The Confluence

On today’s episode of The Confluence: A lawsuit being heard in Commonwealth Court next week may make public the financial records of centers offering alternatives to abortion; Steel Smiling has raised half a million dollars in its effort to give all Black Pittsburghers a positive mental health experience; and Pittsburgh-based author Angela Velez tells us about her new young-adult novel, “Lulu and Milagro’s Search for Clarity.”

On today’s episode of The Confluence: Timothy Tomson, a pastor at St. Mary's Ukrainian Orthodox Church in McKees Rocks, shares how his parish is feeling and reacting to Russia’s invasion; and Spotlight PA’s Ed Mahon explains his latest investigation into misleading and possibly dangerous claims some Pennsylvania dispensaries are making about the ability to treat opioid use disorder with cannabis.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: The state Supreme Court selected the map dictating the commonwealth’s congressional districts, but some lawmakers continue to argue the map is partisan; teachers are reaching a breaking point, after two years of teaching in a pandemic and instances of violence; and the founder of the Pittsburgh Labor Choir explains why singing is an important part of social justice movements.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: Testimony from the defense has concluded in the trial over how Pennsylvania funds its education system; we speak to a researcher about the potential for more people to experience prolonged grief after losing loved ones to COVID-19; and a look at Mehmet Oz’s outsider campaign to become Pennsylvania’s Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate primary.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: The state’s Independent Fiscal Office wrote in a report about public education funding stating that there is “little or no correlation” between between funding and student test scores over the course of a single year, but some lawmakers are pushing back against that conclusion; a Pitt researcher asked local kin and foster parents about how the pandemic is affecting their children’s education; and as part of our Good Question Kid! series, we ask, why and how do hyenas eat bones?

On today’s episode of The Confluence: WESA’s government and accountability editor Chris Potter explains why Pittsburgh City Council voted to give an additional raise to the police bureau’s 19 highest-ranking positions; lawmakers in Washington D.C. are considering regulations for congressional members and their families on buying and trading individual stocks; and a researcher on discussions of race and racism in everyday life.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: Gov. Tom Wolf joins the Confluence after proposing his final budget as the state’s executive, and discusses his other priorities for his last 10 months in office; and we hear how long-term care facilities are making efforts to recruit and retain nursing aides.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: SpotlightPA reporter Ed Mahon explains why the Justice Department alleged that eight Pennsylvania counties’ courts may have violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and how it applies to people with opioid use disorder; the executive director of the Mountain Watershed Association tells us why federal infrastructure funding could also help clean waterways that are polluted by abandoned mine runoff; and a look at how severe weather patterns are impacting local businesses.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: University of Pittsburgh law professor David Harris explains why the convening of a grand jury to investigate the death of Jim Rogers might uncover new information; a local pharmacy is cutting out the middleman to sell low-cost prescriptions to consumers without the use of health insurance; and we meet an Algerian human rights advocate and dissident who relocated to Pittsburgh last month after fleeing government persecution.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: WESA reporter Kiley Koscinski explains how the Allegheny County Jail lockdown, due to a spike in COVID-19 cases, may be violating the voter referendum to end the practice of solitary confinement; amid freezing temperatures, Pittsburgh Mercy’s winter shelter saw full capacity to keep unhoused individuals safe from the weather; and a look at the struggle local manufacturers are facing to maintain a full staff.