Community Corner
🌱 Jail Drops Vaccine Rules + Pittsburgh Super Bowl Players + Fire
The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Pittsburgh.
Happy Valentine's Day! I'm back in your inbox this morning with the most important things happening in Pittsburgh. Today you'll learn about...
- A Pennsylvania candy factory fined after workers fall into a vat of chocolate
- Allegheny County Jail drops vaccine rules for social visits
- A Pittsburgh-area high school significantly damaged in fire
Here we go!
Turning cloudy and mild. High: 55 Low: 48.
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Here are the top stories today in Pittsburgh:
1) Visitors of incarcerated people at Allegheny County Jail no longer need to have proof of a COVID-19 vaccine. Allegheny County Jail Warden Orlando Harper announced Monday that the jail would be fully reopened for visitations. The decision was made after consulting with the county health department as well as officials at Allegheny Health Network. Employees of the jail have been working under a vaccine mandate since December of 2021, while inmates were also encouraged to get vaccinated. Both in-person, contactless visits and virtual visitation through tablets are available.
(TribLIVE)
2) Speaking of Valentine's Day chocolates... a Pennsylvania candy factory has been fined following reports of contracted workers falling into a vat of chocolate. Mars Wrigley faces a fee of $$14,500 after an incident occurred last year in which two workers fell into a tank filled with chocolate while conducting maintenance. They were eventually able to exit the tank after emergency personnel cut a hole in the bottom to free them. "The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees," the administration ruling stated.
3) The boil water advisory continues for a dozen Pittsburgh neighborhoods after a power outage affected a pumping station over the weekend. Potential water contaminants are impacted around 6,117 local households. "Affected residents must bring tap water to a full rolling boil for one minute before allowing it to cool and use." And even tap water that has been filtered through a home water filter or pitcher filter is still potentially harmful before it is boiled. For tooth brushing and other hygienic water needs, residents in the impacted areas are advised to use boiled or bottled water.
4) If you watched the Super Bowl on Sunday night, you might have recognized Pittsburgh 'native' Skyy Moore. He scored his first NFL touchdown in Super Bowl LVII, helped lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a thrilling 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. "Moore, who attended Shady Side Academy in Fox Chapel and Western Michigan University, caught a pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes and ran it four yards into the end zone to put the Chiefs up 35-27." Other players with local ties include Eagles cornerback Avonte Maddox, who played for the University of Pittsburgh; Eagles running back Miles Sanders, a Woodland Hills High School graduate; Chiefs wide receiver Justin Watson, a South Fayette High School graduate; and Eagles coach Nick Siriani, whose brother is the head coach at Washington & Jefferson College.
5) A Pittsburgh-area high school is currently closed after experiencing significant fire damage over the weekend. Four of Elizabeth Forward High School's fire alarms began ringing early Sunday morning, triggered by a massive blaze on the auditorium side of the school. No in-person or virtual classes took place yesterday, and virtual learning sessions will begin today.
Today in Pittsburgh:
- Coffee & Contacts — February - North Side/Shore Chamber of Commerce (8 AM)
- Indoor Wise Walk — Brentwood Library (9 AM)
- Scrapbooking — Plum Community Library (10 AM)
- Valentine's Day Makerspace — Plum Community Library (11 AM)
From my notebook:
- Pittsburgh Bureau of Police: "SVU detectives are looking for tips to help find 17-year-old Dey-Mond Schmidt. Schmidt was last seen on Jan. 30 and is missing from the Brookline area. He is 5 feet 3 inches tall, 120, brown eyes, brown hair, freckles and braces." (Pittsburgh Bureau of Police via Facebook)
- US National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA: "Who needs winter weather when you can have warm windy weather instead? We're anticipating a series of warm and breezy days through much of the week before a cold front brings rain and then perhaps a touch of snow and cold to close out the week." (US National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA via Facebook)
- The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust: "This coming week is your final chance to see the vibrant and moving 'Rising Voices 2: The Bennett Prize for Women Figurative Realist Painters' exhibition at 937 Gallery." (The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust via Facebook)
- Carnegie Science Center: "Are you a Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh Member? Good news! You can register online for Summer Camps starting NOW! Members enjoy priority registration before it opens to the public on Monday, Feb. 20. 💻 " (Carnegie Science Center via Facebook)
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You're all caught up 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.
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