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May 1, 2026

Draft Takeaways, Improving Traffic Enforcement & Punxsy Phil’s First Pitch

City Cast Pittsburgh

Draft Takeaways, Improving Traffic Enforcement & Punxsy Phil’s First Pitch

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Pittsburgh survived the NFL Draft! Executive producer Mallory Falk, interim social media manager Laura Tsutsui, and contributor Colin Williams are rounding up a few takeaways from the event, both good and bad. Colin's sharing what traffic enforcement could look like without the police, and after seeing Punxsutawney Phil throw the first pitch at PNC Park, we think his prognostication skills could be put to work year-round. In our Neighbors-only segment, we're bringing on former local journalist Jakob Lazzaro, and he's explaining why the public bathroom in the South Side's been abandoned after once being hailed as "the toilet of the future." 

Notes and references from today’s show:

  • Tell Us What You Love About Pittsburgh [City Cast Pittsburgh]
  • Pittsburgh sets NFL Draft attendance record [Steelers]
  • Small businesses in Pittsburgh report seeing far fewer customers than expected during NFL Draft [WPXI]
  • NFL Draft food recovery effort exceeds 30,000 pounds [TribLive]
  • Transit Talk: Separating traffic enforcement from police could curb Pittsburgh’s bad driving [City Paper]
  • Pennsylvania Turnpike plans to text drivers about unpaid tolls, raising scam concerns [CBS Philadelphia]
  • Environmental groups decry plans to burn more coal for data centers [City Paper]
  • Allegheny County gets "F" for air quality [Axios Pittsburgh]
  • The ghost toilet on Pittsburgh’s South Side offers lessons for Downtown's new public bathrooms [WESA]

What was your impression of the NFL Draft? Should we host it regularly? Call or text us our DRAFT HOTLINE at 412-212-8893.

Learn more about the sponsors of this Friday, May 1st episode:

City Theatre

Pittsburgh Opera

PGH Cultural Trust

Women's Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh

Window Nation

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

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