📚 6 unique things you can do with a library card

Synagogue Shooting Jury Weighs Death Penalty

The man convicted of killing 11 Jewish worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue in 2018 was already found guilty on 63 federal counts, including murder and hate crime charges. This week, the jury is considering the death penalty for the gunman; 22 of those charges qualify him for capital punishment. This phase could take several days. [90.5 WESA]

Black Smoke From Brunot Island

A fire at the Duquesne Light power station on Brunot Island sent billows of smoke over the city on Monday evening. Duquesne Light Company says that it was the "result of a reactor that catastrophically failed." Emergency crews had to ferry to the site on the Ohio River; no one was injured. [WTAE]

Penn Avenue To Get Upgrades

Construction starts this week on a $150,000 mobility enhancement project to update the Penn Avenue corridor from Point State Park to 11th Street in Downtown. The upgrades are supposed to increase safety and accessibility for one of the city’s oldest bike lanes. Most of the work will be done overnight. [WPXI]

Book a Library Road Trip

The Allegheny County Library Association wants more residents to reap the benefits of visiting the 70 libraries under the ACLA umbrella with its new Library Road Trip program. For each library you visit, you’ll get a stamp on your library passport and a coupon for a discount at Spark Books. If you visit all of the regional libraries, you’ll get a swag bag and a free book. [Pittsburgh Union Progress]

• Read on: I’ve got library card hacks below. ⬇️

Who’s ready to play a game? Tell me where you can find the photo above, then come back tomorrow to see the location in the weekly neighborhood guide.

🌟 Shout out to readers Jessica B. and Clara L., who correctly guessed last week’s challenge:

Have you ever been to the hills of Brighton Heights? The North Side residential community is packed with tree-lined streets and charming homes. You can explore it yourself with the upcoming home and garden tour. Find out more in the neighborhood guide.

🍅 Community Health Week at the Farmers Market | Tuesday | 3-7 p.m.

Shop for local produce and other goods, and visit this week’s community partner, Pittsburgh Bike People, at Bay 41. [free, Lawrenceville]

🌴 Once on this Island | Tuesday-Sunday | Various Times

See Pittsburgh CLO’s original and theatrical Caribbean adaptation of the popular fairy tale, “The Little Mermaid.” [$29-81]

🎨 Shitty Art Night | Wednesday | 7-9 p.m.

One artist's trash is another’s inspiration. Bring your least favorite creation (paintings, poems, whatever else you've got) to Wick Monet’s studio and exchange with other local artists. [free, Shadyside]

🛍️ Craig Street Corridor Market | Thursday | 5-9 p.m.

Browse goods from local artists at the Pittsburgh Innovation District, in partnership with I Made It! Market. [free, Oakland]

Things You Didn’t Know Are Illegal in Pennsylvania

If a few of our state laws feel like they were written for another time, that’s because many of them were. From a ban on fishing with dynamite to a prohibition on for-profit fortune-telling, we get into some of the weirdest laws still on the books.