City Cast Pittsburgh

Gag gifts are supposed to be funny, but should that novelty extend to a box of anonymous feces at your doorstep? For 15 years, the mysterious owners of Pittsburgh-based poopsenders.com have been leaving their mark in an unusual way. Freelance journalist Nick Keppler flushed out the father-son duo for Vice. And a bunch of local bridges will be renovated over the next two years. Check out the list here. Subscribe to our morning newsletter and follow us on social @CityCastPgh!

When school districts have a discipline problem — or a perception of one — they often hire police officers, rather than teachers or school administrators, to patrol schools. A new report from the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania finds that student arrests happen way more frequently than they’re reported. And that students in Allegheny County schools are more likely to be arrested than students anywhere else in the commonwealth. ACLU Pennsylvania community advocate Ghadah Makoshi tells senior producer Megan Harris why these are big problems and how they can change. Check out the full report here. And make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter! We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram at @CityCastPgh.

As the City of Bridges, we’re also going to be a city of bridge failures. The Fern Hollow collapse last week is just the latest in an unfortunate history of calamities that have accompanied the Steel City's rise to transportation prominence. Senior producer Megan Harris talks to historian and author Mark Houser about our past and 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. Our morning newsletter is fresh every day at 6 a.m. Share your favorite memes with us — we’re on Twitter & Instagram at @CityCastPgh

It's been a few days since the Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed in Frick Park. With two years and more than $25 million estimated for repairs, what should we know about all those other "poor" bridges in Pittsburgh? Host Morgan Moody dives into the details with Kent Harries, an associate professor of engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. Our morning newsletter is fresh every day at 6 a.m. Subscribe and follow us on Twitter & Instagram @CityCastPgh

Pittsburgh artists Mikael Owunna and Marques Redd have adapted the lore of southeastern Nigeria’s Igbo people to explore how our collective mythologies influence our cosmic destinies. You can see their heady, beautiful installations all over town, and they’re collaborating with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on a free show tonight. Morgan Moody talked to the artists about their own beginnings and what inspires them today. You can also snag tickets to their upcoming film Obi Mbu here. Get more Pittsburgh news fresh to your inbox every morning via our newsletter! And talk to us! We’re on Twitter @citycastpgh and Instagram @CityCastPgh.

Every 10 years, states calibrate voting districts to reflect their changing populace. But Pennsylvania’s new legislative and Congressional maps are late. How will that affect voters and candidates? And what makes a map fair? Senior producer Megan Harris talks to reporter Kate Huangpu with Spotlight PA and David Thornburgh, senior advisor with the Committee of 70, which submitted a collaborative Congressional map for consideration last year. Read the latest on Kate’s redistricting reporting here: https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2022/01/pennsylvania-primary-2022-redistricting-delays/ Music on City Cast Pittsburgh is composed by Benji. See him perform live at the Greer Cabaret Theater this Friday, and say hello if you see us in the crowd. Want some more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our morning newsletter and follow us on social @CityCastPgh

Single-digit temperatures put people without stable housing at serious risk, and challenges can multiply if you're relying on people who don't recognize or support you. Senior producer Megan Harris checks in with Lyndsey Sickler, executive director of Proud Haven on Pittsburgh's North Side, about how their clients are faring, what they've learned from the new Haven House space, and how Pittsburghers like you can help. Sign up for our morning newsletter and follow us on social. We're on Twitter and Instagram!

It’s been nearly 70 years since Pittsburgh expanded its borders into a neighboring town or borough, and Wilkinsburg could be next. What’s at stake for residents of both communities if elected leaders — and eventually voters — decide to proceed? Wilkinsburg Mayor Dontae Comans joins host Morgan Moody to sort through everything we still don't know. Plus, senior producer Megan Harris checks in with Light of Life Rescue Mission about how clients are faring in all this snow. Be sure to sign up for our morning newsletter and connect with us on Twitter & Instagram @citycastpgh

A lot of people stop drinking after their boozy holidays to start off the new year sober and refreshed. But for some, “Dry January” is a life-saving, year-round commitment they make every day. Host Morgan Moody talks candidly about her own experience with Pittsburgh author Brian Broome. A special thanks to City of Asylum Bookstore for hosting the conversation. Snag Brian’s wonderful memoir “Punch Me Up To The Gods” from them here. Want some more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our morning newsletter and follow us on Twitter & Insta @ CityCastPgh

The coronavirus is seemingly ever present, but we still gotta eat! Hal B. Klein of Pittsburgh Magazine chats with Morgan Moody and Megan Harris about takeout, food trucks, and the one thing to avoid when ordering out in the city. And Damon Young, author of “What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker,” shares his remembrance of one closing Pittsburgh restaurant he'll sorely miss. And not because of the food. Redd up on Hal’s 2021 roundup of Pgh's Best New Restaurants Subscribe to our morning newsletter here and follow us on Twitter & Instagram!

City Cast Pittsburgh is the nebby neighbor you wish you had — with conversations you want to hear and insights that help you question and celebrate the city we share. Our host Megan Harris and the City Cast Pittsburgh team let you in on what Pittsburgh talking about with smart, curious conversations that get just a little bit spicy. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we are passionate about making our community a better place to live – and helping YOU feel more connected. Subscribe today so you never miss an episode.