Julia Felton stories, Page 51
UPMC says new treatment Evusheld reduces covid risk for immunocompromised
UPMC doctors say they are encouraged by the effectiveness of a new, preventative monoclonal antibody treatment that is administered to immunocompromised people before they contract covid-19. The two-shot Evusheld treatment received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration in early December, and UPMC got its first doses later...
‘It’s a resource problem’: 1 in 8 bridges in Pa. rated in ‘poor’ condition, records show
A bridge that collapsed in Pittsburgh’s Frick Park is one of hundreds of bridges rated in similar “poor” condition throughout the region and one of thousands across Pennsylvania. Ten people were injured Friday morning when Fern Hollow Bridge, which carries Forbes Avenue over Fern Hollow Creek, collapsed, sending a Port...
Report looks at how Wilkinsburg annexation would impact Pittsburgh Public Schools
Proponents of Pittsburgh’s proposed annexation of Wilkinsburg have shared data regarding a potential merger of Wilkinsburg’s schools with Pittsburgh Public Schools, ahead of a final vote on the measure expected within the next two weeks. Wilkinsburg Community Development Corp., the group that spearheaded the effort to have Wilkinsburg annexed into...
Salem’s Market and Grill to open grocery in Pittsburgh’s Hill District
Pittsburgh’s Urban Redevelopment Authority announced Wednesday that it has signed a lease agreement with Salem’s Market and Grill, which plans to open a grocery store in the Hill District in August. The locally owned, family-run grocery store will take over the Centre Heldman Plaza space formerly occupied by Shop ‘n...
Pittsburgh City Council delays vote on Wilkinsburg annexation
Pittsburgh City Council on Wednesday delayed a vote on the potential annexation of neighboring Wilkinsburg for one week, with Councilman Anthony Coghill saying he’d like more time to gather information. Council President Theresa Kail-Smith last week introduced legislation to deny the measure, which has generated controversy among residents and local...
Pittsburgh council considering $12M in new vehicles, equipment for city departments
Legislation introduced to Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday would allocate about $12 million to purchase new vehicles and related equipment for city departments. The purchases, part of the 2022 capital budget, would be partially funded by American Rescue Plan dollars, a federal stimulus package designed to help a pandemic-ravaged economy....
Pittsburgh City Council considers measure to explore annexing, merging with other municipalities
Although Pittsburgh City Council appears poised to shoot down a request to annex neighboring Wilkinsburg, it is considering a proposal to take a more thorough look at whether annexations or mergers would be beneficial to the city. Legislation introduced Tuesday by Council President Theresa Kail-Smith would allow City Council to...
Jake Pawlak to lead Pittsburgh’s Office of Management and Budget
Pittsburgh City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the appointment of Jake Pawlak as director of the Office of Management and Budget. Mayor Ed Gainey has said he also will appoint Pawlak as deputy mayor. Pawlak, who served as the new mayor’s transition director, is the first Gainey appointee to...
Pittsburgh officials seeking input on proposed Oakland Crossings development
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey will hold a virtual meeting to hear public opinions regarding the proposed Oakland Crossings development. Gainey earlier this month called for a 30-day pause on a proposed zoning change needed for the project to move forward. Walnut Capital, the Shadyside developer best known for revitalizing Bakery...
Pittsburgh activist La’Tasha Mayes joins race for state House seat vacated by Mayor Ed Gainey
Activist La’Tasha Mayes said she is joining the race for the state House seat vacated by now-Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey. Mayes, 40, of the city’s Morningside neighborhood, advocates nationally for issues such as reproductive justice, human rights and leadership development for Black women and girls. She is the founder and...
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey nominates department heads, appoints development officer
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey on Monday announced his nominees to lead the departments of Innovation & Performance and City Planning, as well as his appointment for Chief Economic Development Officer. Gainey nominated Heidi Norman, acting director of the Department of Innovation & Performance, to take on the role permanently. He...
Pittsburgh crews working to clear city streets after Sunday’s snow
Crews have been working around the clock to clear Pittsburgh streets after Sunday’s snowfall, Mayor Ed Gainey said. About 3 inches of snow fell by 9 p.m. Sunday, and another inch was expected during the day and into the evening Monday. Gainey said crews worked continuously overnight and would work...
Allegheny County Airport Authority CEO gets raise, $184K bonus
The Allegheny County Airport Authority board on Friday granted a major pay raise and bonus for CEO Christina Cassotis. The board unanimously voted to give Cassotis a 23% salary increase over what she was expected to earn in 2022, bringing her annual salary this year to $534,000. She also was...
‘SignTasTic!,’ game show featuring sign language, filming in Pittsburgh
A unique new game show aiming to raise awareness about American Sign Language and the deaf community is being filmed in Pittsburgh. Each episode of the show, dubbed “SignTasTic!,” features two contestants who have to learn 50 sign language words before the show. The show then tests how well they’ve...
Wolf joins Pittsburgh leaders to tout Pennsylvania’s fiscal improvementsVideo
Gov. Tom Wolf joined Pittsburgh leaders Thursday at an event to promote fiscal improvements the state has seen during his tenure. Wolf joined Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald at the Energy Innovation Center in the Hill District — a site that Fitzgerald hailed as a...
Pittsburgh officials say 50 trucks still cleaning snow and ice
After a winter storm brought several inches of snow to Western Pennsylvania Sunday, Pittsburgh crews were still clearing roads and combating icy road conditions as of Thursday. City officials said Monday that they had hoped to have all city roads cleared by Tuesday’s morning commute. Though many major roads seemed...
Candidate withdraws from race for Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey’s former Pa. House seat
A woman who planned to run for the state House seat vacated by Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey has rescinded her candidacy, citing proposed legislative maps that will likely put her in a different district. Ashley Comans of Wilkinsburg had previously launched a campaign in the 24th State House District, which...
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey looks to modify Office of Management and Budget
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey is asking City Council to consider legislation that would modify the duties and structure of the Office of Management and Budget. The measure would move some positions currently housed in the Mayor’s Office to the Office of Management and Budget, establish a deputy director position for...
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey joins community leaders in celebrating National Day of Racial Healing
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey joined community leaders Tuesday to celebrate the National Day of Racial Healing. The day — officially recognized by the city of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County — is observed annually on the Tuesday after Martin Luther King Jr. Day. “We are celebrating the diverse ethnicity, the diverse...
Pittsburgh City Council considers stop-and-frisk policy for police
Pittsburgh City Council is considering a measure that would require city police to document why they are stopping and searching a pedestrian before they do so. The measure, introduced Tuesday by Councilman Ricky Burgess, would require officers to use a body-worn camera or vehicle-mounted recording device to document their reasonable...
Pittsburgh City Council poised to dismiss Wilkinsburg annexation proposal
Pittsburgh City Council appears poised to dismiss a proposal to annex neighboring Wilkinsburg. Council President Theresa Kail-Smith introduced legislation Tuesday that would deny the proposal, which has generated controversy among residents and local leaders. The Wilkinsburg Community Development Corp. — a nonprofit with which Wilkinsburg has since cut ties —...
UPMC names Diane Hupp new president of Children’s Hospital
Diane Hupp has been named president of UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, the health system announced Tuesday. Hupp, 57, of Fox Chapel, began working at Children’s Hospital as a volunteer 36 years ago. She has since served in several administrative leadership roles, including chief nursing officer, vice president of patient...
Experts back CDC guidance recommending N95, KN95 masks
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its mask guidance to recommend higher-quality N95 and KN95 masks over cloth and surgical ones that many people have worn throughout the pandemic. Cloth masks can keep 30% to 60% of particles from coming in and potentially infecting the person wearing...
Pittsburgh officials say they expect to have streets cleared for Tuesday commute
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey’s office said Monday that officials hope to have roads cleared in time for Tuesday’s morning commute, as crews continued cleaning up after Sunday’s heavy snow. A major winter storm hit the area with several inches of snow Sunday night into Monday, leaving roads slick for Monday’s...
Pittsburgh riverfront building formerly owned by Mark Cuban could house apartments
A developer wants to transform a vacant riverfront building formerly owned by celebrity billionaire Mark Cuban on Pittsburgh’s Fort Duquesne Boulevard into an apartment building with more than 100 units. Douglas Development Corp. of Washington, D.C., bought the Downtown building at 642 Fort Duquesne Blvd. Terms of the deal, which...
