ALTERNATIVE FOR NEWS, ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT SINCE 1991
24 HISTORY
DAVID S. ROTENSTEIN
JOSEPH KLAMMER
Pittsburgh’s
EDDIE TRIZZINO
TALK
PHOTO: COURTESY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT RECORDS
PHOTO: COURTESY OF GIOVANNI RUFINO/A&E
CP PHOTO: BY JOSEPH KLAMMER
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON
PHOTO: COURTESY OF AVIANA ADAMS
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HOLIDAY EVENTS IN PITTSBURGH
THU., NOV. 21
EXHIBITION • OAKLAND
Phipps Holiday Magic Winter Flower Show and Winter Light Garden. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Continues through Jan. 5, 2025. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. One Schenley Park, Oakland. Included with general admission. phipps.conservatory.org
EXHIBITION • HIGHLAND PARK
Wild Illuminations: A Holiday Lanterns Experience 5:30-10 p.m. Continues through Jan. 12, 2025. Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. One Wild Pl., Highland Park. pittsburghzoo.org
PARTY • OAKLAND
Oakland Business Improvement District Glow Ball 7:30-10:30 p.m. VIP 6:30-7:30 p.m. University Club. 123 University Pl., Oakland. $56.25-75. glowlandpgh.com
SAT., NOV. 23
ART • POINT BREEZE
THU., NOV. 21
FRI., NOV. 22
MARKET • MONROEVILLE
Greater Pittsburgh Arts and Crafts Holiday Spectacular. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Continues through Sun., Nov. 24. Monroeville Convention Center. 209 Mall Blvd., Monroeville. $3-6.50, free for kids under 12. monroevilleconventioncenter.com
MARKET • DOWNTOWN
Peoples Gas Holiday Market 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. Continues through Tue., Dec. 24. Market Square, Downtown. Free. All ages. downtownpittsburghholidays.com
MARKET • LAWRENCEVILLE
CRAFTED: Home for the Holidays 5:30-8 p.m. Contemporary Craft. 5645 Butler St., Lawrenceville.
$15. contemporarycraft.org
MUSIC/FILM • DOWNTOWN
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra presents Home Alone in Concert. 7 p.m. Continues on Sun., Nov. 24. Heinz Hall. 600 Penn Ave., Downtown. $35-125. pittsburghsymphony.org
The Art of the Nativity: From Baroque to Bonkers 2-3 p.m. The Frick Art Museum. 7227 Reynolds St., Point Breeze. $5-15. thefrickpittsburgh.org
Oakmont’s Hometown Christmas. 7-8 p.m. The Oaks Theater. 310 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont. Free. All ages. theoakstheater.com
FESTIVAL • DOWNTOWN
Downtown comes alive with holiday festivities when Highmark Light Up Night kicks o weeks of family fun, live music, shopping, and more. The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership invites crowds to a magical night with fireworks and illuminated bridges, as well as a tree lighting and performance by Grammy-nominated alt-rock band The Fray.
Find gifts at the Peoples Gas Holiday Market, sing your heart out at Merry Karaoke, race a pierogi at the Pirates Mini-Fest, feast your eyes on the Gingerbread House Competition Display, and so much more. 4 p.m. Multiple locations, Downtown. Free. downtownpittsburghholidays.com
PHOTO: AVIANA ADAMS
Poinsettias and Pointe Shoes at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Fantastic! Love Rebecca’s writing and this book didn’t disappoint. What’s next?
REBECCA A. MILES
Rebecca A. Miles (Stepek) was raised, educated, and established her first career in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From her work in Behavioral Medicine in Oncology, she became a recognized expert and presenter on grief, the grieving process, and the psychology of dealing with loss.
Throughout the successful Pittsburgh Murder Mystery trilogy, Ground Truth, Broken Glass, Locked Box, she explores the themes of love and loss, two states that she considers to be universal in human experience. As the series unfolds, her main characters are revealed to be people who are psychologically flawed, literate, funny, and often courageous in their search for the murderer.
Miles portrays deep and lasting friendships as the healing salve for the personal and public losses that are visited on the victims of crime, and especially on amateur sleuth Kate Chambers and Chief Detective Stefan Jablonsky. Her readers close the last page of each novel satisfied that Kate, Johnny, Joan, Jablonsky, Patel, and Antoine DeVille have meted out justice and continue to thrive through their collaboration and friendship. When not writing, you will find Rebecca knee-deep in research for her next book. She enjoys introducing her readers to the well-known public spaces of Pittsburgh and to the small secret places about which only locals know. Her mystery novels are book club picks; she provides a discussion guide posted on the Torchflame Books site.
Rebecca A. Miles holds a doctorate in psychology from Duquesne University.
SUN., NOV. 24
MUSIC • UPTOWN
Pentatonix: Hallelujah! It’s A Christmas Tour. 7 p.m. PPG Paints Arena. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. Tickets start at $48. ppgpaintsarena.com
MON., NOV. 25
DANCE • OAKLAND
Poinsettias and Pointe Shoes. 6:45 p.m. and 8 p.m. Continues through Tue., Nov. 26. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. One Schenley Park, Oakland. $20-38. phipps.conservatory.org
Thanksgiving Eve Brew and View. 7 p.m. Row House Cinema. 4115 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $28.50. rowhousecinemas.com
THEATER • DOWNTOWN
PHOTO: LUKE FONTANA
Pentatonix: Hallelujah! It’s A Christmas Tour at PPG Paints Arena
Shop Local Gift Guide
Help support these Local Businesses this Holiday Season.
THE STORE AT CONTEMPORARY CRAFT
Miles o ers the reader a birds-eye view of the special public and private spaces in the iconic city of Pittsburgh. Locals will ride along with Chief Jablonsky and Kate Chambers as they cruise familiar streets and rivers to catch the murderer.
Available at your Independent Bookstore, Amazon or Barnes and Noble. www.rebeccaamilesauthor.com
Add the warmth of craft to your home this holiday, while you find handcrafted gifts for everyone on your list! This giving season, shop local and artist-made at The Store at Contemporary Craft.
Contemporary Craft 5645 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
www.contemporarycraft.org/store
PITTSBURGH ZOO & AQUARIUM
Wild Illuminations: A Holiday Lantern Experience, presented by UPMC Health Plan, is a fabulously frosty reimagination of the Zoo’s treasured Asian Lantern Festival and Zoo Lights. Guests who have marveled at the handmade silk and steel structures will be amazed by an all-new lineup of sights, sounds, and surprises. More than a million twinkling lights will further enhance our biggest and brightest holiday glow-fest ever! Wintry activities, holiday treats, and a visit by Santa himself will make this your family’s new must-see holiday tradition.
Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium
One Wild Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
www.pittsburghzoo.org/event/wild-illuminations
CRAFTED
FRI., NOV. 29
THEATER • DOWNTOWN
Lightwire Theater’s A Very Electric Christmas 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Byham Theater. 101 Sixth St., Downtown. $39-59. trustarts.org
Friday, November 22, 5:30 - 8:00 PM
Tickets: contemporarycraft.org/CRAFTED
FILM • NORTH SIDE
The Polar Express in 3D 2:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Continues through Tue., Dec. 24. Carnegie Science Center. One Allegheny Ave., North Side. $10-12. carnegiesciencecenter.org
MUSIC • MUNHALL
Christmas with the Celts. 8 p.m.
Doors at 7 p.m. Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall. 510 E. 10th Ave., Munhall. $34.75-54.75. librarymusichall.com
SAT., NOV. 30
KIDS • NORTH SIDE
Season’s Greetings Saturdays with Santa and a Penguin 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Continues on Sat., Dec. 7, Sat., Dec. 14, and Sat., Dec. 21.
National Aviary. 700 Arch St., North Side. Included with general admission. aviary.org
Pemberley centers the families of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and their house sta as they navigate a holiday that includes scandals and uninvited guests, resulting in what’s described as a charming tale that “explores the confines of class and the generosity of forgiveness.” 5:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., Dec 22. City Theatre. 1300 Bingham St., South Side. $5-55. citytheatrecompany.org
PARTY • ALLENTOWN
Company Christmas Party. 8 p.m. Doors at 5 p.m. Bottlerocket Social Hall. 1226 Arlington Ave., Allentown. $12. bottlerocketpgh.com
SUN., DEC. 1
MARKET • MONROEVILLE
Krampus Holiday Marketplace 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. Monroeville Mall. 200 Mall Circle Dr., Monroeville. $5-10, free for kids 12 and under. timeandspacetoys.com
DANCE • NORTH SIDE
West Point Ballet presents The Nutcracker. 1-5 p.m. Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. 10 Children’s Way, North Side. Included with regular admission. pittsburghkids.org
THEATER • SOUTH SIDE
City Theatre has something for Jane Austen fans with The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley. The follow-up to City Theatre’s production of Miss Bennet: Christmas at NOV. 30
Pittsburgh Public Theater presents A Christmas Story: The Play 7 p.m. Continues through Sun., Dec. 22. O’Reilly Theater. 621 Penn Ave., Downtown. $35-88. ppt.org
THU.,
DEC. 5
MARKET • OAKLAND
Gifts and Greens Market 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Continues through Sat., Dec. 7. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. One Schenley Park, Oakland. Included with regular admission. phipps.conservatory.org
FESTIVAL • TROY HILL
Krampus Fest. 7 p.m. Penn Brewery. 800 Vinial St., Troy Hill. Free. All ages. Free. menoldentertainment.com/krampus-fest
FRI., DEC. 6
PARTY • FRIENDSHIP
Holiday Hot Jam. 6-9 p.m. Pittsburgh Glass Center. 5472 Penn Ave., Friendship. Free. pittsburghglasscenter.org
DANCE • DOWNTOWN
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre presents The Nutcracker 7 p.m. Continues through Fri., Dec. 27. Benedum Center. Seventh St. and Penn Ave., Downtown. $28-135. pbt.org
BURLESQUE • LAWRENCEVILLE
FireWALL Dance Theater presents Frosted Fantasies. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Thunderbird Music Hall. 4053 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $30-45. 18 and over. thunderbirdmusichall.com
THEATER • BRADDOCK
Bricolage presents Midnight Radio: Die Hard N’At. 8 p.m. Continues through Sun., Dec. 22. Barebones Black Box. 1211 Braddock Ave., Braddock. $40-50. bricolagepgh.org
SAT., DEC. 7
MARKET • DOWNTOWN
Handmade Arcade. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. David L. Lawrence Convention Center. 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Downtown. Free. handmadearcade.org
The Latshaw Pops Orchestra presents Sounds of Christmas 3:30 p.m. Doors at 2:30 p.m. The Oaks Theatre. 310 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont. $40. theoakstheater.com
MON., DEC. 9
MUSIC • DOWNTOWN
3WS Radio presents A Very Yinzer Christmas. 7:30 p.m. Benedum Center. Seventh St. and Penn Ave., Downtown. $46.50-56.50. trustarts.org
TUE., DEC. 10
MUSIC • DOWNTOWN
MUSIC • STRIP DISTRICT
A Celtic Holiday with Lúnasa 7:30 p.m. Doors at 6 p.m. City Winery. 1627 Smallman St., Strip District. $30-45. pittsburgh.citywinery.com
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra presents the Elvis Christmas Show. 7:30 p.m. Heinz Hall. 600 Penn Ave., Downtown. $25-75. pittsburghsymphony.org
WED., DEC. 11
MUSIC • UPTOWN
Admit it, all you want for Christmas is a live performance by an original diva. Mariah Carey graces PPG Paints Arena for her Christmas Time tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of her hit holiday album. A press release promises “timeless holiday classics alongside fan-favorite chart-toppers, promising an unforgettable festive experience.” 7:30 p.m. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. Tickets start at $57. ppgpaintsarena.com
PHOTO: COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP Peoples Gas Holiday Market
PHOTO: DENNIS LEOPOLD Mariah Carey’s Christmas Time tour at PPG Paints Arena
THU., DEC. 12
MUSIC • MUNHALL
Fairytale of New York: The Ultimate Irish-Inspired Christmas Concert 8 p.m.
Doors at 7 p.m. Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall. 510 E. 10th Ave., Munhall. $39.75-69.75. librarymusichall.com
FRI., DEC. 13
ART/FASHION • NORTH SIDE
Winter Teen Night and Fashion Show
5-8:30 p.m. The Andy Warhol Museum. 117 Sandusky St., North Side. Free. Registration required. warhol.org
THEATER • OAKLAND
Kinetic Theater presents A Sherlock Carol 7:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., Dec. 22. Henry Heymann Theatre-University of Pittsburgh. 4301 Forbes Ave., Oakland. $28.87-60.92. kinetictheatre.org
MUSIC • DOWNTOWN
Highmark Holiday Pops. 7:30 p.m.
Continues through Sun., Dec. 22. Heinz Hall. 600 Penn Ave., Downtown. $25-107. pittsburghsymphony.org
SAT., DEC. 14
MARKET • MONROEVILLE
Santa Palooza Holiday Vendor Market
11 a.m.-8 p.m. Continues through Sun., Dec. 15. 200 Mall Circle Dr., Monroeville. Free. monroevillemall.com
SUN., DEC. 15
PETS • SOUTH SIDE
Pet Holiday Photos with The Grinch 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sly Fox Brewing. 46 S. Fourth St., South Side. Proceeds benefit the East Coast Bulldog Rescue. slyfoxbeer.com/pittsburgh-highline
TUE., DEC. 17
DRAG • STRIP DISTRICT
Drag Me to the Stage presents Thorgy Does Christmas 7:30 p.m. Doors at 6 p.m. City Winery. 1627 Smallman St., Strip District. $25. pittsburgh.citywinery.com
DEC. 17
FESTIVAL • DOWNTOWN
Holiday Community Day 12-4 p.m. August Wilson African American Cultural Center. 980 Liberty Ave., Downtown. Free. Registration required. awaacc.org
MARKET • LARIMER
Crafts and Drafts Holiday Show. 12-4 p.m. East End Brewing. 147 Julius St., Larimer. Free. All ages. eastendbrewing.com/events
MUSIC • LAWRENCEVILLE
Bastard Bearded Irishmen X-Mas with Sleigher Krampus and Derek Zanetti. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Thunderbird Music Hall. 4053 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $17 in advance, $20 at the door. 21 and over. thunderbirdmusichall.com
WED., DEC. 18
MUSIC • OAKLAND
Winter Wonders and Cool Carols: An Evening with Colin Aikins 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. One Schenley Park, Oakland. $25-40. phipps. conservatory.org
THEATER • DOWNTOWN
The Magical Polar Experience 7 p.m. Benedum Center. Seventh St.and Penn Ave., Downtown. $35.50-45.50. trustarts.org
THEATER • WEST END
Pittsburgh Musical Theater presents A Lyrical Christmas Carol. 7:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., Dec. 22. Gargaro Theater. 327 S. Main St., West End. $15.50-25.50. trustarts.org
THU., DEC. 19
PHOTO: COURTESY OF DISPEKER ARTISTS INTERNATIONAL INC. Thorgy Does Christmas at City Winery
THEATER • DOWNTOWN
The Hip Hop Nutcracker. 7:30 p.m. Benedum Center. Seventh St. and Penn Ave., Downtown. $25-90. trustarts.org
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra presents Love Actually in Concert. 7 p.m. Heinz Hall. 600 Penn Ave., Downtown. $35-120. pittsburghsymphony.org
DRAG/MUSIC • LAWRENCEVILLE
Christmas on the Moon, Baby. 8 p.m. Spirit. 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. $18-35. 21 and over. spiritpgh.com
FRI., DEC. 20
PARTY • LAWRENCEVILLE
Gather your crew for a fun night that also benefits a good cause. Dance o your winter blues when Spirit hosts a holiday edition of In Bed By Ten. The after-work party returns with DJ MB spinning festive music and classic hits. Proceeds from the event will go to Grow Pittsburgh, a local nonprofit dedicated to urban gardening and healthy, sustainable food systems. 6-9 p.m. 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. $10. 21 and over. spiritpgh.com
SAT., DEC. 21
DANCE • DOWNTOWN
Texture Ballet presents The Nutcracker. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. August Wilson African American Cultural Center. 980 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $25-55. trustarts.org
MUSIC • UPTOWN
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Lost Christmas Eve Tour 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. PPG Paints Arena. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. Tickets start at $59. ppgpaintsarena.com
WWE Live Holiday Tour 7:30 p.m. PPG Paints Arena. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. Tickets start at $50. wwe.com
SAT., DEC. 28
FILM • NORTH SIDE
Frozen Sing-Along. 10 a.m. Carnegie Science Center. One Allegheny Ave., North Side. $10-12. carnegiesciencecenter.org
MUSIC • LAWRENCEVILLE
Holiday Hangover Fest with Old Neon and Mallory Run 3:30 p.m. Spirit. 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. $15-20. spiritpgh.com
COMEDY • MUNHALL
Matt Light’s Ugly Sweater Party IV with Ryan McBride 7 p.m. Doors at 6 p.m. Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall. 510 E. 10th Ave., Munhall. $29.75-89.75. librarymusichall. com
MON., DEC. 30
PARTY • SOUTH HILLS
South Hills Lights Chanukah Celebration 5-6:30 p.m. Chabad of South Hills. 1701 McFarland Rd., South Hills. Free. jewishpgh.org
One reader’s trash has become a community’s treasure
BY: JOSEPH KLAMMER
With a strong list of indie bookstores, libraries, readings, and more, Pittsburgh has always been a wonderful city for book lovers, but lately it’s become an increasingly great city for a more specific group of book enthusiasts: used book lovers.
Take Fungus Books and Records, for starters, which celebrated its three-year anniversary on Sept. 14, and goes out of its way to foster this growing community.
PHOTO: JOSEPH KLAMMER Bottom Feeder Books
“I guess I first started collecting science fiction books, and those were all used, chintzy paperbacks,” says shop co-owner Ed Steck. The store carries a solid range of vintage science fiction books, but as you browse the shelves, it becomes quickly apparent that Fungus has a vibe that’s entirely its own.
“I’ve always loved the bookstores that are here, but I feel like I was really kind of desiring one that, oddly enough, I would want to buy books at. Not that I don’t want to buy books at other stores, but somewhere that just really focused on, you know, poetry, philosophy, or anything on the fringe.”
they are “still on for 6:30.” The store had an event planned for that evening with Timothy Grieve-Carlson and his new book American Aurora
Hayley Mulhern, a bookseller at Fungus, says returning customers and locals stopping in is the norm.
“Lots of repeat customers, which is maybe one of my favorite parts of the day to day — all kinds of characters come in.”
“Yeah, we love our customers,” Steck adds. “They support us very much. They’re very dedicated to the store, which is something I love.”
“Some of my closest friends in the world,” Mulhern says, “I’ve met through the store.”
“LOTS OF REPEAT CUSTOMERS, WHICH IS MAYBE ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF THE DAY TO DAY — ALL KINDS OF CHARACTERS COME IN.”
While teaching English at The University of Pittsburgh, Steck started to feel burnt out on academia, but, at the same time, he was collecting and selling books on the side until he finally felt ready to open a store. “I was making more money on books than teaching, so that was the decision I made. And I’ve always wanted to do this, and it was kind of a dream, so I’m very happy that I am doing it.”
To walk into Fungus Books and Records is to be immediately fascinated with the shelves of deep cuts; books from edgier publishers that pushed boundaries in the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s like Grove, Black Cat, and New Directions, alongside books on cryptids, UFOs, and jazz theory, just to name a few.
A browsing customer hands Steck a book for donation, which the store is always happy to accept, and asks if
Steck, a published poet, knows and appreciates poetry, and the store often hosts poetry readings and releases, as well as events for fiction and nonfiction with occasional accompanying soundscapes, musicians, and DJs. That’s part of what helps maintain the strong sense of community felt at Fungus.
“Communities formed around the events that we’ve had here, especially the poetry stuff,” Steck says. “Writing groups have gotten together, friend groups have gotten together.”
“We get poets from all over the country coming here,” Mulhern says. “We’ve gotten to know other people that are doing their own small presses.” She explains that someone came into the store and mentioned they had their own small press based out of a university library in Lawrence, Kan. After a “two hour
PHOTO: JOSEPH KLAMMER The Cozy Corner
long” chat, Fungus discovered that Ryan Skrabalak’s Spiral Press would be a good fit for the store. “Now we stock a bunch of his books,” Hayley says, “and we’ve had a lot of poets come through that have been published through Spiral.”
Fungus is a used bookstore at its core, and while they don’t sell new art books or print their own, they’re always happy to make relationships with other small presses. “That feels really important because we obviously care very much about small presses here,” Ed says. “No matter how much people say that small press poetry is dead, people are never going to stop trying to put their work out there.”
Before I leave, I ask what their favorite part of working at a used bookstore is. After some back and forth about the correct phrasing, they find the one they’re looking for: “It’s a labor of love.”
I know, because I’ve also worked in used bookstores. One thing that’s great about working in a used bookstore is getting to see the way people light up when they find that book. The reward of the search is something only used bookstores can offer. Many customers have a backlog of books they are always on the lookout for, and will make regular visits to one store, or many, to fulfill their quests
for specific editions, the art, the translation, the year of printing.
Bottom Feeder Books in Point Breeze is the perfect destination for those on the hunt for a specific edition or cover design. Walking up the entryway stairs and into the main floor of the store, one enters what feels like a hidden room on a David Lynch set: black and white checkerboard tiled floors, white walls and ceiling, and shelves filled to the brim with glorious vintage books.
Owner and bookseller Ryan McLennan operates the store daily, often accompanied by his dog, Sky, napping behind the counter. “The floor was not me, it was already
here,” McLennan says when asked about the black and white tiles that fit the store so well. “I redid the whole ceiling and the lighting. I had to build all the shelves and that wall. I built the space out, built all the counters and the display case in the front. Ripped a wall out in the front. So, I mean, I did a lot of work.”
And the hard work paid off. The store is well lit and well stocked with walls of vintage literature, as well as plenty of art and photo books.
McLennan left Oregon for Pittsburgh in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic uncertainty. Adjusting to a new city during a time of widespread, COVID-induced isolation would be a
PHOTO: JOSEPH KLAMMER The Cozy Corner
made the most of it. “There were just so many unknowns and so many new things, I just decided this is the time to do it. It still took a couple years after we moved here.”
Originally from Virginia, McLennan worked for Chop Suey Books in Richmond where he learned the trade of bookselling, and got deeper into vintage books and their authors. After a move to New York, McLennan met his now fiancé, Lauren, who is from Pittsburgh. Upon returning to her hometown, McLennan says he had the idea of starting his own bookstore. As it turns out, opening a used bookstore
“There are still booksellers in town that I have not met, but I would say at some point before opening the store I did visit a lot of stores. And I have since for sure met quite a few people, like the crew at Fungus; we all know each other pretty well.”
McLennan is an artist and art lover as well as a bibliophile, so it was natural for him to bring the two together at Bottom Feeder. The back room of the store functions as a gallery space, always showcasing works from local and nationwide artists alike. “Every four weeks, sometimes three weeks or so, there’s
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PHOTO: JOSEPH KLAMMER
Ed Steck of Fungus Books
a new art opening.” The gallery also serves as a space for readings and film screenings.
With such a wide range of events, Bottom Feeder sees a fresh crop of visitors every month. “I say with every event I have, there’s always new people, but I definitely recognize faces.” McLennan says the store gets a good mix of repeat, local customers and out-of-towners, those that have Bottom Feeder on their list of stores to visit.
As for the types of books Bottom Feeder shelves, it’s clear there’s an attention to quality and design. Most hardcovers are wrapped in brodart and feature some of the most iconic cover art designs from big and
small publishers alike. “I cater to that. People like that have a love for good covers and good editions of the covers.” I tell him that other booksellers in this city all say the same thing — that Bottom Feeder has the most consistent collection of vintage editions with good art. “I mean, I go out of my way to find them,” he replies, “or in hopes to find them.”
Like any book lover, McLennan has his favorites that he keeps for his personal bookshelf. “I did have to restrain myself a bit, especially when I was opening the store. But mostly Grove Press editions, the ones from the ’50s and ’60s, I collect a lot of those, especially ones from the late ’50s that were all black and white, like
a gray scale. There are some around the store.”
Grove Press covers are also my favorites, and when I mention a certain Samuel Beckett book that I framed, Ryan nods. “A lot of Beckett. He did a lot of the Becketts.” Sure enough, I find my edition of Beckett’s The Unnamable on the shelf, and Ryan confirms its art is by the same designer. “There’s one that’s a hardcover and it’s just black and white with the same art.” Another edition I’ll have to keep an eye out for.
In Shadyside, there’s a used bookstore that feels something like visiting an old friend’s house; a friend who’s obsessed with books. As you step inside, Mark Jay and Layla Zaina
PHOTO: JOSEPH KLAMMER
Mark Jay and Layla Zaina enjoy a break from shelving books.
will most likely be sitting in two comfortable chairs while they sift through a few piles of books for listing in The Cozy Corner Bookstore.
“It’s just a place where you can feel free to come and relax with each other,” Jay says. “We try to have mellow music playing. At some other types of bookstores you have to be in the mood, you know what I mean? I want to just have a place to come in, sit down for an hour, just chill out.”
Jay worked for Eric Ackland at Amazing Books and Records, one of Pittsburgh’s beloved, long-standing used bookstores, before opening his own store with Layla. “When I worked at Eric’s, I really had a very positive experience. That’s where we met,” Jay says, looking over to Zaina. “She came into the store and she asked for a book recommendation.” The book he recommended? Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day . “Eric kind of helped introduce me to the book business. And then when I started dating Layla, I had this dream and she was super into it.”
Zaina and Jay started their bookselling journey by setting up a library cart full of books around Frick Park and Oakland while also putting up flyers around the city that said they were buying books and taking donations. “That seemed like the best solution, “ Zaina says, “like the best outcome that we could come up with before we had a physical store.”
The Cozy Corner opened its storefront in spring 2023, and there is still a library cart of books out front, along with a table of books with the same great quality as the ones found inside. “We spent some time in other cities, especially in New York,” Jay says. “There, bookstores always have books outside.”
Jay says they try to have a little bit of everything. “I kind of wanted the space to be more inviting to someone who wasn’t into a certain mold. You can bring a relative, you can come as a family. We try to have a decent children’s section. My mom helps us
carry the children’s books actually.”
Their store matches Jay and Zaina’s personalities: warm, relaxed, smart. Amongst the carpeted floors and rugs, there are tables and shelves full of classic and modern literature with an impressive representation of translated works and specific publishers as well as local authors.
The Cozy Corner’s intimate atmosphere makes it a great place for events like a recent reading of Oscar Wilde’s works. “There’s this guy who lives around here, an Irish guy who comes in three or four times a week. Really great guy,” Jay says. “He just sits there for an hour and talks to us. And he’s super into theater.” Jay and Zaina say a lot of their events happen by people simply stopping in and asking if they can do something.
When asked about how they found their location for the store, Zaina tells me it was somewhat random. “We got back from a trip and adopted a cat on the way. She’s over there, sleeping behind the wall of books.”
A small gray tabby saunters over to us and hops onto a table of paperbacks. “Yeah, so we adopted her on our way back here. And we took her to the vet next door. And then we saw that this place was for lease. And the landlords were super into our idea.”
The cat, as it turns out, is named after author Kazuo Ishiguro. “The first book that I read recommended by Mark,” Zaina says. “We just call her Ishy though. She basically is, not what started it all, but definitely what brought us to this space.”
Zaina’s favorite part of running the bookstore is seeing everything before anybody else does. “I like to cherry pick.”
“I like that it’s a very pleasant space,” Jay says. “When we were in California, on a little road trip, there was a woman who had a bookstore that was kind of helping us out. She was like, ‘I’ve been here for 30 years, and nothing unpleasant has ever happened in my store.’ And it’s kind of the same sort of thing.” •
Many Americans are fortunate to have dental coverage for their entire working life, throughemployer-provided benefits. When those benefits end with retirement, paying dental bills out-of-pocket can come as a shock, leading people to put off or even go without care.
Simply put — without dental insurance, there may be an important gap in your healthcare coverage.
When you’re comparing plans ...
Look for coverage that helps pay for major services. Some plans may limit the number of procedures — or pay for preventive care only.
Look for coverage with no deductibles. Some plans may require you to pay hundreds out of pocket before benefits are paid.
Shop for coverage with no annual maximum on cash benefits. Some plans have annual maximums of $1,000.
Medicare doesn’t pay for dental care.1
That’s right. As good as Medicare is, it was never meant to cover everything. That means if you want protection, you need to purchase individual insurance.
Early detection can prevent small problems from becoming expensive ones.
The best way to prevent large dental bills is preventive care. The American Dental Association recommends checkups twice a year.
Previous dental work can wear out.
Even if you’ve had quality dental work in the past, you shouldn’t take your dental health for granted. In fact, your odds of having a dental problem only go up as you age.2
Treatment is expensive — especially the services people over 50 often need.
Consider these national average costs of treatment ... $222 for a checkup ... $190 for a filling ... $1,213 for a crown.3 Unexpected bills like this can be a real burden, especially if you’re on a fixed income.
“Absolutely
THE 9 TO 5, THEN THE
5
TO
9
Pittsburgh’s artisans put in long hours to make crafting side hustles work — and stay fulfilling
BY: EDDIE TRIZZINO
As a physical therapist, Lia de Lyon has to build trust with patients quickly so they feel comfortable working with her. The personal skills she gained from her full-time job translate well into her side hustle, selling her artwork at markets and craft fairs across Pittsburgh, and the country.
It is through talking to potential customers, de Lyon says, that she has been able to turn her artistic hobby into not only a small business, but a part-time job that has taken her to music festivals around the U.S.
“I have five seconds to build trust and strike up a conversation and
establish common ground and trust,” de Lyon says of her jobs. “My second year selling, I started doing music festivals … Hozier bought some of my art; Sublime has my stickers.”
The booths and tents that line markets and craft fairs throughout almost every month of the year are made up of many part-time crafters like de Lyon, who make and sell art in their time off from full-time jobs.
Some of their stories are the same — the creator shows a creation to a friend who offers to buy it, setting off a chain of events that eventually leads them to selling at two to three craft fairs a month. For many of them, the side hustle is an extension of
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON Scenes from Witchburgh
their day jobs, like Abby Krick, who works as communications manager at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens by day, but sells colored pencil-sketched designs by night.
was working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and began taking her designs on the road once craft fairs started back up.
“YOU DON’T WANT YOUR SIDE HUSTLE TO BECOME A CRAPPY PART-TIME JOB.”
time it takes for her to sketch, set up her booths, and network with artists to make sure she can sell consistently.
“When you’re working that much, you orget to create, rick says. ou don’t want your side hustle to become a crappy part-time job. It’s extremely di ficult, but it s great, and it gi es me a lot o ulfillment.
“The feeling of creating a new piece and selling that and having that go into someone’s home it’s truly fulfilling, rick says.
ful filling, rick says.
Krick is an illustrator who sells her designs as prints, but also in sticker and keychain form. She started selling stickers in 2020, when she
After years of this working “9 to 5, then to routine, rick has been able to consistently sell at craft fairs a few times a month. Her most recent selling stint was at Witchburgh on Oct. 26 at the Union Project.
The biggest cost of being a parttime artist — aside from the vendor fees markets charge sellers — is the
Krick isn’t alone when it comes to finding gigs i you see her at a cra t fair or event, there’s a decent chance she’s friends with the people displaying items in booths near her.
Dante Campudoni is an expressionist artist who sells art at galleries and events. He has amassed about 82
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON A scene from Witchburgh
Pittsburgh’s
artists in a group chat who all share ideas with one another, as well as upcoming opportunities where they could sell.
The Pittsburgh artistic community is pretty tight-knit, with sellers frequently seeing one another at the same events around town, Campudoni says. He also says he finds himsel becoming a an o other artists and vice versa, in no small part to his colorful impressionist paintings being conversation-starters.
“A lot of my paintings have a deeper philosophical or theological undertones to them, but I want them to be easy to take in,” Campudoni says. “What I try to do is make things that are ery di ficult to comprehend and easy to understand.”
“I want my work to be a conversation first, and building up that emotional attachment to that piece, and also for someone to connect with me,” Campudoni continues. “It’s very easy for an artist to do that because you’re showing people the fragility; you’re revealing yourself to others.”
Attending events and craft fairs is many Pittsburgh artists’ bread and butter, even though Krick, De Lyon, and Campudoni also have websites
where people can browse and buy merchandise. De Lyon says a majority of her sales are made in person, where she may generate a few thousand dollars in a day.
The availability of online tools helps each artist keep track of their side hustle’s expenses, with QuickBooks being a useful tool for de Lyon. Campudoni is moving into that camp as well.
“I keep all my business expenses separate from my personal; I just started doing that this year,” Campudoni says. “I expect it to be a lot easier to do my taxes this year.”
De Lyon emphasizes the “hustle” part of side hustle — she says the time she puts into making prints and stickers rivals the time she puts in at her physical therapy career. Krick also says she is taking a break from events through the end of the year, to build up stock and recuperate. De Lyon says she plans to do the same.
“Every single day when I get home from work, there are things for me to do, tasks to take care of, and it doesn’t ever end,” de Lyon says. “It does take a lot of time management and discipline.”
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON Crafting and selling at Witchburgh
Olivia’s story
How a new agency is redefining foster care in Allegheny County with a bundled service approach
For youth in foster care, sometimes the littlest victories lead to the biggest success. Take Olivia*, for example—a Pittsburgh teen who, after years of uncertainty, is now thriving thanks to the support of Cayuga Centers, Allegheny County’s newest foster care agency.
Olivia was removed from her biological parents when she was 10. Children often find themselves placed in foster care due to challenges such as neglect, parental substance abuse, or lack of stable housing Youth can be placed with family members, close friends, a foster family, or a residential facility. Olivia moved from home to home nearly achieving permanency—a forever family—several times but without a lasting match Cayuga Centers provides Treatment Family Foster Care (TFFC), a level of foster care for youth who have been through incredibly difficult experiences. When Olivia met the team from Cayuga Centers, she had already been in the system for four years. Breaking the cycle of trauma that a child like Olivia has gone through requires a specialized approach. For over 23 years, Cayuga Centers’ TFFC program has been helping youth in foster care heal from trauma and build skills in order to lead productive and successful lives.
“We provide a safe space for children to be able to live in the community with a higher level of support in a family setting,” said Cayuga Centers Clinician Peggy Buckley.
When Olivia was matched with a Cayuga Centers foster family, she was understandably cautious after previous disappointments. But this time, she wasn’t
alone in her journey. With the support of her foster family and a team of dedicated professionals, including an in-house Youth Skills Coach, Behavioral Case Planner, and Clinician, Olivia began using the tools the team shared with her and began to feel hopeful.
“She was able to work past her anxiety through weekly individual therapy, and therapy with her foster parents,” Buckley said. “Olivia is doing well in school and with her family. It’s been amazing to see her progress since we started working together.”
Olivia’s journey is an inspiring reminder of how much young people can achieve with the right support system. However, there are still over 1,000 youth in Allegheny County waiting for a safe, loving foster home.
We would love for you to help us support a child just like Olivia. Foster parents with Cayuga Centers must be 21 or over, have a spare bedroom for a child, have a regular source of income, and are subject to a background check. Cayuga Centers does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion, marital status or sexual orientation.
We know not everyone can foster, and that’s okay! You can make an impact by sharing the need for foster parents on social media, becoming an Ambassador, or donating. Don’t forget to say hi if you see us out in public! You can spot us in our orange Cayuga Centers gear! •
Since 2022 Cayuga Centers, a provider of Allegheny County Children, Youth, and Families, has been serving the Pittsburgh area as part of a national agency that supports over 17,000 children and families each year. Ready to make a difference? Visit cayugacenters.org/pittsburgh or call us at 412-308-9585 to learn more about becoming a foster parent or to schedule an information session. Join us in providing hope and stability for every child in foster care.
*Names and other identifying details have been changed for privacy reasons
BOOZE, BUCKS AND BEATINGS
Once upon a time, influencing Pittsburgh’s elections was a much more overt — and dangerous — undertaking
BY: DAVID S. ROTENSTEIN // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
There’s been a lot of grousing over the results of Nov. 5’s election. The facts are simple: Donald Trump will be returning to the White House for another term. How he won is ample fodder for armchair political scientists and conspiracy theorists. One popular theory making the rounds is that billionaire Elon Musk, through his 2022 purchase of Twitter and by sinking millions of dollars in cash into Trump campaign coffers, bought the election. It’s a tempting, though unprovable, tale, with lots of intrigue, villains, and plot twists. However, it fits neatly into the long history of rich and powerful people putting their fingers on electoral scales.
In America and Pittsburgh before billionaires, election outcomes were swayed by bottles of booze, sacks full of cash, and violence.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE KLEIN FAMILY
An undated photo of David Lawrence, former Pittsburgh mayor and Pa governor, with his wife and a child was found among the personal photos of gambling racketeer Jake Klein.
LYNN CULLEN LIVE
10 A.M. MONDAY THRU
History books and newspaper archives are filled with accounts of voter fraud, bribes, and intimidation throughout Pittsburgh’s history. The Steel City was especially corrupt and did much to distinguish itself from such cities as Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia.
“The vice graft, for example, was not blackmail as it is in New York and most other cities,” wrote muckraking reporter Lincoln Steffens in 1903. “It is a legitimate business, conducted, not by the police, but in an orderly fashion by syndicates, and the chairman of one of the parties at the last election said it was worth $250,000 a year.”
Pittsburgh politicians, from mayors on down to aldermen (precursors to today’s council members), committed crimes to gain office and then used their positions to remain in office while directing criminal activities and profiting from corruption.
Among the most corrupt were Pittsburgh Mayor Charles Kline and mayor and future Pa. Governor David L. Lawrence. Kline’s term as mayor included national attention on corruption by him and many in his administration that culminated in his indictment and forced resignation in 1932. Lawrence had close ties
PHOTO: ALLEGHENY COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT RECORDS
1937 indictment of Gus Gianni and four others for violating Pa election laws using “duress and intimidation”
to bootleggers and gamblers, and he was unsuccessfully prosecuted for taking kickbacks and threatening state employees before becoming Pittsburgh’s mayor in 1946.
The Prohibition era, from 1920 to 1933, turned political corruption in Pittsburgh into an assembly line of crime.
“Members of election boards were routinely convicted of tampering with election results over the decades,” wrote Richard Gazarik in his 2018 book Wicked Pittsburgh
That tampering included dumping ballot boxes into rivers and dispatching thugs to intimidate voters at the
polls. Politicians operated speakeasies and gambling clubs where gamblers and drinkers were converted into voters. Some of these joints became legendary. The Monaca Club in Oakland, for example, was owned by state senator James Coyne. It operated openly on Forbes Ave. across the street from the district police station.
After Prohibition, the graft industry continued unabated. It was essential to flipping Pittsburgh from Republican control to a Democratic city in the wake of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s 1932 election victory.
During the 1932 presidential election, a Lawrenceville minister told
Strip District residents which names to use for getting a poll tax receipt.
In one Pittsburgh neighborhood, an alderman’s nephew handed out halfdollars to voters. These are some of the typical election hijinks recounted in historian Bruce Stave’s 1970 book on Pittsburgh machine politics, The New Deal and the Last Hurrah.
“Promises of money as high as ten dollars per man have been made,” wrote the Pittsburgh Courier in November 1933. “Our advice to every Negro who is promised one dollar, or five dollars or ten dollars by a Republican for his vote is to take the money, put it on your pocket and then
go to the polls and vote the straight democratic [sic] ticket.”
That same election cycle, Democratic party leader Paul F. Jones told the Courier , “Despite the intimidation of the police department, racketeer’s money and whiskey, or Democratic organization … succeeded in keeping down the Republican majority.”
Entrenched corruption, coupled with the city’s large union population, made Pittsburgh ripe for organized crime to gain a foothold in all of the city’s neighborhoods.
August “Big Gus” Gianni was a small-time Hill District gambling
racketeer. In the 1930s, he operated a numbers station out of a Hill District candy shop. “He was ‘just a bum without a shirt on Wylie Ave.,’” an associate told the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph in 1946 after Gianni’s murder.
And then Gianni threw his weight around — he was 5 feet tall and weighed 225 pounds — at the polls, allegedly on behalf of Democratic Hill Alderman Thomas Geary. During the September 1937 primary, Gianni and four accomplices were convicted of assaulting an election judge at a Strip District polling place. Two months later, Gianni and an accomplice were convicted of intimidating voters by creating a disturbance.
Gianni and his henchmen appealed their assault conviction. “The undisputed evidence discloses that someone did beat and abuse, and drive from the polling place, the Judge of Election, Patrick Colangelo,”
two judges ruled, denying the appeal.
Gianni’s role in the 1937 election was his ticket to the Pittsburgh mob’s top tier, and he was given control of numbers rackets in Oakland and Shadyside.
News accounts of voter intimidation from the 2024 election pale in comparison to the events of 1937. Yet the implications are the same. The law (and conviction) should be upheld “so that persons may cast their ballots unmolested,” wrote the judges who ruled in Gianni’s appeal.
Politics in the "before Billionaires "era was a big game sport. While methods have changed since the freewheeling days of Prohibition, there’s a throughline in the staggering sums of money being spent to influence election outcomes. Pay to play and dirty tricks aren’t blue or red, Democratic or Republican — they’re the American way. •
ADVERTISING MANAGER
JOB DESCRIPTION
• The Advertising Manager is responsible for selling advertising to credible advertisers and maximizing the performance of the sales team. This role leads the sales team, gathers and analyzes competitive market conditions, and creatively utilizes inventory to achieve sales growth.
• The Advertising Manager oversees hiring, training, performance management, budgeting, and sales accountability systems for the sales and marketing team.
• In partnership with the Editor in Chief, the Advertising Manager develops, implements, and manages marketing tactics for the City Paper’s print edition, website, and social media platforms.
• The Advertising Manager oversees the creation of the City Paper’s brand tone of voice, increasing brand awareness, generating demand, and increasing customer loyalty.
• The Advertising Manager reports directly to the President of the Pittsburgh City Paper.
• Direct reports include sales representatives, account executives, digital coordinators, and marketing coordinators.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
The Advertising Manager is accountable for:
• Setting annual budgets for the individual sales representatives to exceed department goals.
• Ensuring performance standards for all sales personnel are defined, communicated and met.
• Managing inventory, including setting rates, maintaining rate cards, and packaging promotions.
• Account management, including making joint calls, monitoring key account activity, quarterly account reviews of lists, monthly projection reviews and reading weekly contact management reports.
• Managing the development and execution of City Paper events.
• Updating the City Paper media kit and designing it in a way that is attractive to potential advertisers.
• Managing and designing campaigns to help promote City Paper to current and potential readers, focusing on using City Paper products and trade advertising.
• Encouraging and enforcing employee engagement, leadership skills, and above-average job performance within the department.
• Developing and enforcing departmental practices and procedures as they pertain to sales and marketing.
• Creating and maintaining sales incentive programs such as new business, sales bonuses, contests, team building initiatives, etc.
• Conducting weekly sales meetings.
• Following and enforcing all Company policies and procedures, including the EEO and safety guidelines, at all times.
• Performing any miscellaneous departmental duties as needed.
EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or another related field – required
• 2 years media sales experience in the same or similar medium – required
1937 indictment of Gus Gianni and four others for violating Pa election laws using “duress and intimidation”
COMING TO TERMS
The
BY: JESSIE SAGE // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
It’s no easy task to be a sex columnist during a contentious election season. I am thinking of all the things I could have written leading up to the election: the role of reproductive rights; the impact of Project 2025 on my industry and the LGBTQ community; the significance of a Black woman on the Democratic ticket for President.
I’m also thinking of all the negative comments I often see on my columns when they ostensibly have nothing to do with politics (like any good feminist, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that the personal is always political). Things like, “Is this news?” “Is there anything more important happening in Pittsburgh?” “Why should we care about this?” “The City Paper is going to trash.” Yes, I read the comments.
I am often taken aback by them. I’m a sex writer who writes about sex, and my doing so doesn’t preclude anyone else from writing about the things they find more important. And for readers, there is certainly no shortage of political think pieces about the stakes of this election, including right here at City Paper What stands out most to me about these comments, though, is the idea that sex and sexuality is somehow frivolous, unimportant, and apolitical — that sexuality doesn’t cut to the core of who we are and what we long for.
it eels like to be satisfied, we won t know when we win. o I’m always like, we need to be satisfiable. e need to know what that feels like. And one of the fastest ways to know what that eels like is to be satisfied in the body. Like, you know what an orgasm feels like, most of us do, and even if we can’t feel an orgasm, we can feel pleasure.
We can feel the beauty.
“PLEASURE IS THE POINT. FEELING GOOD IS NOT FRIVOLOUS; IT IS FREEDOM.”
As our sexual freedom hangs in the balance, I want to remind you what writer Audre Lorde told us decades ago: a focus on our erotic lives is “not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” In this moment when some would make us feel small and incapable of enacting political change or even being heard, making room for pleasure, joy, and love in our li es is a way o fighting back against a cold world that would watch us die. Recently I was listening to an interview with Adrienne Maree Brown, author of Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good, and was struck by her notion that we cannot know what we are fighting or politically or otherwise) unless we know what it feels like, in our bodies, to be satisfied. he points out that this runs counter to all of our capitalist programming. he comments, “Capitalism has us socialized to think we constantly have to be looking elsewhere for it, so we’re running around, not satisfied, not satisfiable, no sense of what that would be like.”
Being in touch with our pleasure, our sexuality, our desires is a way of knowing what we are fighting or. e uality is central, in this regard, to our political lives. Brown spells this out:
And in our justice movements, that’s not a good look, because if we have no idea what
We cannot, in other words, repress pleasure and intimacy and expect to understand what it is that we are striving for. There is also no way of knowing when we have achieved our goals if we don’t know what it means to be present in our joy.
Like Lorde, Brown reminds us in her book that “Pleasure is the point. Feeling good is not frivolous; it is freedom.” Cultivating the sort of “aliveness,” in psychotherapist Esther Perel’s words, that sits at the heart of our eroticism allows us to shape the world we live in. As Brown says, “We need to learn how to practice love such that care—for ourselves and others—is understood as political resistance and cultivating resilience.”
I will continue to write about sex, and not because I don’t care about the things that are happening in our world. I will continue to write about sex precisely because I do care. I care about cultivating a life that takes love, pleasure, care, desire, and joy seriously. And I care about a uture where we don t sacrifice the very things that make us feel alive to political powers that wouldn’t give us a second thought.
Jessie Sage is a Pittsburgh-based sex worker, writer, and the host of the podcast When We’re Not Hustling: Sex Workers Talking About Everything But.
You can find Jessie on her website or her socials: X: @sapiotextual & Instagram: @curvaceous_sage. •
PUBLIC AUCTION
Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its a iliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 1005 E Entry Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15216 on 12/04/2024 at 11:30 AM. 4114 Charmaine Charles, 8119 Nicola Opfer. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
PUBLIC AUCTION
Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its a iliates Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a Public Auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extras Space’s lien at the location indicated: 902 Brinton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15221 on Wednesday December 4, 2024 at 11:30am Amara Forrest 1029, Trevor Lloyd 2030, Lisa Nelms 2092, Lisa Nelms 2093, William Jackson 3146, Alan Williams 3152, Aaron Sealey 3291 and Philmore Crichlow 3298. The auction will be listed and advertised on www. storagetreasures.com Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the property.
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payments. Learn your options. Good credit not necessary. Call the Helpline 888-670-5631 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm Eastern) (AAN CAN)
PUBLIC AUCTION
Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its a iliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 880 Saw Mill Run Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15226, December 4, 2024, at 1:15 PM. Maggie Clemmons 1038, Ja‘bree Thompson 3127. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction.
Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
PUBLIC AUCTION
“Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 110 Kisow Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15205 December 4th, 2024 at 11:15AM. John Orsini 110. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com.
Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction.
Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.”
PUBLIC AUCTION
Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its a iliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 700 E Carson St, Pittsburgh, PA 15203. December 04, 2024 at 12:15 PM. 106 Zach Milko, 3137 Jamaal Vandorn, 4145 Thomas Hurtt. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
PUBLIC AUCTION
Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its a iliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 6400 Hamilton Ave Pittsburgh PA 15206 on December 4th at 1:45PM EDT. 4049 Azure Henley, 1035 Charmaine Moore, 2021 Ayonna Lucky-Copeland, 3028 Molly Wallace, 4107 Heather Reel, L087 Will Daly. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com.
Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
PUBLIC AUCTION
Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its a iliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 141 N Braddock Ave, Pittsburgh PA, 15208 on December 4th, 2024 at 11:00 AM. 1184A Deonna Cohen-Beck, 2132A Raymond Harper, 2174A Tamika Evans, 2185A Sahira Muhammad, 2246A Christina Moore, 3185A Deborah Kelly, 4023 Bria Slade, 5080 Michelle Turner, L018 Charles Barnes. The auction will be listed and advertised on www. storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
PUBLIC AUCTION
Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its a iliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 1212 Madison Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. December 4th, 2024 at 1:30 PM. Victor Thorpe 2035, Deymond Jones 3118, Terrin Bailey Belser 4051, Asia Campbell 5148, Yassir Abdalla L62, Mark Galvan L125. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
PUBLIC AUCTION
Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its a iliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 111 Hickory Grade Rd. Bridgeville PA 15017, December 4, 2024 at 12:30 PM. Ashley Steidle 2007, Andrew Henry 2277. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction.
Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF CRISANTI, VINCENT, A, DECEASED, OF PITTSBURGH, PA No. 022406591 of 2024. Caren Grau and James Crisanti Extrs. 116 Springbrooke Drive, Venetia, PA, 15367 Or to Caren Grau Attorney
116 Springbrooke Drive, Venetia, PA, 15367
PUBLIC NOTICE
OPEN WAITING LIST FOR SECTION 8 HUD PROPERTIES
Wesley Plaza Properties has an open waiting list to apply for the Section 8 program. For more information on how to apply please contact us at 412-626-6111
LEGAL NOTICE
Abundant Beginnings, Inc. has been incorporated under the provisions of the PA Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988. Abundant Beginnings, Inc. 616 Edgemont Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15210.
NAME CHANGE IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-24-010144
In re petition of Caleigh Bunting or change of name to Caleigh Balbinot.
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 December 2024, 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.
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
NAME CHANGE IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-24-007992, In re petition of Olandy Williams, change of name to Olando Willams. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 18th day of December 2024, 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.
ACROSS
1. Muttonhead
4. Lululemon rival
11. Drink from a 52-Down
14. Wine container
15. Wu-Tang Clan’s martial arts-inspired nickname for Staten Island
16. Fahrenheit 451 author Bradbury
17. Cowardly secret flirt?
19. Have to pay back
20. Spencer of Good Morning America
21. Gives a t humbs up to
22. Transition word
24. Trinity novelist
25. Pesticide regulating org.
27. Gil ___ (Alain René Le Sage novel)
30. Establishment that holds very little of your money?
35. Card in a phone
36. “I don’t like your ___, mister!”
37. Hurricane dir.
38. “I’ve heard better”
41. Time spent undercover
43. Shutout for She ield Wednesday
44. London’s ___ Gardens
45. Bird on the Coat
of arms of Australia
46. From the top
48. French friend
50. Follow the stoolie’s way of collapsing?
56. Religious chests
57. Right-angle shape
58. Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist
59. Enter the pool
62. Locked in 64. Boss of the valkyries
65. One of us
67. Where a skater might practice at home?
70. Inflation cause 71. “So soon?”
72. Disinformation
73. Thickness
74. Cold drink from 7-Eleven
75. “One more thing” DOWN
1. Tech-savvy high school grp.
2. Third-largest desert
3. Add to the soup, say
4. “Hit me”
5. The Gentlemen star ___ James
6. Yearn (for)
7. Nadir
8. Yale student
9. Color
10. Cross of Ancient Egypt
11. Unwavering dimwit
12. Pussyfoot?
13. Nautical approval
18. Wine containers
23. Go with the flow?
26. Shortly
28. Proactiv treats it
29. Slightly alter
31. “The ___ Countdown” (1986 Europe hit)
32. Middle Eastern
33. Computer that had over 18,000 vacuum tubes
34. Start of a famous 1965 march
38. Flat land
39. Kuwaiti leader
40. Group judging studmu ins?
42. Chinese pooch
47. Horse race cheater
49. About to endure
51. Sch. near Topeka
52. Thing pulled in a gastropub
53. Golf shaft company
54. Bring under control
55. Gave a hard tug
60. Degs. for those in C-suites
61. Gloom
63. Swagger, slangily
65. Toy sound
66. Crude material
68. Hilton Hotel brand
69. “Until next time”
Many Americans are fortunate to have dental coverage for their entire working life, throughemployer-provided benefits. When those benefits end with retirement, paying dental bills out-of-pocket can come as a shock, leading people to put off or even go without care.
Simply put — without dental insurance, there may be an important gap in your healthcare coverage.
When you’re comparing plans ...
Look for coverage that helps pay for major services. Some plans may limit the number of procedures — or pay for preventive care only.
Look for coverage with no deductibles. Some plans may require you to pay hundreds out of pocket before benefits are paid.
Shop for coverage with no annual maximum on cash benefits. Some plans have annual maximums of $1,000.
Medicare doesn’t pay for dental care.1
That’s right. As good as Medicare is, it was never meant to cover everything. That means if you want protection, you need to purchase individual insurance.
Early detection can prevent small problems from becoming expensive ones.
The best way to prevent large dental bills is preventive care. The American Dental Association recommends checkups twice a year.
Previous dental work can wear out.
Even if you’ve had quality dental work in the past, you shouldn’t take your dental health for granted. In fact, your odds of having a dental problem only go up as you age.2
Treatment is expensive — especially the services people over 50 often need.
Consider these national average costs of treatment ... $222 for a checkup ... $190 for a filling ... $1,213 for a crown.3 Unexpected bills like this can be a real burden, especially if you’re on a fixed income.
