UPDATE: Black transgender woman Elisha Stanley’s death ruled accidental by county
UPDATE: The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office has ruled the death of Elisha Chanel Stanley as an accidental drug overdose. According to the examiner’s report, which was completed Nov. 1 and resent to media today, the cause of death was “Combined Drug Poisoning of Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Ethanol Manner.” Stanley, a Black trans woman, was…
Chris Laufman (fka Wise Blood) surprise dropped his first new album in six years
Chris Laufman couldn’t wait. The Pittsburgh native and pop artist, who releases music under the moniker Wise Blood, was set to drop a new album early this fall via independent label Future Gods. Then on Sept. 20, three days before the “official” start of the new season, Laufman debuted Greatest Hits to the world under…
Win tickets to see Candlebox at the Roxian Theatre
Candlebox, grunge rock, rock, Roxian Theatre
Pittsburgh Grooveline: Dance parties at 3577 Studios, Spirit, and more (Oct. 3-9)
Each week, the Pittsburgh City Paper compiles a list of Pittsburgh dance parties for you and your crew to bust loose to the best bangers, EDM, pop hits, and more. (All events are 21 and over unless otherwise stated.) Sat., Oct. 5 MESH: Day Rave at 3577 Studios. 12-8 p.m. 3577 Bigelow Blvd., Polish Hill.…
31 Days of the Undead: One Cut of the Dead
In honor of Romero Lives!, the city’s month-long George A. Romero tribute, Pittsburgh City Paper presents 31 Days of the Undead, a series of reviews and essays about zombie media. Look for new posts going up every day from now through Oct. 31. One Cut of the Dead (2017) After being largely unavailable, One Cut of the…
The mummies speak for themselves at Carnegie Science Center’s new exhibit
The curators and producers behind Carnegie Science Center’s new exhibit, Mummies of the World, want to make it clear that, despite opening on October 5 and containing a lot of spooky imagery, this is not a Halloween show. And they’re mostly right: Mummification offers a unique (and somewhat unexpected) cross-section of disciplines, including the science…
Celebrate horror icon George Romero all throughout October with Romero Lives!
Adam Hart is not from Pittsburgh, but he credits one of the city’s notable filmmakers, George A. Romero, with influencing his interest in film, particularly the horror genre. “His movies were the first horror movies that I started thinking about seriously,” says Hart, a Washington state native who now serves as a visiting assistant professor…
Weekly Food Truck Schedule: Oct. 2-8
Are you tired of tracking down food trucks? Welcome to the Pittsburgh City Paper food truck roundup, where we do the hard work for you. Each week, we’re compiling a list of city trucks and their schedules. (For the most up-to-date schedule, visit each truck’s website.) AFRICAN Kilimanjaro Flavour @kilimanjaro_flavour Wednesday: Bellevue Farmers Market. 34…
Leah Lizarondo of 412 Food Rescue honored with sustainable development award and $20,000 grant
Last week, Leah Lizarondo, CEO of food waste prevention nonprofit 412 Food Rescue, was honored with the Vital Voices Sustainable Development award for the organization’s app, Food Rescue Hero. As part of the award, Lizarondo also attended the WE Empower UN SDG Challenge, a business competition “for social entrepreneurs who are advancing the UN Sustainable Development…
Concert Announcements: Brahctopus’ third holiday show, Ganja White Night, a solo performance from Hellogoodbye, and more
Stay up-to-date with your favorite artists and musicians coming to Pittsburgh. Each week, Pittsburgh City Paper will bring you the most recent concert announcements so you never miss a show. Jam Band Brahctopus (Feliz Navibrah). Sat., Dec. 28. Thunderbird Café & Music Hall, Lawrenceville. Electronic Ganja White Night. Sat., Nov. 16. Stage AE, North Side. Blues/Americana…
State Rep. Jason Ortitay holding fundraiser with controversial far-right pundit Matt Walsh
State Rep. Jason Ortitay (R-Cecil) has been attempting to position himself as a rarity in modern-day politics: a moderate Republican. He has been known to call out President Donald Trump for his petty or racist comments. In July, Ortitay denounced vandalism carried out by white nationalists near the office of state Rep. Sara Innamorato (D-Lawrenceville).…
Community advocate Amber Sloan speaks out about her harassment charges
This week, in the aftermath of protests against the owners of an Exxon gas station in Marshall-Shadeland, a community activist involved was charged with misdemeanor harassment relating to comments she made on social media. Amber Sloan is a well-known community advocate who has been involved in organizing efforts for Antwon Rose II and other racial…
Following outcry, Arnold’s Tea gets a second chance to stay in the North Side
Last week, a petition gathered more than 3,200 signatures in support of saving Arnold’s Tea, a beloved North Side café in danger of closing due to disputes between the owner, Claudy Pierre, and his landlords, the Historic Deutschtown Development Corporation (HDDC) and the Northside Leadership Conference (NSLC). Now, Pierre has another chance to ensure that…
Lynn Cullen Live – 10/1/19
Video Archive A lot has happened since the show on Thursday. Lynn feels more hopeful this week than she did last, and that is what she is talking to Susan about today. They are looking at all the happenings in the impeachment inquiry. They are also discussing the news that Trump pressed the Australian leader…
Pylon Pics: Steelers Slow to Start, Finish Strong
Pittsburgh wills its way to their first win, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 27-3 at Heinz Field.
Op-ed: The Supreme Court Should Affirm LGBTQ Protections for All
The progress made by LGBTQ Americans throughout the last decade has been remarkable. Winning marriage equality in all 50 states was one of the most important victories to allow LGBTQ people to live fulfilling and meaningful lives. Research suggests more Americans than ever before support full equality for LGBTQ people under the law. Sadly, our…
Jeff Nelson, co-founder of Dischord Records and drummer of Minor Threat, talks D.C. punk of the 1980s and new documentary Punk the Capital
Punk scenes are rarely welcomed into communities with open arms, but it’s fair to say that the culture of Washington, D.C., and the punk/hardcore scene of the late 1970s/early ‘80s had a particularly incompatible relationship. “People said, ‘You cannot do this here. This is a radical kind of music and it can’t happen in D.C.’…
National Aviary honored with exhibit design award for its Tropical Rainforest
The National Aviary is known for its diverse array of birds from climates all around the world, from penguins to condors. Now, it’s being recognized in particular for its Tropical Rainforest exhibit. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) announced on Mon., Sept 30 that the National Aviary was awarded the 2019 Exhibit Design Award…
Pittsburgh is one of the best regions to live car-free in the U.S.
Pittsburgh drivers constantly decry traffic from the Squirrel Hill Tunnel or commuting home on Route 28, but some new data shows that the region is actually a pretty good place to avoid traffic, and driving a car altogether, if Pittsburghers so choose. According to a recent City Lab article that measured each metro area in…
Pennsylvania has a limited growing season. Fifth Season wants to change that
If you want fresh local produce during the late fall and winter months in Pittsburgh, you’re most likely out of luck. Now, Fifth Season – formerly RoBotany, a robotics startup out of Carnegie Mellon University – has developed a way to possibly grow fruits and vegetables all year round in Southwestern Pennsylvania and beyond. The…
NEWS RELEASE: Bob Nutting scapegoats Clint Hurdle
“Pirates announce the Club and Clint Hurdle part ways” is what the Pirates official Twitter account posted to announce the termination of manager Clint Hurdle. But if Pirates’ social were written by Fletcher Reede, the main character of Jim Carey opus Liar Liar who is forced to tell only the truth for 24 hours, the…
PHOTOS: Scenes from this month’s Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District
Four times a year, dozens of galleries and cultural institutions in Downtown Pittsburgh open their doors to art lovers for a free Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District. According to organizer Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the quarterly event brings nearly 30,000 annual visitors. On Fri., Sept. 27, as temperatures reached a high of 81 degrees, photographer…
A march for peace, theater as a teaching tool, and more educational and social justice events this week in Pittsburgh
Is your radio always pre-set to talk radio? Always asking how you can make a difference in the world? Are you just hungry for some learning? Peruse our curated list of educational, volunteer, and social-justice events this week in Pittsburgh. An Evening with Dr. Yusef Salaam (Open to Pitt Oakland undergraduate students only) 8:30 p.m.…
Western Pa. GOP Congressmen blame “socialist” ideas for impeachment inquiry into Trump
Ever since a whistleblower complaint was released that accuses President Donald Trump of asking the Ukraine government to investigate Joe Biden, one of his political rivals, and the subsequent start of an impeachment inquiry into Trump, the responses from Republicans have been defensive and, at times, illogical. Shortly after the whistleblower complaint, several Republican U.S.…
Op-ed: Making Pittsburgh Livable for All
Last week, Pittsburgh’s Gender Equity Commission released “Pittsburgh’s Inequality Across Gender and Race,” a report highlighting disparities that women — particularly Black women — experience in our city. The findings are grim. For example, Pittsburgh’s Black maternal mortality rate is higher than 97 percent of other cities. Black women in Pittsburgh are also less likely…
The Vault says hello, Alida’s says goodbye, and other Pittsburgh food news from this week
No one could blame you if you have trouble keeping track of Pittsburgh’s robust and sometimes chaotic restaurant scene. With well-publicized openings and quiet closings and an abundance of food-related festivals and parties, it’s hard to stay on top of all the most noteworthy dining events in a given week. That’s why we’ve broken down…
Now Playing: Weekly Pittsburgh film roundup, Sept. 27-Oct. 3
Every Friday, Pittsburgh City Paper compiles a round-up of new releases and second-run films playing around the city. This only covers films that are new to theaters this week; check out what movies opened last week here. Harris Theater Miles Davis: Birth of Cool Directed by Stanley Nelson Jr. The documentary follows the life and…
Pardon applications for marijuana-related offenses now free, streamlined in Pa.
On Sept. 25, Gov. Tom Wolf (D-York) announced his support of legalizing recreational marijuana at a press conference. In addition to legalization, Wolf’s plan contains measures for criminal-justice reform including expunging the records for those convicted of nonviolent marijuana-related offenses. “There are people in prison right now who should be pardoned,” Wolf said in a…
Cultural Trust debuts new public art series with installation of spinning, psychedelic mini-gazebos
Trust Oasis, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s new pop-up art space Downtown, opens at tonight’s Gallery Crawl with its first installation: a series of large, self-contained, spinning throne-like seats built of colorful polyester ropes and metal. The installation is called Los Trompos (“spinning tops”), created and conceived by Héctor Esrawe & Ignacio Cadena, and made its first…
Duquesne University says gender-neutral fashion show can’t use gender-neutral promotional language
Last year, the Department of Women and Gender Studies (WGS) and the Gender Forum group at Duquesne University held its first-ever gender-neutral fashion show. The event was promoted with a flyer featuring a male-presenting model wearing a dress and knee-high boots; according to the Duquesne Duke, the student newspaper, a WGS professor said the 2018…
City Paper Live – 9/27/19
Video Archive City Paper Live welcomes City Paper Editorial Designer Abbie Adams and Photographer Jared Wickerham to talk about art, photography, and this week’s coloring issue. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
Mattress Factory installations explore our relationships with physical objects, and the memories they evoke
“I can’t donate my blood as a man who has sex with men, so I just use my blood in other ways.” As he puts the final touches on his installation exhibit “Taking good care of your things leads to taking good care of yourself” on the second floor of The Mattress Factory’s Monterey Annex,…
Rep. Conor Lamb now supports impeachment inquiry into Trump after reading whistleblower complaint
In an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Mt. Lebanon) announced he now “absolutely” supports House Democrats’ efforts to hold an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. Later on CNN, Lamb stated he supports the investigation run by U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) who is leading the impeachment committee. “I thought today…
Pittsburgh City Council, advocates want harsher charges for gas station assailants; DA Zappala refuses
After an altercation in the North Side where two gas station owners and an employee grabbed, threw, and punched two Black women, the three men were charged with simple assault by Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala. Simple assault is classified as a misdemeanor crime. For criminal-justice advocates and the majority of Pittsburgh City Council,…
Presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke talks prison and gun reform in Pittsburgh visit
Hundreds of Pittsburgh residents, university students, and professors gathered in Schenley Plaza on Wednesday afternoon to hear from Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke. Much of his speech focused on gun violence. His plan for reducing gun violence includes mandatory background checks, red flag laws, ending the sale of automatic firearms, and creating a mandatory buyback…
Chocolate, cheese, and coulis: Meet the pint-sized celebrity chefs coming to Pittsburgh
Malia Brauer is an average 12-year-old. She loves to dance, her favorite subject in school is science, and if she were a superhero, she’d have mermaid powers. But unlike other 12-year-olds, she also knows how to sear a filet mignon, make soba noodles by hand, and perfectly set panna cotta. Brauer is one of four…
Rep. Mike Doyle: We need action to close the food gap
September is Hunger Action Month. Last week, I volunteered with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank’s Produce to People (P2P) program, which brings fresh produce to families whose finances limit them to inexpensive, processed food options at the store. For many, access to fresh foods is just as big an issue as affordability — we…
Teen writing workshop at Creative Nonfiction offers a space to tackle the “tough stuff”
It’s no secret that being a teenager is difficult, or as the Creative Nonfiction Foundation describes it, a “volatile stage.” The literary organization, which hosts on-site and online writing workshops, in addition to its Creative Nonfiction and True Story publications, will host a free, eight-week workshop for teens. The aptly titled Writing the Tough Stuff…
Lynn Cullen Live – 9/26/19
Video Archive As the show is airing today the acting Director of National Intelligence, Joseph Maguire, hearing is going on. Lynn was able to catch the opening statements from Adam Schiff and Devin Nunes so that’s all she’s able to comment on at the moment. She is also talking about Trump’s press conference at the…
Facebook wants me to exercise in the most expensive and idiotic ways
Facebook is awful, and we all know it, but there’s always an excuse to go there: getting to the end of Twitter, creeping on an acquaintance’s photos, or just plain boredom. Recently, my feed has been pushing countless ads for exercise equipment. While I applaud their accurate determination that I practice a sedentary lifestyle, I…
Lynn Cullen Live – 9/25/19
Video Archive It’s a big day in American politics. Nancy Pelosi announced a formal impeachment inquiry of Trump. A rough transcript of Trump’s call with Ukraine has been released this morning. The whistleblower wants to testify before the House Intelligence Committee, according to Chairman Adam Schiff, but we’re still waiting to see if the whistleblower…
City Paper’s Coloring Issue: Pittsburgh Fun Facts illustrated by local artists
Pittsburgh has a lot to brag about: The polio vaccine was invented here, our city was the first to have a public television station, and we get to claim the first commercial radio station too. There’s a reason why we’re often called The City of Champions, as our football team is tied for first when…
Two new exhibits address the climate crisis: one with shocking immersion, the other with practical sustainability
If you were walking Downtown last Friday, you might have seen or heard protesters participating in the Climate Strike. The event was part of a global movement, led by high school students, protesting for immediate and urgent action against the climate crisis. As the direness of climate change becomes increasingly obvious, its effects seep into…
The Pittsburgh leather scene is more than just clothes and kink
For Mike Natale, growing up gay in the 1980s wasn’t easy, especially as part of a conservative Christian family in northern New Jersey. This was compounded, he says, by his interest in the leather scene, a subculture defined by kink, BDSM, and fetish wear. “It took me some time to come to terms with it…
Judy Garland biopic Judy struggles under the weight of its subject’s myth
There’s an eerie irony and occasional guilt in watching a movie about a woman whose life was marred by the fact that she worked in movies. In the biopic Judy, which chronicles Judy Garland’s struggling health and career in the last year of her life, there is no reprieve from the tragedy. At 46 years…
Three ex-delicious pastries members reemerge as Chariot Fade and head in new sonic direction
If it wasn’t for Davey Pierce of Yip Deceiver, ex-delicious pastries members Jonathan Chamberlain, Stephen Gallo, and Jesse Ley might have remained ex-delicious pastries members. Now, they make up the band Chariot Fade and will play their first live show on Oct. 2, when they open for Yip Deceiver at Spirit. “[Pierce] reached out a…
The Recovery of a Family: Understanding, accepting, and recovering from being married to a person with an addiction
“Did you go to Al-Anon Meetings?” my daughter, Maddie, 26, texts me out of the blue from her Philly apartment at 7 a.m. “Yes, why?” I ask. “Just wondering if you found it helpful.” “Yes — are you considering going?” “Considering it. But would it be weird, now that he’s dead?” The morning I began…
Cambodian Rock Band is as subversive, fun, funny, and powerful as the performances that drive it
There’s a moment early on in Lauren Yee’s play Cambodian Rock Band that left me subconsciously squirming. The scene takes place in 1975; the Vietnam War has ended, and a young rock band in Phnom Penh is discussing what life will be like once the American troops withdraw. The bassist, Chum (Greg Watanabe), is paranoid…
Free Will Astrology (9-26 — 10-1)
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “I just cut my bangs in a gas station bathroom,” confesses a Libran blogger who calls herself MagicLipstick. “An hour ago I shocked myself by making an impulse buy of a perfect cashmere trench coat from a stranger loitering in a parking lot,” testifies another Libran blogger who refers to himself…
CHiKN ignites Oakland’s fast casual scene with balanced and relentlessly spicy dishes
Nashville Hot Chicken is the focus of Oakland’s newest fast-casual eatery, CHiKN. The preparation style — one of Nashville’s most popular dishes and growing nationally — is a cruel one. The chicken, traditionally brined in spicy buttermilk, double-fried, and then layered with heat, will make you cry from both joy and spice. It’s crunchy, rich,…
The 412: Centipede Eest returns (without Josh)
In the mid-aughts, Centipede Eest was one of the most alluring and exciting bands in Pittsburgh. In early October 2008, Centipede Eest played two back-to-back release shows for its second full-length album, Confluence. The first bundled up outside in recording studio Machine Age’s parking lot and the second close by at Gooski’s. The outdoor show,…
Author of Sex in Recovery: A Meeting Between the Covers urges patience and mindfulness
Every September, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration sponsors Recovery Month in order “to increase awareness and celebrate successes of those in recovery.” One of the things that is often left out of conversations during this month, however, is the particular challenges related to sex that often accompany recovery. In order to bring…
Artist Amani Lewis describes their ‘chilling, raggedy, ashy, warehouse’ style
Amani Lewis, artist Tell me what you’re wearing today and why. Today I am wearing a beige H&M shirt with shorts that can be pants, you zip the legs on to make it a chino jogger. Since it is hot, I took them off. I found these boots in my closet yesterday, which I have not worn in so many…
Meet Duane Binion of True T Pgh
Name: Duane Binion (Naheen), South Side Work: Co-Executive Director, True T Pgh, alongside John Easter (Dez’manian) What does True T Pgh do? Celebrates queer people of color through creative arts, entertainment, activism, and community resourcing. We focus on underground ballroom, a community created as a safe space for LGBTQIA+ people back in the day. What…
Jewell Parker Rhodes considers herself ‘the luckiest person alive’ to have found her calling in writing
Award-winning writer Jewell Parker Rhodes grew up in the Manchester area of Pittsburgh. When she was very young, her grandmother took her Downtown for the first time. Living in a predominately African-American neighborhood didn’t prepare her for what she discovered in the city. Until that first trip across the Allegheny River, Rhodes, born in 1954, had…
Spirits + coffee + pumpkin spice = nice
In the 16 years since Starbucks debuted the pumpkin spice latte, brands in seemingly every corner of the food industry (and beyond) have been trying to imitate its success with pumpkin-spiced inventions of their own. Local rum distillery Maggie’s Farm Rum is not exempt from the pumpkin fever, with its pumpkin spiced coffee liqueur debuting…
