City Cast Pittsburgh

City Cast Pittsburgh

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City Cast Pittsburgh episodes

  • Pittsburgh's Dueling Juneteenth Celebrations, Explained

    For years now, there’s been a Juneteenth celebration in Pittsburgh – marking the date when the last enslaved people in this country finally learned that they were free. But this year, the city is also holding its own event. City Council is expected to cast another vote today toward funding both celebrations. Julia Felton, city hall reporter for TribLive, has been following the whole back-and-forth and joins us to explain.

    Check out Julia’s reporting on both Juneteenth celebrations.

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

    Want more Pittsburgh news? 

    • Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter.
    • We’re on Instagram @CityCastPgh.
    • Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893.
    • Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here. 

      18 min
    • Pitt Protest, Park Love & Tips for Rental Disputes

      Our local parks got good marks from a national nonprofit, but they’re throwing us shade in one category. Pro-Palestine protesters were back in Oakland this weekend, and if you’re looking for a new rental or dealing with an iffy landlord, we’ve got some pro-tips to share.

      We always cite our sources:

      • A record number of people showed up to Pittsburgh’s Pride Parade on Saturday, and First Lady Jill Biden also made an appearance.
      • The pro-Palestine encampment returned to Pitt’s campus this weekend, and one person was arrested while trying to deliver food and water to protestors.
      • Pitt Divest put out a statement about the encampment’s return, and social media posts documented the police getting physically violent with protesters and one officer confirming that he had turned off his body camera.
      • Pitt’s chancellor, Joan Gabel, sent out a message to students, faculty and staff in response to the encampment.
      • Weapons experts told CNN that US-made munitions were used in the bombing of a refugee camp in Rafah. President Biden briefly paused weapons shipments to Israel, but the House overturned his decision. 
      • Having issues with your landlord? Just Mediation Pittsburgh offers an alternative to going to court.
      • Pittsburgh’s city parks rank among the nation’s best, and the Pittsburgh Park Conservancy’s Summer Programming Guide has ways to explore them. 
      • Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.

        Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh!

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

        24 min
      • Ranking Pittsburgh’s City Pools

        Later today, Mayor Ed Gainey is announcing which public pools are opening this summer, and since he’ll be hosting his press conference at Bloomfield Beach, we think that’s a good sign for its triumphant return! But if you want to explore more of Pittsburgh’s city pools this summer, you can make your list based off of Jill Terner’s intensely detailed rubric. She’s ranking her favorites so you can make the most of your Pittsburgh poolside summer.

        You can find Jill’s full rankings from last summer in Pittsburgh City Paper.

        Learn more about our sponsor: 

        • The 65th annual Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival takes over the Cultural District in Downtown Pittsburgh from May 31 to June 9. It’s 10 days of free art and music from noon to 9 p.m. daily. Learn more at trustarts.org/TRAF.

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

        Want more Pittsburgh news? 

        • Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter.
        • We’re on Instagram @CityCastPgh.
        • Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893.
        • Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.

          19 min
        • Bus Controversy, New State Slogan & Tips for Tick Season

          It’s the Friday news roundup! City Cast contributor Meg St-Esprit joins executive producer Mallory Falk and producer Sophia Lo to break down Pennsylvania’s new tourism slogan and share some favorite statewide travel spots. Plus we have a bunch of transit updates – including a permanent discount – and tips to prepare for tick season. (It’s expected to be especially bad this year!)

          We always cite our sources:

          • Allegheny County residents who use SNAP benefits will be able to get half-price tickets for PRT rides. 
          • Advocacy groups are raising issues with the current stroller policy on PRT buses because open strollers limit spaces for wheelchair users. 
          • Improvements coming to the Red Line will make T stations more accessible for wheelchair users.
          • Be prepared to check for ticks after outdoor activities and learn how to safely remove them if they’ve taken an unwelcome ride inside.
          • Pennsylvania’s new tourism slogan came with a shiny ad voiced by Broad City actress Abbi Jacobson.
          • Now that data from the Negro Leagues has been incorporated into MLB stats, Pittsburgher Josh Gibson officially has the best batting average. 
          • Check out our interview with Josh Gibson’s great-grandson, Sean Gibson, about his work to get Negro League stats counted alongside white players of the same era. 
          • If you enjoyed the interview with Rivers of Steel Director of Historic Resources and Facilities, Ron Baraff, learn more here.

            WIN SOME MONEY! 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 just seven minutes long, and anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card and City Cast City swag!

            Learn more about our sponsor: 

            • The 65th annual Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival takes over the Cultural District in Downtown Pittsburgh from May 31 to June 9. It’s 10 days of free art and music from noon to 9 p.m. daily. Learn more at trustarts.org/TRAF.

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

            Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh!

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

            33 min
          • Pittsburgh’s Best Coffee Shops From A to (Almost) Z

            In a quest to get to know Pittsburgh better, coffee enthusiast and City Cast Pittsburgh founding member Zach Lucas visited a local coffee shop for every letter of the alphabet. He’s sharing his picks for everything from coziest vibes and the most unusual to the all-around best coffee and tea.

            **This episode originally aired August 10, 2023. 

            WIN SOME MONEY! 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 just seven minutes long, and anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card and City Cast City swag!

            Learn more about our sponsor: 

            • The 65th annual Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival takes over the Cultural District in Downtown Pittsburgh from May 31 to June 9. It’s 10 days of free art and music from noon to 9 p.m. daily. Learn more at trustarts.org/TRAF.

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

            Want more Pittsburgh news? 

            • Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter.
            • We’re on Instagram @CityCastPgh.
            • Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893.
            • Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here. 

              20 min
            • Your Guide to June in Pittsburgh

              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. 

              What’s not to love about summer in Pittsburgh? From camping and berry picking to big celebrations like Pride and Three Rivers Arts Fest, the City Cast Pittsburgh team has a ton of recommendations to help you enjoy June in the Steel City. And if you’ve got some summer weddings on your calendar, check out our recent episode about Pittsburgh cookie tables.

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

              Reach us at [email protected].

              29 min
            • The Rudest Pittsburgh Insults From the Past 200 Years

              Pittsburgh has always had its problems, and complaining about them is one of our favorite sports. But there’s also a long tradition of outsiders coming here — or even just reading about our town — and thinking it’s OK to add their two cents.

              Local writer Virginia Montanez rounded up some of the funniest and most creative insults lobbed at Pittsburgh over two centuries. She joins us to share her favorites and explain why our city drew so much ire from outside writers, newsmakers, and prominent figures.

              Can’t get enough old-timey insults? Check out Virginia’s column for Pittsburgh Magazine.

              **This episode originally published on October 4, 2023

              WIN SOME MONEY! 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 just seven minutes long, and anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card and City Cast City swag!

              Learn more about our sponsor: 

              • The 65th annual Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival takes over the Cultural District in Downtown Pittsburgh from May 31 to June 9. It’s 10 days of free art and music from noon to 9 p.m. daily. Learn more at trustarts.org/TRAF.

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

              Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh!

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

              19 min
            • Birth Control Restrictions, Bickering Media Bros & Free Ginger Beer

              It’s the Friday news roundup! Former president Donald Trump is making waves again after telling KDKA’s Jon Delano that he would restrict birth control, two very powerful twin brothers are bickering over media drama, and multiple people are suing the city and engineering firms after the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse. Plus, if you like ginger beer, we’re sharing a special event where you could snag a free drink.

              We always cite our sources:

              • Former president Donald Trump made an appearance on KDKA-TV and made headlines for his response to a question about restricting contraceptives.
              • The PRT driver who was driving the bus over the Fern Hollow Bridge when it collapsed is suing the city and three engineering firms.
              • The Fern Hollow Bridge was one of the few K-frame bridges left in the state.
              • Allan Block was pushed out as the publisher of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by his twin brother, JR Block.
              • JR Block has made the news for taking a photo with Trump on his private plane during his 2016 presidential campaign and for an incident where he showed up at the Post-Gazette newsroom late one night appearing “both intoxicated and enraged.” Allan Block made the news for slapping a union organizer with a fast food bag. 
              • Looking for some weekend reading? Allan Block was profiled in the Observer in 1999; the article focuses on his saga of traveling from Toledo to New York City to find a wife.
              • The NFL draft is officially coming to Pittsburgh in 2026!
              • The former Irish Centre finally has a new owner, the Phipps Conservatory.
              • WIN SOME MONEY! 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 just seven minutes long, and anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card and City Cast City swag!

                Learn more about our sponsors: 

                • Join AIDS Free Pittsburgh and True T Pittsburgh from 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday, May 30 in Allegheny Commons East Park for the 6th annual Too Hot for July HIV awareness event, including free HIV and STI testing, music, dancing, performances, and more. Visit TooHotForJuly.com.
                • The 65th annual Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival takes over the Cultural District in Downtown Pittsburgh from May 31 to June 9. It’s 10 days of free art and music from noon to 9 p.m. daily. Learn more at trustarts.org/TRAF.
                • Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.

                  Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh!

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

                  27 min
                • Pittsburgh Cookie Table History, Etiquette, Recipes & More

                  Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner, which usually marks the start of wedding season! And there’s no nuptial tradition more beloved around here than the Pittsburgh cookie table. We’re sharing its history, some of our favorite recipes, and as a true act of service, where you can purchase your cookie table cookies if you’re better at buying than baking.

                  Have a favorite cookie table recipe? Let us know what Producer Sophia Lo should bake next! Call or text us at 412-212-8893.

                  We always cite our sources:

                  • Pittsburgh has a long history with the cookie table, and they could even make an appearance at church socials, game nights, and PTA meetings.
                  • There’s been proposals for Pennsylvania to have an office state cookie.
                  • Wondering what treats people love to see on cookie tables? The Pittsburgh subreddit has weighed in.
                  • City Paper rounded up some bakeries in Pittsburgh where you can order cookies for your cookie table.
                  • WIN SOME MONEY! 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 just seven minutes long, and anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card and City Cast City swag!

                    Learn more about our sponsors: 

                    • Join AIDS Free Pittsburgh and True T Pittsburgh from 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday, May 30 in Allegheny Commons East Park for the 6th annual Too Hot for July HIV awareness event, including free HIV and STI testing, music, dancing, performances, and more. Visit TooHotForJuly.com.
                    • The 65th annual Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival takes over the Cultural District in Downtown Pittsburgh from May 31 to June 9. It’s 10 days of free art and music from noon to 9 p.m. daily. Learn more at trustarts.org/TRAF.
                    • Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.

                      Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh!

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

                      25 min
                    • How to Celebrate Pride in Pittsburgh

                      Pride Month might officially be June, but the festivities here in Pittsburgh kick off Memorial Day weekend. Dena Stanley, one of the co-founders of the Pittsburgh Pride Group, is here to give a preview of the Bigger, Gayer Picniq and what to expect as the party gets started. Plus, learn more about the QMNTY Center’s role in creating a safe space for LGBTQ+ people and youth.

                      WIN SOME MONEY! 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 just seven minutes long, and anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card and City Cast City swag!

                      Learn more about our sponsors: 

                      • Join AIDS Free Pittsburgh and True T Pittsburgh from 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday, May 30 in Allegheny Commons East Park for the 6th annual Too Hot for July HIV awareness event, including free HIV and STI testing, music, dancing, performances, and more. Visit TooHotForJuly.com.
                      • The 65th annual Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival takes over the Cultural District in Downtown Pittsburgh from May 31 to June 9. It’s 10 days of free art and music from noon to 9 p.m. daily. Learn more at trustarts.org/TRAF.
                      • Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.

                        21 min

                      About City Cast Pittsburgh

                      From the publisher's feed

                      Join Megan Harris and the City Cast Pittsburgh team every weekday morning for a fast-paced daily news podcast that will get you talking and make you question what’s going on here in Western…

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