Beer O’Clock, Hotels as Student Housing, and a Surprise Sheetz Show

If it feels like the grossest summer in city history, you’re not wrong. And that could affect air quality in the Mon Valley after the explosion at Clairton Coke Works. Incoming college freshman will be moving in next week – to Oakland and also Downtown – and a lot of them will find themselves in hotels instead of dorms. And we’re talking about a bunch of wins for Pittsburgh this week, like an impromptu All-American Rejects concert at Sheetz, the return of the beloved Terrible Trolley, and megastar chef Thomas Keller noshing at Casbah – plus registration is open for the 2026 Pittsburgh Marathon and the Garbage Olympics this September.

Vote for us for Best Podcast in City Paper’s Best of the Burgh contest every day through Aug. 22. We’re in the People & Places category.

We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey—it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card–and City Cast City swag.

Notes and references from today’s show:

• Is this really the muggiest summer in Pittsburgh history? Here’s the data. [PublicSource]
• How Well Do You Know Pittsburgh? Take This Quiz! [Hey Pittsburgh]
• Point Park University will move students into Wyndham Grand Hotel because of influx of freshman [WPXI]
• Pitt freshmen living in off-campus hotel frustrated about cost, distance [P-G]
• College move-in 2025: Dates, traffic plans at high-traffic Pittsburgh schools [P-G]
• Millvale Community Library's Back to School Bash [Instagram]
• Pittsburgh Public School's Back to School Bash [Early Learning Resource Center]
• Pittsburgh Brewing Takes Over Branding of Landmark South Side Clock [Pittsburgh Magazine]
• Pittsburgh's Trash Problem [City Cast Pittsburgh]
• John Wells Has Produced Four Decades of TV Hits, Including ‘The Pitt.’ He Has Some Advice for Hollywood [Hollywood Reporter]
• Does 'The Pitt Get Pittsburgh Right? [City Cast Pittsburgh]

Do you have a flooding horror story or a hack to keep all your stuff safe? Call or text our FLOOD HOTLINE at 412-212-8893.

We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey — it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card and City Cast City swag.

Learn more about the sponsors of this August 15th episode:

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Overlook Maps

Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST

Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.

Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.