City Cast Pittsburgh
🍟 Is Heinz really the best ketchup?
June 6, 2024 · — Kevin Gavin
Good morning! Did you know it’s a special day? Eighty years ago today, 73,000 Americans took part in the D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied France.
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum exhibits the stories of several locals who were part of the Normandy offensive all year round, but if you’re looking to mark the day, consider the experience of Glenn Kempf, who I got to talk to before he passed in 2019. And there are a few WWII vets still with us: Glenshaw native Warren Goss, age 99, is commemorating today in France 💛
What's CITY Talking About?
Organizers Want City Funds for Their Events
Dena Stanley, the co-founder of Pittsburgh Pride Group, urged City Council to provide funds for future arts and culture events, just like Juneteenth. The city is now poised to spend $250,000 in federal COVID relief money on two separate events. Stanley says marginalized community members who are creating festivals should receive similar city support. Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith proposed legislation to establish an account and to make it easier for groups to request funding. [TribLIVE]
- 🧐 Why two events this year? TribLIVE reporter Julia Felton explains. [🎧 City Cast Pittsburgh]
- 💸 Reporters found that the owner of the city’s pick for Juneteenth owes thousands in back taxes. [WPXI]
Pennsylvanians React to Trump’s Conviction
More than 60% of state residents agree with former President Donald Trump’s historic conviction on 34 counts in his federal “hush money” trial, according to a survey of Pennsylvania Patch readers. More than half of readers polled said Trump should not be the Republican presidential nominee. [Pennsylvania Patch]
Income Plays Huge Role in Pedestrian Deaths
A new report from Smart Growth America finds low-income and Black pedestrians are much more likely to be fatally struck than white and middle-income pedestrians, and researchers cited Pittsburgh as among the safest cities in the nation. [Pittsburgh Union Progress]
- 🚶♀️ We ranked highly, but the figures are still pretty bleak. There were 27 pedestrian fatalities in the city over the last five years. [City of Pittsburgh]
- 🚲 New ideas? The city is tapping into its 311 system to try and make streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists. [🎧 City Cast Pittsburgh]
What To Do
Thursday, June 6
- 🏳️🌈 FC Pride in the Park at the Allegheny River Trail | 5-8 p.m. | free | Aspinwall
- 🎺 De Fer Jazz Jam Sessions | 6-9 p.m. | pay-as-you-go | Strip District
- ⚾ Pirates Pride Night at PNC Park | 6:40 p.m. | $23+ | North Shore
- 🎬 ‘Elemental’ Screening at Deer Lakes Park | 7 p.m. | free | Tarentum
- 🎨 Three Rivers Art Fest | various times — through June 9 | free | Downtown
Friday, June 7
- 🔮 Mattress Factory’s MAKE/BELIEVE Garden Party | 5:30-11 p.m. | $125+ | North Side
- 🎶 Modest Mouse with Cat Power at Stage AE | 6 p.m. | $72+ | North Shore
- ☀️ Fiesta de Sol fundraiser for Casa San Jose | 6-10 p.m. | $125 | South Side
- 🎢 Kennywood’s Bites & Pints Festival | various times — through June 9 | admission | West Mifflin
- 🎨 Three Rivers Art Fest | various times — through June 9 | free | Downtown
- 👣 Welcome Summer! Walking Series with Allegheny Land Trust | 8-9:30 p.m. | free | McKeesport
- 🌎 World Square in Market Square | various times — through June 9 | free | Downtown
- ✍️ Unearthing the “I” Poetry Class | 6-8 p.m. | up to $15 donation | Garfield
Today on City Cast
Is Heinz Really the Best Ketchup?
Ketchup has a chokehold on this city. From stadiums and museums to our own home pantries, Heinz is the ketchup brand on the table and in any good Pittsburgher's fridge. In honor of National Ketchup Day, we’re seeing if our team can actually tell the difference between our hometown brand and the competition.
A final tidbit: I mentioned yesterday that the Three Rivers Arts Festival is one of my summer favorites. This is the 65th fest! Shoutout to the Women’s Committee of the Carnegie Museum of Art who created the iconic event in 1960.
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