Ryan Deto stories, Page 8
‘Get things done right’: Top Biden aide vows to fix scars of urban renewal in Pittsburgh
More than one Pittsburgh neighborhood bears the scars of urban renewal gone wrong. The predominantly Black communities of the Hill District and Manchester are just two examples. Now, the administration of President Joe Biden wants to fix the federal government’s mistakes. Tom Perez, a senior advisor to Biden and labor...
‘You have to be transparent’: Wilkinsburg police getting body cameras for cops
Police officers in Wilkinsburg will soon have new body cameras through $514,000 in federal funds. Wilkinsburg borough officials held a press conference Monday morning at the police station where they were presented with a check for the cameras. Police Chief Ophelia “Cookie” Coleman said the money will pay for 24...
‘He is my guy’: Fetterman stands by Biden despite rift over Israel
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman has recently emerged as one of President Joe Biden’s loudest critics following the president’s plans to stop shipping certain weapons to Israel if it invades Rafah in southern Gaza. But at an event Monday in Wilkinsburg, the Braddock Democrat said his disagreements with Biden over Israel...
Wilkinsburg annexation failure reflects merger hurdles for Pa.’s 2,560 municipalities
With its 400-odd residents, Rosslyn Farms is one of Allegheny County’s tiniest places. It has its own council and mayor — elected by just 189 people — but other local governments provide police, fire and ambulance services. One day, if the little borough gets tired of going it alone and...
Family feud: Lawsuit says Post-Gazette publisher wants to sell paper as brothers clash
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette publisher and editor-in-chief John Block wants to sell the paper as well as its parent company, Block Communications Inc., according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday in an Ohio court. The civil suit in Lucas County Common Pleas Court was filed by Block Communications CEO Allan Block, John Block’s...
Shake Shack sets opening date for 1st Pittsburgh restaurant
Pittsburgh is on the cusp of having its first Shake Shack, the popular burger chain known for serving satisfying smash burgers, crispy cheese fries and decadent frozen custards. The New York-based chain announced Wednesday that its new location in Pittsburgh’s Strip District will open to the public May 20. A...
USGA tees up for 2025 U.S. Open with $4.8M Oakmont Country Club expansion
With the U.S. Open golf tournament returning to Oakmont in just over a year, the United States Golf Association is working to expand and upgrade the Oakmont Country Club in anticipation of massive crowds flocking to the Allegheny Valley borough. The golf association is in the midst of a $4.8...
Pittsburgh squeezes Heinz History Center to get giant ketchup bottle permit
Pittsburgh’s iconic giant ketchup bottle is too big. At least that’s what the city has told the Heinz History Center. One of two oversized Heinz ketchup bottles removed from Acrisure Stadium last summer after it changed names from Heinz Field was installed outside the Strip District museum in December. The...
Bill co-sponsored by Rep. Summer Lee to improve plugging abandoned gas wells passes U.S. House
U.S. Rep. Summer Lee’s first major bill, which could accelerate efforts to plug up to 3 million abandoned gas and oil wells across the country, cleared the House Tuesday with strong bipartisan support. Abandoned wells leak copious amounts of methane and are a persistent problem in Western Pennsylvania. Speaking Monday...
‘Perfect storm’: Property tax crisis threatens suburban Allegheny County school districts
Throughout Allegheny County, waves of mall owners, hoteliers, office park operators and big-box retailers are stampeding to slash taxes by challenging their property assessments. But as property owners keep winning big breaks, they’re also creating big headaches. The more the owners succeed, the more they’re choking off critical revenue for...
‘I just worked, worked, worked.’ Harrison’s Erin McClelland scores upset in Pa. treasurer primary
Outspent and facing an opponent who had won a slew of major endorsements, Erin McClelland engineered the biggest upset in Pennsylvania during Tuesday’s primary, securing the Democratic nomination for state treasurer. McClelland, 49, of Harrison said her public speaking skills, the missteps of her Democratic opponent and her travel across...
Casey, McCormick agree to 3 debates across Pa. in U.S. Senate race
With the primary election just barely in the rearview mirror, the candidates for Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate wasted no time in thinking ahead to November. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey announced Thursday he wants to participate in three debates this fall. Casey, of Scranton, proposed holding debates in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia,...
‘I just worked, worked, worked.’ Harrison’s Erin McClelland scores upset in Pa. treasurer primary
Outspent and facing an opponent who had won a slew of major endorsements, Erin McClelland engineered the biggest upset in Pennsylvania during Tuesday’s primary, securing the Democratic nomination for state treasurer. McClelland, 49, of Harrison said her public speaking skills, the missteps of her Democratic opponent and her travel across...
Pittsburgh region sees lowest presidential primary turnout since 2012
It’s not your imagination if your polling place seemed emptier than usual on Tuesday. This week’s primary ranks as one of the sleepiest in recent memory during a presidential election year in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties. Not since 2012 have the counties seen lower voter turnout for a primary when...
Summer Lee beats Bhavini Patel in Democratic primary
U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, cruised to a primary victory Tuesday night, vanquishing her Democratic challenger, Bhavini Patel. Lee, a progressive, took an early lead over the more moderate Edgewood councilwoman with a strong showing in mail-in ballots. Lee never looked back. With nearly 100% of precincts reporting, Lee won...
Election primer: What to know heading into the 2024 primary
There’s no way around it: This year’s Pennsylvania primary lacks much intrigue. The presidential contenders from both major parties clinched their nominations weeks ago. The state’s U.S. Senate race also has only one nominee for each party: incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican David McCormick, a former hedge fund...
45th Senate District sees competitive Dem, GOP primary races
Allegheny County’s 45th state Senatorial District has attracted more candidates than any other race in the region, in a contest that could be crucial in determining which party controls the state legislature’s upper chamber next year. And, at least on the Republican side, there are a bit of fireworks. Kami...
Challenger Comans seeks to oust incumbent Salisbury in Democratic primary for Pa. House’s 34th District
In Pittsburgh’s East End neighborhoods and nearby suburbs, a Democratic primary battle for a state House seat is pitting a progressive challenger against a mainstream incumbent. Ashley Comans, a Wilkinsburg school board member, said the 34th Legislative District is hungry for someone who champions progressive policies like boosting public schools,...
Injunction sought against Post-Gazette for alleged labor violations
The National Labor Relations Board authorized a request this week to seek a temporary court injunction against the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for allegedly violating its workers labor rights. Union representatives said the move could put an end to the 19-month strike carried out by journalists and production workers at the paper....
Biden tells Pittsburgh steelworkers that he, not Trump, has delivered for them
President Joe Biden blasted rival Donald Trump Wednesday during a speech to union steelworkers in Downtown Pittsburgh, assailing the former president — his expected opponent in November’s general election — for what he described as empty promises, infrastructure failures and a rollback of labor rights. “My predecessor promised infrastructure week...
Biden campaign ad blitz features Washington, Pa., mayor, a steelworker
President Joe Biden’s campaign is turning up the heat on the presidential race and is using Washington, Pa., Mayor Joseph “JoJo” Burgess to do it as part of a multimillion-dollar ad blitz set to hit Pennsylvania on Wednesday. Burgess, a member of United Steelworkers Local 1557, is featured prominently in...
Biden to discuss steel, manufacturing jobs, tariffs during Pittsburgh visit
President Joe Biden will visit Pittsburgh Wednesday to discuss his administration’s efforts to bolster the domestic steel industry, arguing that he has been able to boost manufacturing jobs unlike his political rival former President Donald Trump. Biden will visit the United Steelworkers union headquarters in Downtown Pittsburgh in the afternoon....
Search for missing barge shuts down section of Ohio River
U.S. Coast Guard officials have shut down several miles of the Ohio River in Allegheny County as they continue searching for a missing barge that is presumed to have sunk. The search comes after a group of 26 barges broke loose late Friday night, causing extensive damage to two Pittsburgh...
Jewish Federation urges voters to heed mail-in ballot deadline as Passover approaches
The Pittsburgh Jewish community is reminding voters that Tuesday is the last day to request a mail-in ballot for the April 23 primary, a date with added importance this year since the Passover holiday will make it impossible for potentially thousands of Jews to vote in person on Election Day....
Summer Lee, Bhavini Patel face off in contentious Democratic primary for Congress
In October, Edgewood Councilwoman Bhavini Patel announced she would challenge U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, in the upcoming primary election, running against the fiery progressive for a second time. Five days later, on Oct. 7, Hamas attacked Israel, and suddenly war in the Middle East dominated the race for Pennsylvania’s...
