The Confluence

The memoir “An Unspeakable Hope,” recounts the life of activist Leon Ford, exploring his upbringing, experience as a survivor of a police shooting, and his subsequent work to promote collaboration between residents and law enforcement. We speak to Ford about his new book. (0:00 - 7:22)

A Carnegie Mellon University-led institute has received a $20 million commitment over five years from the National Science Foundation to support the development of artificial intelligence to help in decision making. We speak with Aarti Singh, a professor in the Machine Learning Department of CMU’s School of Computer Science and director of the AI Institute for Societal Decision Making. (7:25 - 15:06)

Home heating accounts for about 7% of greenhouse gas emissions in Pennsylvania. Now, new federal money and state programs can help people save on their bills and reduce energy use. The state has some of the oldest housing stock in the country. Surveys have found that one in four voters lives in a home that needs a critical repair. StateImpact Pennsylvania’s Rachel McDevitt reports on a program in State College that hopes to set an example for what can be done. (15:12 - 22:30)

Jury selection for the federal trial of the man charged with carrying out the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting continues this week. WESA reporter Julia Zenkevich tells us what issues have come up as the court attempts to find 70 potential jurors, a group that will get pared down to 18 total.

Pennsylvania voters go to the polls tomorrow, most to consider which nominee will represent their party in November’s elections. We catch up with Chris Potter, WESA’s government and accountability editor, about what races are heating up and garnering the most attention.

The Heinz History Center opened a new exhibit this past weekend about the directory that helped Black people travel safely around the U.S. Samuel W. Black, director of the History Center’s African American Program, explains what Pittsburgh locations make an appearance in “The Negro Motorist Green Book” exhibition.

We discuss the May 16 primary election and how a special election for a Delaware County seat could determine who holds the majority in the Pa. House, and the committee votes advancing legislation in Harrisburg.

Our panel of political reporters include: Marc Levy, AP reporter covering Pennsylvania politics; Gillian McGoldrick, Harrisburg reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer; and Justin Sweitzer, senior reporter covering state politics and government for City & State Pennsylvania.

Despite no mention of the COVID-19 pandemic in his budget address, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s first spending plan includes a number of health-related priorities for the commonwealth, such as increasing appropriations for local health departments, along with funds to address maternal mortality and capitalize on potential future revenue from legalized adult-use marijuana. We speak to Ed Mahon, an investigative reporter with Spotlight PA, about how Shapiro’s budget approaches public health. (0:00-8:50)

Last week, Mayor Ed Gainey nominated Larry Scirotto to be the city’s police chief. City Council still has to approve the former Pittsburgh police assistant chief before he can officially assume the role. WESA reporter Kiley Koscinski sat down with Scirotto to talk about his priorities. (8:50-22:30)

A newly published study from the RAND Corporation found through a Pittsburgh-based experiment that when legal counsel is provided to defendants at bail hearings, the use of monetary bail and pretrial detention decreased. We speak to the lead author of the study, Shamena Anwar, about the impact of this finding. (0:00 - 8:09) Declining enrollment at the Community College of Allegheny County accelerated during the pandemic; in 2022 the institution had half the students attending in 2010. Emma Folts, higher education reporter with PublicSource, tells us what the consequences of the declining student body could be. (8:12 - 14:55) Former president Harry Truman became a household name in the 1940s as senator and chair of the so-called congressional “Truman Committee,” which investigated wasteful and inefficient spending in the country’s National Defense Program. NPR senior editor Steve Drummond’s new book, “The Watchdog,” explains the committee’s work, its investigation in Pittsburgh, and how it helped Truman rise to prominence and later, the White House. (14:58 - 22:30)

Pittsburgh Public Schools has hired Jason Rivers as the district’s inaugural director of narrative transformation, conflict resolution and violence prevention. Rivers joins us to explain what kind of programming can be enacted to support violence prevention. (0:00 - 10:17) Local school board elections in Pennsylvania are one of the few where candidates can cross-file, meaning they appear on more than one party’s ballot. Kate Huangpu, government reporter for Spotlight PA, reports that while some prefer the practice, others say it’s confusing to voters. (10:22 - 17:21) Pittsburgh-based poet Kevin Finn has just published a new collection, “Consequence of Dream,” and he discussed it with 90.5 WESA’s Bill O’Driscoll. (17:24 - 22:30)

Gov. Josh Shapiro signed his first bill last week, requiring insurers to cover the costs of breast cancer screenings for those at high risk of developing the disease. Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R., Westmoreland), a breast cancer survivor herself, joins the show to discuss the bill she sponsored, and other legislative priorities. (0:00 - 10:35) State legislators want hospital companies to give communities more notice, and resources for care, ahead of reducing services or closing hospitals. We speak to Representatives Jennifer O’Mara, (D., Delaware) and Eddie Day Pashinski (D., Luzerne) about their proposal and intended impacts. (10:40 - 22:30)

More than three years since the first U.S. shutdowns to address the spread of COVID-19, women are still experiencing strain and haven’t recovered in the same ways as their male counterparts. We speak to business leaders and researchers about what impact they’ve seen on women in the Pennsylvania workforce.Today’s guests include: Melanie Marie Boyer, executive director of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Lily Brown, assistant professor of psychology in psychiatry and director at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania; Denise Rousseau, H.J. Heinz II Professor of Organizational Behavior and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy and the Tepper School of Business; and Doris Carson Williams, president of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania.

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey has nominated Larry Scirotto, a former assistant chief with the city, as the next police chief. We speak to WESA’s Kiley Koscinski about the choice, now that council has to weigh in. (0:00 - 7:14)United Way of Pennsylvania has released its latest report on asset limited, income constrained, employed (ALICE) households. We speak to Alyssa Cholodofsky, chief program and policy author of United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, about how Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania area residents are reflected in the report. (7:20 - 14:57)Early May is when bees might leave their hives looking for a new home, and the warmer weather drew some of these insects out sooner. Chad Seibel, president of the Laurel Highlands Beekeepers Association, explains best practices if you find yourself near a swarm of the fuzzy fliers. (15:04 - 22:30)

Gov. Josh Shapiro has been in office for 100 days; the former Alcoa plant in New Kensington will be home to a new manufacturing plant backed by former Amazon leader and billionaire Thomas Tull; and the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s 2023 list of Best Books for Babies.