Bodiography reveals details on Movement Factory, an upcoming dance and performance venue coming to the North Side
A former bedding manufacturing facility in the North Side is being transformed into a dance studio and performance venue for local dance company, Bodiography. Bodiography founder and artistic director Maria Caruso announced that her company is renovating the first floor of a building into Movement Factory, a space complete with a 175-seat theater, three studios,…
Wightman Park reopens with new inclusive playgrounds, sustainable infrastructure, and public art
It’s a cold, rainy Wednesday afternoon at Wightman Park, but the weather did little to stop about 100 people from gathering at the site to mark its big reopening after four years of renovation. Adults wearing face masks chatted or walked their dogs, while children played on the new playground equipment, or coasted into the…
Four local spots to stock up on tea for the winter
Fall is here, meaning winter is basically also here (because we’re in Pittsburgh), and it’s time to get back in touch with hot beverages. If you’re a tea drinker, check out these local spots to grab a to-go cup, or a bag of loose leaf tea to make your own at home. Bantha Tea Bar…
Dropping off a mail-in ballot downtown? Use Councilor Bobby Wilson’s parking spot
Pittsburgh City Councilor Bobby Wilson is encouraging Pittsburghers to vote early by allowing voters to utilize his downtown parking space for free. To help spread this message, Wilson released a short sepia-tone video in the style of a Charlie Chaplin silent film. In the video, he uses the classic Pittsburgh parking chair to make it…
Pioneer Records chooses Pablito Uri as next Pioneer Star
Pablito Uri, aka Pablo Uribasterra, has been chosen as Pioneer Records’ ninth Pioneer Star. A native of Miami, Fla., the 21-year-old singer-songwriter is currently studying theatre arts at Point Park University. Uri focuses on the alternative and jazz-funk genres, and draws influence from Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, Brittany Howard, and Bruno Mars. He has already…
CEO of Cultural Trust says “Pittsburgh will see Broadway again”
“I promise you that Pittsburgh will see Broadway again,” Kevin McMahon, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust told PNC Broadway subscribers on Tuesday night. Members of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Broadway Producing Offices, and Broadway Across America addressed hundreds of fans of the local broadway series to discuss “the road back to the…
New food truck to bring a modern take on a classic Jewish delicatessen
“Would you eat at a Jewish deli truck?” Jon Barr used his question to gauge city interest in his now coming-soon food truck, Haskel’s Delicatessen, on Reddit. In his post, Barr said the poll taught him a few things. Matzah ball soup and pickles were a must-have on the truck’s menu, there were a handful…
Lynn Cullen Live – 10/27/20
Video Archive Lynn is being joined by her sister Susan today. They are taking time this morning to remember the victims of the Tree of Life shooting, which happened two years ago today. A week away from the election, they are also talking about a New York Times article on people who don’t vote. Last…
Playlist: Fall vibes in Pittsburgh
It may have been 80 degrees last week, but it’s officially fall in Pittsburgh. Get into the season spirit with this playlist, featuring artists from Pittsburgh and beyond.
A conservative PAC is sending harmful and misleading texts about trans children to voters
Pennsylvania voters are no strangers to getting text messages about the upcoming election. Especially in a swing state like this one, get-out-the-vote campaigns are targeting voters at a rapid rate. But over the past week, some Pennsylvanians have been getting texts from the group APP PAC that contain harmful statements about transgender people, and incorrect…
Four takeaways from Monday’s COVID-19 briefing with Health Secretary Levine
Cases of COVID-19 continued to rise across Pennsylvania this weekend, with the state Health Department reporting 3,073 cases between Sunday and Monday. In a statement, the Health Department reported 1,407 confirmed cases on Monday, in all 67 of Pennsylvania’s counties. That brought the statewide total to 195,695 since the pandemic began. The agency confirmed 12…
Lynn Cullen Live – 10/26/20
Video Archive Tomorrow is the two year anniversary of the Tree of Life shooting. Lynn is thinking about those events, and how the horror of that day still weighs on her. She is also discussing the devastating loss of her former producer, and Pittsburgh City Paper managing editor Alex Gordon. In national news, Lynn is…
Processing new perspectives with pictures and paddling
I hope Alex would have been as proud of the alliteration in my headline as I am and wouldn’t have given me too much shit for including two photos of the same bridge. The 16th Street Bridge is the most underrated of the over 400 bridges we have in Pittsburgh, so it deserves all of…
Sharpsburg Borough Council rejects LGBTQ nondiscrimination ordinance
On Thu., Oct. 22, Sharpsburg Borough City Council rejected a nondiscrimination ordinance that would’ve created a Human Relations Commission and added civil rights protections for the LGBTQ community, as well as other protected groups. Pennsylvania civil rights law has protections for people based on their race, religion, sex, national origin, and disability status, but doesn’t…
Pittsburgh-shot true crime series Mindhunter could be done for good
Fans of true crime and tense thrillers suffered a loss when Netflix announced that its hit series Mindhunter would be put on hold indefinitely after just two seasons. The loss also affected Pittsburgh, as much of the show was shot in and around the city, providing work to film professionals and actors, and boosting the…
Meet Kolbe Cole, who could become Western Pa.’s second Black woman in Harrisburg, and help flip the state House in the process
Thanks to a scandal that has erupted in Lawrence County, and a strong challenge from an independent candidate, a door has opened for Democrats in the Trump Country of Western Pennsylvania. Two weeks ago, Snapchat videos showed state Rep. Aaron Bernstine (R-New Beaver) encouraging his 5-year-old son to smoke cigars and play the “f—k, marry,…
In memory of Alex Waters Gordon
Alex Waters Gordon died on Thu., Oct. 15. He is survived by his fiance, Jes Bogdan, his parents Myles Gordon and Marjorie Waters, his brother Sam, sister-in-law Ashley Downs, and nieces Anna and Emory, and his cat Lily. In his life, Alex always appreciated good writing, whether a favorite song lyric, a long New Yorker…
Anti-LGBTQ group linked to Rob Mercuri sends out anti-trans mailers attacking opponent
The majority of Pennsylvanians support LGBTQ rights like nondiscrimination and same-sex marriage, but that hasn’t stopped anti-LGBTQ groups from aligning with local Republican candidates in attempted attacks against Democrats who support LGBTQ rights. This month, the PA Family Council — which openly opposes same-sex marriage and supports allowing businesses to discriminate against LGBTQ people —…
Duolingo unveils new community mural and $150,000 in grants to support public art
Before Duolingo moved into its East Liberty offices at Penn and Euclid Avenue, the building was known for a different reason — the site of Lend Me Your Ears, an 8,500-square-foot community mural that stretched around the building and depicted Black children at play. When real estate developers destroyed the mural in 2015, many residents…
Local coffee chain Crazy Mocha files for bankruptcy
This week, local coffee shop chain Crazy Mocha filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, claiming it owes nearly $5 million to more than 50 different creditors. According to court filings, the company only has between $100,000 to $500,000 in assets. Crazy Mocha has two dozen stores across Southwestern Pennsylvania, but the vast majority of them have…
Pa. House amends DUI law decriminalizing trace amounts of medical marijuana
Wednesday afternoon, the Pennsylvania state House passed a bill amending the state’s existing DUI law to decriminalize driving while traces of marijuana are still in the system of legal medical-marijuana users. In Pennsylvania, the current laws and provisions related to driving while under the influence of alcohol or substances, aka DUI, criminalize driving while tetrahydrocannabinol…
Lynn Cullen Live – 10/22/20
Video Archive The Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted this morning to advance the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Lynn is discussing this vote, the boycott from the Democrats on the committee, and Biden’s response when asked about court packing to kick things off today. She is also talking about…
Lynn Cullen Live – 10/21/20
Video Archive Lynn is starting off today discussing Elliot Broidy pleading guilty to foreign lobbying charge. She is also talking about Philip Halpern, who after 36 years of working for the US Department of Justice left, and his commentary on why he felt he must. Then there is the newest disinformation campaign against Hunter Biden,…
Pittsburgh and Allegheny County pass bills banning hairstyle discrimination
Yesterday, both the municipal governments of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County passed bills that would ban discrimination based on hairstyle in employment, housing, real estate, and public accommodation. Both chambers, Pittsburgh City Council and Allegheny County Council, voted unanimously to pass these changes. Both city and county join a growing movement across the country to provide…
Pittsburgh General Election Guide 2020
Odds are, you have already voted in the 2020 General Election. Allegheny County voters have already returned well over 200,000 mail-in ballots. That’s more than 30% of the turnout in 2016, and there is still more than a week left to vote. With many readers’ votes cast and their minds already made up, the Pittsburgh…
Pennsylvania State House District 30: Lissa Geiger Shulman vs. Lori Mizgorski
Pennsylvania’s 30th Congressional District includes Hampton Township, Richland Township, Allison Park, Glenshaw, Shaler, O’Hara Township, and Fox Chapel. State Rep. Lori Mizgorski is the incumbent in this race. Lissa Geiger Shulman BIO: A Democrat, Geiger Shulman is a former public school teacher who previously worked for State Rep. Dan Miller. Graduated from the University of…
Pennsylvania State House District 44: Michele Knoll vs. Valerie Gaydos
Pennsylvania’s 44th State House District includes Sewickley, Edgeworth, Osborne, Aleppo, Ohio Township, Crescent, North Fayette, and Findlay. State Rep. Valerie Gaydos is the incumbent in this race. Michelle Knoll BIO: A Democrat and former Avonworth school board member who has experience working with disabled students as a Development Therapist. Serves on the board of Just…
Pennsylvania State Senate District 37: Pam Iovino vs. Devlin Robinson
Pennsylvania’s 37th State Senate District covers Mt. Lebanon, Whitehall, Jefferson Hills, South Park, Bethel Park, Upper St. Clair, Peters, Sewickley, Leetsdale, Aleppo, Thornburg, Rosslyn Farms, and Western Allegheny County, excluding Coraopolis. State Sen. Pam Iovino is the incumbent. Pam Iovino BIO: Democratic incumbent is a Navy veteran who served as congressional liaison for the Navy,…
Biggest, most beautiful guide to the Presidential race: Donald Trump vs. Joe Biden
You know these candidates, and you are probably sick of hearing about them. The 2020 presidential race has dominated the news cycle for basically the last four years. There is too much to include in an earnest chart. So we are having a bit of fun, and providing some very simple contrasts between the two…
U.S. House District 17: Conor Lamb vs. Sean Parnell
Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District includes all of Beaver County, parts of Cranberry in Butler County, Mt. Lebanon, Dormont, Castle Shannon, Carnegie, Crafton, Ingram, all of Western Allegheny County, Oakmont, Verona, most of Penn Hills, and all Allegheny County municipalities north of the Allegheny River, with the exception of Pittsburgh’s North Side. Rep. Conor Lamb is…
How to vote in person if you have already requested a mail-in ballot
If you were thinking ahead about voting this cycle, you might have already applied for and received a mail-in ballot for the Pennsylvania General Election. However, just because you received a mail-in ballot, that doesn’t mean you are locked into voting that way. If you would rather vote in-person on Election Day, but you have…
Takeout Review: Hapa Hawaiian Grill
I’ve never looked at a can of SPAM and thought, “Wow. That looks appetizing.” There’s something about the phrase “canned meat” that brings the same feeling of disgust as Jell-O salads; they’re two words that shouldn’t — and can’t — be made into something I want to eat. But Hapa Hawaiian Grill, a pandemic-opened Hawaiian…
What is your voting plan?
In my mid-teens, when I went out to trick or treat with gusto, my costume was “hobo,” which is probably a poor term to use. But the idea was a 1920s person riding trains and living off the land, misrepresented and romanticized in movies like Sullivan’s Travels. A freedom that came from the loss from…
Married arts professionals open KURATEDpgh, a new gallery in Aspinwall
Katie and Rachel Saul Rearick share much of their life together, both as a married couple and as arts professionals. Now the two have opened KURATEDpgh, a new gallery in Aspinwall created to increase the visibility of Pittsburgh artists. Located in a former medical supply store at 405 Freeport Road, KURATEDpgh recently opened with a…
An election night drinking game
Don’t want to drink? Try these alternatives. Swap out a sip for a deep breath, and instead of taking a shot, turn off the TV and run around the block to calm your nerves. Drink when … • You see a bad political meme. • Party-goers realize they’re on television. • You question the electoral…
Seven Days of Arts and Entertainment: Oct. 22-28
Thu., Oct. 22 ARTS TALK Public Art and Communities Symposium: Creative Placemaking to Address Community Public Health, a two-day virtual event presented by the Office of Public Art in collaboration with Neighborhood Allies, will address innovative ways artists can help their neighbors respond to public health issues. The Zoom event will feature national speakers including…
Seven Days of Music: Oct. 22-28
Thu., Oct. 22 (IRL) Backyard Music Makers. 5-6 p.m. Millvale Community Library, 213 Grant Ave., Millvale. Free. millvalelibrary.org/programming Want to learn how to play music, instead of simply listening to it? Every Thursday, the Millvale Community Library hosts guitar lessons through Backyard Music Makers. Several guitars will be available on-site for use, but folks are…
Meet the 2020 State Auditor General Candidates
The State Auditor General is the chief fiscal watchdog for the commonwealth, using audits to ensure the legal and responsible spending of state taxpayer dollars. There is no incumbent in this race as the current Auditor General, Eugene DePasquale, is term-limited. Nina Ahmad BIO: Democratic candidate. Served as the Deputy Mayor for Public Engagement under…
Pennsylvania State House District 28: Emily Skopov vs. Rob Mercuri
Pennsylvania’s 28th State House District covers the North Hills communities of Bradford Woods, Franklin Park, Marshall, McCandless, and Pine. There is no current incumbent, as the last representative to sit here, former House Speaker Mike Turzai (R-Marshall), retired this summer. Emily Skopov BIO: Democrat who ran in 2018. Runs a nonprofit that collects partly-used crayons…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY: Oct. 22-28
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I vote in American elections, but I’ve never belonged to a political party. One of my favorite politicians is Bernie Sanders, who for most of his career has been an Independent. But now I’m a staunch advocate for the Democrats. Why? Because Republicans are so thoroughly under the curse of the…
