City Cast Pittsburgh

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4, and Pittsburghers will be voting for the next mayor. The race is between Democrat Corey O'Connor and Republican Tony Moreno. Ahead of the spring primary, we asked each candidate to tell us why they're the right person to lead our city, and we're bringing back those conversations before you step into the voting booth. Today, host Megan Harris is talking to Tony More...

On Nov. 4, Democrat Corey O'Connor will face off against Republican Tony Moreno to become Pittsburgh's next mayor. Ahead of the primary in May, we asked each mayoral candidate to explain why they're the right person to lead our city, and we're bringing back those conversations to help you make informed decisions in the voting booth. First, we're revisiting host Megan Harris' interview with Corey O...

Pennsylvania's judicial retention race is heating up, and there's a mailer going around with really misleading information. Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato released a draft of the next county budget, and there's no tax increase, but Pittsburgh Public Schools is thinking differently. We're also talking about Walmart's pitch to demolish the Monroeville Mall, but there's also some good new...

It's a popular season for cemetery tours, and there are some beautiful and historic burial grounds in the Pittsburgh region. But we're also home to Pennsylvania's first and only fully green cemetery. Host Megan Harris visits Penn Forest Natural Burial Park in Verona to learn how a green burial works, the unique ways friends and family can get involved in the process, and why more people are choosi...

Pittsburgh voters face a big choice this November: not just who should be the city's next mayor, but whether to retain three state Supreme Court judges. That decision could shape whether Democrats or Republicans control PA's highest court and affect major rulings on everything from election law to abortion access. SpotlightPA's Stephen Caruso joins executive producer Mallory Falk to explain what's...

Making friends in Pittsburgh can feel really daunting. Lots of people here are part of friend groups that formed in their elementary school years, but transplants, boomerangers, and even lifelong Pittsburghers are making new friendships all the time with the help of great social clubs. Haley Ingersoll of Pittsburgh Social Health, Dan Lampmann of Yinz Run Club, and local author Ryan Rydzewski join...

Pumpkin spice lattes get a lot of fanfare, but there are so many pumpkin goodies to choose from in Pittsburgh. The City Cast Pittsburgh team tried over a dozen local pumpkin beers and are sharing their favorites. Plus, we're sharing the other sweet and savory pumpkin dishes we've loved or want to enjoy before the season's over, including Di'Anoia's famous pumpkin gnocchi bowl, pumpkin bagels, and...

Giant Eagle says it's lowering prices on hundreds of products, jussst as the beloved Midwestern chain Meijer announced a new location north of Pittsburgh. Outgoing Mayor Ed Gainey released his draft for the city’s 2026 budget, and his most vocal critics are getting pretty creative with their complaints. Plus, Spirit Christmas is coming, Pitt announced a new Horror Studies Center, vaccination exemp...

In photos from Pittsburgh's peak steelmaking days, you can see all the pollution along with all the smokestacks and blast furnaces lining our riverfronts. Since then, we've been able to clean up our waterways, air, and the riverbanks, but there are still sections of the shore dedicated to heavy industry. For residents in Hazelwood, this means a recycling center's attracting rats and more ickiness...

October is full of spooky events for all of our Halloween lovers! You can catch a classic horror film or visit Vinegar Syndrome's new location on the South Side, sip on a cocktail topped with a gummy eyeball, and make some skull screenprints. But if you're a scaredy cat, consider going on a walking tour to learn more about Pittsburgh's skyscrapers or pop into a coffeeshop for a carrot cake latte....

Fall's in full swing! The leaves are just beginning to change colors, pumpkin spice is back in coffee shops, and Oktoberfest beers are lining the shelves. City Cast Pittsburgh's Megan Harris and Francesca Dabecco are running through even more fall markets and fairs, outdoor activities, and Halloween celebrations all around the Pittsburgh area. Plus, find our complete list of festivals on our websi...

The Penn Avenue “rightsizing” project kicks off tomorrow night — if a judge doesn't step in and stop it. The city's planning to remove a lane of driving traffic, add a protected bike lane, and keep roughly the same number of parking spots between 22nd and 31st streets in the Strip District. But it hasn't been a straightforward process. A coalition of small business owners, acting as the Strip Dist...

Pirates baseball ended poorly and quietly, but Penguins hockey is just getting started! The Pens are bringing back a beloved player, goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, for a one-night-only, send-off party at Saturday’s game. There’s an idea to build a private helipad in the city, City Council agreed to spend $1.8 million on a plan for the proposed public safety training center in Lincoln-Lemington, and Kam...

This weekend, the Steelers are heading across the pond to play the Vikings in Dublin. If you want to catch the game at 9:30 Sunday morning, a bunch of sports bars around the city are rolling out special menu items and hosting very early happy hours. City Cast's Megan Harris and Zack Durkin are talking about their favorite sports bars in Pittsburgh and what makes them special, whether it's top-tier...

We've got a strong biking community here in Pittsburgh, and some avid riders want to see a bike lane added to Penn Avenue. That proposal's gotten major pushback; one group in the Strip District is even suing the city over the change. But since we all need to share the road with each other, executive producer Mallory Falk's talking with Bike Pittsburgh's education manager Ted King-Smith. He's shari...

Gambling is everywhere in Pennsylvania, including casinos, apps, the lottery, skill games, and fantasy sports. It’s fun for some but also incredibly addictive. And while PA has a way for players to ban themselves from gambling, critics say it’s easy to get around and the penalties don’t incentivize big companies to prevent problem behavior. Axios Philadelphia’s Isaac Avilucea joins City Cast Phill...

Pittsburgh just launched an anti-bias coalition, but did you know there's an office that can help if you feel like you're being discriminated against? The Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations has been around since before the Civil Rights Act, and their investigations into housing, employment, and other forms of discrimination yield real, enforceable results. Executive director Rachel Shepherd...

More and more vape shops are popping up in Pittsburgh — there are nearly 30 in Downtown alone! — and city council is considering a bill that would put some restrictions on where they can open. Executive producer Mallory Falk and producer Sophia Lo explain the proposal. Plus, they talk about the Trump administration's threats to withhold billions of dollars in food stamp funding if PA doesn't turn...

There's a lot of debate about where Pittsburgh is part of the East Coast, Midwest, or Appalachia, but one thing we can say for sure: Pittsburgh is not part of the South. And for some people, that means that our barbecue scene can be lacking. While we might not live up to the pitmasters in the Carolinas or Texas, we promise that if you're willing to look, you'll still find tender meats, tasty sauce...

Pittsburgh has seen its share of catastrophe — from unexpected weather bringing flooding and brutal windstorms to man-made calamities like devastating fires, explosions, and even escaped monkeys. (Seriously. That’s happened here a surprising number of times.) As our nation’s leaders consider doing away with things like federal emergency response, we’re taking stock of all the times it would’ve bee...

President Trump's been sending — or threatening to send — National Guard troops to major cities all over the country, and it got us wondering where Pittsburgh might be on his long list. Should Pittsburgh (or Philadelphia) be worried? City Cast Pittsburgh’s Megan Harris and Mallory Falk talk about what’s happening, what’s legal, and whether Gov. Josh Shapiro’s big talk about being “prepared” could...

Pittsburgh's getting all glammed up before the NFL Draft next year. But shiny renovation projects (like a new-and-improved Market Square) can only go so far if our hillsides are covered in trash. The city, county and a bunch of local groups just launched a big cleanup campaign called "Immaculate Collection" to redd up our region before company comes over. But why does our city get so dirty in the...

Earlier this week, we talked about a city council proposal to regulate Airbnbs and other short term rentals — and our listeners had a lot to say! Host Megan Harris, executive producer Mallory Falk, and producer Sophia Lo are opening the mailbag to share your perspectives. Plus, we discuss how PA's budget impasse is starting to hurt everyday people and why Uber decided to enter the chat. We also ru...

Conor Lamb lost his 2022 Senate primary to John Fetterman, but a lot of Pennsylvanians have buyers' remorse. (Have you seen all the public apologies? Even AOC wrote one.) With Lamb now holding town halls all over the state, can the former Congressman make a comeback? Does he even want to? Lamb joins City Cast Pittsburgh host Megan Harris and City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri to share his take on w...

In 2012, Shell received a $1.65 billion dollar tax credit from Pennsylvania for their plastics plant in Beaver County. Along with state lawmakers, Shell promised that this facility would bring thousands of jobs to the region and revitalize the local economy — but less than three years after opening the plant, the company's already trying to sell it off. Inside Climate News reporter Kiley Bense joi...