Your Daily Guide

No School Buses For Charter Kids

Earlier this year, the state Supreme Court ruled school districts must provide free transportation for charter students in the area, but it can be in the form of public transit cards. Districts say no longer sharing bus service cuts transportation costs, but charter school families say this pressures them to keep students in traditional classrooms. [Spotlight PA]

Term Limit Ballot Question Nixed

A judge blocked a November ballot measure that would’ve asked voters whether Allegheny County officials, including council members and row officers like sheriff and district attorney, should be subject to the same term limits as the county executive. Per state law, the county has to study the benefits of term limits (or any change to the form of government) with a commission before presenting the change to voters. [🔒 Post-Gazette / PA.gov]

Boulevard of the Allies’ $3M Median

Funds from the state Department of Transportation will help renovate a Downtown section of Boulevard of the Allies with a tree-lined median from Grant to Stanwix Street and Point State Park. Mayor Corey O’Connor’s office says the $3 million is one of two state Multimodal Transportation Fund investments awarded to the city this year. [City of Pittsburgh]

Dive Bars For Yinzers

Visiting the local dive bar is a fast way to feel more connected to your neighborhood. They tend to be less pretentious — a little gritty — which makes them perfect for living out your personal version of “Cheers.” We dove in with a couple bar owners to find the spots with the best bathrooms, most questionable drink specials, best neighborhood gossip, and the most Yinzer energy per square foot. [City Cast Pittsburgh]

Our Wettest August So Far

We’ve gotten nearly 6 inches of rain this month — four more than normal — and tied our record number of tornadoes at 29. One touched down Sunday in Beaver County. [🔒 Post-Gazette / TribLive]

We’re back with recommendations from City Cast Pittsburgh Neighbors 📣 This is a regular spot in the newsletter where members get to shine a light on their favorite local businesses, organizations, and events.

• ☕ Ashley J. wants to shout out The Soft Spot in Garfield! “The vibes inside are lovely and homey with multiple seating options (high top, booth, couch), lots of fun art, and a kids play area. They’re open late and host a lot of fun events. I got a blueberry maple latte that was so delicious. The owners are super nice too and lovely to chat with!”

And to our new members, Scott R., Sheryl M., Matthew F., Josh A., and Claudia D., welcome to the neighborhood!

Want to share your own shoutout? Become a City Cast Pittsburgh Neighbor!