City Cast Pittsburgh

It’s the Friday news roundup! Do you know the history of the Point of View statue on Mt. Washington? Plus, a judge ruled city officials can remove the Christopher Columbus statue in Schenley Park after years of fighting, and one of Pittsburgh’s native sons is on the docket for the U.S. Supreme Court. As always, our Friday shows are powered by great local journalism. A good primer on the Andy Warhol case via The Art Newspaper: https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/10/05/supreme-court-briefs-andy-warhol-lynn-goldsmith-prince TribLIVE’s Paula Reed Ward on the decision to remove Columbus from Schenley Park: https://triblive.com/local/judge-pittsburgh-officials-have-right-to-remove-christopher-columbus-statue-in-schenley-park/ And check out Francesca’s list of ways to honor Indigenous People’s Day in Thursday’s newsletter. (And please subscribe if you don’t already!) https://mailchi.mp/citycast/pollutions-effect-on-the-allegheny-alligator?e=1673fc6220 Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up at https://pittsburgh.citycast.fm. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

If you find yourself Downtown and need to use the bathroom, you might be out of luck. Journalist Adam Smeltz gets into the findings and what the city is doing to provide solutions for safe, clean restrooms for the unhoused, as well as people visiting areas like the Golden Triangle. Read the full piece here, which includes great data from Point Park University: https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/what-should-be-done-about-the-lack-of-public-restrooms-in-downtown-pittsburgh/ Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

We love spooky season, but lots of local and regional haunts make us feel sorta gross. Across the nation, many former prisons and psychiatric hospitals, including a few near us, have been revamped into haunted houses that rely on the cruel, scary, and sensational aspects of prison life to entertain. We're with journalist Hope Corrigan, who wrote a story about it all for The Marshall Project. Here is a link if you want to give it a read: https://www.themarshallproject.org/2022/06/09/rethinking-prison-tourism Hope also recommends checking out Clint Smith’s book, How the Word is Passed, for more on "prison tourism." Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up at https://pittsburgh.citycast.fm. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

SCOTUS is back in session this week, but what does that mean for us in PA? Oh, you know, just our basic human rights, plus a couple very nerdy process cases that could affect our elections for years to come. City Cast’s Megan Harris and Morgan Moody are chatting through what to watch out for this coming term. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Sweater weather is already here in the burrrrgh and you can find some real gems if you’re into thrifting. Christen Malone, aka the Thrifty Yinzer, joins us to share her tips and tricks for scoring the best vintage and secondhand items in the city — and to explain why thrifting is about more than just saving a few bucks. Plus, she offers the ultimate guide to garbage picking for gold. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

It’s the Friday news roundup! The City Cast pod-squad is talking the Pittsburgh Zine Fair and federal funding for better internet access and speed in PA, plus we pay homage to the legendary rapper Coolio, who we were shocked to learn was born here in the 'Burgh. As always, our Friday shows are powered by great local journalism. Kiley Koscinski with WESA on the Pittsburgh Digital Equity Coalition: https://www.wesa.fm/politics-government/2022-09-28/pittsburgh-allegheny-county-to-develop-plan-to-confront-digital-inequity-by-2027 Charlotte Keith in SpotlightPA on federal funding for broadband, broadband maps, Pennsylvania’s outdated broadband definition, and more: https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2022/09/pennsylvania-broadband-internet-expansion-map/ And WESA's The Confluence where an expert calls the broadband maps “pretty much bunk:” https://www.wesa.fm/show/the-confluence/2022-09-22/the-state-legislature-could-establish-a-statewide-rape-kit-tracking-system CORRECTION: We didn't try to snip it out, but you may have noticed a flaw in today’s news roundup. We erroneously implied Weird Al Yankovic is Jewish. And a listener educated us! While Mr. Weird has enjoyed great success for bops like "Pretty Fly for a Rabbi," he is, in fact, a practicing Christian. We regret the error. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Thanks to climate change, the seasonal part of “seasonal allergies” is a bit of a misnomer in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Our newest producer, Elizabeth Kauma, explains what local plants are likely to get a reaction out of you, plus and what you can do to stop the achoo! Here's the state’s take on how to control and identify any ragweed in your neck of the woods! https://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Air/BAQ/GeneralInformation/Pollen/Pages/Ragweed-Control.aspx Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Pittsburgh-area teachers often spend their own (very hard-earned) money on classroom supplies. But twice a year, they can stop by the Education Partnership’s Teacher Resource Center and fill up shopping carts with everything their hearts’ desire — from notebooks and glue sticks to Clorox wipes and air purifiers — at no personal cost. City Cast’s Mallory Falk and Morgan Moody visited the center and spoke with executive director Josh Whiteside, program director Sarah McKay, and several teachers about how the nonprofit supports students and schools in need. And the partnership is always looking for donations. Learn how you can help in today’s newsletter. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Shell is opening an Ethane Cracker in Beaver County, but we still have some questions. Like why here, in Western Pennsylvania of all places? How it will impact jobs and our rivers? And what does an ethane cracker even… do? The Allegheny Front’s Reid Frazier is with us to explain why the plant picked us, and what it means for both the economy and wellbeing of our region. Check out the great reporting from he and his colleagues here. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

From the courthouse to the Clark Building, Doors Open Pittsburgh lets Pittsburgh get nebby about all kinds of Downtown spaces, including theaters, government offices, artist spaces, hotels, bank vaults, and more. This year’s event takes place Saturday, October 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. We're with Bonnie Baxter, founder and executive director with a few of her favorites on this year's list. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

It’s the Friday news roundup! This week, we dive deep into Banned Books Week, explore the intersection of race and policing in Pittsburgh through film, and celebrate a regional, indigenous delicacy, the pawpaw fruit! As always, our Friday shows are powered by great local journalism. Our own Mallory Falk in WHYY on student organizing against a book ban: https://whyy.org/episodes/schooled-after-the-spotlight-book-ban/ Emily Rizzo with WHYY on the anatomy of a school book ban: https://whyy.org/episodes/schooled-from-covid-to-censorship-bucks-county/ Ariana Figueroa in the Pennsylvania Capital-Star on Pennsylvania book bans: https://www.penncapital-star.com/dc-bureau/pa-a-national-leader-as-an-unprecedented-flood-of-book-bans-engulfs-u-s-school-districts/ The Allegheny Front’s story about the indigenous roots of pawpaws: https://www.alleghenyfront.org/searching-for-the-pawpaws-indigenous-roots/ Grow Pittsburgh’s Garden Dreams pawpaw tasting: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pawpaw-parties-at-garden-dreams-tickets-408013508387?aff=ebdssbdestsearch Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Billboards, discos, murals, and more will light up Pittsburgh over the next six months as part of the 58th Carnegie International. This year's iteration Is it morning for you yet? features new local, national, and global commissions, plus historical works from institutions and estates. Dana Bishop-Root, the Carnegie Museum of Art’s director of education and public programs, shares her local favorites and what to watch for ahead of the opening bash this weekend. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

For most organizations, an expansive job training program might be enough, but not the Hazelwood nonprofit Community Kitchen Pittsburgh. Executive director and founder Jennifer Flanagan says everything they do — from hunger relief and catering to running a cafe and butchery — is about empowering people to work through life change and rewarding those efforts with a strong, growing wage. Plus, student Christopher Hickman shares the tea on his favorite class and what it might take to convince his dad to try jerk chicken. Hungry for more? Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Roughly 20% of Pittsburgh land and 10% in Allegheny County is owned by nonprofits exempt from paying property taxes, including UPMC and Allegheny Health Network, as well as major universities like Pitt, CMU, and Duquesne. Officials say that missing money is holding local government back from supplying necessary services that benefit the whole community. PublicSource reporter Emma Folts is on to explain how we got here and what could come next. A co-report via city and county governments this year outlined the issue. Check it out here: https://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/redtail/images/18106_PILOT_Special_Report_Final.pdf And read Emma and her colleagues’ full reporting here: https://www.publicsource.org/category/the-exempt-dilemma/ Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

There’s a path that takes you from Pittsburgh to D.C. with almost no car traffic — you just have to bike a few hundred miles. The Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath lead you over railroad bridges, through a national park, and along a waterway where mules used to pull barges, all while passing little towns with hotels and cafes that cater to cyclists. Sebastian Modak, the editor-at-large for Lonely Planet, recently wrote about the 335-mile journey. He joins us to explain why this trail is a great place to start if you’d like to try your first (really) long bike trip. Check out Sebastian’s story, “Finding a different tempo on a bike ride from Pittsburgh to Washington, DC.” Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

It’s the Friday news roundup! This week, the City Cast team is talking about how city officials are tackling what they call an open-air drug market in Downtown; why hundreds of nursing home workers went on strike across the state; and how the Carnegie Science Center is paying homage to George Romero with a mini “Night of the Living Dead” model. As always, our Friday shows are powered by great local journalism. This week, check out: Andy Sheehan with KDKA on the “open-air drug market”: https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/pittsburgh-drug-dealing-homeless-encampments-fort-duquesne-boulevard/ Stephen Caruso in Spotlight PA on the lead-up to the nursing home worker strike: https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2022/09/pa-nursing-home-strike-taxpayer-money-transparency/ Sarah Boden with WESA on nursing home workers’ new contracts: https://www.wesa.fm/health-science-tech/2022-09-13/after-striking-for-a-week-plus-workers-at-22-nursing-homes-have-a-contract Joshua Axelrod in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on the George Romero tribute: https://www.post-gazette.com/ae/movies/2022/09/13/carnegie-science-center-miniature-railroad-village-night-of-the-living-dead-evans-city/stories/202209130006 Our own Francesca Dabecco with places to get pumpkins & find fall fests in the City Cast Pittsburgh newsletter: https://us14.campaign-archive.com/?u=47857f2c492a1dda05a4762b9&id=7b39e3a496 Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

The national 988 hotline, which went live in July, provides free and confidential emotional support for people with mental health emergencies. But as it's been rolled out, crisis intervention centers that handle the calls say they're in need of more staff and other resources. We're with Dr. Jack Rozel, medical director of resolve Crisis Services in Allegheny County, to talk about the promise and pitfalls of the new hotline. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Can you imagine sitting down with a crispy plate of fries, reaching for your trusty bottle of ketchup, and watching it explode? It was a real problem in the late 19th century! But our very own H.J. Heinz figured it out — or rather, he had one very special fan who did it for him. We're with writer Sam Lin-Sommer of Gastro Obscura to talk about how it all went down. Check out his story, “When Every Ketchup But One Went Extinct,” which draws a ton from a book by Andrew F. Smith called “Pure Ketchup: A History of America’s National Condiment.” Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

For the rest of this month, people with non-violent cannabis convictions can apply for clemency through the “Marijuana Pardon Project.” But those charges generally come compounded with a slew of other ones. So realistically, how many people are actually going to benefit? City Cast Pittsburgh & City Cast Philly are joining forces to talk through the loopholes and how it could help at least a few thousand deserving Pennsylvanians. We’re joined by criminal defense attorney Patrick Nightingale, who has some statewide perspective on the pardoning project. You can find information on the “Marijuana Pardon Project” here: https://www.pa.gov/guides/mj-pardon/ And you can apply for a pardon now through September 30th here: https://mjpardon.pa.gov Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

In her new book “How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water,” Pittsburgh author Angie Cruz tells the story of Cara Romero, a Spanish-speaking immigrant in her mid-50s who's done speaking softly about her life experience. City Cast‘s Meg Dalton is with the writer, who says the novel’s funny, open, and flawed main character will resonate with readers in the Steel City and beyond. Cruz is also an associate professor of English at the University of Pittsburgh. Check out her event this Tuesday with City of Asylum here. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

It's the Friday news roundup, but a special Fall Fest edition! The whole team is previewing some of the best festivals the Steel City has to offer this autumn. Check out our working list here: Original Pittsburgh Taco Festival Sept 10 Corn Festival Sept 10 Hilltop Harvest Fest Sept 10 2022 Highmark Blues & Heritage Fest Sept 14-15 Penn Brew Oktoberfest Sept 16-18 & 23-25 Ohiopyle Wine and Arts Festival Sept 24 Observatory Hill Arts & Culture Fest Sept 24 Hard Cider & Donut Fest - Oct 1 Three Rivers Beer Week: First Pour Beer Fest Oct 1 Bingham Street Fall Festival Oct 2 Festival of Combustion @ Carrie Furnace Oct 8 Grow Pittsburgh 5th Annual Braddock Fall Fest Oct 8 Pittsburgh Monster Pumpkins Fest Oct 15-16 Hartwood Fest 2022 Oct 22 2022 Western PA Lamb Fest Oct 23 Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

We’re (hopefully) out of the “Hell’s Front Porch” part of summer — and what’s better than a fall picnic?! City Cast’s Mallory Falk and Morgan Moody are with travel writer and Pittsburgh native, Abbie Synan, to give us tips on how to select the plan and plan the perfect Burgh basket. Check out her full list of suggestions in today's newsletter and for NEXTPittsburgh here: https://nextpittsburgh.com/eatdrink/how-to-plan-and-pack-the-perfect-pittsburgh-picnic-and-the-best-spots-to-enjoy-it/ Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Have you ever heard of the “Rooney Rule?” It’s been an NFL hiring policy for decades, but it’s not clear how well it’s working. (At the end of last season, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin was the only Black head coach left standing.) City Cast’s Morgan Moody is with her friend Martenzie Johnson, a sports writer for ESPN’s Andscape, talking about how it got passed, why it’s named after Steelers ownership, and why it’s still *very* relevant today. The Steelers kick off the regular season on the road Sunday in Cincinnati. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

It’s pretty convenient to leave your recycling at the curb, but it can be a lot more convenient for facilities to process those materials when they’re pre-sorted. The first of several new glass drop-off facilities opened this summer in Allegheny County, and officials hope it’ll mean a lot more of our waste gets back on the shelf. We’re with The Allegheny Front’s Julie Grant. The Pennsylvania Resource Council also has a traveling glass recycling bin. Check out its schedule here: https://prc.org/programs/collectionevents/glass/traveling-glass-bin/ Learn more about broader local recycling efforts here: https://www.alleghenyfront.org/packaging-group-makes-the-case-for-better-glass-recycling/ And no, your recycling isn’t just going to the landfill. Or, well, most of it isn’t. Check it out: https://www.alleghenyfront.org/no-your-recycling-is-not-just-going-to-the-landfill-well-most-of-it-isnt/ Editor’s note: This episode originally aired March 17, 2022. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

It's the Friday news roundup! Today the team previews their picks for an eventful Labor Day weekend, including parades and Presidential visits; BBQ and soul food; plus the latest on how Allegheny County's Police Review Board could come together by the fall. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Have you ever heard the drum line under Styx's 1979 hit "Renegade" pick up on the speakers at a Steelers game? What started as your average in-game timeout song in 2002 became an iconic good luck charm in the minds of thousands of Pittsburgh fans all over the world. City Cast's Megan Harris figured it was all superstition, but thanks to researchers at Point Park University, we now know there's data to back it up.

The best rivalry in college sports is back — and it usually ends with some furniture going up in flames. Pitt and West Virginia have been facing off in the Backyard Brawl since 1895, but the matchup’s been on hiatus since Pitt left the Big East Conference over a decade ago. That’s all changing tomorrow, when the Panthers will play the Mountaineers once more at Acrisure Stadium. Brian Batko, sports writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, joins us to talk about the long-standing rivalry and why couch-burning became such a popular West Virginia tradition. NOW HIRING: If you’re looking for a full-time, temporary audio job, then we’ve got the project for you. Apply to work with the City Cast team here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-pittsburgh-temporary/ VOTE FOR US: City Cast Pittsburgh is among the finalists for City Paper’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” contest. Scroll down to Best Podcast and smash that vote button here: https://bit.ly/voteforCCP Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Hundreds of people from our surrounding states have been coming to Pittsburgh for abortion care since was Roe was overturned, but local clinics say they need more providers to keep up with demand. Pallavi Muluk, a second-year Pitt med student, thinks medical schools can help by making abortion care and reproductive health a bigger part of the curriculum. She’s here to talk about her work leading the local chapter of Medical Students for Choice. NOW HIRING: If you’re looking for a full-time, temporary audio job, then we’ve got the project for you. Apply to work with the City Cast team here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-pittsburgh-temporary/ VOTE FOR US: City Cast Pittsburgh is among the finalists for City Paper’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” contest. Scroll down to Best Podcast and smash that vote button here: https://bit.ly/voteforCCP Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Pittsburgh is known as a cloudy and rainy city, but this summer has been unseasonably dry. Climate and forestry scientists say the change in climate could mean more severe wildfires in places like Western Pennsylvania, where there are large forested areas. Wildfire expert and Penn state professor of geography and ecology Alan Taylor joins us to talk about the risks our forests could face over the next decade and what can be done to get ahead of the problem. NOW HIRING: If you’re looking for a full-time, temporary audio job, then we’ve got the project for you. Apply to work with the City Cast team here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-pittsburgh-temporary/ VOTE FOR US: City Cast Pittsburgh is among the finalists for City Paper’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” contest. Scroll down to Best Podcast and smash that vote button here: https://bit.ly/voteforCCP Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

It's the Friday news roundup! The team is embracing its love for the Pittsburgh potty. This week, hear all about a free transportation pilot program for some residents on the North Side; where you can see a tiny home in Pittsburgh this weekend made from totally repurposed materials; and how Duquesne is hoping to woo Lebron James’ son, Bryce. And don’t forget: CITY CAST IS HIRING: If you’re looking for a full-time, temporary audio job, then we’ve got the project for you. Apply to work with the City Cast team here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-pittsburgh-temporary/ VOTE FOR US: City Cast Pittsburgh is among the finalists for City Paper’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” contest. Scroll down to Best Podcast and smash that vote button here: https://bit.ly/voteforCCP Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Host Morgan Moody is adjusting her gears and facing her fears today with a pedaling lesson from a pro, Black Girls Do Bike founder Monica Garrison. The group started as a local effort to build a community of women of color who love to bike, and it’s grown to have over 100 chapters worldwide. This weekend, the international collective is expecting hundreds of members from the U.S. and abroad to meet in Pittsburgh for PedalPGH, Pennsylvania’s biggest bicycling race with 10-, 25-, 40-, or 62-mile treks starting at 7 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 28 at Southside Riverfront Park. You can pre-game with Monica and her crew Friday with a $20 luncheon and pool party at the Sherwood Event Center where there will be giveaways, entertainment, and more. Find more at blackgirlsdobike.org NOW HIRING: If you’re looking for a full-time, temporary audio job, then we’ve got the project for you. Apply to work with the City Cast team here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-pittsburgh-temporary/ VOTE FOR US: City Cast Pittsburgh is among the finalists for City Paper’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” contest. Scroll down to Best Podcast and smash that vote button here: https://bit.ly/voteforCCP Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Median home prices have tripled in Lawrenceville and surrounding communities over the last decade, forcing many residents out — particularly people of color. So in 2019, the city tried something new: inclusionary zoning, which put strict rules on new development. The city tested out the policy in Lawrenceville, then expanded it to Bloomfield and Polish Hill. Advocates say it’s helping, or it could, with enough time, but now the ordinance is being challenged in federal court. We’re with Dave Breingan, the executive director of the neighborhood advocacy group Lawrenceville United. NOW HIRING: If you’re looking for a full-time, temporary audio job, then we’ve got the project for you. Apply to work with the City Cast team here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-pittsburgh-temporary/ VOTE FOR US: City Cast Pittsburgh is among the finalists for City Paper’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” contest. Scroll down to Best Podcast and smash that vote button here: https://bit.ly/voteforCCP Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Five people have died in custody at the Allegheny County Jail this year, putting it on track for the deadliest year in recent memory. County Executive Rich Fitzgerald announced a new contract with the National Commission on Correctional Health Care to look into what happened, but there’s almost no transparency about the process. Brittany Hailer, the director for the Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism, joins us again to talk about the last time the NCCHC stepped in, how it helped (and didn’t), and what she expects from this latest review. Check out our last conversation with Hailer from March 14: https://pod.link/citycastpittsburgh/episode/a0ad088bf379a45e00e1a0ac2c6f0c13 NOW HIRING: If you’re looking for a full-time, temporary audio job, then we’ve got the project for you. Apply to work with the City Cast team here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-pittsburgh-temporary/ VOTE FOR US: City Cast Pittsburgh is among the finalists for City Paper’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” contest. Scroll down to Best Podcast and smash that vote button here: https://bit.ly/voteforCCP Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Thousands of plant-loving Pittsburghers will gather on the North Side this weekend for the eighth annual VegFest — a summer celebration with rescue animals, local artists, vendors, and of course, killer food (that doesn’t kill). City Cast Pittsburgh’s resident vegetarians, Francesca Dabecco and Mallory Falk, are with VegFest co-founder Leila Sleiman to talk about how this event has grown and what fun is in store for this Saturday. Learn more and buy your VIP swag bag here: https://pittsburghvegfest.org/shop/vip-hour-swag-bag/ NOW HIRING: If you’re looking for a full-time, temporary audio job, then we’ve got the project for you. Apply to work with the City Cast team here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-pittsburgh-temporary/ VOTE FOR US: City Cast Pittsburgh is among the finalists for City Paper’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” contest. Scroll down to Best Podcast and smash that vote button here: https://bit.ly/voteforCCP Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

It’s the Friday news roundup! The team is talking about how a new executive order from Gov. Wolf could help protect kids from conversion therapy, and why two former Pa. judges were ordered to pay $200 million to victims of a “kids-for-cash” scheme. Plus, with an immersive psychedelic conference in town, when could tripping for science become legal? As always, our Friday shows are powered by great local (and national) journalism. This week, check out: Marley Parish in the Pennsylvania Capital-Star on Wolf’s executive order discouraging conversion therapy: https://www.penncapital-star.com/government-politics/wolf-issues-executive-order-discouraging-conversion-therapy-urges-legislative-action/ Michael Rubinkam in the Associated Press on the $200 million award in the kids-for-cash case: https://apnews.com/article/crime-trending-news-government-and-politics-6f30f575dc739415af1e5b47b1be50f0 The MySpace Misdemeanor episode of the podcast Crime Show, for more on the kids-for-cash corruption scandal: https://open.spotify.com/episode/11gO9KlTvnBbAmfaTqxKq5 City Cast Denver’s “Ballot Trip” series: https://pod.link/citycastdenver/episode/14faae3395082af7df1ac1206fcf0ae8 Brian Howard in Philly Mag on the journey to legalized psychedelics in Pa.: https://www.phillymag.com/news/2022/01/15/pennsylvania-legal-psychedelics/ You can learn more about Saturday’s Entheocon event here: https://www.entheocon.com/ And don’t forget: CITY CAST IS HIRING: If you’re looking for a full-time, temporary audio job, then we’ve got the project for you. Apply to work with the City Cast team here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-pittsburgh-temporary/ VOTE FOR US: City Cast Pittsburgh is among the finalists for City Paper’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” contest. Scroll down to Best Podcast and smash that vote button here: https://bit.ly/voteforCCP Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

In the year following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, Pittsburgh has welcomed more than 700 Afghan evacuees. The non-profit Jewish Family and Community Services has helped many of them get settled in their new homes, but they’re still facing issues within the U.S. immigration system. City Cast’s Morgan Moody speaks with Ivonne Smith-Tapia, the Director of Refugee and Immigrant Services at JFCS, and Zubair Babakarkhail, an Afghan journalist and interpreter, about where things stand one year out from the evacuation. Zubair wrote about his new life in Pittsburgh for Postindustrial. You can learn more about JFSC’s work, and how to support Afghan evacuees here. NOW HIRING: If you’re looking for a full-time, temporary audio job, then we’ve got the project for you. Apply to work with the City Cast team here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-pittsburgh-temporary/ VOTE FOR US: City Cast Pittsburgh is among the finalists for City Paper’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” contest. Scroll down to Best Podcast and smash that vote button here: https://bit.ly/voteforCCP Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Jasmine Green — aka Black Girl Absolute — wants young people struggling with depression and anxiety to know they’re not alone. That’s what inspired the visual artist, poet, and mental health advocate to start writing the book “A Field Guide for Blue Girls.” She joins City Cast to talk about putting pen (and paint) to paper during her time as the first-ever recipient of the Exposure Tongue River Artist/Activist Residency, and how her experience as an artist informs her work as the education director for 1Hood Media. NOW HIRING: If you’re looking for a full-time, temporary audio job, then we’ve got the project for you. Apply to work with the City Cast team here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-pittsburgh-temporary/ VOTE FOR US: City Cast Pittsburgh is among the finalists for City Paper’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” contest. Scroll down to Best Podcast and smash that vote button here: https://bit.ly/voteforCCP Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

For decades now, Pittsburghers have been told we have the most bridges of any city in the world. And it makes sense — they dot our landscape by the hundreds. Butttt it turns out, that long-held point of pride isn’t true. And like, it’s not even close. Historian and author Mark Houser is here to talk about our past prominence and current failures, plus what we can glean from the federal database keeping track of it all. Check out his wonderful book “MultiStories: 55 Antique Skyscrapers & the Business Tycoons Who Built Them,” and listen to his TedX talk here. Editors note: This episode first aired Feb. 2, 2022, just after the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge. NOW HIRING: If you’re looking for a full-time, temporary audio job, then we’ve got the project for you. Apply to work with the City Cast team here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-pittsburgh-temporary/ VOTE FOR US: City Cast Pittsburgh is among the finalists for City Paper’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” contest. Scroll down to Best Podcast and smash that vote button here: https://bit.ly/voteforCCP Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

ASMR is supposed to be relaxing, but for the creators behind the content, platforms like YouTube often fall well short of protecting the people who keep it so popular. Pittsburgh-based artist Lilliana Dee, aka Lily Whispers, is here to explain how she uses her day job in cyber security to help educate fellow creators on red flags like fetish mining. And stick with us to the end — Lily offered some very fun, very Pittsburgh bonus content you don’t want to miss. NOW HIRING: If you’re looking for a full-time, temporary audio job, then we’ve got the project for you. Apply to work with the City Cast team here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-pittsburgh-temporary/ VOTE FOR US: City Cast Pittsburgh is among the finalists for City Paper’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” contest. Scroll down to Best Podcast and smash that vote button here: https://bit.ly/voteforCCP Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

It’s the Friday news roundup! The team is talking about how long standing college football rivals, Pitt and WVU, are facing off for the first time in more than a decade; what the grand opening celebration of the August Wilson House means for the Hill District; and how the big bird, Giant Eagle, is using (and sharing) our shopping data, and ways that it could be targeting those who are, want to become, or don’t want to be pregnant. Check out some of the great local journalism that powered today’s show: A local’s guide to the Backyard Brawl next month: https://www.visitpittsburgh.com/blog/backyard-brawl/ City Paper’s Jordana Rosenfeld on Giant Eagle collecting our shopping history: https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/giant-eagle-consumer-info-could-be-used-to-target-pregnant-shoppers/Content?oid=22197884 A little more about criminal charges in that Nebraska abortion case: https://abc7chicago.com/nebraska-abortion-facebook-medication/12116031/ And Gizmodo’s investigation into how pregnancy is targeted by data brokers: https://gizmodo.com/data-brokers-selling-pregnancy-roe-v-wade-abortion-1849148426 City Paper’s article about Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company’s production of Wilson’s play, Jitney, in August Wilson’s backyard: https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/pittsburgh-playwrights-commits-to-the-hill-district-with-jitney-and-new-project/Content?oid=22198633 Francesca’s interview with Denise Turner in the newsletter: https://us14.campaign-archive.com/?u=47857f2c492a1dda05a4762b9&id=a26c24d5ce NOW HIRING: If you’re looking for a full-time, temporary audio job, then we’ve got the project for you. Apply to work with the City Cast team here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-pittsburgh-temporary/ VOTE FOR US: City Cast Pittsburgh is among the finalists for City Paper’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” contest. Scroll down to Best Podcast and smash that vote button here: https://bit.ly/voteforCCP And check us out on social. We’re on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Becoming a billionaire doesn’t come down to odds like the lottery—but it might be in the stars. In honor of the 103rd anniversary of Pittsburgher Andrew Carnegie's death, we take the steel tycoon's ruling planets to astrologist Maggie Negrete, aka lamamamagia.

For the first year since the start of the pandemic, the Pittsburgh Steelers are back at their rightful summer home in Latrobe for training camp. City Cast’s Morgan Moody and Megan Harris make the pilgrimage to talk to players and fans about the half-century long tradition at Chuck Noll Field. Fans are welcome every day at 1:55 p.m. Register for your free tickets here. And while you’re out there, check out today’s newsletter for a fun scavenger hunt of other fun ways to hang out in Latrobe. NOW HIRING: If you’re looking for a full-time, temporary audio job, then we’ve got the project for you. Apply to work with the City Cast team here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-pittsburgh-temporary/ VOTE FOR US: City Cast Pittsburgh is among the finalists for City Paper’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” contest. Scroll down to Best Podcast and smash that vote button here: https://bit.ly/voteforCCP We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Last year, something shady happened at the nation’s first Black brew festival, but that won’t put a damper on the bigger, better version returning this year — now in a new home at 3 Crossings in the Strip District. Barrel and Flow communications and ops director Cat Bruno shares what’s on tap all this week, plus how to get the full festival experience on Saturday. Check out a full event listing here. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Some foods are just quintessentially Pittsburgh, and today the City Cast team is celebrating a summertime staple: the strawberry pretzel salad. Show contributor Rossilynne Culgan recently wrote about the classic dish for Saveur Magazine and brought along a cooler full of treats created in homage of its OG flavors, including Millie’s ice cream, Mary Mac Bakehouse’s delicious cookies and Dewey’s new gose-style dessert beer. Want to make the classic local version yourself? Here’s Rossilynne’s family recipe: https://www.saveur.com/recipes/strawberry-pretzel-salad/ NOW HIRING: If you’re an audio wiz looking for a full-time, temporary gig, then we’ve got the project for you. Apply to work with the City Cast team here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-pittsburgh-temporary/ VOTE FOR US: City Cast Pittsburgh is among the finalists for City Paper’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” contest. Scroll down to Best Podcast and smash that vote button here: https://bit.ly/voteforCCP Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

It’s the Friday news roundup! The show team talks about a lawsuit that could dramatically change how Pennsylvania funds its public schools; the latest on monkeypox in Allegheny County; and some new locally-filmed movies and shows worth checking out, including a reboot of the beloved baseball classic “A League of Their Own.” As always, our Friday shows our powered by great local journalism: City Cast’s own Mallory Falk covered the school funding trial as a reporter for WHYY, and has a summary here: https://whyy.org/articles/a-catastrophic-failure-or-above-the-constitutional-threshold-pas-school-funding-trial-comes-to-a-close/ WHYY’s Katie Meyer reports on the final arguments in the school funding case and what’s happening next: https://whyy.org/articles/pa-public-school-funding-lawsuit-post-trial-arguments/ TyLisa C. Johnson with PublicSource breaks down what you need to know about monkeypox: https://www.publicsource.org/monkeypox-virus-vaccine-pittsburgh-allegheny-county-need-to-know-2022/ Jessie Sage shares her struggle trying to get a monkeypox vaccine in Pittsburgh City Paper: https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/pittsburgh-sex-worker-on-why-monkeypox-vaccine-access-needs-expanded/Content?oid=22152528 And check out a lil preview of our upcoming Pgh-filmed movies and show via the Post-Gazette’s Joshua Axelrod: https://www.post-gazette.com/ae/tv-radio/2022/06/07/a-league-of-their-own-series-release-date/stories/202206070083 Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

For generations of Pittsburghers, nothing quite quenches their thirst like Turner’s Premium Iced Tea from those iconic, bright-orange cartons. And this weekend, Turner‘s is celebrating 50 years of the “champagne of Pittsburgh” with a ParTEA at the Carrie Furnaces. City Cast Pittsburgh’s Mallory Falk and Francesca Dabecco got the tea on how Pittsburgh’s most beloved beverage is made at the Turner’s facility in Penn Hills from marketing director Steve Turner. You can get tickets for the anniversary ParTEA here. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Today, we're bringing back a conversation where host Morgan Moody talks candidly about her sobriety experiences with Pittsburgh author Brian Broome. Broome wrote an award-winning memoir, “Punch Me Up To The Gods,” and you can hear him talk about his writing process at the free virtual event, A Conversation About Writing, with The Cream Literary Alliance tomorrow evening. NOTE: This conversation originally aired on January 13, 2022. And if you're looking for support in your recovery here in Pittsburgh, check out these resources and opportunities: Onala Recovery Center https://www.onala.org/ POWER (PA Organization for Women in Early Recovery) https://power-recovery.com/ Pittsburgh Recovery Walk happening in September https://pghrecoverywalk.org/ Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Knotweed, nettle, tree of heaven, and garlic mustard — if you live in Pittsburgh, odds are you’ve been exposed to these pesky plants. But what can we do to get rid of them? And what are the ecological impacts if we succeed? Mason Heberling is the assistant curator of botany at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. He says the best solution is prevention, and lacking that, a whole lot of patience. The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy recently shared a comprehensive guide to local invasive plants. Check it out here: https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/415693/assets/docs/invasiveplantsofpittsburgh.pdf?utm_content=135049138&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&hss_channel=fbp-7163241268&fbclid=IwAR3co4dplZNmJ3Dsnl3aiuPGOp29fwgxu1_qGa6TjtD90_DWZKLIwEwLzRU And our state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources keeps a running list of plants you shouldn’t nurture here. Check out the whole thing here: https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/Conservation/WildPlants/InvasivePlants/InvasivePlantFactSheets/Pages/default.aspx Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Pittsburgh is on the forefront of a growing national trend — trying to understand and treat what doctors are calling “long covid.” If coughing and chronic fatigue still has you down more than 12 weeks after infection, UPMC’s Dr. Michael Risbano tells people to hang in there. “The vast majority of people will get better… but it’s going to mean some hard work.” Learn more about the Post-Covid Recovery Clinic here. Plus, city officials want your ideas for a public art project at the new Fern Hollow Bridge. Share your feedback here: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=QSiOQSgB1U2bbEf8Wpob3qHKbJE0XX9Ot-PkmqsPSCJUMkY2OTREMlVGNVZHMkI2T0lWNjFPM1ZTOC4u Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

It’s the Friday news roundup! Today the gang is talking about the U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania who voted against legislation for same-sex marriage, just days before celebrating his gay son’s wedding; all those new “Protect Trans Kids” signs popping up in Pittsburgh neighborhoods; and the real story behind PA’s Klondike claims. Check out local author Brian Butko book about Isaly’s, available now in the Heinz History Center bookshop: https://shop.heinzhistorycenter.org/products/isalys-chipped-ham-klondikes-and-other-tales-from-behind-the-counter And request your own “Protect Trans Kids” sign here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-YqcEVdkrWUDHJS41XUMf28sgfUIst7xy87YCYuNBl8175Q/viewform Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!