City Cast Pittsburgh City Cast

If you want to go camping, where should you start? We’re back with Marcus Shoffner, founder of the Outdoor Inclusion Coalition, talking about favorite destinations in and around the city, his tips and tricks for a good experience, ways to borrow and learn how to use the right gear, and other low-stress ideas to get you started. Plus, an update on the overnight camping pilot he started in Riverview Park!
Want to hear more about inclusivity in outdoor spaces? Check out our previous conversation with Marcus.
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City of Asylum is hosting International Jazz Poetry Month from May 2 – 23 at Alphabet City. 

The Pittsburgh Opera is presenting The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson, April 27 through May 5, at the Byham Theater.

Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.
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A proposed TikTok ban just cleared the House, and Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering their own statewide restrictions on the video app. We’re wondering what a ban could mean for Governor Josh Shapiro, a “prolific poster” with a few viral TikToks under his belt. Producer Sophia Lo joins host Megan Harris to break down the latest legislation and scroll through the governor’s posts. Plus, a professional TikToker analyzes Shapiro’s account for us.
Thanks to Chris Vazquez, audience engagement producer at The Marshall Project, for sharing his insights on Shapiro’s social media.
Plus, it’s primary Election Day in Pennsylvania. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Check your polling place here, or listen to our voting guide on your way to vote!
Here are a few of the stories we talked about in today’s episode:

Over the weekend, the House passed a bill that would ban TikTok if the parent company, ByteDance, doesn’t sell the app. 

Now that the bill has passed the House, here’s what might happen next in the Senate – and how TikTok could respond.

PA billionaire Jeff Yass has a connection to the national ban; he has a big stake in ByteDance. 

Friend of the pod Stephen Caruso reported on why Pennsylvania’s attempts to regulate social media haven’t been successful.

Watch with us! We reviewed Shapiro’s lottery and Béyonce TikToks, and you can find more from the governor on his account.

Learn more about our sponsors: 

City of Asylum is hosting International Jazz Poetry Month from May 2 – 23 at Alphabet City. 

The Pittsburgh Opera is presenting The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson, April 27 through May 5, at the Byham Theater.

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 on Instagram @CityCastPgh.

Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893.

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato just marked one hundred days in office – and released a massive, 91-point plan for the county in the coming years. She joins us to talk about her main priorities, from affordable housing to a green economy. We also discuss the school district’s lawsuit against her office seeking a countywide property reassessment, and what she’s watching for in tomorrow’s primary election.
You can read Innamorato’s plan and the results of her countywide survey here.
Learn more about our sponsors: 

The Pittsburgh Opera is presenting The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson, April 27 through May 5, at the Byham Theater.

City of Asylum is hosting International Jazz Poetry Month from May 2 through 23 at Alphabet City. 

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 on Instagram @CityCastPgh.

Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893.

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the Friday news roundup! We’re sharing a bunch of fun ways to beautify our natural spaces for Earth Day this weekend. After successfully deflecting Amazon, the former home of Westinghouse Electric is up for auction in Churchill, and the U.S. Coast Guard says we found the missing barge! Plus, host Megan Harris is sharing her joy for President Biden's Sheetz order and the soon-to-be-built, new and improved Davis Avenue Bridge. 
We always cite our sources:

Over the weekend, 26 barges got loose on the Ohio River. One went missing, but the Coast Guard located it earlier this week.

The Pittsburgh Business Times predicted the old Westinghouse campus could be used for retail.

The 150-acre campus is considered an important example of postwar corporate architecture – and looks like a locomotive.

The Davis Bridge was demolished in 2006, but reconstruction recently kicked off! The city says the bridge should be fully open in the fall.

Pittsburgh was selected as one of the Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities.

Find a few ways to celebrate Earth Day around Pittsburgh, including lots of neighborhood cleanups.

Pittsburgh’s getting a new music festival! Sudden Little Thrills takes place in September at Hazelwood Green.

President Joe Biden made a quick stop at Sheetz during his visit to Pittsburgh.

Former president Donald Trump was also in PA, and he’s currently facing four criminal cases.

Heinz has a new bright pink limited-edition condiment, but the catch is that it’s only available in the U.K., Ireland, and Spain.

Learn more about our sponsor, the Pittsburgh Opera, presenting The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson, April 27 through May 5, at the Byham Theater.
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

Pennsylvania is the No. 1 cultivator of mushrooms in the country, but you can also find all sorts of fungi foraging in the woods. Spring and summer are a great time to look for mushrooms, and Esperanzo Wilcox, founder of the PA Mushroom Company, is here to share his tips for finding and identifying a few more coveted edible delicacies.
Check out our website to see pictures of Espo’s favorite mushrooms, plus more resources for beginners.
Learn more about our sponsor, the Pittsburgh Opera, presenting The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson, April 27 through May 5, at the Byham Theater.
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 on Instagram @CityCastPgh.

Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893.

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the weather warming, crossing a bridge doesn’t feel quite so impossible. So if you want to go out and party this weekend, where should you go? Pittsburgh has options — Spirit, Belvedere’s, Cavo, and Club VIP — but the ‘Burgh used to have way more nightclubs that catered to a wider diversity of party-goers. We’re with City Paper’s Colin Williams about what happened to Pittsburgh’s nightlife scene. 
**This episode originally published on January 10, 2024.
Keep up with the pop-up parties by following Jellyfish, Hot Mass, and Slappers N Bangers on Instagram.
Learn more about our sponsor, the Pittsburgh Opera, presenting The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson, April 27 through May 5, at the Byham Theater.
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 on Instagram @CityCastPgh.

Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893.

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices