Good news, bad news: three major cultural institutions — Pittsburgh Public Theater, City Theatre, and Pittsburgh CLO — are considering a merger to stay open and the historic Hollywood Theater in Dormont is about to reopen. U.S. Rep. Summer Lee was turned away from our region's largest ICE detention center even though it’s literally part of her job, and we’re talking about Pittsburgh wins and losses, from new life for a closed RiteAid to the satirical outlet The Onion taking aim at the Pirates.

Notes and references from today’s show:

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A brewery is taking over an old Missile Command Center in Oakdale, the South Side's got a new showstopping patio on top of a six-story distillery, and cigar bars seem like they're having a moment in Pittsburgh. Host Megan Harris is with City Cast team members Francesca Dabecco and Zack Durkin to talk about new restaurant openings, a new Sunday Supper series, and a festival celebrating a divisive fruit. 

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PA has millions of acres of state and local parkland, but none of them have that coveted national park status. Why doesn’t Pennsylvania have a national park? And where should we go instead? Host Megan Harris brought these questions to PA’s director of outdoor recreation, Nathan Reigner, who's part of a new department all about championing our outdoor spaces. He shares a few of his favorites, including national forests, trails, state parks, and more — plus his pitch for why everyone should get outside as often as they can.

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Upright Citizens Brigade — the world-renowned comedy group — just opened a full-scale training center in Pittsburgh, in partnership with Bottlerocket Social Hall. It's UCB’s first location outside New York and LA, which has us asking whether the Steel City is the next big comedy hotspot. We're taking the question to Chris Copen, partner and owner at Bottlerocket. He explains how Pittsburgh became a destination for big name comedians and why UCB decided our city was the perfect place to expand.

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We've heard that driving in Pittsburgh is like driving on "hard mode," and people have been complaining about our streets for decades. In the 1930s, renowned journalist Erine Pyle wrote, "Pittsburgh is the cockeyedest city in the United States. Physically it is absolutely irrational. It must have been laid out by a mountain goat.” That still rings true today, and we're joined by friend of the pod and former Uber driver Jakob Lazzaro  to talk about why the streets are like this, share some very important rules for navigating our narrow, hilly streets, and – of course – debate the efficacy of the Pittsburgh Left. 

Want to dive deeper into the history behind our city’s quirky layout and driving rules? Check out WESA’s reporting on our mismatched streets, frustrating on-ramps and Beltway System. Pittsburgh City Paper also has a great look at our Beltway. And don’t miss the 99% Invisible episode about trying to create a GPS that speaks Pittsburghese.

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The Carnegie Museum of Art is in the spotlight for breaking its own rules about hosting political events. We explain why the $5,000-per-plate dinner with U.S. Senator Dave McCormick is back in the news. Plus, we talk about the first candidate to officially challenge Governor Josh Shapiro's reelection bid: Republican Stacy Garrity, Pennsylvania's two-term state treasurer. And we share some (potential) good news for Pittsburgh soccer and hockey fans.

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Notes and references from today’s show:

What's your favorite burger in Pittsburgh? Call or text our BURGER HOTLINE at 412-212-8893.

Learn more about the sponsor of this August 22nd episode:

Family House

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Feeling snacky? The next time you're grocery shopping, pick up one of the many potato chips made right here in Pennsylvania! The City Cast Pittsburgh crew is crunching it up with our friends at City Cast Philly to taste test as many PA-made potato chips as we can find, explore how the commonwealth became the "potato chip capital of the world," and crown the tastiest snack in the first ever (maybe?) Chippy Awards.

**This episode originally aired on March 13, 2025.

Vote for us for Best Podcast every day through Aug. 22. We’re in the People & Places category.

If you enjoyed today's interview with Ohio Wine's Executive Director, Christy Eckstein, and Director of Agriculture, Brian Baldridge, learn more here.

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Pittsburgh knows its way around a natural disaster — snow and ice, tornadoes, landslides, sinkholes, and even the outer rings of hurricanes. But our No. 1 most frequent disaster? Flooding. And you don’t need to live near a body of water to be at risk. We’re with Penn State’s Ben Reppert, a lecturer on meteorology and emergency management, to talk about what’s at stake and whether any of us are really prepared. 

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Smoothie King and Heinz's ketchup smoothie collaboration is now available in Pittsburgh! We're trying it today, along with City Cast friends across the country. Plus, we're talking about all the upgrades at our museums, cultural institutions, and outdoor spaces. Pittsburgh's bringing in new zoo animals, swapping out Andrew Carnegie's name to honor modern-day philanthropists, and looking forward to more bike rentals and POGOH stations.

Vote for us for Best Podcast every day through Aug. 22. We’re in the People & Places category.

We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey—it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card–and City Cast City swag.

Notes and references from today’s show:

Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.

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Pittsburgh City Council is sitting on 168 acres of land that they bought for $1 from the federal government, and their plan is to build a training facility for police, fire, and EMS. But their proposal has been put on pause. Host Megan Harris is with PublicSource's Ember Duke, who explains what's at stake with this facility, why Pittsburghers have reservations about it, and what to look out for when City Council returns from summer recess.

Vote for us for Best Podcast every day through Aug. 22. We’re in the People & Places category.

We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey—it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card–and City Cast City swag.

Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.

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