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Transparency

Seeking information from Pittsburgh or Allegheny County? About half of formal requests are deemed ‘public records’

By Jeffrey Benzing | December 4, 2018

In the past four years, residents and journalists have filed at least 4,540 requests for public records with the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. About half the time, the city or county agreed to release all or some of the records.

While the city granted more records than the county, city records came at a higher price. The city charged requesters a total of $13,000 in copying and other costs, showing its reliance on paper records. In all but six cases, the county released records at no cost and in digital format whenever requested.

Aftermath: Synagogue attack

Could my family’s history with anti-Semitic violence explain the intensity of my grief over the Tree of Life attack?

By Jordana Rosenfeld | November 2, 2018

I was 23 years old when I learned about my family’s history with anti-Semitic violence. Before last year, I had thought there was no significant family history of experiencing anti-Semitic violence. There is, but no one in my family ever talks about it.

Aftermath: Synagogue attack

Video: The Squirrel Hill florist working tirelessly to memorialize the victims from Tree of Life, her synagogue.

By Kat Procyk | October 29, 2018

“People are grieving, but everyone is so determined to show the world that they’re not afraid to live.”

EDUCATION

The prospect of arming officers in Pittsburgh Public Schools draws an emotional protest and 70 speakers

By Mary Niederberger | October 23, 2018

A public hearing was held at the Pittsburgh Public Schools Building after the district’s Chief of School Safety requested to arm officers earlier this month.

SOCIAL JUSTICE

Mircalene navigated life in a new country, tensions with family and homelessness. Through it all, she has kept her childhood vow.

By Alyssa Choiniere | October 22, 2018

Mircalene Valcin immigrated from Haiti in 2013, spoke little English and faced homelessness. She is now fulfilling her dream to become a nurse.

EDUCATION

Pittsburgh-area nonprofits are pushing for a new tax to create an $18 million ‘children’s fund.’ Here’s what you need to know.

By Mary Niederberger and Matt Stroud | October 19, 2018

Three Allegheny County nonprofits have poured $355,000 in cash and nearly $72,000 in in-kind services into a campaign urging voters to approve a ballot referendum on Nov. 6 that would raise $18 million in tax revenue for children’s programs.

FIRST PERSON

Listen to Black girls. They know what they need best.

By Edoukou Aka-Ezoua | October 11, 2018

Edoukou Aka-Ezoua reflects on her experience meeting other young black women at the 3rd Annual Equity Summit.

FIRST PERSON

Black girls are left out of national debate on sexual violence

By Britney G. Brinkman | October 11, 2018

Despite the fact that the #MeToo campaign was founded by Tarana Burke, a Black woman activist, this anti-sexual violence campaign has largely overlooked the sexual harassment of Black girls in K-12 schools.

VIDEO

‘Queen talk’: Pittsburgh black women and girls describe how they navigate the world

By Kat Procyk and Jourdan Hicks | October 11, 2018

“Sometimes it’s a struggle when people just don’t understand my culture.”

FIRST PERSON

ALS stole much from my husband, but not his sense of humor.

By Sarah Wood | September 20, 2018

We never had a break in this constantly changing landscape. The realization that he was dying, piece by piece, was horrible, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.