City Cast Pittsburgh

We're officially halfway through Season 2 of "The Pitt," HBO Max's breakout medical drama, and the Pittsburgh references and Easter eggs keep on coming. (Some are more questionable than others. A date-worthy art gallery at 40th and Butler? Sir, this is a Wendy's.) City Cast's Megan Harris, Mallory Falk, and Sophia Lo are sharing what we love so far, where the show falls short, and where we think this season's confirmed couple would go on a date.

Don't miss our takes on Season 1 and our predictions for this season. We're still waiting on the furries!

Learn more about the sponsors of this February 24th episode:

The Frick Pittsburgh

P3R

Pittsburgh Opera

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It feels like ICE agents are everywhere, conducting “snatch and grabs” off the street, raiding small businesses like restaurants, and intercepting people at their jobs, schools, and court proceedings. Host Megan Harris is with the founder of Frontline Dignity, Jaime Martinez, to talk about what’s going on in Pittsburgh right now, what happens when someone is taken, and their odds of coming home. Martinez also shares a condensed version of Frontline Dignity’s popular rapid response training, where hundreds of Pittsburghers have learned how to spot ICE, what questions to ask, and who to call for help.

Want to join Frontline Dignity's growing network? Attend a training first! They fill up quickly, but you can be the first to know about them and federal enforcement operations by following Frontline Dignity on Instagram.

Learn more about the sponsors of this February 23rd episode:

The Frick Pittsburgh

P3R

Pittsburgh Opera

Living Memory

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

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Everyone’s talking about AI these days, including Pittsburghers. And now, more data centers are popping up across the country, thanks in part to the AI revolution. But some cities are stemming the tide, including Madison, Wisconsin, who recently passed a one-year moratorium on new data center construction. City Cast CEO David Plotz feels strongly that this was the wrong choice! He’s sitting down with City Cast Madison podcast host Bianca Martin to weigh the pros and cons of data centers, and debate the economic, ethical, and ecological considerations at the heart of this debate. Plus, David and Bianca share must-know tips for making it in Madison and DC. 

We also mentioned this City Cast Madison episode.

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

We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter

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Will this be the year Pennsylvania legalizes recreational cannabis? City Cast's Megan Harris and Sophia Lo are with contributor and TribLive reporter Colin Williams to talk about why the commonwealth is so far behind its neighbors and what local lawmakers can realistically do about it. There’s good and bad news at the airport, more “snatch and grabs” by ICE, and new events for the NFL Draft. And we’re sharing what we know so far about Sidney Crosby's injury at the Winter Olympics. Plus, Megan's SO GRATEFUL for everyone who’s been in our DMs with more insights about recent shows. Thank you especially to everyone for your fish fry recommendations! 

Notes and references from today’s show:

If you enjoyed today's interview with The Westmoreland's Director of Learning, Engagement & Partnerships, Erica Nuckles, learn more here.

Learn more about the sponsors of this February 19th episode:

Heinz History Center

Living Memory

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

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Here in Pittsburgh, we have so many wonderful museums and cultural institutions. The Heinz History Center and Children's Museum of Pittsburgh even topped the lists for best history museum and best children's museum for USA Today! To help you see all these exhibits, performances, and even sports games, we're revisiting an episode where producer Sophia Lo and executive producer Mallory Falk rounded up discounts to see everything our city has to offer while sticking to your budget. 

The Museums for All map lists the local museums where ACCESS and ACCESS EBT cardholders can get $3 tickets.

Need to grab some food while you’re out? Check out these $10 meals, and if it also happens to be your birthday, make sure you’re signed up for the right rewards programs to get your local birthday freebies.

**This episode originally published September 23, 2024.

Learn more about the sponsors of this February 19th episode:

Heinz History Center

Living Memory

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

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

Allegheny County Council is considering a bill to prohibit county employees from working with ICE agents, including the sheriff’s department and district attorney’s office. It’s not clear whether council has the authority to enforce those rules, but county executive Sara Innamorato says not only will she sign the bill, but that it’s worth a potential lawsuit to try and protect our immigrant neighbors. Host Megan Harris is Downtown with Innamorato talking about how the county has been working with federal agencies in the midst of ICE, how her office plans for worst-case scenarios, and why it’s up to individual school districts, hospital systems, and municipalities to save themselves if they want to keep DHS out of their facilities. Plus, Innamorato explains a yet-to-be-announced executive order to help make child care more affordable, an ambitious new order to better streamline options to buy a home in Allegheny County — including establishing its own land bank — our likelihood for landslides this spring, and she also breaks a little news: that the county is already in talks with the Steelers about using taxpayer money to fund upgrades to Acrisure, and/or helping fund an entirely new facility to replace the stadium, which opened in 2001. We’d need a roof to land a coveted Super Bowl; Innamorato says “that’s probably out of the budget.”

Learn more about the sponsors of this February 18th episode:

Heinz History Center

Living Memory

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

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

Fish fry season kicks off this week! Whether or not you observe Lent, it's one of the most social and delicious times of year in Pittsburgh. With so many fish fries to choose from all around town
 — in church basements, fire halls, and community spaces — how do you decide where to go? And how can you ensure you have the optimal fish fry experience? Axios Pittsburgh's Ryan Deto helped put together a fish fry bracket. He joins host Megan Harris to talk about the top contenders and share pro-tips and etiquette tips for making the most of the season.

Looking for a comprehensive list of Pittsburgh's fish fries? Check out the 2026 Pittsburgh Lenten Fish Fry Map.

Check out the 2026 Lenten Fish Fry Map for an extremely comp

Learn more about the sponsors of this February 17th episode:

Heinz History Center

Living Memory

City Charter High School

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

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All eyes have been on the Twin Cities lately, including Pittsburghers’. Operation Metro Surge is reportedly ending in Minnesota, with the withdrawal of immigration agents expected over the next week. Over the last two months, though, residents of the Twin Cities have organized a range of local collective action efforts including protests, mutual aid, and monitoring ICE — and they’ve done it quickly. In this inaugural episode of “Your City Could Be Better,” City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Twin Cities podcast host Sean McPherson about how his community self-organized, why these networks have been so successful, and what other cities can take away from Minnesotans’ response to Operation Metro Surge. Plus, we have a D.C. vs. Twin Cities face-off on local cultural norms.

We also mentioned this episode of City Cast Twin Cities.

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

We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter

Looking to advertise on Your City Could Be Better? Check out our options.

It’s Friday the 13th! And it’s not clear what that portends for Pittsburgh. Fear about increased ICE activity is creeping into everything from county government to the governor’s race. City Cast’s Mallory Falk and Megan Harris are with contributor Colin Williams talking about what we know, plus how the agency is quietly leasing new space all over the commonwealth. Stick around for street trees, PG updates, a new proposal to improve city snow removal, how an Allegheny County congressman eluded a grand jury indictment, a Carnegie International preview, and more.

Check out our new City Cast podcast "Your City Could Be Better" on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted by our CEO David Plotz, this week's inaugural episode features the host of City Cast Twin Cities talking about how Minneapolis and St. Paul mobilized so quickly and broadly against a months-long ICE operation.

Notes and references from today’s show:

Learn more about the sponsors of this February 13th episode:

Heinz History Center

AIDS Free Pittsburgh

Family House

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

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

Need a last-minute Valentine's Day gift or just want to show yourself some love? A spa day is a great way to cure the blues that come with Pittsburgh's gray skies. The City Cast Pittsburgh team is rounding up some of the treatments we've tried around the city and planning our next self-care splurges. We're talking about mud wraps, massages, saunas, facials, LED red light therapy, and more. 

Did we miss your favorite spa treatment? Swear by LED therapy? Let us know how you relax! Call or text the SPA DAY HOTLINE at 412-212-8893.

Learn more about the sponsors of this February 12th episode:

AIDS Free Pittsburgh

Family House

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.