Community Corner
Election + Women In Robotics + RSV Surge
The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Pittsburgh.
Morning, Pittsburgh! It's Election Day! Don't forget to cast your vote.
I'm back with your fresh edition of the Pittsburgh Daily. Keep reading for the most important things happening around town. In this issue, you'll find news about...
- Fetterman holds final rally in Pittsburgh on election eve
- Women in robotics chapter forms in Pittsburgh
- As RSV surge continues, UPMC Children's adds tent to deal with influx of patients
Let's get into it!
Mostly sunny and cooler. High: 57 Low: 35.
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Here are the top stories in Pittsburgh today:
1) Democratic U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman held his last rally before Election Day in the Pittsburgh area Monday night. A crowd came out to the Carpenters Pittsburgh Training Center to hear the candidate on election eve. "Sometimes I am going to miss some words, sometimes I am going to mush two words together, but one thing I absolutely will always get right is making sure that we stand for the important things in Washington, D.C.," Fetterman said. Fetterman rallied among union workers while focusing on his commitment to labor and defending the union way of life. Fetterman spoke about issues at stake in the race, including the economy, health care and a woman's right to choose. He ended the night thanking his supporters.
2) The Pittsburgh Robotics Network is seeking volunteers to form a local Women in Robotics chapter. The group will be part of a global organization open to women, non-binary people, and allies. Women hold about one-third of positions at the nation's largest tech firms, though they fill just one-quarter of technical roles. They account for an estimated 7% of robotics engineers in the United States. Organizers of the local Women in Robotics group want to improve the workplace experience for employees in their industry who are not men, while also increasing access to jobs.
3) As we partake in Election Day, we're reminded of the common campaign topic of unemployment. In our own backyard of southwestern Pennsylvania, rates fell to one of the lowest points in the past 50 years, according to the latest Pennsylvania Department of Labor data. In September, 4.2 percent of workers in the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area were looking for work. That rate tied for the lowest unemployment rate in the region since 1974. It is down from the 5.8 percent rate from 2021. "We are really hitting extremely low unemployment rates," according Chris Briem, a regional economist at the University of Pittsburgh University Center for Social and Urban Research. "There's not a pool of workers out there looking to jump back in the labor force." Employment varied within the region, but rates in all southwestern Pennsylvania counties fell from where they were a year ago. Butler County posted the lowest rate in the region with 3.4 percent of workers unemployed in September. Fayette County, where 5.5 percent of workers were looking for work, had the highest rate. Allegheny County, which includes the City of Pittsburgh, had an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent.
4) RSV cases continue to rise in the Pittsburgh area. UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh has put up a tent outside its Lawrenceville hospital so it is prepared to deal with the surge of patients sick with RSV, the director of the hospital's emergency department said in a video shared on social media Monday. "The tent is a space that gives eight to ten more beds," Dr. Raymond Pitetti says in the video. "It is a way for us to increase our resources, right, the ability to see more kids in a timely manner."He described the tent as an another resource the hospital has to see patients. The hospital has seen a spike in children respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the last six weeks, Pitetti shared with news media last week.
(TribLIVE)
5) A new whole-animal butcher shop, called Fat Butcher, is set to open at 5151 Butler St. in Lawrenceville. Customers can visit the new spot on Saturday, Nov. 12 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Shoppers can expect to find fresh, locally sourced deli meat, sausages, ground pork, lamb chops, bacon and steaks that range from filet mignon and porterhouse to lesser known—but still tasty- cuts such as Santa Fe, Denver and teres major. "A lot of it is rebranding," says Chef Jesse Barlass, formerly of Bodega Off Butler. "If you give something a more palatable name, people will try it. Pittsburgh is getting more adventurous and trying new cuisines, thanks to restaurant pop-ups and food trucks." In addition to feeding people, they want to educate them as well. All you have to do is take a number and ask. The website will soon feature a wealth of information and QR codes will go up around the 1,100-square-foot, newly constructed building so folks can get the 411 on meat raised around the 412. Fat Butcher will also offer gourmet sandwiches on daily rotating menus, and a grab-and-go breakfast sandwich and coffee area.
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Today in Pittsburgh:
- General Election Day - Ross Township Meetings (7:00 AM)
- Scrabble - Penn Hills Public Library (5:00 PM)
- BNY Mellon Presents JazzLive: Fall 2022 (5:00 PM)
- Cooking with Leftovers - Penn Hills Public Library (6:00 PM)
- PLant Based Pittsburgh - Mount Lebanon Public Library (6:00 PM)
- Passport Pals - Northland Public Library (6:30 PM)
- Teen Game Night -- on Discord! - Northland Public Library (7:00 PM)
- Board Game Night - Mount Lebanon Public Library (7:00 PM)
- Yoga Flow - Brentwood Library (7:00 PM)
- Live! Trivia Night/Taco Tuesday (8:00 PM)
From my notebook:
- City of Pittsburgh: "The City of Pittsburgh's 107th Christmas Tree is here. Shoutout to the Office of Special Events, Department of Public Works, and Pittsburgh Public Safety Department for your collaboration to make this happen!" (City of Pittsburgh via Facebook)
- Pittsburgh Regional Transit: "Get on board! We're looking for operators to join our team! Visit www.rideprt.org/careers to learn more. 🚍" (Pittsburgh Regional Transit via Facebook)
- Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens: "We are just two days away! Join us on this fantastic frozen journey to light up your holiday season! Holiday Magic! Winter Flower Show and Light Garden with amaze with it's twinkling lights, abundance of poinsettias and dazzling new displays." (Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens via Facebook)
- Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: "Parents and educators, think you're cut out for Cricuts? Join us this Saturday (11/12) to find out! We will be holding these two workshops: 1. Cricut 101 (9 am - Noon)." (Children's Museum of Pittsburgh via Facebook)
- Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh: "Swing by CLP-Homewood this Saturday, November 12 at 10:30 am to join Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra musicians and author Brittany Janee Thurman for a playful workshop that combines reading, music, and dance to tell the story of Africa." (Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh via Facebook)
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You're all caught up for today. I'll see you soon!
— 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 Daily? Contact me at pittsburgh@patch.com
