It’s the Friday news roundup! The full squad is here celebrating the return of beloved Pirate Andrew McCutcheon and looking into how a revamped city commission could bring more equitable artworks to the area. Plus, how to look for unclaimed cash that could be waiting for you. As always, our Friday shows are powered by great local journalism. You can find the state’s website for unclaimed money here. See the utterly chill-inducing moment in 2013 when Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto dropped the ball in ...
Feb 24, 2023•18 min
Lent is the month long period leading up to Easter involving fasting, asking for forgiveness and prayer. So when did fish fries come into the picture? We’re bringing back this episode with writer Rossilynne Skena Culgan to find out why this deep-fried spring tradition is so important in the Burgh. Check out Code for Pittsburgh's 2023 fish fry map here! And get to know the Codfather here. Want some more Pittsburgh news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’re also on Twitter @...
Feb 23, 2023•13 min
Urban "renewal" changed the Lower Hill from a bustling neighborhood filled with nightclubs and bars to a parking lot — and soon, a behemoth skyscraper and multimillion dollar concert venue. Author and historian David Rotenstein is here to harken back to the nightlife of 100 years ago and two nefarious brothers who bankrolled it all. Check out David's full story for NEXTpittsburgh. Want some more Pittsburgh news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’re also on Twitter @citycas...
Feb 22, 2023•17 min
What do non-Pittsburghers want to know about our city? Does anyone here still make steel? Where did the Pirates get their name? What famous people were born here? Does everyone work for UPMC? We’ve got all the answers for City Cast CEO David Plotz, plus Morgan and Megan explain the difference between being nice and being kind. Hear more about the downtown curfew here and proposed enforcement here. Want some more Pittsburgh news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’re also on...
Feb 21, 2023•16 min
It’s the Friday news roundup! This week, learn the history of paczki, take a tour of Chinese treats ahead of the upcoming new year parade, and entertain a real-time sip of a Southern classic with the City Cast Pittsburgh team. Lead Producer Megan Harris is back and on mic with Elizabeth Kauma, Francesca Dabecco, and Mallory Falk talking about some of our favorite foods of the season and a few ways to spend your three-day weekend. Plus, hear Morgan Moody check in with the owner of Party Cake Bake...
Feb 17, 2023•22 min
Earlier this month, a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in a town 50 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. Residents within miles of the crash were evacuated while officials released those potentially deadly fumes into the air to avoid an explosion. Since then, many people living in East Palestine have been feeling sick. finding dead animals, and expressing concerns over their water being contaminated. We’re with environmental reporter, Kristina Marusic to find out if the dangerous chemicals will...
Feb 16, 2023•19 min
Pittsburgh doesn’t have the threat of hurricanes and wildfires but our muddy hillsides could wash away as flooding and heavier rainfall surge with climate change. So how much should we worry? And what’s being done? We’re talking about the impact these landslides could have on local homeowners with PublicSource climate reporter Quinn Glabicki. Want some more Pittsburgh news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh! Not ...
Feb 15, 2023•11 min
If you’ve been striking out on the dating apps, some small adjustments to your profile might be the way to help you find love. We’re bringing back an episode with journalist and poet, Dani Janae, for her tips to find romantic love — or even a budding friendship — just by being yourself. Plus, check out a Valentine’s Day love letter from our listeners and newsletter readers answering why they fell in love with Pittsburgh. Read Dani's original piece here. Want some more Pittsburgh news? Then make ...
Feb 14, 2023•15 min
A Commonwealth Court judge recently ruled that the way Pennsylvania funds public schools is unconstitutional. Pittsburgh’s Mallory Falk and Philly’s Trenae Nuri are joined by Dale Mezzacappa, senior reporter for Chalkbeat Philadelphia, to talk about how this ruling could affect students here and throughout the state. You can read Dale’s reporting on the landmark court decision here, and all of her school funding trial coverage here. Want some more Pittsburgh news? Then make sure to sign up for o...
Feb 13, 2023•15 min
It’s the Friday news roundup! City Cast’s Morgan Moody and Elizabeth Kauma are joined by the founder of Pittsburgh Independent, Brian Conway, talking about why the North Side fest is going by a new name, plus we break down the power shift in the Pennsylvania House following this week’s special election and share an amazing local guide to common grocery store goodies. As always, our Friday shows are powered by great local journalism. Brian’s article for Pittsburgh Independent about Deutschtown ch...
Feb 10, 2023•21 min
Whether you prefer wood fired, deep dish, square cuts, or Ohio Valley style with cold cheese (where are our Beto’s fans at?), there’s a slice for everyone in the ‘Burgh. In honor of National Pizza Day, Pittsburgh Magazine food editor Kristy Locklin joins us to dish on her favorites. Kristy's recommendations: Wood Fired by Lorelei Strange Roots Blue Sparrow Driftwood Oven Caliente Pizza and Draft House Spak Brothers Michael’s Pizza Bar Lelulo’s Pizzeria Frank’s Pizza and Chicken Black Lotus Pizza...
Feb 09, 2023•12 min
Did you know Pittsburgh more public staircases than any other American city? Some of them are looking a little shabby these days, but the city recently received $7 million in federal funding to restore and repair city steps. As the city figures out which stairways to prioritize, we’re resisting our conversation with Laura aka Mis.steps to learn how Pittsburgh became the staircase capitol. You can sign up for a city steps walking tour with Laura or scroll through her Instagram account for lots of...
Feb 08, 2023•16 min
What’s that in the Pittsburgh air? No, it’s not smog. It’s love. Next week brings two opportunities to celebrate our loved ones: Galentine’s Day and Valentine’s Day. If you need plans, the City Cast team is rounding up our favorite local treats, activities and gifts for both romantic partners and pals. Our recommendations from the episode: For Galentine’s/Palentine’s Day Grab a croissant from Madeline Bakery & Bistro and head over to Biddle’s Escape for a strawberry dirty chai with your best...
Feb 07, 2023•23 min
When the city closed a tent camp along Stockton Avenue late last year, officials only gave the people living there a few days’ notice. Crews cleared anything left behind with front loaders, inadvertently scooping up a woman who was still inside her tent. Now two legal advocacy groups have stepped in to ask whether officials violated residents’ civil rights. Amelia Winger, a reporter with PublicSource, joins us to discuss the fight for better policies around encampment closures. You can read Amel...
Feb 06, 2023•13 min
It’s the Friday news roundup! The City Cast team is talking about how anxiety dominates the state’s medical cannabis industry, why a bridge rumored to be unsafe in 2018 is only now getting closed, and how one local artist is turning regional folklore into a tarot deck. As always, our Friday shows are powered by great local journalism. Ed Mahon in Spotlight PA on anxiety disorders and medical cannabis Our episode with Ed Mahon on misleading claims about cannabis treatment for opioid use disorder....
Feb 03, 2023•25 min
Every February 2, the lore of a mythical groundhog draws thousands of spectators from all over the world to a small town 80 miles north of Pittsburgh. Punxsutawney Phil sits on his stump and predicts the weather; if he doesn’t see his shadow, that means an early spring. But how accurate are his predictions — and why does PA ride so hard for a rodent? We're teaming up with City Cast Philly this Groundhog Day to learn whether Punxsutawney Phil is the true "seer of seers" or just a groundhog who di...
Feb 02, 2023•19 min
In Pennsylvania, there’s one cemetery that can offer a sustainable afterlife – and it’s just outside of Pittsburgh in Verona. City Cast host Morgan Moody and producer Mallory Falk are touring the grounds of Penn Forest Natural Burial Park, the state’s only certified green cemetery, to find out why more people are going out green. And if you want to become a volunteer river ice spotter, check out the National Weather Service's virtual training here. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up...
Feb 01, 2023•23 min
Pittsburgh is packed with medical centers and doctors, but it can still be a challenge to get an appointment with a trained mental health professional. It was even trickier in the early days of COVID, until the pandemic gave rise to third-party psychiatric platforms. Remote therapy and virtual prescriptions helped increase access to mental healthcare. But as freelance journalist Meg St-Esprit reports, some of the platforms are starting to come under scrutiny. She joins us to discuss her recent a...
Jan 31, 2023•16 min
Pittsburgh prides itself in our strong steel background, but before this city was the world leader in steel production, we were known for a much more delicate material: glass. Anne Madarasz, chief historian at the Heinz History Center, joins us to discuss Pittsburgh’s legacy as “Glass City U.S.A.” You can learn more Pittsburgh glass history at the Heinz History Center exhibit Glass: Shattering Notions. And if you’re a fan of Blown Away — the popular glassblowing competition on Netflix — there’s ...
Jan 30, 2023•17 min
It’s the Friday news roundup! The City Cast team is discussing one school’s attempt to keep cell phones out of classrooms, why more teens are gathering Downtown, and Mayor Gainey’s plan to review whether Pittsburgh non-profits should start paying property taxes. As always, our Friday shows are powered by great local journalism. Terryaun Bell in PublicSource on cell phone bans in schools An-Li Herring and Sarah Schneider with WESA on high schools students spending more time Downtown — and the rea...
Jan 27, 2023•27 min
If you’re planning to get something sweet for Valentine’s Day, need to load up the cookie table at your Pittsburgh wedding, or just want to know where to get the flakiest croissants in the city, the City Cast team has you covered. We're rounding up some of the best treats we've tried from local bakeries that cater to everyone. Our recommendations in this episode: Jean-Marc Chatellier's French Bakery in Millvale Five Points Artisan Bakeshop in Squirrel Hill Enrico Biscotti Co. in the Strip Distri...
Jan 26, 2023•25 min
This time of year, it can seem like Pittsburgh’s been stripped of every color except gray. But if you look closely enough, you might catch a pop of color from a ghost sign. They’re the faded, old-timey advertisements painted on the sides of brick buildings. To beat the winter blues, we’re revisiting our conversation with City Cast contributor (and self-proclaimed ghost sign hunter) Rossilynne Skena Culgan about how to find these relics, what they teach us about Pittsburgh’s history, and what it ...
Jan 25, 2023•16 min
The Pennsylvania House is in disarray. Lawmakers haven’t been able to agree on basic rules and the House has recessed indefinitely. Now, Speaker Mark Rozzi is going on a listening tour to address the partisan gridlock — and his first stop is in Pittsburgh. Spotlight PA’s Capitol Reporter, Stephen Caruso, joins us to explain how Allegheny County inadvertently set this chaos in motion and where we go from here. You can read Stephen’s ongoing coverage of state politics here. Want to make your voice...
Jan 24, 2023•19 min
As a college student, poet and archivist Silas Maxwell Switzer realized he knew almost nothing about Pittsburgh’s queer history — even though he’d grown up here. And when he set out to fix that, he realized there were gaps in the history. Silas’ forthcoming poetry collection, "Nine Parts Water, One Part Bleach," focuses on the AIDS crisis in Pittsburgh and its erasure. He joins City Cast Producer Elizabeth Kauma to talk about digging into the archives and tracking down elders to create his new c...
Jan 23, 2023•19 min
It’s the Friday news roundup! City Cast host Morgan Moody and producer Mallory Falk are joined by Pittsburgh City Paper’s Jordana Rosenfeld to discuss her recent reporting on a new proposal to enforce Pittsburgh’s youth curfew, concerns about LGBTQ book censorship in Moon Township, and the Twitter storm around an Allegheny County Council race. As always, our Friday shows are powered by great local journalism. Jordana Rosenfeld’s reporting in Pittsburgh City Paper on Pittsburgh’s youth curfew, Mo...
Jan 20, 2023•28 min
One of the city’s most popular vegan spots, Apteka, is shifting into burger mode. Crapteka is a three-weekend-long event where the nationally celebrated Bloomfield restaurant switches out its typical Eastern European fare, like pierogi and schnitzel, for burgers. The vegan patties are so popular, they've developed a cult following. Kate Lasky, co-owner and co-chef at Apteka, joins us to talk about how she and her partner built a beloved restaurant and pop-up by following their own recipe — and h...
Jan 19, 2023•21 min
Pittsburgh’s local healthcare giants — UPMC and Allegheny Health Network — are investing billions of dollars to expand throughout the city and surrounding counties with several new specialized and neighborhood hospitals. TribLIVE senior reporter Deb Erdley joins us to talk about how these elaborate construction costs could be added to your next hospital bill. You can read Deb’s reporting on hospital expansions here. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @cit...
Jan 18, 2023•17 min
In the weeks since Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after a hit during a Monday Night Football game, the McKees Rocks native has recovered enough to go home and the NFL has kept on playing. But what does the future look like for the young athlete, who was just starting his career? And can we continue to justify watching a sport that leaves so many players with life-changing injuries? Martenzie Johnson, senior writer for ESPN’s Andscape, joins us to talk it all through. You can read Martenzi...
Jan 17, 2023•18 min
It’s the Friday news roundup! City Cast host Morgan Moody and producer Elizabeth Kauma are joined by Brian Conway of the Pittsburgh Independent to discuss his reporting on the fate of Pittsburgh’s iconic “orange-lemon flavored drink” and the historic bakery that owns the recipe. Plus, they talk about the latest updates on conditions at the Allegheny County Jail and the Gainey administration’s ambitious plan to put more money toward affordable housing. As always, our Friday shows are powered by g...
Jan 13, 2023•25 min
With big local startups like Argo AI and Fifth Season closing last year, remote work enabling people to do their jobs anywhere, and the possibility of a recession looming large, we started wondering whether the death knells are ringing for Pittsburgh’s tech and startup industries. We took the question to Becca Szkutak, a senior writer at TechCrunch+. She joins us to discuss our city’s future as a tech hub. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh &...
Jan 12, 2023•19 min
