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Community Corner

UPMC Magee Named 'Best Maternity Hospital' + 2nd Morgan Wallen Concert

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

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Good morning, hello! I'm back in your inbox this morning with your Tuesday copy of the Pittsburgh Daily, fresh off the presses. Come along to find out the most important things going on around town. In today's briefing, you'll learn about these stories and more...

  • UPMC Magee named to U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals for Maternity Care
  • BikePGH advocates and educates for safer streets in Pittsburgh
  • Morgan Wallen adds second Pittsburgh stadium date

Let's go!

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Here are the top stories in Pittsburgh today:

1) The UPMC Magee Women's Hospital has been recognized as a 2022-2023 'High Performing Hospital for Maternity Care.' The annual evaluation is designed to assist expectant parents, in consultation with their doctors, in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity care. This is the highest award a hospital can earn for U.S. News' Best Hospitals for Maternity Care. For reference, U.S. News evaluated nearly 650 hospitals that provide high-quality labor & delivery services for uncomplicated pregnancies for its 2022-2023 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care. Fewer than half of all hospitals that offer maternity care and participated in the survey received a High Performing designation. To be recognized, hospitals had to excel on multiple quality metrics that matter to expectant families, like C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, early elective delivery rates and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) rates, among other measures.

(UPMC)

2) Local organization BikePGH is on a mission to advocate and educate its way to safer streets for Pittsburgh. And it's been a long time coming. BikePGH has been working for 20 years to assert the right of Pittsburghers to safely walk and bike. The nonprofit's proven record of success in advocating for safe street infrastructure provides a value to residents, and is an important component in maintaining and improving livability in Pittsburgh. Since 2002, BikePGH has been building Pittsburgh's cycling community, providing resources and pushing for street designs that put people first. Working with the City of Pittsburgh has improved the bicycle and pedestrian network and institutionalized safer biking and walking. Through MoveForwardPGH, BikePGH worked with the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure to kickstart the 2020 Bike(+) Plan and install new bike-friendly connections throughout the city, such as the Bloomfield/Friendship Neighborway and the South Side Neighborway. The organization is passionate about their cause because of reacher that shows bicycle infrastructure isn't just for people riding bikes: it reduces fatalities for all road users.

(PublicSource)

3) Pittsburgh Public Schools are struggling with low attendance. About half of Pittsburgh Public Schools high schoolers were chronically absent last year, meaning they missed more than 18 days — or 10% of school time. On a greater scale throughout all grades, 42% of students were chronically absent last year, compared to the pre-pandemic level of 27% in 2019-20. There are plenty of reasons why: illness, including COVID-19, housing instability, transportation, and mental health challenges, among other things. An organization called A+ School's Executive Director James Fogarty says the issue of getting kids to school can be solved if community groups come together to work with the district. He identified the four biggest barriers to attendance as healthcare, transit, housing and safety. "We can solve problems together. We can look at the aggregate data, identify areas where families might need extra support and think creatively," he said. A+ has published an annual report to the community detailing achievement data and the demographics of teachers and students in each of the district's schools. The organization is mailing 15,000 copies of the report to families this week and distributing another 200 to community centers and public spaces.

(90.5 WESA)

4) UPMC Health Plan recently launched what it calls a 'Neighborhood Center,' complete with housing and employment services, in East Liberty. While the facility will aid residents in navigating insurance plans, it's aiming to serve a broader mission. In the week before its grand opening, staff offered both flu shots and Medicaid and Medicare enrollment information sessions. In the back, there are two private kiosks for tele-health appointments, and a drop-in childcare center for parents to use while accessing services there. Eleven co-working stations with phones and Wi-Fi are available to anyone who comes in, and the organization is partnering with the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank to host a food pantry one Saturday each month. The center will also work with local partners like Action Housing and Partner4Work to offer programs that address affordable housing, workforce training and other needs on its premises. Program director Thomas Washington said it's all available to any resident — not just UPMC Health Plan members. The goal, he added, is to break down barriers to effective health care, whether that's a lack of childcare, transportation or internet at home. Located just off Penn Avenue and East Liberty Boulevard, their building is accessible by several bus lines that stop outside. "You can just come through the doors as you are and we will take everyone as they are to help them in their need," Washington said.

(90.5 WESA)

5) Country music icon Morgan Wallen has added a second Pittsburgh stadium date for his 2023 tour. Citing overwhelming demand, Wallen announced that he will play two shows at Pittsburgh's PNC Park on both June 14th and 15th. On Monday, the singer announced 14 new shows across 13 cities, with back-to-back nights at 10 stadiums total. The man praised by Billboard for making "his superstar arrival as a touring artist" last year will perform his 58-show One Night At A Time World Tour to a total of 26 stadium audiences, plus crowds at arenas, amphitheaters and festivals in four countries on two continents. All tickets for the added dates will be sold through the verified fan sale beginning Wednesday. Verified Fans will automatically be rolled into the added dates for the same city they initially requested as the originally announced dates sell out. Fans who registered should keep an eye out for an email Tuesday evening with more details. For more information, visit www.morganwallen.com. As on his Dangerous Tour, $3 of every ticket sold for U.S. dates benefits the Morgan Wallen Foundation which funds charities.

(The Times)

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Today in Pittsburgh:

  • Craft Corner - ALL DAY - Plum Community Library (10:00 AM)
  • Scrabble - Penn Hills Public Library (5:00 PM)
  • Dazzling Nights Pittsburgh (5:30 PM)
  • Nonfiction at Northland - Northland Public Library (6:30 PM)
  • NPL Authority Committee Meeting - Northland Public Library (6:30 PM)
  • West View PTA Meeting - North Hills School District (6:30 PM)
  • The Nutcracker: Dance the Story - Mount Lebanon Public Library (6:30 PM)
  • Planning Commission Committee - Wilkinsburg Borough (6:30 PM)
  • Teen Game Night -- on Discord! - Northland Public Library (7:00 PM)
  • Yoga Flow - Brentwood Library (7:00 PM)
  • Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

  • Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium: "Need a gift idea? Symbolically adopt an animal! Receive a personalized adoption certificate, acknowledgement letter, magnet, and more. Learn more ➡️ http://bit.ly/3B604Ei" (Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium via Facebook)
  • Pittsburgh Public Schools: "SET YOUR REMINDER for an all-new episode of In Your Neighborhood on KDKA-TV | CBS Pittsburgh featuring Pittsburgh Sunnyside Pre K-8 this Friday at 9:57 am" (Pittsburgh Public Schools via Facebook)
  • Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens: "This Week at Phipps, see Holiday Magic!, shop at our Gifts and Greens Market, learn new crafts at our adult education courses and more! Plan your visit: https://www.phipps.conservator... Photo..." (Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens via Facebook)
  • Visit Pittsburgh: "Mark your calendars! 📆 The 10 Days of #LovePGH Giveaways kickoff this Wednesday, Dec. 7 and we can't wait to give back to YOU, our loyal followers! 🥳 🚨 Here's what you need to know about the 10 Days of #LovePGH Giveaways: 🎁" (Visit Pittsburgh via Facebook)
  • Bike Pittsburgh: "UPDATE: this section of the trail is NOW OPEN! Huge thanks to Friends of the Riverfront for fixing the flooding at the Eagle Lake section of the South Side / Great Allegheny Passage trail." (Bike Pittsburgh via Facebook)
  • The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust: "Blippi is coming to Pittsburgh for the ultimate curiosity adventure in Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour! Get your tickets before they go on sale to the public with promo code BLIPPI. Presale ends Friday, December 9 at 10 a.m." (The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust via Facebook)
  • More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

Alrighty, you're all good for today! See you tomorrow for 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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