Duquesne University proposes full-time faculty cuts amid pandemic, financial uncertainty
Earlier this year, public universities throughout the state announced widespread layoffs amid existing financial woes exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Indiana University of Pennsylvania said in October that 81 tenured or tenure-track faculty members could be let go after the spring semester. At Edinboro University in northwestern Pennsylvania, 21 permanent faculty members will be laid…
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has tested positive for COVID-19
Today, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf confirmed that he tested positive for COVID-19. “During a routine test yesterday, I tested positive for COVID-19. I have no symptoms and am feeling well. I am following CDC and Department of Health guidelines,” Wolf said in an official statement released earlier today. “I am continuing to serve the commonwealth…
Pittsburgh playwright August Wilson to receive commemorative Forever stamp
Late Pittsburgh playwright August Wilson will soon appear on his own Forever stamp as part of the United States Postal Service Black Heritage series. Yesterday, USPS announced that the stamp will be dedicated to Wilson with a virtual ceremony on Jan. 28, 2021. Born 1945 in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District neighborhood, Wilson would go on…
Local artist gift guide: Accessories
Supporting local artists and businesses is a good practice to have year-round, but it’s especially relevant during the holiday season. Why buy a discounted hunk of plastic as a gift when you can instead give a thoughtful and handmade piece of art, all while supporting your community? Throughout the gift-giving season, Pittsburgh City Paper will…
Pitt faculty raise concerns over renewed partnership with online teaching platform
Early this week, the University of Pittsburgh renewed a contract with the online education startup Outlier, extending the deal to an additional five years. This was done without relay of notice to the university’s faculty about the deal. Pitt’s partnership with Outlier began in August of 2019. Outlier classes only became available to students at…
2 Sisters 2 Sons sets sights on a second location
Five months after opening, 2 Sisters 2 Sons in Sharpsburg has launched a Honeycomb Credit campaign to raise funds for a second location. The family-run, takeout only, Caribbean and Jamaican eatery, which opened in early July, has a long history in Pittsburgh. Before moving to Sharpsburg, 2 Sisters was 3 Sisters Caribbean, a similar concept…
Lynn Cullen Live – 12/8/20
Video Archive < Lynn’s sister Susan is joining her today. They are starting off discussing a former Israeli space security chief saying extraterrestrials exist. They are also talking about the news that the Trump administration passed on the chance to buy more vaccine doses from Pfizer. Then there is the upcoming Georgia runoff election. It…
Uber ends autonomous-vehicle pursuit, sells to Pittsburgh-based Aurora Innovation
The ride-hailing giant Uber announced today that it will be ending its autonomous-vehicle program, and selling the division to Aurora Innovations, which also works in the autonomous-vehicle industry and has an office in the Strip District. Uber’s Advanced Technology Group had been working on developing autonomous vehicles for several years in Pittsburgh, and their AVs were…
Wolf on PA’s rapid COVID rise: state action “pales in comparison” to everyone wearing masks
On Monday, Gov. Tom Wolf held a press conference with Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine to address the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases across Pennsylvania over the last couple of weeks. They did not announce any new restrictions or mitigation efforts, and once again are hoping that strongly worded warnings from the government…
Two Port Authority of Allegheny County employees die of COVID-19
On Monday, the Port Authority of Allegheny County announced that two employees died after contracting COVID-19. Both employees last worked at the end of November and passed away during the first week of December. One employee, a bus operator who worked for Port Authority for 21 years, died on Sun., Dec. 6 after testing positive…
Lynn Cullen Live – 12/7/20
Video Archive In one week the Electoral College will meet and vote to make Joe Biden the 46th President. Lynn is discussing this fact, and a Washington Post survey of all 249 Republicans in the House and Senate. Out of all those surveyed only 27 acknowledged Biden’s victory. She is also talking about Covid-19. Later…
Benefit compilation albums help support Pittsburgh’s The Mr. Roboto Project
Like many venues, the volunteer-run space The Mr. Roboto Project was hit hard by the pandemic. But, with an idea from a local booking agent, artists are coming together through a series of compilation albums to help save a venue where they were given the opportunity to play through the years. Brett Shumaker, who runs…
Rep. Conor Lamb votes against MORE Act, a bill to decriminalize marijuana federally
Today, the U.S. House passed a bill that would decriminalize marijuana on a federal level, as well as provide a pathway to erase nonviolent federal marijuana convictions. The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, or MORE Act, is a historic achievement, but is unlikely to be taken up in the Republican controlled U.S. Senate. The…
Prohibition Pastries expands, Miracle pop-up returns to Downtown, and more Pittsburgh food news
Openings Prohibition Pastries 6168 Centre Ave., East Liberty. prohibition-pastries.square.site Pittsburgh’s “boozy bakery,” Prohibition Pastries, has expanded to East Liberty. Eliza Bowman, owner of the bakery known for its English and Irish-style alcohol-infused treats, is bringing all the staples to the new location: hand pies, scones, sticky buns, and more. Bowman is temporarily closing Prohibition’s first…
Pittsburgh City Paper writers win Pittsburgh Black Media Federation awards
Pittsburgh City Paper is proud to announce that two of its staff members, music writer Jordan Snowden and columnist Tereneh Idia, are winners in the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation’s 32nd annual Robert L. Vann Media Awards contest. Both writers won in the Excellence in Written Journalism: Non-Daily Newspaper/News Service category. Snowden was recognized for her…
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Ditch candy canes for cocktails on the Downtown Fall Cocktail Trail: Holiday Edition
Ditch candy canes for a cocktail this holiday season on the latest Downtown Cocktail Trail: Holiday Edition. The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and Pittsburgh City Paper are back with Bacardi to offer another cocktail trail supporting Downtown restaurants, this time over the entire month of December with 17 participating locations. Despite the pandemic, the restaurants have…
Local gift guide: food subscriptions, boxes, and kits
Looking for the perfect gift to give this holiday season? Check out these local spots offering subscriptions, holiday gift boxes, meal kits, and more. Black Radish Kitchen blackradishkitchen.com Treat yourself (or a friend) with the Party Party Box, filled with all of the party grazing essentials: dips and focaccia, a festive cheese ball, antipasto, and…
Meet the Pa. Commonwealth Court judges who’ve recently sided with Republicans on election rulings, only to be overturned by higher courts
Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court has been a big player in the ongoing attempts by the Trump campaign and other Republicans to overturn the state’s election results or invalidate ballots. But thus far, the Republican-dominated court has had all of its 2020 election-related decisions overturned or vacated by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, despite conservatives like congressional candidate…
EPA grant will help purchase seven electric buses for the Port Authority
Today, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald announced that the county’s health department was awarded a grant of more than $5.6 million that will go toward offsetting the purchases of battery-electric buses and a charging station. Port Authority of Allegheny County is purchasing seven 60-foot articulated battery-electric buses and one electric charging station. The buses and…
Holiday window displays throughout Downtown and the Strip District support local artists and causes
The holidays look a little different this year, but the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and The Terminal in the Strip District are hoping to keep them festive with help from local artists and nonprofits. Visitors are now able to tour a variety of holiday window displays installed throughout Downtown and the Strip District. The displays — both…
New report: Pa. has spent a decade ignoring skyrocketing special education costs
Even as many Pennsylvania school districts struggled to tame rising pension costs and deal with stagnant tax revenues, the state also saddled them with shouldering the rising cost of educating students living with disabilities — without giving them the financial assistance to handle it, a new report concludes. The state’s 501 school districts boosted their…
Yes, even Krampusnacht is going virtual
For several years now, Krampusnacht, an annual celebration of Santa Claus’ cursed cousin Krampus, has taken over Market Square in Downtown. Things are different this year, and Krampus will instead haunt your computer screens with a virtual Krampusnacht event on Sat., Dec. 5. For the uninitiated, Krampus is a part-demon, part-goat character from German folklore…
Crafton Borough passes LGBTQ non-discrimination ordinance
On Nov. 24, the Crafton Borough Council unanimously voted to pass a non-discrimination ordinance that would create a commission to address discrimination claims and add civil rights protections specifically for the LGBTQ community, as well as other minority groups. All seven members of Crafton Council voted in favor to protect its residents from discrimination on…
Lynn Cullen Live – 12/3/20
Video Archive After public outcry the Allegheny County Jail has restored it’s policy which allows inmates to receive physical books. Lynn is glad to hear this news, especially at this time where inmates are confined to their cells most of the day due to the pandemic. She is also talking about traveling nurses who are…
Lynn Cullen Live – 12/02/20
Video Archive The documentary “One Singular Sensation” on Tom Sokolowski has just been released. Lynn is discussing this wonderful piece, and Tom’s influence in not only the art world, but the fight against AIDS. A story that brought the same feeling as this documentary to Lynn is the tale of Simon Gronowski. During the pandemic…
Pittsburgh’s Latino immigrant community reacts to Biden’s win with optimism, realism
Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election, which saw many people in Pittsburgh take to the streets in celebration, comes as somewhat of a relief for immigration reform advocates after four years of the Trump administration. Since his election in 2016, Donald Trump’s explicitly anti-immigration policies, such as the so-called “Muslim ban,” cancellation of…
Restaurant Review: Mediterra Café in Mt. Lebanon
In mid-August, Fairlane in Mt. Lebanon became another restaurant casualty of the pandemic. But soon after the modern American restaurant officially closed its doors, the Beverly Road space pulled in a new tenant: Mediterra Café. The Mt. Lebanon location is the second for Mediterra Café, which first opened its Sewickley spot two years ago. Both…
Alexis Johnson’s lawsuit against the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette could set precedent for media being immune against race-based discrimination
According to her lawsuit, former Pittsburgh Post-Gazette journalist Alexis Johnson met with then-managing editor Karen Kane the morning after Johnson posted a tweet comparing the mess typically made outside of Kenny Chesney concerts in Pittsburgh with the property damage that occurred following a protest in honor of George Floyd. Johnson, who is Black, was then…
City Theatre debuts first filmed stage production with “Claws Out: A Holiday Drag Musical”
The holidays are all about peace and togetherness, showing family and friends how much you appreciate them by exchanging tidings of good will and, of course, gifts. But City Theatre will give audiences a different kind of gift this December when it debuts Claws Out, an original drag holiday musical starring Shua Potter and Monteze…
Seven Days in Pittsburgh: Dec. 3-9
Thu., Dec. 3 MUSIC • VIRTUAL Pianist and musical director Orrin Evans, vocalist Alexia Bomtempo, bassist Luques Curtis, drummer Clarence Penn, and guitarist Leandro Pellegrino — Terreno Comun features some of the most renowned musicians in modern Brazilian jazz music. The project was commissioned by The August Wilson African American Cultural Center, and, according to…
Black-led Community Spotlight: Cultivating Resilient Youth
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Nikkia Ingram has been on call 24 hours a day, but she doesn’t mind. Ingram is the founder and executive director of Cultivating Resilient Youth, and she receives calls all through the day and night from the girls in her organization. Ingram is also a security guard for Pittsburgh…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY: Dec. 3-9
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “Pictures of perfection, as you know, make me sick and wicked,” observed Sagittarian author Jane Austen. She wrote this confession in a letter to her niece, Fanny, whose boyfriend thought that the women characters in Jane’s novels were too naughty. In the coming weeks, I encourage you Sagittarians to regard pictures…
