Holy Water, Newspapers Close & Mayor Corey’s First Week

The first week of the new year brought a lot of changes for Pittsburgh. Corey O'Connor was sworn in as mayor, the Block family announced that it's shutting down City Paper and the Post-Gazette, and the Steelers made it to the playoffs thanks to a divine intervention. Host Megan Harris is joined by City Paper's former news editor, Colin Williams, and Axios Pittsburgh's Ryan Deto to talk about O'Connor's first week in office, what the loss of two local papers means for the city, and whether the Steelers could win a playoff game for the first time in nearly a decade. They also discuss Pittsburgh's connection to the hit show "Heated Rivalry" and another Bucco Brick fiasco. Then, producer Sophia Lo joins Colin and Megan to run through a few things to look forward to (or dread) as we go through 2026.

Notes and references from today’s show:

• Will Pittsburgh become America’s most important city without a newspaper? [NiemanLab]
• An open letter to the Block family [Breathing Space]
• Mayor-Elect Corey O'Connor Inauguration Ceremony [YouTube]
• O’Connor tours Downtown with an eye to fixing it up [TribLive]
• The story behind the Steelers' blessed end zone [Axios Pittsburgh]
• 'Heated Rivalry,' the gay hockey romance taking over the internet, finds love in Pittsburgh [P-G]
• Reports: Fenway Sports Group reaches agreement to sell Penguins [TribLive]
• Pirates fan receives hilarious replacement Bucco Brick [Reddit]
• Pittsburgh's 2026 is bigger than you can fathom [Axios Pittsburgh]
• Your Last Minute Guide to Pittsburgh's Best Paczki [City Cast Pittsburgh]
• Pittsburgh Lenten Fish Fry Map [Hollen Barmer]

Learn more about the sponsors of this January 9th episode:

Heinz History Center

The Frick

PA Preferred

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