PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Many Pennsylvanians buy gas across the Ohio line, where it’s cheaper. Many bought fireworks there until 2017, when they became legal in Pennsylvania.

Soon, many may go there for pot.

Ohio voters approved adult-use recreational pot last November, with dispensaries to be licensed by Sept. 7. So merchants in Northeastern Ohio are looking forward to selling Pittsburghers tokes over the line.

“We’re constantly getting calls from Pennsylvania,” says Terrell Washington, who co-owns Leaf Relief in Youngstown. “Everyone on the border is getting calls. We are staffing up as well as stocking up.”

At press time, Washington had received a provisional dual-use license and was awaiting further approvals to serve recreational customers. He plans to sell recreational and medical marijuana at his two current Leaf Relief stores in Youngstown and suburban Columbus as well as new shops he’s planning in each area.

Washington’s not the only Ohio dispenser looking eastward — others near the border say they’ll try to add locations there and draw Pennsylvanians. And, in June, Greenlight Dispensary, a chain in six other states, bought Ohio Valley Natural Relief in Wintersville, Ohio, outside Steubenville.

Greenlight did not comment, but the dispensary’s previous owner, Mike Petrella, says the new one plans to replace the 1,300-square-foot building with one about three times larger, plus a drive-through lane, partly to draw customers from nearby West Virginia (7 miles from the state border), where marijuana is not legal, and Pennsylvania (13 miles from the border).

Petrella, who also is the mayor of Wintersville, says that other area merchants are planning a hotel and a restaurant for travelers.

“Traffic is going to go through the roof,” he predicts. “People are going to be traveling here, spending the day, going shopping, going to a restaurant.”

Ohio’s legalization of recreational pot has spurred Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to make a similar push here; with the exception of West Virginia, Pennsylvania is completely surrounded by states that have legalized adult-use pot. (Medical marijuana was legalized in Pennsylvania in 2016.) Shapiro predicts the move could generate more than $255 million in annual tax revenue within five years.

In June, Democratic State Rep. Emily Kinkead of Brighton Heights and Republican State Rep. Aaron Kaufer of Luzerne County were promoting a bill for adult use. If it does pass, it would take at least a year to develop the regulations and prepare for sales.

Meredith Buettner, who leads the Pennsylvania Cannabis Association, says about the Ohio action: “We’re certainly using it to put some pressure on legislators to get moving.”

Will There Be Border Patrols?

In the meantime, there’ll be a catch for Pennsylvanians buying cannabis in O-High-O. It’s still unclear whether it will be legal to use pot there in public, and few accommodations there openly welcome it. But it can’t legally be brought back to Pennsylvania either. Even holders of Pennsylvania medical cards are limited to home-state marijuana. The two states don’t honor each other’s cards.

Are marijuana customers likely to be arrested near the border? Recreational pot dispensers in other border states say their customers haven’t been targeted. And Pennsylvania State Police Communications Director Myles Snyder says they hadn’t boosted enforcement near those states — Maryland, Delaware, New York and New Jersey — and probably won’t near Ohio.

All seems quiet on Pennsylvania’s western front, too. Petrella says, “The police, I can tell you, they have bigger issues going on than marijuana.”

Lt. Ray Santiago of the Ohio Highway Patrol wrote in an email: “The Patrol enforces all laws impartially and does not target individuals based on their state of origin.”

The federal government still prohibits possession but seldom prosecutes mere consumers. And President Joe Biden is moving to downgrade marijuana from the most restrictive category of drugs.

Access in Other States

For marijuana, Ohio will just require proof that customers are 21 or older. They can buy and possess up to 2.5 ounces at a time, enough to last an average user about 52 days, according to a 2022 study published in the journal Addiction, Research & Theory.

Ohio’s November measure was a law, not a constitutional amendment, so legislators could change it anytime. At press time, though, Ohio Division of Cannabis Control spokesman James Crawford said that the state agency was carrying out the law as written.

To predict Ohio’s traffic from Pennsylvania, experts look to other border states, where several proprietors say that they drew plenty of Pennsylvania customers.

Damien Cornwell, who runs Just Breathe dispensary in Binghamton, New York, as well as the Cannabis Association of New York, says that 5% to 10% of his shoppers come from Pennsylvania, about 8 miles away. At The Greenery Spot in Johnson City, New York, security guard Mel Maginley says, “We get quite a few daily … We’ve had Pittsburgh, Philly, Harrisburg, all over the place.”

Some Pittsburghers traveling to other destinations imbibe, too. John Duncan, who co-owns 716 Cannabis in Orchard Park, New York, says that fans in Steelers gear stopped there in January, when the team’s playoff game in that town was delayed by snow.

The Seneca Nation of Indians in Salamanca, New York, which has no sales tax, is an additional draw. A Butler County user who withheld his name says that he often bought joints at the reservation, about 45 minutes from his vacation home in that state.

New York also allows marijuana lounges, where Pennsylvanians can imbibe and sober up before driving home.

Local Pot Fests Grow

Of course, it’s not hard to buy recreational pot in Pennsylvania — it’s just illegal. Patrick Nightingale, head of Pittsburgh NORML, which advocates legalization, says, “We have a robust illicit market, so there isn’t a huge need to go out of state.”

At the second Steel City Cannabis Convention in Monroeville in May, an attendee who withheld his name said he gets plenty in Pennsylvania “legally and illegally.”

Jack Weber, who’s staging the fourth annual Pittsburgh Cannabis Festival in August, says, “I don’t know if there are enough patients in Western Pennsylvania that will choose to drive to Ohio over visiting a local dispensary to have a large impact on the current Pennsylvania medical program.”

But some consumers drive far for discounts. One Pittsburgh medical user says, “It’s cheaper to spend a weekend in Detroit, stock up and bring it back to Pennsylvania.”

Maybe the grass is always greener on the other side of the line. A few medical users say that they preferred products sold elsewhere but banned here, such as smokeable ones.

Pot fests are growing in popularity. “As things become more legal,” says Steel City organizer James McClintock, “people are coming out of the closet to learn what they didn’t know.” His May event at the Monroeville Convention Center drew about 3,000 people, triple his previous crowd. He’ll stage a third event in the same place on Sept. 14-15.

Last year’s Pittsburgh Cannabis Festival drew more than 6,000 people. This year’s will take place from noon to 5 p.m. on Aug. 11 in the northeast corner of Allegheny Commons Park on the North Side.

These gatherings feature vendors, music, food, education and related services, such as help applying for medical cards.

Recreational Pot Likely to Surge

Early this year, an ounce of high-quality medical marijuana cost an average of $330 in Ohio and $358 in Pennsylvania, according to NuggMD, a business linking patients to doctors for marijuana cards. When a state legalizes recreational pot, prices tend to soar awhile with the new demand, then settle as growers catch up.

Ohio dispensaries will charge 5.75% to 8% in sales tax, depending on the location, plus 10% for a buyer without a medical card from that state. If the U.S. downgrades marijuana to a less dangerous drug, the industry will qualify for tax breaks that might trickle down to consumers.

Back in Youngstown, dispensary co-owner Washington predicts Ohio’s sales should more than double soon, especially near the border.

“We look forward to welcoming some new friends from the Pennsylvania market.”

Grant Segall is a national prize-winning reporter who has written for The Washington Post, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Philadelphia Magazine, Time, Reuters, Science, Oxford University Press and other outlets.

NICK TOMMARELLO, GRADUATE ASSISTANT AT POINT PARK UNIVERSITY’S CENTER FOR MEDIA INNOVATION, IS SPENDING TIME IN MARKET SQUARE THIS SUMMER, DRESSED AS A NEWSPAPER COURIER. HE’S TALKING TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT LOCAL NEWS. | PHOTO BY THOMAS CHARYTON

There are so many stories yet to be told in Pittsburgh, why not yours? 

The Pittsburgh Pitch provides the opportunity for all journalists and members of the public to pitch their stories and win $1,000 to support reporting and publication. There will be a category for students, journalists and the public.

“The goal behind the Pittsburgh Pitch is to reconnect journalists with their audiences,” said Andrew Conte, director of the Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University, which launched the initiative. “We’re asking them to pitch directly to the public. The people who are going to consume the news get to decide what stories are going to be in the news.” 

The Pittsburgh Pitch is a part of Newsapalooza, a new event Sept. 26-28 that aims to amplify the importance of local journalism in the Pittsburgh community. Presented by the Center of Media Innovation, Newsapalooza will offer workshops, local newsroom tours and a speaker panel of journalism professionals. 

“It’s going to be a chance to meet other people and remember why journalism matters so much to our democracy, Pittsburgh, and all of our communities,” says Conte. “This is an opportunity to remember that it [local news] can be fun and it can mean a lot to our communities. It’s really about great local storytelling and just getting people to come together.”

Applications for the Pittsburgh Pitch are open until Aug. 15. Selected individuals will pitch their stories during Newsapalooza on Sept. 27 at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, Downtown.

Neil Strebig won the first Pitch Pittsburgh in 2018 while working for the Northside Chronicle. His pitch was centered on how local newspapers in Western Pennsylvania were shrinking due to causes like misinformation or political movements. 

“For me, it helped me understand the local news crisis from a much different angle. I think that it helped me grow as a reporter as far as understanding empathy and how to talk to different residents,” he says. “It helped me understand that I might have an idea for a concept for a story, but really until you start writing and start talking to people, it’s always going to pivot.”  

Strebig. who now covers business and economics as a journalist in Memphis, Tennessee, is excited to see the return of the story contest. With local newsrooms continuing to see a reduction in staff and funding, the Pittsburgh Pitch provides journalists with the resources to complete their passion project. “It’s about communicating your nut graph and your lead effectively and trusting yourself,” said Strebig, “There’s a lot of stories that go unchecked and untold just because reporters don’t have the means to do it.” 

As part of Newsapalooza, the center’s graduate assistant Nick Tommarello is spending time in Market Square this summer, dressed as a newspaper courier. 

“We wanted to interact more directly with members of the public, specifically talking about local news,” says Tommarello, “How do they get their news? How do they stay informed throughout their day and throughout their week? What local publications and organizations are they following?”

Newsie Nick is collecting these interactions with the public in a short video series where residents and community leaders share how local journalism is important to them. “The whole point about local news and local journalism is that it is for your community, but also by your community,” he says. “Change happens on a local level. If you really want to change something, it starts within your communities.” 

And to get the public excited for Newsapalooza, the Center for Media Innovation will be holding Market Square NewsBreaks on the stage. From topics on supporting Downtown residents, street harassment and how to react, audiences can engage with the community and local journalists. The live discussions will be held at noon Wednesdays on July 24, Aug. 21, and Sept. 18 at noon.

As far as the Pittsburgh Pitch, Conte says: “Take that first step in the application and think creatively. There’s so many stories that aren’t being told. Just look around and think about what’s the one thing you want people to know about Pittsburgh.” 

Jilian Musser’s reporting is supported by the Pittsburgh Media Partnership.

UPPER ST. CLAIR GRAD AND OLYMPIC CONTENDER JOSH MATHENY COMPETES IN A BREASTSTROKE EVENT. | PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MATHENY FAMILY

Pittsburgh is sending several athletes to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games to swim, row, jump, wrestle, kick and bounce their way onto the world stage.

Opening ceremonies for the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad will kick off on Friday, July 26 with a boat parade along the Seine, one of Paris’ most notable attractions. 

Related: Wilkinsburg Muralist Heads to Paris Olympics to Spread Message of Peace

Josh Matheny, Michael Grady, Bridget Williams and Spencer Lee have perfected their athletic abilities over a lifetime of training in the Pittsburgh area. One former and two current athletes with the University of Pittsburgh Panthers also are competing in soccer, basketball and women’s swimming, although they’re representing other countries in the games. And a North Allegheny Senior High School graduate will be representing Puerto Rico in the decathlon.

Let’s meet them: 

FROM LEFT, UPPER ST. CLAIR TEAM MEMBERS RYAN SENCHYSHAK, JASON ZHANG, JOSH MATHENY AND GANESH SIVARAMAKRISHNAN SHOW OFF THEIR MEDALS AFTER WINNING THE MEDLEY RELAY IN THE PIAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN MECHANICSBURG, PA IN 2021. | PHOTO BY SIJAN ZHANG

Josh Matheny (Men’s 200 breaststroke) 

Pittsburgh’s youngest Olympian, Upper St. Clair graduate Josh Matheny, clinched his spot in the Paris pool by one tenth of a second at Olympic swimming trials on June 16. 

The 21-year-old is a rising senior at University of Indiana. The swimmer is a seven-time All-American, nine-time Big Ten medalist and two-time NCAA medalist. But, his speed started in the Upper St. Clair pool where he broke several team and pool records. 

On June 16, Matheny placed third in the 100 meter breaststroke with a time of 59.23 seconds, just 0.7 seconds shy of 26-year-old Charlie Swansonoff. The third-place score did not secure him a spot in Paris. 

But, Matheny kept kicking. Just three days later, he swam toward an Olympic spot once more, this time in the 200-meter breaststroke. Matheny finished in second place with a time of 2:08.86 to secure his spot in the 2024 Olympic Games. 

“It has been my dream almost my whole life to make the Olympics and for it to finally happen still is sort of a surreal feeling,” Matheny wrote in a text message. 

Matheny’s weekly training consists of 10 swimming sessions and three weight-training sessions. As the Games approach, his training regime is tailored toward his event, the 200-meter breaststroke, so he is mainly focusing on aerobic work and speed. 

Matheny says he is looking forward to enjoying the experience and the privilege of representing the United States on the world stage.

Michael Grady (Rowing)

Michael Grady is returning to the Olympic Games for the United States rowing team for his second chance at the podium, this time in Paris. 

Grady, a 27-year-old Bradford Woods native, graduated from Central Catholic High School in 2015. While there, Grady earned three varsity letters for the Vikings and served as team captain his senior year. 

Grady rowed for Cornell University on the varsity eight team, and he was the only freshman on the varsity squad during his first year. In 2018, he won first place for the U.S. at the Under 23 World Rowing Championships. Grady told TribLIVE this will be his eighth appearance as a member of Team USA. 

“It’s an honor and a privilege to do this,” Grady said, adding that he takes after his father, John Grady, who also rowed competitively. 

In his first Olympic appearance in 2021, Grady and his four-man team  placed fifth in Tokyo. This year, Grady is the only returning member of the 2021 four-men squad; new members include Justin Best, Nick Mead and Liam Corrigan. 

U.S. Olympic Team Trials were held from April 4-7, 2024 at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida. In Grady’s event — known as the coxless four — the rowers each equipped with one oar sit in a straight line on a narrow, 44-foot boat. 

Bridget Williams (Pole vaulting)

Pittsburgh pole vaulter Bridget Williams is also headed to Paris with high hopes to jump onto the podium for the U.S.

Williams, a Greensberg native, graduated from Hempfield Area High School in 2015. During her time there, Williams won two PIAA State Championships in 2013 and 2014, helped her team win several WPIAL championships, and became an individual state pole vaulting champion her senior year. 

The 28-year-old attended the University of Virginia from 2015-19 where she competed in pole vault. Williams started her time at UVA on a record-breaking high — 13 feet high to be exact. During her first year, she broke the school record with a jump just over 13 feet, and she broke that record three more times during her time in Charlottesville. Now, Williams’ career best is just over 15 feet, 10 inches. 

Williams qualified for the U.S. women’s pole vault team on June 30 with a 15 foot, 6 1/4 inch jump that earned her first place at the team trials in Eugene, Oregon. Williams will be accompanied by Olympic veteran and gold medalist Katie Moon and fellow Olympic rookie Brynn King on the U.S. pole vaulting squad in Paris.

Spencer Lee (Wrestling)

Spencer Lee squashed the United States’ unqualified status for the 2024 Olympic Games this year, securing his spot in Paris with nothing but W’s. 

Lee graduated from Franklin Regional High School in 2017. The Murrysvillenative recorded an astounding 144-match winning streak with only one loss during his high school career.  

Lee left Pittsburgh to wrestle at the University of Iowa, a renowned wrestling powerhouse. At only 25 years old ,  Lee already boasts an impressive record as a three-time PIAA state champion, three-time U.S. gold medal winner and three-time NCAA champion. 

Since returning to the international wrestling circuit in 2023, Lee has held an undefeated record for 18 matches according to USA Wrestling. 

At the beginning of the 2024 Olympic trials, the United States remained unqualified for the Games at Lee’s weight class, 125 pounds. Lee traveled to Istanbul to compete at the final Olympic Qualifier. After four consecutive wins to make the finals, Lee secured his spot in Paris. 

“Hearing ‘he’s not qualified yet!’ is no fun, so I’m happy to get the job done,” Lee captioned an Instagram post on May 12. 

The United States is projected to have the largest wrestling team at the 2024 Games with 16 qualified athletes including 10 men and six women. Lee will take the mat for the U.S. in August. 

Ayden Owens-Delerme, a 2018 graduate of North Allegheny Senior High School, qualified for the Olympic decathlon event in April and will represent Puerto Rico in the games. According to the Pittsburgh Union Progress, he scored the top score in the World Championships and broke a Puerto Rican record. The decathlon event will take place in Paris Aug. 2-3.

Among Pitt alumni, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Marcedes Walker will be representing Azerbaijan on the basketball court. Nigerian Deborah Abiodun, a student at Pitt who plays on the Panthers women’s soccer team, will be competing with the Nigerian Super Falcons, under the direction of Pitt Panthers women’s soccer coach Coach Randy Waldrum. Rising Pitt junior Jayla Pina will represent Cape Verde in West Africa in the 100-meter breaststroke. 

UPDATED July 22: This story was updated with information about Ayden Owens-Delerme’s achievement.

CANNED COCKTAILS | PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

During the pandemic, businesses like The Warren Bar & Burrow, Downtown, relied on canned cocktails to keep sales flowing. But when the COVID crisis ended, so did the ready-to-drink cocktails; they were only allowed to be sold in state liquor stores. 

However, a new law signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro on July 15 now permits canned cocktails to be sold in a wider array of establishments with a special permit. Convenience stores, restaurants, bars, grocery stores and beer distributors can now sell premade cocktails.  

“Cocktails to go was a big portion of what we did during COVID,” said Spencer Warren the owner of The Warren Bar & Burrow, “If we can do cocktails to go, that gives us an added element. When people go on their boats or do other things, they can come in and get our cocktails.” 

The cocktails must contain an alcohol content no higher than 12.5% and can only be sold before 11 p.m. Legislative analysts predict that by 2028-29, the state will see a $35 million annual revenue from the ready-to-drink cocktails. 

House Bill 829, which passed the State Senate by a 47-3 vote, allows for other changes to the Pennsylvania Liquor Code. The bill was introduced by House Rep. Matthew R. Gergely, D-White Oak. 

The new law extends happy hours from 14 hours a week to 24. Other amendments include offering discounts on up to two food and alcoholic drink combination specials.

Barcadia, located in Downtown’s Market Square, is not only a bar but has three levels offering more than 85 arcade games. However, because of the $10 charge for gameplay, the place was not drawing as many customers as it had hoped during happy hour. With the new law and longer hours, General Manager Mia Hebson hopes to see an increase in happy hour attendance. 

While the Warren does not offer a happy hour, Spencer Warren hopes it will benefit Pittsburgh’s overall restaurant industry.

 “Just because it doesn’t affect us, doesn’t mean I’m not supportive,” Warren said, “I’m very supportive to help other restaurants too. Because as a group, we need more people coming Downtown.” 

The new law also allows for a temporary liquor license extension to outdoor dining areas. State liquor changes introduced during the pandemic allowed outdoor dining areas within 1,000 feet of the licensed building to serve alcohol. The provision was set to expire at the end of the year, but now is extended indefinitely. 

Jilian Musser’s reporting is supported by the Pittsburgh Media Partnership.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Rob King, a member of the Steelers game day broadcast team for more than a decade, will be the Steelers new play-by-play voice on the radio. 

He replaces the legendary Bill Hillgrove, 83, who retired from that role last February after calling the plays from the radio booth since 1994. Hillgrove will continue to call Pitt games.

King made the announcement Thursday morning on the Steelers flagship station, WDVE-FM, a media partner of IHeartMedia Pittsburgh.

 “Rob has done a great job in his 25-year career in the Pittsburgh market and is very respected among his peers in the business,” said Steelers Team President Art Rooney II in an announcement. “We are excited for Steelers Nation to hear his unique perspective and excitement of making our fans feel they are in the stadium witnessing the action on the field.” 

King will join color analyst Craig Wolfley in the broadcast booth.

“The Steelers hold a special place in this community and across the country,” King said in a WDVE release. “I am thankful to Art Rooney II, the Steelers and iHeartMedia for giving me this incredible opportunity to be a meaningful part of one of the greatest organizations in professional sports.” 

THE COMMERCIAL STREET BRIDGE ALONG THE PARKWAY EAST, AS SEEN FROM FRICK PARK. THE BRIDGE WILL BE DEMOLISHED IN 2026 AND REPLACED BY A NEW BRIDGE BUILT BESIDE IT. | PHOTO BY VIRGINIA LINN

And so it begins.

Roadwork starts Monday on an exit ramp off the Parkway East that will set the stage for one of the largest highway construction projects in the Pittsburgh region — the $95 million replacement of the Commercial Street Bridge.

Where is that, you ask? It’s the 861-foot-long bridge that carries 100,000 cars a day in and out of the Squirrel Hill tunnels on the Monroeville side of the Parkway East. It crosses Frick Park near the former Irish Centre building.

And here’s an early warning to start saving up your vacation days to be away during the month of July in 2026. That’s when the parkway will be closed in both directions for 25 days while the current bridge is demolished, debris is removed and a new bridge that’s been built beside it is slid into place. The work will be done by Joseph B. Fay Co., according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Starting Monday, July 22, the inbound Wilkinsburg exit ramp (Exit 78B) to Ardmore Boulevard will be closed through late August as crews lower the ramp. That work is necessary because it will be the main detour route for inbound traffic when the Commercial Street Bridge is closed in 2026. Right now the ramp is too high to allow tall trucks to drive under another overpass in the area. Detours will be posted.

THIS IS A RENDERING OF THE ARCHED DELTA FRAME STRUCTURE THAT WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING COMMERCIAL STREET BRIDGE ON THE PARKWAY EAST. | COURTESY OF PENNDOT

The project will use what PennDOT calls Accelerated Bridge Construction techniques to laterally slide the new bridge onto the existing alignment of the Parkway East. An arched delta frame structure will be built just south of the existing Commercial Street Bridge on temporary foundations and slid slowly into place once the existing bridge is demolished and debris removed.

According to the Pittsburgh Union Progress, motorists and park-goers will see work starting in August under the Commercial Street Bridge area to prepare for future construction. Trees and brush will be removed and the street and trail under the bridge will be temporarily relocated so the substructure that will support the new bridge will be built.

In coming months, according to PennDOT, motorists can expect single-lane and shoulder restrictions in each direction of I-376 on weekends and weeknights as needed through 2026. Additionally, in 2025, there will be several overnight full closures and detours of eastbound I-376 and a full weekend closure and detour of I-376 in each direction. 

PennDOT has created an email distribution list for the public for Parkway East traffic advisories and construction updates. Enroll by sending email addresses to ymanyisha@pa.gov. Please write “Subscribe – Parkway East” in the subject line.

RICKY SPICUZZA, THE NEW GENERAL MANGER OF KENNYWOOD AND SANDCASTLE PARKS. | PHOTO COURTESY OF PALACE ENTERTAINMENT

It didn’t take Ricky Spicuzza long to make changes upon his promotion to general manager of Kennywood and Sandcastle Water parks. Working behind the scenes earlier this month, he extended Kennywood’s closing hours by an hour — from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. — through July 20. 

Palace Entertainment, which owns both Kennywood and Sandcastle, announced the promotion of Spicuzza on Tuesday. He’s a lifelong Pittsburgher who has worked at one of Palace Entertainment’s parks for 22 seasons. Palace also owns Idlewild & SoakZone in Ligonier.

Related: 5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Next Trip to Kennywood

He started his career with Palace Entertainment in 2002 as a food and beverage team member at Kennywood. In 2010, Spicuzza worked as the aquatics manager at Idlewild & SoakZone before his promotion to director of operations in 2013. 

He has now served as assistant general manager at each of Palace Entertainment’s three Pittsburgh-based parks; Idlewild in 2016, Sandcastle Water Park in 2021 and Kennywood Park in 2023. 

Last year, Spicuzza also led several Kennywood upgrades including the opening of the new Potato Smash bumper cars, Carousel Burger Company and Jeeter’s Pub. According to a press release from Palace Entertainment, Spicuzza has been instrumental in overseeing the operations, retail, maintenance, security and food and beverage departments at Kennywood since his appointment. 

Related: Kennywood Caters to Thrill-Seeking Foodies with New Rides and Restaurants

He succeeds Mark Pauls, who has been promoted within Palace Entertainment to vice president of operations for the United States and Australia. Palace owns more than 20 major entertainment venues across 10 states and two countries, says Lynsey Winters, Palace communications director. 

A SAMPLE OF KYLE HOLBROOK’S WORK. THIS IS A MURAL HE PAINTED IN WILKINSBURG. | PHOTO COURTESY OF KYLE HOLBROOK

Kyle Holbrook, a muralist from Wilkinsburg who has painted murals around the world, is set to paint four murals in Paris during the 2024 Summer Olympics, July 26-Aug. 11. The locations, as well as collaborating artists, will be revealed when the murals are painted, he says. 

These murals will feature his signature universal symbol of peace, he says, showing a hand holding up a peace sign with its fingers. 

KYLE HOLBROOK’S SIGNATURE UNIVERSAL SYMBOL OF PEACE. | PHOTO BY RICHARD COOK

Holbrook believes in the power of art to share his message. 

“[I want to] bring more attention to the issue and the need for peace and humanity…” he says. “What a more important time to send the message as a human that we need to think about peace and humanity.”

Related: Here Are the Pittsburgh Athletes Going to the Paris Olympics

His message of peace comes from the lasting issue of gun violence in America. Holbrook himself, as well as close friends, have been victims of gun violence. He hopes to spread his message of peace with these murals. 

He also wants to connect his message of peace to the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Gaza conflict. 

“I think doing this, these murals for the Olympics, is the pinnacle of my career,” Holbrook says.

KYLE HOLBROOK | PHOTO COURTESY OF KYLE HOLBROOK

Holbrook plans to paint these murals in high-traffic areas that many tourists will visit because of its proximity to art done by famous artists such as Banksy, Activator, a French street artist and JR, a French photography muralist. 

The Olympics are expected to draw 300,000 spectators from around the world. He plans to print the words on the murals in English and French so that the message is universally understood. The murals will also include Chinese, Hebrew, Arabic and Russian symbols.

To make this project successful, Holbrook received $150,000 from the Louis Wolfson Foundation and the Miami-based Pinnacle Housing Group to get needed supplies and to work out logistics with the property owners of the four buildings. 

In the last 24 years, Holbrook says he has painted more than 400 murals in the Pittsburgh area and 150 in Miami, where he resides part of the time. He also says he has painted murals in 43 countries. 

He also founded Moving Lives of Kids, known as the MLK Mural Project, a public arts organization that empowers youth through art and education by equipping them with the skills to produce public art. It involves a group mural project and community work each summer.

Murals he has painted in the Pittsburgh area include August Wilson in the Hill District, the Veterans Mural on the South Side as well as the large image of Roberto Clemente on the side of the Clemente Museum in Lawrenceville. He has also painted a mural in Monroeville Mall, which includes many Pittsburgh icons like Mac Miller and Franco Harris on the 20th anniversary of the Monroeville Mall Mural in 2023. 

ALLEGHENY COUNTY EXECUTIVE SARA INNAMORATO WEARS VISUAL IMPAIRMENT GLASSES TO SIMULATE HOW IT WOULD FEEL TO TRY HITTING A TENNIS BALL WITH LOW VISION. SHE’S AT A NEW COURT IN SOUTH PARK. | PHOTO BY RUBY SIEFKEN

“Ready? Play!”

This tennis match starts like any traditional game with the echoing “thwack” of firm foam against the tight webbing of a tennis racket’s sweet spot. But, as the ball travels through the air to land on the opposite side of the net, it makes a distinct rattling sound to let the opposing player know when and where to react. 

These tennis players are missing a seemingly vital part of the game — their vision. 

On Monday, Allegheny County officials unveiled the first permanent blind and visually impaired tennis courts in the nation — now located in South Park, Boyce Park, North Park and Settlers Cabin.

The courts are actually a project organized and set up by the nonprofit Highland Park Tennis Club, which has been offering free summer clinics for blind and visually impaired players since 2019 on courts with temporary modifications.

Blind and visually impaired tennis, otherwise known as BVI tennis, was created in 1984 by Mioshi Takei, a blind Japanese athlete. The sport is now played in 40 countries internationally, making the U.S. behind the ball in such adaptive sports. The Highland Park Tennis Club — which has been based at the courts on Stanton Avenue in the Highland Park neighborhood — and the United States Blind Tennis Association started this project in Pittsburgh to change that. 

“When you have to modify something that everyone else just gets to walk on and use, it just makes you feel a certain way,” says County Executive Sara Innamorato, who tried some tennis shots Monday on the courts in South Park as she wore visually impaired glasses to see what the experience is like. 

“We’re saying come as you are,” she says. “We have the courts ready for you.”

The project was largely created by Dana Squelch-Costa, president of the United States Blind Tennis Association, or USBTA. 

Costa founded USBTA for her daughter, who was born with a visual impairment. In cooperation with Carlow University professor Jennifer K. Roth, Innamorato and the Highland Park Tennis Association, Costa made her dreams — and her daughter’s — a reality. 

“It allows for my daughter to just be free and play, just as any other child or adult would,” says Costa. “It breaks down those boundaries and allows for freedom and removes the stereotypical inability to play a sport because you have some disability or some limitation.”

LOW VISION TENNIS COURTS IN SOUTH PARK. | PHOTO BY RUBY SIEFKEN

So, how do blind athletes play tennis? There are several modifications that make this sport possible without vision. 

Players are split into visual classifications to determine which set of rules the athlete will follow. Players who are ranked B1 have no vision, play with shorter rackets and are allowed three bounces on each side of the net. B2 and B3 players have fuzzy or poor partial vision and are allowed two bounces. B4 and B5 players have good partial sight, and these players are allowed the traditional single bounce. 

BVI tennis courts are smaller than traditional courts. The courts are outlined with raised lines which allow players to identify their position on the court by feeling the lines with their feet. Before permanent courts were established, these ridges were created by taping wire along the perimeter of the courts with tape. 

The most important aspect of this sport are the sound-adapted tennis balls — the firm foam balls contain a rattling sound device that emits a noise when the ball is both in the air and once it hits the ground. 

Roth, vice president of the United States Blind Tennis Association and a Highland Park Tennis Club community partner, has a background in cognitive neuroscience and is professor of psychology and counseling at Carlow University. She has led and participated in several science experiments regarding the brain’s ability to localize an object’s location based on sound. 

In the future, Roth hopes to perfect her patented design for an electronic ball, which will make the sound easier to locate in the air using just your ears. 

Highland Park’s tennis program has 16 members. Players can participate through 12-week summer clinics designed for visually impaired players as young as age 5. 

Charles Gottus, who is blind, has been involved with the program for more than two years. 

Gottus was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa when he was in the fifth grade. The rare genetic eye disease runs in his family and causes vision loss over time. Before his diagnosis, Gottus says he was very active and participated in baseball, tennis, hockey and other sports. 

But, when his vision took a turn in his mid 30s, Gottus had to stop playing sports. He said it is one of the hardest things he’s ever had to do. 

Fifteen years later, the 53-year old says he was nervous the first time he held a racket after years off the court. 

“The second I hit that first ball, I was just like ‘Oh boy, this is what I’ve been missing,’” he says. 

Since Gottus joined the club, it has taken part in several national tennis conventions, including an outing at the US Open. 

He says the community of players and friends he’s made along the way have offered him the opportunity to share his experiences with others who share them. Gottus says he even hopes to compete one day. 

“It’s just made a world of difference for me and it’s given me my confidence back,” he says. 

“Chuck is one of the many reasons that we keep going,” says Costa, who took part in training Gottus at the Highland Park Tennis Club. 

Costa says the USBTA is hoping to expand permanent courts across the United States. The organization works with regional tennis clubs to train instructors, recommend equipment, establish programming and teach trainers how to effectively interact with blind athletes. 

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Last summer, Pittsburgh was crawling with thousands upon thousands of Spotted Lanternflies. By covering cars, eating gardens, and swarming around houses, the invasive insects antagonized every simple summer enjoyment.

So, is the buzzing back? According to the Post Gazette, “Penn State researchers expect lanternfly numbers to drop significantly in the next year or two, if previous population trends in the eastern part of the state hold.”

But that doesn’t mean they’ll all be gone. Rather than seeing 50 to 100 a day like we did last summer, expect closer to 10. Not as many, but debatably still too many.

Lanternflies are invasive insects that feed on a plethora of plants, including fresh produce like grapes, stone fruits, and apples.

Their damage to hardwood trees is likely less severe than originally expected, according to a Penn State study. Lanternflies won’t kill healthy hardwoods, however they will cause damage. It is suggested to water large trees during drought to help reduce the stress.

The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania advised in a press release against homeowners covering trees with sticky tape to capture lanternflies.

“The tape lives up to its name and can capture birds and beneficial insects, leading to serious injury or a prolonged and painful death,” the society said.

The best way to deal with the nuisances is to simply squish!

“Be a friend to birds and beneficial insects — say no to sticky tape and yes to the tried-and-true method of squishing Spotted Lanternflies,” the society said.

MIKE SULLIVAN AND HAT TRICK, OR HATTY FOR SHORT. | PHOTO COURTESY PITTSBURGH ZOO & AQUARIUM

Pittsburgh Penguins Head Coach Mike Sullivan visited the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium to welcome their newest macaroni penguin chick, Hat Trick — Hatty for short.

The penguin, who hatched on Mother’s Day, received his visitor for a private meeting on July 7, resulting in an adorable video.

“I was honored to welcome the newest Penguin, Hatty, to our team at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium,” Sullivan said in a press release. “We love to visit the real penguins in their habitat and see their personalities.”

While coach was taking photos with the new player in his lineup, she started acting fussy, to which Sullivan had a witty response.

“She’d fit right in with our group,” he said. “She reminds me of Geno.”

HATTY STILL HAS HER DOWN FEATHERS. |PHOTO COURTESY PITTSBURGH ZOO & AQUARIUM

Macaroni penguins lay two eggs at a time, and often either smash or discard the first egg. This time around, zoo staff took the first egg laid by macaroni parents Sammy and Elsa, and placed it under gentoo penguin couple Mambo and Cookie in order to let the egg develop.

The gentoo pair took the egg under their wings and incubated it for 35 days.

“I thought [the chick hatching on Mother’s Day] was very fitting for our first-time foster mom, Cookie,” says Shanna Gay, Zoo Aquarist.

Sullivan had the opportunity to meet the rest of the penguin team in the exhibit, including Sully, named after coach himself, and Ltang, for defenceman Kris Letang.

PHOTO COURTESY PITTSBURGH ZOO & AQUARIUM

“Tanger likes to be photoed as well,” says Coach Sullivan as he holds his phone in front of the penguin in the video. “We tell our Tanger he’s never seen a mirror he hasn’t liked.”

According to the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, Hatty still has her down feathers, making her not yet waterproof. Once she grows in her adult feathers and passes her swim test, the newest addition will be slowly integrated into the penguin habitat in the Aquarium.

PHOTO BY TOM DAVIDSON

Dippy is turning 125 this year, and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History is hosting a slate of festivities to celebrate the beloved dino.

Thursday, July 18 is Teen Night: Dippy 125, where teens ages 13-18 are invited to a free night full of dinosaur-themed activities, snacks in the teens-only lounge, and learning what made Dippy such an important discovery. Tickets must be registered in advance, as capacity is limited.

The following week on Tuesday, July 23, Dippy & Friends: A Virtual Event will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Carnegie museum curator Matt Lamanna will be speaking about the dinosaurs and animals that lived the same time as Dippy.

The month-long “gotcha-day” celebration ends with After Dark: Dippy’s Rockstar Bash from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, July 26. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History will open its doors for a 21+ bash for Dippy with activities planned throughout the night, including pop-up musical performance. Tickets are required.

Dippy is a Diplodocus skeleton situated in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Oakland. It is considered the most famous dinosaur skeleton in the world because of the numerous plaster casts donated by Andrew Carnegie to multiple major museums.

Dippy has a public sculpture on the grounds of the Carnegie Institute and Library which is decorated with little props for different seasons and events. Dippy’s 125th is being shown off with a little birthday hat atop his head.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Community Engagement Manager
Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh
We are looking for a Community Engagement Manager to support Age-Friendly Neighborhoods, three communities in Allegheny County working to be good places to grow up and grow old. This summer, we will select and welcome our second cohort, following our founding Age-Friendly Neighborhoods of Clairton, Coraopolis and the Hill District (learn about their work here). This role will interface closely with residents and community-based organizations to elevate older adult voices and help residents bring intergenerational projects to life. Apply

Housing Case Manager
Auberle
We are seeking an experienced Housing Case Manager to join our team and provide comprehensive case management services to our participants. The Housing Case Manager will be responsible for providing supportive case management to participants experiencing homelessness or a housing crisis. Case Managers will meet participants where they are at, including travel throughout Allegheny County. Apply

Director (Parks and Recreation)
Allegheny County
Reporting to the County Manager, the Director of Parks and Recreation provides strategic leadership, vision, and direction to the Allegheny County Parks system. The Director implements the policies of the elected County Executive and works with the Allegheny County Parks Foundation to envision and develop park projects. The Director works with the elected and appointed officials, civil servants, potential funders, and volunteer leadership to craft strategic and financial planning objectives. The Director provides leadership to a staff of approximately 185 full-time and 700 temporary employees, oversees an annual operating and capital budget of over $35 million, and serves as an ambassador to the community and other governmental agencies. Apply

Operations Manager of Liberty Avenue Venues
Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
The Operations Manager of Liberty Ave Venues is responsible for creating a professional, warm, and welcoming atmosphere for all artists, presenters and patrons entering the Performance Venues on Liberty Avenue including 937 Liberty Ave, Arcade Comedy Theater, Liberty Magic, The Harris Theater, The James E. Rohr Education Center, and The Giant Eagle Foundation Backyard. This position involves direct interaction with guests as well as artists and presenters and includes customer service, some stage management tasks, and house management. Under the supervision of the Director of Operations, the Manager will coordinate facility maintenance services, assist with event scheduling, provide show settlement support, and serve as general operational backup for the Trust’s Venue Operations team. Apply

Enterprise and Data Manager
Attack Theatre
Attack Theatre is seeking an Enterprise and Data Manager who will identify data-informed revenue generation opportunities within programmatic partnerships, individual and institutional donors (tracking, reporting and management); and fee-for-service projects. This joint position is a partnership between Attack Theatre and MCG Jazz. Apply

Early Childhood Intervention Strategist
Trying Together
The Early Childhood Intervention Strategist is responsible for organizing and implementing a comprehensive strengths-based approach of providing strategies and supports for Allegheny County early learning programs to ensure that young children at risk of being suspended or expelled are retained in their program. Apply 

Student Assistance Program Liaison (SAP)
Partners For Quality
The SAP Liaison will be responsible for working with SAP Core Teams (school leaders and administrators) to assist students who are experiencing barriers to academic achievement. The SAP liaison will act as a consultant within their assigned school buildings to coordinate recommended services to identified students. Apply

Evaluation Manager
Assemble
Assemble is seeking an Evaluation Manager to oversee the monitoring, evaluation, research and learning functions (MERL) across the organization. The Evaluation Manager will oversee the monitoring and evaluation of Assemble programs, ensuring program effectiveness and impact through data collection, analysis, and reporting. This position will also lead research initiatives guided by Assemble’s pedagogy and values, foster a culture of learning within Assemble, and translate research findings into actionable insights that inform program development and improve our impact. Apply

Project Manager – Business System Analyst
The Pittsburgh Foundation
We are actively seeking a dynamic and proficient project manager – business system analyst to spearhead a pivotal Salesforce and NetSuite implementation project for our organization. This role calls for an adept individual who can navigate through intricate project landscapes with finesse. As the project manager, you will coordinate the efforts of diverse stakeholders, meticulously manage project timelines and budgets, and ensure the seamless delivery of tailored Salesforce and NetSuite solutions that align with our organizational objectives. Apply

Accountant and Administration Manager (Shared Position)
Pittsburgh Glass Center
The Accountant and Administration Manager is a shared role between Contemporary Craft (CC) and Pittsburgh Glass Center (PGC). The role supports the mission and vision of both organizations by overseeing operations in the areas of financial administration and human resources while being an active participant in the organization’s overall operations. Apply

Search for more jobs at Nonprofit Talent.

PHOTO BY HARRISON BARDEN/PITTSBURGH PIRATES

PNC Park has been packed with Pirates fans eager to see rookie pitcher Paul Skenes strike out the league’s top batters. Now, card collectors are grasping at the chance to get their hands on one of his limited baseball cards. With only two months in the MLB, his trading cards are some of the most sought-after on the scene.

According to Professional Sports Authenticator, when it comes to active pitchers, Skenes is the most in-demand. He’s ranked 17th among all active players for trading card submissions this season.

Jeff Patton, owner of Baseball Card Castle in Cranberry, says there’s never been a demand for a Pirates player like Skenes before. “Paul Skenes comes to Pittsburgh already with momentum because he’s pitching in the College World Series,” Patton says, “He’s huge. He throws 100 miles an hour.”

The only Pirates players that have come close to Skenes in the card market are Barry Bonds in 1986 and Andrew McCutchen in 2009, according to Patton.

Despite Skenes having cards with LSU and Team USA, the 2023 Bowman Draft cards stand out because they’re the first with the pitcher wearing a Pirates uniform. Last month, Goldin auctioned a 2023 Bowman Draft Chrome Prospect Autographs SuperFactor Paul Skenes Signed Rookie Card 1/1 for $82,520. A different pair of Bowman Draft editions sold for more than $14,000 according to PSA.

“They make one-of-ones where they actually will have the same card but they’ll specially mark,” says Patton, “The regular paper card is like $25.” Due to Skenes’ rookie status, there are only a few big-league Skenes cards. Patton has sold various Paul Skenes cards with prices ranging from $6 to $500.

In recent years, sports card collecting has seen a growth. Patton says he saw it begin in 2017 with a new line-up of great young athletes such as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. During COVID, card collectors found time to expand their collections.

With 78 strikeouts and a low number of walks, Skenes has been tapped for the All-Star team, along with outfielder Bryan Reynolds. Skenes was also a social media sensation when he pitched against Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani, obtaining millions of views across multiple social media platforms.

Jilian Musser’s reporting is supported by the Pittsburgh Media Partnership.

PHOTO BY DAVE DICELLO

The Pittsburgh economy is getting a lot more bang for its buck from companies already here rather than from new ones opening or moving to the region.

That’s an analysis by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development that has tracked more than 3,400 business investment announcements in a 10-county area over the last 17 years — from 2007 to 2023.

During that period, more than 81% of 233,954 new and retained jobs came from existing companies, for a total of 191,479 jobs, said Jim Futrell, a market research consultant with the conference, during a webinar presentation on Thursday.

And between 2007 and 2023, expansions have generated nearly $16 billion in capital investment in the region — 54.8% of all announced capital investment, according to the conference’s new report, “The Impact of Regional Business Expansion: Why ‘Growing Our Own’ Matters.” 

“Existing businesses are driving the lion’s share of business activity in Western Pennsylvania,” said Majestic Lane, conference chief equity officer who moderated the session.

With this information, the conference is “stepping up efforts to discover more opportunities that can lead to additional growth by businesses that are established in southwestern Pennsylvania,” according to the report.

Advanced manufacturing and technology and robotics accounted for the largest shares of these expansions, followed by health care/life sciences and financial services. 

For single companies, UPMC, the region’s largest employer, accounted for the most expansion, adding 4,691 new jobs and nearly $2.4 billion in capital investment, according to the report.

Among some local “household brands,” ATI announced a new mill in Brackenridge, which helped contribute to the need for 100 new jobs and 3,100 retained jobs. BNY Mellon added 1,205 new jobs and PPG Industries added 452 jobs at three locations in Allegheny and Butler counties.

In manufacturing, for example, Perryman Company, a titanium manufacturer in Washington County, announced a half dozen expansions that have generated 310 new jobs and $360 million in capital investment.

In the tech sector: 

• Duolingo, one of the region’s most high-profile technology startups, has had 10 expansions in its language learning initiatives since 2013, resulting in 361 new jobs. 
• Robotics company Seegrid anticipates 297 new jobs.
• Advanced Acoustic Concepts, a technology manufacturer in Fayette County had five expansion announcements adding 76 new jobs and $17.1 million in capital investment.
• Eos Energy Enterprises, which began operations in Turtle Creek in 2020, is ramping up production of zinc-based energy storage battery technology. In 2023, it announced a $500 million investment in new production capacity that would eventually add 500 jobs.

The analysis shows the impact of existing companies in our region and the need to help them “thrive and grow,” Futrell said.

Among the initiatives to help companies continue to expand, the conference is conducting market research and data assistance in relocation decisions, identifying real estate opportunities to help facilitate site searches and visits, strengthening connections with partnerships, federal funding opportunities and more.

As an immediate goal, it hopes to assist in retaining and expanding at least 130 companies throughout the Pittsburgh area by the end of 2024, according to Alisa Balestra, conference senior director of economic development research and strategy.

PHOTO BY DAVE DICELLO

Two environmental nonprofits — Riverlife and PennFuture — were founded with support by the Heinz Endowments a quarter century ago, and they’re among 35 organizations that are receiving a total of $9.3 million from the Endowments to further improve the region’s climate, air and water quality and food security sectors.

The Heinz Endowments has been working for nearly 30 years on environment and health advocacy, and its recently funded research has identified areas of particular need to further these goals. 

Riverlife, founded in 1999, has been working to redevelop the city’s riverfronts while PennFuture, founded in 1998, is a statewide advocacy organization that works to protect public health, restore and protect natural resources and move Pennsylvania toward a clean energy future.

The $220,000 grant for Riverlife aims to help advance “Completing the Loop,” a 15-mile, 1,050-acre interconnected group of riverfront parks, trails and public land around the three rivers.

“Completing and expanding the Loop will help ensure that everyone in our region has access to all the beauty, fun, joy and excitement that our rivers have to offer,” Riverlife President and CEO Matthew Galluzzo, said in a statement. 

 PennFuture, also known as Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future, will receive  $400,000 that will further its focus on ongoing efforts to transition Pennsylvania to a clean energy economy.

Among other recipients, Women for a Healthy Environment, which also was started with support from the Heinz Endowments, received a total of $950,000 to help inform parents about the dangers of children’s exposure to harmful chemicals; fund community-based education about how to strive for healthier homes and public spaces; and help support the 1,000 Hours a Year program, which focuses on lead and radon remediation at places where children learn.

Here are all the grant recipients:

• 412 Justice ($150,000) to support communities disproportionately impacted by environmental threats.
• Allegheny Land Trust ($283,000) to support a climate-focused region by working to transform vacant, blighted property into productive urban green space.
• The Alliance for Climate Protection ($175,000) to support a sustainable, clean-energy economic transition across the Ohio River Valley.
• Capital & Main ($40,000) to fund environmental climate reporting in the region.
• Capital Good Fund ($500,000) to initiate a pilot solar leasing program in southwestern Pennsylvania that focuses on low-to-moderate income households.
• Carnegie Mellon University ($93,000) to analyze regional air pollution impacts.
• Center for Coalfield Justice ($400,000) to protect the region from the effects of fossil fuel use and development.
• Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future ($400,000) to advance sustainability, protect the environment and foster community health for all Pennsylvanians.
• Community Foundation for the Alleghenies ($750,000) to advance sustainability in the region through protection of the environment, health and climate; ($250,000) to advance cancer prevention in the region; ($125,000) to advance clean and healthy homes and schools; ($350,000) to prevent asthma and protect overall community health in the region.
• Environmental Integrity Project ($250,000) to improve air quality in western Pennsylvania.
• Farm to Table Buy Local ($240,000) to support fresh, healthy local food in the Pittsburgh region.
• Food & Water Watch ($220,000) to strengthen protections against adverse health and environmental effects from shale development.
• Grow Pittsburgh ($75,000) to advance access to fresh produce in food-insecure neighborhoods and to provide tools/resources for residents to grow their own fruits and vegetables.
• Hazelwood Initiative ($400,000) for operating expenses to further development and preservation of Hazelwood’s physical features and to advance environmental justice.
• Hilltop Urban Farm ($80,000) to implement its strategic plan and support programming.
• Homewood Children’s Village ($45,000) to advance environmental and health education and mitigation work.
• Inside Climate News ($50,000) to support environmental and climate reporting in the region.
• Main ST ($182,000) to support clean energy transition through development of a Department of Energy-required Community Benefits Plan for expansion of Eos Energy Enterprises.
• Mwanakuche Farm ($125,000) to support culturally appropriate food and employment in the Pittsburgh Somali Bantu community.
• National Young Farmers Coalition ($185,000) to support land access for new farmers in Northern Appalachia and to advocate for meaningful state and federal-level policy change.
• Operation Better Block ($45,000) to advance the organization’s green initiatives in the Homewood community. 
• PennEnvironment Research and Policy Center ($430,000) to advocate for clean air in the region.
• Pittsburgh Conservation Corps ($200,000) to provide opportunities for meaningful employment and strong futures in environmental fields for people facing significant socioeconomic disparities.
• Pittsburgh United ($450,000) to expand capacity for its work, including securing resources to decarbonize public buildings.
• Protect Elizabeth Township ($70,000) to support communities impacted by shale development.
• Riverlife ($220,000) to advance “Completing the Loop,” a 15-mile, 1,050-acre interconnected group of riverfront parks, trails and public land.
• Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors ($100,000) to support the Plastic Solutions Fund, which works to advance non-toxic plastics that are reused, repaired or recycled.
• Sierra Club Foundation ($50,000) to protect the Pittsburgh region from the effects of fossil fuel development and use.
• Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project ($725,000) to inform policy and decision-making regarding health impacts of regional oil and gas development.
• Stichting Funder Forum ($250,000) to fund efforts to address global climate change.
• Student-Led Sustainable Initiatives ($25,000) to support students and youth in addressing climate change.
• University Of Massachusetts Foundation ($59,750) to support work to protect children’s environmental health.
• University of Pittsburgh ($300,000) to support the Pittsburgh Water Collaborative’s efforts in water research, governance and action.
• Wilkinsburg Community Ministry ($125,000) to address food insecurity in Wilkinsburg, Edgewood, Swissvale, Braddock, east Homewood, East Hills and the east end of Pittsburgh.
• Women For a Healthy Environment ($350,000) to support the 1,000 Hours Project; ($500,000) to educate communities about environmental risks to human health with an emphasis on children’s health; ($100,000) to support lead prevention work.

PHOTO COURTESY DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH PARTNERSHIP

Why wait for the official Picklesburgh festival to start when you can begin sampling pickle treats as soon as Thursday, July 11? Alongside the festival expansion into four days — from July 18-21 — Downtown businesses are showing their support by participating in a Taste of Picklesburgh.

The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership is partnering with 26 retailers and restaurants,  which will feature a variety of pickle dishes and beverages from pickle paninis to pickle-tinis.

A Taste of Picklesburgh is adding boutiques for the first time to their line-up. You can check out pickle fashion, soaps, and accessories from Steel City, The Refillery Downtown, and more. Whenever you buy a pickle-themed item from the Taste of Picklesburgh locations, you will receive a free Heinz Pickle Pin while supplies last.

Picklesburgh, voted second on the 10 best specialty food festivals by USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Awards list, added Thursday to its festival weekend this year to kick off July 18. It will be held on the Boulevard of the Allies, Downtown.

The festival will also feature the best in competitive pickle challenges with the new Olympickle Games. The preliminary rounds will take place July 19 to 20 with the championships being held on the last day, July 21. The winners will receive a pickle trophy and $500.

The Pickle Juice Drinking contest will test who can drink a quart of pickle juice the fastest and win the title of Duke of Drinking. The Pickle Eating round will have competitors see who can eat the most pickles by weight in 5 minutes and become the Earl of Eating. Finally, Bobbing for Pickles will have contestants retrieving pickles with only their mouths. Whoever gets the most by weight in 90 seconds will be dubbed the Baron of Bobbing.

Picklesburgh will still feature a variety of vendors, live music, and activities for the entire family. Look out for the Taste of Picklesburgh locations starting this Thursday.

Jilian Musser’s reporting is supported by the Pittsburgh Media Partnership.

A BURGER AT SHAKE SHACK | PHOTO BY CAITE MILLER

With the opening of the new $1.5 billion terminal at Pittsburgh International Airport next year travelers also will be greeted with 15 new restaurants and stores, including a Shake Shack.

The new concessions were selected based on input from travelers passing through the airport. They include a mix of local, national and global brands, according to Blue Sky News, the airport’s news service.

“More shopping and dining choices have been a top request from our travelers, and we are excited to introduce 15 new concessions that complement the construction of our new terminal and airside renovations,” Bryan Dietz, senior vice president of Air Service and Commercial Development at PIT, said in a statement Tuesday.

Topping the list is Shake Shack, a global burger chain that in May opened its first location in the Pittsburgh area at The Terminal in the Strip District.

The Wexford-based coffee and tea house Café Conmigo will have a location at the airport, as well as national brands Jimmy John’s sandwich shop, Sambazon Acai, the hip breakfast restaurant Bad Egg, modern deli Stack +Press Delicatessen, Mexican restaurant Mi Casa Cantina and Camden Food Market.

These new options will join Beercode Bar & Kitchen, which just opened in June in the Airside Center Core near Concourse C.

Among new stores will be Champion City Sports, which goes beyond just sports with collaborations with Build-a-Bear and Vera Bradley. It also will offer a Sports Simulator for customers to play.

Other retailers will include MAC Cosmetics and Duquesne & Co, a gifting/accessories concept focusing on local artisans.

Stores already at PIT will get some major upgrades and expansions, including Johnston & Murphy and InMotion. InMotion also will be opening an additional larger store that will focus on Apple products.

Most of the new concessions will be located in the Airside Terminal, where all the gates are located. Some also will be in the new terminal.

More details will be announced in coming months. An opening date for the new terminal has not been announced.

PHOTO BY AIDAN MCCLAIN

Senior dogs of Pittsburgh can obtain more support thanks to their furry friends who attended Anthrocon this past weekend.

Each year, the annual convention — now in its 18th year in Pittsburgh — raises money for local charities. The furries this year donated more than $100,000 to Gray Paws Sanctuary, which is located in White Oak and focuses on fostering and housing senior dogs. Gray Paws Sanctuary is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

The Anthrocon donation marks a new record for the convention, almost doubling last year’s donation to the Rabbit Wranglers of $52,000. Since the convention began in 1997, the furries have raised more than $547,000 for charities. 

Gray Paws Sanctuary founders Darla Poole-Brescia and Joe Brescia started the organization to provide care for senior dogs so they can live life to their fullest. According to their website, the couple even moved away from their Victorian home to help the dogs who struggled with movement, instead purchasing 3 acres and building a single-story home so the pups could move more easily. 

“It was a true example of how everyone is so kind here and so committed to helping this charity,” Poole-Brescia said at the event.

Gray Paws Sanctuary offers three programs to assist senior dogs: the Sanctuary program allows senior dogs to live with Darla and Joe, The Forever Foster Care – Medical Coverage Program places senior dogs with local families, and the LOYAL Program offers financial support to help owners keep their dogs healthy and in their own homes. 

Their Facebook page frequently posts updates on dogs in the sanctuary and those eligible to be fostered. Donations can be made on their website.  

This year, Anthrocon, held from July 4-7 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, had a record-breaking attendance of 17,639, with 3,371 participating in the Fursuit Parade on Saturday, Downtown. In 2023, 13,600 furries attended the convention.

Jilian Musser’s reporting is supported by the Pittsburgh Media Partnership.

PHOTO VIA CHANGE.ORG

This is how marketing officials at Chatham University described the student dormitory at Eden Hall, the university’s fully sustainable campus in Richland.

“It’s unlike any other residence hall in the region, maybe the world. When students arrive at Orchard Hall every August, the rolling hills and lush woodlands envelop it in a green calm. In fall, the warm colors of autumn beckon them to explore the apple orchard and smell the dry leaves in the cool air. When the trees are mostly bare in the winter, it’s sometimes possible to look through the branches and see the skyline of the city kissing the horizon. The blossoms of spring inspire daydreams of the future.”

Orchard Hall, which opened in 2015 and was built to house 60 students in single-room dorms and suites, also is fully sustainable and ADA-accessible. But the dorm has never reached capacity, with occupancy hovering between fewer than 15, and at its peak 40 students, university officials said. That’s despite the fact that more than 160 students are enrolled in the Falk School, which holds classes on the Eden Hall campus.

Because the university says it is losing money on Orchard Hall, Chatham officials notified students on July 1 that they are closing the building, effective for the 2024-25 school year and shifting all occupants to housing at its main Shadyside campus. It will continue to run shuttles between the campuses.

Rachel Coyne, a rising sophomore in environmental science who attends classes at Eden Hall, immediately posted a change.org petition on behalf of a student collective to try to keep the building open. She said many students are committed to Chatham’s Eden Hall campus because of its sustainability.

 “It’s a betrayal to the student body that they are closing” Orchard Hall, she said in an interview Wednesday. 

By Wednesday afternoon the petition had collected more than 500 signatures.

Lisa Lambert, Chatham vice president for academic affairs who signed the email to students about the closing, said the university had forecast just 25 to 30 students signing up to live in Orchard Hall this coming school year, despite discounts provided. 

“We do not make this decision lightly and acknowledge the impact this will have on the students who chose Orchard hall and this residential experience,” she wrote.

This is not the first budget issue at Chatham. Last year, Chatham launched a campus-wide reorganization that required some staff cuts, department consolidations and other restructuring in the face of a looming $8 million to $12 million deficit. 

Lambert said the closing of Orchard Hall creates an opportunity to discuss other uses for the building, such as overnight accommodations for events, meetings, conferences or summer camps. 

The announcement comes months after long-awaited plans for a multi-generational Rachel Carson Eco-Village on the same campus lost its location and will now be built at Providence Heights, land owned by the Sisters of Divine Providence next to LaRoche University.

Bill Campbell, vice president of marketing and communications at Chatham, said the change in plans for the eco-village are unrelated to the closing of Orchard Hall. He said the plans ultimately did not work out at Eden Hall. “We are happy for their new home which meets their guidelines and residents’ needs.” 

A SIX-SEATER VILLAGE BUGGY SOLD IN SEWICKLEY. | PHOTO BY MADDY PERRY

Street-legal golf carts, sold by Village Buggy in Sewickley, may become the next popular mode of transportation in the Pittsburgh area for neighborhoods with a 25-mph speed limit. 

Village Buggy is owned by Matthew and Jena Simmons, who thought of the idea after visiting friends in Boca Grande in southwest Florida. They found that everyone drives golf carts around the island, and they thought it would be a good fit for the walkable village of Sewickley. The shop opened earlier this year. 

“We watched the way they mingled with regular vehicles seamlessly,” said Matthew Simmons. “And what was leading to the success was it was flat and it was 25 miles per hour, so you never really had to be concerned about anybody going too fast.” 

To open the business, Simmons already owned the space and then converted it to a licensed car dealership. Pennsylvania law permits “neighborhood electric vehicles.” The buggy looks and drives like a golf cart, but the vehicles are registered with a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and receive state license plates. 

“It’s been tremendously well received,” he said. “We were concerned about pushback from municipalities, from you know, citizens who are resistant to change, but we’ve had none of those.” 

These electric carts, which run on lithium batteries, are considered street legal because they are fast enough to keep up with the local traffic on the streets and include seat belts, turn signals, windshield wipers, headlights and tail lights. The voltage of the battery allows the carts to travel uphill. They can be charged at home using 110 voltage outlets, the same outlet used for a lamp, and will be fully charged in a few hours. A fully charged cart can travel 25-30 miles. 

Kevin Santelli has owned a 6-seater cart since March when he first heard they were street-legal. He finds the carts very convenient for getting around the Sewickley neighborhood.  

“It’s a fun and easy way to get around town,” he said, noting that he can save money on gas and not add mileage to his car.

It might seem foolish to drive a golf cart around town in the winter, but Village Buggy sells enclosures and heaters that allow these carts to drive in cold weather. If customers are not up for that, Village Buggy offers to store the carts for $75 a month, which includes pick-up, drop-off and any needed maintenance. 

Regular maintenance and repairs can be done at the customer’s home or can be picked up to be worked on at the shop. A three-year warranty covers initial repairs and maintenance. 

The price ranges from $8,000 for an entry-level two-seater, to $15,000 for a six or eight-seater with full customizations. 

So far, he said Village Buggy has sold 50 carts to customers in Mount Lebanon, Beaver, Murrysville, Peters, South Fayette, Sewickley and Wexford. Village Buggy is considering expanding physical locations to other communities based on demand. 

“In my experience so far the people that have bought these have said it’s not only very practical, very cost-effective, but it’s very fun,” he said. 

Santelli agreed. “It almost gives our small town the kind of beach town vibe even though we are a little bit far from the beach in Pittsburgh.” 

BATTLE OF HOMESTEAD FOUNDATION MEMBERS KANE KARSTETER-MCKERNAN AND JOHN HAER PRESENT THE FOUNDATION’S MOBILE HISTORY EXHIBIT AT A HEINZ HISTORY CENTER EVENT. | PHOTO BY L.E. MCCULLOUGH

The most famous event in labor history occurred right here in Pittsburgh — the Battle of Homestead 132 years ago. The event is credited with changing views of labor and management forever and can be linked to current issues involving local unionization efforts in health care, retail, agriculture, industry and public service.

Many of these issues will be discussed by The Battle of Homestead Foundation, an educational nonprofit, at the 132-year anniversary commemoration on Saturday, July 6. The event will run from 2 to 5 p.m. at The Pump House, 880 E. Waterfront Drive in Munhall. Live music will feature the May Day Marching Band and the Pittsburgh Labor Choir. It is free and refreshments will be provided.

“The 1892 steel strike was a defining event in America’s ongoing struggle to ensure workplace rights,” said Battle of Homestead Foundation president John Haer, in a statement. “Observing the anniversary lets us reflect on the role of organized labor in fighting the extreme economic inequality endangering our nation in 2024.”

In July 1892, Carnegie Steel and the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel were involved in one of the deadliest labor conflicts in U.S. history. The strike began because the workers of Homestead Steel were unhappy with wage cuts. The strike left 12 people dead and hundreds injured. 

The union had a three-year contract with Andrew Carnegie, the majority shareholder of Carnegie Steel. When the contract came to an end, Henry Clay Frick, chairman and chief executive of Carnegie Steel, announced that there would be pay cuts. This caused almost 4,000 workers to strike. 

On July 6, 1892, 300 members of the Pinkerton security force, hired by Carnegie, arrived on barges along the Monongahela River to break up the strike. Both sides fired shots until the Pinkertons raised their white flag to surrender. The event was then named the “Battle of Homestead.”

Eventually, Homestead Steel was fully operating by mid-August 1892, and many workers returned by mid-October. In November, the union accepted defeat and the strike leaders were charged with murder but never convicted. Carnegie kept cutting wages, implemented a 12-hour work day and cut hundreds of jobs. 

Carnegie was called a hypocrite and a coward for allowing Frick to cut wages despite publicly supporting labor causes and the right to unionize. The strike resulted in negative public opinion toward the use of hired security like the Pinkertons during disputes and 26 states outlawed it in the following years. 

[Updated July 3, 2024: An incorrect photo caption was included in an earlier version.]

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds need your help to name Pittsburgh’s newest sports team. 

The city has a new women’s soccer team. In late April, the United Soccer League announced that the Pittsburgh Riverhounds would join the USL W League and start competing in 2025. 

The USL W League serves as a pre-professional league and often leads to players being drafted into the National Women’s Soccer League or playing abroad. Bringing this league to Pittsburgh opens up new opportunities for local Pittsburgh-area talent. 

There are four names that the public can choose from: Confluence, Renegades, Riveters or Strikers. These names were narrowed down from more than 1,000 entries submitted earlier. 

The voting for the team name will continue over the next 2½ weeks and the team’s official crest, logo, and jersey design will be revealed in the coming months. 

The name Riverhounds was suggested, but not considered because they wanted the name to be unique to the new team. 

The Riverhounds Development Academy has been around since 2007, establishing its first girls academy team in 2012. This team allows participation until the girls are 19. This new team allows older women a chance to keep playing. 

The Men’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds is celebrating its 25th anniversary of being established as a men’s professional team in 1999 after Pittsburgh Riverhounds was founded in 1998. 

THE GREEN ROOF ON TOP OF THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH. | COURTESY ALLEGHENY COUNTY

It has cut electricity costs by $80,000 a year.

It can capture an inch of rain in 24 hours.

It can cool a roof by 20 to 50 degrees compared to surrounding roofs.

It serves as natural insulation — cooling the building in summer, retaining the heat in winter.

And it’s become a natural habitat for wildlife, attracting bees, bugs like praying mantises and even hawks.

These are some of the results of the 8,400-square-foot green roof that was built on top of Downtown’s Allegheny County Office Building in 2010.

And it’s an example of what John Valentine, executive director of the Downtown Neighbors Alliance, is pushing to improve the livability of Downtown. He said he’s reached out to the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Point Park University — two of the largest real estate owners in the Golden Triangle — to work together to transform the city’s rooftops into vibrant green spaces.

“We intend to get more green roofs Downtown,” he told attendees at the nonprofit’s recent awards dinner. He said new technology has made the roofs lighter atop buildings and more efficient.

“Our organization will be the lead of the green economy of Downtown Pittsburgh,” he vowed.

The alliance is a community-based organization that partners with community leaders through projects and events that encourage residential development, assist small business and promote arts and entertainment. Essentially, it strives to “make the Golden Triangle a better place to live, work and play.”

The green roof on the top of the county office building, located at the corner of Forbes Avenue and Ross Street, was built as a demonstration project and uses four different technologies, which are constantly being monitored to determine efficiency. 

AN AERIAL VIEW, TAKEN BY A DRONE, OF THE GREEN ROOF ON TOP OF THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING | COURTESY ALLEGHENY COUNTY

One of the goals of the green roof is to reduce what’s called the “urban heat island” — the level of heat in concrete areas.

Carnegie Mellon University students, who have been involved in monitoring the project, have documented a 75% reduction in heat intrusion on green vs. conventional roof sections in cooling the air through evaporation.

There are several green roofs throughout the Pittsburgh area. As an example, 3 Rivers Wet Weather, an environmental nonprofit that aims to improve the region’s water quality, has awarded grants for green roofs on top of the Shadyside Giant Eagle, Hamerschlag Hall on the CMU campus and for a building at 213-215 East Eighth Avenue in Homestead.

PHOTO COURTESY HEINZ HISTORY CENTER

Nellie Bly, the famous Pittsburgh-born muckraker, is often seen in historical photographs with a small handbag. In fact, she carried the bag on her record-breaking trip around the world in 1889.

That bag is currently on view at the Heinz History Center.

NELLIE BLY’S HANDBAG | PHOTO COURTESY HEINZ HISTORY CENTER

It’s part of the exhibition “A Woman’s Place: How Women Shaped Pittsburgh,” on view through Oct. 6, which features trailblazing women who entered fields they traditionally couldn’t, from journalism to film to politics. Also on display is the inauguration dress worn by Pittsburgh’s only female mayor Sophie Masloff, costumes from the National Negro Opera Company, which originated in Pittsburgh, and original sketches from Pittsburgher Peggy Owens Skillen, who helped to create the modern version of “Sesame Street.”

“Through more than 250 artifacts, immersive experiences and prominent archival images, A Woman’s Place will reveal how women have made Pittsburgh and the world a better place,” reads a press release for the exhibition.

PHOTO COURTESY HEINZ HISTORY CENTER

The exhibit highlights numerous contributions women made to social justice movements, from slavery to voting rights. A clipping from The Pittsburgh Gazette, dated Jan. 2, 1838, advertises the second-anniversary meeting of the “Pittsburgh and Allegheny Female Anti-Slavery Society,” the first female anti-slavery society in Pittsburgh. Speakers at the anniversary meeting, however, were male.

Other journalists featured include Jane Grey Swisshelm, an abolitionist who lived from 1815-1884 and started the local newspaper “The Pittsburgh Sunday Visiter [sic]” in 1847. In 1850, while working for the New York Tribune, she was the first woman to enter the press gallery of the U.S. Senate.

While working in Minnesota in the 1860s, she published editorials advocating for the violent removal of the Dakota people from their homeland during clashes with settlers. “Swisshelm accomplished a lot of good, but she was not immune to the prejudice of her day,” a placard reads.

A writer for the Pittsburgh Courier in the mid-20th century, Evelyn Cunningham was nicknamed the Courier’s “Lynching Editor,” because she wrote so tirelessly about the atrocities of lynching in the South. She attended college and started writing for the Pittsburgh Courier in 1940. “She served as a reporter and editor for 22 years, covering hard news when it was unusual for women to do so,” a placard reads.

The role of motherhood is highlighted as well. A quote from Ginny Thornburgh, wife of Pittsburgh-born Pennsylvania Gov. Dick Thornburgh, on the wall reads: “As a mother, as a parent, as an advocate, you never rest, you never rest.” Radio singer Marilyn McCabe Honeywill is identified as a “Performer and Parent” on a placard, which describes how her career shifted from a KDKA radio star to founding Pittsburgh Parent magazine in 1988.

“… as a busy mom of six children, Honeywill eventually grew frustrated by a lack of parenting resources in the region,” the placard reads.

Another 20th-century performer, Lois Weber, is described as a “Movie Mogul.” Born in Allegheny City, Weber was a concert pianist — and the country’s first woman film director, writing, directing and performing in more than 200 films between 1908 and 1934.

“Though little remembered today, in the 1910s Weber was as highly regarded as her contemporaries D.W. Griffith and C.B. DeMille,” a placard reads. “She represents the gender parity that existed in early Hollywood when women held vital positions in the film industry. … Weber’s contributions to film making history have only recently been acknowledged.”

And what’s an exhibition on women’s contributions to history without a tribute to Pittsburgh’s connections to Rosie the Riveter?

The famous “We Can Do It” poster originated at Westinghouse Electric Company during World War II, created by J. Howard Miller as part of a series designed for Westinghouse’s War Production Co-Ordinating Committee to boost company productivity. Rosie the Riveter was a character in a song, and the character and poster eventually became linked in the public’s imagination.

“Real Westinghouse women were more likely to be welders, assembly line workers, or munitions inspectors,” the placard reads. “But over time, Miller’s figure captured Rosie’s ‘can-do’ appeal.”

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Black Therapy 101 aims to help break the stigma surrounding mental health issues in the Black community. 

The event on July 11 — presented by Steel Smiling and Artist Talk Mental Health on the South Side — will address mental health issues and offer a variety of resources to Pittsburgh’s Black residents. A panel of five mental health professionals and advocates will lead discussions on the importance of taking steps to improve mental health and wellness. 

A day before on July 10, NAMI Keystone Pennsylvania will be hosting its third annual Black Mental Health Summit — “Our Journey to Community Healing.” — in Wilkinsburg. Both hope to shine a light on ways to address mental health issues in the Black community.

“Black Therapy 101 is important because we are sharing knowledge with the Black community about, what is therapy? What does it look like? What does it feel like? What types of therapy can you get?” says Sydney Davis, founder and CEO of Artist Talk Mental Health. 

Davis started her organization to help artists like herself obtain mental health resources. However, finding Black therapists became a challenge.

“When I was looking for a therapist, it was extremely hard to find a Black woman. That’s what I wanted and I knew that’s who I would relate to,” Davis says. 

Black Therapy 101 began as a way to promote Black therapists and mental health options available for their community. 

“Experiences that the Black community typically wouldn’t experience in other therapeutic ways, other than just traditional therapy, is something that I felt is our niche,” she says. “We really bring to the table what I don’t really see in other mental health spaces, and definitely not specific to the Black community.” 

Steel Smiling, founded by Julius Boatwright (a Pittsburgh Magazine 40 Under 40 honoree in 2017), provides therapy funding and mental health education to the Black community. Their programs helped Davis found her organization. 

“When I was first starting Artists Talk Mental Health, I was looking for a therapist and Steel Smiling had a grant program,” says Davis, “Artists Talk Mental Health came out of me having that experience of therapy and being able to really take care of myself. Then wanting to share that with others.” 

Discussions at Black Therapy 101 will be moderated by Courtney Abegunde, the operations director for Steel Smiling. Panelists include Darla Timbo of Atlas Counseling Services; Treble, a Therapeutic Spaces graduate and artist; Rakeem Collins, a Beams to Bridges graduate; Boatwright and Davis. 

The event will run from 6 to 9 p.m. at Opya Studios, 2402 Sidney St., South Side. For more information and to RSVP to attend the event, contact Davis at artisttalkpgh@gmail.com.

The July 10 Black Mental Health Summit will explore ways that personal, family, and community trauma are affecting Black Americans and the steps to take to heal the pain and find a path to wellness. NAMI Keystone Pennsylvania is a grassroots, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children, adolescents, adults, and families affected by mental illness through recovery-focused support, education, and advocacy. That event will be held at Hosanna House, 807 Wallace Ave., Wilkinsburg. It is  free but registration is preferred. Deadline to register is July 5.

Jilian Musser’s reporting is supported by the Pittsburgh Media Partnership. 

HEINZ AND KATE SPADE NEW YORK DEBUT CAPSULE COLLECTION. | PHOTO: BUSINESS WIRE

Call this the 58th variety of Heinz Ketchup.

Now you’ll be able to find the iconic bottle on accessories and apparel produced by one of the hottest fashion brands — kate spade new york.

It’s part of a new global collaboration that launches under Heinz’s creative strategy, “Irrational Love.” It includes a limited summer edition of totes, pouches, small leather goods, ready-to-wear tees, footwear, keychains, phone cases and more.

“With this new line of ‘condiment couture,’ we’re excited to partner with the iconic kate spade new york brand to pay homage to the beloved Heinz brand,” said Megan Lang, head of Global Heinz Brand Communications and Creativity, in a statement. 

“Kate spade new york shares many values with Heinz — from creating products of the highest quality that are expertly crafted by masters and leave no detail untouched, to exhibiting true devotion to our fans,” she said.

Jennifer Lyu, senior vice president and head of design at kate spade new york, agreed. “It’s the thoughtful details that bring this collection with Heinz to life — from the embellishments on the tee and the way our 3D ketchup bag looks just like that classic red and white packet. The playful designs are perfect for all of summer’s special moments, capturing the spirit of the season.”

Prices range from $45 to $398, and products will be available at select kate spade new york stores, select department stores, wholesale locations and online at katespade.com. 

PHOTO BY HUCK BEARD

It’s sad news for the North Side — and all of Pittsburgh — as Gus Kalaris, owner of Gus & Yia Yia’s Ice Ball Stand, has died. 

The city of Pittsburgh announced Saturday in a social media post that Kalaris had passed away at age 92. The ice ball stand has been in his family since 1934; Kalaris took it over when his father died in 1951.

“Without a doubt, Gus touched the hearts and lives of Pittsburghers and tourists who flocked to the cart each year,” Mayor Ed Gainey said in a statement.

There’s no word yet on whether or not the ice ball stand, which stood on West Ohio Street in Allegheny Commons Park and welcomed visitors with its multi-colored umbrella and sweet treats, will continue to operate.

PHOTO COURTESY CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER

In 2012, Pittsburgh City Council honored Kalaris by declaring April 25 Gus and Yia Yia Day in Pittsburgh. In 2021, the Carnegie Science Center added a miniature version of the stand to its Miniature Railroad & Village exhibit. 

Kalaris’ wife, Stella, the “Yia Yia” in the stand’s name, died in 2016. Kalaris set up a scholarship fund in her honor through the Pittsburgh North Side Leadership Conference. 

JULY FOURTH FIREWORKS IN PITTSBURGH AT THE POINT. | PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Downtown Pittsburgh will switch its black and gold for red, white and blue to celebrate Independence Day on July 4. 

The City of Pittsburgh’s annual Independence Day Celebration begins at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 4. The day includes free family activities, musical entertainment, food and the city’s iconic fireworks display. 

Festivities will be spread across Point State Park, Liberty Avenue and the North Shore. The holiday kicks off at 1 p.m. at the Fort Pitt Museum’s “Fourth at the Fort” flag-raising. 

The museum will open its doors for an afternoon of living history demonstrations until 4 p.m. Attractions include a replica of George Washington’s Revolutionary War tent, the museum’s replica British six-pounder cannon and 18th-century military music. 

Once you’ve had your share of history, stop by the entrance to Point State Park off of Commonwealth Place to enjoy live music at Citipark’s Main Stage until 9:25 p.m. Performing artists include NASH.V.ILL, Squonk, Franchise Band and the 90s Summer Jam Extravaganza presented by Mr. Smalls. 

From 6-8 p.m., you can try line dancing by the water at the Point State Park Fountain. 

The park will also be host to the Trulieve Veteran Wellness Corner, Clearview Family Fun Zone and a sensory tent, all open until 8 p.m. 

If you’re hungry, head toward Liberty Avenue to grab some food at the People’s Food Truck Corral and hear more live music at Sargent Electric Stage until 8 p.m. Or, grab a drink at the alcohol tent. 

Across the river on the North Shore, a Fireside DJ will entertain on the PNC Great Lawn next to the RE/MAX hot air balloon and additional concession stands. 

Before you head home for the night, find a comfortable spot on the grass in either Point State Park or the Great Lawn to witness the day’s main attraction: the Independence Day Fireworks. The 25-minute display will begin at 9:35 p.m. 

The city will be conducting light security screening at all park entrances.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

If you’ve got TSA PreCheck and you’re heading to Pittsburgh International Airport for a predawn flight, there’s a new place to go to pass through security starting on July 8.

From 4 to 7 a.m., head to the alternate checkpoint on the airport’s ticketing level. That will be the only TSA PreCheck area available at those times.

After 7 a.m. Monday-Friday and on weekends, TSA PreCheck will be available at the main security checkpoint and the alternate location, according to a TSA announcement. 

The change comes during the busiest summer the airport has experienced since 2019, which has resulted in longer than usual lines. Airport and TSA officials had each urged travelers earlier this week to arrive at the airport 3 hours early if they had an early flight.    

“The move will expedite the screening process, maximize space, and minimize line wait times for all travelers at both checkpoints,” TSA stated in its announcement about the change. 

TSA officials said they had experimented using the alternative checkpoint on the ticketing level over the past month and decided it would improve the flow of passengers.

The alternate checkpoint may reopen during the day on an as-needed basis, dependent on passenger volume to serve both TSA PreCheck and non-TSA PreCheck passengers, the TSA stated. 

PreCheck program travelers have an expedited screening and don’t have to remove their shoes, laptops or liquids, for example, to put in a separate bin. CLEAR, another pre-screening program, is only available at the main security checkpoint. CLEAR passengers with TSA PreCheck benefits should still use the CLEAR lane at the main security checkpoint.

On June 21, the airport announced that May 24 — the Friday before Memorial Day weekend — had been a record-breaking travel day nationally and locally.

TSA had screened more than 2.95 million travelers at airports nationwide, setting a new single-day record for the agency previously set during the Thanksgiving holiday in 2023.

That same day, PIT screened 18,255 departing passengers, the most daily passengers recorded at the airport since 2019.

Between Thursday, July 4, and Monday, July 8, TSA estimates that more than 32 million travelers will be screened on holiday weekend flights. That could mean a 5.4% increase from the holiday traffic last year. 

PIT offers an app that can provide helpful information to travelers even before they leave home. It tells you how long you have to wait in each security line, how many open parking spaces there are in each lot, what flights are on time and delayed and other information. 

Jilian Musser’s reporting is supported by the Pittsburgh Media Partnership.