City Cast Pittsburgh

City Cast Pittsburgh

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City Cast Pittsburgh episodes

  • Tornado at the Zoo, Pirates Power Couple & Ketchup Bottle Controversy

    More tornadoes are sweeping through our region – including five this weekend – so why don’t we have a better alert system? Can an exciting new pitcher with a TikTok-famous girlfriend attract new Pirates fans? And why is the Heinz History Center in a pickle after putting a giant ketchup bottle on display? Plus, we’ve got a fun survey for PA pet owners!

    We always cite our sources:

    • Gen Z and Millennials spend thousands of dollars on their pets each year, and Pennsylvania residents really splurge on their dogs.
    • Pittsburgh’s gotten more tornadoes than usual this year, and we could see an even greater increase because of climate change. But Allegheny, Westmoreland, and Washington counties don’t have many tornado sirens to alert residents.
    • Could the Pirates new pitcher and his athlete-influencer girlfriend renew interest in baseball and bring in more fans?
    • The Heinz History Center made its case to keep up the 52-foot ketchup bottle at a recent city zoning board meeting.
    • The Bloomfield development could be back on the table, but the apartments might not be included in the final plans.
    • Check out our show for more: The Bloomfield Development Setback, Explained 
    • 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
      • Why Is Allentown So Goth?

        What makes a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, and what does it take to reinvent one after it declines? Over the last decade, Allentown has been reborn thanks to generous support from fellow small business leaders and neighbors eager to see their main street come back to life. And the new folks? They’ve got a decidedly different way of looking at the world. Today we’re talking about the goth kids, the misfits, and the metal heads, and why they say the hilltop has been the perfect place to set up shop.

        Thanks to our guests, Kelly Braden — night market organizer and owner of Grim Wizard Coffee and The Weeping Glass — and Zak Bellante, owner of Death Comes Lifting. They recommended a bunch of great places in Pittsburgh’s Allentown neighborhood, including:

        • Grim Wizard Coffee
        • The Weeping Glass
        • Dr. Tumblety’s
        • Death Comes Lifting
        • Puvithel 
        • Alla Famiglia
        • Onion Maiden (pop-up only)
        • Leon's Caribbean
        • Star Mind Shop
        • Inner Groove Brewing
        • Bottlerocket Social Hall
        • North Ave Candles
        • Soil Sisters Plant Nursery
        • The Open Road
        • 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 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
            • Troy Polamalu, Park Priorities and a North Side Horse Runs Free

              It’s the Friday news roundup! A North Side horse took a river plunge this week, and the state DCNR wants you to weigh in on the next five years in park investments. Plus, few sports legends are headed back to the Burgh for a new fundraiser for the Neighborhood Resilience Project, and we’re pouring one out for all of you who bought tickets to the Sudden Little Thrills music festival. (We’re looking at you, Sophia.)

              We always cite our sources:

              • The Pittsburgh Scanner X account had the play-by-play on a horse that escaped and took a dip in the Ohio River.
              • Learn more about the DCNR’s five-year plan, their access map, and take their survey through May 22. 
              • Snag tickets to the Resilience Bowl here.
              • Fr. Paul Abernathy’s work with the Neighborhood Resilience Project started over a decade ago. Learn more about his work in the Hill District and big plans for the future.
              • Friend of the pod Armin Samii shared a video on X of the cyclist recently hit on Smallman Street. 
              • Hear Monday’s pod on how the city needs your help to better track close calls and accidents: How Can Pittsburgh End Traffic Deaths?
              • Learn more about our sponsor: 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.

                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.

                28 min
              • Does Shake Shack Belong in the Strip District?

                Shake Shack is set to open May 20, and there’s been a lot of debate about whether the Strip District can keep its character with so many national chains moving in. We’re revisiting some of your opinions on The Terminal and its newest burger chain, plus the team is sharing a few new and departing restaurants to round out your week.

                Check out our tour of Jackworth Ginger Beer here: Pittsburgh’s Booze History, Favorite Cocktails & A Spicy New Brewery

                Learn more about our sponsor: 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.

                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.

                22 min
              • Renting in Pittsburgh? Here’s What You Need to Know

                If you're looking for a place to rent, the time is now! Adam DiBuo with Neighborhood Legal Services says this late Spring, early Summer period is the peak time for moving into a rental here in Pittsburgh, and he’s sharing an essential checklist to help you sort through the details before you sign a lease – plus, stick around for what to do if things with your landlord ever go south.

                Learn more about our sponsor: 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.

                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.

                  23 min
                • Your Guide to Speaking Pittsburghese

                  After living in Pittsburgh for more than a decade, host Megan Harris is giving herself a challenge: learn how to say one sentence in a convincing Pittsburgh accent. Actor, voice coach, and speech teacher Don Wadsworth is here to provide a Pittsburghese lesson and break down what exactly makes the dialect so distinct.

                  **This episode originally published on November 7, 2023.

                  Learn more about our sponsors:

                  • It’s almost time for the 25th Mattress Factory Garden Party. It’s an epic annual fundraiser and costume party, and the theme this year is MAKE/BELIEVE. Get your tickets now for Friday, June 7 at mattress.org.
                  • And 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.
                  • 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.

                      17 min
                    • How Can Pittsburgh End Traffic Deaths?

                      Earlier this year, city officials committed to a plan called Vision Zero, a promise to completely eliminate traffic deaths. Just a few weeks later, a cyclist died after being hit downtown. So what will it take to make Pittsburgh safer for people on our roads? City Cast Pittsburgh’s Megan Harris & Mallory Falk are pulling from a bunch of past episodes — and their own experiences — to explain why it’s so hard to catalog a road injury, how using 311 could help, and what city planners hope to do about new and known problems all over town.

                      Are you a bike person? Check out a few of our previous shows and roundups:

                      • Will More Traffic Calming Money Make Pittsburgh Safer?
                      • City Cats, When To Call 311 & Wins for Monroeville and the South Hills
                      • Who Will Respect Bike Lanes If Even Police Won't?
                      • How To Get a Free Bike Light in Pittsburgh
                      • Gear Up for Pittsburgh's Best Biking Events
                      • Pittsburgh’s Best Bike Shops
                      • Learn more about our sponsors:

                        • It’s almost time for the 25th Mattress Factory Garden Party. It’s an epic annual fundraiser and costume party, and the theme this year is MAKE/BELIEVE. Get your tickets now for Friday, June 7 at mattress.org.
                        • And 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.
                        • 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.

                            25 min
                          • From City Cast Denver: Introducing ‘Lauren Boebert Can’t Lose’

                            Hey there! We are excited to share the trailer for a new special limited series from our friends and colleagues at City Cast Denver. If you’re a fan of what we do at City Cast, you’ll want to check it out:


                            You’ve probably heard a story about Congresswoman Lauren Boebert. Like, how she got kicked out of a production of “Beetlejuice” for vaping and groping her date. Or, that time she heckled President Biden during his State of the Union address. Throughout it all, she keeps winning elections and amassing followers, so it’s hard not to watch her meteoric rise and wonder: What does it mean for the future of American Politics?


                            Host Bree Davies and Executive Producer Paul Karolyi have been covering Boebert’s wildest moments on City Cast Denver for years. And with only a month until her make-or-break primary on June 25, they’re talking to former friends and rivals, supporters and detractors, real people throughout Colorado who have been affected by her work in Congress, and hopefully Lauren herself. 


                            It’s a new limited series from City Cast, because no matter how you feel about her, you have to admit, it feels like Lauren Boebert Can’t Lose.


                            Subscribe to Lauren Boebert Can’t Lose wherever you get your podcasts. Our first episode drops on May 15.

                            3 min
                          • Stormy Daniels, Open Streets & Pittsburgh Books We Can’t Put Down

                            It’s the Friday news roundup! Ben Roethlisberger is being talked about in connection with Donald Trump’s first criminal trial, and it’s not the first time the former Steelers QB has faced unsavory allegations. There’s a ton of literary love coming to our city this weekend via the Pittsburgh Festival of Books, and we’re recommending a few by local authors. Plus, a few last minute ideas ahead of Mother's Day.

                            Come see us at Open Streets tomorrow on East Carson between 19th and 21st! If you show us you’re a subscriber, you’ll get a sticker. Plus, we’ll have the mics open and we’re giving away a few memberships. 

                            We always cite our sources:

                            • Politico’s tracking all of former President Donald Trump’s criminal cases, including the hush money trial. 
                            • Stormy Daniels took the stand during Trump’s trial this week and talked about her alleged sexual encounter with him – and how she met former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
                            • Roethlisberger has been accused of sexual assault twice – including an incident in Georgia where the responding police officer allegedly berated the accuser.
                            • The Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books is taking place this Saturday, May 11 at the Pittsburgh Theological Center in East Liberty. 
                            • Ever wonder why the East End is flatter than the rest of Pittsburgh? It all goes back to rivers. 
                            • One of the Heinz ketchup bottles is in hot water again.
                            • Learn more about our sponsor! It’s almost time for the 25th Mattress Factory Garden Party. It’s an epic annual fundraiser and costume party, and the theme this year is MAKE/BELIEVE. Get your tickets now for Friday, June 7 at mattress.org.

                              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
                            • 6 Food Festivals to Kick Off Your Pittsburgh Summer

                              The City Cast inbox has been flooded with events and festivals, and we’re highlighting a few that we’re especially excited about. Whether you love Greek food, mac and cheese, strawberries, or beer, there’s probably a weekend for it! We’re chatting through a bunch of early summer events to put on your calendar for May and June.

                              Learn more about our sponsor! It’s almost time for the 25th Mattress Factory Garden Party. It’s an epic annual fundraiser and costume party, and the theme this year is MAKE/BELIEVE. Get your tickets now for Friday, June 7 at mattress.org.

                              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. 

                              22 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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