Did you know the best batter in baseball history played for Pittsburgh? Not the Pirates, but our Negro League teams that flourished here before integration. Josh Gibson played for the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords back in the 30s and 40s, and he had an exceptional batting average. But it’s only now, many decades later, that Major League Baseball has finally added his statistics to the record books. We’re with his great-grandson, Sean Gibson, to talk about what this means. Check out ou...
Jun 12, 2024•16 min
Our rivers might not be the cleanest — we’re looking at you, Monongahela! — but that doesn’t mean we can’t get out on the water. City Cast Pittsburgh’s Megan Harris and Sophia Lo are rounding up some of their favorite ways to enjoy our waterways this summer, from glow-in-the-dark night paddles to historical boat tours. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 11th episode: Rivers of Steel Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pit...
Jun 11, 2024•16 min
Summer is here, and it’s the perfect season for curling up in a hammock with a good book. If you need an extra incentive to get started, our county library system’s adult summer reading programs offer lots of prizes. Bellevue librarian Erin Thompson explains how you can earn rewards for getting lost in a beach read, plus she’s sharing a few hacks for getting the most out of your library card. Learn more about our sponsors: Tours of the Carrie Blast Furnaces are a great way to connect with our re...
Jun 10, 2024•19 min
It’s the Friday news roundup! City leaders are really stoked about landing the 2026 NFL Draft, and they want to spruce up the place before an estimated 750,000 people come to visit. We’re talking about plans to revitalize Downtown — again — plus, Eat’n Park’s 75th anniversary and the AC fire that displaced nearly 200 unhoused people from the Second Avenue Commons shelter. We always cite our sources: Eat’n Park turned 75 this week! The local chain started on Saw Mill Run Blvd in 1949. Check out t...
Jun 07, 2024•21 min
Heinz Ketchup has a chokehold on this city. From stadiums and museums to our own home pantries, it’s the ketchup brand on the table and in any good Pittsburghers’ fridge. But in honor of National Ketchup Day, we’re seeing if our team can actually tell the difference between our hometown brand and the competition. We’re pitting the local OG against a few other ketchups in a blind taste test – and hoping we don’t upset any yinzers along the way. Check out our episode on Heinz ketchup’s rise to pro...
Jun 06, 2024•27 min
For years now, there’s been a Juneteenth celebration in Pittsburgh – marking the date when the last enslaved people in this country finally learned that they were free. But this year, the city is also holding its own event. City Council is expected to cast another vote today toward funding both celebrations. Julia Felton, city hall reporter for TribLive, has been following the whole back-and-forth and joins us to explain. Check out Julia’s reporting on both Juneteenth celebrations. Become a memb...
Jun 05, 2024•17 min
Our local parks got good marks from a national nonprofit, but they’re throwing us shade in one category. Pro-Palestine protesters were back in Oakland this weekend, and if you’re looking for a new rental or dealing with an iffy landlord, we’ve got some pro-tips to share. We always cite our sources: A record number of people showed up to Pittsburgh’s Pride Parade on Saturday, and First Lady Jill Biden also made an appearance. The pro-Palestine encampment returned to Pitt’s campus this weekend, an...
Jun 04, 2024•24 min
Later today, Mayor Ed Gainey is announcing which public pools are opening this summer, and since he’ll be hosting his press conference at Bloomfield Beach, we think that’s a good sign for its triumphant return! But if you want to explore more of Pittsburgh’s city pools this summer, you can make your list based off of Jill Terner’s intensely detailed rubric. She’s ranking her favorites so you can make the most of your Pittsburgh poolside summer. You can find Jill’s full rankings from last summer ...
Jun 03, 2024•19 min
It’s the Friday news roundup! City Cast contributor Meg St-Esprit joins executive producer Mallory Falk and producer Sophia Lo to break down Pennsylvania’s new tourism slogan and share some favorite statewide travel spots. Plus we have a bunch of transit updates – including a permanent discount – and tips to prepare for tick season. (It’s expected to be especially bad this year!) We always cite our sources: Allegheny County residents who use SNAP benefits will be able to get half-price tickets f...
May 31, 2024•32 min
In a quest to get to know Pittsburgh better, coffee enthusiast and City Cast Pittsburgh founding member Zach Lucas visited a local coffee shop for every letter of the alphabet. He’s sharing his picks for everything from coziest vibes and the most unusual to the all-around best coffee and tea. **This episode originally aired August 10, 2023. WIN SOME MONEY! We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey. It’s just sev...
May 30, 2024•19 min
If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Pittsburgh community. What’s not to love about summer in Pittsburgh? From camping and berry picking to big celebrations like Pride and Three Rivers Arts Fest, the City Cast Pittsburgh team has a ton of recommendations to help you enjoy June in the Steel City. And if you’ve got some summer weddings on your calendar, check out our recent episode about Pittsburgh cookie...
May 29, 2024•29 min
Pittsburgh has always had its problems, and complaining about them is one of our favorite sports. But there’s also a long tradition of outsiders coming here — or even just reading about our town — and thinking it’s OK to add their two cents. Local writer Virginia Montanez rounded up some of the funniest and most creative insults lobbed at Pittsburgh over two centuries. She joins us to share her favorites and explain why our city drew so much ire from outside writers, newsmakers, and prominent fi...
May 28, 2024•18 min
It’s the Friday news roundup! Former president Donald Trump is making waves again after telling KDKA’s Jon Delano that he would restrict birth control, two very powerful twin brothers are bickering over media drama, and multiple people are suing the city and engineering firms after the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse. Plus, if you like ginger beer, we’re sharing a special event where you could snag a free drink. We always cite our sources: Former president Donald Trump made an appearance on KDKA-TV ...
May 24, 2024•26 min
Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner, which usually marks the start of wedding season! And there’s no nuptial tradition more beloved around here than the Pittsburgh cookie table. We’re sharing its history, some of our favorite recipes, and as a true act of service, where you can purchase your cookie table cookies if you’re better at buying than baking. Have a favorite cookie table recipe? Let us know what Producer Sophia Lo should bake next! Call or text us at 412-212-8893. We always c...
May 23, 2024•25 min
Pride Month might officially be June, but the festivities here in Pittsburgh kick off Memorial Day weekend. Dena Stanley, one of the co-founders of the Pittsburgh Pride Group, is here to give a preview of the Bigger, Gayer Picniq and what to expect as the party gets started. Plus, learn more about the QMNTY Center’s role in creating a safe space for LGBTQ+ people and youth. WIN SOME MONEY! We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at...
May 22, 2024•20 min
More tornadoes are sweeping through our region – including five this weekend – so why don’t we have a better alert system? Can an exciting new pitcher with a TikTok-famous girlfriend attract new Pirates fans? And why is the Heinz History Center in a pickle after putting a giant ketchup bottle on display? Plus, we’ve got a fun survey for PA pet owners! We always cite our sources: Gen Z and Millennials spend thousands of dollars on their pets each year, and Pennsylvania residents really splurge on...
May 21, 2024•27 min
What makes a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, and what does it take to reinvent one after it declines? Over the last decade, Allentown has been reborn thanks to generous support from fellow small business leaders and neighbors eager to see their main street come back to life. And the new folks? They’ve got a decidedly different way of looking at the world. Today we’re talking about the goth kids, the misfits, and the metal heads, and why they say the hilltop has been the perfect place to set up shop....
May 20, 2024•19 min
It’s the Friday news roundup! A North Side horse took a river plunge this week, and the state DCNR wants you to weigh in on the next five years in park investments. Plus, few sports legends are headed back to the Burgh for a new fundraiser for the Neighborhood Resilience Project, and we’re pouring one out for all of you who bought tickets to the Sudden Little Thrills music festival. (We’re looking at you, Sophia.) We always cite our sources: The Pittsburgh Scanner X account had the play-by-play ...
May 17, 2024•27 min
Shake Shack is set to open May 20, and there’s been a lot of debate about whether the Strip District can keep its character with so many national chains moving in. We’re revisiting some of your opinions on The Terminal and its newest burger chain, plus the team is sharing a few new and departing restaurants to round out your week. Check out our tour of Jackworth Ginger Beer here: Pittsburgh’s Booze History, Favorite Cocktails & A Spicy New Brewery Learn more about our sponsor: Join AIDS Free...
May 16, 2024•21 min
If you're looking for a place to rent, the time is now! Adam DiBuo with Neighborhood Legal Services says this late Spring, early Summer period is the peak time for moving into a rental here in Pittsburgh, and he’s sharing an essential checklist to help you sort through the details before you sign a lease – plus, stick around for what to do if things with your landlord ever go south. Learn more about our sponsor: Join AIDS Free Pittsburgh and True T Pittsburgh from 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday, May 30 i...
May 15, 2024•22 min
After living in Pittsburgh for more than a decade, host Megan Harris is giving herself a challenge: learn how to say one sentence in a convincing Pittsburgh accent. Actor, voice coach, and speech teacher Don Wadsworth is here to provide a Pittsburghese lesson and break down what exactly makes the dialect so distinct. **This episode originally published on November 7, 2023. Learn more about our sponsors: It’s almost time for the 25th Mattress Factory Garden Party. It’s an epic annual fundraiser a...
May 14, 2024•16 min
Earlier this year, city officials committed to a plan called Vision Zero, a promise to completely eliminate traffic deaths. Just a few weeks later, a cyclist died after being hit downtown. So what will it take to make Pittsburgh safer for people on our roads? City Cast Pittsburgh’s Megan Harris & Mallory Falk are pulling from a bunch of past episodes — and their own experiences — to explain why it’s so hard to catalog a road injury, how using 311 could help, and what city planners hope to do...
May 13, 2024•25 min
Hey there! We are excited to share the trailer for a new special limited series from our friends and colleagues at City Cast Denver. If you’re a fan of what we do at City Cast, you’ll want to check it out: You’ve probably heard a story about Congresswoman Lauren Boebert. Like, how she got kicked out of a production of “Beetlejuice” for vaping and groping her date. Or, that time she heckled President Biden during his State of the Union address. Throughout it all, she keeps winning elections and a...
May 11, 2024•2 min
It’s the Friday news roundup! Ben Roethlisberger is being talked about in connection with Donald Trump’s first criminal trial, and it’s not the first time the former Steelers QB has faced unsavory allegations. There’s a ton of literary love coming to our city this weekend via the Pittsburgh Festival of Books, and we’re recommending a few by local authors. Plus, a few last minute ideas ahead of Mother's Day. Come see us at Open Streets tomorrow on East Carson between 19th and 21st! If you show us...
May 10, 2024•26 min
The City Cast inbox has been flooded with events and festivals, and we’re highlighting a few that we’re especially excited about. Whether you love Greek food, mac and cheese, strawberries, or beer, there’s probably a weekend for it! We’re chatting through a bunch of early summer events to put on your calendar for May and June. Learn more about our sponsor! It’s almost time for the 25th Mattress Factory Garden Party. It’s an epic annual fundraiser and costume party, and the theme this year is MAK...
May 09, 2024•21 min
If you own an old home, there might be offensive language in your deed barring Black people from owning the property. It’s called a racial covenant, and even though this language isn’t enforceable anymore, it’s still on the books in the subdivisions of at least a few Pittsburgh neighborhoods — and especially in our suburbs. Local writer and historian David Rotenstein joins us to talk about what got us here — and a new law that could help homeowners address these ugly remnants of the past. You ca...
May 08, 2024•23 min
The Pittsburgh Marathon may be over, but street closures for 2024 foot races are just getting started. If you were an Art Institute of Pittsburgh student, you might qualify for student loan forgiveness. And City Cast producer Sophia Lo has the latest on local baby animal names, plus one unfortunate penguin eulogy. We always cite our sources: Check out all the winners from the 2024 Pittsburgh Marathon weekend of events here. Former students at The Art Institutes will be eligible for a little over...
May 07, 2024•19 min
On its bad days, Pittsburgh has some weird smells – rotten eggs, from pollution along the Mon Valley. That urine scent from all the ginkgo trees. And sometimes when it rains, it smells like wet dog. But these aren’t the scents that local perfume makers think should define the city. We’re bringing back a conversation with City Cast’s Elizabeth Kauma… to talk about a few Pittsburgh scents that hit all the right notes. We always cite our sources: We spoke with artisanal perfumer Darren Alan, fragra...
May 06, 2024•21 min
It’s the Friday news roundup! Change is in store for some big summer events: Pride is moving back to the North Side, and the city isn’t sponsoring the annual Juneteenth celebration at Point State Park. Plus, Pittsburgh is expanding the controversial ShotSpotter technology into a new neighborhood, and a local company is sending self-driving tractor trailers onto a Texas highway. We always cite our sources: Pittsburgh Pride organizers told KDKA-TV that they’re moving back to the North Side after t...
May 03, 2024•33 min
The Bloomfield Saturday Market is back this weekend! And in addition to being a go-to spot for fresh produce, fancy cheese, homemade pies, and more, it’s also a resource for customers and vendors at any bustling market to learn how to be a good neighbor and get the most from your selling and shopping experience. The City Cast team is asking all your burning questions: Is there a right way to walk through it? Is it appropriate to ask vendors for recipes? Should you haggle for your tomato? Christi...
May 02, 2024•17 min
