The Confluence

On today's program: A free dental clinic at PPG Paints Arena will serve more than 1,000 patients for free; how Sam DeMarco hopes to chart his course as Allegheny County GOP chair; get to know the first African-American woman to graduate from Pitt's engineering program; a peek into the future for autonomous vehicles in Pittsburgh; and what immigrants and allies can do following reports of ICE activity in Pittsburgh.

On today’s program: The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership wants to study how downtown streets could be used in the future; a look back at Karen Hacker’s time at the Allegheny County Health Department; kids and adults with autism have a new place to relax at Pittsburgh International Airport; a fungus bugging cicadas has psychedelic properties; and how a federal proposal to change SNAP could affect Pennsylvanians.

On today’s program: Grounded works with community members to breathe life into abandoned lots; get to know Shawnee chieftess Nonhelema; changes in Pennsylvania Republican party leadership could impact its approach to the 2020 elections; and a conversation with holiday performers who celebrate Christmas all year round.

On today’s program: A Pittsburgh journalist tells the stories of families wounded by the opioid crisis; a Hazelwood support group helps families of kids with autism; Pittsburgh prepares to honor slain Officer Calvin Hall; how Youngstown tracks health issues close to fracking sites; and a Lawrenceville nonprofit teaches residents about their housing rights.

On today’s program: Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy wants to cultivate a trust fund; citizen scientists are counting fireflies; formerly incarcerated residents confront redevelopment in Homewood; the Trump administration’s inaction on environmental issues could affect Lake Erie; a Penn State professor remembers witnessing the Apollo 11 launch; and a 1988 conversation with Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins.

On today’s program: How an executive order regarding kidney disease is affecting Pittsburgh transplant programs; the dean of Pitt's School of Law and former SCOTUS clerk reflects on the legacy of Justice John Paul Stevens; what it takes to get formerly incarcerated men back to work in Homewood; Democratic state Sen. Jay Costa explains his next legislative priorities; and WESA remembers Allegheny County elections chief Mark Wolosik.

On today's program: Medical marijuana will soon be used to treat anxiety, but not as a first resort; a local activist pushes shopping local during Amazon Prime Day; WESA explores the impact of crime and incarceration on Homewood; how a Perryopolis startup is modernizing cemetery management and commerce; and a new documentary weighs in on how humans interact with nature.

On today's program: Phipps Conservatory keeps its plants in one of the world's most sustainable buildings; a local organization helps video game enthusiasts find community IRL; the legacy of redlining, segregation and the war on drugs in Homewood; and high school and college STEM students get an up-close look at research at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.

On today's program: Fallingwater joins the ranks of Machu Picchu and Notre Dame; fewer than 5% of this year's Pittsburgh police recruits are black; a reporter studying the Thwaites Glacier tracks how it's melting; and a new book looks to answer questions about the future of Judaism in Pittsburgh after the Tree of Life massacre.

On today’s program: A 30-year Pitt study finds depression symptoms are decreasing in Pittsburgh's youngest seniors; President Trump replaces the Clean Power Plan; a Penn Hills senior housing community is struggling with mold; operas composed by Mr. Rogers are set to premiere in Shadyside; and family members of mentally ill individuals refusing treatment are at a legal stand-still.