October 11, 2023 - Pittsburgh City Paper

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

BY COLIN WILLIAMS

Kosoko

BY REGE BEHE

CELEBRATING 30+ YEARS

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BY COLIN WILLIAMS

A progressive megadonor backs Democrat Matt Dugan in his quest to topple 25-year incumbent Stephen Zappala as Allegheny County’s top prosecutor

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GENERAL POLICIES: Contents

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COVER PHOTO: COURTESY OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONSERVANCY.

PROJECT FOR CIVIC CENTER AT POINT PARK FOR THE ALLEGHENY CONFERENCE, PART OF FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT’S SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

“transformational” plans. Will

Jackson centers Black, queer characters in a haunting new tale

CP PHOTO: STACY ROUNDS

PHOTO: COURTESY OF GPAC

PHOTO: STEPHANIE STRASBURG/PUBLICSOURCE

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT FOUNDATION ARCHIVES (THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART|AVERY ARCHITECTURAL & FINE ARTS LIBRARY, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK)

Frank Lloyd Wright’s plans for Pittsburgh included a massive, car-centric civic center

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S

AUFO-SHAPED CIVIC CENTER LOOMING OVER THE POINT. A TOWERING APARTMENT BUILDING ATOP A WOODED RIDGE. A FULLY-AUTOMATED PARKING GARAGE HULKING NEXT TO KAUFMANN’S. THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE VISIONS FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT HAD FOR SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA IN THE LATER YEARS OF HIS CAREER, AND A NEW EXHIBITION BRINGS THESE VISIONS TO LIFE WITH A COMBINATION OF ANIMATION, ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS, AND 3-D MODELING.

Co-organized with Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Southwestern Pennsylvania explores never-built projects that would have irrevocably altered the local landscape — for good or for ill.

“This exhibition celebrates the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright’s design in a new and approachable way, but it also asks visitors to question how these projects might have changed the Pittsburgh region as we know

it, for better or for worse,” Justin Gunther, Fallingwater Director and Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Vice President, said in a press release.

The exhibition was four years in planning and gives visitors a deep look at the full breadth of Wright’s genius and ambition.

Much of Wright’s work is characterized by harmony with nature. Both Fallingwater, built in 1935, and nearby Kentuck Knob, built between

1953 and 1956, seem almost to emerge from wooded hillsides with their rough-hewn stonework and low-slung shapes. The 1957 Duncan House, another Wright design that was built in Chicago and reassembled in Polymath Park, also fits these criteria.

But Wright wasn’t afraid to dream big. In one example, he planned a mile-high skyscraper for what’s now Chicago’s Millennium Park. His utopian — or dystopian

— vision for the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela shares this idealist approach.

Just as the Civic Arena required the destruction of a vibrant neighborhood, Wright’s Point Park Civic Center would have remade the Point into a blocks-wide, car-centric hub that feels out of proportion with its surroundings. His Kaufmann’s garage would have similarly required the leveling of a large

swath of Pittsburgh’s Firstside (and thus Pittsburgh City Paper newsroom). Given the fate of the Arena and other projects such as Penn Circle and Allegheny Center, it’s hard to imagine these grand visions aging well.

Not all of Wright’s dreams for the region were so sweeping. His neverrealized Rhododendron Chapel, presented at Fallingwater’s visitor center, would have been a jeweltoned tribute to Pennsylvania veg etation. But the Kaufmann family, for whom Wright designed the chapel, had the idealism and deep pockets necessary to fuel Wright’s more aspi rational side. The exhibition explores Wright’s relationship with patrons such as the Kaufmanns and organizations such as the Allegheny Conference.

It also places Wright’s legacy in contemporary context. An adjacent exhibition in the Westmoreland’s Paneled Rooms, Toshiko Mori & Frank Lloyd Wright: Dialogue in Details half-scale models to showcase the dialogue between Wright’s Martin House and Mori’s Greatbatch Pavilion in Buffalo, N.Y.

“Dialogue in Details is an exhibi tion that asks: what about the past should we be carrying forward, and what about that past should we leave behind? In the times in which we find ourselves, Toshiko Mori’s project feels more relevant than ever,” Jeremiah William McCarthy, the Westmoreland’s chief curator, said in a statement.

Like other artists, Wright has come under scrutiny in recent years for his chauvinism. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Southwestern Pennsylvania

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Southwestern Pennsylvania: The Fallingwater Projects. Sun., Oct. 15 through Dec. 31. Fallingwater-Speryer Gallery. 1491 Mill Run Road, Mill Run. fallingwater.org/exhibitions

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Southwestern Pennsylvania. Continues through Jan. 14, 2024.

“THIS EXHIBITION CELEBRATES THE GENIUS OF FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT’S DESIGN IN A NEW AND APPROACHABLE WAY, BUT IT ALSO ASKS VISITORS TO QUESTION HOW THESE PROJECTS MIGHT HAVE CHANGED THE PITTSBURGH REGION AS WE KNOW IT, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE.”

PHOTO: THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT FOUNDATION ARCHIVES (THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART|AVERY ARCHITECTURAL & FINE ARTS LIBRARY, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK)

Point View Residences designed for the Edgar J. Kaufmann Charitable Trust, part of Frank Lloyd Wright's Southwestern Pennsylvania

The Westmoreland Museum of American Art. 221 N. Main St., Greensburg, thewestmoreland.org

WHO'S AFRAID OF CHRIS BRUSSALIS?

Chris Brussalis rose up the ranks quickly at Point Park University. In spite of questions around his appointment and his politics, he’s pursuing big changes at the cash-strapped university.

BY COLIN WILLIAMS

LIKE MANY REGIONAL COLLEGES, POINT PARK UNIVERSITY IS FACING SEVERAL CONCURRENT CHALLENGES.

COVID dampened enrollment and created hurdles for the university. Meanwhile, some alumni and current employees say money is tight at the school known for its performing arts conservatory, especially after Point Park spent $60 million building the Pittsburgh Playhouse and paid out $1.25 million to settle claims it provided an inadequate education during lockdown.

an environment where we’re stimulating creativity and innovation really grounded in experiential learning.”

He characterizes Point Park as “one of the most dynamic urban universities in the country” and says a combination of access to workforce internships and co-ops, improved student life, national recruitment, fundraising, and improvements to facilities will help the university not just survive, but thrive. Brussalis’ administration sees these plans going hand-in-hand with the betterment of the Golden Triangle.

“As the downtown university, we

And then there’s the president situation — namely, Point Park has had three university presidents since 2021. That includes current officeholder Chris Brussalis, whose swift, unanimous promotion from board member to interim leader to permanent president has raised some eyebrows on campus. Meanwhile, the Hill Group, the consulting company Brussalis chaired until “semi-retiring” more than two years ago, seems to be planning a sweeping overhaul of Point Park’s admissions, programs, and possibly faculty.

Concurrently, the vibe on campus seems to be shifting. Students with marginalized identities say that since Brussalis took over, they’re noticing more hostility from incoming freshmen. Some of them worry changes to the student body’s makeup could have implications for their safety.

Still, Brussalis says he’s the man for the job.

“This is a very challenging time in higher ed. An extremely challenging time. Our strategic plan has to be transformational,” Brussalis tells Pittsburgh City Paper. “We’re all about trying to create an atmosphere and

can be the driver of Renaissance III,” he says. “There’s no better entity to drive that transformation.”

Brussalis is hardly alone in the region in the recency of his appointment. Six of 11 higher ed institutions in Greater Pittsburgh have had an administrative changing of the guard in the years since COVID. However, some prominent alumni and current students say the speed of his appointment was alarming. Combined with Brussalis’s conservative personal politics, they worry his appointment portends unilateral changes to a university home to many queer students.

A bold vision

Recent alumna and former Student Government Association (SGA) president Kendra Summers says Brussalis’ rapid ascent occurred “without consultation” of on-campus groups, including the SGA (Brussalis says 50 stakeholders, including SGA members, had input on his performance as interim president).

“It’s concerning,” Summers tells City Paper . “Point Park has a very diverse student body — there should be more involvement from people

WHO'S AFRAID OF CHRIS BRUSSALIS?, CONTINUES ON PG. 8

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON

"THIS IS A VERY CHALLENGING TIME IN HIGHER ED. OUR STRATEGIC PLAN HAS TO BE TRANSFORMATIONAL."

you’re aiming to protect.” She says former university president Don Green’s brief tenure and sudden departure were jarring.

“I had no idea which signature was going to be on my degree,” she says.

Former SGA president Dennis McDermott (who preceded Summers in office) says they perceive a “disconnect” between the businessfriendly trustees and the student body in aggregate. They say the board seemed to favor Brussalis early in the search process in spite of student misgivings. “They don’t talk to students at all,” they say of the trustees. McDermott worries many board members see their office as a “prestige position.”

“It would probably come as a surprise if they actually walked through campus to see how proud students are of their identities,” McDermott says.

Calling it a “competitive advantage,” Brussalis says Point Park’s diversity “makes us special.” That diversity, he says, is central to the successful implementation of a new

strategic plan that runs through 2030.

City Paper was able to view an undated draft copy of the strategic plan in September. Left intact, it would substantially change facets

Some initiatives pertain to faculty. Under the new plan, the university would review and “teach out programs that are no longer relevant.”

Brussalis denies that this means

the addition of “mixed-generational housing” within existing campus facilities. This plan would see “graduate artists, Pittsburgh Scholar House single mothers and children, and retirement residences” added to residence halls.

There’s also the now-public study of the feasibility of sharing services with other local colleges and universities such as Robert Morris and Carlow. The Hill Group undertook the study with former Point Park president Paul Hennigan, who’s now a senior consultant at Hill.

of daily life at Point Park, ranging from student housing to academic programs.

Some of the initiatives pertain to enrollment — under Brussalis, the university is aiming for a massive bump in admissions. His administration is hoping to increase enrollment in the Conservatory of the Performing Arts by 30% even as colleges’ student bodies shrink across the nation. Also envisioned is a rise in transfers, additional varsity athletic teams, and more international students.

imminent layoffs — “we’re hiring,” he says, though he describes examining a variety of strategies for greater solvency as his “fiduciary responsibility.”

The university also proposes evaluating processes for faculty review and studying faculty pay “to better align compensation with peers.” For those following the WVU saga farther south, where the state school’s leadership is purging hundreds of faculty, these words are likely to raise questions.

Other foreseen changes include

Brussalis says sharing services could save area institutions millions on procurement. “I think we spend probably $34, $40 million on stuff,” Brussalis says. Combining different schools’ operations would mean, instead of $40 million, “you now have an organization that spends threequarters of $1 billion per year, you have some incredible buying power.”

It’s nothing if not an ambitious plan. However, items such as the addition of lacrosse programs seem out of character for an arts-forward, largely

"IF THEY THINK ATHLETICS ARE THE SOLUTION, THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE STUDENTS."

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON

queer university, McDermott says.

“If they think athletics are the solution, they’re going to lose students,” they say. They add that many students choose the university specifically “because it doesn’t have frats and that atmosphere of frats.”

Brussalis has continued to do charitable work in support of his former college fraternity, Phi Delta Theta. Ted Black, Point Park’s senior vice president of institutional giving and a former NHL executive, was also a Phi Delta Theta brother. He and Brussalis both graduated from Allegheny College in 1987.

But fraternity membership isn’t the only way Brussalis differs from some Point Park students.

The specter of Florida

Point Park’s trustees are disproportionately white and male. Among them are several financial executives and investment managers, as well as PA Rep. Rob Mercuri, whose

anti-LGBTQ positions place him outside the Point Park mainstream. Mercuri represents the growing suburban area encompassing Brussalis’s home in Richland Twp., where (as this author covered in a previous role) Brussalis’s wife Christina has been a sharp-elbowed conservative school board member. Christina Brussalis — whom one current Point Park employee alleged President Brussalis called “the First Lady of Point Park” during the early days of his tenure — has been an outspoken advocate for school choice and against the perceived encroachment of critical race theory in K-12 education. She was a panelist at the conservative PA Leadership Conference in March 2023, which featured Rep. Scott Perry, who played a major role in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection, and arch-conservative Fla. Gov. Ron DeSantis. Florida has its own recent history of higher-education tumult. Among other things, Christina

WHO'S AFRAID OF CHRIS BRUSSALIS?, CONTINUES ON PG. 10

WHO'S AFRAID OF CHRIS BRUSSALIS?, CONTINUED FROM PG. 8

Brussalis advocated for “plant[ing] parents’ groups that are conservative and fighting for conservative values in every school across the state.”

President Brussalis’s own political donations skew conservative. Though he did donate $2,500 to Democratic congressional candidate Larry Maggi in June and September of 2012, the vast majority of his donations have been to conservative Republicans. In the summer of 2021, Brussalis donated almost $6,000 to conservative congressional candidate Sean Parnell. In spring and summer of 2022, he donated $2,250 to GOP candidate Jeremy Shaffer.

While some Point Park trustees have also donated to Republicans, Brussalis’s contributions to the party’s candidates and PACs have been larger and more frequent; they total $21,959.31 since 2001. Christina Brussalis also donated thousands to Shaffer and the WinRed PAC. (For comparison, former Point Park president Hennigan appears to have donated a total of $250 each to Democratic legislators Mike Doyle and Bob Casey in 2006 and 2012, respectively.)

The current employee, who spoke to CP on background for fear of jeopardizing their career, says the couple’s leanings, and particularly Christina Brussalis’ rejection of an equity policy in Pine-Richland School District, are alarming. Some students agree.

Current student Henry*, who asked to remain anonymous but has worked with Brussalis as a member of a student organization, says he fears the reversal of recent gains made in pursuit of more robust diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. He worries Pres. Brussalis isn’t ready for hard conversations around such issues, especially after the university restructured its Office of Equity and Inclusion last year. “That’s very heavily impacting us in a negative way,” he says, although SGA recently added a DEI-focused officer role.

Henry says Brussalis has seemed unprepared to tackle issues such as those facing trans students.

“Everything felt very business-oriented,” he tells CP . “Every time we brought up a genuine, serious issue affecting the LGBTQ community, he skirted around it hardcore.”

can I help transform this university?”

Henry worries bigoted behavior at Point Park is already on the rise — he says he’s observed “an influx of freshmen with less tolerant beliefs” accompanied by microaggressions, including deliberate misgendering of trans students and vandalism of the Gender & Sexuality Spectrum Alliance’s flyers.

“There’s kind of the vibe that freshmen are less tolerant or were not expecting [Point Park] to be as liberal and queer as it is,” he says. Henry says one friend overheard someone saying they were “fine with gay people, but not expecting it to be this much.”

Brussalis says he’s made every effort to support all students and has worked closely with both SGA and student organizations, including the Gender and Sexuality Spectrum Alliance (GSSA). “I’ve met with GSSA probably more than any group on campus,” he says. He’s worked closely with the org since taking office, including on a 10-point plan

“How

"THE PRESIDENT APPEARS WILLING TO ASSIST US IN ACHIEVING OUR OBJECTIVES BUT REMAINS UNDOUBTEDLY PRACTICAL AND

IN HIS APPROACH."

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON

can be more proactive about seeking student input, especially when hiring administrators who make universitywide policy decisions.

“It sets a very dangerous and interesting precedent to make those decisions without consulting the president of the SGA,” she says. She hopes the current administration can cement a policy in writing that guarantees SGA a seat at the table for big hires.

Current SGA president Marc Palombo characterized the current situation at the university as “hang[ing] in uncertainty.” In an emailed statement, he told CP in part, “the President appears willing to assist us in achieving our objectives but remains undoubtedly practical and conservative in his approach to running the university.

“Nevertheless, as we’re still in the early stages of the academic year, I prefer to reserve judgment and

forward.”

Time will tell if Point Park can avoid culture-war pitfalls and realize the ambitious goals laid out in the draft strategic plan. Part of that will depend on Brussalis’ rapport with the student body. Current student Henry reports that Brussalis has been congenial and visible on campus. Brussalis says he’s made every effort to serve as a resource for students, faculty, and staff.

“I’m out and about all the time. My family’s on campus. My wife’s engaged,” Brussalis says.

Brussalis says he’s in the “fourth quarter” of a fulfilling life — he views his legacy now through the lens of impacting students and leaving the university better than he found it. His main concern at this critical early stage: “How can I help transform this university, lead the way, and help transform one of the most beautiful cities in the world?” •

CP PHOTOS: MARS JOHNSON

OUT OF THE FOREST

REGE BEHE // CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

PITTSBURGH ARTS & LECTURES PRESENTS KOSOKO JACKSON.

6 P.M. THU., OCT. 12.

CARNEGIE LIBRARY LECTURE HALL. 4400 FORBES AVE., OAKLAND. FREE. REGISTRATION REQUIRED. PITTSBURGHLECTURES.ORG

One of Kosoko Jackson’s main sources of inspiration is filmmaker Jordan Peele which would be understandable if Jackson was a filmmaker.

But like Peele, Jackson, who crafts young adult books featuring nonstereotypical Black, queer characters, does dip into horror. His latest novel, The Forest Demands Its Due (HarperCollins), is akin to Rushmore by way of American Horror Story. The protagonist, Douglas Jones, attends an elite prep school where he doesn’t fit in. Things take a sinister turn when a fellow student ends up murdered and, not long after, everyone, except for Douglas and the groundskeeper’s son, acts as though the victim never existed.

The book released on Oct. 3 to positive reception, with Kirkus Reviews calling it a “satisfying and suspenseful genre-bender” that “delivers an uplifting gay romance.”

Jackson, who currently serves as a visiting professor at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pa., will discuss the book on Thu., Oct. 12 as part of a Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures Made Local event.

One of the things Jackson admires about Peele is the award-winning

filmmaker’s determination not to have Black people die in his movies.

“That’s not the same thing that I prescribe myself to, but I do think that nuanced characters with a wide range of experiences that are, frankly, like straight white experiences, are incredibly important for gay Blacks,” Jackson tells Pittsburgh City Paper.

Jackson admits he is more of a movie buff than an avid reader and that most of his stories start with a vivid image or scene.

“When I come up with a book, it usually appears as a cinematic piece before I start plotting,” he says, adding, “There’s like one quintessential scene of a book that I think of first and I use that to set the tone for the whole book. For me, if I get to the point of a book where this is a story I’m going to write, that scene has to resonate with me emotionally. And then it’s how do I carry that emotion through the whole story.”

There’s another cinematic aspect to Jackson’s work; he’s a self-described “intense” outliner, explaining that he will start with a 20-25 page quasi-screenplay and turn it into a 354-page book.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF KOSOKO JACKSON Kosoko Jackson

Jackson’s first attempt at writing started when he was 6 years old, scribbling very short stories as his parents watched Wheel of Fortune , then reading them aloud during commercial breaks. His writing, of course, matured over the years in his books, including the culinaryinspired romance A Dash of Salt and Pepper , the thriller Survive the Dome , and the time travel narrative Yesterday is History

None of Jackson’s books are culled directly from his experiences, but the sub-themes of racism, sexism, and homophobia that appear through his work were present throughout his life, he says.

Jackson, who also works as a digital media specialist, says one of his goals is to write the kinds of novels he wanted to read during his teen years.

“I grew up as a gay Black teen and, back in the day, there were not many inspiring stories,” he says. “We kind of had very typical gay male tropes. You could be a hooker, you could be in the closet, you could be a drug addict. And so, especially for teens, I wanted to write stories where they could be a wide range of things. They can be heroes, they can be villains, and that’s always what I’ve dedicated myself to.” •

PHOTO: COURTESY OF HARPERCOLLINS The Forest Demands Its Due

“WHEN I COME UP WITH A BOOK, IT USUALLY APPEARS AS A CINEMATIC PIECE BEFORE I START PLOTTING.”

NATIONAL HEAT

A progressive megadonor backs Democrat Matt Dugan in his quest to topple 25-year incumbent Stephen Zappala as Allegheny County’s top prosecutor. Zappala asks voters to look to other cities and has an endorsement from a national political group.

BY CHARLIE WOLFSON // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

THE RACE TO BE ALLEGHENY County’s top prosecutor — between incumbent Stephen Zappala and challenger and Democratic nominee Matt Dugan — has drawn unusual national attention for a local election.

A local contest that’s usually sleepy and uncompetitive has become a flashpoint in the long-running debate over criminal justice reform, attracting outside attention and money and causing a longtime incumbent to switch parties.

Dugan defeated Zappala, who has served as district attorney since 1998, in the Democratic primary in May. But Zappala accrued enough write-in votes in the Republican primary to earn that party’s nomination, setting up a rematch before the broader electorate.

public safety in the process.

Pennsylvania Justice & Public Safety PAC, a political action committee funded by billionaire progressive donor George Soros, gave more than $700,000 in in-kind donations — mostly in the form of TV ads — to Dugan’s primary campaign. That represented about 90% of the campaign’s total contributions through early June.

Zappala’s campaign received mostly local money ahead of the primary, including some five-figure checks from labor unions.

Filings showing fundraising since June are due to be disclosed in October.

Zappala supporters, meanwhile, are using media interviews and television ads to invoke other cities — some with prosecutors backed by Soros — by stoking fears

Dugan’s campaign has attracted big money from a progressive mega-donor, reflecting a new strategy by the donor class to bypass federal and state politics and try to bring change at the local level. Zappala’s side has invoked scenes of chaos in cities from coast to coast to make their pitch, and he received an endorsement from the Forward Party, a centrist group with presence nationwide.

Dugan, who served as the county’s chief public defender, said in a press conference Friday that he has a plan to improve public safety conditions in Downtown Pittsburgh. Zappala countered that Dugan would go too far in catering to defendants, jeopardizing

that crime-ridden streets and lawlessness could come to Allegheny County if Dugan prevails, framing this race as a referendum on progressive approaches to criminal justice nationwide.

The Forward Party announced its support for Zappala by sending former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman — who positioned herself as a crime-fighter — to Pittsburgh. The group has a presence in dozens of states and is fronted by former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang. It later endorsed Republican county executive candidate Joe Rockey.

The crush of money flowing in and the heightened, nationalized rhetoric

“THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN QUIETLY PUT MONEY INTO THESE RACES AND AFFECT CHANGE WITH THE DISCRETION THAT EXISTS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, OUT OF THE SCRUTINY OF THE NATIONAL MEDIA, OUT OF THE SCRUTINY OF HIGH-PROFILE STATE RACES, AND START CREATING CHANGE FROM THE BOTTOM UP.”

PHOTO: STEPHANIE STRASBURG/PUBLICSOURCE

make this race different from what county voters are accustomed to when it comes to local elections.

Outside support coming in

Dugan’s campaign finance disclosure ahead of the May primary showed a modest amount of money given directly to the campaign — just over $70,000. The bulk of his support instead came as in-kind contributions, almost all attributed to the Pennsylvania Justice & Public Safety PAC, consisting largely of research, polling, television ads, and mail. The PAC’s mailing address is in

Washington, D.C. and its disclosure filed with the county shows that all of its money came from Soros.

Why would anyone outside Allegheny County, let alone a billionaire, care about a county-level race here?

Jennie Sweet-Cushman, a Chatham University political science professor, said donors are growing frustrated with inaction at the federal level and increasingly see local seats as an avenue to bring about change.

“They know that they can quietly put money into these races and affect change with the discretion that exists at the local level, out of the scrutiny

of the national media, out of the scrutiny of high-profile state races, and start creating change from the bottom up,” Sweet-Cushman says.

An array of Soros-funded PACs has backed reform-minded prosecutor candidates in many counties in recent years, including Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and the former San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who was recalled by voters last year.

Chris Bonneau, a political science professor at the University of Pittsburgh, says such out-of-town spending in local prosecutor races used to be nearly unheard of, but has

gained steam in the last few years.

“It’s much more about criminal justice reform,” than local politics, Bonneau says. “If they have an agenda of criminal justice reform and they want to see changes, then they target not only Allegheny County but other counties where there are key races or key openings on the ballot. And much like a Supreme Court case is kind of about the litigants but not really — it’s about the broader policy issue — I think it’s a similar thing at work here.”

Competition in DA races across the country used to be uncommon, Bonneau says. Zappala won a contested election in 1999, then didn’t

PHOTO: STEPHANIE STRASBURG/PUBLICSOURCE

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face a spirited challenge until 2019, before Dugan swiped the Democratic nomination from him.

“Prior to [the past 10 years], most prosecutors rarely got opposition, and when they did, the incumbents won with overwhelming percentages of the vote,” Bonneau says. “Now, prosecutor elections have really become the flashpoint in criminal justice reform, particularly in urban areas.”

Local policy in a national debate

A new television ad from Zappala’s campaign features footage not just of Allegheny County, but of Philadelphia and San Francisco. Scenes showing robberies and shootings, purportedly in other cities where progressive prosecutors have prevailed in recent years, are meant as a warning of what could happen here if Zappala loses.

“The same extremists who created this now want Pittsburgh to be their next social justice experiment,” a narrator says in the ad as carnage fills the screen.

Dugan dismissed the ad in an interview as “a standard red meat ad for Republicans” and criticized Zappala for shifting “blame or responsibility to other entities.”

Asked for a response, Zappala campaign spokesperson Ben Wren says, “It’s clear Matt Dugan doesn’t want to answer for what the policies he proposes have already done to other cities.”

Dugan took to Market Square last week to roll out his plan to curb Downtown crime, saying the DA’s office should take a leading role in the process alongside Pittsburgh’s mayor, police, and county leaders.

He suggested creating a dedicated magistrate to handle and become familiar with Downtown cases, and said he would establish more channels for Downtown residents and business owners to communicate their concerns to the DA’s office.

Zappala issued a press release hours later, accusing Dugan of not understanding the DA’s duties. Zappala blamed current Downtown conditions on Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, spurring another pair of dueling press releases between the mayor and DA, pointing the finger at one another.

A top point of contention in the race is Dugan’s opposition to the use of cash bail. Zappala and other critics say the position shows Dugan would turn dangerous criminals loose, endangering the public. Dugan counters by saying he would still seek pretrial detention for defendants with violent histories or other risks using risk assessment reports that are already produced for each bail hearing.

Dugan’s website also suggests he would look at cutting down on probation periods for nonviolent offenders, saying “unnecessarily long” probation periods are leading to an increased jail population. He would seek periods of supervision “that balances public safety and the rehabilitative needs of the defendant.”

Zappala’s campaign website does not have an issues page; the 25-year incumbent is not campaigning on changing policy. He is positioning himself instead as a firewall against progressive policies.

“I will never permit your safety to become an experiment,” Zappala says in the TV ad. •

This story was fact-checked by Jack Troy.

Charlie Wolfson is PublicSource’s local government reporter and a Report for America corps member. He can be reached at charlie@publicsource.org or on Twitter @chwolfson.

KIDS’ FALL FESTIVAL

Friday, Oct. 20, 4-8 p.m.

Fall Activities * Pumpkin Patch * Refreshments

FREE for kids under 12

ADULT FALL FESTIVAL

Saturday, Oct. 21, 6-10 p.m.

Bill Henry Band * DJ NATE DA BARBER * Silent Auction

$50 per person - includes 2 drink tix

Guests must be 21 years of age or older

sarahheinzhouse.org

SEVEN DAYS IN PITTSBURGH

BY CP STAFF

THU., OCT. 12

ART • WEST END

Fugue State: Paintings by Catharine Fichtner 5-8 p.m. Continues through Dec. 8. James Gallery. 413 South Main St., West End. Free. jamesgallery.net

LIT • OAKLAND

Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures presents Kosoko Jackson 6 p.m. Carnegie Library Lecture Hall. 4440 Forbes Ave., Oakland. Free. Registration required. pittsburghlectures. culturaldistrict.org

MUSIC

• BLOOMFIELD

El Perro with Outside Inside. 8 p.m. Brillobox. 4104 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. $12. brilloboxpgh. com

FRI., OCT. 13

CONVENTION • DOWNTOWN

RV Fall Super Sale 3-9 p.m. Continues through Sun., Oct. 15. David L. Lawrence Convention Center. 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Downtown. $5, free for kids 6 and under. pittrvshow.com

MUSIC • GARFIELD

Thrash to two days of music when The Mr. Roboto Project hosts Jean Scene Fest. Co-presented by the Don’t Let the Scene Go Down on Me! Collective, the event features over 20 bands from Pittsburgh and beyond, with genres ranging from screamo to hardcore. Enjoy the mime-themed antics of Mime Etiquette, the dark noise of Doom Beach, the emo sounds of Times Tables, and more. 4 p.m. Continues through Sat., Oct. 14. 5106 Penn Ave., Garfield. $30-50. therobotoproject.com

FILM • DOWNTOWN

The Allegheny Sport and Outdoor Film Festival 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Continues through Sat., Oct. 14. Harris Theater. 809 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $8-15. trustarts.org

COMEDY • MCKEES ROCKS

Russell Howard 6:30 p.m. Roxian Theatre. 425 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks. Tickets start at $25. roxianlive.com

THEATER • MIDLAND

Catch Me If You Can The Musical. 7:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., Oct. 15. Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center. One Lincoln Park, Midland. $20.50-27.50. lincolnparkarts.org

SAT., OCT. 14

OUTDOORS • MILLVALE

EveryBody Outdoors: Millvale Art Walk & Brewery Adventure 1-3 p.m. Corner of Grant St. and E. Sherman St., Millvale. $10. ventureoutdoors.org

OCT.MON., 16

ART • GARFIELD

When speaking of his work, artist Glendon Hyde says, “As a gay man of 56, having been removed from my home by my family before graduating high school, I use my work to give voice to the broken and discarded.” The Irma Freeman Center for Imagination presents Tenderness, a solo show featuring fiber art and other pieces by Hyde. The Center describes the show as being meant to “to give worth to another’s trash.” 2-5 p.m. Contuinues through Nov. 3. 5006 Penn Ave., Garfield. Free. irmafreeman.org

FUNDRAISER • SEWICKLEY

Goatoberfest Cash Bash and Fundraiser for Kindred Spirits Rescue Ranch 4-8 p.m. Zassick Park. 50 Zassick Road, Sewickley. $50. druskyentertainment.com

THEATER • SOUTH SIDE

Momentum Reading Series: South Side Stories Revisited. 6:30 p.m. City Theatre. 1300 Bingham St., South Side. Free. RSVP required. citytheatre.culturaldistrict.org

MUSIC • LAWRENCEVILLE

Riot Grrrl Halloween Tribute Show with Zinnia’s Garden, Murder For Girls,

PHOTO: COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story at Bottlerocket Social Hall

PHOTO: GLENDON HYDE/COURTESY OF THE IRMA FREEMAN CENTER FOR IMAGINATION Tenderness at The Irma Freeman Center for Imagination

Dumplings, and The Marigolds. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Thunderbird Music Hall. 4053 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $13. thunderbirdmusichall.com

SUN., OCT. 15

LIT

• EAST

LIBERTY

Take in a showcase of self-published works when the Pittsburgh Zine Fair takes over The Kingsley Association. Over 90 local and national zine makers converge for what’s described in a press release as an “exceptionally diverse collection of artists, writers, comics creators, and publishing collectives.” Interact with exhibitors while exploring a large selection of zines and prints covering political, educational, poetic, and literary topics. 12-5 p.m. 6435 Frankstown Ave., East Liberty. Free. All ages. pghzinefair.com

FILM

• OAKMONT

48 Hour Film Project Horror/Sci-Fi Premiere Screenings. 2-9 p.m. Continues through Mon., Oct. 16. The Oaks Theater. 310 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont. $12 per screening block. 48hourfilm.com

DRAG

•

GARFIELD

House of Burton presents Shriek! A Halloween Drag Series 9 p.m. Mixtape. 4907 Penn Ave., Garfield. $7 in advance, $10 at the door. mixtapepgh.com

MON., OCT. 16

FILM • ALLENTOWN

A cult comedy receives a musical tribute

LYNN CULLEN LIVE

10 A.M. MONDAY THRU THURSDAY AT PGHCITYPAPER.COM

when Bottlerocket Social Hall presents a special screening of Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. The 2007 parody stars John C. Reilly as a Johnny Cash-type country music star who rises from humble beginnings, climbs the charts, and then struggles to stay relevant as the decades pass. The event will feature an appearance from Mike Viola, who co-wrote some of the film’s inspired songs. After the screening, stay for a live performance by Viola and his band and a Q&A moderated by WYEP's Joey Spehar.

7:30 p.m. 1226 Arlington Ave., Allentown. $10. bottlerocketpgh.com

TUE., OCT. 17

VOLUNTEER • BALDWIN

Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy

Stewardship Days-Hays Woods Park. 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Hays Woods-Agnew Road Trailhead. 1017 Agnew Road, Baldwin. Free. Registration required. pittsburghparks.org

WED.,

OCT. 18

LIT • BLOOMFIELD

University of Pittsburgh Speakeasy

Reading. 7-8 p.m. White Whale Bookstore. 4754 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. Free. RSVP required. speakeasy2023.splashthat.com

MAGIC • DOWNTOWN

Shoot Ogawa in Holy Shoot. 7:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., Oct. 22. Liberty Magic. 811 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $40-75. trustarts.org

CP PHOTO: AMANDA WALTZ

University of Pittsburgh Speakeasy Reading at White Whale Bookstore

FINANCIAL

MARKET PLACE

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on the 27th day of April, 2023 with respect to a proposed nonprofit corporation, Catelynn’s Kindness. which has been incorporated under the Nonprofit Corporation Law 1988. A brief Summary of the purpose or purposes for which said corporation is organized is: To encourage kind gestures to remind people to laugh, have a treat, and share light with others.

NOTICE

FREE Golden Retriever Puppies to Forever Homes!

1 Male,1 Female. Excellent temperament! House trained with very good trainable natures & perfect for families with children and other pets! Please email me first at: stephaniechristensen59@ gmail.com and Text (312) 270-0850

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-23-10299

In re petition of Cody William Repko for change of name to Cody Bell.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 1st day of November, 2023, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-23-010298

In re petition of Ajay William Repko for change of name to Ajay Bell.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 1st day of November, 2023, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-23-008476

In re petition of Lionel Claude Niyibigira Joseph for change of name to Tembe Niyibigira Kasovya.

To all persons interested:

Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 1st day of November, 2023, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

LEGAL NOTICE

Onondaga County Supreme Court of the State of New York – Index # 000742/2023

In a Divorce matter.

Maria Killingsworth (Plaintiff) v. (Keith Thompson Defendant). A Motion for Alternate Service has been granted by the Honorable Kevin P. Kuehner for service via publication for three consecutive days upon Defendant Keith Thompson.

To the above-named Defendant, Keith Thompson, you are hereby SUMMONED to file an Answer to the Summons and Verified Complaint in Onondaga County Supreme Court. You can contact Judge Kuehner’s clerk by calling 315-728-7231. In case of your failure to appear, judgment will be taken against you by default.

SELLING POINT

BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY // BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM

OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT

THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION of the SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on October 24, 2023, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for:

VARIOUS SCHOOLS, FACILITIES, AND PROPERTIES

• Environmental Abatement Contract: Asbestos, Lead-based paint, Mold & Animal Excrement Remediation, Mitigation & Abatement

• Environmental Abatement Primes

Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on October 02, 2023, at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700), 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is non-refundable. Project details and dates are described in each project manual.

ACROSS

13. Heaped, like dirty laundry

14. Shoulder adornment indicating rank

15. Cranky speeches

16. Classic science fair experiment

17. Enter the Void director Gaspar

18. Commented on the fireworks

20. “___ sure”

21. “Consequently ...”

24. Title earned after kneeling

25. Longest river in Germany

27. Strong liking, in baby talk

29. Bonanza setting

31. Using existing staffers

34. Fellow fraternity brothers, e.g.

38. Monopolize ... or an alternate name for this puzzle

40. Italian chemist

Amedeo with an eponymous constant

41. “I come to bury

Caesar” speaker

42. 2010 movie with the tagline

“There is No Plan B,” with “The”

43. Agcy. supposedly tackling the common cold

44. Hurdles for future D.A.’s

47. Au Bonheur ___ Dames (1883 Émile Zola novel)

49. Fancy tie

52. Skedaddle

53. Skin: Pref.

55. Classic game show prize

56. Bestowed

59. Like some professors

62. Tower with balconies

63. Approached bedtime

DOWN

1. Civil War side

2. Dog-___ (like old book pages)

3. Spot for reflexology

4. Screened

5. Stick in the fridge

6. Cash for a cerveza

7. Potable

8. Old music box?

9. Hoyden at a hoedown

10. NFC South athlete

11. 10th-century Norwegian king

12. First noble gas to be synthesized

19. Go yard, say

22. Go for, as a piñata

23. Beats in a pie contest?

25. Neighbor of Hungary

26. Floors near the fireplace

28. Africa’s Cape ___

30. Stud

31. Andean tuber

32. Peanut Butter Lover’s mo.

33. Sign that’s wicked good for Wicked

35. UFC result

36. Shakespeare’s night

37. What a dump

39. Suddenly became a Saint, with “was”

45. 2005 horror sequel

46. Laundry 1-2-3 manufacturer

48. “He who ___ it, dealt it.”

50. Adding as a recipient to the e-mail

51. Grainy?

53. Really intense

54. Latin 101 word

57. Did a 10K

58. The Karate Kid kid

60. WWII arena

61. One with a lot of talent

LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

We are an equal rights and opportunity school district.

PUBLIC AUCTION

Public notice is hereby given that property placed in storage by the following persons at the following locations will be sold via public sale to satisfy Guardian Storage liens for unpaid rent and other charges. Bidding for property of persons renting space at the following locations will be held online at www.Storageauctions.com ending on October 24, 2023 at 10:00 am, and day to day thereafter until sold at which time a high bidder will be determined. 4711 William Penn Highway, Monroeville, PA 15146: Unit #11607 Aubrey Thornton, Unit #12008 Jeff Legato, Unit #12115 Will Wall, Unit #12211 Renee Ragin-Moton, Unit #12707 Sally Frick, Unit #12911 Rebecca Tolliver, Unit #13603 Krystle Knox

1028 Ridge Road, Tarentum, Pa 15084: Unit #31119 Suzanne Vogel, #31203 Suzanne Vogel, Unit #31205 Suzanne Vogel, Unit #31606 Suzanne Vogel, Unit #32304 Corey Snodgrass, Unit #41319 Skylar Drane, Unit #41533 Nicole Hoak

901 Brinton Road, Pittsburgh, Pa 15221: Unit #2115 Chimere Moore, Unit #2207 Loraine Darden, Unit #2320 Jared Moore, Unit #3126 Andy Forston lll, Unit #8311 Phoenix Braidinhawk, Unit #8412 Garnett Long-Parham, Unit #9408 Donte Dixon, Unit #11115 Allayah Seibert, Unit #11116 Jewel Ponder, Unit #11208 Londone Banks

5873 Centre Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15206: Unit #7406 Melissa Halliday, Unit #7412 Rosalyn Criswell

2839 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222: Unit #5203 Larry Bittner, Unit #5914 Denise Shaw, Unit #6805 Javier Rodriguez

750 South Millvale Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213: Unit #6409 Brian Vaske

1002 East Waterfront Drive, Munhall, PA 15120: Unit #1213 Roxanne Squair, Unit #3525 Betty Thompson, Unit #3623 Lawrence Dolby, Unit #4302 Chona Seaton

1300 Lebanon Church Road, West Mifflin, PA 15236: Unit #13412 Victoria Uhme, Unit #32312 Shonte Allen, Unit #41208 Justin Penn

1599 Washington Pike, Bridgeville, PA 15017: Unit #2503 Susan Hustler, Unit #2606 Julie Welter, Unit #2610 Hanna Waddell, Unit #3109 Susan Hustler, Unit #3415 Susan Hustler, Unit #53711 Louis Easton

1067 Milford Drive, Bethel Park, PA 15102: Unit #21103 Jeffrey Bullock, Unit #23111 Dennis Tharp, Unit #23929 Rommie Brown, Unit #23939 Ryan Ballas 7452 McKnight Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15237: Unit #2309 Marsha Peterson, Unit #816 Kathleen Flack, Unit #817 Robert Russell

401 Coraopolis Rd, Coraopolis, PA 15108: Unit #13007 Sequoia Davis, Unit #13202 Justin Williams, Unit #21007 Kal-ell Spencer, Unit #22414 Malik King

Purchases must be made with cash and paid at the location at the above referenced facility to complete the transaction. Guardian Storage has the right to refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.