UPMC claims Pa. has a “less deadly” COVID-19 strain, but it’s not supported by research
At a press conference last week, UPMC officials claimed that Pennsylvania was seeing a “less deadly” strain of COVID-19 than the one the state, and the rest of country, experienced at the beginning of the pandemic. But an investigation by Spotlight PA found that there is insufficient research to support the claim. “You may have…
Wolf announces new statewide COVID bar and restaurant restrictions; Allegheny County to announce changes to restaurant policies soon
Today, Gov. Tom Wolf announced new mitigation efforts as a response to the recent spike in coronavirus cases across the state. The spike has been mainly led by a large increase of cases in Southwestern Pennsylvania, particularly Allegheny County. In response, Wolf and state health secretary Dr. Rachel Levine signed orders today that go into affect…
Mailers in North Hills state House race share “a bald-faced lie,” says candidate Emily Skopov
The race for Pennsylvania state House District 28 is off to an early start. Mailers have been sent out to the North Hills district, and include some egregious distortions that attack Democratic candidate Emily Skopov. The mailers, which were sponsored by the conservative PAC Commonwealth Leaders Fund, read, “Emily Skopov wanted to keep local businesses…
Black Lives Matter Pittsburgh and SW Pa. hosts “Read In” event to distribute free books to children from underserved communities
About a month ago, Tanisha Long created the Facebook group Black Lives Matter Pittsburgh and SW Pa (BLMSWPA). With almost 7,000 members, the page is a local, unofficial Black Lives Matter group that represents Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas. Their focus is to “bring together activists and allies in order to lift up black causes,…
Playlist: Summer fruit salad mix
Sweet in your ears, just like a fruit salad in your mouth.
Pa. poised to provide potentially $670 million in tax breaks to natural-gas manufacturers
Yesterday, the Pennsylvania state Senate passed a bill that would potentially provide hundreds of millions in tax credits to petrochemical facilities and others that refine natural gas into products like plastic pellets or fertilizer. The bill, HB 732, passed the state Senate by a 40-9 vote. All Republicans supported the bill and even the majority…
Hotline Ring is a collective fundraiser and an exercise in building community
The economic struggling of the pandemic has affected nearly every industry, including the arts community, who doesn’t necessarily receive the same bailouts or donations as other organizations. The Kelly Strayhorn Theater, a hub for eclectic and diverse live performances in a pre-COVID world, is joining together with six other arts organizations for Hotline Ring, a…
Tracing the Underground Railroad in Pittsburgh through these 9 historical sites
Pittsburgh is a city with no shortage of historical sites to commemorate. At the same time, many remnants of the past have been torn down or forgotten. When it comes to Black history, many sites have either not survived, been looked over, or just not been adequately publicized. Though some may not know it, Pittsburgh…
Pittsburgh VegFest 2020 is canceled
After consideration, Pittsburgh VegFest has decided to cancel its 2020 event. The vegan food festival was scheduled to take place Sat., Aug. 1. “We know thousands of Pittsburghers look forward to Pittsburgh VegFest every year however we do not personally feel it would be responsible to conduct VegFest; even outdoors, with the current climate and…
Market Square Farmers Market returns to Downtown Pittsburgh this week
After shutting down for a few months, the Market Square Farmers Market returns on Thu., July 16 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. It will continue every Thursday through Oct. 29 at its Downtown Pittsburgh location. In addition to produce and prepared-food vendors, the market will have live music from local singer/songwriters. A temporary market that was…
Lynn Cullen Live – 7/14/20
Video Archive Lynn is back, and discussing the past four days with Susan. They are covering many topics including the most recent Dana Milbank opinion piece, attempts to undermine Dr. Fauci’s expertise , Lt. Col. Vindman’s retirement, Trump’s commutation of Roger Stone’s sentence, and Mary Trump’s book. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last…
PHOTOS: #StopTheStation march through East Liberty
A continuously growing number of protesters marched through East Liberty on Monday, calling for the planned reoccupying of the Zone 5 police station to be stopped. What started as a group of about 200 people nearly doubled by the time they made their way past Target, down to Negley Avenue, through neighborhood streets, and ending…
412 Food Rescue to distribute food boxes at Fallingwater
This Wed., July 15, 412 Food Rescue is heading south to distribute fresh produce at the historic Fallingwater house in Mill Run. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., anyone in need can come to the site and get a food box. Each household will receive a 25-pound box full of fresh produce from local donor…
Man arrested with homemade bombs in South Hills has apparent social-media history of threatening BLM protesters and supporting Trump
Last Thursday, a man was arrested in Mt. Lebanon for having more than 30 improvised bombs and several detonators in his Mercedes. According to his criminal complaint, Whitehall resident Kurt Cofano was arrested for possession of homemade bombs and in connection to online threats he made. This included threatening to “blow up” the Treasury Department…
East End Brewing changes the name of its “Monkey Boy” beer after complaint
East End Brewing Company announced over the weekend that it would be changing the name of its popular “Monkey Boy” Hefeweizen beer after a customer called the name offensive. The beer will now be called Hefe Weizen. In a blog post, East End owner Scott Smith said the name was originally chosen 13 years ago…
Five unique ice cream flavors to try in the Greater Pittsburgh region
It’s been hot, really hot. Over the last two weeks, the Pittsburgh region has seen several days over 90 degrees, with only a few days of rain to cool things off. This kind of weather is perfect for ice cream. With more hot days coming this week and two more months of summer left to…
Pittsburgh Coloring Book artist profile: Pat Lewis and his illustration of the local phrase, “Kennywood’s Open!”
As Pittsburghers debate whether or not West Mifflin’s amusement park should really be open during the pandemic, there remains a group of paranoid yinzers who still hear the phrase “Kennywood’s open!” and instead of thinking of roller coasters, immediately look down at their crotches to make sure their private parts aren’t, well, unmasked. It’s that…
PHOTOS: March for justice in honor of Duquesne University student Marquis Jaylen Brown
Dannielle Brown has been on a hunger strike for over a week, sitting in a rocking chair at Freedom Corner in the Hill District, in protest of how Duquesne University police handled her son Marquis Jaylen’s 2018 death. On Sat., July 11, on the ninth day of her hunger strike, Brown led a march from…
Highway signs at edge of Allegheny County admire Donald Trump’s balls, encourage ‘breeding’
At the southern edge of Allegheny County, drivers are greeted with some odd signs as they exit the county. According to a story posted on July 5 by local blog Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents, a series of signs adorn the fence of Elizabeth Equipment Services on Route 51. One of them called Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto…
New music Friday: National releases we’re loving
New releases to get you through the weekend.
CONTEST: Get out your grills — it’s time for the Battle of the Burghers!
Pittsburgh City Paper and PA Beef Council are looking for the city’s best burgers. And this year, in lieu of our typical in-person, month-long burger contest, we’re launching a socially-distant version — a Burgher Battle — open to anyone with a grill and a spatula. Starting Mon., July 13 — whether you’re a home cook…
PHOTOS: Pittsburghers march for justice in honor of Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen
Activist, musician, and Army veteran Brittney Chantele led a group of protesters through Downtown Pittsburgh on Thursday evening, marching in the name of Vanessa Guillen, a Fort Hood soldier who was allegedly killed by a fellow service member, following Guillen’s reported accusations of sexual harassment during her time at Fort Hood. Since the 20-year-old soldier…
These Allegheny County reps voted to block an environmental plan meant to lower emissions
Last year, Gov. Tom Wolf (D-York) announced Pennsylvania would be joining 10 other northeastern states in an environmental program called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. This program, which was created in 2009, includes a rule that would place a price on each ton of carbon released into the atmosphere during electricity generation. In a state…
For Sale With Baggage: It’s not you, it’s me
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…
Pittsburgh Mask Maker Spotlight: Pittsburgh Crochet Co.
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: Gracie Henderson Business: Pittsburgh Crochet Co. Neighborhood: Homewood @pghcrochetco on Instagram,…
Gov. Wolf extends moratorium on Pa. evictions and foreclosures until Aug. 31
The day before his previous order was set to expire, Gov. Tom Wolf (D-York) signed an executive order protecting renters and homeowners from receiving eviction orders or foreclosures until Aug. 31. Wolf had previously ordered a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures that was set to expire on Fri., July 10. The order protects those who…
Lynn Cullen Live – 7/8/20
Video Archive Lynn is discussing a couple of books to kick off the show today; Mary Trump’s “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man” and the fiction book “Make Russia Great Again” by Christopher Buckley. She is also talking about evictions in Pennsylvania. Joining her with the latest…
Black people in Allegheny County twice as likely to get coronavirus compared to white people
Across the country, Black and Latino people have been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Since May, both Black and Latino people have been twice as likely to contract COVID-19 compared to white people in America, according to CDC data unearthed by the New York Times. This disparity has not avoided Pittsburgh. According to…
Three years in the making, Jordan Montgomery’s Thank You 4 Ur Purchase But We R Not For $ale may be more relevant than ever
Jordan Montgomery got the idea for his latest album three years ago. He noticed how America’s Black culture — the music, the entertainment, the dance — is embraced by so many, but the same affection isn’t often applied directly to the people creating that culture. Thank You 4 Ur Purchase But We R Not For…
New LGBTQ youth center announced in Pittsburgh after former program lost its funding
On July 1, the Persad Center in Lawrenceville lost funding for its LGBTQ youth programs, spelling an uncertain future for the region’s LGBTQ young people. The program at Persad, which provides resources and services for LGBTQ people, gave a space for youth in the community to congregate in an open and accepting atmosphere. With it…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY July 9-15, 2020
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian author Mary McCarthy provides you with a challenge you’ll be wise to relish during the rest of 2020. She writes, “Everyone continues to be interested in the quest for the self, but what you feel when you’re older is that you really must make the self.” McCarthy implies that this…
Takeout review: Morcilla
When dining rooms closed in March, Pittsburgh chefs had to rethink the restaurant experience. Half of the draw to dining out is the atmosphere that comes along with it, but without tables to fill, chefs were forced to figure out a way for diners to take the restaurant experience home. Some restaurants transformed their beloved…
Expect supernatural events and at least one “ruthless” surprise in Squirrel Hill writer Zoje Stage’s latest novel Wonderland
In Zoje Stage’s debut novel, Baby Teeth, the Squirrel Hill resident wrote about a seven-year-old mute girl, Hanna, who tries to kill her mother. In her second book, Wonderland (Mulholland), a nine-year-old girl, Eleanor Queen, communicates with a voice from the past. In both stories, the youthful characters have trouble expressing themselves about things only…
Pittsburgh Mask Maker Spotlight: Otto Finn
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: Rona Chang Title: CEO and Chief Textile Enthusiast at Otto Finn…
Pittsburgh Coloring Book artist profile: Marcel Walker and his portrait of saxophonist Reggie Howze
If you’ve ever walked across the Roberto Clemente Bridge on the way to a Pittsburgh Pirates game, it’s likely you’ve heard Reggie Howze playing tunes on his saxophone. He’s one of the city’s longest-tenured buskers, shouting out to passersby between songs. Pittsburgh artist Marcel Walker jumped at the chance to illustrate the Pittsburgh legend. “I…
