Author
Stories by Amy Whipple
City Council
POGOH, the city's bike share program, has 60 stations, mostly in the East End and North Side. Now, council has advanced a $4 million agreement with the state to add 40 stations and over 400 bikes. A federal grant covers $3.2 million of the cost. Still, locations for the new stations haven't been released to the public.
County Council
Federal law blocks most of a county bill to bar officers from hiding their identity, council's lawyer said May 14. Still, he said it could likely be enforced with county police. The chief clerk said the two models for the bill, in Philadelphia and California, no longer stand. So a committee held the bill to let its sponsor amend it to fit the county's authority.
County Council
Pat Catena's campaign mailer tied his state House primary rival to a group advocating for transgender athletes. Now, Allegheny County Council is preparing to remove him as president. Sixteen residents spoke against the mailer on May 12, and seven members urged him to step down the next morning. State law barred a vote that night, and council next meets May 26.
County Council
Federal protections against sexual abuse cover transgender people in jails, but an Allegheny County Council member said they may be removed. Her proposed ordinance would write those protections into county law for the jail and juvenile detention center. It would also set a zero-tolerance standard for rape. On May 14, a council committee unanimously recommended it for a final vote.
City Council
A city website lets residents set budget priorities and see what their taxes pay for. On May 11, council advanced a $13,000 request to extend the tool, Balancing Act, by a year. A city official said how much residents use it depends on promotion. Meanwhile, the acting budget director said the city is building its own version to save money.
City Council
A bid last year to make Donny's Place, a Polish Hill gay bar, the city's first gay historic landmark failed. Now, council has advanced city planners' request for a $25,000 state grant to study Pittsburgh's LGBTQ+ history. A planning official said the bar's nomination lacked the kind of study historic nominations typically include. The grant requires a $7,500 city match.
City Council
Permit burdens fall hardest on people without the means to get through the system, a city manager said. In low-income communities, it takes a week longer to start applications for single-family home projects. On May 13, council advanced a free, three-year data partnership with Johns Hopkins University. If approved, researchers would look for common causes of incomplete applications and review delays.
County Council
Downtown Pittsburgh now has its first playground and public restrooms, County Executive Sara Innamorato told council on April 28. In her quarterly address, she said NFL Draft prep gave the region a deadline for permanent projects. She named Arts Landing and the renovated Market Square among them. A countywide cleanup also removed 7.3 million pounds of debris, she said.
County Council
A 2025 memo said Allegheny County's mental health and substance use treatment program faced a $20 million deficit for 2026. Now, county council has voted to accept $1.8 million from the dissolution of HealthChoices, Inc. The human services department will use it for mental health, intellectual disability, and social services, among other things. There's no set deadline for spending it.
County Council
None of the hearings on a proposal to reassess property every three years are in Pittsburgh. On April 28, a county council member pointed that out and urged holding one within city limits. Another member asked for an online session, saying the evening schedule would be prohibitive for some. Still, council's chief clerk said any added hearings would need council approval.
City Council
Anyone under 18 is now barred from Market Square from 3 pm to midnight, Thursday to Sunday, without someone 21 or older. In response, council advanced a bill to get quarterly violent crime data by age and location. The sponsor said that aside from two recent incidents, she found only anecdotal reports of disruptive teens. Council is scheduled to meet on the subject May 20.
City Council
Under two proposed bills, immigration agents couldn't use city property such as parks and libraries as staging areas. On May 6, council advanced the bills, which the mayor's office would enforce. Consequences could include a $2,000 fine per violation or firing from city jobs. Council is scheduled to take its final vote next week.
City Council
Pittsburgh's recycling and trash crews still follow routes printed in paper binders. Now, council has agreed to move forward with software to replace them. The routes were last updated in 2008, and the longest recycling route runs about 10 hours. Still, in-vehicle navigation isn't part of the deal and needs a separate contract.
City Council
The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and the JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Bank could split more than $55,000 in federal pandemic money. On April 29, council gave the plan preliminary approval. The money came from groups that couldn't use it in time or had finished their projects. Any remaining grant money must be spent by June 1.
City Council
Tree canopy covers less than 20% of some lower-income Pittsburgh neighborhoods, the city's forestry division says. On April 29, council advanced a 10-year deal for Student Conservation Association volunteers to keep working in parks. The group's spring plan focuses on the tree canopy, its program director said. State money pays for the work, and the city doesn't have to match it.
County Council
Officers, including federal agents, couldn't wear masks or hide badges on duty in Allegheny County under a proposed law. Introduced April 14, it would punish each violation with a fine up to $500 or up to 90 days in jail. Undercover officers and those wearing medical masks would be exempt. For now, council has referred it to the public safety committee.
County Council
Until this month, Allegheny County Jail workers weren't paid at all. Now, they earn $5 a day, and those in educational programs earn $2 per class. A council member said 377 workers got their first payments in early April. Still, people doing custodial work on their own pod won't be paid until a second phase, which has no start date.
City Council
Police and public works overtime for the NFL Draft will cost about $1.8 million, the acting budget director estimated. On April 20, council advanced a $2 million VisitPittsburgh grant to cover approved costs like those. Still, a council member noted the city will collect only parking tax from the event. The finance director said the city might break even.
City Council
Drainage problems can stop play on city-owned youth baseball and softball fields. Now, a $300,000 Pirates Charities grant will cover upgrades, such as laser grading, at about 20 fields. On April 20, council also advanced a laborers' union donation for scoreboards at 10 fields. The city is still finalizing which fields will get the upgrades.
City Council
A $5 million University of Pittsburgh grant could fund parks, Main Street programs, public safety facilities, and more. On April 20, council advanced the grant, which is paid over five years. Proposed spending will go into the capital budget for council approval, the chief of staff said. Still, a council member asked for extra spending reports, citing concerns about city trust funds.