United Mine Workers union comes out in support of transition to clean energy
The conflict over how to transition Pennsylvania, and the rest of the country, from reliance on fossil fuels has always been focused on jobs. There are still over 1 million jobs in fossil fuel industries, and even though jobs in coal have been declining for years, there are still tens of thousands employed in mines…
Two historic Pittsburgh cinemas to reopen for films, live music, and more
The pandemic has made casualties of some beloved Pittsburgh venues. Fortunately, some places have managed to weather the crisis, including two of the region’s historic cinemas. And they are planning to reopen soon. The Oaks Theater in Oakmont and the Manor Theatre in Squirrel Hill will soon be welcoming customers back for movie screenings, live…
Justice For George Floyd protesters gather and march through Pittsburgh following Chauvin verdict
Approximately 150 people gathered at Freedom Corner in Pittsburgh’s Hill District for a Justice For George Floyd action after the verdict for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was announced, on April 20. A little after 5 p.m., the Minnesota jury found Chauvin guilty on all three counts — second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree…
PHOTOS: Tour the newly renovated Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Downtown
After about a year of being shut down for renovations, the Downtown branch of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh reopened on Tuesday, with more space than before. On Saturday, Carnegie Library Downtown held community tours for their Grand Reopening Celebration, and, of course, I went to photograph the new space. Olivia Hric, CLP’s Manager of Special…
Activists are no longer confined to Zoom and are returning to the state Capitol to hold lawmakers to account
Nature is healing. After being shut out for much of the last year, activists of all stripes are returning to the stately marble steps and gilded interior of the Pennsylvania Capitol. More than 50 child sex abuse survivors and their advocates rallied outside the Capitol on Monday, calling on state Senate leaders to hold a…
Pittsburgh Police seeking hundreds of sponge rounds, smoke grenades, and other less-lethal weapons
On April 14, the city of Pittsburgh sent out a Formal Invitation for Bids requesting a long list of less-lethal weapons for the Pittsburgh Police force. This request includes hundreds of sponge rounds, thousands of projectile beanbags, and dozens of tear gas canisters, as well as other less-lethal weapons that Pittsburgh Police used last summer…
Lynn Cullen Live – 4/20/21
Video Archive “Right now as we speak they are in this room, these 12 strangers, and they know the whole world is waiting.” Lynn is joined by her sister Susan today to talk about current events including the trial of Derek Chauvin, police violence in America, and NASA’s Ingenuity on Mars. Listen to today’s episode…
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Heads2Gether hosts Head Out event on Saturday, April 24
Heads2Gether the “high standard” in Washington, PA is hosting their first ever Head Out Event on Sat., April 24 from 2-6 p.m. at their store front located at 875 West Chestnut St. The event will feature live music from Johnny Cardo, and Friends of Elvis, food trucks, live glass blowing, vendor booths, and so much…
Personalized mimosas for Mother’s Day, a rooftop beer garden reopens, and other Pittsburgh food news
Mother’s Day Threadbare Cider House & Meadery 1291 Spring Garden Ave., Troy Hill. threadbarecider.com Threadbare has announced three ways to celebrate Mother’s Day at their location. The first is a Mother’s Day brunch that allows visitors to build their own cider mimosa with choices of several seasonal juices and Threadbare ciders. There will also be…
Take a hike into terror with the Pittsburgh-shot horror film The Boonies
Filmmaking is hard work, especially when your movie involves both hiking in the wilderness and escaping murderous backwoods cannibals. Add in a low budget, and you have The Boonies, a locally shot horror film, which will be out on streaming and VOD platforms on April 20. Directed by Lance Parkin, who co-wrote the film with his…
How Heinz is navigating a national shortage of ketchup packets
No, the condiment giant Heinz doesn’t make its popular ketchup in Pittsburgh anymore. But the company that got its start in Sharpsburg still has a fiercely loyal following in the Steel City. However, a pandemic-related, ketchup phenomenon might be making Pittsburghers, and the rest of America, nervous. According to the Wall Street Journal, supplies are…
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf receives first dose of the coronavirus vaccine
On Mon., April 19, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that he received his first dose of the coronavirus vaccine. Wolf got the shot at Family First Health in York, Pa. Wolf stated that he decided to wait until all Pennsylvania residents were eligible for the vaccine before getting his own. This comes after a recent announcement…
Lynn Cullen Live – 4/19/21
Video Archive “People live in terror of [expletive] and don’t recognize real risk, and we’re seeing that play out big time with this vaccine.” Lynn is covering the multiple police involved shootings that have occurred since the beginning of the Derek Chauvin Trial. She is also joined by her “contemptible” (his words) brother Bill. Listen…
Pittsburgh venues frustrated with held-up federal funds from Save Our Stages Act
Pittsburgh music and entertainment venues have been crushed by the pandemic. They have been forced to close due to COVID restrictions, they have tried to raise funds to keep staff employed and have lobbied Congress for funds to help them stay afloat. Relief came in the form of the Save Our Stages Act, which passed…
Future Tenant to shut down after 18 years, leaving behind extensive archive
A long-running art project in Pittsburgh has announced it will shut down after nearly 20 years of operation. Future Tenant, which describes itself as “the flagship experiential learning initiative of the Masters of Art Management program at Carnegie Mellon University,” revealed on its website that it is “sunsetting.” The announcement goes on to read, “In…
Meet this week’s Pittsburgh City Paper cover artist: Morg Cunningham
This week’s Marijuana Issue cover features pals partaking in cannabis products by Pittsburgh artist Morg Cunningham. Hailing from the North Hills and now a neighbor in Beechview, Cunningham works by day as a digital designer and an illustrator at night. Pittsburgh City Paper caught up with the artist after her Marijuana Issue cover hit stands this week.…
2021 Mayoral candidates on Pittsburgh policies: Michael Thompson
Like most political races, the 2021 Pittsburgh mayoral contest has been filled with attacks, broad goals, and debates, as it should. But what gets lost sometimes is a focus on what a mayor of Pittsburgh can actually accomplish. Every politician loves to comment on national stories, but in reality, there are many limitations to being…
Pittsburgh Zoo lions test positive for COVID-19, reminding everyone that animals can be infected too
As the population rushes to become vaccinated, there are still reported cases of infection, some of them not human. Today, the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium announced that two female lions have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans. A press release says the big cats likely contracted the virus after…
Save Our Stages Concert Series is back with themed virtual shows by Pittsburgh artists
A group of talented Pittsburgh musicians have come together again for the second season of the Save Our Stages Concert Series. The series raises awareness of the struggles local venues are facing, and also raises money for their survival. The effort was started in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced local venues to close…
Lynn Cullen Live – 4/14/21
Video Archive “If there are two cops behaving irrationally, and they already have their guns drawn on me, I’m not sure that I’m getting out of the car either.” – Lynn on the experience of Army Lt. Caron Nazario This is Lynn’s last show of the week, as she heads to Wisconsin tomorrow. She’ll return…
Meet the Pittsburgh online troll trying to improve Pa.’s marijuana laws, one post at a time
To troll or not to troll? That’s the question many people have to answer in the social media age. For some, trolling can relieve frustrations in an outlet they can’t find anywhere else. For others, trolls ruin any fleeting feeling of fun that social media has to offer. For one Pittsburgh-based social media user, trolling…
A comprehensive guide to Pittsburgh-area medical marijuana dispensaries
Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program continues to expand. What started as just a handful of dispensaries in 2018, the Pittsburgh region, and the entire state, is continuously adding on more dispensaries and providing long-overdue relief to patients with a wide variety of cannabis products and medications. Pittsburgh City Paper reached out to Pittsburgh-area medical marijuana dispensaries…
The Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania cannabis laws you can still get in trouble over
Many new laws and policies have made marijuana more accessible — like Pennsylvania’s medical cannabis law passed in 2016 — and less punitive, such as the decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana enacted by several cities, including Pittsburgh. These smaller marijuana victories have been championed by advocates, but despite efforts leading to legalization of marijuana…
Black-led Community Spotlight: Jimil Wilson of Maitri Medicinals
Being a Black person at the helm of a marijuana-based business is important to Jimil Wilson. It’s “critical to the health of the industry,” as he describes it. He explains data shows that, while Black and white people consume cannabis at just about the same rate, Black communities are policed at a higher rate and…
How to get your Pennsylvania medical marijuana card
1. Create an online patient profile Adult patients (18+) must first fill out a form with accurate and up-to-date personal information, including name, address, and date of birth, at the Pennsylvania Department of Health website (padohmmp.custhelp.com). Tip: Make sure addresses are inputted exactly how they appear on a patient’s driver’s license or state-issued ID. Do…
Seven Days in Pittsburgh: April 15-21
Thu., April 15 LIT • VIRTUAL Nobel Prize and Booker Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro is joining Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures’ New & Noted series to discuss his latest book Klara and the Sun, in conversation with Madeline Miller, author of The Song of Achilles and Circe. Ishiguro’s eighth novel is a dystopian science fiction story…
Pittsburgh gift ideas for smokers and tokers
Pennsylvanians can still technically get jammed up for owning paraphernalia related to marijuana use, but it’s not always heavily enforced, especially in Allegheny County. (Read more about enforcement in our story “Marijuana Misdemeanors.”) And Pennsylvania medical marijuana users are technically not allowed to smoke the dry leaf they order, either; legally, it’s available for vaporization…
CBD products to enjoy with your favorite feline
My cat Toaster is a little more than 10 months old. A grey tabby with white on his belly, chest, and all four paws, he’s the largest of his litter, weighing in at about 13 pounds depending on the day. He is spoiled, loves screaming at me, and enjoys playing with plastic forks and spoons.…
Black Forge Coffee owner reviews marijuana on the road as The Traveling Bud
Ashley Bianca Corts is best known for Black Forge Coffee, her metal-themed coffee shops located in Allentown and McKees Rocks, but now she is expanding her expertise to weed. In January 2021, her business went mobile when she kicked off a nationwide Save Our Stages tour, focused on raising money for music venues struggling due…
Find weed-themed art, clothing, jewelry, and more from these Pittsburgh artists
Recreational marijuana isn’t legal yet in Pennsylvania, but there’s no law against freely making and buying weed-themed art and apparel. Pittsburgh City Paper found some local artists who integrate marijuana imagery and themes in their work, as well as a smoke shop setting its brand apart with custom-designed merchandise. Check out this list for items…
Soulshowmike’s Album Picks: High tunes and chill tracks
In addition to covering the usual emergent album of note in this month’s installment, I’m joining in on the fun for this week’s Pittsburgh City Paper Marijuana Issue. Editor Lisa asked nicely, and what came to mind right away was something Neil Young said in his memoir. His songwriting suffered terribly after abstaining from marijuana…
CBD treats, tinctures, and pet spray for hyperactive canines
Pittsburgh City Paper staff writer Kimberly Rooney and her cat Toaster got to test out some CBD cat treats this week, and we can’t let felines have all the fun. These local stores offer CBD-infused products for hyperactive pups in need of some chillout time. Zen Dog Pumpkin Dog Treats These organic, gluten- and grain-free…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY: April 15-21
ARIES (March 21-April 19): “Today I feel the whole world is a door,” wrote poet Dennis Silk. In a similar spirit, 13th-century Zen master Wumen Huikai observed, “The whole world is a door of liberation, but people are unwilling to enter it.” Now I’m here to tell you, Aries, that there will be times in…
Lynn Cullen Live – 4/13/21
Video Archive Lynn can’t keep up with pop culture these days and there’s only one reason that’s a problem: “I’m falling behind on the New York Times Crossword Puzzle and Jeopardy, dammit!” Lynn’s sister, Susan, joins her to cover topics from current events, to the strange construction happening in Lynn’s neighborhood. Listen to today’s Lynn…
