City Cast Pittsburgh

By City CastSociety & Culture News Daily News

City Cast Pittsburgh episodes

May 08, 2024The Hidden Racist History of Some Pittsburgh Neighborhoods
If you own an old home, there might be offensive language in your deed barring Black people from owning the property. It’s called a racial covenant, and even though this language isn’t enforceable anymore, it’s still on the books in the subdivisions of at least a few Pittsburgh neighborhoods — and especially in our suburbs. Local writer and historian David Rotenstein joins us to talk about what got us here — and a new law that could help homeowners address these ugly remnants of the past.
You can read David’s reporting on racial covenants in PublicSource and Pittsburgh City Paper.
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 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
May 07, 2024Animal Naming Contests, Loan Forgiveness & Bonus Marathon Money
The Pittsburgh Marathon may be over, but street closures for 2024 foot races are just getting started. If you were an Art Institute of Pittsburgh student, you might qualify for student loan forgiveness. And City Cast producer Sophia Lo has the latest on local baby animal names, plus one unfortunate penguin eulogy.
We always cite our sources:
Check out all the winners from the 2024 Pittsburgh Marathon weekend of events here.
Former students at The Art Institutes will be eligible for a little over $6 billion in debt forgiveness.
About 2,000 students were taking in-person and online classes at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh when it closed in 2019.
A “lucky” baby eagle nesting at U.S. Steel’s Irvin plant was recently named by committee, with every vote worth a donation to the Tamarack Wildlife Center. Thanks to the U.S. Steel bald eagle cam, you can check on the nest 24/7.
The National Aviary’s first ever African penguin recently died.
And the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club is looking for names for Phil and Phyllis’ two groundhog pups. You have until Thursday to weigh in.
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.
20 min
May 06, 2024What Does Pittsburgh Smell Like?
On its bad days, Pittsburgh has some weird smells – rotten eggs, from pollution along the Mon Valley. That urine scent from all the ginkgo trees. And sometimes when it rains, it smells like wet dog. But these aren’t the scents that local perfume makers think should define the city. We’re bringing back a conversation with City Cast’s Elizabeth Kauma… to talk about a few Pittsburgh scents that hit all the right notes.
We always cite our sources:
We spoke with artisanal perfumer Darren Alan, fragrance journalist Patric Rhys, and Scott Kindberg, the artist behind 5:55 Perfumery. Another local perfumer we mention is 837 North.
Local journalist Patric Rhys covered the history of fragrance.
Loved this episode about scents? Learn more about high-end perfume from Articles of Interest.
Niche fragrance is a growing market and has become a billion-dollar industry.
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 on Instagram @CityCastPgh.
Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893.
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
21 min
May 03, 2024Pride Moves, ShotSpotter Expands & Self-Driving Trucks Hit the Highway
It’s the Friday news roundup! Change is in store for some big summer events: Pride is moving back to the North Side, and the city isn’t sponsoring the annual Juneteenth celebration at Point State Park. Plus, Pittsburgh is expanding the controversial ShotSpotter technology into a new neighborhood, and a local company is sending self-driving tractor trailers onto a Texas highway.
We always cite our sources:
Pittsburgh Pride organizers told KDKA-TV that they’re moving back to the North Side after they were denied access to Point State Park, but the state claims they didn’t submit a completed application.
The news outlet QBurgh, which is part of the Pride planning group, says it has filed complaints with the state’s LGBTQ Commission over “institutional barriers.”
Juneteenth is still taking place at Point State Park, but the city is not sponsoring it this year, and the Black Musical Festival has been canceled.
The Pittsburgh-based company Aurora Innovation will be putting self-driving tractor trailers on the road later this year – but for now, only on I-45 in Texas.
Pittsburgh City Council approved a contract expansion with the company behind ShotSpotter; the technology will now be installed in Carrick.
Don’t miss our episode about ShotSpotter, and PublicSource’s primer on Pittsburgh’s history with the controversial technology
Check out the lineup for Allegheny County’s free summer concert series at South Park and Hartwood Acres
We talked about the Steelers’ report card on a previous show; players had gripes about a lot of things, including their training facility. Now the space has received a major upgrade.
Sign up to meet the team and celebrate women’s role in journalism at the Heinz History Center this Sunday, May 5.
Learn more about our sponsor, the Pittsburgh Opera. They’re presenting The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson through May 5 at the Byham Theater.
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.
34 min
May 02, 2024Your Etiquette Guide to Pittsburgh Farmers Markets
The Bloomfield Saturday Market is back this weekend! And in addition to being a go-to spot for fresh produce, fancy cheese, homemade pies, and more, it’s also a resource for customers and vendors at any bustling market to learn how to be a good neighbor and get the most from your selling and shopping experience. The City Cast team is asking all your burning questions: Is there a right way to walk through it? Is it appropriate to ask vendors for recipes? Should you haggle for your tomato? Christina Howell, executive director of the Bloomfield Development Corporation and former market manager, is here to share some farmers market etiquette ahead of opening day.
The Bloomfield Saturday Market happens weekly May 4 through November 16, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Here’s a full list of vendors. Find more about market season elsewhere in the city here.
**This episode originally published on May 4, 2023.
Learn more about our sponsor, the Pittsburgh Opera. They’re presenting The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson through May 5 at the Byham Theater.
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
May 01, 2024 Your Guide to May 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.
The sun is out, flowers are in bloom, and the City Cast Pittsburgh team has tons of recommendations to help you take advantage of the beautiful weather. From farmers markets to music fests, we’re bringing you the best tips and suggestions for enjoying May in the Steel City. And if you’re looking for even more outdoor activities, don’t miss our recent episode about how to forage mushrooms in Pittsburgh.
For even more tips on how to make the most of May in Pittsburgh, check out Hey Pittsburgh’s take on what to do this month.
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
Reach us at [email protected]
33 min
April 30, 2024Cicada Myths, Free Museum Tix & Kennywood Lawsuit
Kennywood is open, and it might be in legal trouble. We’re digging into the new lawsuit from a disgruntled season passholder. Host Megan Harris explains why we don’t need to worry about trillions of cicadas – or their zombies – in our area, but we do need to watch for lanternflies. Plus, producer Sophia Lo shares fun new ways to enjoy a bunch of shows and museums for free all summer long.
We always cite our sources:
The NFL Draft always features fun videos of students celebrating, and occasionally lamenting, their new employers. Philly’s WTTW Podcast shared a particularly funny one this year.
Someone’s suing Kennywood over the Steel Curtain’s closure, and his lawyer argues that people aren’t getting their season pass value if this major roller coaster isn’t running.
Two broods of periodic cicadas are coming above ground this year, but you won’t see them in Pittsburgh.
Learn more about a fungus affecting periodical cicada broods all over the nation. Scientists from our region were hopeful some of that fungus could be useful for pharmaceuticals someday!
Them reported it like this: “A Sexually Transmitted Fungus Is Making Trillions of Cicadas Hypersexual and Gay”
It’s almost spotted lanternfly season, but you can squash egg masses before the bugs hatch.
RAD is launching a summer staycation program where you can book free tickets to some of Pittsburgh’s museums starting May 1.
Pittsburgh CLO’s summer shows and schedules have been announced.
The student-led Gaza solidarity encampment is coming to a close, but organizers still plan to pressure the university to divest from Israel.
Learn more about our sponsor, the Pittsburgh Opera. They’re presenting The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson, April 27 through May 5, at the Byham Theater.
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
April 29, 2024Pipeline Spills, Whistleblowing & Why Shell is Facing Criminal Charges
Beaver County’s Shell cracker makes nurdles — those lentil-sized pellets that become our plastics — but the glowing, riverfront facility is just the part we can see. There’s a 97-mile underground pipeline that delivers its raw materials, and state investigators say its construction led to thousands of gallons of hazardous drilling mud spills in all three Pennsylvania counties it passes through. The Allegheny Front’s Reid Frazier explains why whistleblowers came forward, what the Attorney General’s office found, and how these 13 misdemeanor criminal charges could play out in court.
Learn more about our sponsor, the Pittsburgh Opera. They’re presenting The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson, April 27 through May 5, at the Byham Theater.
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.
21 min
April 26, 2024Uncommitted Votes, Low Turnout & More Election Takeaways
It’s the Friday news roundup, election edition! City Cast contributor Natalie Bencivenga joins host Megan Harris to talk about the winners and losers, what a few of those victories may tell us about what’s coming in November, and why we should be paying attention to all those write-ins, even if we never get a full or complete accounting of everything they said.
We always cite our sources:
Allegheny County election results
SpotlightPA has great info on the candidates for attorney general.
More than 60,000 voters statewide chose the write-in option in the Democratic presidential primary, but we may not get a complete count of how many people voted “uncommitted” because of the way Philadelphia tallies write-ins.
Learn more about our sponsors:
City of Asylum is hosting International Jazz Poetry Month from May 2 – 23 at Alphabet City.
The Pittsburgh Opera is presenting The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson, April 27 through May 5, at the Byham Theater.
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
April 25, 2024Coffee, Corn Dogs & The Latest on Manchester’s Freeman Family Farm
Starting a new independent community grocery is tough business, but Manchester’s own Lisa Freeman felt it was a calling. She’s been farming a little lot on Juniata Street since 2014, and is almost to her goal of opening up shop in June. We’re catching up on her vision for the neighborhood, plus getting a taste of what’s new and delicious in the East End, on the South Side, and even along our dreaded McKnightmare.
We want to know: Where is your favorite ice cream shop in Pittsburgh? Why do you love it? Email us or leave a voicemail at 412-212-8893 with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the podcast!
Learn more about our sponsors:
City of Asylum is hosting International Jazz Poetry Month from May 2 – 23 at Alphabet City.
The Pittsburgh Opera is presenting The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson, April 27 through May 5, at the Byham Theater.
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

About City Cast Pittsburgh

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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…