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Community Corner

🌱 Recycling Christmas Trees + New T Station + Public Art Changes

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Pittsburgh.

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Good morning, friends! It's Wednesday in Pittsburgh and I'm back in your inbox with everything you need to know about what's happening locally, including news about:

  • Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers minority owner John Rooney dies
  • Christmas Tree from-off locations
  • Vandalism in Lawrenceville

Let's go!

But first, today's weather:

Partly sunny and milder. High: 45 Low: 33.

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Here are the top stories in Pittsburgh today:

1) John Rooney, the brother of Steelers founder Art Rooney and a former minority owner of the team, has died. Rooney's death was announced Tuesday, the same day as public viewing was held at Acrisure Stadium for Steelers Hall-of-Fame running back Franco Harris. He died last week at the age of 72. The announcement of Rooney's death came from the New York Giants. The Rooney family has familial ties to the Mara family, which owns a stake in the Giants. John Rooney was the brother of former Steelers chairman Dan Rooney, and the uncle of current Steelers president Art Rooney II. In 2015, John Rooney sold all but a 1 percent share of his ownership of the franchise, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette reported.

(Pittsburgh Patch)

2) Allegheny county and city programs have begun accepting Christmas trees at nearly two dozen drop-off locations. Recycled trees will be shredded into mulch for parks and home gardens. Residents are asked to remove all decorations — ornaments, toppers, lights and tinsel — and stands before dropping off their trees. Allegheny County residents can bring trees through Jan. 14 from 8 a.m. to dusk at drop-off locations in all nine county parks:

City residents can bring their trees to a dozen parks and public works locations through Jan. 26, though hours vary, listed at the link below.

(90.5 WESA)

3) Changes to how Pittsburgh oversees public art appear headed for approval by City Council Wednesday. Legislation proposed by Mayor Ed Gainey's administration would split the city's art commission in two, with one committee for public art and another for the design of public buildings. City staffers said the idea is to focus the expertise of each committee, and to reduce the workload on the all-volunteer commission. Another change would revamp a city law that sets aside one percent of the cost of municipal capital projects for public art on those sites. The new law would require pooling those funds for use anywhere in the city. Supporters said that would make it possible to do more substantial individual projects and would help distribute art more equitably around town. A third change is meant to incentivize the creation of new art by establishing a trust fund for one-time contributions from developers who bankroll public-art projects in exchange for exceptions to the zoning code for things like building heights and setbacks. The fund would also accept private donations and budgeted transfers from the city's general fund.

(90.5 WESA)

4) The owner of a Lawrenceville hair salon checked her security cameras on Christmas morning and notice shattered glass everywhere. She ended up spending most of her holiday at work, cleaning up and speaking with police. Melissa Altenbaugh, owner of Swank Hair Studio in Lawrenceville, said a quick glance at her security cameras on Christmas morning ruined her holiday. "Terrible to find on Christmas," Altenbaugh said. "I woke up yesterday morning and looked at my cameras and I notice the glass was shattered all over the floor." Altenbaugh says someone threw a hammer through her double-paned front window. Altenbaugh has owned the salon for 10 years, considers the area safe and is shocked this happened any day, particularly on the holiday weekend."Obviously things like this happen all the time — not sure why it happened to me on Christmas but I sat here in my salon for hours on Christmas trying to get it fixed," she said. If you have any information on this vandalism or a security camera in this neighborhood, please contact Pittsburgh police.

(WPXI Pittsburgh)

5) Pittsburgh's public steps will see a major enhancement and the T station at Station Square will receive a complete makeover as part of last week's passage of the $1.7 trillion federal spending bill for the 2023 fiscal year. Those projects were among the 92 receiving a total of $111.5 million across the state, Sen. Bob Casey's office announced. Pittsburgh, which has more public steps than any city in the nation, will get $7 million to restore multiple different high-use sets of steps across the city. The project also involves the installation of bicycle runnels next to these steps to make it easier for cyclists to move through the city. Pittsburgh Regional Transit will receive $5 million to create a safer, more accessible and more welcoming Station Square Station that incorporates better connections between transit modes.

(Patch)

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Today in Pittsburgh:

From my notebook:

  • Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium: "This week is your last chance to check out the Zoo Lights Drive-Thru! Enjoy over 100 animal lights, festive music, and delicious holiday treats. Tickets ➡️ https://bit.ly/3jU3G6r" (Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium via Facebook)
  • US National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA: "We are looking at a warm up folks! The number is the forecasted max temperature over the next 7 days for 4 locations." (US National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA via Facebook)
  • Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens: "Here at Phipps, The Shop has been hard at work to ensure that everyone gets the holiday and winter décor that their heart and home desire. From ornaments and sculptures to coasters and garland, there is surely something perfect for you." (Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens via Facebook)
  • Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: "The Children's Museum's power has been fully restored and we open tomorrow, December 28, at 9 AM. MuseumLab will open at 11 AM. Anyone who had tickets for today, Dec 27, will be able to use them tomorrow as well. " (Children's Museum of Pittsburgh via Facebook)
  • Pittsburgh Regional Transit: "Remember, we're still accepting your feedback on service changes for the Downtown-Oakland-East End Bus Rapid Transit project until February 1, 2023! Also please join us online at 6pm on January 10 for an information session on the project." (Pittsburgh Regional Transit via Facebook)

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You're all caught up for today! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow with your next 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 Daily? Contact me at pittsburgh@patch.com

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