Mattress Factory highlights art “for teens, by teens” with Mirrors of the Mind
Teens are facing a widespread mental health crisis. This is according to a recent New York Times article examining how pediatricians in the United States have treated an increasing number of young patients suffering from various mental health disorders. The story points out that anxiety, depression, suicide, and self-harm among teens have “soared,” enough so…
City Theatre turns trash to treasure in premiere of The Garbologists
The co-world premiere of Lindsay Joelle’s The Garbologists at City Theatre is an enjoyable, well-executed production about two garbage collectors who can’t stand each other. The production, which features exceptional scenic and sound design, is directed by City Theatre co-artistic director Monteze Freeland in his directorial debut at the theater’s main stage. Billed as an…
BikePGH celebrates second annual Bike Anywhere Week
Celebrate National Bike Month in Pittsburgh with a week’s worth of fun activities during Bike Anywhere Week. The week of events, happening May 16-20 throughout the city, is hosted by local transit nonprofit BikePGH. Bike Anywhere Week aims to provide cyclists with events and resources in which they can meet others who enjoy riding and…
Burlesque and drag performers use talents to support abortion access in Pittsburgh
Abortion rights have undergone a series of attacks throughout the country, with restrictive laws and bans being signed by legislators in Texas and other states. This has culminated in outrage over a recent Politico story about a leaked initial draft majority opinion suggesting that the Supreme Court would strike down Roe v. Wade, a 1973 decision that…
Lynn Cullen Live: Supreme Court Justices protested at home (05/10/22)
Lynn and Susan are discussing the protests outside of Supreme Court Justices homes and how people are reacting to it and how the senate quickly past a security protection bill to protect Supreme Court families but they don’t pass bills to protect others. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the…
Mobile CBD edibles, a farmers market returns, and more Pittsburgh food news
Market Square Farmers Market Market Square, Downtown. downtownpittsburgh.com The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership announced that, on Thu., May 12, the 18th season of the Market Square Farmers Market will return. The market will be open Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to offer regional produce, organic products, small-batch foods, and prepared lunch options from over 30…
Learn tango, flamenco, and more during new series at Allegheny Landing
Between COVID-19 and the stretch of winter, Pittsburgh residents have been stuck inside for far too long. Some new in-person programming promises to help locals shake off some of that cabin fever with low-cost, outdoor classes. Every Saturday from May 14 to June 25, Pittsburgh Creative Corps, a partnership between the Office for Public Art…
Pittsburgh Public Schools requests public input on search for superintendent
The Pittsburgh Board of Public Education has requested “maximum community input” in its national search for a new superintendent. “There is no more important decision we will make as a board than selecting the right superintendent for our district,” says Board President Sala Udin. “Community engagement is an essential part of this process.” Former superintendent…
Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents wins GLAAD Media Award
The trans community, especially Black and BIPOC trans women, has experienced an alarming epidemic of violence in the past several years. In her blog Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents, North Side resident Sue Kerr has taken on the task of memorializing each death, giving a face, a name, and a story to each of the trans victims.…
Lynn Cullen Live: Hero working at Chick-fil-A (05/09/22)
“There are a bunch of these women, now resettled in cities all over the country, and one remarkable 26-year-old is making Chick-fil-A sandwiches here.” — Lynn speaking on an Afghan woman who fought the Taliban alongside U.S. Troops. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
Pittsburgh’s top concerts: May 9-15
Earthgang. Sun., May 15. 6 p.m. Stage AE. 400 N. Shore Drive, North Side. $32.50. promowestlive.com. Give a huge “welcome home” to Pittsburgh’s Benji. as he returns to the ‘Burgh as part of EARTHGANG’s Ghetto Gods tour. Maybe there will be some special surprises in store? Alec Benjamin. Tue., May 10. 6:30 p.m. Roxian Theatre.…
Pennsylvania oil lobby keeps abandoned wells unplugged
This story was first published on May 6 in Capital & Main. Fluorescent lights beaming down on his head, Arthur Stewart took a seat at a table facing a panel of legislators in a nondescript room in the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg. On a Monday morning in early February, he was there to meet…
Now Hiring in Pittsburgh: Event Director, Art Studio Assistant, Digital Organizer, and more
We searched the web to find some of Pittsburgh’s best job openings this week. If your company is hiring, send info including a job title, description, and salary range to jobs@pghcitypaper.com. Nonprofit Digital Organizer. Community nonprofit coalition Pittsburgh United is seeking a full-time Digital Organizer to develop online strategies that build the organization. Responsibilities include reaching…
Photographer to teach tips of trade to working artists in Sewickley
Artists often wear many hats, especially when they are independent. They create their work, then promote it online and put in additional hours working to sell it to interested art-seekers, which can be a tough and taxing job. Many times, they also have to hire photographers or writers to help bring their art to life,…
Artist launches Kickstarter to turn former Braddock church into transitional housing
Artist and filmmaker Caledonia Curry has a special relationship with a church in North Braddock. In 2007, Curry, who works under the name Swoon, was invited to purchase and restore an abandoned church on Jones Street. Since then, the property, under Swoon and a team of fellow artists, has undergone a series of transformations, from housing a ceramic…
New “Insurrection Index” identifies 16 Pa. politicians who supported Jan. 6 insurrection
Voting rights organization Public Wise wants Pennsylvanians to keep an eye on 16 “insurrectionist” candidates for elected office. Their new searchable database, the Insurrection Index, holds more than a thousand records of individuals and organizations in positions of public trust who were involved in the deadly attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. “From…
Prepare to be “blown away” when Netflix competition winner visits Pittsburgh Glass Center
Elliot Walker didn’t earn the title “The Best in Glass” for nothing. The British glassblower and sculptor won season two of the Netflix competition show Blown Away, described as pushing 10 glass artists to “creative extremes” in order to impress a panel of judges. Now Walker will visit the Pittsburgh Glass Center for an open house…
After Hours – Bonus Edition: Natalie Bencivenga interviews Jerry Dickinson
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pittsburgh City Paper (@pghcitypaper) Jerry Dickinson, University of Pittsburgh constitutional law professor and candidate for U.S. House District 12, joins Natalie Bencivenga for a bonus After Hours episode, discussing the legal ramifications should Roe V. Wade be overturned. Listen as they discuss if people have a…
OurBus promises new, low-cost transport from western Pennsylvania to New York City
Slick concepts like the fabled Hyperloop may never come to pass (according to TribLive, recent layoffs at Virgin, the company behind the transportation technology, make it seem even less likely), meaning that people in Pittsburgh may never get to experience being shot through a tube into Chicago in under an hour. At least we still…
Joe Pera talks with me
Pittsburgh City Paper called up comedian, writer, and actor Joe Pera, whose Spring in the Midwest and Rust Belt tour stops in Pittsburgh on Tue., May 10 at the Carnegie Library of Homestead, to discuss playing this region, doing your research, and what’s so funny about bodybuilders. Although Pera has been doing stand-up since college,…
Revelatory essay collection asks, Are the Arts Essential?
In an essay for Are the Arts Essential? (NYU Press), Ford Foundation President Darren Walker writes about how the impact of art cannot be quantified because “one cannot measure the impact of empathy or love.” Walker, who was instrumental in bolstering the fortunes of Detroit’s art community during that city’s economic crises in the mid-2000s,…
On the Tahn: Dance parties and live music at Roxian, Government Center, and more (May 5-8)
Thu., May 5 Japanese Breakfast Roxian Theatre 7 p.m. Japanese Breakfast, an experimental pop act led by Korean-American musician, director, and author Michelle Zauner, recently garnered two Grammy nominations for the album Jubilee. See why Pitchfork called Zauner “a true blue rock star tempered in the waters of shoegaze, Pacific Northwest rock, and twee, making music…
After Hours: Natalie Bencivenga interviews Conor Lamb
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pittsburgh City Paper (@pghcitypaper) After Hours host Natalie Bencivenga interviews U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Mt. Lebanon), who is running for U.S. Senate. Listen to rapid-fire questions, ranging from fracking to reproductive justice. Hear what Lamb says sets him apart from his opponents and why he’s decided…
Lynn Cullen Live: Roe v. Wade (05/05/22)
“You can’t take rights away, it simply doesn’t work” — Susan. Lynn and Susan are talking about the stacked Supreme Court that will likely overturn Roe v. Wade and take away the rights of pregnant people. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
$10M program to help substance use disorder treatment professionals repay student loans
State officials are currently accepting applications for a program aimed at helping the people who care for individuals with substance use disorder repay their outstanding student loan debt. The Substance Use Disorder Loan Repayment Program, which is being administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, is accepting applications from treatment professionals as…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY: May 5-11
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z tells us, “Don’t ever go with the flow. Instead, be the flow.” Here’s what I think he means: If we go with the flow, we adjust and accommodate ourselves to a force that is not necessarily aligned with our personal inclinations and needs. To go with the…
Lynn Cullen Live: Sydney Etheredge – Planned Parenthood (05/04/22)
Lynn is talking with Planned Parenthood of Pittsburgh CEO Sydney Etheredge about the leaked Supreme Court draft that would overturn Roe v. Wade and take away the right to an abortion. They discuss ways you can help and get involved. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
Meet the anti-violence expert advocates want on Jail Oversight Board
It’s been a hectic year for the Allegheny County Jail Oversight Board. Tasked with overseeing the jail’s compliance with last year’s ballot initiative banning solitary confinement, a persistent staffing shortage, and increased attention to the 14 men who have died in ACJ since the beginning of the pandemic, including one death as recent as April…
New survey highlights inequities faced by Black women in Pittsburgh
As Pittsburgh continues to be listed as a “livable city,” reports continue to show a contrasting view on the quality of life for its Black residents, especially Black women. “Pittsburgh’s Inequality Across Gender and Race,” a 2019 study by the Gender Equity Commission, ranked the city as one of the worst in the country for…
Pittsburgh’s top events: May 5-11
Thu., May 5 ART • IRL A panel of esteemed judges has selected six winners and honorable mentions for Silver Eye Center for Photography’s annual call for entries. See their award-winning works in Fellowship 22, an exhibit recognizing the talents of photographers from Pittsburgh and around the world including Eva Alcántara, a Dominican trans artist…
U.S. House District 12: Jerry Dickinson, Steve Irwin, Summer Lee, William Parker, and Jeff Woodard
This race will determine who will fill the seat left by U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Forest Hills), who announced his retirement last fall. The newly-drawn 12th congressional district covers the entire city of Pittsburgh, along with multiple Allegheny County suburbs and the western edges of Westmoreland County. Jerry Dickinson Bio: Constitutional law professor at the…
Pennsylvania State House District 19: Aerion Abney and Glenn Grayson
The 19th district covers neighborhoods in Pittsburgh’s North, South, and East Sides, including Downtown, parts of the Hill District, Hazelwood, parts of the South Side, Allentown, and Beltzhoover, Central North Side, Manchester, and North Shore. It is currently represented by incumbent Aerion Abney, who won the April 5 special election to serve remaining term of…
Pennsylvania State House District 24: Martell Covington, La’Tasha D. Mayes, and Randall Taylor
District 24 is a majority-Black district that includes parts of several city neighborhoods and eastern suburbs including East Liberty, Highland Park, Homewood, Wilkinsburg, and East Hills. It is currently represented by incumbent Martell Covington, who won the April 5 special election to serve remaining term of former Rep. Ed Gainey after he stepped down to…
Pennsylvania State House District 34: Summer Lee and Abigail Salisbury
District 34 covers several eastern suburbs including Swissvale, Forest Hills, and Braddock. It is currently represented by Summer Lee, who is running for re-election to her state house seat in this race in addition to her bid for Congress. Summer Lee Bio: Incumbent candidate. Swissvale resident. Lawyer and community organizer. In 2018, was first Black…
Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor: Austin Davis, Brian Sims, and Ray Sosa
The lieutenant governor is the state’s second-in-command who would take over if the Governor dies or resigns. Can also be an effective advocate on specific issues. Josh Shapiro, the lone candidate in the Democratic primary, has endorsed Austin Davis, but voters are the ones who will decide which candidate will share the ticket with him…
Pittsburgh Democratic Primary Election Guide 2022
What a time to be alive — and cover politics. “Unpredictable” doesn’t begin to describe the political landscape in 2022. Both the Republican and Democratic parties are in states of transformation. The value systems they uphold, and who they want to represent, are at the heart of what is at stake during this upcoming election…
Josh Shapiro, the lone Democrat running for Pa. Governor
While nine Republican candidates battle to secure their party’s nomination for governor, Pa. Attorney General Josh Shapiro is the lone Democrat running to replace the term-limited Gov. Tom Wolf. Shapiro, 48, was elected Pennsylvania’s attorney general in 2016, and was re-elected in 2020. He was first elected to office in 2004, when he flipped the…
U.S. Senate: John Fetterman, Malcolm Kenyatta, Conor Lamb, and Alexandria Khalil
Four Democratic challengers are competing for the U.S. Senate seat left open by Republican Pat Toomey (R-Lehigh), who is retiring at the end of his term. The position is viewed as one of the few chances the party has to gain a seat and keep the Democratic majority. John Fetterman Bio: Former mayor of Braddock.…
