Help wanted: Pittsburgh City Paper is seeking four student interns
Pittsburgh City Paper is currently seeking four student interns for the fall semester. Interns must be students currently enrolled in Pittsburgh-area colleges or universities, and receive college credits for the internship. City Paper’s internship program offers real-world experience with professional training. Internships are unpaid, but each internship includes a weekly stipend of $60 to cover…
11 anticipated September book releases
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn Out Sept. 15 via Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon & Schuster) YA Contemporary Fantasy, 512 pagesIn Tracy Deonn’s debut novel, 16-year-old Bree Matthews heads to a residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC-Chapel Hill after her mother dies in an accident. It seems like the perfect getaway – Bree wants…
Port Authority workers protest against anti-social justice dress code prohibiting Black Lives Matter masks
A group of about 20 Port Authority of Allegheny County employees and allies gathered in Downtown Pittsburgh on Wednesday afternoon to show support for bus operators and workers who claim they are being penalized for wearing Black Lives Matter masks while on duty. “We’re here to support the majority of our operators and the majority…
Western Pa. Press Club prepares to give honorary award to KDKA Radio amid yet another Wendy Bell controversy
KDKA Radio has a long and storied history in the 100 years since it was founded in 1920, which will be honored Thu., Sept. 3 at the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania’s annual Golden Quill Awards. KDKA Radio will receive a Service to Journalism award for its contributions to the profession. But the radio station…
Track Review: Buffalo Rose’s “Rocketship” Chalk Dinosaur Remix
Folk-band Buffalo Rose’s 2019 single “Rocketship” has gotten an out-of-this-world twist thanks to fellow Pittsburgh band Chalk Dinosaur. While some remixes hold true to the original, most traces of the slow and modest song are gone, making way for a wavy, new electrofunk tune. The jet-fueled chorus is what makes it identifiable as the year-old…
Bloomfield Garden Club cultivates new group exhibition at UnSmoke Systems
UnSmoke Systems in Braddock will play host to a new group exhibition when it features the fall artists-in-residence of the recently launched Bloomfield Garden Club. On view from Sept. 5-27, the show by Bloomfield Garden Club (BGC), a monthly salon created by TD Projects and Bill Julin of Burning Well, will highlight several local artists…
Poll from environmental group says Pennsylvanians support more regulations on fracking
Politically speaking, the discussion around fracking in Pennsylvania lacks nuance. Fracking is the process of extracting natural gas from underground deposits, and it’s been ongoing on a large scale throughout much of Pennsylvania for the last 10-15 years. Debates over fracking usually end in people saying fracking is a necessary job creator and must be left…
New #ArtsLearningAtHome website provides opportunities to arts educators and students
As schools throughout the region grapple with reopening, a variety of arts organizations and teaching artists have joined forces to present a wide variety of digital arts education resources. Today, the Arts Ed Collaborative unveiled the #ArtsLearningAtHome website, where students, families, and educators will find arts education videos, live virtual workshops, lesson plans, and more. The site,…
Pittsburgh announces big comprehensive land-use plan … to be determined later
Today, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and city planning officials announced the creation of the city’s first comprehensive land-use plan, ForgingPGH. The plan will recommend zoning changes, development priorities, housing strategies, and stormwater suggestions for every neighborhood in Pittsburgh. “A comprehensive plan is a roadmap. It points us toward a shared vision. It is also a…
Track Review: Deej’s “Top Boy”
While the video for Deej’s “Top Boy” is terrifically produced — showing the singer/rapper in a restaurant, dancing in front of a bright orange Jeep, and later cruising with friends in that same Jeep — it’s the artist’s knack for effortlessly transitioning from rapping to singing that makes her a musician to watch. Deej’s vocals,…
Five East End businesses collaborate on CSA-style “survival kits”
Pittsburgh businesses are continuing to respond to the ongoing pandemic in creative, innovative ways. The latest of these is a “Survival Kit” collaboration between five East End businesses. Similar to the model of Community Supported Agriculture, the quintet of businesses — East End Brewing Co., Prohibition Pastries, Commonplace Coffee, Kelly’s Bar & Lounge, and Barmy…
Pennsylvania’s moratorium on evictions has ended. Here’s what that means.
Bill Christian had a sense of foreboding when Pennsylvania officials moved to prevent evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, first with a series of emergency orders and then with a flawed rental assistance program from the legislature. “I thought, ‘that sounds wonderful, but eventually this bill is going to come due,’” said Christian, who runs Bethesda…
Google Doodle celebrates pioneering Pittsburgh cartoonist Jackie Ormes
Continuing its tradition of honoring underappreciated artists, Google paid homage to Pittsburgh-born cartoonist Jackie Ormes with their Sept. 1 logo design. The date was chosen because on Sept. 1, 1945, Ormes’ long-running cartoon strip Patty-Jo ‘n’ Ginger debuted in the Pittsburgh Courier. Ormes is widely recognized as the first Black female newspaper cartoonist. Ormes was…
Pittsburgh buildings will light up red tonight in support of the struggling live events industry
From The August Wilson African American Cultural Center Downtown to Heinz Field on the North Side, to Black Forge Coffee House in Allentown, Pittsburgh city buildings will be lit up red tonight as part of RedAlert. The event is part of #WeMakeEvents, a collective of trade bodies, businesses, unions, and live events workers who have come…
Lynn Cullen Live – 9/1/20
Video Archive As loud talkers themselves, Lynn and Susan are concerned that loud talking can increase the spread of Covid-19. Lynn is sharing the Twitter hole she fell into this morning, all as a result of her tweet showing a honeybees’ defense known as shimmering. A story in The Buffalo Chronicle about Tonawanda considering a…
Juneteenth declared official city holiday at Pittsburgh Black Voting Rights forum
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto declared Juneteenth a holiday in the City of Pittsburgh during a Black Voting Rights forum at St. Benedict the Moor Church in the Hill District on Sat., Aug. 29. The holiday, commemorating the emancipation of Black enslaved people following the end of the Civil War, will be officially recognized starting in Pittsburgh in…
Track Review: Choo Jackson’s “Space & Time”
Rapper Choo Jackson’s artistry has come a long way since his days working with the late Mac Miller. In his newest track, “Space & Time” Jackson shows a more moody, vulnerable side with layered, melodic beats and finely tuned production, thanks to the help of Bradley Atom (Gengarcade). “I can’t find, part of my mind,”…
Joe Biden in Pittsburgh: Trump “can’t stop the violence because for years he has fomented it”
Today, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden spoke in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood, addressing the violence and protests that have erupted in cities like Portland, Ore. and Kenosha, Wis. President Donald Trump and some of his campaign surrogates have been attempting to cast blame on the unrest on Biden, despite the fact that Trump is the one…
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy introduces backpacking lending program
With more and more people utilizing parks this year, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has been coming up with ways for visitors to enhance their outdoor experience as part of its Parks on the Go initiative, designed to help people enjoy city parks during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest addition to that initiative is…
Pittsburgh protesters call for extension of eviction moratorium, which ends on Aug. 31
Pennsylvania’s eviction moratorium is set to expire today, Aug. 31. Gov. Tom Wolf (D-York) has not yet issued an extension, so protesters gathered outside the former Shop ‘N Save in the Hill District to show support for extending the eviction and foreclosure moratorium. Dozens of protesters in about 20 cars proclaimed housing as a human…
Artists face felony charges for painting a mural honoring Romir Talley
Three artists are facing felony charges for painting a mural honoring Romir Talley, a Black man killed by Wilkinsburg Police last year. The officer who reported the mural, Robert Gowans, is the same officer who shot and killed Talley in December 2019. Talley was killed last year, but Gowans’s identity as the officer who shot…
Lynn Cullen Live – 8/31/20
Video Archive Joe Biden is making a surprise visit to the Pittsburgh area today. He’s expected to speak about Covid-19, and the current unrest in the country at CMU’s Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute location at Hazelwood Green. Lynn is discussing what she is hoping to hear from Biden. She is also talking about Trump’s…
West Homestead police sergeant tweets police in Democrat-run cities should “let it burn” and “open fire” on protesters
Longtime West Homestead police officer Herb Strobel believes that police in Democrat-run cities who have seen an influx of Black Lives Matter protests should “do nothing but the minimum that is required to not get sued or fired” and to “Let it burn,” according to posts from a Twitter account apparently linked to Strobel. The…
OP-ED: If not in your backyard, then where?
If not in your backyard, then where? Protesters recently descended on the 400 block of Hastings Street, the “Black Lives Matter” signage peppering front porches and windows put to the test. As the Point Breeze home of Mayor Peduto became the target of protests about defunding and abolishing the police, residents met the disruptive cries…
Healing walks through the neighborhood
Mental health is taking a toll on so many of us. Vacations are tough to manage and with everyone trying to plan a lot of the same outdoorsy activities, things can often be fully booked, expensive, or both. But in order to fill some of those gaps following weeks of especially heavy reporting, I was…
Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership unveils first of several murals for REFORGE initiative
The first of several new Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership commissioned public artworks is now on view Downtown. Local artist Jayla Patton completed “Colorful Growth/Soft Waves,” a 3,500-square-foot mural on the 900 block of Penn Avenue. The work is presented as part of REFORGE Downtown, an initiative that “invites the community to safely revisit and reengage with…
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette pulled initial Dannielle Brown coverage and hasn’t covered the story since
Dannielle Brown has been asking for answers about her son’s death for nearly two months now. Her son, Marquis, was a Duquesne University student who died in 2018. Brown came to Pittsburgh this July, saying she didn’t believe the university’s account of Marquis’ death. Since then, she has been on a hunger strike and garnered…
For Sale With Baggage: Rain Refinishing
Stuff can be complicated, especially when trying to get rid of it. The process can remind us that our things can have worth that’s hard to put a dollar amount on; they can call to mind other people from our lives; they can bring up memories of what they were (or weren’t) used for. For…
Follow these 5 Pittsburghers on TikTok to fix your back pain and learn to make pasta
The cover story for this week’s print edition of Pittsburgh City Paper featured Martayla Poellinitz, aka MartyMoment, who has amassed a following on TikTok for her videos about hair care and innovative makeup. Check out these other Pittsburgh-based TikTokers for videos on taking care of your back, making pasta, learning to dance, and more. @drbrian_chiropractor @drbrian_chiropractor…
Gov. Wolf says his executive authority has run out on extending eviction moratorium, perplexing some experts
Legal experts are scratching their heads over Gov. Tom Wolf ending his 116-day old eviction moratorium this week. Since mid-March, evictions have been significantly held in check by a string of statewide orders, starting with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The court was set to lift its hold on evictions May 11. On May 7, Wolf…
Mattress Factory delves into the fantastic and macabre with two new exhibitions
No two exhibits could be more different than The Museum of All Things by Jennifer Angus and Feeling The Spirit In The Dark by Pittsburgh’s own Shikeith. And yet they occupy the same space, the Mattress Factory’s Monterey Annex, which, much like the rest of the museum, opened recently after months of being shut down…
Over 180 affordable housing units in Pittsburgh receive tax credits, still await gap funding
Thanks to a state agency decision to increase tax-credit allocations, six affordable housing developments in Pittsburgh will be receiving tax credits this year, for a potential total of 185 new, affordable-housing units in Larimer, Hazelwood, Garfield, East Liberty, and the North Side. The projects receiving credits are following an increase in 9% Low-Income Housing Tax…
The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck rolls into town, Wiz Khalifa announces a new munchie delivery service, and more Pittsburgh food news
Openings Oak Hill Post Christian Schulz and Rebecca Nicholson of popular pop-up Menuette unveiled Oak Hill Post in Brookline this week. The takeout-friendly shop is a pivot from their original concept, musical composition-inspired multi-course menus, and is now focused on sandwiches, soups, and salads. Coming Soon HotBox Pittsburgh native and rapper Wiz Khalifa is launching…
Lynn Cullen Live – 8/27/20
Video Archive The messaging at the RNC has Lynn a bit confused. She is talking about what exactly bothers her about their Americans won’t be safe argument. In addition she is speaking about the armed protesters who forced their way past state troopers into Idaho’s special legislative session earlier this week. The latest news about…
Pittsburgh Mask Maker Spotlight: Kin of Duncan
Since the beginning of the pandemic, designers, artists, and sewing hobbyists have taken to their sewing machines to fill the demand of masks for the public to wear. Pittsburgh City Paper is taking a look behind the scenes and highlighting local mask makers. Name: Jazmiere Bates Title: Owner and creative designer of Kin of Duncan…
Lynn Cullen Live – 8/26/20
Video Archive Frank Bruni’s opinion piece in the New York Times on the first two nights of the Republican National Convention is Lynn’s first topic of discussion. She is also talking about the parts of last night’s broadcast that she saw including Melania’s speech, and the news that one of the speakers, Mary Ann Mendoza,…
Pittsburgh content creator Martayla Poellinitz gains national attention with political statements and creative makeup artistry
Chances are high that even if people in Pittsburgh haven’t heard the name Martayla Poellinitz, a lot of them have already seen her social media content. Her TikTok account, @martymoment, boasts over 25,000 followers and has garnered international attention in the last few months thanks to her striking makeup looks that fall more towards the…
What is the correct way to protest?
Wear your Sunday best. Newly spit-shined patent leather shoes, your just-sewn-by-your-favorite-aunt strawberry blossom dress, rose blush panty hose, and freshly-pressed, face-framing “Girl, you look as fine as Dorothy Dandridge“ pixie hair style. To sit at a lunch counter where some white men in dirty overalls, dirty hair, dirtier hands, and hearts add more spit to…
Seven Days of Arts + Entertainment: Aug. 27-Sept. 2
Thu., Aug. 27 Film There are only a few chances left this summer to catch a free outdoor movie as part of Allegheny County Parks’ drive-in movies series. This week, catch Disney classic Aladdin at South Park (in the ice rink lot). Movie begins at dusk. 3730 Buffalo Drive, South Park Township. alleghenycounty.us/special-events Fri., Aug.…
Seven Days of Music: Aug. 27-Sept. 2
Thu., Aug. 27 (Music to stream) Kallan. The Impermanent Spectacle of Now. kallanelizabeth.bandcamp.com The Impermanent Spectacle of Now, the debut album from alt-folk artist Kallan, will get under your skin. Released Aug. 18, the production is minimalistic, leaving room for Kallan’s intoxicating, piercing voice to disarm and captivate the senses. Fri., Aug. 28 (Livestream) Eternal…
Review: Outdoor dining at DiAnoia’s Eatery
DiAnoia’s Eatery is the second restaurant I have dined at since the March shutdowns. Sitting down in the restaurant’s patio expansion — a pergola-covered, semi-enclosed line of spaced-out tables next to the parking lot of Pizzeria Davide — felt both ordinary and strange at the same time. But despite this, and the fact that DiAnoia’s…
The Delta Foundation, one of Pittsburgh’s most prominent LGBTQ nonprofits, dissolves
It marked the end of an era last weekend when one of Pittsburgh’s most prominent LGBTQ nonprofits, the Delta Foundation, announced it would dissolve. The news came unceremoniously on Sunday via Delta’s Facebook page, concluding a legacy of LGBTQ advocacy in the region dating back to 1996. Board president and volunteer Marty Healey attributed the…
Father and son ask Pennsylvanians to “be a friend” and wear a mask, taking inspiration from popular state ad campaign
A well-written ad slogan can make consumers empty their pockets. It can make patrons rush to be the first to see the latest exhibit before even knowing what’s on display. And, if a writer is talented enough — like in the case of Pittsburgh ad men Ray and Larkin Werner — an advertising campaign can…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY: Aug. 27-Sept. 2
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “Self-love is also remembering to let others love you. Come out of hiding.” Poet Irisa Yardenah wrote that advice, and now I’m passing it on to you, just in time for a phase when you will benefit from it most. I mean, it’s always good counsel for you Virgos to heed.…
