City Cast Pittsburgh

Homelessness is one of the major issues that cities like Pittsburgh are trying to solve. The state of Utah is planning to build a 16-acre homeless campus on the outskirts of Salt Lake City, where unhoused people with mental illnesses or addiction issues could be sheltered and in some cases involuntarily committed. This controversial idea is the brainchild of conservative think tanks, and it’s one that’s very much being embraced by the Trump administration and the Utah legislature. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Salt Lake podcast host Ali Vallarta about how this plan is meant to work, the concerns about forced institutionalization, and why the state is pushing for this even though it goes against the recommendations of local experts and service providers.

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Antisemitic and racist messages have been broadcast over a police radio channel — along with death threats against Mayor Corey O'Connor — but we don't know who's behind them. Host Megan Megan Harris and executive producer Mallory Falk are with City Cast contributor and TribLive reporter Colin Williams to share what we know about the investigation so far. They also dig into the mailbox and answer your questions about the NFL Draft and improvements Downtown. Finally, they celebrate some big local wins, from Oliver Bath House reopening to Noah Wyle sweeping awards for his portrayal of Dr. Robby in "The Pitt." 

Notes and references from today’s show:

Learn more about the sponsors of this March 6th episode:

The Frick Pittsburgh

Liberty Magic

Family House

City Theatre 

Pgh Cultural Trust

Your City Could Be Better

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

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After more than 30 years in Millvale, the beloved French baker Jean-Marc Chatellier closed up shop. While Pittsburgh's sad to see him go, City Cast's Sophia Lo and Francesca Dabecco have some more suggestions for where to get delicious French pastries in the Burgh. They're also talking about Downtown's buzzing coffee scene, Senza Wine Bar's reopening, the neighborhood market that's taking over an old North Side theater, and more restaurant openings and closings.

Notes and references from today’s show:

Learn more about the sponsors of this March 5th episode:

The Frick Pittsburgh

Liberty Magic

Family House

City Theatre 

Pgh Cultural Trust

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

Want more Pittsburgh news? 

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.

Pittsburgh’s short-term rental market — think Airbnb, VRBO, and others — is surging leading up to the NFL Draft, just as City Council considers new regulations around these spaces. Host Megan Harris is with Public Source's managing editor, Rich Lord, to talk about whether we'll see these short-term rentals stick around after the Draft. Plus, Rich explains why Council's thinking about regulations now and what they could look like, including licenses, daily guest registries, and more. 

Learn more about the sponsors of this March 4th episode:

The Frick Pittsburgh

Liberty Magic

Family House

City Theatre 

Pgh Cultural Trust

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

Want more Pittsburgh news? 

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Why are there so many potholes on the streets this time of the year, and what does it take to fill them? What should you do if there's a particularly awful one outside your house? We're revisiting a conversation where host Megan Harris brought all your nebby questions to Bill Crean, deputy director for the city's Department of Public Works. Bill shares the worst neighborhoods for potholes, the weirdest things he's seen during his 40-some years on the job, and tips for making sure the potholes near you get filled.

Call 311 to report a pothole to the city, or use their mobile app. For the county, call 412-350-INFO (4636) or visit CallCenter.AlleghenyCounty.us. If you need to report a hole in a state-owned road, use PennDOT’s Customer Care Center or call 1-800-FIX-ROAD.

And if you don’t know who owns your road, both the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County have maps to help you out.

**This episode originally published on April 7, 2025.

Learn more about the sponsors of this March 3rd episode:

The Frick Pittsburgh

Liberty Magic

Family House

City Theatre 

Pgh Cultural Trust

Your City Could Be Better

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

Want more Pittsburgh news? 

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.

Pittsburgh loves to go all out for St. Patrick's Day, but there's so much to explore this month beyond the big parade and beer crawls. Think theatrical performances about thumb wars and tradwives, the city's hottest seed swap, and self-guided tour of our region's many maple camps. And if you need help deciding which fish fry to drop by during Lent, check out our guide to fish fry season.

If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Pittsburgh community. 

For even more tips on how to make the most of March in Pittsburgh, check out our newsletter's take.

City Cast Pittsburgh's guide to March is made possible by our awesome sponsors, The Frick Pittsburgh, Liberty Magic, Family House, City Theatre , and Pgh Cultural Trust. And City Cast Pittsburgh is also powered by our members, who enjoy an ad-free version of the show. Find out more about how to become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh.

We're hiring! City Cast Pittsburgh is looking for an Audience Development Manager and podcast contributors. Go to citycast.fm/jobs for more information and to apply.

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Reach us at [email protected].

With the NFL Draft coming up in April, Pittsburgh is getting creative with downtown revitalization efforts. To solve the problem of vacant properties and empty storefronts, the city is trying out a new rent abatement program. So, City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Pittsburgh host Megan Harris about why their downtown emptied out, whether this program will bring new businesses downtown for the long-term, and other revitalization plans that are in the works.

Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now! 

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The Pittsburgh Public Schools board is discussing school closures…again. Executive producer Mallory Falk and producer Sophia Lo are with City Cast contributor and TribLive reporter Colin Williams to talk about whether the district will finally make a decision. Plus, they explain why Pine-Richland might reserve its controversial school library policy, and what that says about larger book ban efforts across the country. They also discuss ways to learn about and celebrate local Black history all year long, including attending the premiere of a new documentary about WAMO, and dig into Congresswoman Summer Lee's response to President Trump's State of the Union. Finally, they celebrate a young Pittsburgher who broke the record for Girl Scout cookies sales and went viral in the process.

Notes and references from today’s show:

Learn more about the sponsors of this February 27th episode:

The Frick Pittsburgh

P3R - Use code CITYCAST15 to save 15% off any event registration

Pittsburgh Opera

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

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Tech giants are rushing to build data centers — facilities to house their servers — and Pennsylvania is a mostly willing partner. But is Gov. Josh Shapiro (or our very divided) legislature) waffling on that support? Spotlight PA's Kate Huangpu joins City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri to talk about lawmakers' evolving views on data centers and whether we should be giving them tax breaks.
Want to learn more? Read Kate's reporting and check out our episode on PA's data center boom.

Learn more about the sponsors of this February 26th episode:

The Frick Pittsburgh

P3R - Use code CITYCAST15 to save 15% off any event registration

Pittsburgh Opera

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

Want more Pittsburgh news? 

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.

Rivers Casino is a destination — usually for slots, table games, and events. But City Cast contributor and dining critic Hal B. Klein argues it’s also for food. He’s with host Megan Harris talking about a months-long challenge to eat at all the casino's restaurants for the Post-Gazette, and he’s sharing what each of them is best at, from legitimately great burgers and broccolini to confusingly terrible rice.

Learn more about the sponsors of this February 25th episode:

The Frick Pittsburgh

P3R

Pittsburgh Opera

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

Want more Pittsburgh news? 

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.