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It’s the Friday news roundup! With Gov. Josh Shapiro in the running to be Vice President, we’re bringing a critical eye to his record, his policies, his wish list, and his controversies to see what he could bring to a Democratic ticket — and what happens to PA if he vacates the governor’s office early. Plus, the 2024 Olympic Games start today, and there are a bunch of ways to root for Pittsburgh in Paris.
We always cite our sources:

Spotlight PA has a great rundown of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s achievements and controversies

Almost 30 public education advocacy groups across the country sent a letter to Kamala Harris urging her not to select Shapiro as her running mate because of his support for school vouchers

As governor, Shapiro has sought to regulate natural gas development while also embracing it


Shapiro’s office paid almost $300,000 to settle a sexual harassment allegation against a top aide 

A bunch of Pittsburgh athletes are headed to Paris, including Calahan Young, who will play goalball in the Paralypmics

Kyle Holbrook, a muralist from Wilkinsburg, will paint four murals in Paris during the Olympics.


Sign up to stream the Olympic games for free.

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Does your perfect weekend involve wandering through local food stalls and sipping on a giant lemonade? Then you're in luck! Host Megan Harris and producer Sophia Lo are rounding up the best food festivals through the rest of the summer, including spots for vegans, meat lovers, and beer aficionados. Plus, if you missed the first round of Greek food fests this year, we’ve got a fresh recommendation for you!
Learn more about the sponsors of this July 25th episode:
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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!
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Not long ago, scientists made a discovery in Pennsylvania. They found a ton of lithium in wastewater created by fracking – enough to meet 40% of our whole country’s needs. On the surface, this sounds like it could be a win, given lithium’s importance in the shift to cleaner energy. But things always get complicated when fracking is part of the picture. Kiley Bense with Inside Climate News joins us to talk about what we know about Pennsylvania’s lithium supply and the pros and cons of what comes next.
Learn more about the sponsors of this July 24th episode:
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Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.
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Why is it so hard to build housing in Pittsburgh? Developer Echo Realty requested a zoning variance to increase the maximum height for a new housing development and grocery store, but Pittsburgh’s zoning board denied the request – and now it looks like the developer is giving up on the project altogether.
We’re revisiting our conversation with TribLive reporter Ryan Deto to break down what happened with the initial setback and what these zoning decisions say about the process of building housing in the city. 
**This episode originally published November 14, 2023.
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Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.
Want more Pittsburgh news? 

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At its inception, Pittsburgh was named for British earl and Prime Minister William Pitt. Most of us know that. But how we got, lost, and eventually reclaimed the consistent use of our beloved H is up for debate. Historian and author Virginia Montanez is here to talk about the basic rules of how we spell things (really), why Pittsburgh was so bad at it (shocking), and how newspapermen and intellectuals made everything worse (¯\_(ツ)_/¯). 
Learn more about the sponsors of this July 22nd episode:
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Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.
Want more Pittsburgh news? 

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It’s the Friday news roundup! The city and county are changing their pool policies in the middle of the summer — now, some kids need chaperones. There are fun new rules about happy hours and canned cocktails in the commonwealth. And a pair of Pittsburghers showed out on the national stage at the All-Star Game. Plus, stick around for National Ice Cream Day deals.
We always cite our sources:

County pools put in a new chaperone policy as of this week — the director of Allegheny Parks said it’s meant to create a safer environment.

The city also implemented a chaperone policy at the Highland Park pool.

Gov. Josh Shapiro signed new alcohol laws the increase happy hours and allow grocery stores to sell canned cocktails

Writer Virginia Montanez defended Pennsylvania’s new license plate in her Substack — leading us to do a deep dive on the history of the Liberty Bell


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