Hello, and welcome back to Stay Weird, Pittsburgh – a column providing you with Pittsburgh’s greatest hits of the week. I’m your host Hannah, and today we’ve got a doozy, starting off with:

not having a hot girl summer instead i am having a highland park pool summer pic.twitter.com/NsmALu6dtV

— blake deadly (@arbybeast) August 8, 2022

Here at Pittsburgh City Paper, we mourn the loss of the 2022 Highland Park pool. As A&E editor Amanda Waltz said on seeing this: “What have they done to my boy!? My beautiful boy!” Our beautiful, scenic staycation destination, a pool truly for the girls and gays. Summer won’t be the same without you. (RIP 2022 Highland Park Pool, 2022-2022)

On the other hand, there is something very real about this image as we head toward the end of August. We begin summer with so much hope — like the Highland Park Pool when it first opened for the season, clear and perfectly blue and filled with chemicals — but, by the end of it, we too are closed down for the rest of the year and filled with mud. Makes you think!

A Westmoreland County fisherman made a big catch when his fish finder discovered a full sized pick up at the bottom of Bridgeport Dam reservoir. First responders recovered the vehicle finding only a large catfish inside. Park police are trying to locate the trucks owner. pic.twitter.com/w38jP9ybG6

— Ross Guidotti (@RossGuidotti) August 11, 2022

Is this technically in Pittsburgh? No. But is it spiritually in Pittsburgh? I’d argue yes, if only for the fact that the only “person of interest” with regards to the truck is a large catfish who was simply trying to nest in his new apartment. We hope they put the truck back in the reservoir and let nature take its course.

We will never sell to Bob Nutting.

— Maggie's Farm Rum (@MaggiesFarmRum) August 11, 2022

With the recent news that someone has been Nutting (Bob Nutting, that is) in Pittsburgh’s whiskey and cider, it’s nice to know our rum will stay Nut-free. Another note on this: if I was a very rich man with a controversial track record (to say the least) and my last name happened to be “Nutting,” I feel like I would probably go ahead and get it changed. Or, you know, maybe go by something else. I hear “Bob No-Nutting” is available. But, hey … to each their own.

This is too heavy for a garbage can in front of Spak pic.twitter.com/nhUB9LgIlN

— alaina (@pghisbeautiful) August 12, 2022

This one genuinely scared me a little! Whether or not you believe former Mayor Bill Peduto is our lord and savior Jesus Christ, why would you put this eerie message in front of Spak? Spak??? Let us eat our pickle pizzas in peace, man.

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Seen anything weird you think is deserving of inclusion in this very serious column that will no doubt land its author the Pulitzer someday? Send it to hkobre@pghcitypaper.com!

Pittsburgh City Paper is pleased to announce that Lucy Chen has been promoted to Art Director. Since being hired as an Editorial Designer at City Paper in 2021, Chen has helmed the paper's editorial design, including illustrating covers, designing the weekly editorial print pages, creating promotional images, and more.

"Lucy has been a gift to our entire company," says CP Editor in Chief Lisa Cunningham, who had a 10-year tenure as art director before being promoted to an editor's role. "I'm lucky to be able to work with someone so incredibly talented and imaginative, and I can't wait to see what she does next."

Recent City Paper projects Chen has led include designing the annual City Guide magazine, creating the logo for the company's new daily newsletter City Pigeon, and leading the space-themed design for the annual Best of Pittsburgh readers' poll. Later this year, City Paper also plans to unveil a print redesign, which Chen will be spearheading.

Chen is a 2021 graduate of the Sam Fox School for Design & Visual Arts, and a teacher at the Yanlai Dance Academy. To celebrate her promotion, City Paper asked Chen to share some of her favorite work so far, which follows in her own words:

It’s been one year since I started working at City Paper. Here are my five favorite illustrated covers of the past year.

1. Fall Guide
This cover took me the longest. When possible, I always like to design an illustration around a golden ratio. I find that it makes the composition much more interesting.

2. People of the Year
Hand lettering is one of my passions! I was so excited to draw so many letters for this cover. Nothing excites me more than a looptail "g."

3. Election Guide
Making this cover was a bit outside my comfort zone since it was all made using vectors instead of hand illustrations. I think my favorite sticker to make was the “I Voted in My PJS!”

4. Pride Issue
I used historical paintings as references for the figures for this issue. Can you guess which painting is the main girl holding the flag? (Answer at bottom of the page.)

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5. Spring Guide
I ran out into the middle of the street to get a reference photo for this guide. It’s based on the Kauffman’s building Downtown and maybe shows my excitement for the Target that just went in.

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Follow Lucy Chen on Instagram at instagram.com/lucyjchen

* Answer: Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix

Hello, and welcome back to Stay Weird, Pittsburgh – a column dedicated to all the strange things that make this city the bizarre place we know and love.

As your host, let me guide you through all the strange behavior that's been documented online over the past week:

This jar of peanut butter, packed in a checked bag at @PITairport, triggered an alarm. When a @TSA officer investigated why it alarmed, three vape canisters with marijuana that were wrapped in plastic bags were pulled from the jar. TSA isn't searching for drugs, but . . . 1/2 pic.twitter.com/6XgFWhZCJG

— Lisa Farbstein, TSA Spokesperson (@TSA_Northeast) August 4, 2022

Despite the clear idiocy (ingenuity?) of this plan, I must salute our fallen soldier with a mention in this column because of the sheer commitment this required. I mean, can you imagine trying to excavate a little vape cartridge from a jar of peanut butter aka the stickiest and densest substance known to man? That's some serious Indiana Jones shit.

No one:

Everyone in Squirrel Hill stopping what they’re doing to watch the fern hollow bridge beams get delivered: pic.twitter.com/MLRGd81mvK

— Annie (@AnnieOnTV) August 2, 2022

What’s long, hard, and causing issues with traffic in Squirrel Hill? That’s right: it’s the beams for the Fern Hollow Bridge, take two. This time, hopefully without major structural issues that remain unaddressed for years on end, resulting in an ill-timed national news story on the same day the president comes to the city to give a speech on infrastructure!

But hey, I don’t want to get our hopes up.

lol i called central outreach about the monkeypox vax and the provider i reached was like "you should get it if you're having a hot girl summer"

— larī (@mothrmushroom) August 2, 2022

On one hand, as a social media manager, I have to respect someone who is  this open in their place of work. On the other hand, this recalls the meme format “if your lawyer looks like this (oversized blazer, prominent finger rings, JNCO jeans, etc.) you’re going to jail.” If your doctor is asking if you’re having a hot girl summer, I’m sorry, chief, but you’re getting monkeypox!

(Unrelated: I would love it if they rebranded monkeypox. Not only does it dishonor our simian friends, but it also makes me feel like I’m living in a Children of Men-style dystopian hellscape at least 10 years ahead of schedule. And OK, maybe we are, but I’m trying to pretend like that’s not the case!!! Come on!!!)

pic.twitter.com/wpuZgyF5sX

— Jason Griess (@griessjason) August 3, 2022

Finally, someone asking the important questions! I would riff on this more, but honestly, this person seems very sweet and I want them to get over their deer anxieties. Anyone wanna go to this guy’s house with a tape of Bambi?

This large son is being given away for free on Pittsburgh Craiglist right now under the subject line "A very large stuffed creature." The poster writes, "We have run out of room to house this guy. He is clean with one smudgey paw and he is very large. If you want him, you will need a truck or SUV."

Sadly, all other thoughts one might have about this act of enormous generosity are overridden by one haunting question: WHY DOES HE HAVE NIPPLES? WHY DOES HE HAVE NIPPLES??

However, if one of you, dear readers, decides to pick this creature up, please let me know. I need to look into his eyes and learn where he’s been and what he’s seen, and also tell him that monkeypox is not his fault.

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Seen anything weird you think is deserving of inclusion in this very serious column that will no doubt land its author the Pulitzer someday? Send it to hkobre@pghcitypaper.com!

Black people leaving Pittsburgh for greener pastures has been a concerning issue for many community members, elevated in recent years by a 2019 Gender and Equity report that revealed that the city is one of the worst in the country for health and economic outcomes of Black women.

In July 2021, Pittsburgh City Paper writer Dani Janae explored the topic with her feature story, "Why are so many Black women talking about leaving Pittsburgh?," in which she reported from a special city council meeting regarding the departure of Black Pittsburghers, and spoke to three Black women who have left or were planning to leave the city.

Today, the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation has announced that her story has been named the first-place News Feature winner in this year's 2022 Robert L. Vann Media Awards, a competition celebrating "the coverage of African American and African diaspora communities, individuals, and issues." City Paper was included among outlets under the "Excellence in Written Journalism: Non-daily Newspapers/News Services" category.

Taking second place for News Feature is former City Paper writer Kim Rooney's report on "How newsrooms, police departments, and social media fail missing people of color."
Jared Wickerham, City Paper staff photographer, won first place in Spot News Photography for his photograph of activist Dannielle Brown.

And, City Paper columnist Tereneh Idia was announced as the first-place winner for Columns/Blogs for the third year in a row for her columns: "Didn't we almost have it all? Contemplating Black arts in Pittsburgh," "The global (and local) politics of Black beauty," and "The soul of a country."

Founded in 1973, PBMF is a nonprofit organization consisting of Black professional journalists, public relations specialists, and journalism professors and college students. The journalism awards competition was launched by PBMF in 1988 to honor Robert L. Vann, the Pittsburgh Courier publisher committed to journalism and creating a voice for the Black community.

While City Paper always appreciates being honored for our writing and artistic talents, hearing that our stories resonated with our readers, and from the people we write about, is more important than any award we've ever received. We are grateful for your continued support.

Hello and welcome to the first installment of a column we’ve decided to call “Stay Weird, Pittsburgh.”

Why not “Keep Pittsburgh Weird?” Well, for starters, that’s Austin’s thing, and we want no part of it. Secondly, Pittsburgh doesn’t need any help to be weird. It’s already a bizarre place, so we figured someone should celebrate it as it is: a city that, for better or for worse, is staying weird.

Without further ado, let’s dive into what Pittsburgh’s been up to this week:

y'all wanna see some yinzer shit pic.twitter.com/dlUN9beOVd

— i'm just saying! (@DavisGalvin) July 28, 2022

Alright, maybe we want one of these for our office, but so what? We tip our hats to the genius who invented this toilet barbecue/cooler combo, an object that combines the Dadaist impulse of Duchamp’s Fountain with the utility of the multitool. Next!

Clearly, this raccoon haunting Pittsburgh writer Brian Broome has not discovered the rabies vaccine treats the county has scattered around this month. (Ever since I started eating them, I’ve been perfectly sedate and productive. My coworkers can attest to this.)

Regardless of whether it’s rabid or not, we commend this raccoon’s outsider spirit. There’s nothing we respect more than a creature that eats garbage.

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A post shared by PWSA SINKHOLES (@pwsasinkholes)

Beautiful, a natural wonder in the midst of our fair city! We say natural because, like all Pittsburgh geysers, it's the result of people and city officials actively refusing to interfere in structural issues resulting from natural processes. Nature is healing, yinz.

what if we kissed under the utz cheese balls pyramid? pic.twitter.com/9bd59GOBrx

— sounds like byordan (@BjORDAN____) July 27, 2022

And, best for last: this new piece of art that’s found its way to Downtown Pittsburgh as part of a Cultural Trust initiative. The piece — a 26-foot-high inflatable sculpture by French (no comment) artist Cyril Lancelin — is entitled, appropriately, “Pyramid XL Sphere.”

While this person on Twitter described it as the “Utz cheese balls pyramid,” we like to think of it as being an accurate, if slightly oversized, representation of what Garfield might leave behind in his litterbox after a large lasagna dinner. The Revenge of Garfield’s Nightmare, anyone?

Wondering what Pigeon Week is? Well, we recently launched a new newsletter, City Pigeon, sent out every weekday morning — and a city pigeon mascot to go with it. What better way to promote our new newsletter than to shine a spotlight on its namesake?

That’s why, all this week, we’ll be bringing you the best Pittsburgh pigeon content we can find, including contests, games, and even TikToks starring the CP Pigeon:

@pghcitypaper our new hire has potential, if only they would stop eating out of the garbage #pittsburgh #dayinmylife #pigeon #fyp ♬ The Office (Main Theme) - TV Sounds Unlimited

We'll also be hiding a pigeon in this week's print issue for you to find, plus unveiling new surprises all week long on our Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

As part of #PigeonWeek, we want YOUR help naming our new feathered coworker! If we choose your pigeon name, you'll win a prize pack that includes not only a bunch of Pittsburgh City Paper swag (including pigeon buttons, of course) but also a four-pack of FREE tickets to the National Aviary to get some hands-on experience with our avian friends.

A few guidelines:

1. All entrants must submit an email address along with a pigeon name, so we can contact the winner and sign you up for our email newsletter (if you aren't already on the list) so you can familiarize yourself with the City Pigeon you're lending a name to!
2. While City Paper prides itself on being Pittsburgh’s most fun publication, please keep the name suggestions appropriate for CP readers of all ages.
3. And most importantly: get creative with it!
   
   

The winner will be notified on Fri., July 15. We will also announce the winning name then. So what are you waiting for? Enter your pigeon name to win here!

Pittsburgh nonprofits help bring an incredible wealth of services to the city. They feed minds and bodies, provide housing and necessities, and help give both humans and animals opportunities for better paths forward. Pittsburgh City Paper takes pride in reporting on these much-needed community assets throughout the year and is happy to announce that one local nonprofit will be chosen as the charity of choice for this year’s Best of Pittsburgh party.

“We are excited that our editorial team added the Best Nonprofit category this year. We feel very strongly about partnering with the community and helping our nonprofits raise awareness in the city,” says Rachel Winner-Eberhardt, City Paper's advertising director. “This is giving the winner the opportunity to not only do that, but raise funds for their organization as well.”

The reader's final choice for Best Nonprofit in this year’s poll will not only be invited to the Best of Pittsburgh party, but it will be named City Paper’s nonprofit charity of choice for the event, and a portion of ticket sales will go directly to the winner.

Over 100 nonprofits have been nominated so far in the first round of this year’s Best of Pittsburgh readers poll, and there’s still time to submit your favorites. Readers can nominate once per day in the first round, which continues through June 30, and the top 10 finalists with the highest number of nominations will move on to the final voting round on Aug. 1-31.

City Paper's Best of Pittsburgh readers' poll is the alt-media company's most popular issue of the year, and the entire staff collaborates to make it the best in the region. Best of Pittsburgh is run through SecondStreet, an online poll service, to ensure that the tallies are accurate, and the editorial staff fact checks every nominee to ensure that reader submissions are error-free and placed in the correct category. Once final nominations move on to the voting round, the staff also researches every finalist and eliminates any nominee with racist, sexist, homophobic, or problematic online posts. City Paper aims to be inclusive and representative of the entire community in its reporting, and that transfers over to wanting the same for this poll.

Nearly 150,000 nominations have been submitted so far. In addition to Best Nonprofit, there were over 60 new categories added this year including Best Pet Groomer, Best Fried Chicken, Best Hangout for Teens, Best Corner Store, Best Camp for Kids, and Best Classical Ensemble.

Submit your favorites now at pghcitypaper.com/bestofpgh2022

In fall 2021, Pittsburgh City Paper A&E Editor Amanda Waltz entered Wonderland, a Alice in Wonderland-themed tea party. It was just one of many events heavily promoted on social media by Hidden Media Network, promising “all the best virtual and live experiences in over 30 cities around the world.” She left with more questions than answers.

In the following days, the more Waltz reported on the international event planning company, the more she discovered allegations of “bait and switch” tactics, unsafe COVID protocols, and more.

On May 24, the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania awarded Waltz with the first place Golden Quill award for “Excellence in Written Journalism, Arts/Entertainment – Division 3” for her report on the company, Hidden Media Network Promises Fun, Immersive Experiences, but Some Say Everything’s Not as It Seems.

The 58th annual Golden Quill Award ceremony, held at the Rivers Casino, honors “professional and student excellence in print, broadcast, photography, videography and digital journalism in Western Pennsylvania and nearby counties in Ohio and West Virginia,” according to the announcement.

Also receiving first-place wins were City Paper literary writer, Rege Behe, for “Excellence in Written Journalism, Criticism – Division 3” for his literature in Pittsburgh; former staff writer Kimberly Rooney for “Excellence in Written Journalism, Business/Technology/Consumer –Division 3” for their report, State Lawmakers Join Pittsburgh Restaurant Owners in Revolt Against Food Delivery Apps; and, former art director Abbie Adams for “Excellence in Journalistic Craft Achievement, Cover Design – Print, Divisions 1-4” for her Black Women Leaving Pittsburgh cover design.
City Paper also was named a finalist in multiple categories. The full list is below:

Excellence in Written Journalism, Arts/Entertainment – Division 3
Winner: “Hidden Media Network Promises Fun, Immersive Experiences, but Some Say Everything’s Not as It Seems,” Amanda Waltz

Excellence in Written Journalism, Criticism – Division 3
Winner: “Literature in Pittsburgh,” Rege Behe

Excellence in Written Journalism, Business/Technology/Consumer –Division 3
Winner: “State Lawmakers Join Pittsburgh Restaurant Owners in Revolt Against Food Delivery Apps,” Kimberly Rooney

Excellence in Journalistic Craft Achievement, Cover Design – Print, Divisions 1-4
Winner: “Black Women Leaving Pittsburgh,” Abbie Adams

Excellence in Written Journalism, News Feature – Division 3
Finalist: “How Newsrooms, Police Departments, and Social Media Fail Missing People of Color,” Kimberly Rooney

Excellence in Journalistic Craft Achievement, Personality Profile Photo – Divisions 1-6
Finalist: “Chrome Cable,” Jared Wickerham

Excellence in Written Journalism, Lifestyle – Division 3
Finalist: “Why Are So Many Black Women Talking About Leaving Pittsburgh?” Dani Janae

Excellence in Written Journalism, Public Affairs/Politics/Government –Division 3
Finalist: “Why Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Continues to Avoid Scrutiny,” Ryan Deto

Excellence in Written Journalism, Columns/Blogs – Division 3
Finalist: “Voices,” Tereneh Idia

When Pittsburgh City Paper photographer Jared Wickerham found out writer Jordan Snowden was interviewing local social media influencer Martayla Poellinitz, he knew he wanted to involve her make-up artistry in his cover shoot.


Their work, along with the graphic design of Abbie Adams, has earned them Best Cover Design (magazines) in the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation's 2021 Robert L. Vann Media Awards.

"The awards honor excellence in journalism coverage of African American and African diaspora communities, individuals and issues," read a press release announcing the awards on Jan. 8, which were delayed due to COVID and "other challenges."