Julia Felton stories, Page 41
Pittsburgh poised to reallocate money meant for police training to Penn Circle project
Pittsburgh City Council seems to be poised to reallocate funds originally earmarked for a public safety training facility in the city’s Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood to a project to convert Penn Circle into a two-way roadway. Council was initially expected to take a final vote on the measure Tuesday, but delayed to...
Expert says Moderna booster targeting omicron could be superior to current boosters
As the covid-19 pandemic has changed with the emergence of new variants, Moderna is looking to update its vaccine offerings in response. The drug manufacturer is studying an updated booster vaccine that targets the omicron variant, which they say could offer better protection as the variant spreads. “The vaccine that’s...
Pittsburgh councilman wants to provide temporary jobs for recently jailed people at no cost to the city
Legislation introduced to Pittsburgh City Council Tuesday would urge the city to explore employment opportunities for recently incarcerated people. Councilman Ricky Burgess sponsored the measure, which calls on the directors of the Departments of Management and Budget, Finance and Public Works to explore the possibility of a partnership with the...
Pittsburgh council grants Tito House historic designation
Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday voted to grant historic designation to the Tito House in the city’s Uptown neighborhood. “We are extremely excited,” said Sabreena Miller, real estate and development manager with Uptown Partners. “We’ve worked very hard to see that this property be cared for, protected and an asset...
Pittsburgh council considers amendments to stop-and-frisk legislation
Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday recommitted legislation outlining new regulations for stop-and-frisk incidents, meaning the measure will be discussed further and possibly amended before a final vote. The measure requires police to document why they are stopping and searching a pedestrian before they do so. Officers will have to use...
Pittsburgh unveils summer schedule for Roving Art Cart in city parks
For local youth looking to explore their creative side over summer vacation, Pittsburgh’s Roving Art Cart will be bringing arts and crafts to various city parks. The Roving Art Cart allows children to participate in multi-media art projects at no cost. The program includes painting, beads and sculpting in an...
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy to host Juneteenth celebration this weekend
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy will celebrate the Juneteenth holiday this weekend with a concert and garden tour at Frick Park. Local artists Sierra Sellers and Chandra Rhyme will perform on the lawn of the Frick Park Environmental Center from 6 p.m. till 8 p.m. on Friday. Guests are also invited...
Fudge Farm closes South Side location amid surge in violence
Fudge Farm is closing its location on East Carson Street on Pittsburgh’s South Side amid a spike in violence that the owners said makes them worry for employee safety. The gourmet fudge, chocolate and ice cream shop announced on social media that Sunday would mark the last day for their...
Mayor Ed Gainey’s emphasis on diversity brings new voices to Pittsburgh government
When Pittsburgh voters elected Ed Gainey as the first Black mayor in the city’s history, he vowed to assemble a diverse administration. A half-year into his first term, Gainey said he believes he has built “one of the most diverse administrations in the city of Pittsburgh, ever.” Directors, managers and...
11 pools set to open in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh will open 11 city pools on June 18. The pools slated to open are Ammon, Bloomfield, Jack Stack, Highland Park, Magee, Moore, Ormsby, Ream, Riverview, Schenley and Westwood, city official said Friday. The city recruited 107 lifeguards to open the 11 pools, city officials said. Typically, it takes 180...
Pittsburgh City Council considers reallocating cash for new public safety training facility to Penn Circle project
Pittsburgh City Council could reallocate funding for a proposed public safety training facility in the city’s Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood to a project to convert Penn Circle into a two-way roadway. Council would take just more than $808,000 that was included in the 2019 budget for the proposed training facility and nearly...
Pittsburgh City Council considers request to designate Tito House a historic property
The fate of Uptown’s Tito House, which has become a subject of debate among residents and a developer that wants to tear it down, could be resolved as soon as next week. Dallas-based Fountain Residential Partners wants to buy and develop the site along Fifth Avenue to build an $87...
Pa. officials call for expansion of syringe service programs
Officials on Thursday advocated for an expansion of syringe service programs in Pennsylvania to provide safe needles to people using drugs. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are the only places in the commonwealth that have ordinances to allow syringe service programs to operate, said Acting Health Secretary Denise Johnson. She and other...
Pittsburgh police scrap plans for leasing warehouse space in $1M deal
Pittsburgh’s Bureau of Police has scrapped plans to lease new warehouse space in a deal that would have cost the city just more than $1 million through 2031. Legislation introduced to City Council last week outlined plans to enter into a lease agreement with WAG 2 LLC for warehouse space...
Apartments planned in former Downtown Pittsburgh warehouse once owned by Mark Cuban
A Washington, D.C., company has received approval from Pittsburgh Planning Commission to redevelop a Downtown warehouse formerly owned by celebrity billionaire Mark Cuban into an apartment building. Douglas Development Corp. plans to revitalize the vacant building at 642 Fort Duquesne Blvd., which faces the Allegheny River. The plan includes creating...
Planners approve proposed 20-story apartment tower above Downtown Pittsburgh building
Pittsburgh Planning Commission on Tuesday approved development plans that feature a 20-story tower with 300 apartments atop an existing Downtown Pittsburgh building. City Club Apartments LLC bought the former YWCA of Pittsburgh building at 305 Wood St. for $4 million in April. The developer’s plans include a rooftop pool, two-story...
Pittsburgh City Council considers new stop-and-frisk policy for police
A new stop-and-frisk policy being considered by Pittsburgh City Council would require police to document why they are stopping and searching a pedestrian before they do so. Officers would need to use a body-worn camera or vehicle-mounted recording device to document their reasonable suspicion for initiating a stop-and-frisk, according to...
Survivor of Parkland, Fla., school shooting joins Pittsburgh leaders in calling for gun reform
A survivor of the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Fla. on Monday visited Pittsburgh and joined local teachers and other activists in calling for action to prevent future school shootings and other acts of gun violence. David Hogg has dedicated himself to fighting for gun reform since the Parkland shooting....
Pittsburgh City Council creates fund to support new Lead Safety Ordinance
Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday approved legislation creating the Lead Safety Trust Fund, which will finance the city’s new Lead Safety Ordinance. The city will put $2 million in American Rescue Plan money into the trust, which may hold other cash dedicated to enacting the Lead Safety Ordinance, including funding...
Shadyside’s Rodef Shalom synagogue earns historic designation
The Rodef Shalom synagogue in Shadyside has been granted historic designation. “It is truly a huge communal asset,” said Barb Feige, interim executive director at Rodef Shalom, said Monday. “The building is beautiful, it is stately, but it is also a community center. It serves as the location for numerous...
Youth groups now permitted to camp in Pittsburgh parks
Youth groups will now be permitted to camp in Pittsburgh’s parks. Pittsburgh City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to allow youth organizations to obtain permits to camp in city parks. “I am going to continue to say that I hope we become independent of using organizations to use our parks,” Council...
Pittsburgh releases community visioning studies for East Hills, Lincoln-Lemington Belmar
Pittsburgh’s Department of City Planning has released the inaugural Neighborhood Visioning Plans for the city’s East Hills and Lincoln-Lemington Belmar neighborhoods. The plans were developed through a 14-month process with the East Hills Consensus Group and Lincoln Lemington Collaborative, with support from Councilman Ricky Burgess’s office. Neighborhood visioning aims to...
Pittsburgh begins gathering community input on 2023 budgets
Pittsburgh’s Office of Management and Budget is inviting city residents to share their input regarding the city’s 2023 capital and operating budgets through virtual forums and online surveys. The capital budget funds projects that design, build, restore or purchase city-owned assets, have a minimum value of $50,000 and have a...
Allegheny County recount to begin Wednesday for GOP Senate race
A recount of votes cast in Allegheny County in the Republican primary race for U.S. Senate will begin at 8 a.m. Wednesday, elections division officials announced Friday. Allegheny County’s recount, ordered by Acting Secretary of State Leigh Chapman, will occur at the county’s Elections Division Warehouse. The margin in the...
Pittsburgh City Council advances plans to create Lead Safety Trust Fund
Pittsburgh City Council on Wednesday advanced a measure that would create the Lead Safety Trust Fund to help finance the city’s new Lead Safety Ordinance. The city would put $2 million in American Rescue Plan funding into the trust, which would also hold other cash dedicated to enacting the Lead...
