The Confluence

On today’s episode of The Confluence:

The state House has passed a budget after Gov. Josh Shapiro reversed his position on school vouchers, a program many Republicans support. We speak to a roundtable of reporters covering Pennsylvania politics about the latest among state government.

Today’s guests include: Marc Levy, who reports on government and politics for the Associated Press; Gillian McGoldrick, reporter covering state government for the Philadelphia Inquirer; and Justin Sweitzer, managing editor with City & State PA.

On today’s episode of The Confluence:

According to the new data released by the county, overdose deaths in 2022 declined by about 5%, or 30 deaths, compared to 2021. There were 689 fatalities last year due to drug overdoses. Dr. Karl Williams, Allegheny County’s chief medical examiner, joins us to discuss the trends in drug overdose deaths, which make up a quarter of those reviewed by the medical examiner’s office. (0:00 - 7:18)

With summer comes vacations, road trips, and of course, air travel. Extreme weather has the potential to delay some flights, but the Pittsburgh International Airport has seemingly been unfazed. Bryan Dietz, senior vice president of air service and commercial development at the Allegheny County Airport Authority says the airport saw 3% more travelers last week than the same week in 2019. Dietz says there are a greater number of people taking international flights as well, largely due to a loosening of pandemic-related restrictions in certain countries. (7:28 - 14:33)

Last week the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act went into effect, extending the right to reasonable accommodations for pregnant and postpartum workers at employers with 15 or more workers. Sophia Elliot is staff attorney with the Women’s Law Project, and she has worked with many pregnant clients seeking such accommodations. She tells us while the law could go further, it does close loopholes in existing federal law for pregnant workers. (14:37 - 22:30)

On today’s episode of The Confluence:

Legislation was introduced in Harrisburg that looks to create an employee public-private partnership to help parents access child care in Pennsylvania. Here in Pittsburgh, Lesely Crawford, owner of ABK Learning & Development Center, has been operating under a type of public-private partnership. We speak to Crawford, and Christopher Meidl, an associate professor at Duquesne University’s school of education, about how this collaboration can support better care and services for families. (0:00 - 10:06)

The city of Pittsburgh is again hosting the National Senior Games, which start Friday. These 50 and older athletes will compete in more than 1,100 medal events over 12 days at sport venues throughout the region, including the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and North Park. Susan Hlavacek, interim president and CEO of the National Senior Games Association, joins us to discuss the event. (10:11 - 17:50)

A fire in December displaced more than 100 residents from the Roosevelt apartments in Downtown Pittsburgh. WESA’s Kate Giammarise reports that more than six months later, many of the building’s low-income residents have ended up in suburban areas with fewer transit options and less access to services and amenities. (17:59 - 22:30)

On today’s episode of The Confluence:

Governor Josh Shapiro had directed the state Department of Aging to develop a master plan for older adults. We look at what the economics of caring for an aging state population involve, and how the state and county are preparing for the so-called “silver tsunami.”

Today’s guests include: Kevin Hancock, special advisor to the Pennsylvania Secretary of Aging; Shannah Tharp Gilliam, deputy director for the Area Agency on Aging in the Allegheny County Department of Human Services; and Nick Pretnar, a postdoctoral scholar studying economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara Laboratory for Aggregate Economics and Finance.

On today’s episode of The Confluence:

Last night, the Pittsburgh Public School board voted to temporarily stop the issuance of summary citations to discipline students. Parents and the ACLU of Pennsylvania have been calling on the board to act on this issue, saying summary citations are disproportionately meted out to Black students. WESA reporter Jillian Forstadt has been following this story and joins us to explain recent data on disciplinary action at PPS and how students are impacted. (0:00 - 6:19)

Research from the University of Pennsylvania indicates that using a race-neutral method of interpreting lung function test results could help address disparities in treatments for Black people. Alexander Moffett, a postdoctoral fellow at the university and an author of the study, explains that research has not shown differences in race warrant differences in biological function. (6:24 - 14:21)

Three major Pittsburgh institutions and other organizations are collaborating on a project that will culminate in a showcase of visual art and performances in 2024 called “Envisioning a Just Pittsburgh.” Gina Winstead, vice president for inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility with the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, one of the institutions behind this project, explains what the initiative means and how artists can submit work through the Inclusive Call for Art. (14:32 - 22:30)

On today’s episode of The Confluence:

Enrollment at branch campuses for Pennsylvania State University and the University of Pittsburgh has declined sharply, and the trend has been years in the making. We speak to Bill Schackner, who covers higher education for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, about the impact of the branch campuses, and where they fit amid the state’s higher education institutions. (0:00 - 8:41)

The federal government has eliminated a requirement called an x-waiver, which doctors needed if they wanted to prescribe buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder. We speak with Dr. Payel Roy, clinical director of the Addiction Medicine Consult Service at the University of Pittsburgh, about the impacts of potentially widening the pool of clinicians who can prescribe buprenorphine. (9:01 - 17:38)

What do the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, and Steelers legend Franco Harris all have in common? They’ve all been honored with what’s called a Key to the City of Pittsburgh. For our Good Question! series, 90.5 WESA’s Katie Blackley reports on the keys and their significance. (17:46 - 22:30)

On today’s episode of The Confluence:

State lawmakers have proposed legislation to give the state oversight of carbon capture wells, taking enforcement out of the hands of federal regulators. Only two other states, Wyoming and North Dakota, have similar authority over injection wells. Spotlight PA government reporter Kate Huangpu joins us to explain why the wells matter, and the arguments for and against this legislation. (0:00 - 6:33)

Local amusement park Kennywood is celebrating its 125th anniversary. We speak with Brian Butko, director of publications at the Heinz History Center and author of two books about Kennywood. He explains to us how Kennywood began as a “trolley park” and developed into the what it is today. (6:41 - 15:10)

A locally created smartphone app aims to incentivize shopping at Black-owned businesses. Art Robinson is the CEO of BLK DYMND Rewards, and he tells us why it felt important to create this rewards program. (15:16 - 22:30)

On today’s episode of The Confluence:

Mayor Ed Gainey joined the show to discuss his Plan for Peace, which aims to address gun violence through a public health perspective; homelessness; and the city’s Infrastructure Commission.

On today’s episode of The Confluence:

The Pennsylvania House has passed a minimum wage increase for the first time since 2009, but its fate will be decided in the Senate. Also, an update on state budget negotiations. It’s our state politics reporter roundtable.

Today’s guests include: Stephen Caruso, capitol reporter for Spotlight PA; Gillian McGoldrick, who covers state government for The Philadelphia Inquirer; and Chris Potter, WESA’s government and accountability editor.

On today’s episode of The Confluence:

The Allegheny County Jail Oversight Board is facing a lawsuit for allegedly violating the Sunshine Act by limiting the public’s access to information about the jail, including deaths, overdoses and facility conditions. WESA reporter Julia Zenkevich explains why the plaintiff, Rachel Radke, filed the suit, and what’s expected next. (0:00 - 7:25)

Saturday marks one year since the U.S. Supreme Court issued a historic ruling reversing Roe v Wade, declaring that the constitutional right to abortion, upheld for nearly a half century, no longer exists. We speak with Kelli Slogan, the patient navigator with Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania, about what challenges patients are bringing to her, and how she’s helping them navigate the landscape of care after the Supreme Court ruling. (7:28 - 15:35)

Johnstown is saluting native son Steve Ditko, cocreator of Spider-Man, through public art murals. We speak with Matt Lamb, creative director at nonprofit arts organization Bottleworks, about how the recently completed murals celebrate Ditko the same month as the release of the latest superhero film, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” (15:37 - 22:30)