May 22, 2020 - Pittsburgh City Paper

INSIDE: A PHOTO ESSAY OF PITTSBURGH SLOWLY REOPENING DURING THE PANDEMIC PITTSBURGH’S ALTERNATIVE FOR NEWS, ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT SINCE 1991

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MAY 27-JUNE 3, 2020

100 YEARS AFTER KDKA RADIO LAUNCHED, DOES THE STATION STILL REFLECT ANY OF THE LEGACY IT WAS BUILT ON?

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FIRSTSHOT

BY JARED WICKERHAM

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MAY 27-JUNE 3, 2020 VOLUME 29 + ISSUE 22 Editor-In-Chief LISA CUNNINGHAM Director of Advertising JASMINE HUGHES Director of Operations KEVIN SHEPHERD Managing Editor ALEX GORDON News Editor RYAN DETO Senior Writer AMANDA WALTZ Staff Writers HANNAH LYNN, JORDAN SNOWDEN Photographer/Videographer JARED WICKERHAM Digital Media Manager JOSH OSWALD Editorial Designer ABBIE ADAMS Graphic Designers JOSIE NORTON, JEFF SCHRECKENGOST Events and Sponsorship Manager BLAKE LEWIS Senior Account Executive KAITLIN OLIVER Sales Representative ZACK DURKIN Operations Coordinator MAGGIE WEAVER Events and Marketing Coordinator BRYER BLUMENSCHEIN Business Manager JUSTIN MATASE Circulation Manager JEFF ENGBARTH Featured Contributors REGE BEHE, LYNN CULLEN, TERENEH IDIA, CHARLES ROSENBLUM, JESSIE SAGE Intern OLLIE GRATZINGER National Advertising Representative VMG ADVERTISING 1.888.278.9866 OR 1.212.475.2529 Publisher EAGLE MEDIA CORP.

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Lance Mroz fishes while wading in the Monongahela River near the Duck Hollow Trail.

COVER PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: ABBIE ADAMS READ THE STORY ON PAGE 10

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THE BIG STORY

REOPENING REIMAGINED STORY AND PHOTOS BY JARED WICKERHAM // JWICKERHAM@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

F

OR THE PAST TWO MONTHS, I have been photographing Pittsburgh and documenting the way COVID-19 changed life as we knew it. In March, one of our first Pittsburgh City Paper print issues during the pandemic featured a cover with my photograph of an eerily quiet Butler Street, with “We will get through this Pittsburgh” displayed on the marquee of a temporarily closed-down Row House Cinema. During the months that followed, I have continued to carry my camera through streets that are normally filled with people, events, and activities: all silent.

With Allegheny County now settling into the “yellow phase” of the shutdown, and businesses finally beginning to reopen, I wanted to document how local shops were adapting. On the following pages, you’ll see familiar faces including businesses that have been a fixture in the city of Pittsburgh for years, like Gus and Yiayia’s, who have been bringing us shaved ice balls and popcorn since 1934. And there are new people to meet too, like Abi Falcioni and her new venture, Perrico Plant Co. in Lawrenceville. These neighbors of ours are now wearing masks, and they’re social distancing. But they’re starting to come back, and they’re starting to give me more hope that the marquee I photographed back in March just might be right.

CONTINUES ON PG. 6

Gus Kalaris, owner of Gus & Yiayia’s food cart, serves up old-fashioned shaved ice balls with employee Matt Szymanowski in the North Side.

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 27-JUNE 3, 2020

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REOPENING REIMAGINED, CONTINUED FROM PG. 5

e m or m at o e os r.c Se ot pe ph typa i hc pg

Richard Parsakian, owner of Eon’s Fashion Antique, poses for a portrait inside of his retail store in Shadyside.

Cara Hileman, employee of Four Winds Gallery, poses for a portrait inside the shop along Walnut Street.

CONTINUES ON PG. 8

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Rocky Cristobal, owner of Kraynick’s Bike Shop, repairs bikes outside on the sidewalk in Garfield.

Read more on Perrico Plant Co. and other local nurseries on page 18

Abi Falcioni, owner of Perrico Plant Co., hands off a plant to customer Kelly Glover for a curbside pickup in Lawrenceville.

Follow photographer Jared Wickerham on Twitter @WickPhoto

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CP PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: ABBIE ADAMS // ORIGINAL PHOTOS: KDKA RADIO AND WENDY BELL RADIO

KDKA Radio talk show hosts Marty Griffin and Wendy Bell

.MEDIA.

RADIO DAZE

BY RYAN DETO // RYANDETO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

P

ITTSBURGH’S KDKA RADIO is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, making it the oldest commercial radio station in the U.S. Its first broadcast on Nov. 2, 1920 announced the election results between presidential candidates Warren G. Harding and James M. Cox. KDKA Radio quite literally set the standard for radio media in America.

But recent editorial decisions by the station have caused some to question that pedigree. KDKA Radio, broadcasted locally on 1020 AM, has boosted controversial radio personalities to the detriment of public sentiment. Local officials have canceled interviews with the station and advertisers have condemned content and asked to be moved off of certain hosts’ shows.

The station has altered strategies often, but those

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efforts have accelerated since KDKA was purchased by radio conglomerate Entercom in 2017. Former and current employees say it’s created chaos. And most recently, KDKA Radio lost one of its longtime co-hosts in John Shumway, who was forced out because he refused requests by producers to be more combative and was “too nice” for the new direction of the station, according to sources who spoke to Pittsburgh City Paper.

All of this has come during periods of lower ratings and the realities of a shrinking audience on AM radio. It makes KDKA Radio’s future difficult to predict. And it doesn’t seem to be sitting well with many Pittsburghers. A current KDKA Radio employee, who agreed to speak to CP on the condition of anonymity, says the station has been

inundated with emails and letters criticizing the station’s content and controversial hosts like Wendy Bell and Marty Griffin.

The employee has noticed the station shifting to the right, and embracing more fringe conservative rhetoric. But beyond that, the employee and others in the Pittsburgh media world are worried about the station losing any sense of the community news reporting it has traditionally championed. The current employee worries the legacy of the storied radio station may already be tarnished beyond repair.

“KDKA radio has a legacy and it has a history.

And all of the sudden the station that built the media in this town, doesn’t hold the standard,” said the current employee. “KDKA Radio set the standard and now it doesn’t.”

KDKA RADIO’S conservative angle is not new. Before it was purchased by Entercom, the fourth largest radio conglomerate in the country, it was owned by CBS, and Westinghouse before that. In the early 1990s, it made the switch to a pure news/talk format. KDKA Radio and KDKA TV were once part of the same company, but in 2017, KDKA Radio, including its AM talk station (1020 AM) and its FM sports station (93.7 FM), split from the television station.

When it moved to a pure news format, KDKA Radio broadcasted nationally syndicated conservative radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh, and eventually, Bill O’Reilly. Longtime local talk show host Mike Pintec’s views also leaned to the right.

“KDKA RADIO SET THE STANDARD AND NOW IT DOESN’T.” But even hosts like Pintec recognized going full-bore into one political viewpoint isn’t a recipe for success in Pittsburgh.

“If you’re not entertaining, and if all you’re doing is pushing that conservative Republican line, and you’re trying to act as a propagandist for that political viewpoint, you’re going to be doomed,” Pintec told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 2009. “People can see through that.”

Eventually, KDKA adapted to a local talk-show host model and did away with the national conservative syndicates, and that continued while under CBS ownership. Then Entercom took over in 2017.

A former KDKA Radio host who spoke to CP on the condition of anonymity says that’s when Entercom started changing the news format, including bringing on new hosts and trying out anything that might garner some attention.

“They have been throwing a lot of shit to the wall,” says the former host.

“Some things have stuck, and some things haven’t.”

The former host acknowledges the station had a right-leaning tilt, but said the reporting and hosts were always grounded in the community, which gave them respect among listeners. The city of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County vote reliably Democratic, but it’s hardly a liberal enclave overall compared to bigger cities on the West Coast or in the

Northeast. Conservatives, like former Sen. Rick Santorum and former Gov. Tom Corbett, amassed power in Pittsburgh, too.

As such, the former host says Entercom’s reformatting “failed miserably.”

The host says that KDKA Radio started to drop in the ratings. Historically, it was usually among the most listened to radio stations in the region. But as of earlier this year, KDKA Radio fell to the 9th or 10th spot in the Pittsburgh market, on par with WESA-FM, Pittsburgh’s public broadcasting station.

WESA is less than 10 years old and broadcasts at 25,000 watts; KDKA radio is almost 100 years old and broadcasts at 50,000 watts.

The former host says that in response, the station started turning up the heat in the realm of reactionary politics. In January 2019, Wendy Bell started with KDKA Radio, her first gig after being fired from WTAE TV for writing racist posts on Facebook. Bell started out co-hosting with Marty Griffin, another reactionary figurehead in Pittsburgh media.

KDKA Radio then split them up and gave each their own show. This year, Bell questioned on-air if it was worth shutting down many parts of the American economy to avoid millions of Americans dying from coronavirus. She also recently compared those who disagree with Gov. Tom Wolf’s coronavirus business closures to the victims of the Benghazi attacks.

On May 22, Bell said on-air that schools should never have closed during the coronavirus pandemic and that playgrounds should be open. On May 20, an AP-NORC poll showed that 83% of Americans are concerned that lifting restrictions in their area will lead to additional COVID-19 infections.

Bell regularly hosts as guests some of Pennsylvania’s most conservative and right-wing politicians, like Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Peters), who has his own controversial history as a conservative talk radio co-host.

Additionally, KDKA Radio lost one of its longtime hosts when John Shumway recently left the station. Shumway had been co-hosting a radio show with Larry Richert for decades. A media professional who has interacted with KDKA producers for several years says the reason behind Shumway’s departures is that he didn’t fit the direction producers wanted to take the show anymore, and they wanted someone “more combative.” “[A KDKA Radio producer] told me that John just didn’t fit what they wanted for the show because he was too nice, and that Shumway is more of a liberal guy,” said the media professional who spoke CONTINUES ON PG. 12

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RADIO DAZE, CONTINUED FROM PG. 11

to CP on the condition of anonymity, since they still interact with media organizations in the Pittsburgh region.

Shumway didn’t respond to a request for comment for this article. KDKA Radio also didn’t respond to a request for comment for this article.

Kevin Battle has replaced Shumway as co-host with Richert. Battle has an impressive resume as a radio host, but it clearly tilts to the right. He was a radio anchor on Fox News Headlines 24/7, a show started in 2015 with Shepard Smith as one of its anchors.

The media professional says that Battle oversees a more “right-wing operation,” which includes his on-air persona and Battle’s contributions to KDKA Radio’s website. In a March 20 blog post, Battle praised the governor’s efforts in starting to close things down to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Then, three days later, he complained that methods of the state coronavirus count would lead to overly long stay-at-home orders.

On May 7, Battle penned a blog post criticizing Gov. Wolf’s proposal to have unemployed Pennsylvanians find work through a Commonwealth Civilian Coronavirus Corps, suggesting this program would create long-term careers in state government with a “chance to take over all aspects of private healthcare.”

“They want their brand to be talk radio, and not news,” says the media professional.

In addition to Shumway leaving, John McIntire, one of KDKA Radio’s more liberal stalwarts, lost his regular show on Wednesday and Thursday nights when Robert Mangino was moved to that time slot in January 2019. (McIntire still fills in from time to time.) But just last week,

it was announced that Mangino was the new weekday co-host of Lynne Hayes-Freeland, who had been given her own midday, weekday talk show in December 2018. Their first co-hosted show aired on May 18.

Right now, the prime slots on KDKA Radio belong to Richert and Battle during morning rush hour and to Bell during evening rush hour. Griffin holds the 9 a.m.to-noon slot, and then Hayes-Freeland and Mangino have the afternoon slot.

The current KDKA Radio employee also sees the station shifting to the right, and is getting frustrated with the chaotic nature of editorial changes.

This might explain KDKA Radio’s push for online content that stirs controversy, and the shares on social media that come with it. It also might explain why hosts like Bell, who has a massive following on Facebook, are given free reign.

KDKA Radio also publishes its content as podcasts online and they are easily accessible, but its politics could also turn off future listeners. According to Pew Research, 70% of Gen Z believe the government should do more to solve problems, while only 29% say those problems should be solved by businesses and individuals.

And even Republicans within Gen Z

“GROWING UP, KDKA HAD GOOD PEOPLE WHO MADE US PROUD TO BE FROM PITTSBURGH. NOW, IT SHOCK-JOCKS, SENSATIONALISM, AND WORSE.” “What is going on?” says the current employee. “Why are you becoming this other station? Why are you moving so far to the right?”

This shift could have consequences moving forward, in an already bleak future for AM radio. A 2017 study from New York University notes how members of Generation Z (ages 7-22) have next to no interest in consuming over-the-air radio content. And AM stations have an even steeper climb, as the stations only represent between 10-20% of the current national radio audience.

are much less likely to believe climatechange denialism and other far-right opinions that have infected an increasingly old, white, and rural Republican Party.

The former host believes that KDKA Radio knows it faces a daunting future in terms of growing its listeners. “Your audience is dying,” says the former host.

“To shock and be provocative, it is an old, familiar playbook.”

Recently, according to the host, that provocative nature included Griffin repeatedly misgendering Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, who

is trans, during a call with dozens of reporters. Griffin apologized, but the former host thinks the incident was all part of a reactionary playbook where Griffin’s audience can believe that his critics were overreacting to a mistake.

And reaction to the coverage of Griffin might confirm that theory, as dozens of commenters on social media defended Griffin and also misgendered Levine on purpose.

Because of Griffin’s comments, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto canceled an interview he had scheduled with Hayes-Freeland on KDKA Radio. Peduto tweeted, “Growing up, KDKA had good people who made us proud to be from Pittsburgh. Now, it shock-jocks, sensationalism, and worse.”

Peduto’s spokesperson Tim McNulty told CP that the cancellation was also due to several problems the office has had with Griffin’s coverage, including Griffin stirring up controversy over Peduto ordering sand to be placed in a Polish Hill skatepark, which was closed due to the stay-at-home orders.

Griffin has long taken to the airwaves to criticize Peduto, as he did when the mayor announced opposition to future cracker plans in the region. Griffin called Peduto’s comments “crap” and said that “it is a lie” that living downwind of petrochemical plants have a direct effect on the quality of life for Pittsburghers.

THE CURRENT KDKA Radio employee thinks that if KDKA Radio is in fact pursuing an editorial strategy of shifting to the right and encouraging more combative hosts, management should at least explain that to employees and to listeners.

“When are we gonna talk about the elephant in the room?” asks the current

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The current employee says there has been a lot of rumbling among Pittsburgh media consumers about KDKA Radio.

“I know they get a lot of letters,” says the employee.

Over the last several months, social media in Pittsburgh has often been abuzz with questions and concerns about KDKA Radio.

“It’s a damn shame KDKA Radio has become such a tool for right-wing propaganda,” Pittsburgh artist and activist Phat Man Dee tweeted in April.

“Pittsburgh and its legacy of actual journalists deserve better. [Wendy Bell] is trash and everyone with a damn conscience knows it.”

For now, the backlash doesn’t appear to be hurting KDKA Radio’s bottom line.

The former host says there are still plenty of advertisers that have always purchased spots on the station and are comfortable continuing to do so, thanks to KDKA’s history and name recognition. The host says that, in Pittsburgh, if people are comfortable doing something, they are slow to change, even in an evolving market that is likely facing a future downturn.

In April, the Original Mattress Factory, a regular advertiser, condemned Bell’s

comments in which she said the possibility of millions of deaths were worth reopening the economy. The mattress chain requested its ads be pulled from Bell’s show, but not off the station entirely. The Original Mattress Factory did not respond to questions about whether it was still advertising on KDKA Radio. Additionally, after Bell compared those who opposed Wolf’s business closures to Benghazi attack victims during a segment sponsored by local car dealer Shults Ford, the dealership also gave no indication that it would be pulling ads from the station.

And while KDKA Radio’s numbers in the last few years have been slipping, there might be signs that some of the reactionary radio is working to boost the station’s ratings. KDKA Radio has seen its ratings double in April, compared to February and January. According to Nielsen Ratings, KDKA Radio was the second-most listened-to station in Pittsburgh in April, just behind WDVE 102.5 FM, the perennial ratings winner and home of the Pittsburgh Steelers broadcasts.

(It’s also possible that KDKA is receiving a coronavirus bump, as some of the more popular Pittsburgh music stations have taken ratings dips during the pandemic, and news stations, like KDKA and WESA, have seen ratings increases.)

Follow news editor Ryan Deto on Twitter @RyanDeto

Longtime Pittsburgh TV news anchor and radio talk show host Lynn Cullen doesn’t think the strategy will pay off in the end. She says that for generations, people assumed KDKA Radio was “the only radio station that mattered” thanks to its history and high wattage.

But, Cullen, a CP contributor who currently hosts a left-leaning podcast that is published Monday-Thursday on CP’s website, believes KDKA Radio might be relying too much on those that remember KDKA Radio’s golden years.

“Their audience has to be old. Their audience has been dying on them,” says Cullen.

And even though she disagrees with just about everything Bell says, she recognizes that hosts like Bell spewing “garbage and crap” is entertaining to a certain audience. However, Cullen says that KDKA Radio embracing that strategy is just more evidence that the station doesn’t care about its Pittsburgh audience, one that is used to the 100-year-old station putting community news first, even if championing conservative voices.

“It shows they are lazy, and they are just following a format,” says Cullen.

“Do all Pittsburghers want to hear this?

No. That place doesn’t give a damn about its audience.”

•

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CP PHOTO: MAGGIE WEAVER

The Archer (left) and The Greenfielder (right)

.RESTAURANT REVIEW.

TAKEOUT REVIEW: DRIFTWOOD OVEN

BY MAGGIE WEAVER // MWEAVER@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

T

HERE WERE A NUMBER of places I had been eagerly waiting to visit as Allegheny County moved to the yellow phase and restaurants, many closed since March, began to reopen.

Driftwood Oven was at the top of my list.

The Lawrenceville pizzeria is known for its sourdough crust, a sharp turn from the doughier, thick crust that appears in many “Pittsburgh-style” pies.

It’s thin, though not thin enough to crunch and crumble with every bite; the bottom remains bendable, often flopping under the weight of toppings even after it’s been spotted with char from the oven. The outer edges, ballooned in a classic style, sport gorgeous bubbles from the fermented dough. It’s a chewy

crust, as a good sourdough should be.

And with Driftwood open again for takeout, I decided it was time to treat myself to a weeknight pizza party (of one). I chose two of the 16-inch pies (they also offer a 12-cut Roman style, which has a thicker crust), the Archer and the Greenfielder, and for dessert, a salted dark chocolate rye cookie.

The pizzas were polar opposites. The Archer was simple, dressed with cheese and spicy Italian sausage. It was a classic combination, simple and savory. The straightforward, fresh, tomato sauce was a great match for a cheese blend of pecorino and mozzarella; the saltiness of the pecorino balanced out the sweeter components from the sauce.

The sausage — though not too spicy — added a nice kick of flavor to the simple pie. A few leaves of fresh basil rounded out the pizza nicely.

DRIFTWOOD OVEN 3615 Butler St., Lawrenceville. driftwoodoven.com

While the Archer was savory, the Greenfielder provided some sweetness.

It was a spectacular pie, with arugula and basil pesto matched by garlic, mozzarella, and buttercup cheese, then finished with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar. The pesto gave a nice zing to the mild cheeses, but it was the sweet,

Follow staff writer Maggie Weaver on Twitter @magweav

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tart touch from the zig-zag of balsamic that made the pie.

Driftwood’s desserts — a list now limited to a few cookies and Leona’s Ice Cream Sandwiches — should not be overlooked. The salted dark chocolate rye cookie was soft and fudgy like a brownie, the potent punch of sea salt quickly giving way to a rich, sweet, mouthpuckering bitterness of dark chocolate.

(If Driftwood ever makes a pizza out of cookies, I will be first in line to try it.)

There is a reason Driftwood Oven has been my most anticipated yellowphase reopening. Its sourdough-based pies aren’t comparable to anything else in the city; I’d eat just about anything on top of a Driftwood Oven crust.

•

.FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 28

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

I’ve got a message for you, courtesy of poet Lisel Mueller.

I think her wisdom can help you thrive in the coming weeks. She writes, “The past pushed away, the future left unimagined, for the sake of the glorious, difficult, passionate present.” Of course, it’s always helpful for us to liberate ourselves from the oppressive thoughts of what once was in the past and what might be in the future. But it’ll be especially valuable for you to claim that superpower in the coming weeks. To the degree that you do, the present will be more glorious and passionate and not so difficult.

“Wherever I am, let me never forget to distinguish want from need,” vows author Barbara Kingsolver. “Let me be a good animal,” she adds. That would be a stirring prayer to keep simmering at the forefront of your awareness in the next six weeks. According to my understanding of the astrological omens, you’ll be getting clear signals about the differences between your wants and needs. You will also discover effective strategies about how to satisfy them both in the post-pandemic world, and fine intuitions about which one to prioritize at any particular time.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

When Lewis Carroll’s fictional heroine Alice visits the exotic underground realm known as Wonderland, she encounters two odd men named Tweedledee and Tweedledum. The latter tells her, “You know very well you’re not real.” He’s implying that Alice is merely a character in the dream of a man who’s sleeping nearby. This upsets her. “I am real!” she protests, and breaks into tears. Tweedledum presses on, insisting she’s just a phantom. Alice summons her courageous wisdom and thinks to herself, “I know they’re talking nonsense, and it’s foolish to cry about it.” I suspect you Cancerians may have to deal with people and influences that give you messages akin to those of Tweedledum. If that happens, be like Alice.

Writing some Chinese characters can be quite demanding. To make “biáng,” for example, which is used in the name for a certain kind of noodle, you must draw 58 separate strokes.

This is a good metaphor for exactly what you should avoid in the coming weeks: spending too much time and devoting too much thought and getting wrapped up in too much complexity about trivial matters. Your focus should instead be on simple, bold approaches that encourage you to be crisp and decisive.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “The less you fear, the more power you will have,” says the rapper known as 50 Cent. I agree with him. If you can dissolve even, say, 25% of your fear, your ability to do what you want will rise significantly, as will your influence and clout. But here’s the major riddle: How exactly can you dissolve your fear? My answers to that question would require far more room than I have in this horoscope. But here’s the really good news, Leo: In the coming weeks, you will naturally have an abundance of good insights about how to dissolve your own fear. Trust what your intuition tells you. And be receptive to clues that serendipity brings you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): For his film Parasite, Virgo filmmaker Bong Joon-ho received Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. In his natal horoscope, Joon-ho has Pluto conjunct his sun in Virgo, and during the time Parasite began to score major success, Saturn and Pluto were making a favorable transit to that powerful point in his chart. I’m expecting the next six months to be a time when you can make significant progress toward your own version of a Joon-ho style achievement. In what part of your life is that most likely to happen? Focus on it. Feed it. Love it.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): According to my analysis of the astrological omens, the coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to seek out, seduce, and attract luck. To inspire you in this holy task, I’ll provide a prayer written by Hoodoo conjurer Stephanie Rose Bird: “O sweet luck, I call your name. Luck with force and power to make change, walk with me, and talk through me.

With your help, all that can and should be will be!” If there are further invocations you’d like to add to hers, Libra, please do. The best way to ensure that good fortune will stream into your life is to have fun as you draw it to you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio comedian John Cleese does solo work, but many of his successful films, albums, stage shows, and TV programs have arisen from joining forces with other comedians. “When you collaborate with someone else on something creative,” he testifies, “you get to places that you would never get to on your own.” I propose you make this your temporary motto, Scorpio. Whatever line of work or play you’re in, the coming weeks will offer opportunities to start getting involved in sterling synergies and symbioses. To overcome the potential limitations of social distancing, make creative use of Zoom and other online video conferencing.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Singer-songwriter Jill Scott is strongly committed to her creative process. She tells us, “I was once making a burger for myself at my boyfriend’s house and a lyric started pouring out and I had to catch it, so I ran to another room to write it down, but then the kitchen caught fire. His cabinets were charred, and he was furious. But it was worth it for a song.”

My perspective: Scott’s level of devotion to the muse is too intense for my tastes. Personally, I would have taken the burger off the stove before fleeing the scene to record my good idea.

What about you, Aquarius? According to my analysis, you’re in a phase when creative ideas should flow even better than usual. Pay close attention. Be prepared to capture as much of that potentially life-altering stuff as possible.

Stuck at Home?

Check pghcitypaper.com for our ongoing streaming and book recommendations to help you get through the next few weeks

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): To protect ourselves and others from the pandemic, most of us have been spending more time than usual at home — often engaged in what amounts to enforced relaxation.

For some of us, that has been a problem. But I’m going to propose that it will be the opposite of a problem for you in the next three weeks. In my astrological opinion, your words to live by will be this counsel from author and philosopher Mike Dooley: “What if it was your downtime, your loungingin-bed-too-long time, that made possible your greatest achievements? Would they still make you feel guilty? Or would you allow yourself to enjoy them?”

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “The best of my nature reveals itself in play, and play is sacred,” wrote the feisty Aries author Karen Blixen, who sometimes used the pen name Isak Dinesen. The attitude described in that statement helps illuminate the meaning of another one of her famous quotations: “I do not think that I could ever really love a woman who had not, at one time or another, been up on a broomstick.” In my interpretation of this humorous remark, Blixen referred to the fact that she had a strong preference for witchy women with rascally magical ways. I bring this to your attention, Aries, because I’m inviting you to cultivate a Blixen-like streak of sacred play and sly magic in the coming days.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus music legend Willie Nelson has played the same guitar since 1969. He calls it “my horse,” and named it after Trigger, a famous horse in Hollywood films. Although Nelson still loves the tones that come from his instrument, it’s neither sleek nor elegant. It’s bruised with multiple stains and has a jagged gash near its sound hole. Some Tauruses want their useful things to be fine and beautiful, but not Willie. Having said that, I wonder if maybe he will finally change guitars sometime soon. For you Bulls, the coming months will be time to consider trading in an old horse for a new one.

Go to realastrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text-message horoscopes.

The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 27-JUNE 3, 2020

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IMAGE: CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART/RACHEL ROSE

Still from Lake Valley by Rachel Rose

.ART . .

VIRTUAL CONNECTION

BY HANNAH LYNN // HLYNN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

T

HE CARNEGIE MUSEUM of Art is physically closed (for now), but the institution is still accessible virtually. They are using the opportunity not only to connect with patrons who miss access to art, but to expand the museum’s digital presence, beyond the necessity during the pandemic. On Wed., May 20, CMOA launched its first in a series of online-only exhibits that draw from the museum’s video collection. Lake Valley, a video piece by artist Rachel Rose, is available to view for free on the CMOA website through Aug. 16.

Rose’s piece is an eight-minute video that “mines themes and imagery from the history of children’s literature to create a dream-like story about loneliness, imagination, and longing for personal connection,” reads the CMOA description.

The video incorporates aspects of collage, animation, and soundscapes.

The concept is a first for the museum, which has never had an exclusively online exhibit. But Eric Crosby, director of CMOA, says it’s a concept he has been

“considering for some time.”

“We have an incredible collection of film and video artworks, only some of which are on view in the galleries,” says Crosby. “Video works have the unique ability to function in an online presentation.”

LAKE VALLEY Carnegie Museum of Art cmoa.org/exhibition/rachel-rose

Lake Valley was first shown by the museum during the 2018 Carnegie International. Rose’s piece uses illustrations taken from 19th-century children’s books, brought to life through cel animation, to create layered visuals that come together one piece at a time.

The video begins with the creation of a collage, which, upon zooming out, is revealed to be a painting in a home. In that home, there are two dreamers: one a teenage girl, and the other a house pet

with characteristics of a rabbit, a rat, and a dog. When she sleeps, the girl dreams of floating mid-air, and of water under a full moon. When the little animal runs into the forest and falls asleep, it dreams of meeting other wild critters.

The whole piece is bright and colorful, oddly satisfying to watch, like the perfect way an animated egg cracks or the pot of boiling water is made up of navy blue bubbles. The collage layers overlap, rapidly creating scenery and then papering over with something new just as quickly. The accompanying sounds, both musical and natural background noises, are eerie and melancholy.

There is a tone of loneliness that runs through Lake Valley — Crosby calls the piece “a perfect fit for this moment,” and says the themes of the piece are especially relevant to being stuck at home.

“Lake Valley is an artwork that speaks directly to our collective quarantine experience — the video tells a story about loneliness, imagination, and longing for personal connection,” says

Follow staff writer Hannah Lynn on Twitter @hanfranny

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Crosby. “Everyone can find something to identify with in Rose’s deeply imaginative animation, especially given the challenges of our present moment.”

To take advantage of the creativity of Lake Valley, CMOA is incorporating virtual, family-friendly activities to go along with the exhibit. There are art activities on the website with prompts like drawing your own version of a strange pet, or creating a collage setting.

On June 17, CMOA will host a free virtual drawing workshop inspired by the exhibit.

There are more, yet-to-be-announced online exhibits planned after Lake Valley, and Crosby says that CMOA plans to continue the series even once the physical museum is able to open.

“In this moment while our doors are closed, our audience has grown and expanded across the country,” says Crosby. “The online exhibition series is essential as we rethink the traditional museum experience to include a strong online component.”

•

.BALLET.

KEEP MARCHING ON

BY AMANDA WALTZ AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

S

USAN JAFFE BELIEVES that in order

to understand ballet audiences, you must become one of them.

“You don’t know an audience until you’re sitting with them, and I do that all the time,” says Jaffe, a highly accomplished dancer and choreographer who now serves as the dean of dance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA).

Jaffe plans on doing just that when she moves to Pittsburgh to take on the role of artistic director at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT). She will succeed Terrence S. Orr, who has led the company since 1997 and plans to retire in June 2020 after the company’s 50th anniversary season.

However, Jaffe may have to wait for the chance to mingle with Pittsburgh audiences as the COVID-19 crisis has canceled in-person arts and cultural events for the foreseeable future.

While stepping into a new role during a pandemic may seem like a tall order, PBT executive director Harris Ferris called Jaffe an “extremely impressive and a fabulous candidate who is up to the challenges that the world is currently facing,” adding that she has “pivoted her own organization to address the coronavirus.”

For example, Jaffe ushered dance into UNCSA at Home, an online portal showcasing both past and present performances by students and faculty from all five of the university’s conservatories. Among the showcased performances is the upcoming online premiere of Polovtsian Dances, which Jaffe choreographed and is described as reimagining “the exotic dances that occur in Act II of Alexander Borodin’s opera Prince Igor.”

Jaffe says it was the desire to focus more on choreography that drew her to the new role at the PBT. Besides a distinguished career as a dancer, which includes stints with several internationally renowned ballet companies and performing with huge names

PHOTO: PETER MUELLER/COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOL

Susan Jaffe teaching at UNCSA

like Mikhail Baryshnikov, she has also worked as a choreographer, creating works for companies, universities, and colleges all over the United States.

“... ONCE YOU KNOW YOURSELF ON A DEEP LEVEL, YOU UNDERSTAND HUMANITY ...”

While the current PBT season has already been determined well into 2021, with some spring shows being rescheduled due to COVID-19, Jaffe says she looks forward to planning out her own shows.

“One of the things that really attracted me to the company is it has such a broad range of repertory,” says Jaffe,

citing PBT’s slate of full-length classic and contemporary ballets, including Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland, as well as its mixed-repertory productions, such as the choreographer showcase Here + Now taking place at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center.

Beyond the stage, Jaffe plans on continuing her mission of improving dancers’ health and well-being. At UNCSA, she developed a six-hour workshop called “The Effect of Intention: A Dancer’s Mindset,” for which she translated around 25 years of professional experiences into life lessons that help dancers and other creatives.

“I struggled with a lack of confidence and didn’t understand why I was nervous going onto the stage,” says Jaffe. “I believe artists need to get to know who they are because once you know yourself on a deep level, you understand humanity and you’re able to tap into more authenticity and more

confidence as an artist.”

She says the PBT board has been responsive to many of her ideas to keep dancers “safe and healthy,” including measures to reduce the number of injuries and speed up recovery.

“Everyone is really excited to do that, it’s not going to happen overnight,” says Jaffe, “but it definitely will happen.”

While the future of dance on stage remains uncertain into the summer, when Jaffe steps into her new role, she remains impressed by how her industry has persevered during this crisis.

“What really has been extremely heartwarming is how the dance world has shown up during a pandemic,” says Jaffe, adding her amazement at the sheer amount of online content, including dancers streaming in their own homes and studios. “It just really shows that, the way dancers operate, even during a pandemic, they can’t stop. The love of dance just keeps them marching on.”

•

Follow senior writer Amanda Waltz on Twitter @AWaltzCP PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 27-JUNE 3, 2020

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.HOME.

RHAPSODY IN GREEN

BY JORDAN SNOWDEN JSNOWDEN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

F

ROM WAKING UP LATE and going to bed even later, I’ve noticed quite a few of my habits have changed during the quarantine (and maybe not for the better). But plants have been my saving grace.

My plant-mom status has evolved into a plant smother. I find myself checking in on my plants every day: stroking their leaves, touching their soil, moving them into spots of light when the sun emerges from behind a cloud, playing Mort Garson’s Mother Earth’s Plantasia as loud as I can without disturbing my neighbors. I’ve been taking care of them, but really, they are taking care of me. And it turns out, this is something that’s not unique to me or the current circumstances.

“Biophilia is a term thrown around quite often, but what does it truly mean, or better yet what positive effects can it have?” asks Tom Horowitz, vice president of Plantscape in the Strip District. “The Well International WELL Building Institute concurs that humans have a psychological affinity toward nature, the natural world, and its simple processes.

Just being around nature, or even a photograph of nature, can help boost our mood and give us those warm fuzzies.”

Beyond that, The Attention Restoration Theory explains that working within — or in my case, living and working in — environments with elements of nature can aid in the restoration of mental capacity when dealing with demanding tasks and/or distracting environmental factors that lead to mental fatigue.

“Within our post-COVID-19 world, our bodies are

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in a state of fight-or-flight,” says Horowitz. “Adding interior plant material has shown to provide a sense of safety within the subconscious part of the brain.

Biophilia also, from a physical health perspective, provides positive outcomes. The NIH publication

by Grinde and Patil states that ‘a decrease in health complaints, such as tiredness and coughing, has been reported in office and hospital workers when plants were added to the work environment.’”

The aesthetic of a space full of plants has also been tantalizing while stuck at home. Being in my apartment almost 24/7 has made me want to spruce up my living situation. And since the start of the quarantine, I’ve added about eight new plant babies to my collection.

“A home or office can sometimes feel a bit lifeless without plants,” says Abi Falcioni, owner of Perrico Plant Co. “They are a relatively inexpensive way to add color and life into a space. In addition, it’s nice to just nurture and care for something once in a while, and plants are an easy way to fulfill that desire.”

Drew Clouse of City Grows backed Falcioni up, adding, “Plants can add unique pops of color in the home and help fill rooms [that have] unwanted empty space.” But he warned about the importance of picking the right plants to suit your home and lifestyle.

“Taking care of a plant, while not as daunting as a cat or dog, is still taking care of a living thing, and figuring out the right care routine for them is important,” says Clouse. “Having a designated time to water them, whether it’s weekly or monthly, or

to otherwise check on them daily helps to keep to a schedule for many people.

“Also plants provide a unique learning opportunity. Most people might not realize that taking care of plants, even for seasoned people, can be difficult at times, and that even we might wind up with some brown leaves or run into other issues, but that’s part of the process of having plants.”

As plants grow in your home, you grow with them. You learn about them, and in doing so learn about yourself. Do you have the patience for daily watering? Or are you a once-a-week type person?

Will you propagate your plants to share with others?

Or propagate them to make your collection an indoor jungle?

“Taking care of plants is very rewarding and can also be challenging, but it’s about taking on a manageable amount of work and making it enjoyable,” says Natasha Brittain, events coordinator and social media manager at Shadyside Nursery. “It’s also about not giving up and finding the plant varieties that work well in your home and with your lifestyle. Plants make us better people; they improve our quality of life and they are valuable teachers.”

Plus, as Horowitz pointed out, “They do not have any current restrictions or need to wear masks!

Plants are powerful in so many ways especially in today’s climate.”

On the following pages, Pittsburgh City Paper chatted with a few local plant sellers to get some tips and advice on being a great plant parent.

PHOTO: NATASHA BRITTAIN

Plant available at Shadyside Nursery

Shadyside Nursery 510 Maryland Ave., Shadyside. theshadysidenursery.com To adapt to running a business during the pandemic, Shadyside Nursery opened an online store and had plants available for pickup and local delivery. Pre-orders for houseplants began on Thu., May 13, but since the outdoor space can comply with restrictions of Allegheny County’s yellow phase, the nursery was able to open for the season on Fri., May 22.

“We will enforce social distancing practices and suggest masks for our customers,” says Brittain, of Shadyside Nursery. “If customer numbers climb extensively, we will limit the number of guests and we have talked about doing a ‘senior/sensitive group hour’ for shopping in the a.m. if needed. Keeping our community and our team safe and healthy is our priority and we will be adapting as needed to do so.”

Shadyside Nursery will be open Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and 9 a.m.9 p.m. on weekends.

“We are incredibly grateful to our Pittsburgh community that has supported us by shopping on our online store during this time,” says Brittain. “Let the victory gardens and ‘jungalows’ commence!”

Recommendations for beginners: Philodendron, ficus (rubber), pothos, and

class empowers people to work with plants, care for them inside and outside of their home, and remember that in doing so, it’s gratifying and can also be humbling. The most common mistake is when someone kills a couple of plants, they think they have a “black thumb” or are incapable of caring for plants in the future, which is absurd. Anyone can stop in at the nursery and gather tips and recommendations on how to be successful!

“I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges and rewards of delivering plant happiness to all my amazing customers,” says Falcioni. “Additionally, the brick-andmortar location has allowed me to expand to wholesale, giving me the opportunity to support other local plant businesses.”

Falcioni also runs a YouTube channel (Perrico Plant Co.) where she gives a behind-the-scenes look at operating a house plant business, as well as advice about house plants.

Most unique plant in stock:

Perrico Plant Co.

Recommendations for beginners:

Our most popular plant is the carnivorous pitcher plant. It’s AMAZING, it’s weird, and it eats fruit flies, so it’s the real show-stopper out of the group. We have 10” sansevieria sayuri that we are thrilled to have in stock. As sansevieria collectors, this is the first time to see this variety in person or have any size in stock at the shop! We also have some notable hoya and lipstick plant hanging baskets, as well as the sought after cereus peruvianus double cactus.

158 41st St., Lawrenceville. perricoplantco.com

Our entire website is dedicated to helping beginner house plant owners (or black thumbs) find their perfect plant. Our favorites for beginners are ZZ plants and snake plants (sansevieria), as well as easy vining plants like a pothos or philodendron. We actually offer a Beginner Bundle [with] three beginner plants which allows customers to get a great deal on a few plants that will be easy to care for.

our all-time favorite [is] sansevierias (snake plant). COVID-19 has created an interesting dynamic in the industry and the silver lining for us is that some hardto-source varieties became available to us.

We are very excited to be a source of improving your home with houseplants and offer them to our Pittsburgh community.

Intermediate recommendations: Cathatea, hoya, ficus tree, fiddle leaf fig, and the lipstick plant

A typical plant mistake you see which can easily be fixed: Identifying each plant’s needs and acting accordingly is very important (water, light, soil). I teach multiple classes at Workshop PGH that specialize in plants and the most notable is Houseplants 101 - How Not to Kill Your Plants. The

Perrico Plant Co. used to sell plants online and through pop-up events, and opened a retail/wholesale warehouse in Lawrenceville right before things shut down. Customers can shop for plants on its website — Perrico ships house plants across the contiguous U.S. — and now offers curbside pickup.

“Fortunately, we had a great response from Pittsburgh customers who were willing to pay for shipping because they wanted to shop local, so it’ll be great to be able to safely serve them with curbside pickup from now on,” says Perrico Plant Co. owner Abi Falcioni.

Falcioni recently left her corporate job to pursue running Perrico full time and takes a great deal of pride in being a female small business owner.

Intermediate recommendations: We call these “graduation” plants and would recommend a stromanthe triostar to anyone looking for a striking plant but is willing to put in the effort to keep it consistently watered and provide a humid environment, if possible.

Most unique plant in stock: Since we focus on plants that are great CONTINUES ON PG. 20

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 27-JUNE 3, 2020

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RHAPSODY IN GREEN, CONTINUED FROM PG. 19

for beginners, we don’t tend to carry many rare plants, but a fan favorite is the monstera adansonii which is a skinnier cousin to the monstera deliciosa (Swiss cheese plant) that has gained in popularity over the last few years.

A typical plant mistake that you see which can easily be fixed: A typical problem is not picking a plant that will suit your space. We have our website designed to take customers through a few questions related to lighting and watering that will help them narrow the choice down to the plants that will work best in their home. Too often people pick a plant that might look interesting, but they don’t have the right conditions to keep the plant happy. We try to guide customers to plants that will have a good chance of thriving in the space.

Plantscape 3101 Liberty Ave., Strip District. plantscape.com Plantscape doesn’t have a storefront for the public, but does sell to businesses.

There are sales and design consultants that go directly to Plantscape’s clients, or clients can come to Plantscape’s facility by appointment.

Recommendations for beginners: For beginners, we recommend sticking to low- to medium-light plants, such as a cast iron, sansevieria, pothos, and aglaonemas. We have a plant selection guide on our website (plantscape.com/ plant-selection-guide.htm) for reference.

CP PHOTO: JORDAN SNOWDEN

Plants at home

Intermediate recommendations: More advanced green thumbs could attempt a bonsai or other exotic varieties if they have the proper light levels.

Most unique plant in stock: I would say the aglaonema with its vast selection in varieties. They range from dark green to speckled, to shades of pink or red. But if you are looking for a statement, a pencil cactus (Euphorbia tirucalli) is the way to go.

A typical plant mistake that you see which can easily be fixed: Under- or over-watering tends to be the biggest mistake made when caring for plants. Giving little drinks of water here and there doesn’t get down and saturate the roots, and using too much water or watering too frequently the roots will rot since they don’t have a chance to dry out. Pro-tip is to water thoroughly so water comes out the drainage hole — after a while, empty

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the saucer or container of any sitting water and then let the soil dry down several inches or more before watering again. Better to under-water than over-water! The other mistake is not matching the plant to the light levels.

The plant selection guide on our website shows light levels required.

City Grows 5208 Butler St., Lawrenceville. citygrowspgh.com City Grows is a fairly small store, so it’s still figuring out the best way to allow customers inside to shop now that Allegheny Country is in the yellow phase. Until then, people can continue to make purchases by calling the store at 412-781-2082 during City Grows’ business hours, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. The Lawrenceville business posts different items it has available every day on

Instagram (instagram.com/citygrows).

In addition to plants, City Grows sells a variety of pottery for plants and plants for organic urban gardening. It also has seeds, seedlings, soil, and various fertilizers and other soil amendments.

Recommendations for beginners: The easiest houseplants we have to care for are snake plants (sansevieria) and ZZ plants both of which can survive in pretty low light and need watered about monthly.

Most unique plant in stock: Our most unique plant is probably the Buddhist pine. It’s a conifer native to Japan and China and also makes a great houseplant for our region.

A typical plant mistake that you see which can easily be fixed: People tend to over-water succulents and cacti, or they don’t water them at all, when they need water every 3-4 weeks.

I usually try to tell people to try to get as close as possible to replicating any plant’s natural environment.

Intermediate recommendations: Our calathea and maranta are probably in that range. They need a bit more care: mainly higher humidity, which can be achieved by misting the plants or putting a tray with rocks or pebbles at the bottom, or a humidifier if you want to make the investment. They also need watered every 5-7 days generally, but do well in low-medium light.

Schweikert Greenhouse 322 Wallrose Heights Road, Baden. schweikertgreenhouse.com Schweikert Greenhouse is a familyowned greenhouse, run by Andy Schweikert, his mom Chicky, and his dad Hoby. Andy’s grandmother and

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING LOCAL JOURNALISM Thank you to the following readers who have signed up for Pittsburgh City Paper’s new membership campaign

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Abi Falcioni, owner of Perrico Plant Co., poses for a portrait at her shop in Lawrenceville.

dad started their greenhouse business over 30 years ago, and everyone who works there is family.

“My brother Brian helps us when we are busy, and my other brother’s motherin-law Dianne helps us water and plant flowers, herbs, and vegetables,” says Andy.

Schweikert Greenhouse is open to the public, as the Schweikerts have seven spaced out greenhouses. They require a mask in accordance with Governor Wolf’s order, but customers can come and shop while maintaining social distancing. Schweikert specializes in flowers, herbs, vegetable plants, perennials, and succulents.

“Most of our plants are for beautifying your home or to grow your own vegetables or herbs in your garden,” says Andy. “For houseplants, we mainly have cactus and succulents which my 93-yearold grandma Betty Schweikert has grown and cared for over the years.”

Recommendations for beginners: I would recommend solenia begonias.

They can grow in sun or part sun to shade and don’t require a lot of water. Another easy plant for beginners is vinca. They love very hot sunny weather and are

extremely drought tolerant.

Intermediate recommendations: For a hanging basket I recommend a mandevilla or a dipladenia, as they do wonderful in hot weather and continuously bloom, and do not need watered every day.

Most unique plant in stock: Our most unique plant is a customer favorite of ours, a cherry tomato basket.

The variety of tomato is specially bred to grow in a basket, and they produce hundreds of tomatoes all summer. They just take a lot of water because they get very large throughout the summer. Another very unique plant we have is a succulent called a lifesaver cactus; they produce a yellow and red bloom that is amazing.

A typical plant mistake that you see which can easily be fixed: The biggest mistake is choosing the wrong place for a plant meaning putting a plant that likes shade in a sunny location or over- or under-watering. Some plants love lots of water while others will do poorly with lots of water, so knowing the plant’s requirement is important.

Follow staff writer Jordan Snowden on Twitter @snowden_jordan

•

Aaron Aupperlee Aaron Jentzen Abby Cook Abigail Gardner Adam Hart Adam Knoerzer Adam Schweigert Adam Shuck Al Hoff Alec Magnani Alex McCann Alex Walsh Amy Bilkey Amy Montgomery Amy Scanlon AmyJo Sanders Andrea Lynn Andrew Brown Andrew Conte Andrew Mulkerin Andrew Seymour Andy Collins Angelos Tzelepis Anna Reilly Anni Sweetser April Gilmore April McCann Arielle Eyers Arlan Hess Ashley Kenawell Barbara Valaw Barbara Weaver Ben Panko Ben Soltesz Benjamin Weaver Bennett Aikin Beth Newman Beth Wickerham Bethany Hallam Bill Lazur Brandy Hadden Breanna Jay Brentin Mock Brett Yasko Brian Kell Brian Kelly Brian Lysell Brittany Fagan Caitlin O’Connor Campbell Robertson Cara & Bill Blumenschein Carol Pickerine Carolyn Regan Carrie Roy Cathy Elliott Chad Efaw Charles Anthony Chris Belasco Chris Gillotti Chris Mueller Chris Potter Chris Watts Christina Barry Christopher Briem Cindy Hudson Clare & Dennis Pawloski Cole Gleason Coleman Lamb Cortney Bouse Dana Bell Dana Estep Daniel Jacobowitz

Daniel Tasse Danielle Walker Danika Lagorio Dara Pruszenski David & Catherine Bomstein David Eichelberger David Kutrufis David Newman David Oakley Debbie Breckenridge Deno De Ciantis Divyansh Kaushik Don Pellegrino Ed Ehrlich Ed Wrenn Eileen French Elizabeth Archibald Elizabeth Butler Elizabeth Silver Ellen Philips Emilie Yonan Emma Diehl Emma Neely Erica Warnitsky Erin Blussick Erin Kelly Evelyn Meinert Finnian Carstens G Ronald Ripper G. Gerben Geo Maroon Georgann Jenkins George Kanakis Georgia Crowther Geral Schatten Gillian Kratzer Gina Vensel Gordon Core Greg Seaman Gregory Scott Griffin Conley Hal B Klein Hank McAnallen Harley Nester Harold Smoliar Heidi Bartholomew Hobart Webster Ian Riggins J. Dale Shoemaker Jacob Bacharach Jade Artherhults James Conley James Heinrich James Saal James Santelli Jason Meer Jay Aronson Jay Walker Jean McClung Jeanne Cobetto Jeff Betten Jeffrey Benzing Jennie Sweet-Cushman Jennifer Shumar Jenny Ladd Jeremy Kimmel Jess Williams Jessica Manack Jessica Prom Jessica Prucnal JJ Abbott

JoAnn Tuite JoAnn Zindren Joanne Gilligan Jocelyn Codner Joe D’Alessandro Joe Pasqualetti Joey Gannon John Berry John Meyer John Wise John Yackovich Joseph Corrigan Joseph Morrison Joshua Axelrod Joshua Kiley Joshua Pinter Joshua Smith Julian Routh Justin Krane Justin Matase Justin Romano Justin Rossini Kate Roberts Kate Rosenzweig Katharine Kelleman Katherine Oltmanns Kathy Dax Katie Damico Katie Hudson Keegan Gibson Keith Bare Kendra Ross Kenneth Mostern Kevin Jameson Kim Lyons Kimberly Ressler Kristina Marusic Kyle Cunningham Lady MacBonald Lara Putnam Larry Lynn Laura Drogowski Laura Everhart Lena DeLucia Leslie Cooley Liam Lowe Lisa Saks Lisa Steinfeld Lois Apple Loretta Deto Lorie Milich Luke Rifugiato Lynn Cullen Lynne Cherepko Lynne Frank Lynne Hughes Magda Gangwar Margaret Krauss Marilyn McCarty Marina Fang Mark Goodman Mark Solomon Mark Westbrook Mark Winer Mary Briles Mary Guzzetta Mary Russell Matt Adams Matt Moret Matthew Buchholz Matthew Cartier Matthew Hynes

Megan Brady Melissa Kohr Micaela Corn Michael Colaresi Michael Damico Michael Shuker Michael Wasson Mike Beattie MJ Holmes Molly Toth Morgan Jenkins Myles Gordon Nate Jay Neil Bhaerman Neil Owen Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh Nick Goodfellow Nick Honkaal Nick Malawskey Nikki Walton Noah Theriault Nora Smith Norma Bronder Office of Public Art Ollie Gratzinger Patricia Oliver Patty Delaney Paul McGowan Peter McKay Rachel Ward Raymond Leech Raymond Martin Rebecca Boyer Rebecca Seibel Rich Lord Richelle Meer Rick D’Loss Rob Rossi Robert Baird Robert Lang Robert Raczka Ron Vodenichar Samuel Gordon Sarah Hamm Sarah Wiggin Sean Collier Shannon Kelly Shawn Cooke Sherri Suppa Stacey Campbell Stephanie Sedor Stephen Wagner Steve Holz Stuart Strickland Sue Kerr Susan Jackson Tammy Schuey Tara Spence Tasha Eakin Tereneh Idia Terry Peters Tobin Seastedt Todd Derr Toni Haraldsen Tyler Bickford Vicki Cunningham Virginia Alvino Young Will Simmons William J Schoy IV William O’Driscoll

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THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213, on June 9, 2020 until 2:00 P.M. local prevailing time for:

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