R. Todd Erkel: The story everyone tells about Pittsburgh is Hollywood's, not Pittsburgh’s www.post-gazette.com/opinion/insi...

favorite hoppers from this year's City Nature Challenge

calls to mind the Panama Canal alternative that James Eads and James Andrews (of Fineview) spent years trying to drum up support for in congress:

Last night, Allegheny County Council voted 11-3-1 to pass our ordinance limiting county employees from cooperating with ICE/CBP, and I was proud to be a co-sponsor and a YES vote. 🧵 www.publicsource.org/allegheny-co...

Ok, neighborhood data wonks… in Pittsburgh at least. This is for you. Profiles of Change in the City of Pittsburgh - Comparison of 2010-2014 and 2020-2024 American Community Survey Estimates for the City of Pittsburgh and Neighborhoods

Here is something to ponder. Percentage of Population that Lived Outside of the Pittsburgh MSA One Year Prior - City of Pittsburgh Neighborhoods and Neighborhood Groups, 2020-2024 Period

Some good news if you like clean drinking water:

PRT Bus Line Refresh map is out! "Riders and operators told us the first draft changed too much, too fast. They asked for fewer disruptions, stronger Downtown access, and better off-peak service. The second draft reflects that feedback by scaling back changes and preserving strong, familiar routes"

New: Allegheny County Council is considering a bill banning county cooperation with ICE. But today members were frustrated that they simply don't know how much interaction is currently going on. www.publicsource.org/allegheny-co...

The coming NFL Draft hordes are already driving a spike in short-term rental bookings. Will it lead to a long-term increase in the area's 3,500 Airbnb/VBRO/Booking.com properties? www.publicsource.org/pittsburgh-s...

New: Why Pittsburgh's snow plow fleet broke down during the storm of the decade www.publicsource.org/why-pittsbur...

Local elected officials and North Side residents alike say they want to see more regulations on short-term rentals in Pittsburgh, following an incident at a New Year’s Eve party in which a North Side resident was shot in the leg.

I ran for Democratic Party Committee Member because: - They pick the party nominee in special elections. - They get to vote in the party endorsement. If you’ve been pissed by some endorsements (as I was), become part of the change!

I would like for there to be fewer shootings at Airbnbs on the North Side, and I would also like for there to be fewer Airbnbs on the North Side. Thank you in advance Mr Mayor

my hot take is that this is excellent news, with the only wrinkle being that since American manufacturers have near-zero interest in making these cars, Toyota et al. will (rightfully) eat their lunch

At the corner of Federal Street Extension and Perrysville Avenue on the North Side, a diverse group of volunteers cultivate a space for friendship and passersby who simply “want to take a break halfway up that huge fricking hill.” buff.ly/NZVYurP

It's not about good Airbnbs and bad Airbnbs. It's about fewer Airbnbs, period. The short-term rental bill before City Council is a solid bill. All the same, I'm going to be advocating alongside others for the strongest possible restrictions on short-term rentals in our neighborhoods.

Riparian Management bought up most of Wylie Holdings' massive portfolio of Lawrenceville real estate — then basically ghosted their new tenants and kicked many of them out of their homes. My latest (Pt. 1 of 2)

A video posted to Instagram purports to show an Allegheny County Jail employee holding a weapon and saying a racial slur:

I stg if I catch you donating to an out of state democrat instead of becoming a sustaining member of your local npr affiliate…

On the bright side, these cuts have paid for about one-third of one day's worth of interest payments on the federal debt. We've done our part!

This is a cool bill that could become a Very Cool bill if some changes are made. Down with Airbnbs.

Some more positive local news. City Council is due to vote on the bill tomorrow:

Absolutely incredible graphic from 1880 tracing the history of political parties in the United States.

I don’t think anyone is prepared for what they just did w/ ICE. This is not a simple budget increase. It is an explosion - making ICE bigger than the FBI, US Bureau of Prisons, DEA,& others combined. It is setting up to make what’s happening now look like child’s play. And people are disappearing.

found a beautiful mayfly molt on my porch. molting is an energy-intensive effort on animals from insects to birds, so I'm glad little guy was able to find a safe spot here.

"Traffic statistics [from] June 2021 showed 54% of drivers exceeded the speed limit of 25 miles an hour with a high speed of 51 miles an hour. The city recorded six crashes involving pedestrians at this intersection from 2020 to 2024." Now calming is coming: www.unionprogress.com/2025/07/01/p...

Someone remind UPMC that Trans rights are Human rights. @bethanyhallam.bsky.social @tanishaevonne.bsky.social @gaineyformayor.com @barb4pgh.bsky.social @themariamontano.bsky.social @cmroma.bsky.social @hanrahanrahanra.bsky.social

Stand with me and my community today. 3 PM at UPMC headquarters to demand that UPMC reinstate the life saving care we need.

UPMC is winding down gender-affirming care for young trans patients this month, citing “federal directives.” Now, more than 100 UPMC doctors, therapists and staff are demanding the health system reverse course and use its “immense resources” to “fight back.” www.wesa.fm/health-scien...

Timely poetry from Donald Rumsfeld. www.trashberg.com/p/the-rumsfe...

the destruction of chattel slavery is one of the great accomplishments in our nation's history and the reason conservatives hate celebrating it is because doing so legitimizes the black counter-narrative of the united states

Biden's infrastructure bill provided the money, and the city of Pittsburgh hustled to get it allocated and used. My street's 110-year-old water main is replaced, our lead water lines are replaced, and the spot in the sidewalk they had to dig up for each new waterline was done today!

Vienna has a way to make affordable housing and combat climate change all at the same time. Now U.S. cities want in, and they're building their own green housing.

"Of the single adults who have been housed through the program, 98% have not returned to the homeless system. All of the families have remained housed."

pittsburgh friends! please come out tomorrow to ask DOMI to prioritize keeping the herron ave bridge open to pedestrians and cyclists during the repairs details below ⬇⬇⬇

Our goals are to stop deaths & improve conditions in the Allegheny County Jail. “No one warden is going to do that, but I have been pleasantly surprised at the gains we’ve made.” A responsive warden engaging the community is progress. @tanishaevonne.bsky.social community.triblive.com/news/3807776

🗺️ New election maps 🗺️ How O'Connor beat Gainey for Pittsburgh mayor Gainey's support in the vote-heavy 14th Ward cratered, and O'Connor swept up most of the votes that went to 3rd-place candidate last time. More: www.publicsource.org/pittsburgh-m...

JUST IN: Pittsburgh voters have approved a ballot that bans the city from privatizing the local water and sewers system. The measure passed by a very large margin. This was one of my guide of the main races to watch today: boltsmag.org/whats-on-the...

From the PA State Data Center on new municipal population estimates out this morning. As always, a tale of two (sides of) Pennsylvania(s). Ref: pasdc.hbg.psu.edu/sites/defaul...

Encampments along the South Side Riverfront Trail and near Second Avenue Commons are being cleared. Winter shelters are closed. Beds are full. A look at homelessness in spring 2025 www.publicsource.org/unhoused-she...

Per my colleague @juliazenkevich.bsky.social, looks like Allegheny County's chief public defender is OUT after an investigation of her leadership of the office. www.wesa.fm/politics-gov...

The library of Congress is so so so fundamental, founded in 1800, it’s the only library of its kind, it belongs to every American, it has every copyrighted book, it is non-partisan. It is for research, anyone can use it. It is our library and we cannot let them trash it.

Incumbent Mayor Ed Gainey and Democratic primary challenger Corey O’Connor are sparring over affordable housing. But developers and community organization leaders agree there will still be plenty of ground to break after the May 20 primary — and that some challenges will be hard no matter who wins.

Paid sick leave has basically been O'Connor's central campaign plank 👀 triblive.com/opinion/lett...

THE ZAMBELLI FIREWORK SMOKE IS WHITE, A NEW LEADER HAS BEEN CHOSEN

Pennsylvania Dems need to circle their wagons and get the dude to resign, even if just for his own wellbeing but certainly for the wellbeing of their constituents www.wesa.fm/politics-gov...

New: Trump released his proposed 2026 federal budget last week, calling for more than 20% cut to domestic spending. Here are 9 ways that could impact Pittsburgh, from affordable housing to arts to immunizations www.publicsource.org/trump-budget...

This article hits all the crucial points about gen-AI and education: the unpoliceable gray area, the malaise, the death of the essay, the brain rot, how college was already a scam, and how it's becoming THE training ground for grift-based careers. nymag.com/intelligence...

Council budget director Pete McDevitt said Tuesday that the city would need to allocate $20 million annually to its fleet — across all departments — to adequately take care of the needs Public Safety. But the current prospects for such funding are dismal.