The Confluence

WESA and the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation hosted a debate with Pittsburgh’s mayoral candidates.

On today's program: How federal and local officials share information could impact vaccinations, now that Pennsylvania providers have been instructed to halt administering the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine until April 20; a change in the city’s census tract could impact how the Hill District gets federal assistance moving forward; and a local tech-worker union says Google isn’t meeting with them to finalize a contract.

On today's program: State lawmakers are considering candidates for the commission in charge of drawing new political district lines, a process that has previously been secretive; a lawyer representing 33 plaintiffs in a suit against the U.S. Department of Education explains why higher education institutions that accept federal funds shouldn’t be allowed religious exemptions, and one of the plaintiffs who attended college in Pennsylvania recounts his experience at Clarks Summit University.

On today's program: State lawmakers are considering candidates for the commission in charge of drawing new political district lines, a process that has previously been secretive; a lawyer representing 33 plaintiffs in a suit against the U.S. Department of Education explains why higher education institutions that accept federal funds shouldn’t be allowed religious exemptions, and one of the plaintiffs who attended college in Pennsylvania recounts his experience at Clarks Summit University.

On today's program: The Pittsburgh Land Bank’s new executive director explains how, with consistent leadership, she hopes to more effectively serve communities and reduce blight in the city; the Pirates season opens today, only filling PNC Park to 25 percent capacity; and a local residency program is trying to make the music industry more equitable for Black musicians.

On today's program: Katharine Kelleman, CEO of the Port Authority, says eliminating the transfer fee for prepaid riders will give low-income customers more flexibility in transportation; and a professor and former investigator explains the significance of a donation of documents from the “Unabomber” case to the California University of Pennsylvania.

On today's program: Pittsburgh Public School District superintendent Anthony Hamlet says schools will use afterschool and summer programs to make up for lost learning; and exploring Pittsburgh’s public stairways is a COVID-safe excursion as the weather warms.

On today's program: Commonwealth residents in Phase 1B can begin booking appointments today, but there are still thousands of 1A eligible residents who haven’t gotten the shot; more than 100 COVID-19 cases have been connected to a Beaver County ethane cracker site; and award-winning author Bernardine Evaristo tells how one character’s youth in her book “Girl, Woman, Other” is a reflection of Evaristo as a young adult.

On today's program: The state’s utility regulator authorized shutoffs to low-income residents with overdue payment starting today, meaning 890,000 accounts are at risk of losing services; Duquesne University’s provost explains precautions as the school gears up for in-person classes in the fall; and a look at rising coronavirus cases, despite increasing vaccinations.

On today's program: The vice-chair of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission explains the poor state of the region’s infrastructure and how she hopes the Biden administration might help; the president of the city’s Bartender’s Guild says while some are excited about loosened restaurant restrictions, others are more hesitant about returning to work; and a look at what’s changed with policing under the Peduto administration amid calls to defund and add accountability to law enforcement.