City Cast Pittsburgh

Depending on where you live, there's anywhere from 10 to 20 inches of snow sitting on the ground. And while you may have been out clearing your sidewalk, for many of us, the streets are still a slippy mess. Both the city and county have declared states of emergency, and the city's tapped in private contractors to help to clear the snow. Host Megan Harris is with City Controller Rachael Heisler, who's been sounding the alarm about our snowplow situation for over a year. She explains what the city's doing now, how we can prevent this from happening again, and whether we have the money to actually buy new equipment.

Learn more about the sponsors of this January 28th episode:

Fulton Commons

The Westmoreland Museum

Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania

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Back in 2016, driverless car developers chose Pittsburgh. We were supposed to be the crucible! If autonomous vehicles could work here, they’d work in any city. Turns out, that challenge was a lot harder than many companies hoped. Host Megan Harris is with Axios’ transportation correspondent Joann Muller to talk about the big companies that have come and gone, how she thinks about their relative safety, and what a new arrival — Waymo! — says about Pittsburgh’s evolving role in the self-driving boom. Plus, what to do if you see a robotaxi Downtown.

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

Fulton Commons

The Westmoreland Museum

Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania

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Pittsburgh's lost more than half its population since our peak in 1950, and our city has more than 20,000 vacant homes. How do we also have a housing crisis? Public Source's Charlie Wolfson joins host Megan Harris to explain why so many houses are sitting empty, what (if anything) the city can do about it, and why our neighbors in Cleveland are doing a much better job turning abandoned houses into affordable homes.

Notes and references from today’s show:

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

Fulton Commons

The Westmoreland Museum

The Ascent by Christopher Walker

Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania

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More than 500 Pittsburghers showed up for a training this week on how to safely witness and respond to ICE activity — including City Cast contributor Meg St-Esprit. She joins host Megan Harris and executive producer Mallory Falk to share what she learned from the newly-formed group Frontline Dignity. Plus, the team discusses AI-generated deepfakes of Mister Rogers, behind-the-scenes scheming to keep the Post-Gazette alive, and a viral KDKA typo.

Get your tickets to The Future of Pittsburgh Journalism, a panel featuring our very own Megan Harris and other local media experts. It's happening next Thursday, Jan. 29 at 5:30 p.m. at the Heinz History Center.

Get your tickets to hear Megan on a panel about the future of Pittsburgh journalism.

Notes and references from today’s show:

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

Pittsburgh Opera

P3R

The Ascent by Christopher Walker

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What has Corey O'Connor been up to during his first month in office? Host Megan Harris sits down with the mayor to hear about new initiatives, tight budgets, and some fresh ideas to revitalize Downtown. Plus, she asks the questions YOU sent in. Listen in for O'Connor's takes on ICE, affordability, dark sky compliance, snow plows, parks, and more.

Learn more about the sponsors of this January 22nd episode:

Pittsburgh Opera

P3R

The Ascent by Christopher Walker

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Looking for a stiff drink? A little quiet time? Want to have a smoke, play a round of darts, and don't mind paying cash? If that sounds like you, you may be a fit for one of Pittsburgh's best dive bars. City Cast Pittsburgh host Megan Harris is in McKees Rocks with career bartenders Aubrey Halliburton and Lisa Considine, co-owners of Lo Bar Cocktail Services and Lo Places Social Club, to talk about why we love their lived-in decor, functional grime, and sometimes surly barkeeps. Plus, how to order something you'll actually like and make a few new friends — IF that's your goal.

Learn more about the sponsors of this January 21st episode:

Pittsburgh Opera

P3R

The Ascent by Christopher Walker

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Pittsburghers love bragging about ourselves. We're the City of Bridges and the City of Champions. But can we really say we have the most bridges? Did we actually invent the rally towel? Do we truly have the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the country? Journalist and City Cast contributor Colin Williams is joining host Megan Harris to set the record straight about Pittsburgh's favorite myths — and celebrate the wins and firsts we can actually claim.

Learn more about the sponsors of this January 20th episode:

Pittsburgh Opera

P3R

The Ascent by Christopher Walker

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Mike Tomlin resigned this week after nearly 20 years with the Steelers. We're talking about his coaching legacy, what went wrong, and what's next for his career and the franchise. Plus, host Megan Harris and producer Sophia Lo are chatting about the PA Farm Show's butter sculpture, super flu, "The Pitt" at the Golden Globes, a new weekend newspaper, space news, and a very strange case of stolen human remains.

Know what happened with the James Street remodel? Call us on our JAMES STREET HOTLINE at 412-212-8893.

Notes and references from today’s show:

Learn more about the sponsors of this January 16th episode:

AIDS Free Pittsburgh

PA Preferred

P3R

Special Olympics

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Hockey is having a big TV moment across the country — not for the sports, but for the gay sex and queer representation on HBO Max’s new breakout series “Heated Rivalry.” The show, which has already been renewed for a second season, is based on a book series by author Rachel Reid, who says portions of its focus were inspired by an imagined rivals-to-lovers relationship between Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby and Washington Capitals winger Alexander Ovechkin. Host Megan Harris is tapping in fans across the City Cast network to talk about why this show has become such a hit and whether Pittsburghers should claim the connection.

Show some love to today's guests, City Cast Seattle creative producer Sam J. Leeds and City Cast DC senior producer Julia Karron.

Notes and references from today’s show:

Learn more about the sponsors of this January 14th episode:

AIDS Free Pittsburgh

PA Preferred

P3R

Special Olympics

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ICE has been in and around Pittsburgh for months, and even though Mayor Corey O'Connor and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato say we won’t work with them, it’s not always clear what that means. Host Megan Harris is with David Harris, Sally Ann Semenko Endowed Chair and professor of law at the University of Pittsburgh, to talk about how federal agents are affecting one of the city’s biggest inflection points in years — and how a new police chief is likely to approach staffing, recruitment, retention, morale, and rebuilding public trust in their wake.

Notes and references from today’s show:

Learn more about the sponsors of this January 14th episode:

AIDS Free Pittsburgh

PA Preferred

P3R

Special Olympics

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

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