🗞️ Post-Gazette is shutting down

Post-Gazette To Shut Down in May

The owners of Pittsburgh's oldest, largest newspaper will cease operations May 3. Block Communications, Inc. said they’ve lost over $350 million on the newspaper over the past 20 years. The closure affects about 150 newsroom employees and likely hundreds more in other departments — as well as millions of readers who depend on the PG for information.

• The announcement comes after BCI lost several legal battles against unions representing writers and other employees.
• Last week, BCI also closed City Paper. The alt-weekly had been in operation 34 years; BCI bought it in 2023. [🎧 City Cast Pittsburgh / Public Source]

Planned Parenthood Clinics Temporarily Close

Three out of four family planning clinics in Western PA are temporarily closing this month due to nurse shortages. Planned Parenthood will continue to offer telehealth for prescriptions and referrals. It’s not clear when the clinics could reopen. [WESA]

Millvale Borough Needs Emergency Funds

Millvale officials said their local government will have to shut down if the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas doesn’t allow it to borrow up to $2 million. The borough approved a 58% property tax increase last month but said it’s not enough to cover its debts and current projects. [TribLive]

Residents Call for Airbnb Regulations

A New Year’s Eve shooting on the North Side sparked renewed calls for regulations on short-term rental properties. The incident was just blocks away from where an Airbnb house party turned deadly in 2022. [WESA]

• Councilperson Deb Gross introduced a bill to regulate short-term rentals last year, but it expired at the end of session. [🎧 City Cast Pittsburgh]

A city controller report from 2024 showed that only 17% of Pittsburgh's garbage actually gets recycled. That’s why it’s important to know what’s accepted and how you can divert items from the landfill.

Mark Your Calendar for Pickup Days

Your collection day depends on where you live. Find yours here. When a holiday falls on or right before your collection day, pickup is often delayed one day. Remember: You can’t have more than two bulk items (like furniture or carpets) per week, per household. Otherwise, there’s a fee.

The city will collect yard waste like leaves, branches, and tree trimmings two days a year: April 25 and Nov. 7. Yard waste must be in a paper bag. Branches should be bundled and tied, no thicker than 4 inches and no longer than 5 feet. Miss the pickup day? Find year-round yard waste drop-off locations.

Know Accepted Recyclables

• Plastic bottles, jugs, jars, and tubs, cleaned with lids removed
• Mixed paper like junk mail, newspapers, magazines, and soft and hardcover books
• Metal like aluminum, aerosol, and steel cans that are clean and dry. You can leave the labels on
• Cardboard boxes that are flattened, bundled, and placed in your blue bin or another box

Miss your pickup day? Drop your recycling at these locations.

Pass Off Your Glass

You can always put glass at the curb, but it often breaks before it gets to the recycling center, making it difficult to recycle the other items carried in the same heap. You can make sure your glass is recycled by using one of these permanent drop-off sites.

Properly Dispose of E-Waste & Chemicals

City residents can make an appointment to drop off electronics or hazardous chemicals through Noble Environmental. Also keep tabs on Pennsylvania Resources Council’s calendar for ongoing hard-to-recycle collection events. Find additional resources at Frick Environmental Center and the University of Pittsburgh.

Donate Furniture & Hardware

Have leftover supplies from a house project? Furniture you grew out of? Old doors and hardware? Construction Junction in Point Breeze is your one-stop shop — but be sure to check their website because they accept donations depending on what they have in stock. Most thrift stores will also resell old furniture, but you can help a family in need by donating to Off the Floor.

Recycle Miscellaneous Supplies

Construction Junction also takes things for recycling like alkaline batteries; electrical ballasts; light bulbs; scrap metal; and medical supplies like crutches, walkers, and shower chairs. Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse, attached to Construction Junction, accepts a bunch of random household objects and craft supplies.