Julia Burdelski stories, Page 3
Pittsburgh Mayor-elect O’Connor taps 1st key picks for his administration
Two days after being elected Pittsburgh’s next mayor, Corey O’Connor on Thursday named his first picks for his incoming administration. He will appoint Dan Gilman as chief of staff and nominate Sheldon Williams as the director of the Department of Public Safety. Gilman, who served as chief of staff to...
5 key bills O’Connor championed as a Pittsburgh councilman
Pittsburgh Mayor-elect Corey O’Connor will step into the city’s highest office in January. But he’s no newcomer to City Hall. O’Connor previously spent more than a decade on Pittsburgh City Council before moving to his current post as Allegheny County controller. Some of O’Connor’s most notable bills came in response...
Problems and promise: Pittsburgh Mayor-elect O’Connor inherits good, bad and ugly
Coming off a resounding election win Tuesday night, Corey O’Connor tempered his victory speech with a dose of reality. “The road that we will travel is long and steeply uphill,” Pittsburgh’s mayor-elect warned a jubilant crowd of supporters. Come January, O’Connor acknowledged, he will take over a city facing serious...
Who will replace Corey O’Connor as Allegheny County controller?
Allegheny County will need a new fiscal watchdog when Controller Corey O’Connor departs to become Pittsburgh’s next mayor. O’Connor, who won election Tuesday, will be sworn in to the city’s highest office in January. Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro will select his replacement. Shapiro’s choice must be confirmed by the...
In nod to his father, Pittsburgh Mayor-elect O’Connor hits the streets to thank voters
Twenty years ago, Bob O’Connor crafted a sign that read “Thank you Pittsburgh” and held it up during morning rush hour to show his appreciation for the voters who helped him achieve his lifelong dream of becoming mayor. On Wednesday, his son Corey O’Connor carried on the legacy. Standing on...
Democrats coast to apparent victory in 3 Pittsburgh City Council races
Democrats made a clean sweep Tuesday night across three contested Pittsburgh City Council races, handily defeating their Republican opponents. Voters in the city’s West End neighborhoods, choosing a new council member for the first time since 2010 with the pending retirement of Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith, stuck with what they knew....
O’Connor defeats Moreno in Pittsburgh mayor’s race
Democrat Corey O’Connor took the stage before hundreds of supporters at a South Side union hall an hour after polls closed Tuesday night and declared victory in his race for Pittsburgh mayor. “I am humbled and inspired by the great honor and privilege of serving as your next mayor,” O’Connor...
Pittsburgh Regional Transit to pause rail service Downtown on Monday
Pittsburgh Regional Transit on Monday will offer no rail service in Downtown Pittsburgh as crews repair overhead electrical lines. Regular service is expected to resume Tuesday morning. Inbound rail service will end Monday at Penn Station. a seldom-used stop behind The Pennsylvanian building across from the Greyhound station. The transit...
PJ McArdle Roadway to close for routine maintenance
A portion of PJ McArdle Roadway in Pittsburgh’s Mount Washington neighborhood will be closed next week for routine maintenance. The street will be closed between Grandview Avenue and the Liberty Bridge from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. Crews with the Department of Public Works will be performing...
5 things to know about Pittsburgh’s mayoral race
Pittsburgh voters on Tuesday will elect a new mayor. Incumbent Mayor Ed Gainey lost the Democratic primary in May, leaving voters to choose a new leader for the city. Here are five things voters should know: Who are the candidates? The Democratic candidate is Corey O’Connor, 41, of Point Breeze....
‘Yinzers deserve nice things’: Officials celebrate halfway point of Market Square remake
Market Square’s revitalization is about halfway complete, officials said Wednesday, hailing progress in ongoing efforts to reenergize Downtown Pittsburgh ahead of the NFL Draft in April. Jeremy Waldrup, president of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, said Market Square’s $15 million facelift is on budget and on track to be done before...
3 contested Pittsburgh City Council races on the ballot
Some Pittsburgh voters next Tuesday will cast ballots not only for mayor but also for candidates in contested City Council elections. Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith, D-West End, is retiring after 15 years on council. Hers is the only district guaranteed to see a new representative this year, as Democrat Kim Salinetro...
Talking trash: Pittsburgh official seeks $9M to buy city residents new garbage cans
A $9 million investment in new trash cans for every household in Pittsburgh could curb litter and improve garbage collection, Public Works Director Chris Hornstein told City Council members Tuesday. Hornstein’s pitch came after the city spent about $5 million buying blue recycling bins for residents. The last batch of...
On the rebound: Downtown Pittsburgh living surges after pandemic
Downtown Pittsburgh’s residential occupancy rate is nearing an all-time high as officials push for more housing in the Golden Triangle, according to the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. The nonprofit community development organization in a quarterly report shared Tuesday said 93.8% of residential units are currently filled. The Golden Triangle saw a...
Pittsburgh controller raises fresh warning about city’s unchecked overtime spending
Cash-strapped Pittsburgh could spend nearly $20 million more this year on overtime and holiday wages than it planned for, according to the latest warning about the city’s financial difficulties. Controller Rachael Heisler released the alarming projections last week, which she said shows the city on track to spend between $14.7...
O’Connor, Moreno talk city finances, public safety in debate ahead of Pittsburgh mayoral race
Pittsburgh mayoral candidates Corey O’Connor and Tony Moreno, in a debate aired Sunday morning, agreed the city is facing challenges but laid out differing plans for how to improve public safety, city finances, and affordable housing. Democratic candidate Corey O’Connor, a former city councilman who now serves as Allegheny County...
‘This might be your time’: Corey O’Connor’s wife championed his run for Pittsburgh mayor
Months before Corey O’Connor entered the race for Pittsburgh mayor, rumors started circulating that he would try to unseat incumbent Ed Gainey. The idea wasn’t far-fetched. O’Connor had built a career in public service, first as a Pittsburgh councilman like his father, Bob O’Connor, then as Allegheny County controller. He...
Staring at life without a paycheck, federal workers rally in Pittsburgh against shutdown
Saturday should be payday for local Internal Revenue Service workers like Elizabeth McPeak. But because of a federal government shutdown, she’s one of about 250 local IRS workers and about 1.4 million federal workers nationwide who won’t receive a paycheck this weekend. “Tomorrow is payday but there won’t be a...
Variety of Halloween-themed events on tap in Pittsburgh
With a week until Halloween, Pittsburgh is in the midst of spooky season. From twilight hikes to a haunted speakeasy, here are some upcoming Halloween attractions: Schenley Park twilight hikes The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is hosting a series of twilight hikes with Pittsburgh park rangers next week. The first, scheduled...
Morning Roundup: Man stabbed in Pittsburgh’s East Hills; officials warn of scam targeting SNAP users
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, Oct. 24: Man stabbed in Pittsburgh’s East Hills neighborhood A man was stabbed during an altercation early Friday morning in Pittsburgh’s East Hills neighborhood. Public safety officials said police were dispatched to the 7900 block of Frankstown Avenue...
USGA requests state funds to build a new bridge at Oakmont Country Club
The U.S. Golf Association is requesting state funds to construct a new bridge over the Pennsylvania Turnpike at Oakmont Country Club, where it hosts major events like the U.S. Open. The association is requesting a $5 million Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant, which would cover nearly half of the...
Pittsburgh man fatally struck in hit and run on Pa. Turnpike
A fatal crash early Friday morning shut down a section of the eastbound lanes of the Pennsylvania Turnpike for a time between New Castle and Cranberry. According to Pennsylvania State Police, Khalil K. Mutadabur, 21, of Pittsburgh was killed while walking in the eastbound travel lanes near milepost 13.9, just...
‘We’ve been shortchanged’: Hill District group blasts Penguins after team loses development rights to old Civic Arena site
After nearly two decades sitting on exclusive rights to develop the Lower Hill District site that once housed the Civic Arena, the Pittsburgh Penguins have lost their stake, drawing derision for taking so long to create so little. A 2007 agreement with Pittsburgh’s Urban Redevelopment Authority and Sports & Exhibition...
Pittsburgh lands on National Geographic’s list of ‘best places in the world to travel’
National Geographic thinks Pittsburgh is a world-class city. Not only has the publication dubbed it “one of America’s most underrated cities to visit in 2026,” it has included the Steel City on a list of the “best places in the world to travel to in 2026,” a compilation of locations...
Heating bill help delayed for low-income Pennsylvanians amid federal shutdown
A program that helps low-income Pennsylvania residents pay heating bills will be delayed because of the federal government shutdown. The commonwealth’s Department of Human Services on Wednesday announced the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) will begin Dec. 3, a month later than usual. The start date was pushed back...

