💸 Where is opioid settlement money going?

Neighborhood Grocery Coming to Manchester

Lisa Freeman of Freeman Family Farm has been growing fresh produce for the community since 2014, and she’s close to opening a grocery on Juniata Street. She imagines the store becoming a one-stop-shop for cooking a good meal with bulk ingredients, farm fresh meats, fruits and vegetables, soups, sandwiches, and more. She also hopes to create a membership program where residents can have access to cooking workshops, medically tailored food boxes, and Tai Chi.

• 🥕 She’s on track to open in June. Hear more about her story. [🎧 City Cast Pittsburgh]

UPMC Lays Off 1,000 Workers

The Pittsburgh-based health care giant is cutting staff and closing open positions as it faces “the realities of a still-evolving, post-pandemic marketplace,” a spokesperson said. Affected employees will get severance pay and benefits coverage. UPMC was not specific on the departments and roles that were being cut but said they are primarily non-clinical, administrative staff who don’t work with patients. [TribLIVE]

• 💰 Related: Mayor Ed Gainey is trying, once again, to generate taxes from UPMC and other tax-exempt properties. [🎧 City Cast Pittsburgh]

Where Is Opioid Settlement Money Going?

Allegheny County received roughly $14.4 million in opioid settlement money (allocated in 2022 and 2023) and is expected to receive at least $90 million over the next 18 years from various opioid settlements. What is it being spent on?

• Overdose-reversal drugs and syringe services
• A student-assistance plan for at-risk kids
• Telehealth for prescribing treatment, plus mobile treatment
• Treatment at Allegheny County Jail
• The River clinic, which aids people transitioning from incarceration
• A low-barrier homeless shelter and recovery housing in Brookline
• Childcare for caregivers who are undergoing treatment or job searching
• A pilot that gives small incentives to participants for treatment compliance
• Public education

🕵️ Stay tuned for more from this reporting duo as they dig into county spending all across Pennsylvania. [90.5 WESA / SpotlightPA]

What’s new in food and drink in Pittsburgh?

Meccha Matcha

Green tea fans will love this new drink and dessert menu in Squirrel Hill. Cool off with matcha soft serve, make your own parfait with mochi and red bean, or get a classic latte with flavors like strawberry, black sesame, and lavender.

Eat’n Park x Grist House Strawberry Pie Beer

Act fast for your four-pack! Eat’n Park and Grist House are bringing back their Strawberry Pie Forever collaboration for a limited time at Grist House Brewery in Millvale and Eat’n Park in Banksville and Hampton.

Wei Lai Dim Sum

If you’re shopping on McNight Road, stop for Chinese food in McIntyre Square — homemade dumplings and bao, cold and hot noodle dishes, noodle soups, rice bowls, and more.

Kulcher Kitchen and Bar

This East Carson Street spot is sure to become a late-night hangout; it’s open until 11 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Grab a drink, sit on the patio, and dig into some wings, smash burgers, or a classic Pittsburgh salad.

Uncommitted Votes, Low Turnout & More Election Takeaways

City Cast contributor Natalie Bencivenga joins host Megan Harris to talk about the winners and losers, what a few of those victories may tell us about what’s coming in November, and why we should be paying attention to all those write-ins, even if we never get a full or complete accounting of everything they said.