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It’s the Friday news roundup! A fund to help communities deal with polluted air could get poached by the county, historians finally found the namesake of the Carrie Blast Furnaces, and if you’re looking for love, there’s a new on-camera opportunity in town. City Cast’s Megan Harris and Elizabeth Kauma are with PublicSource journalist Quinn Glabicki.
As always, our Friday shows are powered by great local journalism.

Check out Quinn’s story on the messy finances behind the Clean Air Fund, plus how inversions worsen the impact of pollution in the Mon Valley.


Historians finally uncovered the mystery behind the namesake of the Carrie Blast Furnace after 25 years. 

Rivers of Steel, the furnace’s modern-day managers, is publishing a series of blog posts on Carrie’s life. 


Very Local is an affiliate of Hearst and WTAE. All their programming is free, including Season 2 of Ed and Day in the Burgh. 

And they’re still casting for the Pittsburgh version of Local Love. Producers say all ages, identities, and orientations should apply.


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From knife skills and mother sauces to composting and the global supply chain, there’s a culinary arts training program in McKees Rocks hoping to inspire the next generation of Pittsburgh foodies. The Steel Chef Cook-off Competition puts local teens through a 10-week intensive cooking class taught by local chefs before a final, reality TV-style competition next week. And the best part? You can taste and judge it all! Project manager Jenifer Davison is here to share the deets.

The final showdown is Monday, March 27, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the Father Ryan Arts Center in McKees Rocks. Get your tickets here.

Here’s how to spend a Saturday learning about Frankie Pace, one of Pittsburgh’s gospel greats. 

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With one look down, it’s obvious that Pittsburgh’s sidewalks need some work. The city just announced that it’s getting $3 million in state grant money for infrastructure projects, but only a small portion of it will go to toward making these paths more accessible. Newsletter editor Francesca Dabecco is talking with disability advocate and leader of Access Mob Pittsburgh, Alisa Grishman, about what it’s like to be a wheelchair user in Pittsburgh, and what our neighbors — with or without disabilities — can do to help to create a safer, more accessible city.

The 10.27 Healing Partnership, which was created in the aftermath of the mass shooting at Tree of Life synagogue, plans to keep working another five years. You can listen here to our interview with Director Maggie Feinstein about processing grief.

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It’s National Fragrance Day, and we’re talking niche perfumes, what they are, and why they’re having a moment right now in Pittsburgh. Producer and niche fragrance collector Elizabeth Kauma talks with lead producer Megan Harris about all of this while they try out several local fragrances.
 
You’ll also hear from artisanal perfumer Darren Alan, fragrance journalist Patric Rhys, and Scott Kindberg, the artist behind 5:55 Perfumery. Another local perfumer we mention is 837 North.
 
Here’s the Articles of Interest podcast we talked about, featuring Avery Trufelman.
 
And check out this Financial Review article about the fragrance industry.

If you want to do a deep dive into the market research behind this trend, this report from 2020 has some good data. 

Patric also wrote an in-depth article detailing the history of fragrance.

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Governor Josh Shapiro is a huge sports fan. He recently sat courtside at a Sixers game and cheered for the Eagles at the Super Bowl. But who paid for those tickets? City Cast’s Megan Harris chats with Stephen Caruso, capitol reporter for Spotlight PA, about the rules around gifts and campaign contributions to elected officials. 
The Shapiro administration insists the governor did not violate his own gift ban when he went to the Super Bowl, and the administration called the recent Sixers game a “political meeting.”
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It’s the Friday news roundup! City Cast’s Elizabeth Kauma and Megan Harris are with NHL writer Sean Gentille talking about broadcasting bankruptcies, Pittsburgh’s budding hoops dreams and who’s (not?) responsible for abandoned boats in our waterways. 
Special thanks to some fun writing:

Pgh Sports Now’s 13 local ties to the 2023 NCAA men’s tournament


A printable bracket, in case you need to proclaim your greatness near and far

The Trib’s Rob Owen on the intricacies of Bally and AT&T Sports Net’s financial woes


Andy Sheehan tried to track down who’s responsible for the abandoned boat

WESA had a great story about the latest Clairton Coke Works fines


And a Sewickley couple is behind the new comedy-driven Burgh bus



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We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!
Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893.
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