Pittsburgh category, Page 58
Banana Republic on Walnut Street in Shadyside to close
The Banana Republic store on Walnut Street in Shadyside is set to close after being open for more than 30 years. Two signs posted in the store’s windows say “We’re Closing: March 2025.” A specific date has not been announced. The two-story store is located at 5542 Walnut St., at...
Penn Hills resident publishes book of poetry inspired by 15 years of riding bus to work
Michael Frachioni has been riding city buses for years. Unlike most who use the commute to zone out, listen to music or close their eyes for a moment, Frachioni uses that time to observe his fellow riders to find the subject of his next poem. A lawyer for PNC Bank...
Snowplow woes force Pittsburgh officials to explore asking for help clearing roads
With nearly a third of Pittsburgh’s snowplow fleet out of commission, some city officials want to ask their neighbors for help. Councilwoman Erika Strassburger, D-Squirrel Hill, said neighboring municipalities often seem to treat roads more efficiently than Pittsburgh. She wants to explore paying them to treat Pittsburgh roads after they’ve...
Pittsburgh Public Schools leaders recommend closing 14 schools
After years of discussion and potential closures, Pittsburgh Public Schools leaders this week released recommendations for the district’s restructuring — including the shuttering of 14 schools. Because of declining enrollment, underutilization and aging infrastructure, the feasibility report advised the district to close the following schools:Allegheny 6-8Arsenal PreK-5Fulton PreK-5King PreK-8Linden PreK-5Manchester...
Groups battle anew over Pittsburgh referendum effort targeting ties to Israel
Pittsburgh’s business ties to Israel are once again stirring controversy. In November, pro-Palestinian group Not on Our Dime tried to let voters decide whether to ban the city from doing business with companies linked to Israel. But a challenge to the signatures sunk that effort. Now the group is trying...
Fixes not fines: Pittsburgh wants to aid, not punish, poor homeowners with crumbling sidewalks
Pittsburgh will consider expanding a program to help poor homeowners fix dilapidated sidewalks outside their houses rather than slapping them with fines for failing to make pricey repairs. City Council in 2023 authorized a pilot program for the city to repair sidewalks at a discounted rate for low-income homeowners. Homeowners...
Settlement in Fern Hollow Bridge case collapses amid finger-pointing
The City of Pittsburgh is blaming everyone but itself for the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse. In recent court filings, lawyers for the city have faulted the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the private engineering firms who conducted annual inspections — even the victims driving across the bridge in 2022 when it...
Archers killed 199 deer as part of Pittsburgh culling program in parks
Nearly 200 deer were harvested as part of Pittsburgh’s deer management program over the 2024-25 archery season. A city harvest report said 92 of those deer were donated to local food banks, which provided 3,980 pounds of venison and 14,720 meals to residents. Pittsburgh’s Department of Public Safety said the...
Nippon to meet with federal officials in bid to salvage U.S. Steel deal
Nippon Steel plans to meet with federal officials to work out a solution to the U.S. Steel takeover, and will use the existing merger agreement as a starting point in negotiations. The Japanese steelmaker’s chief operating officer, Tadashi Imai, unveiled the plan to reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday. Imai’s stance...
Pittsburgh council OKs tax incentive for Esplanade development
Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a critical tax diversion for Esplanade, a sprawling $740 million development planned along the Ohio River. The developer, Cecil-based Piatt Companies, will now turn its attention to seeking similar approvals from Allegheny County and Pittsburgh Public Schools. If the measure is approved by...
Police: Man dies in Route 28 crash after appearing to jump from moving vehicle
A man who police believe jumped from a moving vehicle was struck and killed along Route 28 in a multi-vehicle crash Tuesday morning. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office identified the victim as Connell Nihei, 50, of Pittsburgh. The crash near Etna was reported shortly before 7 a.m., according to...
Ex-school van driver denies sexually assaulting student, pleads no contest to showing porn
A former school van driver originally accused of sexual assaulting one of his intellectually disabled passengers in Pittsburgh pleaded no contest on Monday to a reduced charge of corruption of minors. As part of the plea deal, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office withdrew more serious felony counts of institutional...
Republican challenger sets sights on Lavelle’s Pittsburgh council seat
Republican Jacob Dumont on Monday announced he’s running for Pittsburgh City Council, aiming to unseat council’s president, Democrat R. Daniel Lavelle, in November’s general election. Dumont, 33, of Marshall-Shadeland, operates Northside Action Media, an online platform covering news from around Council District 6, which he now hopes to represent. The...
University of Pittsburgh reviews doctoral admissions amid federal funding cuts
After ceasing new doctoral offers of admission on Friday, the University of Pittsburgh has since confirmed it is in the early stages of developing new advanced degree admission offers within fiscal constraints caused by federal funding cuts. “The university is in the early stages of extending Ph.D. offers of admission...
Protesters push back on Trump agenda at Squirrel Hill rally
As she stood at a bustling street corner Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood, Courtney Anderson said she was thinking about how yanking funding from public schools or dismantling the federal Department of Education could impact underprivileged children. Anderson, 49, of West View, joined throngs of protesters at the...
Pittsburgh Racial Justice Summit encourages attendees to ‘Lean In’
The 27th annual Pittsburgh Racial Justice Summit held Saturday focused on mobilizing the community and urging attendees to “lean in” and do something. The theme of this year’s summit was “People, Power and Progress: Community Engagement for Justice and Accountability.” The daylong summit brought out organizers, community advocates and community...
Missing 11-year-old East Allegheny girl found safe
An 11-year-old girl who was reported missing to Pittsburgh police has been found safe, according to authorities. The girl was reported missing Saturday after being last seen the day before at her home in the city’s East Allegheny neighborhood....
‘Bettis: Where Pittsburgh Aviation Took Off’ details forgotten local history
McKeesport native Helen Richey became the first woman to fly a commercial airliner to deliver mail and transport passengers. She was part of what was known as the “air-minded movement.” Richey and Amelia Earhart, the first female pilot to fly solo non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean, appeared in an advertisement...
‘Envisioning A Just Pittsburgh’ exhibit opening celebrates diversity in the arts
There was an energy of excitement on Thursday at the opening of the “Envisioning A Just Pittsburgh” exhibition at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, which hosted a special iteration of its Thursday happy hour “Intermissions” to kick off the exhibition. The space was packed with a multicultural and...
Morning Roundup: Another pedestrian hit in Pittsburgh; fire damages East Huntington home
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025: Another pedestrian hit in Pittsburgh For the second day in a row, a pedestrian has been hit by a vehicle in Pittsburgh. Police, firefighters and paramedics responded early Friday to a report of a pedestrian...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Feb. 21-23
Get cozy or go crazy? It’s the debate we all have with ourselves every winter weekend. And don’t worry — whatever you’re feeling at the end of this week, there’s a local event to check out. Here are some options! Soup Contest Get ready to taste some delicious soups for...
Westmoreland native paints business windows, collects donations for LGBTQ+ nonprofits
What started as way for artist Victoria “V” Jennings to boost people’s spirits during the covid pandemic has turned into charitable fundraising. The Westmoreland County native has painted murals for about a decade. When the pandemic restrictions of March 2020 continued into the winter, Jennings put her artistic skills to...
2 found shot dead in crashed car in Pittsburgh, toddler alive in back seat
Two people were found shot dead in a car that crashed in Pittsburgh’s Garfield neighborhood Thursday night, a police spokesperson said. A child was found unharmed in a car seat and was taken to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, according to police spokesperson Emily Bourne. Pittsburgh police responded to a...
Gainey defends public safety record a day after Downtown shooting
A day after a teenager was shot in Downtown Pittsburgh, Mayor Ed Gainey on Thursday defended his administration’s public safety record, praised police officers for keeping the city safe and accused local media of not reporting more positive news. The mayor also stood by his choice for the city’s next...
Journeys & Jazz celebrates Ahmad Jamal and Pittsburgh’s Jazz history
The legacy of Ahmad Jamal and Pittsburgh’s jazz roots were celebrated on Wednesday at the Community Engagement Center in Homewood at the Journeys & Jazz event. Jamal, a Homewood native whose career as a jazz pianist started as early as age 11, is having a collection of his work preserved...
