Morning Roundup: Free produce stand opening in Hill District

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, June 9:

Free community produce stand coming to Hill District

A free community produce stand will open Friday in Pittsburgh’s Hill District neighborhood.

The stand will be open from noon to 4 p.m. every second and fourth Friday of the month at Centre Avenue and Elmore Street. A rain location is set at Nafasi on Centre at 2145 Centre Ave.

The stand is a collaboration between several local organizations, including the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, the Hill District Community Development Corporation, Nafasi on Centre and Center that Cares.

Join us for a FREE Community Produce Stand happening this Friday, June 9th, 2023, from 12 PM to 4 PM at the corner of Centre and Elmore! The rain location is Nafasi on Centre, located at 2145 Centre Avenue. pic.twitter.com/TYV9oNqd52

— myhilldistrict (@myhilldistrict) June 7, 2023

New Kensington cat rescue treating abused animal

Frankie’s Friends Cat Rescue in New Kensington said it is treating a cat who they suspect was intentionally abused.

The feline was brought to the rescue earlier this week with a wire wrapped around its leg.

The tightness of the wire and the way it was wrapped around the cat’s leg “leads us to suspect that this was an intentional act,” the cat rescue group wrote in a social media post.

The cat, who they’re calling Sparky, was found in a trailer park in the Sarver area.

“Sparky is now safe in our care and has been cleaned up and started on medications immediately to stop the infection as well as pain management,” Frankie’s Friends Cat Rescue said in a Facebook post.

The nonprofit is asking for donations to help cover the costs of caring for Sparky and other cats.

Registration open for 2nd Girls Fire Camp

Registration is now open for the 2nd Girls Fire Camp, an event aimed to help women kickstart their careers as firefighters and community leaders.

The weeklong camp will run from Aug. 7 to 11 at Ebenezer Baptist Church on Wylie Avenue. It is open to girls ages 14 through 18, and participants do not need to be city residents.

The first girls fire camp event was held last year. Participants had an opportunity to learn from experienced women in the field about what it takes to become a firefighter, officials said.

Topics included in the program include fitness and nutrition, emergency medical care, fire science, leadership and self-confidence.

The deadline to apply through the city’s online application is July 3.

Pittsburgh’s City in the Streets initiative visiting Garfield

Pittsburgh’s new City in the Streets initiative, which aims to bring constituent services into city neighborhoods, will next visit the city’s Garfield neighborhood, Mayor Ed Gainey announced.

City officials will meet with residents on North Pacific Avenue from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28.

The City in the Streets program launched last month in Marshall-Shadeland.

The mayor’s office has touted the program as a “block-party-style” opportunity for residents to connect with various city departments, which will be available to deliver on-site services and take service requests for follow-up work.

Officials from the Departments of Mobility and Infrastructure, Parks and Recreation, Permits, Licenses and Inspections, Public Works, Public Safety and Human Resources and Civil Service will be on hand for the upcoming Garfield event. The mayor’s office and Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority also will be represented.

Local business vendors will participate, and there will be music and activities for kids, officials said.

People are encouraged to register online.

Pittsburgh Roving Art Cart returns for summer season

Pittsburgh’s Roving Art Cart is returning for its 48th season this summer.

Citiparks will be offering free multimedia art projects — including painting, beading and sculpting — through the art cart at various regional and neighborhood parks throughout the summer.

The program will be available on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., starting at Allegheny Commons Park near the National Aviary on June 20 and Schenley Park at Schenley Oval on June 23.

A full schedule is available on the city’s website.

Activities are best suited for children ages 5 to 12, officials said, and children younger than 5 must have a caregiver present while they participate.

Weather affects the type of projects available for the day, officials said, and the art cart only cancels under threat of storms.

Groups of 10 or more need to make a reservation.

Picnic with Police in Pittsburgh’s Zone 1

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Zone 1 officers will be hosting a Picnic with Police event Saturday for the North Side communities they serve.

The event is slated for noon till 2 p.m. in West Park at Brighton Road at West Ohio Street.

Food and refreshments will be provided.

Join your Zone 1 police officers and @1NorthsidePgh at the Picnic with Police event this Saturday, June 10!

12PM-2PM in West Park. Food and refreshments will be provided. pic.twitter.com/I7K2DVE2cm

— Pittsburgh Police Zone 1 (@PghZone1) June 8, 2023

Pittsburgh Public Schools Central Administration Building closed due to water main break

The Pittsburgh Public Schools Central Administration Building in Oakland is closed Friday because of a water main break in the neighborhood.

The water main break left the facility without water Friday morning, district officials said.

Staff will be working remotely and may access the building if needed.