May 26, 2021 - Pittsburgh City Paper

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World champion Alicia Tavani teaches Taekwondo — and self confidence — in her South Hills martial arts school

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MAY 26-JUNE 2, 2021 VOLUME 30 + ISSUE 21 Editor-In-Chief LISA CUNNINGHAM Director of Advertising JASMINE HUGHES Director of Operations KEVIN SHEPHERD News Editor RYAN DETO Senior Writer AMANDA WALTZ Staff Writers DANI JANAE, KIMBERLY ROONEY 냖㵸蔻 Photographer/Videographer JARED WICKERHAM Art Director ABBIE ADAMS Graphic Designer JEFF SCHRECKENGOST Digital Marketing Coordinator DARYA KHARABI Sales Representatives ZACK DURKIN, OWEN GABBEY, HANNAH MORAN-FUNWELA Circulation Manager JEFF ENGBARTH Featured Contributors REGE BEHE, MIKE CANTON, LYNN CULLEN, TERENEH IDIA, CHARLES ROSENBLUM Interns COLLEEN HAMMOND, KAYCEE ORWIG National Advertising Representative VMG ADVERTISING 1.888.278.9866 OR 1.212.475.2529 Publisher EAGLE MEDIA CORP.

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Mayoral candidate Ed Gainey poses with supporte supporters during his Election Night Watch Party at the OnePA offices in the North Side on Tue., May 19, where he was later named Pittsburgh’s Democratic nominee and is expected to become Pittsburgh’s first Black mayor.

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CHANGING STATIONS

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Transit-Oriented Development and a potential new path for growth in Pittsburgh

BY RYAN DETO // RYANDETO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

P

ITTSBURGH IS PRIMED FOR TOD. For the uninformed, which is just about

everyone not obsessed with the wonky details of municipal zoning, TOD stands for Transit-Oriented Development. The term means encouraging dense housing and amenities within walking distance of frequent and high-quality transit, like a high-rise apartment building on top of a subway station.

Pittsburgh doesn’t have many subway stations, but it still has scores of amazing opportunities for Transit-Oriented Development. There are transit stations along light-rail lines and busway stations that have little to no housing, offices, or amenities like grocery stores. Many of these stations have surface parking or vacant lots, practically begging for development.

The Port Authority of Allegheny County has created guidelines for municipalities on how to best implement TOD, in hopes the zoning changes will take off in the region. Breen Masciotra, section manager for Port Authority’s Planning Department, says “the more frequent and reliable transit service is in a corridor, the more likely it is that a person could live in that corridor and rely primarily on public transit as their primary mode, and that is the ideal condition for TOD.” “So, yes, Allegheny County has some strong corridors for TOD, and we anticipate that our forthcoming long-range plan will include recommendations to develop more corridors and more opportunities for TOD,” says Masciotra.

And at least one Pittsburgh-area community is close to adapting a whole new zoning code, one that is adaptive to its surroundings and includes two different sections of TOD. In May, Dormont borough started to advertise new zoning changes it hopes to pass through council. It includes two districts surrounding the borough’s three light-rail stops that would encourage buildings of three-to-eight stories, with those structures oriented to promote pedestrian access to the light-rail stations and other nearby walkable amenities.

Dormont Planning Commission Chair Eamon Geary says these changes can help spur growth in Dormont, stabilize housing prices, and allow for the overwhelmingly white borough to become more diverse, as a means to attempt to rectify former racist housing policies like redlining.

Beyond those high-minded goals, TOD might also be necessary to solve traffic congestion and prevent it from getting worse. Pittsburgh is like most regions in the country, and development usually proliferates in greenfield plots of land (ones that have never been developed) located in suburban areas far from the urban core, and not served by public transit. That means more drivers commuting to our concentrated job centers in Downtown and Oakland, and more congestion on the Parkway North and Parkway West and other areas seeing growth.

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CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Apartment complex directly above the M.L.K. Jr. East Busway in East Liberty

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 26 - JUNE 2, 2021

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CHANGING STATIONS, CONTINUED FROM PG. 5

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

The Potomac light-rail station in Dormont

But there isn’t a simple switch to convert Allegheny County to TOD zoning.

Those changes only happen municipality by municipality. With over 100 municipalities in the county, and many of them wary of big changes, a large trend of TOD needs to be set in order to convert much of zoning.

Geary doesn’t expect Dormont’s proposed changes to come easy, saying he predicts the next public hearing to have significant pushback from some community members. But he is hopeful that, if passed, TOD will give the old borough a new and unique path for growth, one that will set it apart from the more typical suburb.

“The single family homes in Dormont, we have enough, we are now focusing on density. The North Hills can have the Ryan Homes,” says Geary of the construction company that focuses primarily on sprawling single-family home complexes on the periphery of Allegheny County. “I am excited, there are always people who want things to stay the same. But I think TOD will bring people into the community, and we will see them shopping at our

stores. It’s a win-win.”

Dormont incorporated as a borough in 1909, making it the first independent municipality in Allegheny County’s South Hills. The borough is less than one-square mile in area and it lies just south of Pittsburgh’s Beechview neighborhood. Port Authority’s Red Line light rail runs through Dormont and has three stations located in Dormont.

The borough is also served by the 41 bus, which runs through West Liberty Avenue, Dormont’s main artery.

If the zoning changes were to pass, Dormont would likely become the first municipality in Allegheny County to adopt the TOD zoning regulations.

The changes also rewrite Dormont’s Euclidean zoning code to a form-based code, which would also likely be a first in Allegheny County.

Euclidean zoning is named after the town of Euclid, Ohio, which was the first to establish it after winning a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case in 1926.

Euclidean zoning establishes single-use zoning, where only one kind of use or development is allowed per zone, and

has become the predominant zoning style in the U.S. However, it has been criticized for often making amenities and jobs located far from residential neighborhoods.

Dormont borough manager Ben Estell told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in May that Euclidean zoning has been exploited and historically used to keep lowincome people and people of color from moving into communities.

“It was used to protect wealthy, white property owners by segregating the single-family zoning, which was on the white side of the community,” said Estell. “It added all of the park districts into that area, while the poor section of town, which was where the people of color lived, was all the multi-family units and was also where the industrial zones were intended.”

According to the latest census estimate, Dormont is 92% white, which is much whiter than neighboring Pittsburgh and Allegheny County at large. “One of the reasons for that is it’s expensive to get a single unit,” says Geary.

“We struggle with that. The history of

redlining, Dormont wasn’t innocent by any means.”

Redlining was the practice of the home mortgage industry to suppress minority populations from receiving home loans in areas deemed desirable by the government-sponsored Home Owners’ Loan Corporation. Dormont was ranked as a “desirable” neighborhood by the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation.

Geary says Dormont is dominated by single-family homes, and the borough has been very successful at attracting young families. He says the borough is a good mix of younger families, with parents who work white-collar jobs, and older retirees who come from more blue-collar backgrounds. However, he says housing prices have been spiking in Dormont, and supply for new or available housing units is drying up.

He says there really isn’t any room in the small borough to develop without changing the zoning. Existing single family homes make up the vast majority of Dormont. Without building up in some areas, there isn’t any room to add housing supply to the increasingly CONTINUES ON PG. 8

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CHANGING STATIONS, CONTINUED FROM PG. 6

CP PHOTOS: JARED WICKERHAM

Large surface parking lot next to Wilkinsburg Busway Station

popular borough. Like many municipalities in Allegheny County, Dormont’s overall population has dropped since 2010, but residents aged 25-44 have increased by 16%.

This is why Geary says TOD is necessary for Dormont. Some of the borough’s very few spaces to develop include surface parking lots next to the Dormont light-rail station. He says developers have expressed interest in building multi-unit housing there, which he believes can attract new residents to the borough without bringing more cars and congestion.

“The only spot we have open is the two flat lots at Dormont Station, and that is the worst use of that space,” says Geary.

“I can tell you anecdotally, I have had people reach out to me, large developers.

They are chomping at the bit to have this kind of access online.”

Masciotra says this kind of TOD could not only be a boon to Port Authority, but also improve quality of life for the communities that implement it.

“Taller buildings and fewer parking spaces are both ways to create more space that people can occupy close to public transit,” says Masciotra. “The more people who live, work, or play near public transit, the more people are likely to ride it. Studies have shown that people who live in transit-oriented developments own fewer cars and make fewer car trips than those who don’t live as close to transit; fewer car trips mean less traffic congestion and better air quality, resulting in safer streets.”

This runs in contrast to the typical American strategy of constructing

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more roads to improve mobility, reduce congestion, and improve quality of life.

In Pittsburgh, like most other U.S. cities, there is little evidence that constructing more vehicle infrastructure has improved things over the last few decades.

According to nationwide transit advocacy organization Transportation for American, the Pittsburgh region has seen an 8% growth in freeway miles between 1993-2017. With that small growth in new roads, Greater Pittsburgh has still seen a 90% increase in congestion, even as the overall population of the regions has decreased by about 1%.

More Pittsburgh roads, fewer people overall, yet still significant growth in traffic congestion.

One possible solution to this phenomenon is providing homes near good public transit, especially housing that is attainable to populations more likely to use transit. Geary says TOD zoning is a way to attract denser development, and bring in new residents to Dormont who don’t have access to a car or limited access to vehicles. Geary says he and his wife only own one car, and they commute to their jobs easily via public transportation.

“Having the ability to move to a TOD zone, it opens up the community to a lot of people who are underrepresented,” says Geary. Ideally, Geary says Dormont can work with the state to get subsidies for any new developments, so they include permanent affordable housing.

Geary says another way to keep housing prices down is to add more supply, and to ensure developers don’t have any extra and unnecessary costs.

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M.L.K. Jr. East Busway in East Liberty

Dormont’s proposed zoning would also eliminate parking minimums where off-street parking is available and it would decrease parking minimums in areas without off-street parking from one parking space to every new unit, to one parking space to every two new units.

“People ask, ‘How do you not provide parking?’” says Geary. “Well, the folks that live there, they want to take the bus or light rail.”

Even though there are several benefits for TOD zoning, Geary predicts some pushback from these proposals. Dormont has already seen opposition before, when a development proposal near the Dormont Station was blocked by a lawsuit from community members.

Pittsburgh, which lacks TOD zoning, also saw a setback in an attempt to bring a TOD project to the East End. In April, Pittsburgh’s Zoning Board ruled against a proposed 230-unit and retail development — which included permanent affordable units and was located just feet from the East Liberty Busway Station. The board believed that development would create detrimental impacts involving traffic and blocking views for some nearby residents.

Lack of TOD zoning makes it easier for these kinds of projects to be blocked.

The East End development needed a zoning variance because it wanted to build 25 feet higher than the code allowed. And without TOD zoning in place, developers can be required to

build mismatched projects in areas well served by transit, like a recently proposed 42-unit, mixed-use apartment project in Carnegie that is required to include 45 surface parking spaces, even though the borough has several surface parking lots nearby. The mixed-use apartment project is just one-third of a mile from Carnegie’s Busway Station.

This is why Breen is hopeful Dormont’s proposed zoning changes will succeed, and that some TOD momentum will grow among other Pittsburgh area municipalities. She says Dormont used Port Authority’s TOD guidelines to write its new code, and other communities are currently in the development stage of future code rewrites. Wilkinsburg Council has already signaled friendliness to TOD in their borough just east of Pittsburgh city limits. Wilkinsburg’s main busway station is surrounded by a massive surface parking lot, which is less than one-third of a mile from the borough’s business district.

“Port Authority has and will continue to support municipal efforts to build transit-oriented development and infrastructure,” says Masciotra. “Zoning that encourages more development, a mix of live, work, shop, play, etc., and walking-friendly places — enables more transit use and other community benefits, such as spending at local businesses, physical activity, lower transportation costs, improved air quality, and safer streets.”

Follow news editor Ryan Deto on Twitter @RyanDeto

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CP PHOTOS: KAYCEE ORWIG

Alicia Tavani of No Limits Martial Arts

.BLACK-LED COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT.

KICK START

BY DANI JANAE // DANIJANAE@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

P

EOPLE PRACTICE martial arts for a variety of reasons, from health and wellness to being able to defend themselves in dangerous or unfamiliar situations. For Alicia Tavani, owner and master instructor at No Limits Martial Arts in the South Hills, martial arts was a path toward selfconfidence and focus. On her website, Tavani describes herself as “not the most athletic or confident child,” who started her training as a way to change that. Now, as a multi-time Taekwondo world champion who has also appeared

on the popular TV competition series American Ninja Warrior, Tavani is ready to take what she’s learned and impart that knowledge to the public.

Tavani started martial arts training at five years old when her mom enrolled her to help improve her focus and confidence. She was being bullied at school for being biracial, and also struggled with ADHD, so martial arts became the “award-winning combo that would help me gain confidence as well as keep me engaged and focused,” she tells Pittsburgh City Paper over email.

“I have always been drawn to Taekwondo because it is known for kicking and striking, which is practical to learn how to protect yourself, but also so much fun,” she says. “At age six, I started competing and it sparked a passion in me like no other, eventually winning four world champion titles and going on to win the ESPN 360 challenge in 2016.”

While Tavani is very decorated in her awards and accomplishments, including becoming a sixth-degree black belt, she says she has also dealt with her

own challenges.

“There have been many times in my life where I have been challenged,” she says. “Whether it be dealing with an abusive father, getting bullied because I’m half Black and half Italian, or something else. Martial Arts has taught me to accept who I am, stay true to myself, and allow myself to live my own journey and live to my fullest potential. It has taught me that having a ‘Yes, I can’ attitude is essential to loving yourself to the fullest and reaching your goals.”

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WE’VE GOT GREAT

Kids participate in a class at No Limits Martial Arts School.

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1001 Cool Springs Drive, Bethel Park. nolimitspgh.com

Tavani’s can-do attitude is very apparent and infectious. She describes how her training impacted her and calls it one of the most profound experiences in her life.

“My training has affected me greatly, mentally and physically. Teaching me from a very young age how to stay mentally and emotionally strong.

Helping me to implement and practice important life skills like self discipline, communication, and belief in myself,” she adds.

In 1998, Tavani was invited into the Legacy program for the American Taekwondo Association, which trains teens and adults to become certified instructors. She was awarded a scholarship to the program and fell in love with teaching because it gave her the ability to help others mentally and physically.

She says it allowed her to watch her students grow as they progress in rank through years of training, which she finds rewarding.

Tavani says that growing up in Erie, she didn’t see many people who looked like her. The town was primarily white, and she was the only mixed-race person at Master Stitt Black Belt Academy at the time. As she grew older, progressed in her training, and began to travel, she began to see a variety of cultures and backgrounds in her classes and when she was learning to teach.

No Limits Martial Arts started in 2018 with Tavani at the helm. The facility currently teaches Songahm Taekwondo, but combines techniques and principles from other martial arts styles in their classes, including Krav Maga and Kickboxing. No Limits also has a children’s program that starts young, ages 4 to 12, and has classes for teens and up. Participants can even book No Limits trainers for children’s birthday parties as a way to teach them “courtesy and respect.” Some of the benefits of training with Tavani or one of the other instructors includes “positive mental attitude, high goal setting, perseverance, self-control, and confidence.”

Tavani says she was apprehensive about being a biracial woman opening up a gym in the South Hills, but within the first three months of opening, she was up to 70 students.

“I believe if you are really good and genuine with what you do, then that is all that really matters,” she says. “I believe there is still much growth to do in terms of diversity in our area, but I believe by exposing my students to culture and getting the opportunity to train with me that I can open their eyes and minds up to people of other ethnicities and backgrounds. I didn’t realize how much of a cultural impact I would have on this community, but the power of martial arts is so strong.”

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HE ANNUAL Allies Ball celebrates and supports the decades of work to fight against HIV/AIDS, and it also serves to highlight how, even with life-saving medical advances and less panic about the virus, HIV/AIDS continues to be a major public health concern in Pittsburgh and throughout the world.

This has been the ongoing battle for Allies for Health and Wellbeing, formerly Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force.

On Fri., May 28, Allies Ball will present the Free For All, a hybrid event that includes an online show and a livestream of the gala on a jumbo screen in Schenley Plaza, where members of the public are being invited to gather for a dance party and other festivities. This year builds on the virtual ball that took place last September, after the pandemic canceled the usual in-person event.

“Last year, I mean, literally a week before the in-person ball was supposed to happen, we shut it down,” says Sean DeYoung, chief executive officer of Allies for Health and Wellbeing.

But as he and Allies event planner Thommy Conroy of 4121 Main point out, the move to online turned out to be a boon for the organization, causing them to reach many unexpected people.

As a result, Free For All was planned with accessibility and inclusivity in mind. Partiers have the option of coming to Schenley Plaza or watching from home, where they can also enjoy kits catered by a local restaurant and bar.

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Schenley Plaza with Allies partners, including Foundation of HOPE, Pittsburgh Action Against Rape, Sojourner House, and Women’s Center and Shelter.

DeYoung believes the change in format will help educate a wider audience on the importance of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and why funding organizations like Allies are key to that mission. He sees this as crucial in a time when young people, particularly those born after the American AIDS crisis, have become less concerned about the potentially deadly virus.

“There’s a lot of apathy with our younger generation. They’re saying, ‘Well, you know, if I get it, I can take one pill a day. ... I can live with it and be OK if I get to an undetectable viral load,’” says DeYoung, referring to groundbreaking pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP medications that, if taken daily, can help “block the transmission of HIV.” Still, DeYoung says Allies still sees CONTINUES ON PG. 14

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Gregory Johnstone Gregory Nesbitt Gregory Scott Gretchen Swecker Griffin Conley Hal B Klein Hannah Diehl Harley Nester Harold Smoliar Heather Slack Heidi Bartholomew Helen Gerhardt Henry Doherty Hobart Webster Howard Seltman Ian Oman Ian Riggins Jacob Bacharach Jade Artherhults James Conley James Heinrich James Kiley James Morgan James Saal James Santelli Jamie Piotrowski Janet Lunde Jared Pollock Jasiri X Jason Meer Jay Aronson Jay Walker Jean McClung Jeanne Cobetto Jeff Betten Jeffrey Benzing Jeffrey Brooks Jeffrey Bigham Jeffrey Zahren Jenni Easton Jennie Sweet-Cushman Jennifer Reigler Jennifer Shumar Jennifer Strang Jenny Ladd Jeremy Kimmel Jess Williams Jessica Benham Jessica Bevan Jessica Manack Jessica Priselac Jessica Prom Jessica Prucnal Jill Bodnar Jill Harmon JoAnn Zindren Joanne Gilligan Jocelyn Codner Jodi Hirsh Joe D’Alessandro Joe Pasqualetti Joe Wagner John Bechtold John Berry John Meyer John Oliver John Riggs John Ryan John Wise John Yackovich Jonathan Salmans Jordan Bender Joseph Corrigan Joseph Morrison Joseph Rubenstein Josephine Ulrich Josh Nygaard Joshua Axelrod Joshua Kiley Joshua Pinter Joshua Pirl Joshua Smith Jude Vachon

Judith Hartung Judith Koch Judith Lenz Juli Wright Julia Lee Julia Posteraro Julia Scanlon Julian Routh Julie & Nick Futules Justin Dandoy Justin Krane Justin Matase Justin McVay Justin Nodes Justin Pekular Justin Romano Justin Rossini Kai Gutschow Kara Holsopple Karen Brown Karen Hodes Karen Shepherd Karen Van Dusen Kate Jones Kate Roberts Kate Rosenzweig Katharine Kelleman Katherine Kennedy Katherine Oltmanns Kathleen Heuer Kathryn Feeney Kathy Dax Kathy Woll Katie Damico Katie Hudson Katie Markowski Katie Urich Katy Greulich Kay Brink Kayla Cline Keegan Gibson Keith Bare Keith Recker Kelly Burgess Kelly Hiser Kendra Ross Kenneth Mostern Kevin Gallagher Kevin Marpoe Kevin Vickey Khris & Tom McGarity Kim Lyons Kimberly Ressler Kimberly Taylor Krista Wright Kristin Ebert-Wagner Kristin Komazec Kristopher Olson Kyle Cunningham Kyle Gracey Kyle Zboran Lady MacBonald Lara Putnam Larry Lynn Laura Adams Laura Dickey Laura Drogowski Laura Everhart Laura Heberton-Shlomchik Laura Hershel Laura Myers Lauren Banka Lauren Lief Lazar Palnick Leah Hoechstetter Leo Hsu Lesley Carlin Lesley Rains Leslie Cooley Leslie Harman Levon Ritter Liam Lowe Linda Schott

Lindsay Forman Lindsay Hagerty Lindsay Wright Lisa Saks Lisa Steinfeld Liz Dewar Liz Hrenda Liz Reid Lois Apple Loretta Deto Lori Delale-O’Connor Lori Flynn Lorie Milich Lucas Miller Luke Rifugiato Lynn Cullen Lynne Cherepko Lynne Frank Lynne Hughes Lyudmila Sanina Mackenzie Moylan Madelyn Glymour Madison Stubblefield Magda Gangwar Mahita Gajanan Mandy Kivowitz-Delfaver Margaret Buckley Margaret Krauss Margaret Prescott Marjorie Waters Maria Sensi Sellner Marianne Donley Marilyn McCarty Marina Fang Mark Goodman Mark Solomon Mark Westbrook Mark Winer Marlee Brown Mary Briles Mary Guzzetta Mary Russell Maryellen Lammel Matt Adams Matt Malarich Matt Moret Matthew Buchholz Matthew Cartier Matthew Demers Matthew Griffin Matthew Kroen Matthew Lamberti Maureen Byko Max Garber Max Moclock Megan Brady Megan Fair Megan Winters Melinda Wedde Melissa Kohr Melissa Melewsky Micaela Corn Michael Colaresi Michael Damico Michael Donovan Michael DiGuglielmo Michael Lamb Michael McKinney Michael Wasson Mike Beattie Mike Kutilek Mike Weis Mimi Forester MJ Holmes Moira Egler Molly Kasperek Molly Toth Morgan Jenkins Nan Alexander Nancy Dubensky Nancy Latimer Nate Good Nathan Thompson-Amato

Nathaniel Feuerstein Neil Bhaerman Neil Owen Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh Nicholas Gliozzi Nichole Remmert Nicole Connor Nick Goodfellow Nikki Walton Noah Theriault Norine Minion Norma Bronder Office of Public Art Olie Bennett Guarino Olivia Enders Olivia Tucker Olivia Zane Ollie Gratzinger Paolo Pedercini Patricia DeMarco Patricia Oliver Patrick Conneely Patrick Kelley Patty Delaney Paul Hertneky Paul McGowan Paula Majersky Peter McKay Peter Mudge Peter Reichl Rachael Hopkins Rachel Belloma Bonnet Rachel Busch Rachel Dalton Rachel Tiche Rachelle Haynik Rainy Sinclair Randall Baumann Randy Gowat Randy Sargent Raymond Kozlowski Raymond Leech Raymond Martin Rebecca Boyer Rebecca Ciez Rebecca Seibel Regina Connolly Regina Yankie Rich Lord Richard Kress Richelle Meer Rick D’Loss Rob Rossi Robert & Erin Blussick Robert Baird Robert Davis Robert Jauquet Robert Lang Robert McKnight Robert Nishikawa Robert Raczka Robert Sage Robin Bolea Ron Vodenichar Rosemary Mendel Ross Reilly Rossilynne Culgan Ruth Craig Ryan Rydzewski Ryan Warsing Samantha Mudrinich Samantha Ritzer Samantha Wire Sam Barrett Samuel Boswell Sara Innamorato Sara Simon Sara Zullo Sarah Birmingham Sarah Cassella Sarah Flaherty Sarah Hamm

Sarah Paul Sarah Pearman Sarah Peterson Sarah Sewall Sarah Sprague Sarah Vernau Sarah Wiggin Scott Bricker Sean Bailey Sean Collier Sean Mahan Sean ODonnell Selene Wartell Shanna Carrick Shannon Kelly Sharee Stout Shawn Cooke Shawn Melvin Sherri Suppa Shirlie Mae Choe Siena Kane Slava Starikov Smitha Prasadh Stacey Campbell Stacey Federoff Stephanie Sedor Stephanie Wein Stephen Riccardi Stephen Wagner Steve Felix Steve Holz Steven Haines Steven Thomas Stuart Strickland Sue D’Nihm Susan Caplan Susan Hawkins Susan Jackson Susan Rogers Susan Smith Susan Speicher Suzanne Kafantaris Sylvain Goyette Taia Pandolfi Tammy Schuey Tara Spence Tara Zeigler Tasha Eakin Ted Schroeder Tereneh Idia Terry Bicehouse Terry Peters Thomas Bartnik Timons Esaias Tina Shackleford Tobin Seastedt Todd Derr Tom Samuel Toni Haraldsen Tracy Certo Tracy Travaglio Travis Hefner Trenton Tabor Trevor Baumel Trey Mason Tyler Bickford Tyler McAndrew Uwe Stender Valerie Moore Vicki Cunningham Victoria Donahoe Virginia Alvino Young Will Bernstein Will Halim Will Simmons William Doran William Fulmer William J Schoy IV William Lovas William Maruca William O’Driscoll Yonatan Bisk Zack Tanner

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PHOTO: COURTESY OF ALLIES FOR HEALTH AND WELLBEING

2019 Allies Ball

a “steady level of infection here in Pittsburgh,” with numbers hovering around 100 new cases a year. DeYoung notes that Allies has seen at least seven new positive cases just in the last few weeks.

Much of the reason HIV/AIDS was able to spread so quickly was because of stigma and ignorance DeYoung says still persists to this day. As a result, Allies works to create what DeYoung calls a “stigma-free place where people can come and get health care.” In addition to its testing and prevention program, the organization, which serves an 11-county region, provides medical, dental, and behavioral health services, housing, financial, and pro bono legal assistance, and more.

Beyond HIV/AIDS care, DeYoung points out that they also treat infectious diseases like Hepatitis C, provide basic gynecological care, and do “genderaffirming care for folks that are transgender.”

DeYoung says that, with the pandemic, funds are needed more than ever. Recently, he says Allies was able to purchase a van that enables them to take their services out into the community. He also stresses that they are looking at ways to better serve older patients living with HIV/AIDS. “We found a way to keep people alive, and we have an aging population

with HIV that are going to have health concerns,” says DeYoung. “There’s gonna be issues with housing and nursing home care and whatnot in the future for folks because there’s a big population of people that are living with HIV that are now becoming elderly.”

While the ball will raise critical funding for these issues, it will also be a time for celebration and recognition.

Conroy says the Free For All theme takes inspiration from Chinese-American fashion designer Anna Sui, whose body of work was influenced by the “golden age of rock and roll,” particularly the famed 1969 music festival Woodstock.

The event will also honor advocacy work with an annual award named after the late Kerry Stoner, who helped found the original AIDS Task Force in 1985. This year, the award will be given to Clarisse Jordan, who DeYoung says has given much of her time to serving people living with HIV. As the Free For All promises to be a fun, affirming celebration, DeYoung also wants it to be informative.

“HIV/AIDS is still a real thing,” he says. “It’s not out front in the news, but it’s still something that is affecting our nation and people here locally, and we need to continue to fight it and be aware of it. And we have a lot of tools to fight it.”

•

Follow senior writer Amanda Waltz on Twitter @AWaltzCP

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 26 - JUNE 2, 2021

15

CP PHOTOS: KAYCEE ORWIG

Yang Zhen Lee

.PROFILE.

LEAVING THEIR MARK

Yang Zhen Lee’s trauma-informed tattooing prioritizes boundaries and trust

BY KIMBERLY ROONEY 냖㵸蔻 // KIMROONEY@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

Y

ANG ZHEN LEE didn’t intend on becoming a tattoo artist. After working as a freelance illustrator for six years, they even decided to give up on being an artist altogether. But when they were offered a front desk position at Gypsy Tattoo Parlor, it marked the beginning of their journey into a new art form.

Lee, 30, has worked at Gypsy Tattoo Parlor for four years and has developed a recognizable style defined by organic, natural imagery and thin, delicate lines.

As their aesthetic style has solidified, their technique and approach to tattooing has evolved as well, incorporating what they’ve learned from other tattoo artists

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

to create trauma-informed, trust-focused interactions.

“I always want to make people feel comfortable and taken care of, because I, myself, have felt uncomfortable in situations and I feel like, sometimes it’s not just the image that we carry with us, but it’s also just even the process of putting your trust in someone that can be very healing, or very damaging,” Lee says.

Lee (@yangzhenlee) only had one tattoo when they started working at Gypsy Tattoo Parlor, a Romani-owned queer tattoo shop on the border of Bloomfield and Lawrenceville. Michelle Joy (@michellejoyart), Lee’s boss, had them

tattoo on skin from the start rather than first practicing on fake skin or oranges.

The first tattoo Lee did was on themself.

“My friend Kate [Kittenfists (@kittenfists)] was my mentor, and they told me to go as big as I could, so then I can fix it later.

So it was like eight inches long,” says Lee. “And it’s been so long that I kinda like how janky it is because it just reminds me how hard it was. Like, I remember my hands shaking and not being able to control how deep I was going and the lines aren’t very straight.”

At the start, Lee had a lot of anxiety about making a permanent mistake on people’s bodies. For the first half a year,

they tattooed almost anything for $30.

Lee also learned from other tattoo artists, including those in the shop and online, and visiting tattoo artists passing through the city. They learned that darker skin is softer, requiring the machine to run slower to avoid scarring, from Joy — who learned from Roni Zulu (@zulutheartist), a Black tattoo artist — as well as how to layer color mixed with white as a base before tattooing the unmixed color on top of darker skin from Laura Hammel (@mathgoth), a tattoo artist at Outside Tattoo in Bloomfield.

With more time and experience, they developed a healthier relationship with

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their work, often returning to a quote from Thom DeVita, a New York-based tattoo artist who passed away in 2018: “Any imperfections add to its beauty.”

As Lee learned to tattoo others, they were also getting tattooed. “I think I should have 21 tattoos,” says Lee. The collaborative nature of learning continues for Lee, who is excited to meet other tattoo artists and trade information and experiences. One of their most memorable interactions was when Ben Phan (@heart_fuzz) visited the shop.

“I remember us locking eyes in Gypsy Tattoo Parlor when he came to guest with us. We both were like, ‘We need to tattoo each other immediately.’ Ben is so funny, charming, and lovely,” says Lee, who tattooed a dapper frog from a nursery rhyme on Phan in exchange for a cactus in a cowboy hat and a heart with a dagger. “I admire his lightness of personality and his sense of humor. I felt so comfortable and at ease. After he tattooed me, I consciously tried to carry more of that lightness in my client interactions.”

Tattooing has also helped Lee set their own boundaries, both with clients and in their personal life, and working with other queer artists has helped create a space where Lee feels able to ask for others’ input as well as share their own.

Their personal experiences as a Chinese and trans nonbinary person have also shaped their boundaries as a tattoo artist, particularly in what they

are and aren’t comfortable with tattooing, not just for location — they no longer do finger tattoos — but for content of tattoos as well.

In addition to refusing to tattoo hate symbols, Lee no longer feels comfortable with tattooing Harry Potter-related art due to series author J.K. Rowling’s transphobic actions. They also don’t feel comfortable tattooing Chinese characters on people who don’t have a personal relationship with the language, both because they feel it’s appropriative, but also because many non-Asian people they know with Chinese or Japanese character tattoos now regret them.

“I don’t want to put anything on someone that is very likely to be very uncomfortable for that person. But also, it doesn’t seem right to me,” Lee says, who also notes that their boss Joy has been supportive of the boundaries they’ve established. Lee now focuses on flash tattoos, including a whimsical egg lion series, and fantastical frogs and birds.

“I’m really grateful for all the people who put their trust in me. Because it is a scary thing, to have someone inflict pain on you and also to put an image on you that you’re probably going to carry for a long time,” says Lee. “I’m also very grateful for my shop. … I found a really lovely, supportive community, and people who really care for my wellbeing, and has probably ruined most other jobs for me forever.”

•

Follow staff writer Kimberly Rooney 냖㵸蔻 on Twitter @kimlypso PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 26 - JUNE 2, 2021

17

.FASHION.

CLOTHES MAKE ...

ALYSSA VELAZQUEZ

BY TERENEH IDIA CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

Name: Alyssa Velazquez Work: Curatorial Assistant of Decorative Arts and Design at Carnegie Museum of Art (4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. cmoa.org)

How would you describe your style in a few words?

Playful. Experimental. Quirky. Vintage.

I think of my style as a mix of Iona and Andie Walsh in Pretty in Pink.

A Bomber jacket paired with funky earrings and a pink-and-white, polka dot, tulle prom dress with pearls kind of style.

There’s probably even some Duckie in there, too. Because why not?

Tell me what you’re wearing?

I am wearing a 1960s Irvington Place Sportswear by Lili go-go dress that I purchased from Avalon Exchange in Squirrel Hill. As soon as I saw its buttery soft brown leather looking out at me from the rack, I didn’t give a second thought to size or price; I had to have it. My deep-abiding love and devotion to Avalon Exchange as my go-to thrift store in Pittsburgh was sealed with this quintessential mod dress, complete with intact satin lining and original metal zipper. To me, it’s not just a garment, it’s an attitude. And I love it.

Just about as much as I love my collection of vintage purses. The one that I’m wearing was a gift from my mom and — believe it or not — came to me many years before the dress. It’s by Stylecraft Miami, an innovative bag maker that produced lines in a wide variety of styles and materials beginning in the late 1930s. One of their taglines was, “as relaxed and off-the-beaten-path as the life in Miami.” Most were designed with shoe coordination in mind but were also smart novelties suitable for regular handbag department stores.

My jewelry is a combination of old and new with a brown-stone bracelet that I bought at a New York flea market and my much beloved double-sided Sun

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CP PHOTOS: TERENEH IDIA

Alyssa Velazquez

and Moon pendant by Jenna Vanden Brink Ceramics.

Is there something you wear every day or often that is a special gift to yourself?

I’m a big fan of ringed hands. On any given day, I’m wearing five to seven rings on different fingers. In that ringedrealm of possibility, there are some that I wear regardless of the outfit. One is a moon and cluster of stars mood ring (yes, mood ring) that I bought at Sid & Nancy, a buy-sell-trade store in Columbia, South Carolina. The other is my first “big girl purchase,” a small alexandrite stone set in a simple gold band that I bought with high school graduation money.

Considered the stone of good fortune, alexandrite was first discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia and quickly became one of its national symbols because it possesses both of Russia’s national colors — red and green. In daylight, the gemstone exhibits a green color, but by candle or firelight, it changes into a deep red/purple.

The fact that there is a stone that

is “emerald by day, ruby by night” astounds me even now, and I’ve very much adopted its unique talismanic history, wearing it to aid creativity, boost internal harmony, and for its associations with balancing the dualities of life.

Is there something you wear every day or often that is a special gift from someone else?

I’d have to say it’s not so much a single item that I wear consistently, but rather a consistent wardrobe of special gifts.

As my outfit description indicates, I have a very hard time separating clothes from the people, stores, stories, special occasions, or circumstances surrounding them. I still have garments from middle school that I can recall wearing at a school dance or a top that I sported at a social function that time I had the gumption to ask a boy out. Those wearable or fashionable memories, as I like to think of them, extend to every dress, purse, or pair of shoes I own. In fact, one of the first pieces I published following my undergraduate studies was Men and Manolos: Love and Relationships in The

Heels of a Hopeless Romantic, a personal collection of essays on love and relationships in rain boots, sneakers, flats, and even a pair of Manolos.

How would you describe your style at work vs. out & about?

I’d describe it as one in the same. While my garments may or may not have tags, depending on the age of the garment, I don’t label my wardrobe as daytime, evening, or business casual. There’s very little of my style that I wouldn’t wear out and about and also at work. If I want to wear bedazzled Doc Martens to work or go to a job interview in a pink leather jacket and tutu, I will.

Where are you from and what brought you here?

I come to Pittsburgh by way of Columbia, South Carolina, but am originally from New Jersey. In between those periods of time, I also lived in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and New York. Curatorial positions can be hard to come by and junior positions are often contractual. After I

completed my last curatorial research position at the Columbia Museum of Art, coordinating the exhibition Van Gogh and His Inspirations, I sent out over 40 applications across the United States in the fields of museum education, curatorial fellowships, and public art programming.

At the time, I promised myself that if the 50th application came back with no offer, the universe was sending me a sign.

CMOA was number 48.

Has your style of dress changed as a result of the move?

My style of dress hasn’t changed, but the sheer volume of truly great consignment, vintage, and handmade stores in Pittsburgh has resulted in a dip in my checking account.

As a curator in decorative arts and design, how has your work influenced the way you dress and vice versa?

Growing up, my mom took me school shopping to Goodwills; it’s still one of our favorite pastimes. And while she didn’t use the terms “sustainable fashion” or “ecological consumerism,” she practiced it. When I decided to major in decorative arts and design history, the field merely heightened and informed my vocabulary to that existing relationship. Now I was not only contributing to a circular clothing swap but envisioning said treasures’ pasts. Who owned it, where did they wear it, if it’s a brand, what’s its history?

Those questions and the often unknown answers are inseparable from the fabric, and influence the way I approach any design project.

Is there any work of art in CMOA’s collection that is particularly inspiring

to you in terms of how you dress?

In November of last year, CMOA opened Locally Sourced, a celebration of 19 Western Pennsylvania-based artists, makers, designers, and creatives. [Editor’s note: Tereneh Idia is one of the featured Locally Sourced makers.] As the curator of Locally Sourced, I had both the deep honor and pleasure to visit many studios throughout the Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania area in developing the size and scope of the project. Meeting makers in their creative spaces inspired me to take my appreciation for fashion to the next level; I didn’t just want to be able to say “I like that,” I wanted to say “I made this.” So, with the patience and guidance of Catherine Batcho at Cut and Sew Studio near Stanton Heights, I slowly but surely worked my way through my first pattern design. Eight classes and many frustrating missteps later, I now have a cosplay outfit to wear at the next ComicCon convention. And while that had always been a nerdy daydream of mine, I don’t think I would have had the same level of inspiration to make it a reality if it wasn’t for the handcrafted works featured in Locally Sourced.

What are you looking forward to this spring and summer? What is your next project for CMOA? I think, like most people, I’m looking forward to embracing spring and summer with family, friends, and loved ones. As a relatively recent transplant, I have a roster of individuals that have been meaning to come to the ’Burgh, and I’m ready to be both a tour guide and tourist of arts and culture in and around our three rivers. As for CMOA, you’ll have to stay tuned!

•

Follow featured contributor Tereneh Idia on Twitter @Tereneh152XX PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 26 - JUNE 2, 2021

19

SEVEN DAYS IN PITTSBURGH

PHOTO: AMY FISHER/PAWSBURGH PHOTOGRAPHY

^ Croatian Mother Raises Her Son for War (Maxo Vanka 1937) in Saint Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church

THU., MAY 27 ART • VIRTUAL Maksimilijan Vanka, a Croatian-American artist, is best known for his murals in St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church. Join assistant professor of art and art history Dr. Heidi Cook, along with Dr. Barbara McCloskey, for Vanka Murals Table Talk: Vanka’s Our Mothers and the First World War to learn about one of Vanka’s earlier paintings, “Our Mothers.” The painting, completed between 1914 and 1918 in Zagreb, Croatia, would later inform his mural, “Croatian Mothers Raise Their Sons for War,” in Millvale. The event will take place over Zoom. 6:30 p.m. Free with registration. vankamurals.org/get-involved

FRI., MAY 28 SCREEN • IRL Swing in for the first community movie night at Hazelwood Green. Families and film fans can bring picnic blankets and

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

lawn chairs for a free outdoor screening of the 2018 animated feature Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, presented in partnership with Row House Cinema. Enjoy complimentary popcorn, or purchase a snack from on-site food trucks and movie concessions. Face masks and social distancing encouraged. 7-10 p.m. 4734 Second Ave., Hazelwood. Free. RSVP required. hazelwoodlocal.com/calendar

ART • IRL Assemble presents Future Correspondence, a new exhibit by Pittsburgh-based artist Khadijat Yussuf, described as an exploration on how anti-Blackness has affected the artist personally. Yussuf is a Yoruba-American artist from the Bronx who specializes in textile and audiovisual art. Their work is described as vibrant and tactile, appealing to the senses through “a mix of traditional and digital media.” Those interested can schedule 30-minute timed gallery visits, limited to four visitors, on the Assemble website.

7-9 p.m. 4824 Penn Ave., Bloomfield.

Free. assemblepgh.org

SAT., MAY 29 MARKET • IRL Made and Found is back with its summer kickoff Rooftop Market at Arsenal Motors, with different vendors Saturday and Sunday. Creatives Drink will serve drinks both days to sip while exploring more than a dozen vendors selling stained glass, candles, jewelry, clothing, ceramics, and more. Masks are required for both vendors and shoppers.

11 a.m.-6 p.m. Continues Sun., May 30.

3706 Butler St., Lawrenceville. Free. facebook.com/madeandfoundpgh

THEATER • IRL See the final performance of Little Lake Theatre’s production of the comedy Shirley Valentine. Actor Helga Terre stars in this one-person play about a desperately bored Liverpool wife and mother who finds a new lust for life during a trip to Greece. Presented in Little Lake’s new on-site Open Air Performance venue. Face masks are

mandatory in many public areas.

2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. 500 Lakeside Drive South, Canonsburg. $16-22. littlelake.org/shirleyvalentine

SUN., MAY 30 COMEDY • IRL Arcade Comedy Theater is bringing more live comedy and entertainment to Pittsburgh for its run of outdoor, live performances in the month of May. These in-person shows are fun and safe for adults, especially Musical Mayhem. Led by singer, actor, and comedian Missy Moreno, Musical Mayhem is sure to be a night of fun. Moreno has gotten a lot of press for being a comedy star here in Pittsburgh, so you’ll be in good hands with her at the helm. 7 p.m. 133 Seventh St., Downtown. $15. arcadecomedytheater.com/outside

SPORTS • IRL A casual yard game no more, cornhole has transformed into a serious competition for many. The game where teams try to

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^ Shirley Valentine at Little Lake Theatre 1

throw bean bags into a small hole has spawned professional leagues and legitimate competitions. At the inaugural Steel City Throwdown, players can compete in a tournament for a cash prize to determine the best cornhole team in Pittsburgh. Benefits the Iota Phi Foundation, the charity arm of two Black fraternities. 2-7 p.m.

1612 Manhattan St., North Side. $50 entry fee per team. Donation suggested for spectators. steelcitythrowdown.com

Pompeani. Cowher recounts his life, from growing up in Crafton to playing college football in North Carolina, and on to his big coaching break in Cleveland to finally helming Pittsburgh’s beloved football team. This virtual talk goes beyond football, as Cowher also reflects on personal grief, resilience, and the importance of family. Pre-recorded. Watch anytime on or after June 1. $40. Tickets come with a signed copy of Cowher’s book. pittsburghlectures.org

MON., MAY 31

WED., JUNE 2

ZOO • IRL

ART • IRL

Join the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium for its first socially distanced Opening Season Parade. Attendees will see princesses, mascots, dancers from the Shovlin Academy of Irish Dance, and more.

The parade, presented by Busy Beaver, makes its way from Forest Passage through the African Savanna and up Bear Hill, along the walking path past Water’s Edge, and ends at the Kids Kingdom patio.

11 a.m. 7370 Baker St., Highland Park.

Free with general zoo admission. pittsburghzoo.org/parade

Border Cantos | Sonic Border is described on the Westmoreland Museum of Art website as a “unique collaboration” between American photographer Richard Misrach and Mexican-American sculptor and composer Guillermo Galindo. The bodies of work by both artists create a conversation around the MexicanAmerican border region, a site of much debate. Misrach’s Border Cantos takes large-scale portraits of the various landscapes around the border, while Galindo’s Sonic Border is an original score composed of eight instruments, all created from discarded objects found at the border. Continues through Sept. 5. 221 N. Main St., Greensburg. Free. thewestmoreland.org •

TUE., JUNE 1 LIT • VIRTUAL Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures welcomes legendary Yinzer and former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher for a discussion of his memoir Heart and Steel with local sports broadcaster Bob

“Medicare & You,” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2020 Includes the Participating (in GA: Designated) Providers and Preventive Benefits Rider.

Product not available in all states. Acceptance guaranteed for one insurance policy/ certificate of this type. Contact us for complete details about this insurance solicitation. This specific offer is not available in CO, LA, NY; call 1-800-969-4781 or respond for similar offer. Certificate C250A (ID: C250E; PA: C250Q); Insurance Policy P150 (GA: P150GA; NY: P150NY; OK: P150OK; TN: P150TN); Rider kinds B438/B439 (GA: B439B).

6255

PYRAMIDTATTOO.COM

BRIDGEVILLE, PA

IRL = IN REAL LIFE EVENT VIRTUAL = STREAMING OR ONLINE-ONLY EVENT HYBRID = MIX OF IN REAL LIFE AND ONLINE EVENT

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 26 - JUNE 2, 2021

21

PIGGIES

BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY // BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM

ACROSS 1. Big cheese in Bombay, once 6. Pirate’s “hold up there!”

11. Like Motrin, e.g.: Abbr.

14. Letter-shaped dress 15. Full of life 16. Passing remark?

17. One hitting Romo?

19. 3-1-1 rule enforcing org.

20. Interpersonal connection?

21. Demoiselle 22. More acrobatic 24. What grows in Marisa’s garden?

27. 1877 play by Bret Harte and Mark Twain 30. “What ___ doing wrong?”

31. Without any delay 32. River through Toledo 34. Slumber party duds 36. Bachelorette party prop 39. Conduit for Mario 40. Auto wheel alignment, and a phonetic hint to this puzzle’s theme 42. Take in an eyeful 43. Thing pushed in the gym 44. Copying, in a phrase 45. Western novelist Louis 47. Playing card

22

PGHCITYPAPER.COM

between dame and as 49. Umberto who said “I love the smell of book ink in the morning” 51. Transgender tennis star Richards 52. Those who refuse to eat soy?

56. Rarer than rare 57. Beer with West Coast and New England varieties 58. CD rate, e.g.

61. “Pronouns in ___” 62. Rachael raising her glass?

66. “Did see that happening” 67. Boston’s Hancock Tower architect 68. Tight end who plays for “Tompa Bay” 69. The Maze Runner director Ball 70. Oozes through 71. NBA commentator Johnson

DOWN 1. “Well, phooey” 2. Sunscreen ingredient 3. “You said it, too!”

4. “That one, or that one, or ... just pick one” 5. “Dad just left” 6. Brilliant blossom 7. One with an all-access pass 8. Tapped game 9. Form letters?

10. Peter’s Game Of

Thrones character 11. Done with drinking 12. Zapping device 13. Cooks on the grill, say 18. Escape 23. Pairs 24. Couldn’t make a connection on the web, say 25. Force out of office 26. Water brand named after a Pacific island 27. Tool boxes?

28. Frozen rain 29. Kale and quinoa, e.g.

33. “When can I expect you?,” for short 35. Show where Elon Musk announced

his Aspberger’s 37. Swing around 38. With 54-Down, hide-and-seek warning 41. Russian man’s name that means “holy” 46. Put into nice piles 48. “Well, in that case ...”

50. Ear problem 52. Tight End Tim of the Jacksonville Jaguars 53. Nitrous ___ 54. See 38-Down 55. Central opening 58. Pictures of beavers on the intertubes, e.g.

59. “Allow me” 60. Little kid 63. Zoo favorite 64. Kind of retirement acct.

65. “Drop that bone, mister!”

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To place a Classified ad in Pittsburgh City Paper, call 412-685-9009 to speak to one of our representatives.

Metro Community Health Center offers full mental health services to everyone regardless of identity, income, insurance status, or the ability to pay. Make an appointment by calling 412-247-2310 and visit our website, www.metrocommunityhealthcenter.org, to learn more.

FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISEMENT, CALL 412-685-9009 ext. 106 REHEARSAL

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AT&T TV - The Best of Live & On-Demand On All Your Favorite Screens. CHOICE Package, $64.99/mo plus taxes for 12months. Premium Channels at No Charge for One Year! Anytime, anywhere. Some restrictions apply. W/ 24-mo. agmt TV price higher in 2nd year. Regional Sports Fee up to $8.49/mo. is extra & applies.

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Herbal Program. Also opportunity to earn up to $1,000 monthly. 1-800-492-4437 www.myherbalife.com

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HELP WANTED

CONSTRUCTION

West Penn Allegheny Health System, Inc. seeks Medical Technologists (multiple openings) to work at West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. Duties include: (i) performing routine and complex procedures; (ii) verifying analytic accuracy, precision, sensitivity and linearity; (iii) operating, calibrating, checking and maintaining laboratory instrumentation.

If interested, apply at: ahn.org/careers.

KEITH KARTMAN CONSTRUCTION “We are First and Still the Best” Since 1972. Specializing in Commercial/Residential, Railroad Tie & Versa-Lok, Retaining Walls, Decks, Planters, Carports, Walkways, Steps, Waterproofing, Landslide Repairs. Free Estimates, Insured. We work all winter. 412-571-2500.

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AUTO CASH FOR CARS! We buy all cars! Junk, high-end, totaled – it doesn’t matter! Get free towing and same day cash! NEWER MODELS too! Call 866-535-9689 (AAN CAN)

CREDIT REPAIR

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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)

SAVE YOUR HOME! Are you behind paying your MORTGAGE? Denied a Loan Modification? Is the bank threatening foreclosure?

CALL Homeowners Relief Line NOW for Help 1-855-4395853 Mon-Fri : 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Sat: 8:00 am to 1:00 pm(all times Pacific) (AAN CAN)

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Learn your options. Good credit not necessary. Call the Helpline 888-670-5631 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm Eastern) (AAN CAN)

NAME CHANGE

NAME CHANGE

NAME CHANGE

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-21-002159.

In re petition of Kevin O’Malley for change of name to Danielle Freyja O’Malley. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 25th day of June, 2021, at 1:30 p.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

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-21-4543.

In re petition of Mark Anthony Semaan for change of name to Mark Anthony Simaan. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 24th day of June, 2021, 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

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-21-3344. In re petition of Krista Marie Ford for change of name to Krista Kelly Ford. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 15th day of June, 2021, 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

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-21-4550. In re petition of Erin Lee Sinkovec for change of name to Erin Lee O’Malley. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 28th day of June, 2021, 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

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• ALL INSURANCES ACCEPTED • WALK INS WELCOME • tRANSPORATION PROGRAM • NO INSURANCE? WE CAN HELP North Shore - 127 Anderson Street - Suite 101 Timber Court Building, PIttsburgh, PA 15212 Phone: (412) 322-4151 washington, pa - 95 Leonard Avenue Suite 203, Washington PA 15301 Phone: (724) 249-2517 beaver county - 2360 hospital drive Suite 1, aliquippa, pa 15001 Phone: (724)707-1155 Erie - 3104 State Street, Erie, PA 16508 PHONE: (814) 619-4009

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 26 - JUNE 2, 2021

23

Req's separate subscription/login for HBO Max,

SAY HELLO TO Watch your favorite entertainment in one place.

Plus,

CHOICE™ PACKAGE

64

$

99 MO. For 12 mos. plus taxes & Regional Sports Fee.

included for a year.

• Stream on your phone, tablet and TV - anytime, anywhere.

Available only in the U.S. (excl. Puerto Rico & U.S.V.I.). Req’s compatible device & data connection. Limited to 3 concurrent streams.

• Access HBO Max, Netflix and more on Google Play.

Req's separate subscription/login for HBO Max, Netflix. Google login required. Google is a trademark of Google LLC.

HBO Max Offer: Access HBO Max only through HBO Max app or hbomax.com. HBO Max also includes HBO channels and HBO On Demand on AT&T TV. Data rates may apply for app download/usage.

AT&T TV: *$19.95 ACTIVATION, EARLY TERMINATION FEE ($15/MO.) FOR TV FOR EACH MONTH REMAINING ON AGMT., EQUIPMENT NON-RETURN & ADD’L FEES APPLY. Price incl. CHOICE AT&T TV Pkg. 1 AT&T TV device included for well-qualified customers; otherwise $120. New residential customers only, excluding DIRECTV and U-verse TV customers. Restr’s apply.

Get AT&T TV Today!

1-877-350-1003 AT&T TV: AT&T TV requires high speed internet. Recommend minimum 24 Mbps for optimal viewing (min 8 Mbps per stream). Limit 3 concurrent AT&T streams.

CHOICE: Ends 1/16/21. 1st & 2nd year Pricing: $64.99 for first 12 mos. only. After 12 mos. or loss of eligibility, then prevailing rate applies $110/mo. for CHOICE Pkg, unless cancelled or changed prior to end of the promo period. Includes: CHOICE Pkg. Req’s 1 AT&T TV device, included for well qualified customers; otherwise $120. Add’l devices avail for $120 each or on installment; non-qualified customers must purchase additional devices up front. Additional Fees & Taxes: Price excludes Regional Sports Fee of up to $8.49/mo. (which is extra & applies to CHOICE and higher Pkgs), and certain other add’l fees & charges. AT&T TV: Subject to AT&T TV terms and conditions.

Avail. in the U.S. only (excludes Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands). AT&T TV service will continue monthly at the prevailing rate charged to your payment method on file, unless you cancel, subject to any early termination fees. If you cancel in the first 14 days of order, you must return the included AT&T TV device within 14 days of order to avoid $120 non-return fee. Additional devices purchased on installment agreement subject to additional terms and conditions. See cancellation policy at att.com/help/cancellation-policy-att-tv.html for more details. Once you’ve canceled, you can access AT&T TV through the remaining monthly period. No refunds or credits for any partial-month periods or unwatched content. Compatible device req’d. Residential customers only. Pricing, channels, features, and terms subject to change & may be modified or discontinued at any time without notice. Some offers may not be available through all channels and in select areas. Regional Sports & Local Channels: Not available in select areas. Channels vary by package & billing region. Device may need to be in billing region in order to view. GENERAL: Limit 3 concurrent streams per account. Programming subject to blackout restrictions. Taxes may apply. See your Order Confirmation email and att.com/legal/att-tv.html for more details. HBO Max: Access HBO Max through HBO Max app or hbomax.com with your AT&T log-in credentials. Compatible device or browser required. Use of HBO Max is subject to its own terms and conditions, see hbomax.com/terms-of-use for details. Programming and content subj. to change. Upon cancellation of your video service you may lose access to HBO Max. Limits: Access to one HBO Max account per AT&T account holder. May not be stackable w/other offers, credits or discounts. To learn more, visit att.com/hbomax. HBO Max is only accessible in the U.S. and certain U.S. territories where a high-speed broadband connection is available. Minimum 3G connection is requiredfor viewing on mobile devices.

HBO Max is used under license. Offers may not be combined with other promotional offers on the same services and may be modified or discontinued at any time without notice. Other conditions apply to all offers. ©2020 AT&T Intellectual Property. AT&T and the Globe logo are registered trademarks and service marks of AT&T Intellectual Property. All other marksare the property of their respective owners.