The Blue Wave didn’t crash in Pittsburgh, but Democrats made some ripples
After the midterm elections on Tuesday, the Democrats will take control of the U.S. House in 2019, winning 221 seats to seal a majority, with the possibility of adding more seats as results are finalized on the West Coast. The Democrats also gained several governor’s mansions, and flipped some state legislatures. Some are calling it…
Dozens of white nationalism fliers hung in Pittsburgh’s South Hills on Election Day
Two weeks ago, alleged shooter Robert Bowers killed 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue. According to CNN, Bowers blamed Jews for helping immigrants, who he called “invaders,” enter the country. And today, a similar anti-immigrant, far-right message is making an appearance in South Hills, and given the timing, ostensibly aiming to have an effect…
Pittsburgh Opera’s Hansel & Gretel is a family-friendly affair
When the curtains are pulled back for Pittsburgh Opera’s Hansel & Gretel, it’s as if someone has opened the pages of a children’s pop-up book. The set design is minimal, but effective: a crooked house, a forest full of cut-out trees. From the very beginning, there’s no mistaking this is a fairy tale. This rendition…
10th annual Sembène Film and Arts Festival features screenings, readings, and discussions
Since 2009, Sembène Film & Arts Fest has celebrated the life and work of Senegalese filmmaker Ousmane Sembène with screenings of his films, as well as related readings and community discussions. The 10th International African Film Fest at City of Asylum @ Alphabet City runs November 7-10 and all events are free. Screening: Faat Kiné…
Womxn 412 offers a “no dude poets” poetry slam at City of Asylum
“The nice thing about poetry slam is that it’s not like a mom-and-pop, Barnes and Noble, very quiet, poetry reading.”
In the church of Pipeline, testifying is allowed
It’s OK to laugh at Pipeline. It’s OK to make noise. Playwright Dominique Morisseau laid down the permissions in the program like this: “My work welcomes a few ‘um hmmms’ and ‘uhn uhnnns’ should you feel the need to use them. Just maybe in moderation… This can be a church for some of us, and…
#MusicMonday Wrap-up: Nov. 5
5 become 4, Mac Miller’s death ruled an accident, and #MeToo is still in full-swing.
Star Trek star Zachary Quinto canvasses with Democratic state Rep. candidate Emily Skopov
Canvassers for state Rep. candidate Emily Skopov (D-Marshall) who showed up for the noon shift were in for a surprise. Zachary Quinto, star of the new Star Trek films and TV show Heroes, was at Skopov’s campaign office to fire up volunteers. Quinto was raised in Green Tree and graduated from Carnegie Mellon University. He…
Q&A with siblings Adam, Jack and Ryan of AJR
When AJR, a sibling pop trio from New York City, began busking in Washington Square Park 13 years ago, they had no idea their hobby would catapult them into the spotlight. Adam, Ryan, and Jack Met, – their first initials spell the band’s name – simply wanted to save up money to buy music equipment.…
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/5/18
Video Archive We’re a day away from the Midterm Election. Lynn is joined by The Pittsburgh City Paper’s Ryan Deto to discuss all you need to know before you vote tomorrow. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads page.
Pittsburgh City Paper staffers discuss this week’s Election Issue on Pittsburgh City Podcast
A podcast for Southwestern Pennsylvania high school journalism students
Hundreds rally in Downtown Pittsburgh calling for transgender rights and protections
On Nov. 1, light blue and pink hues fell on hundreds of people inside the portico of the City-County Building in Downtown Pittsburgh. Those soft lights reflected of a giant Transgender Pride Flag, reflecting on the light blue and pink stripes that make up the flag. The large crowd gathered to protest the news that…
Now Streaming: #NewMusicFriday
So much music, so little time. But, CP staff writer, Jordan Snowden is here to help.
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/2/18
Video Archive The election is next week, and Lynn is discussing the turnout for early voting throughout the country so far. It’s looking like turnout is going to be much higher than it was at the last midterm. She is also talking about Naftali Bennett, Minister of Education of Israel, his speaking at the Sunday…
Gov. candidate Scott Wagner’s 2012 divorce proceedings shed light on his otherwise undisclosed personal finances
As a candidate for Pennsylvania Governor, Scott Wagner has touted his financial success as a CEO and founder of a trash-and-recycling business. Penn Waste, his York County company, is reportedly slated to bring in $70 million dollars this year. Wagner also had enough personal cash on hand to put $10 million toward his campaign. But…
Barely mediocre Bohemian Rhapsody undersells the legend of Freddie Mercury
The movie Bohemian Rhapsody is a ridiculous, impossible journey that almost never was, just like the song “Bohemian Rhapsody,” just like the band Queen itself. But unlike the band and the song, which found the exact right formula of heart and insanity to make something magic, the movie fails to synthesize the band and Freddie…
Am I Gross? Fest aims to diversify voices in the punk music scene
There is a void in the Pittsburgh punk rock music community. Head to a show, and the people who are performing or singing to the crowd all fit a single profile: white, cis, male. Kensey Bennett, creator and organizer of the upcoming Am I Gross? Fest, aims to change this by bringing the city a…
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/1/18
Video Archive Lynn is back today, but it’s not any easier of a show than it was on Monday. It’s difficult to comprehend what has been going on. She is scared that there are so many people who do not see that we are the precipice, and that the outcome is not certain at all.…
Yabin Wang’s The Moon Opera makes its North American debut in Pittsburgh
In Yabin Wang’s dance adaptation of Bi Feiyu’s The Moon Opera, an embittered, former opera star looks to reclaim her past glory with the role that defined her career – and tragically changed her life forever. Part of the Cultural Trust’s Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts, the 85-minute intermissionless dance drama will be performed by…
Election Guide 2018
This Pittsburgh City Paper Election Guide highlights several policies, protections, and laws that can become a reality if they receive enough support at the polls. We also have included the thoughts from the women on CP’s staff about why they feel it is important to vote. Additionally, we’re featuring portraits of local political candidates who…
Tragic lessons
People often say that hate is a strong word. Sometimes I catch myself thinking things like “God I hate this cashier,” and then think again, “No, that’s too harsh. I just wish they were moving faster.” But sometimes the word isn’t strong enough. After the shooting allegedly carried out by Robert Bowers with an AR-15…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Penetralia” is a word that means the innermost or most private parts, the most secret and mysterious places. It’s derived from the same Latin term that evolved into the word “penetrate.” You Scorpios are of course the zodiac’s masters of penetralia. More than any other sign, you’re likely to know where…
What the midterm elections mean to the sex work industry
In light of the upcoming midterm elections, I take a step back to talk about the way in which elections impact the lives of the sex work community. Sex work is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide array of erotic services: stripping, webcam modeling, nude modeling, escorting, street-based prostitution, phone sex operating, porn performing,…
How and why local artists create works to encourage voting
Voter suppression is as prevalent as ever. In North Dakota, laws requiring voters have a permanent residential address disproportionately affect Native Americans who live on reservations, many of whom use a P.O. box instead. In Georgia, voter ID laws requiring exact name matches have put thousands of voter registrant applications on hold, 80 percent of…
Have a drink to celebrate or ease the pain of another election season
Since the Trump administration began, politics have been basically impossible to avoid. Whether you follow closely or not, you can’t escape this election “season.” Even though the big Pennsylvania races have remained relatively quiet (the race between Gov. Tom Wolf and Scott Wagner has only held one debate), there is still a lot of noise…
A peek at a politician’s playlist
Jay Walker, Valerie Gaydos, Jon McCabe, Matt & Kim, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Avett Brothers, Robert Randolph, Demarco, Pink Floyd, For What It’s Wort, Buffalo Springfield
Election Day Playlist
“Burn The House Down” – AJR The first single from this pop trio of brothers’ sophomore album, The Click, was selected by the March for Our Lives campaign to promote its Road to Change tour. “Die For Your Government” – Anti-Flag Even though you just voted, think about how anti-government you are while screaming along…
Can Pennsylvania finally offer civil rights protections to all LGBTQ residents?
In most of Pennsylvania, people can be fired, evicted, or denied public accommodation if they identify as LGBTQ. In Southwestern Pennsylvania, only in Allegheny County do residents have legal protections against LGBTQ discrimination. For Pittsburgh-area voters, the choice is clear regarding which party supports civil rights protections for LGBTQ individuals and which doesn’t. No…
Companies across the country are giving employees Election Day off
In many countries across the world, election days are either held on weekends, when citizens aren’t working, or, in the case of South Korea, are designated national holidays. Unfortunately, this is not the case in the United States, where weekday elections leave working people and students scrambling to get to the polls after or before…
Pennsylvania Democrats want to raise state’s minimum wage to $15 by 2024
Each neighboring state has a higher minimum wage than Pennsylvania, despite some having weaker economies. Pennsylvania’s $7.25 minimum wage is the lowest in the Northeast. There’s bipartisan consensus for raising the minimum wage, but disagreement over how much. Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner proposes increasing to $8.75 an hour. Gov. Tom Wolf wants to go…
7 Days of Concerts
Thursday Mothers 8:30 p.m. Spirit, Lawrenceville. spiritpgh.com Friday Lane 8 9 p.m. The Rex Theater, South Side. rextheater.net Saturday The Ten Band – A Tribute to Pearl Jam 8 p.m. Jergel’s, Warrendale. jergels.com Sunday Spark the Forest, Foxture, Dive 6:30 p.m. Black Forge Coffee House, Allentown. blackforgecoffee.com Monday Peaer / Calyx / Merce Lemon 7…
Gun-control efforts like universal background checks are close to clearing the legislature
Robert Bowers allegedly brought four guns to carry out the grisly killings of worshippers at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill. One of those was an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. Pennsylvania recently passed a modest gun-control bill, but that measure likely wouldn’t have stopped Bowers, who allegedly killed 11 people. Bowers had no criminal…
Recipe: Gab Bonesso’s election night cocktail
Election Day is right around the corner. And if you’re anything like me, the word “election” alone feels like a stressor after 2016. This might shock you, dear readers, but I did not vote for Mr. Trump. I know you were on the fence as to where I stand politically, but I assure you I’m a…
Can public support push through Medicare-for-all?
Previously, a Medicare-for-all health care system had been mostly considered a fringe idea on the left. But over the last couple of years, the idea of Americans getting insurance from a single government insurance plan, or single-payer, has taken off in popularity. According to a recent poll, 52 percent of Pennsylvanians support Medicare-for-all, while 29…
Another Pennsylvania is possible
As our staff prepared Pittsburgh City Paper’s 2018 Election Guide to be printed this week, tragedy struck our city. When something as horrific and unexpected as Saturday’s shooting occurs, our priorities are shaken and things that seem important suddenly feel small. Details about word counts and photo captions mean very little by Monday morning. It’s…
Will school property taxes finally be on the chopping block?
Sometimes described as the “white whale” of Pennsylvania politics, the elimination of state property taxes has been a goal of several advocates and state legislators, mostly conservatives, for years. Property taxes currently provide 41 percent of state revenue for public schools. Advocates want to replace that revenue stream with modest increases in income and sales…
2018 Election Guide: U.S. Senate, Lou Barletta vs. Bob Casey
Incumbent Democrat Sen. Bob Casey has been polling comfortably ahead of Republican challenger Lou Barletta all year. Casey’s messaging has been consistent with previous U.S. Senate runs: heavy on supporting blue-collar Pennsylvanians and union workers. Barletta is touting his record of hard-line stances on immigration and being an ally of President Donald Trump. Lou Barletta…
A path for Pennsylvania lawmakers to fully legalize marijuana
According to a 2017 poll, 59 percent of Pennsylvanians support legalizing recreational marijuana. Fully legal marijuana could bring significant revenue to Pennsylvania and save money by not charging minor offenses. But getting to that point in Pennsylvania is tricky. Current high-profile state leaders like Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and Republican state House Speaker Mike Turzai…
Fresh faces of Pennsylvania politics
Valerie Gaydos 51, Republican Aleppo, Pa. House 44 A first-time candidate who won a four-way primary in May, Valerie Gaydos wants to bring her entrepreneurial experience to Harrisburg. She has a successful track record of investing in start-up businesses. “I don’t think people want a different kind of Pennsylvania just because it’s different; they want…
Why I’m Voting
My best friend was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer at the age of 31. Since then, she’s received chemo, radiation, a double mastectomy, reconstruction surgery, physical therapy, counseling, and what seems like a never-ending cycle of tests and biopsies. Last month, she had her 21st surgery, a lung biopsy which resulted in a celebration:…
A narrow path exists for Pennsylvania to prohibit legal abortions
When Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed this October, the possibility of repealing the landmark Roe V. Wade abortion-rights case became a lot more plausible. Kavanaugh called Roe “settled law,” but he was nominated by President Donald Trump, who campaigned on appointing judges that would end legal abortion. Kavanaugh’s prior record indicates a more…
Exploring the joys of our biggest civic duty
Chore, obligation, duty, guilt. There are many ways to describe voting but very rarely do we talk about the joy of casting a ballot. Let’s turn the clock back to June 19, the Juneteenth of my 18th birthday. Now, imagine that popular GIF of the “Bambi”-like deer jumping on a beach in a brilliant ruby-gold sunrise.…
2018 Election Guide: Pennsylvania Governor, Scott Wagner vs. Tom Wolf
A millionaire from York County will be elected Pennsylvania’s governor. Both Democratic incumbent Gov. Tom Wolf and Republican challenger Scott Wagner hail from there, and both have led successful businesses. Wolf, consistently ahead in polls, has stayed quiet throughout the campaign. Wagner has been vocal, even espousing violent rhetoric at times, including saying he would…
