🎙️ We talk to County Exec Sara Innamorato

Chatham Admin Rejects Faculty’s Union Bid

The University’s administration won’t voluntarily recognize their union, Chatham Faculty United, after more than half of its faculty declared their intent to unionize. The administration will argue before the National Labor Relations Board that its employees aren’t eligible for representation.

• ⚖️ How? Chatham admin plans to argue that staff are ineligibile based on a 1980 ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that denied representation to full-time managerial employees at the private Yeshiva University. This ruling has made it difficult for full-time faculty to unionize, but it’s not impossible; Point Park did it in 2017.
• 📣 Why unionize? Some staff members were laid off and other salary and benefit cuts were made in August 2023 as the university restructured in an attempt to fill a $6 million budget hole. [PublicSource]

Pittsburgh Plans To Expand ShotSpotter

Chicago is ditching ShotSpotter — the controversial policing technology trained to identify and locate the sound of gunshots — but Pittsburgh plans to spend $85,000 to expand into Carrick. So what’s the problem? University of Pittsburgh policing scholar David Harris tells City Cast Pittsburgh that the tech is unproven, and some scholars believe it leads to over surveillance of some neighborhoods, particularly those with majority Black or Brown residents. [TribLIVE]

• 📍 This map by PublicSource color codes where the devices are across one-third of Pittsburgh.
• 🚨 Hear more from David Harris on the city’s multi-year, multimillion dollar deal with ShotSpotter and how effective its data actually is. [🎧 City Cast Pittsburgh]

150 Years of Honus Wagner

The Historical Society of Carnegie celebrated the birthday of local baseball legend Honus Wagner over the weekend. Wagner, who played with the Pirates for all 17 years of his MLB career, is considered one of the greatest shortstops of all time. In 1909, he was a manager for the team and helped the Pirates snag their first world championship. [KDKA]

Goodbye, Phipps’ Garden Railroad

All aboard! The last trip for Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens’ four-season railroad will be on Friday. Take the kiddos for a farewell of the miniature trains and landscapes, activity stations, and a photo booth. Plus, check out the current show, Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show: Into the Mist. [Phipps Conservatory]

Let’s play a game! Where can you find the photo above? 👀

🌟 Shoutout to Mary J., Kate C., and Andy C. who correctly guessed the last “Where Is It?” challenge:

Transport yourself to Europe while devouring sweet and savory crepes at Geppetto Cafe on Butler Street. Afterwards, why not catch a movie at the nearby Row House Cinema?

🎞️ Did you know that the folks behind Row House are restoring another historic movie theater in Pittsburgh? The City Cast Pittsburgh podcast team got in on the action.

Sara Innamorato on Taxes, Elections & Filling 1,000 Open Jobs

On her first day in office, Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato raised wages and improved the benefits for thousands of county employees. But she still has another 1,000+ open positions to fill. We’re talking about that, plus new ballot options for the upcoming primary, property tax assessments, and how she’s feeling about signing her first couple pieces of county legislation.

📣 You can participate in a community conversation with Innamorato this Thursday in the Mon Valley.