Potholes, Political Football & Federal Cuts Hit Home
Pittsburgh’s acting police chief, Christopher Ragland, is stepping down just a few months after taking over the bureau (and just a few weeks after he was nominated to become permanent chief). Host Megan Harris and producer Sophia Lo discuss the latest development in the ongoing saga. Plus, they share how the state and county are trying to help federal workers who’ve been laid off, why public library use is up while public transit use is down, and one crafty and extremely Pittsburgh way people are measuring potholes at a local mall.
Notes and references from today’s show:
Federal workers:
- US announced job cuts surge 245% in February on federal government layoffs [Reuters]
- How NIH cuts could stall Pittsburgh's economy [Axios Pittsburgh]
- At Steelworkers HQ, Deluzio and Lee speak with Pitt researchers about impact of NIH funding cuts [WESA]
- 3 Western Pa. federal buildings listed, then removed, to be closed or sold [TribLive]
- Employees cut by feds could get Pa., Allegheny County jobs [TribLive]
- From psychosis to sleep to drug resistance, these Pittsburgh research efforts are threatened by Trump spending cuts, orders [PublicSource]
- Trump administration plans to cut 80,000 employees from Veterans Affairs, according to internal memo [AP]
- JOBS: Career Opportunities for Impacted Federal Workers [Allegheny County]
- JOBS: Continue Your Public Service with the Commonwealth [Commonwealth of Pennsylvania]
Acting police chief resigns:
- Mayor Ed Gainey's pick for Pittsburgh police chief, Christopher Ragland, is withdrawing name, leaving force [KDKA]
- Leadership vacuum: Ragland withdraws as Pittsburgh police chief candidate, plans to retire [TribLive]
- Pittsburgh City Council members say 'good riddance' to former acting police chief in ethics debate [WESA]
- Police Chief Out, Broken Vending Machines, & Big Bucks for Downtown [City Cast Pittsburgh]
Library & PRT:
- Pittsburgh's Carnegie Library sees rise in patrons, but worries about balancing books in the future [WESA]
- Pittsburgh Regional Transit service report shows minor ridership drop [Pittsburgh Union Progress]
- Annual Service Report [Pittsburgh Regional Transit]
What else we’re thinking about:
- How Well Do You Know Pittsburgh? Take This Quiz! [City Cast Pittsburgh]
- Pittsburgh Mills potholes — much frustration, few answers [TribLive]
- A young great horned owl is rescued after falling down 100 feet from its Pittsburgh nest [KDKA]
- Waddle-ful News: The National Aviary is overjoyed to share the arrival of not one but TWO African Penguin chicks! [@national_aviary]
Learn more about the sponsors of this March 7th episode:
The Frick Pittsburgh Museums and Gardens
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Stay connected to City Cast Pittsburgh and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
Paid Parental Leave Proposal Gets a Makeover
After weighing over 1,400 public comments — mostly from parents, health care workers, and small business owners — the county health depar...
‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Philly Is Reducing Violence With Parks — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh
Would Pittsburgh be better with fewer vacant, blighted lots? In Philly, the answer is overwhelmingly yes, with significant drops in crime...
Ripping Out Skill Games, Mandatory Fun & RIP Annie Dillard
Will state police start ripping skill games out of convenience stores, vape shops, and other spots? That's what could happen if lawmakers...
Pittsburgh Restaurant Empires, Explained
Did you know a ton of Pittsburgh's most influential dining spots are run by the same six restaurant groups? Some are massive, some are lo...
Measles, Go-Karts & Wylie’s Opening Lineup
Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak is getting worse. At least four people have died and nearly 700 cases are being tracked statewide. Host M...
What To Do During an ICE Encounter in Pittsburgh
Community leaders and business owners in Beechview — the heart of Pittsburgh's Latino community — say ICE activity has been increasi...
Won't You Be a Reader? The Campaign to Raise Lifelong Readers {SPONSORED}
On this bonus episode sponsored by the Grable Foundation, we're talking about a local push to make sure every child has access to the boo...
Does Pittsburgh Have the Meats? A Guide to Pittsburgh BBQ
Can Pittsburgh hold its own when it comes to barbecue? We definitely don’t have the smoked-meat reputation of Texas or the Carolinas, but...
‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Las Vegas Is Handling Record-Breaking Heat — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh
It may not feel like it right now, but extreme heat is coming for Pittsburgh, and Las Vegas might have the answers you need. An already s...
Iceburgh Loaf Pan, Fetterman's GOP Lovefest & Pittsburgh Remembers 9/11
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Western PA was directly affected: one of the hijacked planes crashed...