City Cast Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh has 176 parks, and each one offers something special. City Cast producer Sophia Lo is with Matthew Hileman, the director of operations and visitor engagement at the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, to talk about the best parks for gorgeous views, a romantic date night, birdwatching, and more.  Learn more about the sponsors of this April 16th episode: Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for...

Pittsburgh's wine scene is growing and improving, thanks to dedicated sommeliers, importers, and educators. Whether you're a newbie or a wine connoisseur, there's a spot for you to soak in the vibes while sipping from a fancy stemmed glass. Host Megan Harris is running through a few of our region's best wine bars with Discover the Burgh's Jeremy Jones and culinary educator Kanika Rautji, aka The I...

Pittsburgh is a prideful place. The skyline, the pierogi, the claim to ketchup development and the steel that built the U.S.! But if you're the kind of person who enjoys sunshine or thinks Mr. Rogers is creepy, we might not be the place for you. Host Megan Harris is with Pittsburgh City Paper’s Ali Trachta and Stacy Rounds to talk about the 13 people who ain’t gonna make it in Pittsburgh. **This e...

Four men are vying to lead the city of Pittsburgh, so ahead of the primary on May 20, we're asking each of them to tell us why they think they're the best person for the job. We're kicking things off with our current mayor, Ed Gainey. He served in the state house for almost a decade and, in 2021, became the only challenger to ever beat out an incumbent mayor. We talk to Gainey about his biggest ac...

Should Governor Shapiro declare a state of emergency to deal with Pittsburgh's trash? One city councilor sure thinks so. Pirates' leadership keeps finding ways to enrage fans and the new airport terminal got a little more expensive. Plus, some international students at Pitt and CMU had their visas revoked and the twists and turns keep coming in Nippon's bid to buy U.S. Steel. All that and more on...

The Mexican food scene in Pittsburgh is growing, and you have so many options whether you want to stop by a taco truck or sit down for brunch and chilaquiles. We're revisiting host Megan Harris' conversation with Oscar Zapata, who moved here from Mexico City for grad school. He's sharing his go-to spots when he craves a taste of home, and he rounded up some of these restaurants for the Pittsburgh...

Five different people have led the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police over the past two and a half years — all under a single mayor — and it's still not clear when we're getting a new, permanent, top cop. What's going on with the police department, and what does this “revolving door” of local chiefs say about the city? We're with University of Pittsburgh law professor David Harris, who’s served on multip...

Our region is facing billions of dollars in cuts to medical care and research by the Trump administration. The decisions made today will have far-reaching effects for decades to come — for the patients who rely on Medicaid, for the scientists researching medical treatments and cures, and for a city whose identity is built around eds and meds. We're joined by three local doctors to talk about the v...

Potholes are a plague this time of year in Pittsburgh, but what does it take to fill them? How many get patched, and what can regular people do to speed the process along? We’re taking all your nebby questions to Bill Crean, deputy director for the city’s Department of Public Works – including the worst neighborhoods and weirdest requests he’s gotten in his 40ish years on the job! Call 311 to repo...

America’s first Carnegie library is nearing the end of a $21 million renovation, and we got to neb nose all over the 45,000-square-foot space. Hear all about the history of the Braddock Carnegie Library, plus what they’ve got in store for their own opening day in May. Plus, we’re catching you up on big stories from the week: for the first time in a century, city voters won’t have any choices on th...

You may have seen the billboards, the T-shirts, that one angry dude sitting behind home plate at another team’s playoff game — because there are some really frustrated Pirates fans out there. With the new season already off to a slow start and our home opener against the Yankees set for tomorrow, we’re sitting down with a few of the rabble-rousers behind Our Team, Not His who say the time is now t...

Desde que asumió la presidencia en enero, Donald Trump ha priorizado la ejecución de la ley migratoria y la deportación, estableciendo cuotas de arrestos a nivel nacional y provocando un creciente pánico entre las comunidades inmigrantes de Pittsburgh. City Cast Pittsburgh habló con Vanessa Stine, abogada sénior de la ACLU de Pensilvania, para saber qué sucede durante una detención o redada de ICE...

Since taking over in January, the new Trump administration has made immigration enforcement and deportation a priority — even orchestrating high profile arrests of university students — leading to growing fear and confusion in Pittsburgh's immigrant communities. Vanessa Stine, senior staff attorney for the ACLU of Pennsylvania, joins us to explain what happens during an ICE stop or raid, what righ...

The days are longer, we’re starting to see pink blooms and green buds, and Pittsburgh is coming to life for the spring! There’s so many ways to get out and about, from watching 10,000 rubber ducks bob around Lake Elizabeth to doing yoga with pigs. Plus, you can pick up mini Heinz ketchup bottles, drink tomato beer, and meet your favorite mascots on 412 Day. And if the nicer weather has you wanting...

National Library Week starts April 6, but there are so many reasons for checking out our county’s libraries all year long. Obviously, you can check out books, but your library card also gets you everything from power tools to ukuleles to lawn games. We’re bringing back a conversation between City Cast’s Mallory Falk and Francesca Dabecco, where they dive into the catalogues to explore all the coll...

Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato gave her quarterly address to County Council, and while there’s a lot of uncertainty around funding, there are also things to celebrate. Like more bathrooms in the parks! But if you see any downed birds, be mindful of bird flu and please don’t touch. Biden’s outgoing pardons are back in the news — including one granted to a judge convicted in the ‘Kids fo...

Everyone knows John Fetterman here in Western PA — he was the Democratic mayor of nearby Braddock, rose to lieutenant governor under Tom Wolf, and now he’s the commonwealth’s senior U.S. Senator — in part, because he rode a progressive blue wave. But these days, the Harvard-educated AmeriCorps alum is increasingly aligned with MAGA Republicans. Ahead of a ticketed event in Pittsburgh this weekend,...

Four men are vying to be Pittsburgh’s next mayor – two Republicans and two Democrats – and there’s a lot of money in the mix. City Cast Pittsburgh’s Megan Harris is hanging with PublicSource political reporter Charlie Wolfson to talk about who is spending on which candidate, who isn’t fundraising at all, a funny new campaign ad, and what we should all be watching for with just eight weeks until th...

When you need a present for someone, sure, you can grab a gift card or go to a big box store, but where’s the fun in that? City Cast Pittsburgh’s Megan Harris and Francesca Dabecco love shopping local and believe any business can be a gift shop! They’re sharing some of their favorite area gift shops and stores where you can both support small businesses and find a Pittsburgh-perfect present in a p...

New census data just dropped and the Pittsburgh region actually grew this year…by 0.001%. But does it really matter whether or not our city and metro area grow? And could there even be benefits to staying the same size? We’re revisiting a conversation with Chris Briem, a regional economist at the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Social and Urban Research, to find out. **This episode originall...

Picking up a new habit can be scary! Especially if that new activity has you panting up Negley. But not every run in Pittsburgh has to be long, treacherous, or up a hill. We’ve got suggestions for flat spots to run, places where you can take a bathroom break, and trail runs that’ll make you feel like you’re way out of the city. Thanks to our guests: Donald Robinson, owner and coach at Global Human...

Pittsburgh’s got a lot to lose! If more state funding doesn’t come through, PRT announced they’ll have to make huge service cuts, like fully shutting down 41 bus routes and ending service after 11 p.m. Plus, the Trump administration’s threatening to close Pittsburgh’s HUD field office. Executive producer Mallory Falk and producer Sophia Lo discuss the latest. Plus, they explain why there might not...

If you’re looking for new places to eat out this spring, tons of restaurants have been opening (or re-opening) around town! Executive producer Mallory Falk and producer Sophia Lo are sharing our shortlist of places we’re most excited to try, serving up everything from soup dumplings to vegetarian sloppy joes. Plus, we discuss the new lineup of deep-fried delights at PNC Park. Want more recommendat...

Pittsburgh Regional Transit is meeting this week to talk about a proposal that could overhaul our entire local transportation system. Adam Smeltz, reporting for PublicSource, found the agency may increase fares, cut service, and scrap its Bus Line Redesign to address a possible $100 million deficit. He joins us to discuss how we ended up here and whether it’s still possible to stave off changes. P...

If you’re new to running, jogging, or even walking in and around the city — or trying to restart an old routine — we’ve got some great suggestions from a couple of local runners ready to help you get laced up and out the door. Thanks to our guests: Donald Robinson, owner and coach at Global Human Performance in Point Breeze; and Dan Lampmann, founder and president of Yinz Run Club. Hear their best...