserving Underground is kicking off Labor Day Weekend with the grand reopening of its new shop location, right across the street from its old one. Preserving Underground is now located at 1101 5th Ave in New Kensington. The location was previously used as a worship and service center for the Salvation…
BreadWorks Bakery pulls ads from Wendy Bell’s radio show following backlash over her comments about shooting protesters
[image-1] This week, KDKA Radio host Wendy Bell has been embroiled in controversy again. Thanks to a viral tweet, comments she made on air in June about people protesting and wanting monuments were spread widely. “My easy solution for the park rangers, and hopefully snipers who are hopefully going to be watching for this, is…
Small businesses say Delta Foundation should repay vendor fees from canceled Pittsburgh Pride
UPDATE: Fri., Sept. 4, 3:02 p.m. Today, the Pittsburgh City Paper received an email response from “the Executive Committee of the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh.” The statement reads similarly to a Sept. 2 email sent to Pittsburgh Pride vendors (see original story below) except for a part that reads, “Over the years, the Foundation has…
In renewed call for legalizing recreational marijuana, Lt. Gov. Fetterman calls it a “turnkey solution” for Pa.
At a press conference on Thursday, Gov. Tom Wolf, along with Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, renewed calls for the General Assembly to legalize recreational marijuana, emphasizing the economic relief it would provide Pennsylvania amid the fallout of the pandemic. In a press release last week, Wolf listed several possible routes of economic relief for the…
Pennsylvania brewers collaborate on new beer to bring business back to small breweries
Pandemic-imposed restrictions on the beer industry have been difficult for everyone, but especially for small brewers. Without the ability to can, these breweries are relying on growler and crowler sales to keep them afloat. Not an easy feat. Now, Pennsylvania brewers, including many in the Pittsburgh area, are coming together to help bring income to…
Mediterra Café expands, Richard DeShantz’s new Southern-inspired eatery, and more Pittsburgh food news
Openings Pho SAIGON Cafe The Vietnamese eatery is set to open on Tue., Sept. 8 in Bethel Park. Pho SAIGON’s menu (found on Facebook) promises a mix of Vietnamese staples, like bahn mi and pho, along with a mix of fruit and milk teas. 2822 South Park Road, Bethel Park Poulet Bleu, Pork & Beans,…
Track review: Lani Kani’s “Outside”
Fall may be fast approaching, but Lani Kani’s lastest single “Outside” is an anchor to warm summer days. The alt-pop artist utilizes familiar summer-pop hooks, bursts of energetic vocals, and contrasting contemplative verses to create a lively and feel-good “listen with the windows down” tune. “She said she only wanna be outside right now / wanna…
Lynn Cullen Live – 9/3/20
Video Archive Attorney General Barr’s interview with Wolf Blitzer is Lynn’s first topic of discussion. She is also discussing the Transition Integrity Project. A piece by Rosa Brooks in the Washington Post today looks at what they came up with as a possible worst case scenario. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5…
Allegheny County advocates and elected officials call for ballot drop-off boxes and other election fixes
This year’s general election is expected to be a barn buster, in terms of turnout. Turnout in Allegheny County was extremely high in this year’s primary, and it’s expected that turnout will increase in the general election. And with the coronavirus pandemic still in full force, a group of advocates and elected officials are calling…
Lynn Cullen Live – 9/2/20
Video Archive The CDC has ordered a national moratorium on evictions through the end of the year. Lynn didn’t even know that was something the CDC could do. In addition to this move she is also talking about the possibility of police licensing, Trump’s Kenosha round-table, and his strange interview with Laura Ingraham. Audio Only…
Takeout Review: Lamb stew from Brothmonger
When I first met Sarah McAlee earlier this year, her small-batch soup project Brothmonger had around 1,000 Instagram followers. In the past seven months, Brothmonger has boomed — even in summer, which is not the typical soup season — garnering almost 3,000 followers. Now, McAlee’s quarts of homemade broths, chowders, and bisques are even harder…
A look at Pittsburgh museums and galleries as they welcome back limited crowds during the pandemic
My first visit to the Carnegie Museum of Art in months is relatively quiet. It’s a Wednesday afternoon, and I’m the only person in the An-My Lê: On Contested Terrain exhibit. I had been looking forward to the show and planned on seeing it when it first opened in March, before the pandemic changed everything.…
Deesha Philyaw’s new story collection is a window into the rich, varied lives of Black women
The title of Deesha Philyaw’s debut short-story collection is a bit misleading. The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (West Virginia University Press) may spark a visceral image of Black women who lead quiet or unseen lives. But Philyaw insists that, in her community, these stories are prominent, and the relative anonymity of the title characters…
Book Review: Deesha Philyaw’s The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
What comes to mind when you think of a standard church lady? An innocent, naive woman with eyes closed and hands raised in prayer? A modest woman with a conservative dress, who makes sure not a hair is out of place, never speaks out of line, and does all the right Godly things? In The…
Seven Days of Arts+Entertainment: Sept. 3-9
Thu., Sept. 3 Outdoor Market Visit your favorite shops and restaurants at the Squirrel Hill Outdoor Popup series, which includes vendors from the neighborhood like Waffallonia, Mineo’s Pizza House, Amazing Books and Records, and more. 4-8 p.m. Forbes and Murray avenues, Squirrel Hill. uncoversquirrelhill.com Fri., Sept. 4 Women and Whiskey Learn more about the history…
Seven Days of Music: Sept. 3-9
Thu., Sept. 3 (Music to stream) WYEP’s 2020 Singer-Songwriter Competition. 2-3:30 p.m. wyep.org/singersongwriter2020 Join 91.3FM WYEP as local musicians compete to win the public radio station’s 2020 Singer-Songwriter Competition. This year brings a virtual version of WYEP’s annual search for the region’s most talented singers, narrowed down to 60 finalists and streamed online in four…
At Home With: Beth Corning, director of Corningworks
Everybody is dealing with COVID-19 quarantines and restrictions in different ways, so Pittsburgh City Paper is reaching out to artists, activists, workers, and makers to see how they’re doing. Today, it’s Beth Corning, dancer, choreographer, and director of Corningworks. What has your day-to-day routine been like in quarantine? I think my only answer is floating.…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY: Sept. 3-9
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “Like any art, the creation of self is both natural and seemingly impossible,” says singer-songwriter Holly Near. “It requires training as well as magic.” How are you doing on that score, Virgo? Now is a favorable time to intensify your long-term art project of creating the healthiest, smartest version of yourself.…
