Community Corner
🌱 Veterans Appreciation Event + Power Outages + Abandoned Boat
The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Pittsburgh.
Hello, hello! I'm here with your Monday edition of the Pittsburgh Patch newsletter, full of everything you need to know about what's happening in town. Including updates on...
- Appreciation event for veterans held in McKees Rocks.
- Strong winds leaving tens of thousands without power.
- An abandoned boat on the North Shore is creating an eyesore.
Let's dive in!
But first, today's weather:
Cooler with rain ending. High: 52 Low: 33.
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Here are the top stories today in Pittsburgh:
1) Locals gathered in McKees Rocks on Sunday for a veterans appreciation event. Veterans living in the Pittsburgh area were invited to enjoy a free meal served by volunteers. Each vet in attendance also received a shirt, and had a chance to win door prizes and more. Steelers greats Ricky Bleier and Jon Kolb both spoke at the event. The event was free to all veterans plus one guest each.
2) Intense weather on Saturday left tens of thousands of locals without power. Strong winds exceeding 60 mph as well as periods of heavy rain in the morning led to the outages. "As of 6:15 p.m. Sunday, Duquesne Light reported over 3,000 customers without power, and West Penn said over 15,000 customers in the area had no electricity." For those still experiencing power outages, Duquesne Light says it may be until Monday at 8 p.m. before power is restored, while West Penn said it estimated it would take until 11 p.m. Tuesday for their crews to finish repairs. Other damages due to the extreme weather include one person being taken to the hospital after a tree fell on a convertible, roof damage in McKeesport, and a partial building collapse in Lawrenceville.
3) A shooting in Bloomfield has left one person was hospitalized and another arrested. Police were called to Corday Way and Pearl Street at around 2:35 p.m. on Sunday, and found a man who had been shot in the head. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. A man on the scene was taken into custody, and a gun was confiscated. Other related damages include a nearby house covered in several bullet holes.
4) A water main break early Sunday morning has caused a road closure in South Oakland. According to Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, a break on a 12 inch line happened just before 4 a.m. The break was under control by 8:38 a.m., but repairs continue. Craft Avenue is closed between Ford Avenue and Boulevard of the Allies so that crews can continue with repairs. The estimated time of restoration is 5 p.m. Craft Avenue will remain closed between Ford Avenue and Boulevard of the Allies so that crews can assess safety.
5) An abandoned boat that has been mooring on the North Shore since July or August is proving to be an eyesore—and getting it removed is proving to be confusing and time consuming. According to local news, the owner of the 31-foot Bayliner boat doesn't want it back. The Sports and Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, owner of the promenade space where it is moored under the Fort Duquesne Bridge, wants the sinking eyesore removed. "Passersby on the Three Rivers Heritage Trail are complaining, jurisdictional authority has been unclear and making it go away has become a multi-agency pain in the transom." Confusing laws related to ownership and abandoned items make it a challenge for the city, or any other entity, to remove. Before it can be moved, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to confirm there is no boat fuel, oil or other possible pollutants aboard or leaking from the listing vessel.
Today in Pittsburgh:
- 55 Live! Slot Tournament (10 AM)
- EmployHer Pittsburgh: Opportunity Fair (10 AM)
- Family Storytime - C.C. Mellor Memorial Library (10:30 AM)
- Monday Morning Book Club - Avalon Public Library (11 AM)
- Heinz Chapel "Women in the Windows" Tour (Noon)
From my notebook:
- Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens: "Today is the last day to purchase plants during our online native plant sale! " (Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens via Facebook)
- US National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA: "Scattered rain showers are possible to start the week, with the highest probability of rain between 8a and 2p. Temperatures will remain mild in the low 50s." (US National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA via Facebook)
- Bike Pittsburgh: "We'd love to see this change in Pittsburgh! Right turn on red is dangerous for pedestrians. Know of a spot that needs to eliminate RTOR? Report it to 311." (Bike Pittsburgh via Facebook)
- Carnegie Science Center: "Be ready for spring with sweet savings! 🐝 Receive 15% off select spring items when you shop XPLOR Store online. Use coupon code SpringSale at checkout. https://bit.ly/406OFky" (Carnegie Science Center via Facebook)
- Carnegie Science Center: "In honor of World Autism Awareness/Acceptance Day, join us for Scientists Like Me on Mon., April 3. https://carnegiesciencecenter.org/individuals-and-families/scientists-like-me/" (Carnegie Science Center via Facebook)
- Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: "We're offering three unique workshops over Spring Break Week, April 3-7. We've got you covered with one-day or three-day options, plus a Family Workshop for All Ages. https://pittsburghkids.org/program/spring-break-workshops/" (Children's Museum of Pittsburgh via Facebook)
- Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures: "This Wednesday, March 29, we're very proud to present Poets Aloud with Clint Smith, a reading followed by a conversation with Damon Young, author of What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker." (Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures via Facebook)
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Thanks for following along and staying informed. 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 Patch newsletter? Contact me at pittsburgh@patch.com
