Positively Pittsburgh Live News
8-26-13
 |
| J. André Weisbrod |
Tonight’s Co-Host J. André Weisbrod, ChFC Owner of STAAR Financial, Mutual Fund Manager, Investment Advisor, Financial Planner, Author, Lecturer, and Regular January Guest when we talk Yearly Predictions for Pittsburgh
J. André Weisbrod is President and CEO of STAAR Financial Advisors, Inc. a Registered Investment Advisor and founder of the STAAR Investment Trust family of mutual funds. He is a Pittsburgh-based financial advisor providing individuals, businesses and organizations with comprehensive investment services. He has been in the financial services business since 1981 and has managed the highly rated STAAR AltCat and International Funds since 1996.
An accomplished speaker and writer, Mr. Weisbrod is the author of The Creative Personal Finance Workbook (PP&C, 1984, 1986), Becoming One Financially (Journey Books, 1989), The STAAR SYSTEM Investment Management Manual (1991), How to Invest Wisely (1994) and Don’t Ever Take Away My Freedom (2011, under a pseudonym). He has had articles published in a variety of newspapers, magazines and newsletters, has been interviewed by publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Investors Business Daily and Mutual Funds Magazine, quoted by commentators such as Paul Harvey and has appeared on numerous radio and TV shows, including on KDKA, TheStreet.com, Reuters TV and Business News Network.
On Tonight's Show: WHERE IN THE WORLD IS TECHNOGRANNY? Last Week: Roman Bistro, Don Juan at Pittsburgh Irish Classical Theatre, Who"s Your Brother Party at Luke Wholey Wild Alaskan Grille
CULTURAL CLUES: Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts, Shakespeare in the Parks All of September, CALLIOPE PRESENTS: TIM FARRELL, Pittsburgh Opera Season- AIDA, The Magic Flute, DARK SISTERS, LA BOH'ME, Pittsburgh Playhouse unveils new website, Arthur Miller "All My Sons" at Pittsburgh Playhouse, The Rubber Duck Project on the Allegheny
KIDZ KORNER: Be a 6th Grade Mentor
WOMEN AND GIRLS ADVANCEMENT: Vote for Walk For God Footwear
BUSINESS BUZZ: Job growth rate improves in July, Marcellus Shale natural gas production is rising
HIGH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY NEWS: Wilkinsburg Revitalization Student Film Wilkinsburg "The Way We See It," McKeesport Voices
PITTSBURGH HISTORICAL STUFF: First Robotics Institute, First Mr. Yuk Sticker
NON-PROFIT EVENTS SPONSORED BY BLACK TIE-PITTSBURGH: The 2013 Pittsburgh Circle of Courage Awards
NEIGHBORHOOD HI-LIGHTS: Elizabeth Forward School District Annual Flea Market Fundraiser Salvation Army, District 4 Blockwatches, Two Beechview Residents Receive Jefferson Award
POSITIVE PITTSBURGHERS SEGMENT: 6 New Members
ROVING PITTSBURGHER REPORT: "Don Juan Comes Back From the War" at PICT, Who's Your Brother Fundraiser
PITTSBURGH LOCAL SPORTS: Rock women's tennis trio earns ITA Scholar-Athlete honors
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS TECHNOGRANNY?
Last Week Roman Bistro, Forest Hills Best Salmon Au Poivre with Pear Purse Pocket Pasta, Don Juan at Pittsburgh Irish Classical Theatre, Who’s Your Brother Party at Luke Wholey’s Wild Alaskan Grille
PPL SPONSORED EVENTS
Win Two Tickets to Spank
Give us 100 words or less of your best General Audience (G Rated) Ad for a Very Adult Rated Show, we are testing your ingenuity here. Send it by September 10th and we will put it up for 
Each week we will read some of the ads from the week before. How creative are you? Promo paragraphs will not have identifying names in the survey. TechnoGranny and NannyGranny loved this show! Read Last Year’s Review.
Recipient of the tickets will be announced at the beginning of the September 12th show.
CULTURAL CLUES
For four dizzying weeks in the fall, Pittsburgh will set the stage for international companies and artists premiering works never before seen in the United States. These shows will capture your 
Deep breath. Get ready. Everyone remembers their first. To Buy Tickets: Online at TrustArts.org/First
Call 412-456-6666, Box Office at Theater Square.
Shakespeare in the Park: Romeo and Juliet Opens This Weekend!
Join us for the opening weekend of ROMEO & JULIET, directed by Helen M. Meade, Saturday August 31 and Sunday September 1 in Frick Park in Squirrel Hill, Beechwood Blvd. and Nicholson St. Come prepared to choose sides: Montague or Capulet? -- as we put a new spin on this tragic romance.
 |
| Andrew Miller as Romeo Danielle Powell as Juliet Photo by Cat Aceto |
Support Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks - donate $25 or more by August 31 and receive an invitation to our special post-opening show reception on Aug. 31 at the Murray Avenue Grill. Enjoy drinks and hors d'oeuvres, mingle with the cast and crew, and celebrate PSIP's 9th season of free Shakespeare in the Steel City. Read the entire release here.
Calliope Presents Tim Farrell
The Pittsburgh Folk Music Society welcomes TIM FARRELL to THE ROOTS CELLAR, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Shadyside, on September 19, 2013, 7:30 PM.
Tickets and information are available online at www.calliopehouse.org or by contacting the Calliope office at (412) 361-1915: $17 / $12 (student rush w/ID at door) *includes handling fees.
With so many guitarists trying to make their mark these days, it’s not easy being a “trailblazer.” Yet, that perfectly defines Tim Farrell. His fingerstyle playing and original compositions display an elegant simplicity that celebrates the purity of the acoustic guitar. Tim is a rare kind of musician, with the ability to both entertain an audience and inspire future generations of players. Read the entire release here.
Pittsburgh Opera puts single tickets on sale August 26
On Monday, August 26, Pittsburgh Opera offers single tickets to the public for its 75th anniversary season. Opening October 12 with the grandest of all grand operas, Verdi’s Aida, the Pittsburgh Opera season includes three beloved works and three bold new operas, with three of this season’s offerings sung in English. Following Aida in the season are Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Nico Muhly’s Dark Sisters, Gregory Spears’s Paul’s Case, Puccini’s La bohème, and Philip Glass’s Orphée. Single tickets start at $12 and are available at www.pittsburghopera.org, 412-456-6666, or at Theater Square Box Office, 665 Penn Avenue, in the Cultural District.
Pittsburgh Opera thanks the Jack Buncher Foundation for a special offer that also opens August 26: $5 kids’ tickets to the Tuesday, November 12 performance of The Magic Flute at the Benedum Center. Those who wish to bring kids or grandkids (ages 6-12) to the Tuesday 7:00 p.m. performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute may purchase up to four kids’ tickets at $5 each with the purchase of a full-price adult ticket. The Buncher Foundation sponsors the offer, which is available in all Benedum seating areas except Price Zone A. Available by web, phone, or in person, the offer is good until October 31, 2013 or while supplies last. More information, photos of this “gorgeously whimsical” (The Globe and Mail) production, related events, and FAQs about bringing kids to the opera are available here.
Single tickets for The REP, Point Park University’s professional theatre company, are now on sale. The REP’s 2013-2014 season opens with Arthur Miller’s All My Sons (Sept. 6-22), followed by the world premiere of Pittsburgh playwright Tammy Ryan’s Soldier’s Heart (Sept. 27-Oct. 13), the Pittsburgh premiere of EM Lewis’ Heads (Jan. 31-Feb. 16) and Lynn Nottage’s By the Way, Meet Vera Stark (March 21-April 6). Tickets can be purchased on the Pittsburgh Playhouse website or by calling 412.392.8000.
The REP opens 2013-2014 season with Arthur Miller’s ‘All My Sons’ at Pittsburgh Playhouse
The REP, Point Park University’s professional theatre company, opens its 2013-2014 season with All My Sons, Arthur Miller’s riveting story of a seemingly All-American family caught up in the struggle between personal responsibility and their duty to the nation.
Directed by Robert A. Miller, All My Sons previews on Thursday, Sept. 5, and runs Sept. 6-22, in the Rauh Theatre at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, 222 Craft Ave. Performances are 8 p.m., Thursday – Saturday, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Arthur Miller’s first commercial success, All My Sons, tells the story of Joe Keller, a loving family man and successful businessman who harbors a tragic secret. While one son is presumed dead, missing in action during the war, his other son prepares to propose to the woman he loves, and, in one emotional day, Joe’s world begins to unravel before his very eyes. The play opened on at the Coronet Theatre in New York City in January 1947 and won Tony Awards for best author and best direction of a play. Read the entire release here.
Via the Sprout Fund
A local woman business owner needs our help to get on the shelves of Walmart!
E-Magnify client Charlene Cunningham, founder of the footwear and apparel company Walk for God, has entered Walmart's national "Get on the Shelf" competition.
As an E-Magnify client, and with the support of her E-Magnify business counselor, Lyz Marshall, Charlene has crossed the first hurdle of Walmart's "Get on the Shelf" program. Now she needs all of our votes to clear the next hurdle.
(Time is running out! Voting closes September 2.) Vote for Charlene here! About Walk for God
footwear and apparel: Based on the counseling she received from Seton Hill University's E-Magnify women's business center, Charlene Cunningham launched "Walk for God" in March 2013. As a first-time entrepreneur, Charlene has created a line of apparel that includes t-shirts, hats, handbags, slap bracelets, and sneakers with the tagline, "Walk for God."
About Walmart's Get on the Shelf Competition: Get on the Shelf is a social, crowdsourcing competition developed by @WalmartLabs. The contest gives entrepreneurs a chance to get noticed and sell their products on Walmart.com and potentially in select Walmart stores.
We at E-Magnify are proud to support Charlene in this exciting phase of her business.
I invite you to show your support for this local small business woman by voting for her each day between now and September 2.
Sectors that are doing well include natural resources, mining and construction (up 2.5 percent), financial activities (up 5.9 percent), professional and business services (up 4.4 percent), and leisure and hospitality (up 4.9 percent). Information jobs in the region declined 2.7 percent year-over-year, retail trade was down 1.9 percent, and government jobs declined by 0.8 percent. Over the five-year period from July 2008 to July 2013, the Pittsburgh region gained 24,000 nonfarm jobs. Pittsburgh's job growth rate over the past five years was 2.1 percent. Thanks for your interest, Douglas Heuck, Program Director, PittsburghTODAY.
Marcellus Shale natural gas production is rising even faster this year than energy experts had predicted, and that’s having a national impact on energy
Written by Kevin Begos, Associated Press
Bentek, a Colorado company that analyzes energy trends, said 2013 production in Pennsylvania and West Virginia is up about 50 percent compared with last year. Figures for the pipelines that take gas out of the Marcellus show that in the first six months of the year, Pennsylvania produced about 1.5 trillion cubic feet of gas, with projections for a year-end total of about 3.2 trillion cubic feet.
That yearly number translates into the equivalent of about 550 million barrels of oil.
The official mid-2013 production figures for Pennsylvania and West Virginia haven’t been released yet by those states, but Bentek’s figures are considered reliable by government and industry sources.
Marcellus production this year “has definitely outpaced our expectations,” said Diana Oswald, a Bentek energy analyst, and it’s changing long-established national energy trends.
Marcellus gas is “actually starting to displace” production from the Gulf of Mexico in places, Oswald said. For example, when serious shale drilling started in Pennsylvania in 2008, output barely registered on a national level, and most of the Northeast relied on natural gas that was being pumped from the Gulf of Mexico or from Canada through a network of pipelines.
Now, Marcellus gas is supplying the Pennsylvania and Northeastern markets, and it’s grown to be the nation’s most productive gas field. Bentek expects a surplus will soon start flowing to the South and Midwest.
Tom Murphy, a director of the Penn State University Marcellus Center for Research & Outreach, said that while the number of drilling rigs operating in Pennsylvania has declined, companies have learned to drill more efficiently, “so fewer rigs are drilling more wells.”
The Marcellus Shale is a gas-rich formation deep underground that extends across Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York, Ohio and Maryland, but most of the production is in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Production from West Virginia also is on track to increase by about 50 percent this year, according to Bentek. Ohio shale gas production is in its beginning stages but is expected to grow substantially in 2014 and 2015.
In 2011 and 2012, there was a highly publicized debate over the potential of the Marcellus Shale, with some contending the industry had exaggerated the numbers. But the actual production figures have mostly put that debate to rest.
Murphy believes there is still a backlog of about 2,000 wells that have already been drilled but aren’t hooked up to pipelines for production yet. Others estimate the backlog at 1,000 wells, but in either case, it’s adding to the production surge.
Kathryn Klaber, CEO of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, said in an email that the industry group expects “that activity will remain robust” since the necessary infrastructure is increasingly in place to process and move natural gas to market. Article can be found here.
HIGH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY NEWS
From Our Friends at Urban Media Today
Calliope Presents Tim Farrell
The Pittsburgh Folk Music Society welcomes TIM FARRELL to THE ROOTS CELLAR, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Shadyside, on September 19, 2013, 7:30 PM.
Tickets and information are available online at www.calliopehouse.org or by contacting the Calliope office at (412) 361-1915: $17 / $12 (student rush w/ID at door) *includes handling fees.
Pittsburgh Opera puts single tickets on sale August 26
On Monday, August 26, Pittsburgh Opera offers single tickets to the public for its 75th anniversary season. Opening October 12 with the grandest of all grand operas, Verdi’s Aida, the Pittsburgh Opera season includes three beloved works and three bold new operas, with three of this season’s offerings sung in English. Following Aida in the season are Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Nico Muhly’s Dark Sisters, Gregory Spears’s Paul’s Case, Puccini’s La bohème, and Philip Glass’s Orphée. Single tickets start at $12 and are available at www.pittsburghopera.org, 412-456-6666, or at Theater Square Box Office, 665 Penn Avenue, in the Cultural District.
Pittsburgh Opera thanks the Jack Buncher Foundation for a special offer that also opens August 26: $5 kids’ tickets to the Tuesday, November 12 performance of The Magic Flute at the Benedum Center. Those who wish to bring kids or grandkids (ages 6-12) to the Tuesday 7:00 p.m. performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute may purchase up to four kids’ tickets at $5 each with the purchase of a full-price adult ticket. The Buncher Foundation sponsors the offer, which is available in all Benedum seating areas except Price Zone A. Available by web, phone, or in person, the offer is good until October 31, 2013 or while supplies last. More information, photos of this “gorgeously whimsical” (The Globe and Mail) production, related events, and FAQs about bringing kids to the opera are available here.
Pittsburgh Playhouse unveils new website; The REP tickets go on sale
Point Park University’s Pittsburgh Playhouse has a newly designed website.
The Web address remains www.pittsburghplayhouse.com. Designed by Pittsburgh-based
Lava New Media, the website allows patrons to purchase tickets when they become available, and contains several features, including details about the 2013-2014 season, news articles and photographs.
Single tickets for The REP, Point Park University’s professional theatre company, are now on sale. The REP’s 2013-2014 season opens with Arthur Miller’s All My Sons (Sept. 6-22), followed by the world premiere of Pittsburgh playwright Tammy Ryan’s Soldier’s Heart (Sept. 27-Oct. 13), the Pittsburgh premiere of EM Lewis’ Heads (Jan. 31-Feb. 16) and Lynn Nottage’s By the Way, Meet Vera Stark (March 21-April 6). Tickets can be purchased on the Pittsburgh Playhouse website or by calling 412.392.8000.
The REP opens 2013-2014 season with Arthur Miller’s ‘All My Sons’ at Pittsburgh Playhouse
The REP, Point Park University’s professional theatre company, opens its 2013-2014 season with All My Sons, Arthur Miller’s riveting story of a seemingly All-American family caught up in the struggle between personal responsibility and their duty to the nation.
Directed by Robert A. Miller, All My Sons previews on Thursday, Sept. 5, and runs Sept. 6-22, in the Rauh Theatre at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, 222 Craft Ave. Performances are 8 p.m., Thursday – Saturday, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
+and+Philip+Winters+(Joe+Keller)+Photo+by+Jeff+Swensen.jpg) |
| Penelope Lindblom (Kate Keller) and Philip Winters (Joe Keller) in All My Sons, Photo by Jeff Swensen |
Arthur Miller’s first commercial success, All My Sons, tells the story of Joe Keller, a loving family man and successful businessman who harbors a tragic secret. While one son is presumed dead, missing in action during the war, his other son prepares to propose to the woman he loves, and, in one emotional day, Joe’s world begins to unravel before his very eyes. The play opened on at the Coronet Theatre in New York City in January 1947 and won Tony Awards for best author and best direction of a play. Read the entire release here.
KIDZ KORNER
Via the Sprout Fund
Pittsburgh Public Schools 6th grade mentoring success brings expansionBy Maggie Neil / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Middle school can be rough.
It's a time of emotional, academic, physical, social and psychological changes. And adult mentors can help.
That's why the "Be a 6th Grade Mentor" (BA6GM) program began in Pittsburgh Public Schools, and why it will now be called "Be a Middle School Mentor."
The program "is focused on exposing children to career opportunities, to educational opportunities beyond high school, and on being Promise-ready by high school," said Charles Howell, mentor coordinator at Mount Ararat Community Activity Center, one of the program's partners, referring to the Pittsburgh Promise college scholarship program. Read the entire story here.
Middle school can be rough.
It's a time of emotional, academic, physical, social and psychological changes. And adult mentors can help.
That's why the "Be a 6th Grade Mentor" (BA6GM) program began in Pittsburgh Public Schools, and why it will now be called "Be a Middle School Mentor."
The program "is focused on exposing children to career opportunities, to educational opportunities beyond high school, and on being Promise-ready by high school," said Charles Howell, mentor coordinator at Mount Ararat Community Activity Center, one of the program's partners, referring to the Pittsburgh Promise college scholarship program. Read the entire story here.
WOMEN AND GIRLS ADVANCEMENT
A local woman business owner needs our help to get on the shelves of Walmart!
E-Magnify client Charlene Cunningham, founder of the footwear and apparel company Walk for God, has entered Walmart's national "Get on the Shelf" competition.
As an E-Magnify client, and with the support of her E-Magnify business counselor, Lyz Marshall, Charlene has crossed the first hurdle of Walmart's "Get on the Shelf" program. Now she needs all of our votes to clear the next hurdle.
(Time is running out! Voting closes September 2.) Vote for Charlene here! About Walk for God
About Walmart's Get on the Shelf Competition: Get on the Shelf is a social, crowdsourcing competition developed by @WalmartLabs. The contest gives entrepreneurs a chance to get noticed and sell their products on Walmart.com and potentially in select Walmart stores.
We at E-Magnify are proud to support Charlene in this exciting phase of her business.
I invite you to show your support for this local small business woman by voting for her each day between now and September 2.
BUSINESS BUZZ
From Our Friends at Pittsburgh Today
The total nonfarm job figure for July 2013 in the Pittsburgh region was 1,175,100, and the year-over-year job growth rate was 1.5 percent, which was below the benchmark average of 1.7 percent but above the June rate of 1.3 percent. Minneapolis had the highest year-over-year job growth rate in July at 3.7 percent.
Sectors that are doing well include natural resources, mining and construction (up 2.5 percent), financial activities (up 5.9 percent), professional and business services (up 4.4 percent), and leisure and hospitality (up 4.9 percent). Information jobs in the region declined 2.7 percent year-over-year, retail trade was down 1.9 percent, and government jobs declined by 0.8 percent. Over the five-year period from July 2008 to July 2013, the Pittsburgh region gained 24,000 nonfarm jobs. Pittsburgh's job growth rate over the past five years was 2.1 percent. Thanks for your interest, Douglas Heuck, Program Director, PittsburghTODAY.
Written by Kevin Begos, Associated Press
Bentek, a Colorado company that analyzes energy trends, said 2013 production in Pennsylvania and West Virginia is up about 50 percent compared with last year. Figures for the pipelines that take gas out of the Marcellus show that in the first six months of the year, Pennsylvania produced about 1.5 trillion cubic feet of gas, with projections for a year-end total of about 3.2 trillion cubic feet.
That yearly number translates into the equivalent of about 550 million barrels of oil.
The official mid-2013 production figures for Pennsylvania and West Virginia haven’t been released yet by those states, but Bentek’s figures are considered reliable by government and industry sources.
Marcellus production this year “has definitely outpaced our expectations,” said Diana Oswald, a Bentek energy analyst, and it’s changing long-established national energy trends.
Marcellus gas is “actually starting to displace” production from the Gulf of Mexico in places, Oswald said. For example, when serious shale drilling started in Pennsylvania in 2008, output barely registered on a national level, and most of the Northeast relied on natural gas that was being pumped from the Gulf of Mexico or from Canada through a network of pipelines.
Now, Marcellus gas is supplying the Pennsylvania and Northeastern markets, and it’s grown to be the nation’s most productive gas field. Bentek expects a surplus will soon start flowing to the South and Midwest.
Tom Murphy, a director of the Penn State University Marcellus Center for Research & Outreach, said that while the number of drilling rigs operating in Pennsylvania has declined, companies have learned to drill more efficiently, “so fewer rigs are drilling more wells.”
The Marcellus Shale is a gas-rich formation deep underground that extends across Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York, Ohio and Maryland, but most of the production is in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Production from West Virginia also is on track to increase by about 50 percent this year, according to Bentek. Ohio shale gas production is in its beginning stages but is expected to grow substantially in 2014 and 2015.
In 2011 and 2012, there was a highly publicized debate over the potential of the Marcellus Shale, with some contending the industry had exaggerated the numbers. But the actual production figures have mostly put that debate to rest.
Murphy believes there is still a backlog of about 2,000 wells that have already been drilled but aren’t hooked up to pipelines for production yet. Others estimate the backlog at 1,000 wells, but in either case, it’s adding to the production surge.
Kathryn Klaber, CEO of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, said in an email that the industry group expects “that activity will remain robust” since the necessary infrastructure is increasingly in place to process and move natural gas to market. Article can be found here.
HIGH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY NEWS
From Our Friends at Urban Media Today
Student Group Creates ‘Ripple of Hope’ for Wilkinsburg Revitalization
By Nancy Hart, nancy@urbanmediatoday.com, Twitter: @nhart543
“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope,” the late Senator Bobby Kennedy told anti-apartheid activists as he encouraged them to continue to fight the despair gripping South Africa.
A group of Wilkinsburg High School students have taken these words as a mantra as they work to improve their own community in a collaborative project between the Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation, the HearMe 101 Project at Carnegie Mellon University’s CREATE Lab, and FUSE, a Wilkinsburg-based non-profit organization that seeks to “lead kids to their own-self advocacy and actualization” by creatively bridging the literacy gap.
Students involved in the project have been researching and developing innovative solutions to the negative perception of Wilkinsburg in the hope of returning that borough to a thriving business district.
Their efforts, as well as those of their fellow community members, have been documented in a short film produced by the students, called Wilkinsburg: The Way We See It, which will be presented to the public on Monday evening, August 26, at Hosanna House on Wallace Avenue in Wilkinsburg. The students hope the screening will help to raise awareness and support for their effortss.
The free public showing of Wilkinsburg: The Way We See It begins at 6 pm, and will be followed by a free reception at Hosanna House. The documentary is also accessible online. Read the entire article here.
From the Trib Live via our Friends at the Sprout Fund
 |
| Students working on The Way We See It |
Students involved in the project have been researching and developing innovative solutions to the negative perception of Wilkinsburg in the hope of returning that borough to a thriving business district.
Their efforts, as well as those of their fellow community members, have been documented in a short film produced by the students, called Wilkinsburg: The Way We See It, which will be presented to the public on Monday evening, August 26, at Hosanna House on Wallace Avenue in Wilkinsburg. The students hope the screening will help to raise awareness and support for their effortss.
The free public showing of Wilkinsburg: The Way We See It begins at 6 pm, and will be followed by a free reception at Hosanna House. The documentary is also accessible online. Read the entire article here.
From the Trib Live via our Friends at the Sprout Fund
Youth participate in ‘McKeesport Voices’By Michael DiVittorio
Ten teens interviewed 11 mentors this month. They edited those conversations for a project called “McKeesport Voices.”
It is an outgrowth from the program “Crossing Fences: Connecting African American Men and Boys through the Oral Tradition.”
It is facilitated by the Saturday Light Brigade Radio in support of the city's Youth CAST Leadership Program, funded by the Heinz Endowments' African American Men and Boys Initiative.
Saturday Light Brigade Radio is a nonprofit organization that produces audio programming focused on youth and families.
CAST — Community and Schools Together — was developed by community opportunity specialist and grant writer Keino Fitzpatrick in partnership with the city and several other organizations. Read the entire article here.
McKeesport youth learned about the history of the city and the experiences of exemplary men who live and work in their neighborhoods, and have documented their findings with a book and audio recordings.
Ten teens interviewed 11 mentors this month. They edited those conversations for a project called “McKeesport Voices.”
It is an outgrowth from the program “Crossing Fences: Connecting African American Men and Boys through the Oral Tradition.”
It is facilitated by the Saturday Light Brigade Radio in support of the city's Youth CAST Leadership Program, funded by the Heinz Endowments' African American Men and Boys Initiative.
Saturday Light Brigade Radio is a nonprofit organization that produces audio programming focused on youth and families.
CAST — Community and Schools Together — was developed by community opportunity specialist and grant writer Keino Fitzpatrick in partnership with the city and several other organizations. Read the entire article here.
PITTSBURGH HISTORICAL STUFF
First Robotics Institute - 1979
The Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University was established in 1979 to conduct basic and applied research in robotics technologies relevant to industrial and societal tasks. The college is still working on Robots ~~ in fact it is their robots used in the unmanned air craft that fly over Iraq .
First Mr. Yuk Sticker,1971
First Mr. Yuk Sticker,1971
Mr. Yuk was created at the Poison Center at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh after research indicated that the skull and crossbones previously used to identify poisons had little meaning to the children of today (for most children it means exciting things like pirates and adventure). Covering 27 counties and 33 percent of Pennsylvania 's population, the Pittsburgh Poison Center at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh is the largest such center in the United States .
From Our Friends at the Soul Pitt
NON-PROFIT EVENTS SPONSORED BY
BLACK TIE-PITTSBURGH
The Doubletree Hotel, 101 Mall Blvd, Monroeville, PA 15146
Friday, August 30, 2013
Friday, August 30, 2013
The event starts with a Meet and Greet at 6:45 PM;followed by the Awards Program at 7:15 PM.
Music will be provided by The Chamber Light Players provided by Symbiotic Collusion,
and recording artist Linda Ross Brown. LaMont Jones, Jr.is the Master of Ceremonies.
Tickets are $65 for adults and $30 for children. Proceeds will benefit BCC Ministries,
a provider of food and clothing for the poor on the North Side of Pittsburgh and educational opportunities across the globe.
a provider of food and clothing for the poor on the North Side of Pittsburgh and educational opportunities across the globe.
For tickets or general information, call 412.471.4332.
This year’s Pittsburgh Circle of Courage Awards is sponsored by: Familylinks • Bynums Marketing & Communications, Inc. • Highmark • Attorney Jerry Meyers • BCC Ministries
NEIGHBORHOOD HI-LIGHTS
From Our Friends at the Sprout Fund
Why We’re Excited About the Eight New Members of the League of Innovative Schools As part of our ongoing efforts to surface, share, and expand the most forward-thinking ideas in education today, Digital Promise is thrilled to welcome eight new school districts to the League of Innovative Schools!
The League is both a professional learning network and a hotbed for demonstrating, evaluating, and scaling promising new approaches to education; in many ways, its strength is the aggregate experiences of its members. By adding these eight exemplary, diverse districts, the League will also add to the wealth of ideas, challenges, and leadership shared among its stakeholders and with the general public. These new members were chosen from a nationally competitive pool of applicants for their vision, potential to impact student achievement, and commitment to demonstrating new ways of reaching and engaging learners.
With the addition of the fall 2013 cohort, the League now includes 40 members in 24 states that collectively serve nearly 3 million students, a cross-section of the education landscape that represents a variety of geographies, demographics, and resources.
Remaking Learning
Elizabeth Forward School District (PA) is a small, rural district just south of the tech and
engineering hub of Pittsburgh. We are excited about the district’s strong partnerships with universities, foundations, and industry leaders to develop an innovative curriculum and classroom environment. Using gaming, industry-standard labs, and a “maker” spirit, the district is preparing students for the science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing jobs of tomorrow. Superintendent: Bart Rocco | website
From Our Friends at the Soul Pitt
Annual Flea Market Fundraiser and Membership Drive @ The Salvation Army
8020 Frankstown Ave | Pgh, PA 15221
Sept 21, 2013 | 11AM TO 4PM / RAIN or SHINE
From Our Friends at the Soul Pitt
Annual Flea Market Fundraiser and Membership Drive @ The Salvation Army
8020 Frankstown Ave | Pgh, PA 15221
Sept 21, 2013 | 11AM TO 4PM / RAIN or SHINE
Sponsored By: East Tri-Borough Neighborhood Association / Tables Available for a non-refundable fee of: $20 (until August 30th) $25 (Aug 31st through Sept 18th).
Interested Vendors Please Contact: Shirlene Wilson, ETBNA412@gmail.com, 412.247.4093.
Brookline is breezy On Saturday, September 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Brookline Boulevard welcomes you to the Autumn Breeze Fest, featuring food, arts and crafts, special sales from many businesses, and more. Most of the construction work on the Boulevard will have been completed, so come out to visit our business district! This fall celebration is sponsored by the Brookline Chamber of Commerce, and if you're interested in participating as a vendor, contact Cannon Coffee or A-Boss Optician, or contact blvdbreezefest@hotmail.com.
Beechview Area Concerned Citizens & Beechview Block Watch
Thursday, September 5, 7:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m. at Beechview United Presbyterian Church (1621 Broadway Ave)
Carrick-Overbrook Block Watch
Monday, September 9, 7:00 p.m. at Zion Christian Church (2019 Brownsville Rd)
Brookline Block Watch
Tuesday, September 10, 7:00 p.m. at Judge Jim Motznik's Office (736 Brookline Blvd)
The Pittsburgh Community Safety website is another fantastic resource for keeping tabs on your community. Sign up to receive public safety alerts in your police zone, and check out the virtual blotter. Need help? Check out the user guide.
Two of Beechview's finest recognized for their dedication Congratulations to Beechview residents Sue Pfeuffer and Phyllis Didiano, who were recently named recipients of the 2013 Jefferson Award for their dedication and service to their neighborhood! The Jefferson Award, known as the "Nobel Prize for volunteerism," was started in 1972 and named after Thomas
Sue and Phyllis are board members of the Friends of the Beechview Library and members of the Community Leaders United of Beechview (CLUB). For the past 20 years, they've lived on the same street in Beechview, and both have put countless hours in working to make Beechview better--from the weekly flea market, various community fundraisers, and community initiatives like the Beechview Area Concerned Citizens and the Night Out Against Crime. Check out this piece that the Post-Gazette posted about Sue and Phyllis to learn more. Congratulations!
POSITIVE PITTSBURGHERS SEGMENT
Welcome new members!
ROVING PITTSBURGHER REPORT
Don Juan Comes Back From the War at PICT Don Juan Not Redeemed But Gets Rapt Attention of the Audience by Good News Reporter, Joanne Quinn-Smith
Don Juan Comes Home from the War is a classic case study of the wishful thinking of the world that justice Pittsburgh Irish Classical Theatre has won another theatrical battle with this one.
and fair play do exist and that the Vanquisher becomes the Vanquished and in loneliness and despair regrets his folly. 
There are two types of regional or local folk heroes. One of them is being rich and famous and the other is the glamour of being a soldier gone off to war and then again survived. Add that to well touted sexual charm and conquest and this is the stuff from which legends are born. In his preface, the playwright Odon von Horvath remarks that it is not known if Don Juan was a real person. But it is not hard to imagine a man or MEN in such a hedonistic life style as pre war Berlin was famous for breeding not one but several wealthy, seeming gallant A-listing males. This actually could happen in any decadent society where deeper moral and values pale in comparison with being valued superficially for charm and popularity and excessive self gratification. Read the full review here.
Smashing Luke Wholey Event
Luke Wholey's Wild Alaskan Grille was packed with over 150 visitors as we celebrated Luke's
dedication to the community and commitment to WYB. At the event Luke was presented with a
plaque in recognition of mentoring three young men. On August 12, 2013 Luke taught the art of fishing to these young men on the shores of the Allegheny River. The picture on the plaque says it all with smiling faces all around at the dinner table where they tasted some of Luke's specialties after a day of fishing.
Among the attendees at the August 19th event more than 70 were business owners. Some of them, like, Luke have pledged to assist members of their community too. To see photos of the event go to our facebook page.
Also check out Who’s Your Brother Sponsors on PPLMag Directory in the Who’s Your Brother Floating Ad.
Rock women's tennis trio earns ITA Scholar-Athlete honors
Three members of the 2012-13 Slippery Rock University women’s tennis team were named Tuesday as recipients of Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete honors.
The Rock’s ITA Scholar-Athlete honorees were senior Janelle Krantz (Quarryville/Solanco H.S.) and juniors Samantha Bruggeman (Bethel Park/Bethel Park H.S.) and Lauren Coggins (Canton, Ohio/Central Catholic H.S.).
In addition, The Rock squad coached by Matt Meredith earned ITA All-Academic Team honors.
To qualify for ITA Scholar-Athlete honors, a student-athlete must be a varsity letter winner, have a minimum grade point average of 3.50 on a 4.00 scale and have attended their institution for at least two semesters.
The ITA All-Academic Team award is open to any ITA program that has a cumulative team grade point average of 3.20 or above for all eligible student-athletes who competed in one or more varsity matches during the academic year.
The Rock, who earned the team honor for the third consecutive season and sixth time in the last eight seasons, were one of only four Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference teams to earn ITA All-Academic Team honors in 2013.
Prior to earning their ITA Scholar-Athlete honors, Krantz, Bruggeman and Coggins also received PSAC Scholar-Athlete and Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement awards.
Luke Wholey's Wild Alaskan Grille was packed with over 150 visitors as we celebrated Luke's
 |
| Wade Redcross and Luke Wholey |
Among the attendees at the August 19th event more than 70 were business owners. Some of them, like, Luke have pledged to assist members of their community too. To see photos of the event go to our facebook page.
Also check out Who’s Your Brother Sponsors on PPLMag Directory in the Who’s Your Brother Floating Ad.
PITTSBURGH LOCAL SPORTS
Rock women's tennis trio earns ITA Scholar-Athlete honors
Three members of the 2012-13 Slippery Rock University women’s tennis team were named Tuesday as recipients of Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete honors.
The Rock’s ITA Scholar-Athlete honorees were senior Janelle Krantz (Quarryville/Solanco H.S.) and juniors Samantha Bruggeman (Bethel Park/Bethel Park H.S.) and Lauren Coggins (Canton, Ohio/Central Catholic H.S.).
In addition, The Rock squad coached by Matt Meredith earned ITA All-Academic Team honors.
 |
| Slippery Rock University Women’s Tennis Team |
The ITA All-Academic Team award is open to any ITA program that has a cumulative team grade point average of 3.20 or above for all eligible student-athletes who competed in one or more varsity matches during the academic year.
The Rock, who earned the team honor for the third consecutive season and sixth time in the last eight seasons, were one of only four Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference teams to earn ITA All-Academic Team honors in 2013.
Prior to earning their ITA Scholar-Athlete honors, Krantz, Bruggeman and Coggins also received PSAC Scholar-Athlete and Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement awards.
STEELTOWN HERO
Currently, Thread is working in Haiti to create dignified jobs for the people who live there. Devastated after the earth quake, the country of Haiti had very little means of creating an income. Thread stepped in and is helping Haiti’s citizens rework plastic garbage into a usable
 |
| Jenna Knapp |
Knapp is enthusiastically involved in the nonprofit Team Tassy, founded by Thread’s CEO and headquartered in Haiti. Knapp works directly with families in Port-Au-Prince so that they can achieve self-sufficiency in a holistic manner, and no longer need aid. She helps people in the poorest neighborhoods receive medical care, schooling, and job training to break the cycle of poverty and give back to their communities. She works in particular with women and girls to make sure that they receive equal access and can provide for their families and their nation.
Knapp believes in the power of every person, no matter their circumstances, and strives to help everyone reach their full potential.
Listen to the show online here.
