April 12, 2023 - Pittsburgh City Paper

Juana Saunders, mother of Gerald Thomas

IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE:

From

BY AMANDA WALTZ

Pittsburgh officials prepare

BY JAMIE WIGGAN

10 INFRASTRUCTURE

These 5 Pittsburgh shortcuts will save time and spark joy

CITY PAPER NEWS:

15 LITERATURE

Indie Bookseller Spotlight: New releases at City Books

BY AMANDA WALTZ

16 LITERATURE

Pittsburgh author spotlights history’s remarkable forgotten women

18 NEWS

Pittsburgh News Roundup: Cleaning up Downtown, police chief hiring concerns, solitary confinement abuses

BY JAMIE WIGGAN

20 EVENTS

Pittsburgh’s top events: April 13-19

22 Crossword and Classifieds

Pittsburgh City Paper is a finalist in the 2023 Golden Quills competition. Written works by Jamie Wiggan, Amanda Waltz, Jordana Rosenfeld, Hannah Kinney-Kobre, Ladimir Garcia, Maria Manautou-Matos, former Editor-in-Chief

Lisa Cunningham, Tereneh Idia and artistic works by Lucy Chen and Jared Wickerham are finalists.

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PGHCITYPAPER PITTSBURGHCITYPAPER

APRIL

12-19,

2023 // VOL. 32 ISSUE 15

Editor-in-Chief ALI TRACHTA

Director of Advertising RACHEL WINNER

Director of Operations KEVIN SHEPHERD

News Editor JAMIE WIGGAN

A&E Editor AMANDA WALTZ

News Reporter JORDANA ROSENFELD

Art Director LUCY CHEN

Photographer/Videographer JARED WICKERHAM

Graphic Designer JEFF SCHRECKENGOST

Digital Editorial Coordinator HANNAH KINNEY-KOBRE

Senior Account Executive OWEN GABBEY

Sales Representatives SIERRA CLARY, MARIA STILLITANO

Digital Coordinator MORGAN BIDDLE

Marketing Coordinator LEE HOOD

Circulation Manager JEFF ENGBARTH

Featured Contributors REGE BEHE, NATALIE BENCIVENGA, MIKE CANTON, LYNN CULLEN, JORDAN SNOWDEN

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COVER DESIGN: LUCY CHEN

READ THE STORY ON PAGE 4

EATING THE EAST

Eastern Pa. has more than just cheesesteaks and Hershey’s Kisses.

BY AMANDA WALTZ // AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

WHEN IT COMES to defining the notable foods of eastern Pennsylvania, the choices usually come down to cheesesteaks or Hershey’s chocolate. These overshadow the array of signature food and drink from the place that brought us Little League baseball, The Office, and the Declaration of Independence.

Now, the regional delicacies from my life as an eastern Pa. native have expanded into Pittsburgh, offering strange and, perhaps, initially off-putting new options to local consumers.

As a favor to my adopted city, I wrote a primer on the snacks, processed meats, and other offerings being shipped westward to Pittsburgh.

TASTING NOTES

Gibble’s Home Style Potato Chips

Chambersburg, Pa.

gibblesfoods.com

F YOU ENJOY the refreshing taste of Gibble’s potato chips are for you. Produced in Chambersburg, this cult snack has managed to withstand every health food craze, delivering pure animal fat to the masses.

Even as Lay’s, Ruffles, Pringles, and other snack giants over-diversify, making chips mere vessels for uncanny, multiingredient flavors ranging from spicy enchilada to Italian sub, Gibble’s has kept it simple, relying on a recipe of potatoes, “Prime Lard,” salt, and preservative TBHQ “to protect flavor.”

A staple in my hometown of Williamsport, Pa., Gibble’s only recently hit store shelves in Pittsburgh. I first saw the company’s signature bag — the design unchanged after over two decades — at my local Giant Eagle Market District about two years ago. I immediately snapped a photo of it and sent it to my friend with something to the tune of “Omg, the lard chips I ate as a kid are here.”

I expected her to respond with disgust. Instead, she asked where to

If it was not already apparent, I am

not a fan of Gibble’s, finding them far too greasy. I am, it seems, in the minority, however, as online reviews rave about the crunchy, tasty, lardy snack.

Despite their popularity, Gibble’s almost disappeared for good when, in 2013, operations were shut down, according to a story by the Chambersburg Public Opinion. It was rescued and reopened by the owners of King’s Quality Foods in Lancaster County, who considered themselves fans of the Gibble’s brand and saw customers demanding that the chips be brought back, including in a Facebook group.

Pittsburgh locals wanting to try Gibble’s may have a difficult time finding them. A Market District associate informed me that the supermarket chain no longer carries the brand. A friend told me he recently bought them at the Shop ‘n Save on 1620 Babcock Blvd. in Millvale. Squirrel Hill Market at 2329 Murray Ave. also carries them.

While this vegetarian will never eat these crunchy babies again, I wish happy hunting to anyone on the lookout for the apparently elusive Gibble’s.

Middleswarth Potato Chips

Middleburg, Pa.

middleswarthchips.com

FOR FANS OF UNLARDED potato chips, there’s Middleswarth, another cult snack out of eastern Pa. that graced many cookouts and family gatherings in my youth. I sometimes joke about getting a tattoo of the illustration from the company’s extra-large Weekender bag, a cartoonish display of people playing golf, tennis, and other sports, fueled, I assume, by the power of Middleswarth chips.

As the story on the company’s website goes, Bob Middleswarth founded Ira Middleswarth & Son in 1942, producing potato chips with “a single kettle” in a two-room building off the side of his family home. Besides plain, Middleswarth sells a limited selection of classic flavors, including barbecue (spelled “bar-b-q”), sour cream and onion, and

salt and vinegar. There are also kettlecooked options.

Middleswarth chips are undeniably beloved by eastern Pa. consumers. In high school, my friend spent a summer in Vermont and told me that, the second she crossed over to Pennsylvania, all she wanted was a bag of bar-b-q Middleswarth. In terms of taste and texture, Middleswarth produces a thin, crispy chip, perfect, not only as a side but as an ingredient, adding the right amount of crunch to an otherwise dull sandwich.

The Middleswarth website claims they deliver to 11 distributors throughout Pennsylvania, including in Pittsburgh. Market District once again came up short, but, like Gibbles, Squirrel Hill Market carries them in various flavors and sizes.

TASTING NOTES

– classic flavors include bar-b-q, sour cream and onion, salt and vinegar – thin and crisp

PHOTO: BLUEAIR FORCE / WIKIPEDIA (CC BY-SA 4.0) / CROPPED IMAGE

A Middleswarth Chips display at Weis Markets in Loyalsock Township, Pa.

The Meadows Scrapple

Lancaster, Pa. kunzler.com

DESPITE WHAT THIS LIST suggests so far, eastern Pa. produces more than just snack foods. There’s also scrapple, a decidedly not snack-sized block of processed meat parts.

Head to select Giant Eagle refrigerator sections and you will find, nestled among the various packaged bacon, sausage, and cold cuts, The Meadows Scrapple, produced by Kunzler and Company

less substantial ingredients.

Scrapple was often bought for my brother as a treat whenever he visited home from the Air Force. Like many fans of the Spam-like specialty, he sliced it, fried it in a pan, and topped it with maple syrup. The Meadows label provides similar instructions on how to prepare its product, along with the options to broil or bake it for a “drier consistency,” and serve it with “catsup and salt.”

Seltzer’s Lebanon Bologna

Palmyra, Pa.

seltzerssmokehousemeats.com

THE NUMBER OF GRILLED sweet Lebanon bologna and cheese sandwiches I ate as a country kid is, in a word, staggering. This overly smoky, overly sweet, somewhat greasy processed sandwich meat has fed many eastern Pennsylvanians, myself included. It remains one of the few things I miss as a vegetarian, a past favorite that has become more of a temptation now that Seltzer’s Lebanon Bologna has appeared in local stores including Giant Eagle.

No other cold cuts compare to presliced Lebanon bologna, especially the

sweet Lebanon variety. Seltzer’s naturally smokes their version — a mix of beef, sugar, salt, and spices — with hardwood. I sometimes compare the taste to venison. Newcomers can best experience Lebanon bologna rolled up with a slice of cheese, like hors d’oeuvre served by a WASP-y grandma, or in a sandwich where the strong flavor of it can really take center stage. Even better, DiAnoia’s Eatery in the Strip District uses Seltzer’s Sweet Lebanon Bologna in its stuffed cornetti breakfast pastry, and its sister restaurant, Pizzeria

TASTING NOTES

TASTING NOTES

PHOTO: PRETTYKATEMACHINE / FLICKR (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) / CHRISTMAS 2009 - SCRAPPLE / CROPPED IMAGE Grilled scrapple

PHOTO: COURTESY OF SELTZER'S SMOKEHOUSE MEATS

PHOTO: COURTESY OF KUNZLER

TASTING NOTES

– caffeine-free – fizzy – strong minty flavor

Appalachian White Birch Beer

Harrisburg, Pa. abcbrew.com

WHAT IS

WHITE BIRCH BEER,

and why is it the best soda ever produced? This effervescent treat smells something akin to minty Skoal chewing tobacco, a familiar, maybe even nostalgic comparison for anyone who grew up in the mostly rural wilderness of eastern Pa.

White birch beer stands on its own regardless of brand. I was surprised to come across it recently as, over the years, I have only ever encountered the dark, reddish version of birch beer in Pittsburgh.

While I can’t recommend my favorite

white birch beer, as it’s only available at my childhood Weis supermarket chain, I can suggest one variety available in Pittsburgh.

Spotted in Market District, Appalachian Brewing Company touts its white birch beer as being brewed with “pure cane sugar, a touch of honey and an essence of birch extracts.” It comes free of artificial flavors and colors and free of caffeine, making it one of the few fizzy indulgences you can enjoy any time of day. Chugging what I consider to be the equivalent of liquid Altoids should be enough to wake you up anyway. •

Right: A working birch beer still at the Kutztown Folk Festival. Sign reads: "Birch oil is distilled from the sap of the Black Birch tree..."

the coming change.

In spring of 2022, City Council passed a bill setting in motion a total ban on the distribution of plastic bags by retailers. While the ban was initially set to take effect in April 2023, Mayor Ed Gainey’s office announced last month it will be delayed to give officials more time to roll out the plan.

Councillor Erika Strassburger, the bill’s prime sponsor, says, though simple in theory, the process of ensuring every store in the city can make the transition involves a complex series of logistics.

“We’re really hoping that this sixmonth delay will help us with education on this bill in every possible way, including strategic and equitable education,”

To bridge those gaps with resources and education, the Department of Public Works is hiring a dedicated program coordinator, Strassburger says.

“What we’ve seen from other cities is that you need at least one full-time position just to field all the questions in the box,” Strassburger tells City Paper . “It needs to be one person

noted the ban moved ahead with full council support and was drafted with input from a range of advocates, businesses, and labor groups.

Plastic bags are notoriously slow to deteriorate and are difficult to recycle. Once in effect, the ban is expected to eliminate more than 100 million bags from circulating annually. •

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

BY JAMIE WIGGAN // JAMIE@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

Do I need to bring my own bags when I go shopping?

When the ban takes effect, shoppers will be allowed to use bags they’ve brought into the store, although retailers will also be permitted to distribute paper bags at a minimum cost of 10 cents. Shoppers taking home minimal items are encouraged to skip a bag altogether.

Are there restrictions on what bags I can bring?

The ordinance does not prohibit shoppers from using any kind of bag — including non-recycled plastic — provided they have brought them into the store.

Will the city distribute reusable bags?

In passing the ban last spring, council also committed to a pilot program that would allow for “purchase, donation, and distribution of reusable bags by individuals and organizations.” Strassburger said this will be led by the program coordinator and likely will focus on communities and neighborhoods with the greatest needs.

I own a small business. How do I comply?

Before the ban takes effect, the Department of Public Works will launch a website with information and resources for shoppers and retailers. A dedicated program coordinator will also be available to answer questions and offer solutions. •

PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM Take out from Back to the Foodture

Ttalking about Pittsburgh, honestly, she could have been. That’s the typical driving experience when you venture off the obvious routes like the Parkway, 28, and 279. You frequently find yourself on curvy streetscapes that twist and turn, ascend and plummet, like a roller coaster, and some of them are faster and much more enjoyable than the straight shot your navigation app is likely suggesting.

To that end, here are some of Pittsburgh City Paper’s favorite alternate routes that will take you off the beaten path and onto the (usually more scenic) road less traveled.

cramped and clammy conditions of modern air travel, why extend the misery beforehand by holing up in your car, waiting for traffic to inch along the Parkway West? Especially when you could be rolling along the scenic, rush hour-immune back roads and enjoying a smidge of justified schadenfreude.

Starting from the Fort Pitt Bridge, veer right onto Route 51 North instead of heading through the tunnels. Stay on 51 as it ushers you through the shaggy remnants of downtown McKees Rocks, then follow Chartiers Avenue all the way up the hill to Kennedy, where you can join Clever Road heading west. Enjoy the ride as Clever momentarily transports you out of the suburbs and into the rolling woodlands of

you back out on Montour Run Road at the edge of Robinson’s sprawling retail center.

From here, rejoin I-376 West and continue as you would for the final stretch to Pittsburgh International Airport. Take this route during peak traffic times and you’re bound to shave off a few minutes. If the interstate’s clear, take this route anyway, if you prefer trees and rivers to asphalt and aluminum.

BONUS: This route also works to access the Mall at Robinson, Ikea, Costco and the surrounding retail outlets. Just take a left onto Costco Drive from Montour Run right before the turn for the interstate.

— Jamie Wiggan

is also part of the state road offers an enjoyable and usually not-too-congested ride through some of the physical remnants of Pittsburgh’s industrial past.

The highway begins (or ends, depending on your perspective) under the West End Bridge runs through the South Side, then flanks the southern bank of the Monongahela River all the way through to the road’s southern terminus in Washington County.

Besides the loveliness of having the Mon accompany you on your drive, going south on 837 will take you through several Mon Valley communities that are simultaneously rusty and richly green, and severely underappreciated by citydwellers who refuse to venture out.

— Jordana Rosenfeld

Where the streets have no (consistent) name

Skip the most commercial stretch of Liberty Avenue by taking Sassafras Street, a backroad skirting the southern edge of Bloomfield with the amusing Pittsburgh quality of being a contiguous street whose name changes several times while you drive on uninterrupted.

This unique road has a real middleof-nowhere vibe for an urban street, taking you where few roads go — both parallel to the East Busway and under the Bloomfield Bridge. It may be worth trying for the novelty, alone.

Heading east, Sassafras eventually turns into Neville Street, and then Lorigan Street, which spits you out at the deadends of some of Bloomfield’s one-way streets. Turn left on Cedarville Street if you plan to cross Liberty and keep north to Friendship Avenue, or you can turn left onto State Way if you just need to get back to Liberty. Lorigan Street doesn’t offer access to any destinations south of Bloomfield, however, so it’s best used for lateral East End travel.

Allegheny River Boulevard Boulevard hack

If you’re one of the unlucky Pittsburghers who, at least in theory, has to take the Parkway through the Squirrel Hill tunnels at peak traffic hours, then this shortcut is for you. (Well, let’s be honest, even at off-peak times that tunnel is a messy bitch who loves chaos, so avoiding her any time of day is never a bad call.)

Instead, there’s a detour that takes drivers to the eastern suburbs, and to the Monroeville Mall and surrounding shopping destinations with a lot less aggravation. Simply take Allegheny River Boulevard, and then turn right on Sandy Creek Road. Stay on this route until it eventually becomes Beulah Road. It will wind you to an intersection where you can turn left onto 376 heading east toward Monroeville, probably wearing a smirk on your face because you’re smarter than everyone else around you.

— Amanda Waltz

The Bigelow the better

Pittsburgh may be the City of Bridges, but that doesn’t mean those of us who live here want to cross them for what feels like just the hell of it. Someone please tell that to Waze and Google Maps, which will not infrequently instruct you to cross a river only to have to cross it back to get where you’re going. Case in point: If you’re headed from the northern part of the East End to downtown, the South Side, or pretty much anywhere due southwest, crossing the Allegheny to Route 28 is always the navigation app’s preferred path. Screw that. Bigelow Boulevard is the better way.

Bigelow generally isn’t considered a scenic route, but if you drive it wearing your rose-colored sunglasses, you can appreciate the beauty it contains. While zooming towards Downtown, you find yourself at eye-level with the U.S. Steel Tower, and as you descend towards it, you can catch a few stunning vistas, especially over Polish Hill and the Strip, with just a few quick glances to your right.

In some cases, Bigelow is not, in fact, a shortcut. Taking the Parkway or 28 might actually be speedier, depending on where you’re ultimately headed. But they won’t serve you the same stellar views of our town’s unique topography that are so unmistakably Pittsburgh, and that alone makes it worth the drive.

Ali Trachta

—

CP PHOTO: PAT CAVANAGH Penn Avenue

Autism Society of Pgh

SPEAK is the region’s premier extended school year and summer recreation program for students ages 5-21 with autism. We provide social and educational instruction to ensure a smooth transition into the upcoming school year. SPEAK will be held from June 29th - July 28th at Saint Therese of Lisieux School. www.autismpittsburgh. org/SPEAK

Camp Fitch

Camp Fitch’s century-old classic sleep-away summer camp provides kids, ages 6-17, with a holistically safe, values-driven community where they discover friendship and achievement. Kids feel like they belong among the camp’s carefully vetted, committed and caring staff, who create transformative experienc es on the shore of Lake Erie. North Springfield, Pa., 814-922-3219, www.campfitchymca.org

SECTION

Camp Invention

Spark your child’s creativity and confidence with our new Camp Invention® program, Wonder! Children in grades K-6 will team up and take on fun, hands-on STEM challenges. They’ll build their own mini skate park, turn a robot into a stuffie and more! Visit invent.org/local to secure your spot!

Pittsburgh Botanic Garden

Enjoy 4 days of fun and exploration in the various habitats of Pittsburgh Botanic Garden! Ecosystems investigated include the Lotus Pond, Dogwood Meadow, Allegheny Plateau Woodlands, and Carbon Cycle: An Earth Art Exhibit. Kids will have fun pond dipping, bird watching, insect collecting, tree identification, nature

continues on page 14

continued from page 13

journaling and time for free play. www.pittsburghbotanicgarden. org/camps

Pittsburgh Center for the Arts

Each summer, Pittsburgh Center for Arts & Media welcomes young artists (aged 6-17)

SECTION

to their Shadyside campus for ten weeks of outstanding, art-focused camps. Taught by talented, experienced teachers, summer art camps are perfect place for budding artists to explore their creativity and create new masterpieces!

INDIE BOOKSELLER SPOTLIGHT

New releases at City Books

BY AMANDA WALTZ // AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

INDIE BOOKSELLER

SPOTLIGHT is a regular column listing new releases at Pittsburgh book shops. Support local businesses and find your next favorite read.

CITY BOOKS

908 Galveston Ave., North Side. citybookspgh.com

Pieces of Me

by Kate McLaughlin

(Macmillan)

An 18-year-old woman struggles with dissociative identity disorder in this young adult novel that Macmillan calls “raw, intimate, and surprisingly hopeful.”

The Haunting of Alejandra

by V. Castro

(Penguin

Random House)

V. Castro explores the Mexican legend of La Llorona in what Paste magazine cites as one of the most anticipated horror novels of 2023.

The Do-Over

by Suzanne Park (HarperCollins)

Have a laugh with this romantic comedy about a Korean-American woman who learns that she never actually finished college and must make up the credits.

Working It: Sex Workers on the Work of Sex

edited by Matilda Bickers, peech breshears, and Janis Luna (PM Press)

Sex workers from all over the globe contribute to this collection of first-person essays, interviews, poetry, art, and photographs, all in an effort to humanize those behind the world’s so-called oldest profession.

Symphony of Secrets

by Brendan Slocumb (Penguin Random House)

A professor discovers a cover-up involving a celebrated composer and a Black Jazz Age prodigy in this work from a classical musician-turned-author. •

PHOTO: COURTESY OF HARPERCOLLINS

PHOTO: COURTESY OF MACMILLAN

PHOTO: COURTESY OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE

HER-STORICAL FICTION

Heather Terrell, a YA author based in Sewickley, has produced a

historical fiction novels under the pen name Marie Benedict.

BY REGE BEHE //

EATHER TERRELL’S writing career was solid. The Sewickley resident and author of numerous historical fiction and young adult novels had a small but loyal fan base that afforded her the chance to tour and promote her work.

Then she found Albert Einstein’s wife, The Other Einstein (written under the pen name Marie Benedict) in 2016 vaulted Terrell into another level of publishing. Where previously her book signings and talks would draw a few dozen fans, Benedict’s events now attract between 500 to 600 readers, and her books regularly appear and USA Today

Mystery of Mrs. Christie , a reconstruction of Agatha Christie’s infamous 11-day disappearance in December 1926; Her Hidden Genius, about Rosalind Franklin, the British chemist and X-ray crystallographer whose contributions to unlocking the molecular structure of DNA were unrecognized during her lifetime; and Lady Clementine, a story about Winston Churchill’s wife.

But it was Maric — Einstein’s first wife, a mathematician and physicist who arguably was a major contributor to the theory of relativity — that prompted Terrell to explore similar lives.

“I’m not saying I’m the first person to have done this sort of biographicallyfocused historical fiction, particularly

bestseller lists. She also appeared on the Good Morning America with co-author Victoria Christopher Murray to The Personal Librarian

“I don’t think I realized it would become as robust as it has for me,” Terrell . “I think when you look at historical fiction now versus The Other Einstein, it’s very different now. There seems to be more interest in these unsung voices from a writing perspective. And that’s

The voices she references are those of women who have been overlooked or forgotten. Terrell’s books include The

about women,” Terrell says. “I think readers really hungered for it whether or not they realized it, and that story is such a poignant story, Mileva’s story, sort of understanding the breadth of her legacies and the issues that she faced. It really reached people, and I think that was, for me, anyway, a kind of connection that was really special.”

Aside from Christie and actress Hedy Lamar — also a scientist who worked on the technology that became WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth communication systems — the women Terrell writes about are mostly forgotten. But they share two things in common.

“I really want all my books to resonate with modern readers, and when we think about historical women, we often think of them as being so different from ourselves. But the reality is they grappled with a lot of the same issues that we do, and we can learn from their experiences.”

number of female-centric

CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

PHOTO: ANTHONY MUSMANNO Marie Benedict

“First of all, they’ve left us a legacy, something concrete that we are benefiting from today, that we are beholden to, and they are usually women we don’t know. That’s one piece of it,” she explains. And, Terrell adds, these women are also “grappling with something, an issue, a topic, that is very modern in nature as well.”

HEATHER TERRELL/ MARIE BENEDICT

heatherterrell.com/ authormariebenedict.com

“I really want all my books to resonate with modern readers, and when we think about historical women, we often think of them as being so different from ourselves,” she says. “But the reality is they grappled with a lot of the same issues that we do, and we can learn from their experiences.”

Thus, in The Personal Librarian, Terrell explores issues of identity in a story about Belle da Costa Greene, a Black woman who curated J. P. Morgan’s collection of rare

books and manuscripts while being forced to pass as white. Carnegie’s Maid explores class issues through the story of Clara Kelley, who served in the household of Pittsburgh industrialist Andrew Carnegie.

In Terrell’s most recent book, The Mitford Affair , the bonds of family are explored through the prism of politics and world wars.

Terrell admits that there are times when she struggles with the initial connection to her subjects. But that connection comes through her research, a process she calls “a synergistic component of creating the character and excavating the events of that person’s life.”

“Being very well versed in their letters, for example, gives such a sense of the way they think, the language they use, the things that inhabit their mind, the way they approach others, the things that are important to them — all of those things then become a character that I build that’s inspired by a real person,” says Terrell. “So, for me, I absolutely start to hear them when I’m writing, but it really starts with that research.” •

PHOTO: COURTESY OF BERKLEY BOOKS

PITTSBURGH NEWS ROUNDUP

Cleaning up Downtown, police chief hiring concerns, solitary confinement abuses

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

SPRING CLEANUP

PITTSBURGH MAYOR ED GAINEY says his administration is making Downtown cleaner and safer by beefing up foot patrols and working with partner organizations on a series of cleanup and art programming.

results in the form of increased restau rant and retail sales. He also touted a slate of major music concerts over the course of the summer, which he said would draw in thousands of visitors and boost spending.

POLICE CHIEF CONCERNS

PITTSBURGH is considering hiring a former Boise, Idaho police chief who was forced to resign, according to reporting from local media outlets.

Ryan Lee resigned from his position as Boise’s chief after multiple complaints of low morale in the department, and after allegedly breaking the neck of a fellow officer in a tactical demonstration. WPXI reports from unnamed sources that Lee is

“next in line” to become Pittsburgh’s new police chief. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette later reported two other candidates remain in the running, citing unnamed sources.

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey’s office said the mayor plans to announce his pick for police chief in the next two weeks and declined to say whether Lee was being considered for the role.

“We will make Pittsburgh the safest, most welcoming and most thriving city in America,” Gainey pledged during an April 6 press conference alongside representatives of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and the Downtown Neighbors Alliance.

Gainey said, having made new investments in the city’s public safety and public works departments, the city’s central business district is starting to see

Although a frequent voice for police reform during his 2021 election run, Gainey affirmed last week his commitment to increasing police presence Downtown and lauded the work of a newly established team of officers now patrolling the area.

“These officers are building solid relationships Downtown, with people who live here, people who work here, and people who play here,” Gainey said.

EDUCATION NEW CHANCELLOR

PITT’S SEARCH for a new chancellor has brought a woman to the post for the first time since the university’s founding in 1787.

The board of trustees announced April 3 that Joan T.A. Gabel would succeed outgoing chancellor Patrick Gallagher, whose nine-year tenure is set to end this summer.

Gabel has been offered a base salary of $950,000 to lead the university system’s five campuses comprising 14,000 staff and 34,000 students. She began her teaching career at the University of Georgia in 1996 and currently serves as president and chief executive of the University of Minnesota.

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

“We will make Pittsburgh the safest, most welcoming and most thriving city in America.”— Mayor Ed Gainey

SOCIAL JUSTICE

ILLEGAL CONFINEMENT?

SOLITARY CONFINEMENT at Allegheny County Jail has been banned since Jan. 1, 2022, after a majority of voters opted to eliminate it during a countywide referendum. Pittsburgh City Paper’s March 2023 Jail Watch column summarized findings from two expert reports on conditions at the Allegheny County Jail indicating that officers continue to use solitary confinement as punishment and in other ways prohibited by law.

council’s solicitor, arguing that the jail’s documented practice of locking down one or more pods at the jail violates the provisions of the referendum. Although Hallam says jail officials had previously claimed it doesn’t count as solitary confinement if there’s more than one person in the cell, Frank’s opinion reportedly finds all incarcerees must receive at least four hours of out-of-cell time a day regardless of whether they’re sharing a cell with others. Hallam told

During the April 6 Jail Oversight Board meeting, member Bethany Hallam read excerpts of a new legal opinion from Frederick Frank, county

the board that the county council solicitor’s opinion indicates that the jail and the oversight board are vulnerable to a lawsuit on these grounds.

... excerpts from a new legal opinion ... arguing that the jail’s documented practice of locking down one or more pods at the jail violates the provisions of the referendum.

SEVEN DAYS IN PITTSBURGH

BY CP STAFF

THU., APRIL 13

FILM • DOWNTOWN

Sink your teeth into vampire films at the Harris Theater. See Nicolas Cage play Dracula in Renfield, a new horror comedy starring Nicholas Hoult as the Count’s putupon assistant. The spooky fun continues with the 1931 and 1979 versions of Dracula, director Werner Herzog’s Nosferatu the Vampyre, and Francis Ford Coppola’s stunning 1992 take on the gothic story. Ticketholders can also receive perks like a free miniature coffin and free concessions. Showtimes vary. Continues through Thu., April 27. 809 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $11. trustarts.org

LGBTQ • GARFIELD

Lavender Arcade Queer Pinball and Board

Game Night. 8 p.m. Mixtape. 4907 Penn Ave., Garfield. Free. 21 and over. instagram.com/ lavender.arcade

FRI., APRIL 14

ART • LAWRENCEVILLE

Self 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Continues through Aug. 19. Contemporary Craft. 5645 Butler St., Lawrenceville. Free. contemporarycraft.org

PARTY • NORTH SIDE

21+ Night: Speakeasy Science.

6-10 p.m. Carnegie Science Center. One Allegheny Ave., North Side. $20-25. 21 and over. carnegiesciencecenter.org

COMEDY • ALLENTOWN

Melissa Villaseñor 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Bottlerocket Social Hall. 1226 Arlington Ave., Allentown. $25. bottlerocketpgh.com

DANCE • DOWNTOWN

The Masters Program: Balanchine and Beyond 7:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., April 16. Benedum Center. Seventh St. and Penn Ave., Downtown. $29-117. pbt. culturaldistrict.org

DANCE • EAST LIBERTY

BLACK HOLE: Trilogy And Triathlon. 8 p.m. Continues through Sat., April 15. Kelly Strayhorn Theater. 5941 Penn Ave., East Liberty. Pay What Moves You $15-35. kelly-strayhorn.org

MON., APRIL 17

FRI., APRIL 14

SAT., APRIL 15

MUSIC

•

NORTH HILLS

The Bach Choir of Pittsburgh pays tribute to a legendary rock group with Queens at Greater Pittsburgh Masonic Center. The choral group honors the legacy of Queen and its iconic singer Freddie Mercury by highlighting 16 of the band’s songs, including hits like “We Are the Champions,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The program features a live five-piece band and solos by Treasure Treasure and drag queen Deep Violet. 7:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., April 16. 3579 Masonic Way, North Hills. $12-30. bachchoirpittsburgh.org

MUSIC • NORTH SIDE

Al Cerulo: Amplified Perception. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. The Andy Warhol Museum. 117 Sandusky St., North Side. $15. warhol.org

MARKET • GARFIELD

Roboto Punk Rock Flea Market. 12-5 p.m. Mr. Roboto Project. 5106 Penn Ave., Garfield. Free. therobotoproject.com

THEATER • MCKEES ROCKS

Little Mermaid: Pollution Solution 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., April 30. Gemini Children’s Theater. 420 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks. $5-15 geminitheater.org

SUN., APRIL 16

PLANTS • GARFIELD

Workshop Spring Plant Sale. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Workshop PGH. 5131 Penn Ave., Garfield. Free. workshop-pgh.square.site

FILM • SEWICKLEY

Experience a new experimental documentary when the Lindsay Theater presents the premiere of Consciousness Expansion from artist tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE, aka tENT. The screening includes a live score by tENT and several other local musicians. In a release, tENT says that, as the film continues, the “action of building and finishing the addition became associated with a musical term, usually expression markings that somehow parallel the physical activity depicted.” 1 p.m. 418 Walnut St., Sewickley. $11. thelindsaytheater.org

PHOTO: MEGAN LEIGH BARNARD Hanif Abdurraqib at Carnegie Music Hall

PHOTO: DUANE RIEDER

The Masters Program: Balanchine and Beyond

MON., APRIL 17

DRAG • STRIP DISTRICT

Steel City Drag Brunch 1 p.m. Doors at 12 p.m. Aslin Beer Co. 1801 Smallman St., Strip District. $20-40. 18 and over. aslinbeer.com/pittsburgh

MON., APRIL 17

LIT • OAKLAND

Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures presents Hanif Abdurraqib. 7:30 p.m. Carnegie Music Hall. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. $10-18. Virtual option available. pittsburghlectures.org

MUSIC • SOUTH SIDE

Sykamore with Anne Eliza 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Club Cafe. 56 S 12th St., South Side. $15. 21 and over. clubcafelive.com

TUE., APRIL 18

CIRCUS • LAWRENCEVILLE

Witness the wacky circus sideshow known as Hellzapoppin at the Thunderbird Music Hall. Starring "Half Man" Short E. Dangerously alongside The Lizard Man, Willow Lauren, Lucian Fuller, and ringleader Bryce “The

Govna” Graves, the show combines vintage circus stunts with music from rock artists like Motörhead, Mötley Crüe, and Nine Inch Nails. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. 4053 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $20-500. 18 and over. thunderbirdmusichall.com

WED., APRIL 19

MUSIC • STRIP DISTRICT

Eddie Island. 6-9 p.m. Kingfly Spirits.

2613 Smallman St., Strip District. $15. kingflyspirits.com

DANCE • DOWNTOWN

Conservatory Dance Company Spring Concert 7:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., April 23. Pittsburgh Playhouse. 350 Forbes Ave., Downtown. $23-55. playhouse.pointpark.edu

MUSIC • NORTH SIDE

Ghost Funk Orchestra, Truth and Rites, and Buscrates. 8 p.m. Government Center.

715 East St., North Side. $10. thegovernmentcenter.com

HELP WANTED ADVANCED SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER

3M, Pittsburgh, PA. Write & enhance code for complex large-scale, back-end server for speech recognition products using Java & Python/Jython. Run pre-deployment builds, docs process & features & dvlp & performunit-tests & buddy-testing. Master in Comp Sci or Info Sci req’d. Must have: (i) 2 yrs work exp. coding in project-oriented software dvlpmnt on Linux, w/ JDBC, & writing code for & optimizing large SQL databases; (ii) 2 yrs coursework, internship, or work exp. coding in Java; & (iii) 1 yr coursework, internship, or work exp. w/ NGINX & Python or Jython script. Exp. may be gained concurrently. Apply online: 3m.com/3m/en_US/ careers-us/.

MARKET PLACE

• 412-628-1269

Man

412-961-1971

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-23-002557.

In re petition of Christopher Jeffrey Hill and Alison Joy Mabee for change of name to Christopher Jeffrey Hillbee and Alison Joy Hillbee. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 8th day of May, 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.

FINANCIAL

Struggling With Your Private Student Loan Payment? New relief programs can reduce your payments. Learn your options. Good credit not necessary. Call the Helpline 888-670-5631

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

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-23-3296

In re petition of Kyle Joseph Falbo for change of name to Kyle Joseph Pagliaro. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 10th day of May, 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.

FINANCIAL SAVE YOUR HOME!

Are you behind paying your MORTGAGE? Denied a Loan Modification? Is the

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-23-003651

In re petition of Elvenia Heaven Davenport for change of name to Heaven Davenport.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 11th day of May, 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.

SERVICES

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1-877-857-5995

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-23-003685

In re petition of Gabriel Bleu Wojda for change of name to Gabriel Bleu Mezzaluna. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 11th day of May, 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.

SERVICES

AT&T TV - The Best of Live & On-Demand On All Your Favorite Screens. CHOICE Package, $84.99/mo for 12months. Stream on 20 devices at once in your home. HBO Max FREE for 1 yr (w/CHOICE Package or higher.) Call for more details today! (some restrictions apply) Call IVS 1-877-350-1003

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-23-0022551

In re petition of Charles William Thompson-Lawson for change of name to Charles William Lawson.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 8th day of May, 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.

ESTATE NOTICE

ESTATE OF SENICH, DONNA R., DECEASED OF PITTSBURGH, PA

Donna R. Senich, deceased of Pittsburgh, PA No. 022200308 of 2023. James Senich, Ext., 412 Maplevale Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15236. Or to D. Scott Lautner, Esquire. 68 Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236.

ESTATE NOTICE

ESTATE OF YEKICH, PATRICIA K., DECEASED OF PLEASANT HILLS, PA

Patricia K. Yekich, deceased of Pleasant Hills, PA No. 02230148 of 2023. Mark Yekich, Ext., 900 Irwin Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15236.

Or to D. Scott Lautner, Esquire. 68 Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236.

Advertise in City Paper. Call 412.685.9009

MASSAGE STUDY SMOKERS WANTED

The University of Pittsburgh’s Alcohol & Smoking Research Lab is looking for people to participate in a research project. You must:

• Currently smoke cigarettes

• Be 18-49 years old, in good health, and speak fluent English

• Be right handed, willing to not smoke before two sessions, and to fill out questionnaires

Earn up to $260 for participating in this study.

For more information, call (412) 407-5029

CREDIT REPAIR

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 Firm. (AAN CAN)

ESTATE NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Letters of Administration in the Estate of Frances Regina Yochum, late of the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, who died on December 28, 2017, have been granted to John P. Yochum, Administrator. All persons indebted to said Estate are requested to make payment and those having claims or demands are requested to present the same without delay to:

David E. Schwager, Esquire 183 Market Street Suite 100 Kingston, PA 18704-5444

MARIO CHART

BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY // BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM

SUBOXONE TREATMENT

Professional and private setting

Fee for service

Southside area

(412) 681-1406

Southend Primary Health Care

Dr. Deepika Pasunur MD

Located in Southside. Accepting new patients.

Please call (412) 586-1522 to schedule your appointment.

ACROSS

1.  Similar to

5.  It’s a lie

8.  Badder than bad

13.  Warren in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

14.  “Pay close attention to”

15.  River through Basel

16.  Source of temporary invincibility?

18.  Make some adjustments to

19.  Twerking part

20.  Whence Goya’s Duchess

21.  Park rangers?

22.  Journey made after taking something that’ll double your size?

25.  Almost imperceptible

26.  Shake, as a tail

27.  “Gimme a G-D break!”

30.  “It’s Diner Time” advertiser

33.  Certain action after punching a “?” block?

35.  Comic interviewer who says, “big up yourself.”

36.  Passing fancy

37.  Woman’s name that means “strong”

38.  Gateway to a waterworld, perhaps?

41.  Big name in vaccines

43.  Steel wool pad

44.  Kimono accessory

45.  Call to action?

46.  Folks who love getting the ability to shoot fireballs?

51.  Stuffed Mexican dish

54.  Runner-turnedrepresentative Jim

55.  Cute dog nickname

56.  Spanish rave island

57.  Motivation to find a way to skip a few worlds?

59.  Entrepreneur Thiel

60.  Lenovo rival 61.  Lenovo rival

62.  They get pushed around at the gym

63.  Ball girl

64.  Had a sense

DOWN

1.  Type of tea

2.  ___ chicken (Japanese delicacy)

3.  “The bidding’s all yours”

4. It’s Been a Minute channel

5.  Branding specialist?

6.  Best-of-the-best

7.  Barrels ___ day (energy metric)

8.  Call before the court

9.  Puppy

10.  Piccolo’s cousin

11.  Tight-knit group

12.  “We’re game!”

14.  “Things could be worse”

17.  Event to wear a lampshade, maybe

21.  Faux’s opposite

23.  Door part

24.  Having no depth

27.  No. on a mouthwash bottle

28.  Not good, but not bad either

29.  Trade some punches

30.  Fist bumps

31. Conversations in Sicily author Vittorini

32.  Shots in a bottle

33.  Is able to

34.  Snack chip

36.  Just sayin’, initially

39.  Zimbabwean currencies

PUBLIC AUCTION

Public notice is hereby given that property placed in storage by the following persons at the following locations will be sold via public sale to satisfy Guardian Storage liens for unpaid rent and other charges. Bidding for property of persons renting space at the following locations will be held online at www.selfstorageauction.com ending on April 25, 2023 at 10:00 am, and day to day thereafter until sold at which time a high bidder will be determined.

350 Old Haymaker Road, Monroeville, Pa 14146: Unit #3301 Lauren Jessup, Unit # 3314 Ashley Beley

1390 Old Freeport Road, Pittsburgh, Pa 1523: Unit #3108 Nicole Verner

14200 Route 30, North Huntingdon, Pa 15642: Unit # 1070 Mary Jo Vallus, Unit # 1097 Mary Jo Vallus, Unit #3113 John Fritzius, Unit #3421 Deborah Gibson

First person killed in the Bible

Large chunk

Its symbol features an eagle and a crown: Abbr.

LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

4711 William Penn Highway, Monroeville, PA 15146: Unit #11310 Felenda Kenol, Zanset Botanica Store, Unit #11311 Jim Thrift, Unit 11408 Malikka Miller, Kidz Campus Childcare Learning, Unit #11705 Tami Foster, Unit #12911 Rebecca Tolliver, Unit #22504 Michael Visnick

4750 William Flynn Hwy, Allison Park, Pa 15101: Unit #11410 Marvin Porter, Unit #31114 Anthony Griggs

1028 Ridge Road, Tarentum, Pa 15084: Unit #31325 Raeshelle Ricketts, Unit #41406 Lisa Kopka

901 Brinton Road, Pittsburgh, Pa 15221: Unit #10203 Ann Truschel, Truschel Insurance, Unit #10419 Ann Truschel, Truschel Insurance, Unit #12207 Mac Inglis, Unit #8412 Garnett Long-Parham, Unit #9102 Jamise Mosley

5873 Centre Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15206: Unit #601 Kenneth Lowe, Unit #7210 Adrian Fierro, Unit #7211 Derrick Garland

2839 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222: Unit #4219 James Wilson, Unit #4809 Jacquelyn Tune, Unit #6502 Jimmese Glenn, Unit #6805 Ebon Harris

1002 East Waterfront Drive, Munhall, PA 15120: Unit #1421 Morgan Dawson, Unit #1702 Theodore Plata, Unit #1709 Yitzchak Brown, Unit #2315 Faith Vearnon, Unit #4302 Leia Williams

1599 Washington Pike, Bridgeville, PA 15017: Unit #51409 Paige Russell, Unit #6133 Vinnie Richichi, Unit #6329 Joseph Daugherty