Dig through our 2022 coverage, and you’ll unearth layers of long-buried problems and veins of inspiration. 

From some angles, it was a rocky year, with ongoing pandemics, crumbling infrastructure, tax inequities and creeping threats to our environment. Beneath the crust, however, were gems of hope and glimmers of possibility in the form of solutions. 

Our newsroom reported from the frontlines for many of the biggest news stories of 2022 in Allegheny County. We also uncovered hidden, ignored or underreported structural challenges facing our region. We investigated inadequate responses to campus sexual misconduct. We probed the disparities created and perpetuated by the property tax assessment system. We broke news about threats to privacy as facial recognition technology was being considered at Carnegie Mellon University.  And when violence shook neighborhoods, we focused our lens on causes and solutions. 

Before we ring in a new year, let’s reflect on and share some of our favorite content from the past 12 months. We hope you’ll revisit some of our favorite stories with us.

Is there any quick bridge fix after Fern Hollow’s fall?

Pittsburgh has seen its infrastructure collapse, cave in and catch fire in recent years. When the Fern Hollow Bridge crumbled in January, it captured the attention of a nation. Our team, led by local government reporter Charlie Wolfson, sprung to action as details unfurled, and kept pushing for elusive solutions. Residents shared their perspectives.

We investigated other times Pittsburgh infrastructure raised concerns. We gathered data about every other poorly rated bridge in Allegheny County and told residents why they shouldn’t panic. Forgetting the details? Check out a mini timeline of the Fern Hollow fallout.  We pushed Mayor Ed Gainey’s administration for details on the delayed fixes for Pittsburgh’s other ailing spans.

Roe’s reversal undermines abortion rights and challenges our sense of Selves

When the Supreme Court decided to axe Roe v. Wade, ending the constitutional right to abortion, we recognized it as a historic moment that demanded a comprehensive response. Pittsburgh is one city with many selves — both homegrown and transplants — all of whom deserve to see themselves and their perspectives reflected in Pittsburgh media. In May we created Selves, an art-packed newsletter filled with critically needed journalism on women’s issues, identity, race and gender. Across more than two dozen editions, we’ve included first-person perspectives, comics and photo essays about abortion, women’s rights and threats to the LGBTQ community — all localized to the Pittsburgh region. For months, we’ve witnessed classroom arguments about classic books and race, increased violence toward queer and trans people and creeping normalization of white supremacy. Selves answers that by providing a space to share and reflect on shifting societal norms and to provoke bold ideas to envision a future for all. If you haven’t already, today would be a great day to sign up.

Faith, Race, Place: Where do Pittsburgh’s spiritual roots lead?

Religion reporter Chris Hedlin noticed many Pittsburgh faith communities in a “period of transformation” and wrestling with a need for change, and she embarked on this project to connect Pittsburgh’s religious past and future. The project walks readers through Pittsburgh’s storied and complex religious past, including the story of Pittsburgh’s earliest Muslims and how house-of-worship-heavy neighborhoods were formed. She explored the impacts of immigration patterns, racism, industrialization — even the hills and rivers. How did these influences bring faith communities into being and shape how and where they worship? This reporting is sure to teach you something you didn’t already know.

Going beyond the tragedies to find causes and answers

When scores of gunshots shattered a party at an Airbnb in East Allegheny, Pittsburgh again confronted the ramifications of the nation’s gun culture. PublicSource reported on what it’s like to hear that “Level 1 GSWs” are headed your way, and provided breaking coverage of an attack on the funeral of a victim of another East Allegheny mass shooting, but our mission took us deeper.

From coverage on the locations of gunshots and use of that data in prosecutions, to reporter Amelia Winger’s dive into the neighborhood that endured two mass shootings, our focus remained on root causes and potential solutions to the chain of heartbreak.

What’s wrong with Allegheny County’s property taxes and housing market?

Allegheny County’s property tax system could’ve been a pioneer of fairness, but instead evolved into an exhibit of inequity in which some levies are based on market values, while others have been frozen for a decade. As a lawsuit threatened to upend a system of aging assessments and contentious appeals, we revealed that the county’s system would be illegal in most states. We covered the winners (“Popeye”) and those in the crosshairs of a system crying for reform. Tenants, meanwhile, face rising rents and perilous lease terms, while nonprofits dedicated to affordable housing joust with private interests, as reporter Eric Jankiewicz detailed. Intern Jack Troy asked: Does the future include more “in-law suites”?

Citizen watchdogs have their eyes on Shell

As Shell’s giant petrochemical plant steamed toward full capacity, environmental reporter Quinn Glabicki followed along as a network of Beaver County citizen scientists and local watchdogs trained to collect emissions data and nurdles, plus monitor air quality in an effort to document the “cracker’s” impact. Some installed air monitors and cameras.

Others gathered samples from the water’s edge. More and more we see citizens going to new lengths to address the global climate crisis and local environmental crises they face (think: activists gluing their heads to famous paintings or self-immolating in response to inaction on the climate crisis). The citizen science approach brings a global movement to our backyard.

CMUs consideration of facial recognition on campus gets shut down 

In July, PublicSource obtained a draft policy that would allow Carnegie Mellon University police to use facial recognition during criminal investigations. Higher education reporter Emma Folts spoke with researchers and civil liberty advocates who argued the technology threatens privacy, normalizes surveillance and poses disproportionate risks to people of color. Sources also posited that the technology could rupture relationships between students and institutions. Ten days after Emma broke the story, Carnegie Mellon University withdrew its draft policy and released a statement saying that due to community feedback, the university was no longer considering the use of facial recognition technology. Two months later, student activists took to campus streets to demand a citywide ban on the use of facial recognition technology. 

“…You can draw a straight line from PublicSource & [Reporter Emma Folts’s] reporting to this policy getting tabled. Grateful to have this kind of local independent journalism,” one reader wrote.

From the Source podcast explores big ideas and young voices

Many of you followed along in seasons 1 and 2 as host/community correspondent Jourdan Hicks spoke with Pittsburghers about how the COVID pandemic was reshaping their lives and perspectives. In seasons 3 and 4 of the From the Source podcast, we focused on trailblazers from across the region and engaged youth. Jourdan spoke with Lena Chen about how society needs to reframe what it considers “real work.” She engaged with Mark Williams, creator of the show “Hello, Humans!” — an episode many of you loved. Season 4, which will continue into early 2023, zooms in on youth perspectives, experiences and futures. Jourdan has spoken with teens about social media, youth violence, immigration and more. Many of you found the conversations compelling. We even hit 10,000 lifetime downloads! Re-listen to your favorite episodes or find a new favorite. 

How has the pandemic changed Pittsburgh-area K-12 education?

While virtual school has faded into memory for most school children, pandemic-driven learning loss and behavioral issues made a lasting impression. Lajja Mistry chronicled the journeys of teachers who erased their proverbial blackboards and started over again. Some families, meanwhile, decided to take the process in-house, with Black households especially embracing homeschooling in unprecedented numbers.

What are universities doing about The Red Zone of campus sexual assaults?

Have you heard of The Red Zone? For many of us, the project by reporters Emma Folts and Mila Sanina was our first introduction to that term for the stretch of time in the fall semester when more than half of sexual assaults among college students occur. The 13-part project investigated what’s being done to protect those at risk of sexual violence on Pittsburgh campuses.

Pittsburgh universities, like many across the country, report few cases of sexual and gender-based violence each year. But these institutions — and their students — know that violence is likely more pervasive than the numbers show. The project included reporting about the Title IX process, survivors’ experiences, essays from Pittsburghers about toxic masculinity, perspectives from young men striving to be part of the solution and more. Read The Red Zone project now.

What would Pittsburgh be like if big nonprofits invested more in the city?

What could Allegheny County’s local municipalities do with an extra $127.5 million — every year? That’s the price tag attached to the region’s five largest nonprofits maintaining tax-exempt status who have billions of dollars of tax-exempt property in their possession, according to the  Pittsburgh and county controllers. The controllers called for larger contributions from five large nonprofits: the University of Pittsburgh, UPMC, Carnegie Mellon University, Highmark/AHN and Duquesne University. The Exempt Dilemma took readers from the data to the dormitory. In other cities, colleges contribute millions directly to their cities each year. While the major nonprofits have made investments in Pittsburgh, the controllers maintain the nonprofits give more to the city, and its cash-hungry schools. Read the project, or catch this quick 4-minute recap by Reporter Emma Folts.

Entrenched problems — from aging infrastructure to societal violence — don’t go away when we toss out a calendar or uncork celebratory champagne. Neither will the earnest hunt for hope, solutions and progress. We plan to keep bringing that news to you in 2023 and beyond.

The post Fix the bridges, stop the violence: 2022 challenged Pittsburgh to find answers appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

While you may be worn down by pandemic life and the merry-go-round of rising cases and new COVID-19 variants, a new concern is brewing locally: monkeypox. 

In a few months, the monkeypox virus went from a handful of reported cases in the United States to a public health emergency of international concern. Prior to the 2022 outbreak, monkeypox was reported in several central and western African countries and almost all cases outside of Africa were linked to international travel to places where the virus is common.

Allegheny County health officials reported that 29 monkeypox cases have been detected locally between June 26 and Aug. 1.

Health officials maintain the monkeypox outbreak differs from COVID-19 because of its slower transmission and lower fatality rate.

Monkeypox can begin with a fever, exhaustion, headache, muscle aches, backaches or swollen lymph nodes. A few days after symptoms begin, a painful rash or skin lesions may develop on the face or other parts of the body. Sometimes people may develop a rash first. There have been no monkeypox virus deaths reported in the U.S. 

The World Health Organization [WHO], which declared a public health emergency on July 27, said 99% of U.S. cases are related to male-to-male sexual contact. Public health experts continue to stress that anyone can get the virus. 

There have been concerns about misinformation leading to the possible stigmatization of gay and bisexual people due to messaging about who is impacted most by the virus. There has also been criticism about the name of the disease (its origins are rooted in racist stereotypes). 

Some infectious disease experts and other medical professionals worry the overemphasis on men who have sex with men may lead clinicians to dismiss the signs of monkeypox seen in others. There have been two reported cases of U.S. kids with monkeypox. For some, it’s a pattern reminiscent of the early days of COVID-19 when tests were mostly only available if you had recently traveled to Wuhan, China.

As cases continue to rise locally, PublicSource spoke with Dr. Debra Bogen, the county’s health director, and Dr. Barbara Nightingale, head of the county’s clinical services who has been coordinating the monkeypox testing and vaccine efforts. 

(To stay updated on Allegheny County monkeypox cases, visit the county’s confirmed case count tracker.)

(Here’s what to do if you think you have monkeypox.)

How is monkeypox developing locally and how are you anticipating those case numbers to move?  

“The numbers are continuing to increase,” Nightingale said. “They have not plateaued off yet. So I think we’re definitely going to expect that the numbers are going to continually, slowly increase as they have been. I wouldn’t expect a rapid increase in the numbers overnight just based on the way that monkeypox is transmitted from person to person and the amount of time it takes for the virus to get into a person’s body and actually become infected. It’s a slow transmission.”

Do we get the sense that the current case count is accurate or possibly an undercount? 

“It’s an undercount just because some people don’t know that they have the virus and so they’re not going to get testing,” said Nightingale. “It’s not as much that they don’t have the access to the testing. They may just not recognize it and go get the testing. Some individuals in the current outbreak really just have pretty mild symptoms, so they might not recognize it enough or be bothered enough. So I’m sure to some degree that’s there.”

Can I get monkeypox? Who can get monkeypox? 

“In general, anybody can get it,” Nightingale said. “So it is not confined within one type of group of individuals by any means.”

How can I become infected with monkeypox?

Monkeypox and smallpox are essentially cousins, but monkeypox is milder and rarely fatal. People can be infected with monkeypox if they come into extended contact with sores, scabs or body fluids of someone with the virus. While most infections have occurred through close, intimate situations, such as cuddling, kissing and sexual contact, there are other avenues for infection, such as by encountering contaminated materials, such as clothing, bedding and other linens used by an infected person.

Scientists who studied rooms hospitalizing monkeypox patients found the highest viral loads on bathroom surfaces and cabinet door handles.

People can also get monkeypox from infected animals, through scratches, bites or eating meat, or using products from an infected animal.

Scientists are still researching if the virus can be spread by someone without symptoms.

Is monkeypox an STD or STI?

“It is not an STD, no,” Nightingale said. “Can it be traveled through behavior that’s associated with sex? Yes. … But in itself, it is not a sexually transmitted disease. So it’s from contact with the lesions itself, which is any direct contact with the lesions.”

What is the concern at this point about kids contracting monkeypox?

Bogen said much of our understanding of the risk to kids is based on experience with the African version of the virus.

Nightingale added: “I think the concern is a legitimate concern just because kids younger than 8 are at high risk for more severe disease, so we definitely want to be mindful of that age group,” Nightingale said. “If you’re in direct contact, sort of prolonged contact with someone who has monkeypox, kids could be getting it.”

She continued: “We haven’t seen any kids with monkeypox in Allegheny County.”

What are the symptoms of monkeypox?

Monkeypox symptoms include chills, fever, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion and swollen lymph nodes. A rash – which can look like pimples or blisters and may be painful or itchy – usually follows a few days after initial symptoms begin. Over the course of two to four weeks, the lesions usually go through multiple stages then crust and fall off.

How deadly is monkeypox? 

Nightingale said of the two monkeypox virus strains that exist, “this current outbreak that’s affecting the United States is much less lethal than other strains.” The estimation of fatal cases is around 1% with the current strain, she said, with expectations that would drop over time. The WHO says the monkeypox case fatality rate in recent times has been about 3% to 6%.

The CDC says “over 99% of people who get this form of the disease are likely to survive.”

However, people with a weakened immune system or a history of eczema, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and kids under 8 may be more likely to get seriously ill or die.

How can I get tested for monkeypox?

Tests for monkeypox are available at the county’s health clinic and throughout the county, with more sites expected in the coming weeks. People with health insurance who want to be tested should contact their primary care provider to make an appointment, especially if they have flu-like symptoms, a new rash or sores, or if they’ve been in close contact with an infected person. 

Free testing is also available for people without insurance at the county’s public health clinic at 1908 Wylie Ave. 

Can I get vaccinated for monkeypox?

Monkeypox vaccines are available throughout Allegheny County. Availability of the JYNNEOS vaccine – one of two monkeypox vaccines – recently expanded through several community health providers.

The vaccine is being offered to those who have been identified as positive with the virus or having a high-risk exposure to a person who has been diagnosed with monkeypox. Vaccine eligibility is on a case-by-case basis once someone is identified as having close or confirmed contact with a monkeypox-positive person.

“The vaccine can prevent disease if given within four days of exposure to the virus. In some circumstances, the vaccine may be offered after four days in discussion with a vaccine provider,” said ACHD medical epidemiologist Dr. Kristen Mertz, in a press release.

An antiviral medicine called Tecovirimat is used to help treat positive patients but is prescribed under limited circumstances because it’s not FDA-approved for monkeypox. The medicine is also a treatment for smallpox. 

What is vaccine availability like locally?

“At this point, we have enough vaccine to be able to vaccinate people that we can identify that have been at high risk of being exposed, someone that has been in contact with someone who has diagnosed or presumed monkeypox,” said Nightingale, who mentioned the county has also vaccinated a few people who were at risk and “one step removed from a direct exposure.” 

“We’re not at the stage right now, because of the limitations in the amount of vaccine, that we can give people vaccine in order to prevent potential exposure,” she said. She anticipates the county will be able to provide preventative vaccinations within the next month, but right now the supply is for people “at highest risk in the county.”

What is monkeypox vaccine availability like in Allegheny County?

The county received four shipments of vaccines from the state department of health, with 1,422 total doses of the monkeypox vaccine, according to the health department’s spokesperson. The vaccines are being distributed to sites across the county that will provide them. 

What to do if you think you or someone you love has monkeypox:

1. Symptom check: Do you have an unexplained rash, or are you matching these symptoms?
   1. Rash, fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes
   2. If so, avoid close contact with others.
2. Look into testing: Call your primary care doctor or the Allegheny County Health Department at 412-687-ACHD (412-687-2243) to ask about testing and/or vaccine availability.
3. Stay isolated until you receive test results and remain cautious and preventative until any rashes have healed and all scabs have fallen off. 

How can I prevent monkeypox?

The virus can survive on linens, clothing and surfaces. 

Avoid people, bedding and other linens or materials infected with the virus. Avoid skin-to-skin contact with someone with a rash. Use masks, gloves and other protective gear when caring for infected people. Wash your hands with soap and water. The CDC gives guidance on how to disinfect your home and infected linens safely.

TyLisa C. Johnson is the audience engagement editor for PublicSource. She can be reached at tylisa@publicsource.org or on Twitter at @tylisawrites.

The Jewish Healthcare Foundation has contributed funding to PublicSource’s healthcare reporting.

The post Monkeypox in Pittsburgh? Here’s what you need to know appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

Pittsburgh travelers always face a mixed bag of conditions. Landslides and torrential downpour. Some of the steepest hills in the country. A nontraditional – and by some measures illogical – street grid system. But with increasing construction projects in the region thanks to an influx of infrastructure dollars and more Pittsburghers taking to the streets as society attempts to assume normalcy, travelers face a unique moment.

Civil engineers and travel experts agree: It’s a risky time for non-car travelers as sweeping shifts are enacted on Pittsburgh’s roads and bridges that could change everyday travel for years to come.

We were warned.

Ninety projects were slated to begin on the Pittsburgh region’s roads and bridges, Gov. Tom Wolf said in March. Wolf urged the public to anticipate “seeing many work zones” and to practice safe travel and driving habits and slow down as the “2022 construction season kicks off with more than $317 million of infrastructure projects” in the region. 

About 388 miles of roadway maintenance will occur. Sixty-seven bridges – 24 in poor condition – will be repaired or replaced. (Notably, concerns are growing that the federal infrastructure windfall may not stretch as far due to swiftly rising inflation, fuel costs and challenges to secure basic materials like concrete and asphalt.) 

Additional state-funded transportation projects for bridges, pedestrians, highways and transit are underway.

“People need to be aware of the fact that there’s going to be a lot more construction this summer than you’ve seen in the past,” said Mark Magalotti, a senior lecturer at the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The influx of federal funding to fix Pennsylvania’s roads and bridges will mean more construction on roads that already prove treacherous for Pittsburgh’s more vulnerable travelers. 

Pedestrian deaths across the United States hit a 40-year high this year. Pennsylvania was among the top 10 states with increases in pedestrian fatalities from 2020 to 2021.

“A big reason for this was speeding,” said Scott Bricker, executive director of Bike Pittsburgh. “People may think it’s harmless, but speed kills.”

About 5% of pedestrians would die when hit by a car going 20 miles per hour, but that estimate jumps to 40% of pedestrians for vehicles traveling 30 miles per hour, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association. 

How can non-car Pittsburgh travelers stay safe this summer?

Studies show streets are safer with less speeding and with more non-car trips, such as biking or public transit, Bricker said. Some 40% of all the trips people make in Pittsburgh cover less than 2 miles and therefore are achievable without a car for many people.

“But the things that result in more people biking and walking are safer streets and closer proximity to everything people need so that people don’t need to get into a car in the first place. So, really, the question should be, ‘What can the government do at all levels — local, county, state, and federal — to keep non-car travelers safe?’” The answer, Bricker said, is to build safe streets and walkable, bikeable, transit-rich communities.

“Some larger construction projects that are getting underway this summer and throughout the year will eventually result in more protected bike lanes, safer pedestrian crossings, and more neighborway connections,” Bricker said.

For instance, more than $1.7 million will go to reopening a portion of Sylvan Avenue to bike and foot traffic as a trail that will connect Hazelwood and Greenfield to job centers in Oakland, according to PennDOT.

Magalotti said in the coming years, thanks to the infrastructure bill and federal windfall, Pittsburgh travelers can expect to see more highways being reconstructed or bridges being repaired or replaced. 

“That’s a good thing because we do have such an aging infrastructure in this country,” Magalotti said. “Just try to be aware of that and try to be somewhat tolerant of this because we’re going to end up with a better roadway system than we have now.”

Bricker said so many construction projects will, on the positive side, result in slower speeds and safer streets overall.

Some city projects to increase and advance pedestrian safety have occurred in recent years. Goals have included adding new pedestrian signals and new parking spaces to distance traffic from pedestrians, and giving pedestrians a head start when crossing the street.

“Innovative transportation is certainly going to help in certain aspects,” said Aleksandar Stevanovic, an associate professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. 

That includes modernized features to ensure safer travel for vulnerable travelers, such as pedestrian sensors at crosswalks or automated counting systems that help agencies better understand traffic flows and systems.

“Right now the city’s investing in the infrastructure to equip intersections with the detection of pedestrians,” he said. “Better pedestrian detection is one way, for example, to improve, to kind of hit the sweet spot and have, at the same time, reliable supports for pedestrians and efficient operations for the vehicles.”

TyLisa C. Johnson is the audience engagement editor for PublicSource. She can be reached at tylisa@publicsource.org or on Twitter at @tylisawrites.

The post A summer of orange cones, delays, pedestrian peril … and hope? appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

Roe v. Wade was toppled on June 24 by the Supreme Court of the United States.

Activists immediately took to the Pittsburgh streets. Students mobilized, searching for ways to support their peers and speaking out about how the decision is likely to disproportionately impact marginalized people. Professors spoke out about concern for the future of other currently protected rights.

Abortions remain legal in Pennsylvania as of July 2022. Gov. Tom Wolf, a clear supporter of abortion rights, will leave office in early 2023. Should Pennsylvania elect a Republican governor in 2022, it’s possible the commonwealth would see more restrictive laws enacted.

Many are wondering what’s next and what this decision will mean for millions of Americans. What’s your reaction to the Supreme Court’s decision? Do you have a pregnancy or abortion-related story to share? We want to hear your story.

Read more Roe v. Wade coverage:

• Supreme Court decision on Roe puts PA advocates on defense, brings protest, sharp responses from officials
• This Pittsburgh psychiatrist risked his reputation to help hundreds receive safe abortions in the ’60s. Now, he doesn’t feel safe talking about it.
• How student leaders of Pittsburgh campus groups are responding, mobilizing after Roe reversal
• Professors express concern for marginalized communities, protected rights in wake of Roe reversal

TyLisa C. Johnson is the audience engagement editor for PublicSource. She can be reached at tylisa@publicsource.org or on Twitter at @tylisawrites.

The post Roe v. Wade is gone. Share your abortion story. appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

The Fern Hollow bridge was rated ‘poor’ when it collapsed in January. Dozens of other bridges across Allegheny County share the same or worse rating.

Still, don’t panic, says longtime structural engineer Kent Harries to Pittsburgh travelers. With more news about increasing dangers for pedestrians, Harries suggested collapsing bridges aren’t our biggest threat.

We spoke with Kent Harries, an engineering consultant and professor of structural engineering at the University of Pittsburgh, known to some as “the bridge guy,” about his perspective on what we can learn from the collapse, why the public shouldn’t panic and ideas for safer travel.  

The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. 

You’ve said before: “We can’t possibly prevent all bridge failures. … The important thing is we learn from that going forward, and I have no doubt we will learn from this, too.” What do you think we can learn from the Fern Hollow collapse? 

The takeaway from these kinds of failures is that we are neglecting maintenance. And when I say we, I’m talking we as a nation and going beyond the nation as well. And that’s a big issue. We’ve got a structure that was, what, not quite 50 years old or barely 50 years old. At the time, it would have been designed with a 75-year life in mind. But all you have to do is look around Pittsburgh to see that bridges need to last a lot longer than that. And it was in a very poor state of repair. Now, there’s all sorts of reasons for that.  

Do you think the infrastructure bill will be adequate to address the ongoing deterioration of bridges? What is the ratio of support we’re getting from the infrastructure bill to the support we need? 

That’s a good question. And I think you could probably ask 15 economists and get 25 different answers to that question. The infrastructure bill is good in the sense that at least it’s something, right? We’re pointing in the right direction. There is some recognition. Now keep in mind what was passed was half of what was asked initially. … 

All the numbers that we talk about are to sort of bring infrastructure back up to a serviceable standard. That doesn’t address the need for new infrastructure. So let’s look at Pittsburgh for a second. You know, Pittsburgh’s an aging city. The population is half of what it was in the ’40s and ’50s. But let’s look into the future for a minute. At some point, whether it’s 20 years down the line or 50, Florida is going to be underwater. California will have burnt out. Half of the coast is dealing with five hurricanes a year. Pittsburgh’s going to be a location in North America that’s not a bad place to move to. 

But what will that mean, you know? It’ll place larger demands. It will mean that not only do we need to maintain what we have, but we need to build new. 

We will [eventually need to make] decisions that we are going to have to shut down bridges and not replace them because the resources just simply are not there. Now, that’s going to be a political decision, let’s face it. Right? Let’s not pretend. And it will probably bring up other issues like social justice issues. If you’ve got two equivalent bridges that essentially carry the same traffic and carry two different communities, which one is likely to be shut down and replaced? Hopefully, we’re only shutting down those bridges that carry a couple hundred cars a day. But for those couple of hundred people, that’s important. 

And looking at Pittsburgh, if you look at the amount of money that it would take to bring our bridge infrastructure up to speed, that’s probably less money than we need to bring the sewer system up to repair. (ALCOSAN’s effort to eliminate combined sewer overflows is expected to cost $2 billion.)

What would you say to a Pittsburgh traveler — car, foot or bike — who might now be anxious about crossing Pittsburgh bridges? There are bridges rated worse than Fern Hollow, but you’ve said before that the public “shouldn’t panic.” Why not?

I  don’t want to belittle the anxiety … by any stretch of the imagination. But, it’s not something to be concerned with. I would be much more anxious jaywalking middle-block in Oakland. Hell, I’d be more anxious walking in a crosswalk in Oakland than I would be going across a bridge. Not to belittle it, but there’s not a real risk. I’ll leave my building and try to cross the street and that’s much more dangerous. I’m a cyclist and riding in the bike lanes is much more dangerous.

We know that Fern Hollow and other bridges that have failed are usually deteriorating and corroding in lots of different ways. You’ve said before that bridge collapse is usually a “synthesis of multiple issues.” Are there telltale signs or things travelers can look out for to know if a bridge is safe to cross or nearing failure? Are there things you can actually see or look out for? 

The driver should not be doing that, they should be focused on the road. Passengers can look around. But the answer is no. If you see a great big ledge in front of you , then there is no bridge. But apart from that, no.

TyLisa C. Johnson is the audience engagement editor for PublicSource. She can be reached at tylisa@publicsource.org or on Twitter at @tylisawrites.

The post Pittsburgh’s ‘bridge guy’ tells residents not to panic following Fern Hollow appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

A bridge falls. Pittsburgh makes national headlines. Then, a swarm of government responses, lawsuits and impacts that reverberated through the community. Four months later, where are we?

Bridge maintenance rocketed to the top of Mayor Ed Gainey’s priorities following the collapse in January. The city plans to solicit bids and pick a vendor to craft a comprehensive bridge maintenance plan by June 17.

PublicSource compiled a timeline of the day the Fern Hollow bridge collapsed and all that has followed, plus, what’s next. 

All falls down — Jan. 28, 2022

A loud noise. Sounds of hissing. Smells of natural gas.

When it was still pitch black outside on a brisk January morning, the 447-foot Fern Hollow Bridge fell. In an instant, the long-standing centerpiece was no more.

At the time, a Port Authority 61B bus was headed to Braddock from downtown Pittsburgh. In total, nine people in six vehicles collapsed with the bridge.

First responders arrived, gained control of a gas leak and rappelled nearly 150 feet, forming a human chain to pull people to safety. Canines were brought to assist. The state’s Urban Search and Rescue team was called. Some homes were evacuated.

The stunning news made the rounds. Local residents descended on the scene to peer at the wreckage and make sense of what happened. Politicians arrived to assess the damage. President Joe Biden visited the site shortly after he arrived in the city to give a previously scheduled speech about infrastructure and doubled down on the country’s need to invest in its bridges and roads.

Within hours of the collapse, Mayor Ed Gainey was speaking just steps in front of the cavernous space where the bridge once stood as cameras shuttered and nearby residents and onlookers watched in amazement.

Later that evening, officials from the National Transportation Safety Board arrived to investigate. It could take 12 to 18 months for a final report to be released. (Why did the bridge collapse? What kind of care was Fern Hollow getting?)

(Rewatch this minute-by-minute timeline that reconstructs the events of Jan. 28 through multiple eyewitness accounts.)

Pittsburgh feels the weight of the collapse

A week after the collapse, and with plenty of questions still unanswered, cleanup and plans to rebuild were underway. 

The collapse spurred discussions about safety concerns traveling across numerous bridges throughout the county and state. Five other bridges in Pennsylvania with the same design as the Fern Hollow Bridge were inspected following the collapse. Experts assured residents that despite the collapse, they shouldn’t panic about other bridges. 

In the following weeks, reports emerged about residents’ concerns about more local bridges in a questionable or corroding state, such as the South Negley Avenue Bridge in Shadyside, which also had a ‘poor’ bridge rating. 

The Versailles Avenue Bridge in McKeesport was closed to traffic following an inspection that was pushed up in the wake of the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse. The Port Authority shut down its South Busway bridge for months, rerouting transit in the South Hills.

Local drivers at the time said they were concerned about the safety of the bridges used in their commutes. 

Businesses near the Fern Hollow Bridge were impacted, including, at the time, the impending closure of one waffle restaurant.

It also raised interest in infrastructure, with Pittsburgh City Council considering and later creating an infrastructure commission.

Over time, details about the collapse continued to emerge. 

Years before the bridge collapsed, since at least 2014, the state’s concern apparently grew with the Fern Hollow Bridge and it decided to increase bridge inspections to occur annually. Local residents made multiple calls to 311 about the bridge’s condition from 2016 to 2019. A lack of maintenance on the city-owned and city-maintained bridge may have played a role in its collapse, reporting from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette suggests. Fern Hollow Bridge was severely decaying before its collapse, a 2021 report indicates. 

Rust corroded the bridge to the point there were holes in the steel support legs. Steel cross-beams were “severed” from their connection to support legs that hold up the bridge.

On Feb 11, the public learned that the Penn Hills couple hurt in the collapse planned to sue the city, Port Authority and PennDOT, citing injuries including fractured vertebrae and “psychological damage.”

Politicians spring to action — February/March

The bridge collapse — deemed by some a “call to action” — almost immediately became a symbol of the need to fully inspect, repair and invest in the country’s aging transportation infrastructure. 

One week after the collapse, city and state officials said work would immediately begin to replace the fallen bridge through an emergency agreement.

Gainey and Pittsburgh City Councilor Corey O’Connor introduced The Commission on Infrastructure Asset Reporting and Investment, a 15-member panel including city officials, city residents and organized labor representatives. The commission was described in a press release as laying out “best practices for both short- and long-term investment in the upkeep and improvement of major City-maintained infrastructure assets.” 

Pennsylvania will spend about $25 million to design and replace the collapsed bridge, funded in part by the federal infrastructure plan.  

Public input on the rebuilding of Fern Hollow Bridge will be limited to expedite the process, which has been criticized by some who wanted a say in its design.

Fern Hollow construction begins as new details emerge — April/May

On May 5, photos from video footage on the Port Authority bus traveling across the bridge at the time of collapse were released in an investigative update from the National Transportation Safety Board. The update also noted that the injury status of one vehicle occupant was still unknown.

Construction was set to begin the week of May 9 with the “pouring of concrete for the underground support for the first bridge pier,” according to the Post-Gazette. The bridge is being built under an emergency declaration.

The Port Authority bus driver who was on the Fern Hollow Bridge when it collapsed said he was injured and filed a May 16 court motion asking the city to turn over bridge records in anticipation of a lawsuit.

On May 20, PennDOT released an inspection report on the Fern Hollow Bridge completed in late September, four months before its collapse. The report, released in response to a Post-Gazette Right-to-Know request, showed major decay of the structure but did not prompt immediate repairs. 

What now, what next?

Here are a few things to look out for in the coming months:

• The NTSB report – The NTSB review and final declaration on why the bridge collapsed could take as long as 18 months, well into 2023. It’s expected that decisions in recent years to forego bridge repairs may be critical in the investigation.
• An independent private investigator is also conducting a separate probe, at the request of the city, following approval by city council to spend up to $17,500 on an investigation into the collapse. 
• Pittsburgh’s mayor plans to overhaul how the city manages its bridges and hire a consultant to create a comprehensive bridge management plan, but thinning staff at the city’s infrastructure and mobility office could make it hard to implement.
• The city is rebuilding from the ground up: Contractors are building the substructure of the new bridge under an emergency declaration, while the top of the bridge is still being designed. The completion timeline is dictated by factors from what materials to use and where to get them to what look the new bridge will take. In the meantime, there are no plans for a temporary throughway.

Read more about the Fern Hollow Bridge and Pittsburgh’s infrastructure:

• Allegheny County bridges: List of latest inspections, maintenance work
• With all eyes on Biden in Pittsburgh, 13 local experts diagnose the region’s biggest infrastructure needs

TyLisa C. Johnson is the audience engagement editor for PublicSource. She can be reached at tylisa@publicsource.org or on Twitter at @tylisawrites.

This story was fact-checked by Terryaun Bell.

The post The Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed four months ago. We look back— and forward. appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

Editor’s note: The Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24. (Read our coverage here.) Abortions remain legal in Pennsylvania as of July 2022. We’d still like to hear your thoughts and stories about abortion rights and restrictions. Please use the form below!

Roe v. Wade has been the law of the land since 1973, establishing the right to end a pregnancy. A May 2 POLITICO report, however, shared a leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion that would strike down the nearly 50-year-old law.

What does that mean for Pennsylvania? Gov. Tom Wolf, a clear supporter of abortion rights, has said he would support abortion access by vetoing anti-abortion bills. But in recent months, he said that likely wouldn’t be enough without the federal protection from Roe v. Wade. Not to mention that Wolf will leave office in early 2023.

[What does that mean for you? Share your story with us. See form below for more details.] 

Nearly two dozen states are anticipated to ban or severely restrict abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group in favor of abortion rights.

The percent of women who may drive to Pennsylvania for abortion care following a total ban in nearby states is expected to grow by more than 1,000%, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

Members of Pennsylvania’s General Assembly have pushed forward six different anti-abortion bills since 2016, which have remained unsuccessful, though three made it to Wolf’s desk.

Should Pennsylvania elect a Republican governor in 2022, it’s possible the commonwealth would see more restrictive laws enacted.

PublicSource wants to explore how women, womxn and families are being impacted by the looming Supreme Court decision and governor’s race. We understand that this can be a deeply personal discussion, but we also believe there’s power in sharing your perspective and in elevating the voices of those with direct experiences.

Read more: How PA could be impacted by the SCOTUS ruling

Originally published March 3, 2022. Updated May 3, 2022.

Jourdan Hicks is PublicSource’s senior community correspondent. She can be reached at Jourdan@publicsource.org or on Facebook @Jourdan Hicks.

TyLisa C. Johnson is the audience engagement editor for PublicSource. She can be reached at tylisa@publicsource.org or on Twitter at @tylisawrites.

The post Tell us: We want to hear from you about abortion rights and restrictions. appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

Summer vacation is on the horizon. 

For some kids, it’ll mean camp with friends, practicing sports or relishing their free time. For other kids, it may mean summer programs to address learning gaps after two full years of schooling through the pandemic.

As we enter the third summer vacation since the pandemic began, PublicSource wants to know how students across Allegheny County will be spending their breaks: focusing on engaged summer recreation or prioritizing academic recovery? How are Pittsburgh parents molding or modifying their kids’ summer break to account for the last two years? 

Last summer, Pittsburgh Public Schools and other districts across Allegheny County launched several separate summer learning programs, credit recovery programs and summer camps to shrink learning gaps resulting from staff shortages, virtual instruction and delays in mental health resources. Test data for the 2020-21 school year showed the younger students struggled more than the older students in Pittsburgh to adapt during COVID.

Please let us know your plans by filling out our survey below. Note that we won’t publish anything from you without contacting you for permission, so please share your email!

Read more: Allegheny County students look to summer school after a difficult year. But can they catch up?

TyLisa C. Johnson is the audience engagement editor for PublicSource. She can be reached at tylisa@publicsource.org or on Twitter at @tylisawrites.

Jourdan Hicks is PublicSource’s senior community correspondent. She can be reached at Jourdan@publicsource.org or on Facebook @Jourdan Hicks.

The post Tell us: How will your kids spend summer vacation? appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

This story was based on reader submissions that placed a spotlight on the personal experiences and perceptions of Pittsburghers living through the last two years of coronavirus. While we could only choose a handful of the experiences shared with us, we want to thank all of our readers who submitted their experiences. To see the original call for submissions, visit here; we’d still like to hear from you. With you, our journalism is made better.

Two years of living with COVID and many lives have been changed forever. Facing challenges like precarious housing and a quickly changing job market, Pittsburghers are still working to live well and connect more deeply. We asked our readers to reflect on what’s changed in their lives and what they hope will come of the future. 

Many readers noted changes that can be felt across the community — living with grief, disrupted education for children and the social impacts of a politicized public health crisis. 

“I feel I am one of those who played by the rules, masking up, social distancing,  getting vaccinated and boosted. And, yet, here we still are,” Brenda Walsh wrote.

One reader shared their ideal vision of the future succinctly: “Hopefully alive. Hopefully loved. Hopefully safe.”

All the submissions showed that Pittsburgh is still healing, still striving and still finding beauty while living through it all. 

Here’s what respondents had to say. 

What has changed in your life with the ongoing pandemic and new, developing COVID variants?

Josie Fisher, a professional writer living in the East End

 “What changed for me in the pandemic is that every choice became life or death for a while — because I was a caregiver.”

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Brenda Walsh, 64, a travel advisor living in West Mifflin

“I still rarely go out. I don’t want to mask up … I forgo concerts and will wait it out ’til I can enjoy an expensive and time-consuming outing maskless.”

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Christopher Field, 49, a business development manager living in Morningside

“It’s not a huge deal in the scope of what others suffered, but it hurts to think of the time I missed with loved ones, and vocational experience and income lost, and whatever emotional damage may evolve in my kids from the shake-up of losing their routines and school friendships.”

Kipp Dawson, 76, a retired Pittsburgh Public Schools teacher, living in Park Place, Regent Square

“I keep learning and working to keep myself and everyone else safe as conditions develop, and to find ways to be and grow more connected with others to take on the problems we all face, and to work against the uglinesses and hatred and destructiveness of the anti-social destroyers.”

Nicholas Michalenko, 32, a marketing professional living in Moon Township 

“I thought the lockdown wouldn’t last very long and almost welcomed it as a respite from an otherwise busy life. No more commuting, social obligations, etc. When my wife got pregnant and our babies were born, my perception changed dramatically. As a new parent of three babies who are too young to get vaccinated, my wife and I feel like we have lived in an alternate reality. While much of the world is maskless, vaccinated or not, we continue to isolate and remain masked every time we leave home. We barely go anywhere out of safety for our kids.”

Yvonne Hudson of Lawrenceville

 “I feel our society will be always changed but our new distancing habits and a natural self-defense and emotional exhaustion could reduce our empathy.”

Maggie Medoff, 23, an account coordinator living in the Lower Hill District 

“I’m now seeing more clearly how COVID has tested our empathy and compassion as a society. The virus has caused some pretty polarizing conversations about collective versus individual responsibility, and I’m more in the camp of those who want to create collective change and action, for the sake of everyone’s health.” 

Nicholas: “I want my kids to experience simple things that are good for their development like going to a grocery store and generally being out in the world with us.”

Yvonne: “We will gather more, get back to routines, but masks and protocols will be with us, especially for the most vulnerable and those close to them.”

Maggie: “I think COVID will definitely still be around, but we’ll have adjusted even more to it as a ‘new normal’ woven into our society. I don’t believe it’s going to disappear anytime soon, but I’m hoping a year from now workplaces and organizations will have learned how to prioritize people’s physical, mental and emotional health at all levels.”

Christopher: “Some things will struggle to recover, like indoor concerts and movie theaters, but innovation will spur new ideas and ways of entertaining the masses. Many people will still work from home — it will take a recession before employers are able to drag workers back to the office.”

Yvonne: “Perhaps more families will be intergenerational due to the effects of navigating the pandemic, the economy and loss. The nonprofit community will likely have had shifts with perhaps closures, adaptations and mergers changing the sector since 2020.”

Maggie: “​​I think most people (who are able to) will be doing some version of remote work. It’s clear that remote/hybrid roles have many benefits for people’s health and personal needs, and they allow for a lot more flexibility in times of crisis.”

Christopher: “The angry politicization of this public health crisis will show to have been legitimately damaging to the U.S. civic apparatus.”

Maggie: “​​Good: Learning how vital it is that I stay in touch with family, friends, and loved ones on a regular basis. I tend to move inwardly when I’m stressed or anxious, but I think we all need those outside support systems at times.

Bad: Learning that some family members and people I know have been seriously, and in some cases irreversibly, affected by this virus.”

Christopher: “I got to spend a lot of time with my kids, so that is good. For me, at least (haha). I wrote and exercised a great deal more than I might otherwise have. I was able to support my spouse in many ways. Those are all good outcomes.”

Kipp: “I have met others — particularly high school and middle school students and teachers — with similar commitment to young people and to our planet and to one another.”

Jourdan Hicks is PublicSource’s senior community correspondent. She can be reached at Jourdan@publicsource.org or on Facebook @Jourdan Hicks.

TyLisa C. Johnson is the audience engagement editor for PublicSource. She can be reached at tylisa@publicsource.org or on Twitter at @tylisawrites.

The post ‘Here we still are’: Pittsburghers reflect on life with COVID and the future appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

This story was based on reader submissions that placed a spotlight on many powerful, but largely untold Black stories in Pittsburgh. While we could only choose a handful, we want to thank all of our readers who submitted ideas. To see the original call for submissions, visit here; the form remains open. With you, our journalism is made better.

From a bathhouse abolitionist to a stereotype-defying comic, there are countless stories of innovation, courage and accomplishment by Black people in the Pittsburgh region.

While PublicSource strives to represent the Black community in coverage year-round, we are taking some time this Black History Month to honor four historical figures whose inventions, discoveries and efforts are rarely highlighted.

Here are their stories:

Pearl Harris, innovative educator

While living in Washington, Pa., Pearl Harris started her own “head start” program after being denied employment as a teacher in the area. The federally funded Head Start we know today was created in 1965 to help children from low-income families prepare to succeed in school. Harris’ program predated that. 

Harris, who began teaching in Maryland, was one of the six million Black Americans who sought opportunity above the Mason-Dixon Line during the Great Migration. From 1916 to 1970, the widespread practice of white supremacy and a lack of economic opportunities pushed Black Americans to Chicago, Pittsburgh, and other Midwest and East Coast cities.

An educator with a keen eye for procedure, Harris noticed the lack of preparation Black students received entering into grade school in her new hometown.

In 1943, many of the Black children in the area that were pre-kindergarten age were being misdiagnosed with learning disabilities or socioemotional delays and failing basic academic skills tests. Many then went on to fail the first grade.

Harris designed a preparatory curriculum specifically designed to reverse the high rates of low achievement that was largely a result of racism and poverty, not academic ineptitude.

The success of Harris’ program, along with work of like-minded educators, went on to be replicated throughout the country.

Benjamin Richards, premier Black businessman 

When Pittsburgh was still just a village and many Black people remained enslaved, Benjamin Richards was able to break beyond the usual limitations to become a leading businessman in the region. 

Richards was a butcher by trade and amassed great wealth as a contractor with the government to supply meat and provisions to military posts. He was known as the wealthiest man in town in the 1780s, with wealth surpassing even that of notable slave owner Colonel James O’Hara.

It was an unattainable lifestyle for many African-Americans. Richards employed a white clerk, and he owned a significant amount of land.

Richards and his son Charles were two of four Black people who signed the Petition of 1787 that resulted in the creation of Allegheny County.

Jackie Ormes, cartoonist and activist

In a sea of Black caricatures in early 20th century media, when many depictions of Black women were as maids or laborers, Jackie Ormes defied stereotypes. 

Her politically charged comics tackled enduring issues from educational equality to environmental pollution to racism.

She was the first Black woman to have a nationally syndicated newspaper comic strip at a time when the cartooning world was overwhelmingly male and often white.

Comic strip characters created by Ormes — Torchy Brown, Patty-Jo, Candy and Ginger — were spunky, politically aware, ambitious, glamorous and socially conscious. They could be seen in outfits from cowgirl costumes to high-class fashions. Her groundbreaking work put Black women in a new light and made them central to her narratives.

How did the little girl who grew up in Pittsburgh become a renowned nationally syndicated cartoonist rewriting the way Black women appear in media and challenging political ideals? 

When Ormes — born Zelda Mavin Jackson in 1911— was in high school, she approached the Pittsburgh Courier for a job. They sent her on assignment to a boxing match, which led to her being hired as a journalist (and a lifelong boxing fan). 

Her first comic strip “Torchy Brown in ‘Dixie to Harlem’” ran in 1937, focusing on what happens when a country girl relocates to a big city. In total, Ormes created four women-led comic strips between 1937 and 1954. 

“Candy” centered on a sharp-tongued domestic worker. “Patty-Jo ’n’ Ginger” featured two sisters and biting political commentary. In “Torchy in Heartbeats,” Torchy was back for readers to follow her love life adventures.

At one point, “Patti-Jo ‘n’ Ginger” was syndicated to 14 cities with editions of the Courier and read by an audience of over 300,000 readers, according to Nancy Goldstein who wrote “Jackie Ormes: The First African-American Woman Cartoonist.” Eventually, Patty-Jo took a step beyond the page and became a doll between 1947 and 1949 (which is now a highly priced collectible). Torchy Brown was made into a paper doll in 1947.

Ormes died in 1985 in Chicago. In 2014, she was inducted into the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame. In 2018, she was honored by the Will Eisner Comic Awards Hall of Fame, which inducts great comic contributors. 

Once a Black girl growing up in Pittsburgh, Ormes went on to make a career out of challenging the way we think and view life and each other.  

John B. Vashon, abolitionist and philanthropist 

John Bathan Vashon is a celebrated Pittsburgher for his dedication to Black liberation in antebellum Pittsburgh.  

Vashon was born in 1792 to a free Black woman and the son of her former enslaver . He fought in the War of 1812, during which he was captured and imprisoned by British soldiers for two years. After his release, Vashon settled in Virginia and married. In 1829, he moved to Pittsburgh with his wife and daughter, where he would become a successful landowner and businessman. 

Vashon could’ve merely enjoyed the spoils of wealth and success; he was a popular barber and went on to open Pittsburgh’s first bathouse/spa, but he continued to dedicate his life to liberation and education. 

In the basement of his bathhouse, he operated a stop for enslaved men, women and children on the Underground Railroad in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh. Starting in the 1830s, under the threat of slave catchers and white deputies, he protected, fed and prepared Black enslaved people for what was to come next for them on their journey to freedom.

Vashon died in 1853. He was a founder of the Pittsburgh African Education Society which established a school for Black youth excluded from public education. He also worked with prominent abolitionist figures like Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison.

Jourdan Hicks is PublicSource’s senior community correspondent. She can be reached at Jourdan@publicsource.org or on Facebook @Jourdan Hicks.

TyLisa C. Johnson is the audience engagement editor for PublicSource. She can be reached at tylisa@publicsource.org or on Twitter at @tylisawrites.

The post Black history, gold merit: Read the stories of 4 local Black pioneers appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.