City Cast Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh lost more than half its population since peaking in the 1950s, 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 sponsor of this Monday, July 6th episode:

Woodward Summer Camps

**This episode originally published on January 26, 2026. 

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See if your Pittsburgh knowledge serves you well! In the first-ever Your City Could Be Better trivia episode, City Cast CEO David Plotz goes head to head with journalist and historian Alexandra Petri to see who knows more about U.S. history, geography, and celebrities ahead of the country’s semiquincentennial. Sean McPherson, trivia wiz and City Cast Twin Cities host, leads four riveting rounds of questions covering everything from The Declaration of Independence to the hottest college rivalries, and all 13 City Cast cities make an appearance. See how you stack up!

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If the hot weather has you considering a dip in the Allegheny, Mon, or Ohio, take heed! City Cast contributor Meg St-Esprit joins host Megan Harris to answer, once and for all, whether it's actually safe to swim in Pittsburgh's rivers. We're also talking about the curfews, chaperone policies, and restrictions making it harder for teens to exist and public, and sharing some fun events and attractions for the train nerds among us — including a special chance to see the world's largest operating steam locomotive.

Notes and references from today’s show:

We're hiring! 

Learn more about the sponsor of this Thursday, July 3rd episode:

Woodward Summer Camps

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

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There's a heatwave, but there's also no shortage of things to do in Pittsburgh! City Cast's Megan Harris, Sophia Lo, and Francesca Dabecco are making their bucket lists with help from Francesca's newly published book, 100 Things to Do in Pittsburgh Before You Die. We're also talking about the most refreshing drinks to keep you cool all summer, a goodbye party for a century plant at Phipps, and a book crawl with 30+ stops. Plus, if you're thinking about taking a day trip, check out our guide to Erie.

For even more tips on how to make the most of July in Pittsburgh, check out our website.

City Cast Pittsburgh's guide to July is made possible by our awesome sponsor, Woodward Summer Camps. And City Cast Pittsburgh is also powered by our members, who enjoy an ad-free version of the show. Find out more about how to become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh.

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Ever wonder how exactly our city employees are using AI…and whether there are safeguards in place to make sure these tools are being used safely? How exactly will artificial intelligence shape our city's workforce in the coming years? In the second episode in our two-part series about Pittsburgh's biggest challenges on the eve of America's 250th anniversary, Technical.ly Pittsburgh's Alice Crow joins host Megan Harris to talk about why our city government abandoned ChatGPT, the local jobs that AI isn't taking (yet), and why the future of our local labor market may depend less on the technology than the policies we build around it.

This story is part of a Pittsburgh Media Partnership collaborative reporting project exploring how Southwestern Pennsylvania communities are marking America’s 250th anniversary — and how local history continues to shape civic life today. Technical.ly, City Cast Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh’s Public Source teamed up to explore the region’s economic horizons.

Learn more about the sponsors of this Tuesday, July 1st episode:

Woodward Summer Camps

Pittsburgh CLO

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Pittsburgh is getting ready to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, and we’re partnering with Public Source and Technical.ly to explore some of our city’s biggest challenges in the years ahead. In the first episode in a two-part series, Public Source's Mia Hollie joins host Megan Harris to talk about the region's data center boom, whether we can do a better job holding onto tech startups, and the surprising connection between a 1920s household robots and Pittsburgh's AI future.
This story is part of a Pittsburgh Media Partnership collaborative reporting project exploring how Southwestern Pennsylvania communities are marking America’s 250th anniversary — and how local history continues to shape civic life today. Technical.ly, City Cast Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh’s Public Source teamed up to explore the region’s economic horizons.

Learn more about the sponsors of this Monday, June 29th episode:

Woodward Summer Camps

Athens County Visitors Bureau

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Just how good are the sidewalks in Pittsburgh? The state of a city’s sidewalks can be a good indicator of how healthy that city is — and pedestrian safety is just the beginning. In Denver, voters approved a new fee a few years ago to fund much-needed sidewalk repairs, and after a lot of back-and-forth, those repairs are finally underway. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Denver podcast host Bree Davies about what drove this initiative, how it’s going, and who’s paying for it. And speaking of sidewalks, do bikes, scooters, and people playing music belong on public sidewalks?

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Pennsylvania's state Supreme Court ruled that skill games — like those poker machines you see at gas stations — are effectively the same as gambling. City Cast's Megan Harris, Sophia Lo, and contributor and City Paper managing editor Colin Williams are talking about how and why Pittsburgh's city council is jumping in to set regulations before state legislators make their move. We're also explaining how Pittsburgh accrued 10,000 trash complaints and our history of creative (questionable?) solutions for dealing with excess garbage. Plus, the Hoffman Group officially bought the Penguins, the Citizen Science Lab celebrated a new home, and the Pittsburgh Passion are vying for their fourth national championship. 

And in today's members-only bonus segment, we're sharing some hacks for making the most out of Anthrocon, Pittsburgh's premiere furry conference, which is open to all! 

Party with us on the Andy Warhol Bridge! The county is hosting a 100th birthday party for the Warhol Bridge and we're emceeing. Join us on Saturday, June 27 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. More details here.

Notes and references from today’s show:

Learn more about the sponsors of this Friday, June 26th episode:

AIDS Free PGH

The Frick Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh CLO

Quantum Theatre

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

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Pittsburgh's going all out for America250! We've got a Ferris Wheel on the North Side, a free Nelly and Third Eye Blind concert, and of course, the city's annual fireworks display, which is run by a company from Western Pennsylvania. But they're not the only fireworks team in town. We're bringing back a conversation from host Megan Harris and executive producer Mallory Falk, where we take a deep dive into the the birthplace and backstories of Zambelli, Pyrotecnico, and Starfire — and how our region became a hotbed for three of the largest U.S. fireworks makers in the world.

**This episode originally aired July 2, 2024.

Learn more about the sponsors of this Thursday, June 25th episode:

AIDS Free PGH

The Frick Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh CLO

Quantum Theatre

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. 

Pittsburgh’s Independence Day celebration may have moved from Point State Park to the North Shore, but you can still expect some really big booms — and the company in charge this year is from Western Pennsylvania. But they’re not the only game in town! City Cast Pittsburgh’s Megan Harris and Mallory Falk are talking about the birthplace and backstories of Zambelli, Pyrotecnico, and Starfire — and how our region became a hotbed for three of the largest U.S. fireworks makers in the world.

Tired of sitting in traffic? Try biking instead! But if you need a pep talk to get on the road with all those cars, we're here to help. We're bringing back executive producer Mallory Falk's conversation with Ted King-Smith, education manager at Bike Pittsburgh, where he's explaining how cyclists can smoothly navigate the city. Plus, he's sharing what bikers and drivers need to know to safely share the road.

Want to put Ted's tips into practice? Bike Pittsburgh is hosting OpenStreetsPGH this Sunday, and they're shutting down roads to car traffic Downtown and in the South Side. The City Cast Pittsburgh crew will be there handing out fun swag, so come say hi!

**This episode originally aired on September 24, 2025.

Learn more about the sponsors of this Wednesday, June 24th episode:

AIDS Free PGH

The Frick Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh CLO

Quantum Theatre

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. 

Warmer weather is on its way, which means it's the perfect time to break out your bike and start taking leisurely rides around Pittsburgh's trails or even commuting on two wheels. But if you aren't sure where to start or are intimidated by car traffic and our hilly streets, we're here to help. Executive producer Mallory Falk is chatting with Ted King-Smith, education manager at Bike Pittsburgh, about how cyclists can smoothly navigate the city. Plus, he's sharing what bikers and drivers need to know to safely share the road.