Community Corner
🌱 BrewDog Closing + Light Rail Service Disrupted + Plastic Bag Ban
The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Pittsburgh.
Hello, friends! Happy Friday! It's me, Rachel Tasker, your host of the Patch newsletter. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening in town. Today you'll read about...
- BrewDog closes Pittsburgh location.
- Light rail service in downtown Pittsburgh to be disrupted this weekend.
- Pittsburgh delays plastic bag ban.
Let's dive in!
But first, today's weather: Cooler with periods of rain. High: 48 Low: 45.
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Here are the top stories today in Pittsburgh:
1) A former Pittsburgh city worker in the finance department is being accused of fraud — in the amount of $50K. More specifically, the accusation states that the person in question altered two checks totaling just more than $50,000 and used the money to pay property taxes, police said. According to law enforcement, it is believed that Gregory Fleming, 59, altered and fraudulently deposited the two checks, paying them to a business entity he owned as a front to hide the money, on Nov. 14. When the investigation began, Fleming was fired from his role with the city. Police said the man turned himself in.
(TribLIVE)
2) The PNC Park experience, home of the Pirates, will be a little different in the 2023 season. A number of improvements will be completed before the season kicks off on April 7 versus the Chicago White Sox. Improvements include a new scoreboard, fascia ribbon boards, an in-park sound system, a simplified ticket entry process, as well as the debut of a family-friendly walk-in market on the stadium's first-base side, a fan favorites market on the third-base side, and several new beer markets. "As we continue to enhance PNC Park, our goal is to build upon what makes it so special and provide an exciting and memorable game-day experience," Pirates president Travis Williams said.
3) Local beer-lovers may be sad to hear that BrewDog is closing its Pittsburgh location. The business lasted just three years in its East Liberty location. BrewDog CEO and co-founder James Watt made the closure announcement official via his LinkedIn page, citing that the craft beer and restaurant chain is a Real Living Wage employer—and that is getting harder and harder to do in the current economic climate. However, Watt also stated that all employees at the bars that are closing have been offered continued employment with BrewDog. "BrewDog currently has eight U.S. locations, with six in Ohio, one in Las Vegas and one in Atlanta."
4) Pittsburgh Regional Transit's light rail service in downtown will be disrupted this weekend. The cause of service suspension over various periods of time relates to repair work in some of the underground subway tunnels downtown. "Concrete-related repair work is slated to begin between Steel Plaza and Gateway stations at 8 p.m. Friday and last until the start of regular transit service on Monday, March 27." This work will continue into various additional weekends as needed until the projects are completed.
5) While various places around the country have put plastic bag bans in place, Pittsburgh is holding out — for now. "Enforcement of the ban, which had been set to take effect April 14, is being pushed back to Oct. 14 'in order to ensure a successful rollout of this landmark initiative,' according to the city's statement." This additional time will allow local businesses to post visible notices of the ban for their customers in the standard 90-day window leading up to Oct. 14. Mayor Ed Gainey made a public statement related to the ban thanking everyone on City Council, local environmental advocates, and community members for working to make this major piece of legislation a success.
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Today in Pittsburgh:
From my notebook:
- US National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA: "Here is the total rain we are currently forecasting from now through Saturday after several periods of rain and thunderstorms ⚡️⚡️" (US National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA via Facebook)
- The Andy Warhol Museum: ""You'll find the soup cans, Marilyns and floating clouds upstairs. But the industrial-chic space that greets you as you enter The Warhol is iconic on its own." https://bit.ly/3nfH3Oc" (The Andy Warhol Museum via Facebook)
- Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh: "These sweet pups may have zoomed on out of here but there are plenty more to discover at humaneanimalrescue.org/adopt ! #NationalPuppyDay #ThrowbackThursday" (Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh via Facebook)
- The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust: "Jackson Browne has written and performed some of the most literate and moving songs in popular music and comes to the Benedum Center on June 4." (The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust via Facebook)
- Pittsburgh Regional Transit: "Our crews and contractors build and maintain our system. Each fiscal year, we invest millions of dollars. To see information on projects completed in fiscal year 2022 (July 2021-June 2022), visit: http://bit.ly/PRTYearReview" (Pittsburgh Regional Transit via Facebook)
- Buy Fresh Buy Local/Farm to Table Western PA: "New Organic Gardening Series starts today - online at 5 p.m.! FREE Registration — Join Doug Oster each week to get your started now and last well into the late Fall. Seed packets available to accompany class. #buyfreshbuylocal" (Buy Fresh Buy Local/Farm to Table Western PA via Facebook)
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Alrighty, you're all good for today! I'll see you around.
— 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
