Pittsburghers flooded Grant Street this afternoon for a No Kings demonstration to counter what organizers describe as President Trump’s “crackdown on First Amendment rights.” buff.ly/o66GU0c

The Pittsburgh region has long faced a shortage of behavioral health professionals, and it’s a big part of why residents struggle to access these services.

In the 1990s, thousands of ethnically Nepali people, often Hindu, fled Bhutan and came to Greater Pittsburgh. In Carrick, many have found a flourishing spiritual home in Shree Krishna Temple. buff.ly/UPtqckA

For the next story in the @publicsource.org series "Job One: How young people with special needs enter the workforce" I explore what happens when you get the job: Accommodations? Performance reviews? Changes to gov't benefits? If you or a loved-one are in that phase, can we talk?

From Iglesia Sion to Shree Krishna Temple, diverse places of worship in Pittsburgh’s southern neighborhoods are building communities across faiths and immigrant cultures. buff.ly/ogyxqOa

Public Source believes that a neighborhood's greatest resource is the people who call it home. That's why we created zines — miniature paper magazines — highlighting the people, places and stories of Oakland and south Pittsburgh. Get your free copy today. buff.ly/4UUxVDQ

Burnout, low salaries, student loan debt and lack of training have created a shortage of behavioral health professionals working with vulnerable patients. A new county-wide fellowship program seeks to bridge the workforce gap, but structural issues remain. buff.ly/fuD050D

Bob Charland makes makes 120% of his area’s median income — and sits on Pittsburgh City Council. He's still struggling to buy a home that makes sense for him. buff.ly/GDE5uEU

Plume Pittsburgh is an app that depicts how air pollution from the region’s three largest polluters spreads across the region, allowing Pittsburghers to see the causes and patterns of pollution. The app has spawned a global tool called Climate TRACE.

Kickflips and clubbing in Oakland; snakes and sparring in southern Pittsburgh. Our photographers visited Oakland and Brookline, Carrick and Overbrook and printed what they saw in zines. Find them around the neighborhoods! buff.ly/4UUxVDQ

Are you ready to vote in local elections on Nov. 4? Pittsburgh's Public Source and Pittsburgh City Paper collaborated on an easy-to-use guide that outlines every race and candidate. buff.ly/s0nHfp6

Pittsburgh and Cleveland both lost population since the mid-1900s, leaving many vacant homes. As Pittsburghers struggle to afford homes, Cleveland's housing market is bolstered by a land bank with healthy state funding. buff.ly/QH7UCWt

Bob Charland is a 36-year-old Pittsburgh City Council member — and a renter. He's in the rare position of trying to legislate fixes to the city’s homeownership issues while also struggling as a resident to navigate them. "For me it’s not an academic exercise." buff.ly/GDE5uEU

Climate TRACE partnered with CMU’s CREATE Lab to visualize the spread of pollution from 9,560 industrial facilities around the world, including several “super-emitters” that expose 900 million people to pollution worldwide — and it all started in Pittsburgh. buff.ly/HEbPLKB

Cleveland is a rival on the football field — but the city's land bank may be a model for Pittsburgh to more accessible homeownership. This tool lets governments cut through red tape to turn tax-delinquent, vacant and abandoned properties into solid homes.

Millions of zebra swallowtails likely fluttered throughout the Pittsburgh region before industrialization displaced them almost entirely. Some hope more pawpaw trees will bring them back. buff.ly/ZOo5DSW

A state budget impasse and the federal government shutdown stir uncertainty around $1.4 billion that Allegheny County receives annually. Local officials pursue a hiring “slowdown” as the county preps for a lean year.

In a federal lawsuit, a Beaver County resident accuses the Ambridge police of “chilling his First Amendment rights and [acting] in retaliation for his exercise of those rights.” buff.ly/oj94Kkg

See how air pollution travels across the Pittsburgh region with a CMU-built tool that inspired Al Gore’s new global tracker. buff.ly/HEbPLKB

CMU has laid off 10% of its Software Engineering Institute staff — 75 people. An administrator blamed the institute's “unique financial structure” which relies heavily on federal funding. CMU's president in August said that no broad layoffs were planned. buff.ly/pFbEvtc

People with disabilities are carving out careers and community in a tough job market. Here’s how they’re doing it (and who’s helping along the way). buff.ly/aHM4d4B

For 21 years, a Natrona Heights orchard has produced North America’s largest native fruit — the pawpaw. Now locals hope it plays a role in bringing back a long-displaced butterfly. www.publicsource.org/pawpaw-nativ...

In our series Job One, @richelord.bsky.social has been tracing pathways from disability diagnosis to schooling to employment. In this story, Pittsburghers share their experiences finding (and creating) meaningful work. buff.ly/aHM4d4B

Two separate lawsuits filed in federal court today allege civil rights violations by Ambridge police in conjunction with ICE-related arrests in July. buff.ly/oj94Kkg

“If you go after railroads, they’ll go after you and it will be a big mess,” city planning Commissioner Steve Mazza says of a twice-delayed rezoning vote for Hazelwood’s riverfront.

If you’re not registered to vote, you have until Oct. 20. Do that first, then check out this election guide for races on November 4. In partnership with @pghcitypaper.com buff.ly/s0nHfp6

A rising population at Allegheny County Jail is driving county expenses up as officials eye$15 million in cuts. buff.ly/g9mAM1B

When it comes to homeownership, “30 is what 24 or 25 used to be.” Here’s how homeownership became a fading dream, and what it means for young Pittsburgh.

Which Pittsburgh neighborhoods have the highest vacancy rates? Take a look at the data. . buff.ly/1PtSBta

Hot off the presses and ready to hit the streets — two new zines for our Oakland neighbors and our neighbors in Brookline, Carrick and Overbrook. @stephstrasburg.bsky.social even built a reading nook to celebrate!

Back in July, Ember Duke covered the budget woes facing Pennsylvania rape crisis centers. As the state budget impasse continues, organizations are feeling the pressure. buff.ly/kTpzQZN

Corporate buyers are crowding the housing market as rising prices and aging properties defer the homeowner dream for young Pittsburghers. buff.ly/Wv6ItNB

Cornell teachers are experimenting with AI tools like Class Companion and Google Notebook LM — but not everyone is convinced. How’s your school using AI?

Vaccination exemptions are on the rise. In Allegheny County almost 1,800 students submitted medical, religious or philosophical vaccination exemptions in 2024.

Mayor Gainey’s budget proposal for Pittsburgh forecasts a difficult future for city finance — declining property tax revenue, a shrinking reserve fund. If approved, this budget tees up his successor for a challenging first year. buff.ly/OFxEVfr

This month we asked Public Source interns: What gives you hope? And how can the rest of us get a dose? Here’s what they had to say. buff.ly/EO2TvD9

Shaler English teacher Anne Loudon is using AI for quick grammar feedback while also setting strict boundaries for when it can be used. See how other North Hills schools are navigating AI.

"I didn’t think to seek help ... despite the fact that I’m a psychiatrist who has made it a personal mission to reduce the stigma of my profession." — Vint Blackburn reflects on mental health struggles and an unlikely therapy that helped him. buff.ly/w3l0rNr

We contacted eight local colleges and universities with questions about the state of academic freedom at their schools. Here’s what the leaders had to say — or opted not to comment on.

As an AI future comes into view, many school districts in Allegheny County are working to enact policies and issue guidelines on the use of AI within classrooms. Find your school's policies:

From the abacus to calculators, libraries to the internet — tech advances have brought new tools and challenges to the classroom. Now, teachers in Southwestern Pa. have their eyes on AI. buff.ly/Wxq22mY

We contacted eight local colleges and universities with questions about the state of academic freedom at their schools. Here’s what the leaders had to say — or opted not to comment on.

As Gainey exits city hall, his budget proposal for 2026 would return staffing levels in the mayor’s office to those seen in the Peduto administration.

Two Sundays ago in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood... hanging out with the Pitt climbing club, with Mario, at The Corner's Steelers watch party, and the Schenley Plaza carousel. Looking forward to sharing a community project featuring stories on Oakland's four neighborhoods soon! @publicsource.org

The 2025-2026 state budget is overdue by three months as partisan gridlock drags on. So far, Allegheny County plans no furloughs.

What might prevent violence in schools? Peace Makers supporting Carrick High School point to more funding from state and federal policy changes that can lead to better collaboration between schools and communities. buff.ly/czI2E2H

From Pitt and CMU to Chatham and La Roche, universities large and small are navigating new challenges to academic freedom. Some (not all) of their leaders are speaking out. buff.ly/rHE6vOt

For people who can’t use vaccines because of medical conditions, herd immunity is the only defense. But non-medical vaccine exemptions are on the rise in Southwestern PA. www.publicsource.org/pennsylvania...

The Waterfront property owners recently ordered PRT to stop operating in front of Giant Eagle and Target. PRT says its hands are tied on private property. The change would leave riders roughly 1,000 ft from the front door. buff.ly/Ow1IvHT

“When the cameras are gone and the incidents died down … “ Peace Makers remain to provide trauma-informed care for students at Carrick High School. buff.ly/czI2E2H