January 18, 2023 - Pittsburgh City Paper

4 Smithfield Street, Suite 1210 Pittsburgh, PA 15222

GOT A NEWS TIP? E-MAIL info@pghcitypaper.com

WANT TO PLACE AN AD? EMAIL rachel@pghcitypaper.com

PGHCITYPAPER PITTSBURGHCITYPAPER

GENERAL POLICIES:

Contents copyrighted 2023 by CARS Holding, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Pittsburgh City Paper are those of the author and not necessarily of CARS Holding, Inc. LETTER POLICY: Letters, or e-mails must be signed and include town and daytime phone number for confirmation. We may edit for length and clarity. DISTRIBUTION: Pittsburgh City Paper is published weekly by CARS Holding, Inc. and is available free of charge at select distribution locations. One copy per reader; copies of past issues may be purchased for $3.00 each, payable in advance to Pittsburgh City Paper

FIRST CLASS MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS: Available for $250 per year (52 issues), $150 per half year (26 issues), or $32 per six weeks. For more information, visit pghcitypaper.com and click on the Subscribe tab.

COVER PHOTO: JARED

VISUAL ARTS IN THE STUDIO

BY AMANDA WALTZ WALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

TUCKED AWAY down a side street in McKees Rocks sits an unassuming bluish-gray building, the former site of the Linder’s Furniture company. Passersby might shrug it off as just another abandoned industrial space, as characterless as the neighboring storage facility with its towering neon sign shining bright against the winter darkness.

Inside, artists work day and night in cozy, sectioned-off studios. On entering, I’m immediately greeted by the sight of a painter busily working on his latest canvas, a pair of wireless earbuds shielding him from distraction.

The most recent iteration of Radiant Hall, a coworking concept specifically designed to offer affordable studio space for working artists, has seen numerous occupants since opening in November 2020. It still has yet to make use out of the entirety of its massive, multi-floor facility. Once fully completed, the venue

will offer more than 40 studio spaces varying in size and offered at six-month or month-to-month rental rates starting at $175.

finely upholstered chairs. An enormous, circular glass coffee table sits in the yet unfinished second floor, where one room promises a future bar area and another

“We don’t want to kick people out,” she adds. “For professional artists, it’s a very unpredictable career to have, you don’t always have steady income streams. So we try to be as flexible as possible.”

Also available are a common area, a kitchenette, a classroom, a gallery, and a project space with a loading door and spray booth. In the basement are resources for artists working in mediums like wood and ceramics, which require more involved tools like lathes and kilns.

If Remy’s presence did not already make it apparent, artists are also permitted to bring dogs to the space — one studio I view even has a dog bed and toys.

Remnants of the space’s upscale furniture past pop up intermittently during a tour led by Radiant Hall’s managing director Shanae Phillips, studio director Ramon Riley, and his 10-year-old rescue Pomeranian, Remy. A large unoccupied studio temporarily houses duplicate,

room is laid out in a labyrinth of unfinished cubicle-like studios.

As Phillips explains, Radiant Hall also offers residency programs for “people who are underrepresented in the studios” and need-based assistance for renters “having financial difficulties.”

The move to McKees Rocks expands on an idea launched in 2012 by artist and developer Ryan Lammie, who opened two other Radiant Halls in Lawrenceville and Homewood. After a brief stint in Nova Place on the North Side, the third location was moved to McKees Rocks.

In total, all three Radiant Halls will

“There’s a variety of artists here, from the novice to the very experienced, and the ultimate goal and purpose is that everyone grows. And we try to foster that.”

CP PHOTOS: JARED WICKERHAM

Radiant Hall artists' space in McKees Rocks

offer more than 100 studios.

Phillips says that Lammie, who served as Radiant Hall’s executive director until November 2021 (Marina Balko has since been appointed to the role), spent years looking for a third place that would provide enough square footage at an affordable price range. She adds that the Lammie family now owns the McKees Rocks location and serves as its landlord.

RADIANT HALL

734 Thompson Ave., McKees Rocks. radianthall.org/mckees-rocks-studios

The nonprofit organization has the stated goal of “encouraging artistic collaboration and comradery,” something that stretches beyond the venue into the surrounding community. Ishara Henry, senior creative for the Black-led, McKees Rocks-based BlackteaBrownsuga Network, recently joined Radiant Hall’s board. She also rents one of the McKees Rocks studios under her own artistic venture, Visuals by Ishara.

“I think there’s like a culture among artists that’s really embracing and inviting and inclusive that you don’t really get in all spaces,” says Henry, who previously produced an installation for the organization’s October 2022 Radiant Ball: A Night in the Studio fundraiser. “And that’s always something that I think has

resonated with me and made me want to be a part of this.”

Henry says that, as someone who works in McKees Rocks, she sees “lots of opportunities for overlap and collaboration.”

“From what I’ve been told, [Radiant Hall] is looking for ways to be more engaged with the community, but also engage the youth in the spaces in different ways, and that’s something I’m very interested in, too.”

Riley, a painter who occupies one of the McKees Rocks studios, says that for artists, having a readily available place to work can really make a difference. “I’m a public school teacher during the day, so when I go home, I’m done,” he laughs. “So definitely having a separate place is motivating.”

More importantly, he believes that beyond allowing artists to fully immerse themselves in their work, Radiant Hall provides a supportive environment where the region’s creative community can gather, network, and possibly collaborate.

“Ultimately my responsibility as studio director is to be that person who helps to create that community and kind of maintain that community,” says Riley. “There’s a variety of artists here, from the novice to the very experienced, and the ultimate goal and purpose is that everyone grows. And we try to foster that.” •

Follow A&E Editor Amanda Waltz on Twitter @AWaltzCP

WAR ON WORDS

Moon library board members fear township leaders intent on censoring LGBTQ books

BY JORDANA ROSENFELD // JORDANA@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

MOON SUPERVISORS seem to be exercising new influence over the township’s independent public library system following conservative backlash to a children’s book featuring drag queens.

Although the library is an independent nonprofit organization, township supervisors have the sole authority to appoint library trustees. Typically, Library Board vice president Kathleen Emmerling says, supervisors have deferred to library trustees, allowing them to recruit, interview, and select their own candidates for membership.

But since December 2021, Emmerling says, supervisors have installed four new trustees without consulting them, and many appear to have no interest or expertise in library operations.

“We had not interviewed [the supervisors’ appointees]. We had not been given their letters of interest,” Emmerling, a trustee since 2016, tells Pittsburgh City Paper of two appointments made in January 2022.

Just weeks before, the library had been forced to close temporarily due to violent threats. It all started with a routine Facebook post, Emmerling says.

“Every single picture book that comes into the library is scheduled on Facebook and Instagram to be the Book of the Day, so all picture books are treated equally.”

On Dec. 8, 2021, the featured book was The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish, a play on “The Wheels on the Bus” written by Lil Miss Hot Mess, founder of the national nonprofit Drag Queen Story Hour. Drag Queen Story Hour

“uses drag to share love and acceptance through inclusive storytelling,” according to its website.

The post garnered comments claiming the children’s book was inappropriate and accusing the library of sheltering pedophiles. After a far-right news site published a “Groomer Alert” targeting the library for having the book in their collection, library staff began receiving the violent threats, largely from individuals residing outside Pennsylvania.

The Facebook post has since been deleted.

According to minutes from a library trustees meeting shortly after the incident, the Moon Township Public Library is one of 15 in the county with at least one copy of the book.

Emmerling tells City Paper that The

Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish was never physically on display in the Moon Township Public Library due to its overwhelming popularity.

“Something that we have continually had trouble getting across to our colleagues on the Board of Supervisors is, unless your child is on Facebook, they have never seen that book in the Moon Township Public Library,” Emmerling says. “The reason it was never on display at the library is because it was constantly checked out. There was a waitlist for that book, and it never made it back to the shelves. It always went back to another patron.”

During a Dec. 20, 2021 supervisors meeting, about a dozen Moon residents offered public comment on the library and its collection. The majority

PHOTO: COURTESY OF HACHETTE

of speakers were supportive of library leadership, the inclusion of The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish in the catalog, and the library’s commitment to freedom of expression. A few speakers raised concerns about the book’s ageappropriateness, according to a meeting summary.

Emmerling says the supervisors incorrectly told the library board they were not permitted to record the Dec. 20 public meeting.

“We have asked them to point out the objectionable material in the book, and that was not produced,” Emmerling says. “We pointed out that we have a reconsideration of materials form, and there’s a process for this, and no one has filled out that form so that we could properly address the complaint.”

Having interviewed six candidates, the trustees unanimously recommended one individual to join the board alongside three returning trustees seeking another term. The supervisors reappointed two returning trustees, including Emmerling, but declined to appoint the trustees’ unanimous choice, as well as one of the returning trustees.

Emmerling says the newest picks for the library board are neither qualified nor particularly enthusiastic about libraries.

“Well, you’ve done it again,” Emmerling addressed the supervisors after the Jan. 3 vote. “You’ve unilaterally placed two members on the Moon Township library board. For the record, on the ranked-choice of the six candidates you had to choose from, you chose numbers four and six, one of which is

PITTSBURGH NEWS ROUNDUP

BY JAMIE WIGGAN AND JORDANA ROSENFELD // JAMIE@PGHCITYPAPER.COM // JORDANA@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

NEWS JAN. 16

SWASTIKA SIGNS APPEAR IN BUTLER COUNTY

LOCAL LEADERS, led by the YWCA Butler, convened a meeting last week to map out a community-wide response to a newly installed billboard featuring a swastika and other offensive messaging.

The billboard reportedly began displaying messaging Jan. 9 at a prominent intersection in Summit Township. The swastika accompanies the message, “FBI corrupt & dangerous THE GESTAPO.” The board rotates through a range of other slides that contain homophobic and white supremacist statements.

Elizabeth Short, YWCA Butler’s executive director, told Pittsburgh City Paper that over 50 people gathered for a Jan. 11 meeting to discuss a response.

“There is a significant number of people who are not willing to sit by and let this hate speech go unchallenged,” Short said.

The billboards are reportedly located on private property and the presumed owner has a history of displaying similar messaging in neighboring Armstrong County. Township officials who supplied the permit told the Butler Eagle it could not intervene because the billboard constitutes freedom of speech.

Laura Cherner of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh told City Paper that her organization has been in contact with local law enforcement and has security protocols for responding to possible anti-Semitic threats.

Although the Board of Supervisors has not spoken publicly about their objection to the book and declined to answer any questions from City Paper , Emmerling says the Supervisors have made it clear that they don’t approve of the library’s stance that all of their children’s books deserve equal public promotion.

“They’re holding over our heads very vague but pointed comments like, ‘You need to cool it with those kind of books, if you want to move forward with this process,’ or ‘You all have an agenda, and we are going to reshape the board to counter that,’” Emmerling says.

Samuel McCrimmon, a board trustee since 2020, has similar concerns about where the supervisors might be taking the library.

“The real question right now is what is the place of library, you know, in the township and how important is this library and what does that look like going forward?” he tells CP. “What kind of township do we want?”

At the first public meeting of 2023, supervisors made additional appointments against the trustees’ recommendations.

distinctly not qualified. In her review, it does say she said she’s not been inside the library in many years. She is also not a library card holder, nor did she have a particular interest in libraries.”

Repeatedly asked by both Emmerling and the trustees’ top applicant to justify their decision, members of the Board of Supervisors were noncommittal during the meeting.

“I know that things have become a little contentious, you know, but it’s nothing against people,” supervisor Jim Vitale said. “It’s something that we just negotiated and figured to put people in certain places.”

“We have, not issues, but we have things that need to be taken care of and done in the next five years,” added board chair Alan Bross.

Emmerling tells CP purpose is “meeting the needs of our community and caring about the First Amendment and people’s right to read. The library is very much a nonpartisan space. … The library is not to reflect the majority of the community, the library is to reflect all of our community.” •

NEWS

JAN.

16 GOATS EAT TREES

ACCORDING TO executive director Gavin Demin, Allegheny GoatScape’s landscaping goats could use a treat to break up the winter monotony: your Christmas tree! Deming says Christmas trees are full of vitamin C and natural dewormer, making them a tasty and healthy winter pick-me-up for his

POLITICS WEINSTEIN ENTERS RACE

LONGTIME Allegheny County treasurer John Weinstein has officially entered the crowded race for county executive. The six-term incumbent launched his bid for the county’s top office with a lavish party on Jan. 12, where guests were encouraged to donate $1,000 for their attendance.

RIEGER DROPS OUT

HRIS RIEGER has dropped out of the race to replace Tom Duerr on Allegheny County Council, citing family health concerns. Competitor Dan Grzybek remains in the running for the soon-tobe vacated District 5 seat. CP reported last week on Joanna Doven’s thorny Twitter history, the county council candidate drew further criticism when she sought to credential herself as an LGBTQ ally by publishing a statement from Gary Van Horn, the controversial former president of the also controversial Delta Foundation.

DOVEN DRAMA CONTINUES

Follow News Editor Jamie Wiggan on Twitter @JamieWiggan.

News Reporter

Rosenfeld on Twitter @rosenfeldjb

“We pointed out that we have a reconsideration of materials form, and there’s a process for this, and no one has filled out that form so that we could properly address the complaint.”

Follow

Jordana

Follow News Reporter Jordana Rosenfeld on Twitter @rosenfeldjb

MUSIC SOULSHOWMIKE'S ALBUM PICKS AND MORE

BY MIKE CANTON // CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

WRITING EARLY-YEAR Soulshowmike’s Album Picks installments is difficult, simply because not much of the new material is on the shelf yet. Last week, singer and bandleader Laranah Phipps-Ray announced that her new album Game Change r was being released. Having raved about the first single in July, I was really excited about this news. PhippsRay delivered the full package for a listen.

Phipps-Ray hails from a New Jersey music family with roots in 1930s Big Band. She is the lead vocalist for Cosmic Krewe, and La Funkalicious is her latest personal project.

“Daddy’s Back” has a swinging rhythm and great horns. The single “Jazz Crimes” brings a Big Band element to the funk, and Phipps-Ray scats with glee. It remains my favorite track.

On the somber end, Phipps-Ray’s rendition of “Strange Fruit” begins with a history lesson on its meaning. In between are the mid-tempo “Connie’s Blues” and the near-ballad “Power Of Love.” “Stand Together” is the requisite appeal for a better world.

This is solid music, and it resonates personally with its old-school feel. Phipps-Ray calls out Sun Ra in the track “Funk,” and describes the project as Afrofuturistic. I hear tinges of Sun Ra, whose present was the future; this album helps push that future ever forward.

50th-Anniversary Retrospectives: 1973

AS THE 2020S PROGRESS, I feature 50th-anniversary retrospectives on important album releases on The Soul Show on WZUM.

In 1973, The Temptations were in their psychedelic mode, Stevie Wonder was two albums into his golden era with Innervisions, and Rufus & Chaka Khan were just getting started.

One of my favorite bands of the early ‘70s was Mandrill, founded by the Wilson Brothers of New York City via Panama. They showcased world funk, as did bands like Osibisa and Cymande.

Mandrill supported the concept of Afro-Latin melding in the vein of Eddie Palmieri’s 1971 Harlem River Drive. Their freshman eponymous release was an expansive piece, with Side B set to esoteric movements. It was seriously good music for the fully initiated, not destined for huge success. The 1972 Mandrill Is started down a more commercial road, but without losing the spirit.

By 1973, Mandrill was in full stride. Composite Truth begins with “Hang Loose” and “Fencewalk,” one of my favorite one-two punches in an album sequence. These hard funk numbers sound like they were written on the same day, and they stitch together beautifully. Another favorite is the haunting “Out With The Boys.”

Soulshowmike’s Concert Picks

IN 2023, Soulshowmike’s Album Picks will offer suggestions on concerts and festivals. While there are some exciting ones in the very near future, two in particular are on my radar.

Soul Sessions, one of several annual series at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, features more contemporary artists. This March, singer-songwriter and critically acclaimed bassist Meshell Ndegeocello graces the stage. Regarded as the queen of the 1990s neo-soul movement, her album themes range from social commentary marinated in personal experience, to the creative covers on her 2018 work Ventriloquism. The last Pittsburgh appearance with her own band was in 2012. She’s a must-see.

Last year, AWAACC announced a new series called Uhuru Jazz Sessions. Georgia Anne Muldrow was announced for June 2023. Every time a new album of hers arrives in the mail, my heart jumps in anticipation.

From AWAACC’s website, “Part of the fabric of Los Angeles’ hip-hop / jazz / soul avant-garde since 2005, Georgia Anne Muldrow has built a mightily impressive discography and a reputation to match during her career as a vocalist, songwriter, producer and musician.” •

Mike Canton is the longtime host and producer of The Soul Show, airing on local radio stations WZUM

WIUP. The program is currently syndicated in seven markets in the U.S. and Caribbean. Canton is also

and

a Pittsburgh-area voice artist.

THE SOUL SHOW soulshowmike.org

PHOTO: POLYDOR RECORDS/UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP

Composite Truth by Mandrill

PHOTO: FLAT 5TH DIMENSION RECORDS Game Changer by Laranah Phipps-Ray

MUSIC

RECORD STORE SPOTLIGHT

New releases at the Government Center

BY AMANDA WALTZ // AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

RECORD STORE SPOTLIGHT is a regular column listing new releases at Pittsburgh vinyl shops. Find your next favorite album, all while supporting local businesses!

John Cale, Mercy

Double Six/Domino

Velvet Underground fans will want to grab the first full-length album in a decade from John Cale, described by Domino as moving “through true dark-night-of-thesoul electronic torment toward vulnerable love songs and hopeful considerations for the future with the help of some of music’s most curious young minds.”

Boy Harsher, Burn It Down

Sacred Bones Records

Goth dance duo Boy Harsher worked with director David Gordon Green to contribute music for his 2022 horror film, Halloween Ends . The resulting track, “Burn It Down,” is now out on vinyl — complete with Michael Myers-inspired cover art.

Kali Malone, Does Spring Hide Its Joy

Ideologic Organ

Stockholm-based composer and pipe organist Kali Malone worked with cellist Lucy Railton and Sunn O))) guitarist Stephen O’Malley to create this triple LP. It’s described as a “study in harmonics and non-linear composition with a heightened focus on just intonation and beating interference patterns.”

Kid Cudi, Entergalactic

Republic Records/

Wicked Awesome Records

Rapper Kid Cudi released this album in conjunction with his similarly named animated Netflix series. Lauded by Pitchfork for its “absolutely sumptuous production,” it also features 2 Chainz, Ty Dolla $ign, Don Toliver, and Dot da Genius, as well as DJ Steve Aoki. •

GOVERNMENT CENTER

715 East St., North Side. thegovernmentcenter.com

Follow A&E Editor Amanda Waltz on Twitter @AWaltzCP

PHOTO: COURTESY OF IDEOLOGIC ORGAN

Does Spring Hide Its Joy by Kali Malone

PHOTO: COURTESY OF REPUBLIC RECORDS/WICKED AWESOME RECORDSEntergalactic by Kid Cudi

PHOTO: COURTESY OF DOUBLE SIX/DOMINO Mercy by John Cale

OPINION BRINGING INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY TO PITTSBURGH

BY TUHIN DAS // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

IAM AN IMMIGRANT WRITER from Bangladesh living in Pittsburgh. I was forced to flee my home because my works angered extremist Islamist political groups that oppress religious minorities. I was raised in a Hindu family and come from a long tradition of resistance that also helped birth International Mother Language Day. While it is celebrated widely in Bangladesh, it’s largely overlooked elsewhere around the world. I want to change that.

In 1947, when the Indian subcontinent was divided into India and Pakistan on the basis of religion, the country we know today as Bangladesh was part of Pakistan — yet it was cut off from the nation’s western portion by 1200 miles of the newly independent Republic of

India. East Pakistan, as it was known, gained independence after winning the Liberation War in 1971, taking the new name, Bangladesh.

Though the majority of people in Pakistan and East Pakistan shared a common religion (Islam), there were also great cultural, linguistic, and political differences.

In 1948, Pakistan declared Urdu to be the language of East Pakistan, resultng in the start of the Bengali Language Movement, as Bengalis wanted to preserve their rights and official use of their mother tongue. On Feb. 21, 1952, the Pakistani police, under orders from the government, shot and killed several Bengalis in East Pakistan in response tothe Bengali Language Movement.

Since then, my fellow countrymen have commemorated Feb. 21 by organizing social gatherings in honor of our language and culture, arranging rallies, leaving flowers at the monuments for the language martyrs, holding literary competitions, drawing folk art on the roads, listening to songs, and going to book fairs.

Recognizing the significance of this national holiday observed in Bangladesh for over 50 years, two Bengalis in Canada wrote to UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, in 1998 requesting action to preserve and protect the world’s languages. Their appeal quickly gained attention, and in 1999, International Mother Language Day was declared by both UNESCO and the UN, thus providing a way to promote linguistic and cultural

diversity and multilingualism.

Though International Mother Language Day began in Bangladesh, far away from our beloved Pittsburgh, its story is unique and inspiring. Despite the recognition of this holiday, there are still many other languages and cultures that are endangered and threatened; the essence and need for International Mother Language Day are still relevant and universal in order to further ensure freedom of expression. The meaning of this day needs to be told and shared to show the importance of keeping alive and celebrating home languages. The newer generations of immigrant families need to know about their native tongues, heritage, and roots.

Locally, people might be surprised to

CP PHOTOS: JARED WICKERHAM Tuhin Das at City of Asylum

Census); according to PublicSource, in Pittsburgh Public Schools, students speak more than 95 different languages, including Nepali, Swahili, Arabic, and Spanish.

While living in exile, I have begun collecting International Mother Language Day vintage items, such as stamps, envelopes, brochures, postcards, and paper currency from around the world, including from Bangladesh, Mexico, Algeria, China, the Netherlands, and BosniaHerzegovina. Now, I am researching and creating a project showcasing a series of postcards based on International Mother Language Day. In the future, I hope to share my collection and ideas with others in the United States and tell or write their inspiring stories in detail.

of languages.

To provide historical context, there could be a presentation and photo exhibition about the Bengali Language Movement. For accessibility, ASL interpretation can be provided along with simultaneous translations into different languages. Local artists could produce powerful quotations in different alphabets.

As someone from Bangladesh, I am clearly passionate about this holiday. I observed it for many years before coming to Pittsburgh, and since I am unable to return home to join the celebrations there, it would mean a lot for me to help others in the local community understand the importance of multilingualism,

International Mother Language Day should be recognized here in the Greater Pittsburgh area, as this will bring more awareness to the many other languages spoken and cultures practiced amongst us. Local schools, libraries, universities, freedom of expression organizations, nonprofits that provide translation services, and other educational institutions can collaborate and take a leading role to celebrate this day.

A full day of programming could include storytelling for kids, bilingual

as it can be a bridge for us to better communicate and understand each other. I want the youth of Pittsburgh, regardless of the languages they speak, to be proud of their diversity and not shy away from maintaining their native cultures. I hope adults in our communities will continue to speak their first languages and share the legacies of their ancestors. Putting International Mother Language Day on the stage in Pittsburgh, will illuminate the strengths of our past identities and multicultural futures. •

Tuhin Das is a writer who has published eight poetry books in his home language, Bengali. In 2022, his first English book in the US, Exile Poems, was published by Pittsburgh-based press Bridge & Tunnel Books.

... there are more than 82,935 people in Allegheny County who speak a language other than English at home ...

THU., JAN. 19

ART • MILLVALE

Calm, Cool… 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Continues through Feb. 26. ZYNKA Gallery. 904 Main St., Millvale. Free. zynkagallery.com

LIT • ONLINE

White Whale Bookstore presents #LIT16 with Camonghne Felix, Danté Stewart, David Dennis Jr., and M Shelly Conner 7-8 p.m. Online only. Free. Registration required. whitewhalebookstore.com/events

MUSIC • MILLVALE

Axel Fest with Lylyth, Understatement, Cutting Ties, Uzkost, Tempered, and Catatoneya. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Mr. Smalls Theatre. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvavle. $15. mrsmalls.com

FRI., JAN. 20

CONVENTION • DOWNTOWN

World of Wheels Custom Car Show 3-9 p.m. Continues through Sun., Jan. 22. David L. Lawrence Convention Center. 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Downtown. $7-23. pittsburghcc.com

LIT • DOWNTOWN

See what the August Wilson African American Cultural Center describes as “a daring and diverse group of critically-acclaimed spoken word artists” during Poetry Unplugged: Shock Value. The event will feature big names, including Def Poetry Jam co-creator Danny Simmons Jr. and famed television actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who recently received a Grammy nomination for his spoken word album Hiding In Plain Sight. Also on the docket are local bassist Dwayne Dolphin and poets Tira Yasmine, Taalam Acey, and Rich Medina. 8 p.m. 980 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $48. awaacc.org

MUSIC • LAWRENCEVILLE

Brahctopus with Different Places in Space and SamJAMwich 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Thunderbird Music Hall. 4053 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $12. 21 and over. thunderbirdmusichall.com

COMEDY • DOWNTOWN

New Years Queers. 9:30 p.m. Arcade Comedy Theater. 943 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $10-15. 16 and over. arcadecomedytheater.com/events

SAT., JAN. 21

KIDS • DOWNTOWN

PAW Patrol Live 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m. Continues through Sun., Jan. 22. Benedum Center. Seventh St. and Penn Ave., Downtown. $46.25-171.25. trustarts.org

MUSIC • NORTH SIDE

Sound Series: An Evening with Cass McCombs. 8 p.m. Doors at 7:30 p.m. The Andy Warhol Museum. 117 Sandusky St., North Side. $15-20. warhol.org

OPERA • NORTH SIDE

Ariodante, the latest production from Pittsburgh Opera, promises to transport audiences back to medieval Scotland with a tale of “love, jealousy, deception, and redemption.” Originally debuted in 1735, the show follows Princess Guinevere as she navigates the opportunistic advances of Polinesso in order to live happily ever after with her betrothed, Prince Ariodante. See the local premiere of this centuries-old show at the Pittsburgh CAPA School Theater. 8 p.m. Continues through Sun., Jan. 29. 111 Ninth St., Downtown. $26-52. pittsburghopera.org

FILM • LAWRENCEVILLE

Monty Python and the Holy Grail Coconut Night 10 p.m. Row House Cinema. 4115 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $19.50. rowhousecinema.com

SUN., JAN. 22

KIDS • SQUIRREL HILL

Discovery Time: Nature Art. 1-3 p.m. Frick Environmental Center. 2005 Beechwood Blvd., Squirrel Hill. Free. Registration required. pittsburghparks.org

THEATER • MCKEES ROCKS

Robin Hood: The Game 2 p.m. Continues through Sun., Jan. 29. Gemini Children’s Theater. 420 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks. $5-15. geminitheater.org

TALK • RECTOR

Entomology Never Sleeps: The Curious Lives of Winter-active Insects. 2-3 p.m. Powdermill Nature Reserve. 1795 PA-381, Rector. Pay What You Wish. Registration required. carnegiemnh.org

PINBALL • LAWRENCEVILLE

007 Pinball Launch Party and Match Play Tournament. 4 p.m. Kickback Pinball Cafe. 4326 Butler St., Lawrenceville. Free. facebook. com/PGHPinball

PHOTO: MATTHEW MURPHY AND EVAN ZIMMERMAN FOR MURPHYMADE Jagged Little Pill at the Benedum Center

MON., JAN. 23

LIT • NORTH SIDE

Paths of the Righteous: Marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day with Ari Mittleman 7-8:30 p.m. Alphabet City. 40 W. North Ave., North Side. Free. Registration required. Livestream also available. cityofasylum.org

MUSIC • SOUTH SIDE

VICTORIA VICTORIA featuring Charlie Hunter. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Club Cafe. 56-58 South 12th St., South Side. $20. 21 and over. opusoneproductions.com

TUE., JAN. 24

WORKSHOP • LAWRENCEVILLE

Mindfulness & Creativity in Collage with Lauren Braun. 6-9 p.m. Contemporary Craft 5645 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $240. Registration required. contemporarycraft.org

THEATER • DOWNTOWN

You oughta know about the hit jukebox musical from one of the most iconic musicians of the

1990s. The Benedum Center will present a production of Jagged Little Pill, the Tony and Grammy award-winning Broadway show based on the work of Alanis Morissette. Follow the story of a “perfectly imperfect American family”set to some of Morissette’s hit songs, including “Head Over Feet,” “Hand In My Pocket,” and “Ironic,” as well as new original music. Presented by PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh. 7:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., Jan. 29. Seventh St. and Penn Ave., Downtown. $35-119. trustarts.org

WED., JAN. 25

DRAG • DOWNTOWN

An Evening with the Divas: Celebrity Impersonation Drag Show. 6:30 p.m. Sienna Mercato. 942 Penn Ave., Downtown. $15. facebook.com/ssproductionspgh

FILM • NORTH SIDE

Reel Q Reel Stories: Temblores. 7-8:30 p.m. Alphabet City. 40 W. North Ave., North Side. Free. Livestream also available. Registration required. cityofasylum.org

PHOTO: COURTESY OF FILM MOVEMENT Temblores

PHOTO: COURTESY OF AUGUST WILSON AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER

Danny Simmons Jr. at Poetry Unplugged: Shock Value

HELP WANTED YOUTH PROGRAM MANAGER

Connect your passion for working with children with your love of the outdoors!

Join Venture Outdoors as a Youth Program Manager. Full-time, $50K annually plus benefits. Manage a team and budget, work with kids, and connect others to nature.

Read more and submit your resume by February 6 at ventureoutdoors.org/about/ employment-opportunities/

PUBLIC AUCTION

Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 6400 Hamilton Ave, Pittsburgh PA 15206

January 25, 2023 at 1:45 PM.

1020 Kyna Kearny, 1021 Benjamin Coleman, 1025 Sadie Moore, 2049 Sharnina Grayson, 2069 Yolanda M Rodriguez, 3093 Kelly Lewis, L053 Tyrone George. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com.

Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction.

Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

PUBLIC AUCTION

Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 1005 E Entry Drive Pittsburgh PA 15216, January 25, 2023 at 11:30 AM.

Tangee Goodnight 2153, TW Enterprise 2235, Rebecca Rush 3166, Kerri Kowalski 4164, Bernice James 5106. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com.

Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction.

PUBLIC AUCTION

Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 7535 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15208, 11:00am January 25, 2023. 3037 Saeed Anglin; 3064 Cole Lightner; 4079 Courtney Wright; 5007 Adeleai Jackson; 5010 Dolores Dolby; 6005 Richard Mitchell; 6045 Vanesse Cross; 6072 Deshawn Crawford and 6097

Garrick Harfield. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com.

Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

PUBLIC AUCTION

Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s Lien at 3200 Park Manor Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15205 on January 25th, 2023 at 12:45pm. Unit 7013 Victor Pena, 1058 Thomas Cumings, 2146 Gerardo Ledezma, 2251 Elvis Sanchez, 2277 Josh Crawford, 3097 Jeremy Bryant, 3122 Iasiah Luster and 3171 Renee Dickinson. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction.

Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

PUBLIC AUCTION

Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 880 Saw Mill Run Blvd, Pittsburgh PA 15226 February 8, 2023, at 1:15 PM. 1070 Melissa Lucente, 1091 Henry Reid, 1127 Amy Vicario, 2126 Robert Pruett, 2155 Clayton Holloway, 2163 Shaquay Lowry, 2185 Bessiejay Taylor, 3052 Montrey Rasin, 3074 Soel Pineda, 3085 Breanna Venable, 3121 Eduardo Rodriguez-Santana, 3158 Bethany Vega, 3261 Denise Williams, 4038 Christopher Green, 4186 Johnathan Etienne, 4189 Chris Zimmerman, 4236 Aesha Jones. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

PUBLIC AUCTION

Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 902 Brinton Rd Pittsburgh, Pa 15221, January 25th,2023,11:30am. William Pappert 3209, Pierre Davis Johnson 1124,Charles Johnson 1200,Lisa Mcbride 3057,Dale Custer 3155,Romario Graham 3158, Chantel Peterson 3226, Kevin Jordan 3050, Linda Richardson 3069. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 700 E Carson St, Pittsburgh PA 15203 on January 25, 2023 at 12:15

PM. Unit 1017 Robert Brady, Unit 3003 Rebecca Hegarty, Unit 3028 Angela Baltimore, Unit 3109 Larry Mallory, Unit 4049 Tresjolie Brown, Unit 4152 Donyisha Wooley, Unit 4196 Courtney Cole. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com.

Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction.

Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

Find a healthy balance of the mind, body and spirit with one of our massage therapists, yoga,

CREDIT REPAIR

MARKET PLACE M2M Massage by Lee Lean athletic shape. 24/7 • 412-628-1269

Denied Credit?? Work to Repair Your Credit Report With The Trusted Leader in Credit Repair. Call Lexington Law for a FREE credit report summary & credit repair consultation. 855-620-9426. John C. Heath, Attorney at Law, PLLC, dba Lexington Law

SUBOXONE TREATMENT Professional and private setting. Fee for service. Southside area (412) 681-1406. We are an equal rights and opportunity school district. Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on January 16, 2022, at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700), 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is non-refundable. Project details and dates are described in each project manual. Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on February 7, 2023, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for: OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION of the SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS VARIOUS BUILDINGS • Water Cooler Replacement Phase 6 • Plumbing and Electrical Primes VARIOUS BUILDINGS • Carbon Monoxide Detectors Phase V • Mechanical and Electrical Primes PGH. SCHILLER 6-8 • Finish Floor Replacement and Miscellaneous Work (REBID) • General Primes ONLY PGH. STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT CENTER • Elevator Construction & Renovations (REBID) • Electrical Primes ONLY PGH. CARMALT PREK-8 • Window Replacement and Envelope Repair (REBID) • Electrical Primes ONLY

ESTATE NOTICE

ESTATE OF GRANGER, DARIA, DECEASED OF PITTSBURGH, PA

Daria Granger, deceased of Pittsburgh, PA No. 022207479 of 2022. Dennis Brunner, Adm., 206 Santa Fe Drive, Bethel Park, PA 15102. Or to D. Scott Lautner, Esquire. 68 Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15236.

ESTATE NOTICE

ESTATE NOTICE

ESTATE OF WARNER, BEATRICE J., DECEASED OF PLEASANT HILLS, PA

Beatrice J. Warner, deceased of Pleasant Hills, PA No. 022206261.

Donna M. Kuhn, Ext., 220 Tiffany Drive, North Huntingdon, PA 15642. Or to D. Scott Lautner, Esquire. 68 Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15236.

ESTATE NOTICE

ESTATE NOTICE

ESTATE OF CRAWFORD, JACQUELINE H., DECEASED OF PLEASANT HILLS, PA

Jacqueline H. Crawford, deceased of Pleasant Hills, PA No. 022207894.

Michael H. Crawford, Ext. 251 Colleen Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15236. Or to D. Scott Lautner, Esquire. 68 Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15236.

ESTATE NOTICE

ESTATE

OF MUELLER, RICHARD L., DECEASED OF CARNEGIE, PA

Richard L. Mueller, deceased of Carnegie, PA No. 022207444 of 2022. Kathleen Wallace, Ext., 202 Quarry Drive, West Newton, PA 15089. Or to D. Scott Lautner, Esquire. 68 Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236.

OF MINJOCK, JOHN H., DECEASED OF FORWARD TOWNSHIP, PA

ESTATE

John H. Minjock, deceased of Forward Township, PA No. 022207478 of 2022. Cindy L. Minjock, Ext., 4163 Miracle Ridge Road, Monongahela, PA 15063. Or to D. Scott Lautner, Esquire. 68 Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236.

ESTATE OF GUTHRIE, VIRGINIA L., DECEASED OF SWANTON, MD

Virginia L. Guthrie, deceased of Swanton, MD No. 022207110 of 2022. Audra Ihrig, Ext., 3616 Oakleaf Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15227. Or to D. Scott Lautner, Esquire. 68 Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15236.

FINANCIAL

888-670-5631 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm Eastern) (AAN CAN)

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-22-12483.

In re petition of Erica Grace Wilmore for change of name to Erica Wilmore-Falu Shadowsong. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 23rd day of January, 2023, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-22-12482

In re petition of Adam Lee Fischer for change of name to Carzan A.L.F. Shadowsong. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 23rd day of January, 2023, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-22-014605, In re petition of Zainab B. Al Baka for change of name to Leah Peters.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 27th day of January, 2023, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for. Shannon D. Sacca, Esquire, Attorney for Petitioner. Address: Bunde & Roberts, P. C., Benedum Trees Building, 223 4th Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.

Phone: (412)391-4330

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-22-014044

In re petition of Nathan Gabriel Lipinski for change of name to Sebastian Gabriel Tocarz.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 7th day of February, 2023, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for. Shannon D. Sacca, Esquire, Attorney for Petitioner. Address: Bunde & Roberts, P. C., Benedum Trees Building, 223 4th Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.

Phone: (412)391-4330