🌱 Boil Water Advisory + $43.2 Million in Grants + Apprenticeship

Hello again, Pittsburgh! Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed this year's Super Bowl ads as much as I did! I'm back in your inbox this AM to deliver everything you need to know about what's happening locally. Today we'll cover...

• Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority issues boil water advisory in some neighborhoods
• Pittsburgh's Urban Redevelopment Authority announced $43.2 million in state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grants
• State approves first Black-owned pre-apprenticeship program in Pittsburgh

Here we go!

Mostly sunny and mild. High: 55 Low: 30.

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Here are the top stories in Pittsburgh today:

1) An early-morning power outage impacting a water pump station caused Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority to issue a boil water advisory in some Pittsburgh neighborhoods. Portions of Bloomfield, East Liberty, Friendship, Garfield, Highland Park, Homewood North, Morningside, North Point Breeze, Point Breeze, Shadyside, South Oakland and Swisshelm Park neighborhoods experienced low to no water pressure, starting at around 2 a.m. "Water pressure was restored at around 5 a.m. but, because of the loss, contaminants may have gotten into the drinking water." However, the advisory affected a limited area of about 6,117 houses in the above areas.

(WPXI Pittsburgh)

2) Multiple Pittsburgh bridges in urgent need of work have not been addressed for months. Mayor Ed Gainey released a $1.5 million comprehensive report by WSP USA, an international company with expertise in transportation and infrastructure, on the condition of 147 city-maintained bridges in December, brought on by the recent collapse of the former Fern Hollow Bridge. "The report revealed 13 bridges had structural problems so serious that WSP USA said they should be addressed within a week." However, it is reported that the administration did not immediately identify those bridges to the public, news media or members of City Council. Last week, the administration identified the bridges with structural problems, but all of them are referred to in the report as "priority zeros." "Some priority zeros are more severe than other priority zeros. Not every priority zero is in danger of imminent failure," a spokesperson for the mayor said.

(TribLIVE)

3) Over 3o projects throughout the city on Pittsburgh's Urban Redevelopment Authority's agenda are receiving $43.2 million in state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grants. "It's tremendous the resources that are coming into our area," said City Councilman R. Daniel Lavelle, who serves on the URA board. The grant program serves needs related to "the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects." A few of the projects receiving funding include: $4 million earmarked for Oakland Crossings, a mixed-use development that has generated controversy in the city's Oakland neighborhood; a restoration project at Allegheny Riverfront Park; an elevator and other ADA improvements for Pittsburgh's Homewood South neighborhood; renovations and expansions at UPMC Children's Hospital Heart Institute in Lawrenceville; and the building of City Club Apartments in the Central Business District, among other initiatives.

(TribLIVE)

4) Pittsburgh is introducing its first Black-owned, state-certified pre-apprentice program for the skilled trades. "The APRI's "Breaking the Chains of Poverty" program is designed to help people build the skills necessary to earn a career in the building and construction trades, manufacturing and emerging energy industry." A $400,00 grant provided from former Gov. Tom Wolf's PA Smart initiative will be used to train people from underserved, underrepresented and formerly incarcerated groups in the greater Pittsburgh region. Class participants are able to earn a variety of National Institute of Metalworking Skills credentials with no prior experience in manufacturing. To learn more about APRI's program, visit PittsburghAPRI.org.

(TribLIVE)

5) A SWAT raid in Garfield on Saturday ended in the arrest of a man wanted for three different felony warrants. Police reported to a house on the 100 block of South Graham Street to serve an arrest warrant, and found the wanted man barricaded inside. SWAT units were called for assistance at around 12:25 p.m. "We used chemical munitions just to gain compliance and within a very short span of that he voluntarily surrendered," said Commander Stephen Vinansky. The man in custody has been pursued by law enforcement for his involvement in an ongoing investigation related to multiple instances of child luring. The suspect is currently in Allegheny County Jail on charges of child luring, firearm and drug charges.

(WPXI Pittsburgh)

Today in Pittsburgh:

• Family Storytime - C.C. Mellor Memorial Library (10:30 AM)
• Pop Generation: Senior Social - Andy Warhol Museum (10:30 AM)
• WPIC Family Support Group - NAMI Keystone Pennsylvania (1 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Andy Warhol Museum: "By popular demand, "Andy Warhol's Social Network: 'Interview', Television and Portraits" is extended through Monday, March 20: https://bit.ly/3SJLZWJ" (The Andy Warhol Museum via Facebook)
• Carnegie Science Center: "VIKINGS: Warriors of the North Sea is now open! Come discover a different side to Vikings." (Carnegie Science Center via Facebook)
• Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: "We've been nominated as one of the best children's museums in the country 🤩 You can vote in the @usatoday 10Best poll every day now through next Monday (2/13)." (Children's Museum of Pittsburgh via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Monday. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— Rachel Tasker

About me: Rachel is a native Pennsylvanian with stops in Erie and State College before making Pittsburgh her home in 2020. She's got a background in a little bit of everything... from working in media newsrooms and public health to the 2016 Presidential election in Washington, D.C. and the 2019 Super Bowl where (surprise!) Tom Brady won... AGAIN. She loves good coffee, bad reality T.V., attending local events and trying new food in the 412. She resides in the South Hills.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Pittsburgh Patch newsletter? Contact me at pittsburgh@patch.com