Free Thanksgiving Meal + Snow Squalls + Weekend Events

Hello all. It's me, Rachel Tasker, your host of the Pittsburgh Daily — here to tell you everything you need to know about what's happening locally. Today's issue includes updates on:

• Today is last day to receive free Thanksgiving meal from Pittsburgh police
• Snow squalls possible for Pittsburgh Area, Weather Service warns
• 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Nov. 18-20

A little snow at times.

Here are the top stories today in Pittsburgh:

1) Pittsburgh police will once again participate in the annual "Get Stuffed with Love" event, and today is the last day to call for a free Thanksgiving meal. Last year, more than 3,000 meals were provided. The initiative, put on by the Rotary Clubs of Bethel-St. Clair and Northern Allegheny and Holy Assumption of St. Mary Orthodox Church are partnering again this year to cook and assemble holiday meals for those in need. Pittsburgh police then deliver the meals to families who have requested them. City residents can get a meal by identifying what zone they live in by visiting https://pittsburghpa.gov/police/police-zone-maps.

(WPXI Pittsburgh)

2) The white flakes could be falling fast today, the National Weather Service warns. It will be nothing like the deluge that is piling up feet of snow in Buffalo at the moment, but 'snow squalls' are expected in Pittsburgh. A snow squall is a sudden, moderately heavy snowfall accompanied by strong winds. It can appear quickly and cause whiteout conditions that can create perilous driving conditions for motorists. "Locally brief heavy snow is possible," the weather service warned in issuing an early-morning advisory on Friday. "The heavy snow could result in rapid reduction in visibility, and a quick accumulation of snow on roads, creating hazardous travel conditions. Keep alert and use caution iftraveling today."

(Pittsburgh Patch)

3) City leaders are listening to North Side community's pleas for safety, and have recently shared their new strategies to accomplish this. Mayor Ed Gainey unveiled parts of his administration's "Pittsburgh's Plan for Peace," in a meeting with North Shore residents Thursday night. This is part of the city's efforts to cut down on violent crime in the city of Pittsburgh. Gainey said his office wrote a letter to 7/11 corporate on behalf of store management to ask that the Cedar Avenue convenience store be allowed to close early and be given extra security. City leaders also announced plans to increase the number of law enforcement presence, with two new officer training classes. Plans to budget for doubling the Community Violence Intervention Team and hire 12 new social workers and trauma specialists were discussed. When asked about the issue of gun violence, Gainey said he will continue to push for the state to allow the city to make its own gun laws.

(WTAE Pittsburgh)

4) Looking for weekend plans? Here are some local options. The Peoples Gas Holiday Market opens Friday in Market Square in Downtown Pittsburgh, with hours from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Inspired by the original German Christkindlmarkts (or "Christmas Markets"), the market features Alpine-style wooden chalets containing a wide variety of seasonal decorations, stocking stuffers and gift items from artists and vendors. In addition to shopping, the market offers live music, food, beverages and light displays. For furry friends, the largest pet expo on the East Coast will take over the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh for three days of competitions, demonstrations, giveaways, photos with Santa and more furry and feathered fun.Hours for the The Pittsburgh Pet Expo will be 5-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. And for those looking to get into the holiday spirit, a kick-off party for GLOWLAND, a month-long art installation and festival, is set for 6:30-9:30 p.m. Friday in Schenley Plaza in Oakland. The outdoor event will include cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, a silent disco, glass blowing by the Pittsburgh Glass Center and music by DJ Arie Cole. The $100 party ticket includes two drink tickets and food. For reservations, visit eventbrite.com. Beer connoisseurs might enjoy Brews and Bites on the Battlefield, planned for 1-4 p.m. Sunday at Braddock's Battlefield History Center, located at 609 6th St., North Braddock. Attendees will be able to sample some of the area's best-handcrafted spirits, along with light bites. The afternoon also will include live music and museum tours. Fee for the program is $20. To register, visit braddocksbattlefield.org.

(TribLIVE)

5) 'Les Miserables' is back at the Benedum Center. "Les Miserables," with its epic sweep and thundering score, is one of the most beloved musicals in the world. It opened in London's West End in 1985 and has never left, and was on Broadway for 16 years after it landed there in 1987. It has frequently toured around the world, but it remains undiminished as a box-office draw. "Les Miserables" first emerged as a door-stopping novel by Victor Hugo in 1862, and its story has been adapted for movies and television, and the stage production itself was made into a movie a decade ago. Still, when people think of "Les Miserables," it's likely that the first thing they think of is the musical, which has now been seen live by an estimated 130 million people in 22 languages in 15 countries. The show runs Wednesday, November 23rd through Sunday, November 27th. There will be no shows on Thanksgiving. Tickets can be purchases here: https://www.googleadservices.c...

(Observer-Reporter)

Today in Pittsburgh:

• Merry Karaoke - Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (5:00 PM)
• Stuffie Sleepover - Andrew Bayne Memorial Library (6:00 PM)
• After Hours Among Us - Northland Public Library (6:30 PM)
• HS- 7pm Fall Play - Plum Borough SD (7:00 PM)
• PBR Buckin' Birthday (7:00 PM)
• Chatham Baroque: The Virtuoso Recorder (7:30 PM)
• DJ Sports & Social Steel City (10:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Pittsburgh Bureau of Police: "Pittsburgh Police Violent Crime Unit detectives are asking for the public's assistance to help identify the male in these photographs. (Pittsburgh Bureau of Police via Facebook)
• US National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA: "❄️ A quick-moving system tomorrow will bring another round of snowfall to the Upper Ohio Valley and Allegheny Mountains. Most locations will see less than an inch with the ridges to the east set to receive 1 to 3 inches of snowfall." (US National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA via Facebook)
• Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh: "The Pittsburgh Penguins 2023 charity pet calendar "Penguins & Paws" is available for pre-order on Nov. 21 at 10 a.m.! This calendar features Penguins like Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang posing with some of our adoptable animals." (Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh via Facebook)
• Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens: "Here in our shop, we have a new stock of beautiful wreaths made of dry plant materials to last you well through winter." (Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens via Facebook)
• Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens: "ONE DAY LEFT until the opening of our Holiday Magic! Winter Flower Show and Light Garden is open! The beauty of our winter flower show doesnt stop indoors. " (Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens via Facebook)
• Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh: "Looking for a fun Friday night activity for the kiddos? Join us at the Wildlife Center for PJs, Paws, & Popcorn! On Friday, 11/18 from 5:30-8:30! Sign up for a spot here https://bit.ly/3TDvgUm " (Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Fresh Perks Every Week (November 22)
• Oh What Fun! (December 10)
• Add your event

That's it 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 Daily? Contact me at pittsburgh@patch.com