At the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center, ancient teachings meet Zoom meditation, Sri Lankan food festivals, and mindfulness circles in library basements
BY: AAKANKSHA AGARWAL
AAKANKSHA AGARWAL
How a Pittsburgh group — and a terrier named Bob — are reviving the ancient art of killing barnyard vermin
BY: RACHEL WILKINSON // RWILKINSON@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
The pitch for the Steel City Ratting Coalition couldn’t be any clearer.
“Yinz got rats? We’ll bring the dogs dahn,” reads the group’s Facebook page.
On a Sunday evening, the ratting group — which uses dogs to hunt and kill rats for pest control, also known as canine rat abatement — is called to an Ohio poultry farm. The property owners spotted rats scurrying from their peacock coop, an 1820s building original to the site. In addition to the well-known disease risk and property destruction that a rat infestation brings, rats are also known to steal eggs and eat chicks and goslings.
“If you have chickens, you have rats,” the property owners tell Pittsburgh City Paper Once the rats invaded their coop, they killed a brood of 24 goslings in a single night, impacting a conservation breed on the endangered species list.
“It was the most heartbreaking thing ever. They are ruthless ,” the farmers say. After the rats outsmarted traps and the resident barn cats — and not wanting to use rat poison that could harm other animals or their young children — the farmers sought out the Steel City Ratting Coalition. Since its creation in fall 2024, SCRC, the only organized ratting group in the region, has made the rounds, accepting jobs anywhere within an
charge for its services, accepting only gas
money and occasional treats for the dogs.
Barnes says the idea for a ratting group formed after her family bought Bob as a puppy to train as a ratting dog for their own poultry farm in Upper Burrell Township. After guiding Bob not to hurt other livestock (called “proofing”), the border terrier killed 40 rats on the Barnes’ farm in one weekend.
says farmers have grown more environmentally conscious and aware of the effects of rat poison on wildlife. The use of ratting dogs is also increasing again in urban areas as rats develop immunity to poison.
“So the dogs are the best bet,” Barnes says.
In addition to the group’s assertion that using ratting dogs is the most environmen-
“I LOVE TO SEE DOGS DOING WHAT THEY WERE BRED TO DO, AND GETTING TO FILL HISTORICAL DUTIES.”
“And that was him doing all the work, finding the dens and digging,” Barnes says. “We learned to work with him, watched lots of YouTube videos. When he didn’t have any more work at home, I decided maybe some other farmers needed some help, too. I asked a couple different dog groups, and that’s how I met these handlers.”
“A couple times a month, we meet up, and sometimes we get a whole bucket full of dead rats,” she says.
Echoing her clients’ sentiments, Barnes
tally-friendly, humane, and efficient way to get rid of rats, SCRC says the practice also benefits the dogs, most of whom instinctively chase and kill rats.
“I love to see dogs doing what they were bred to do, and getting to fill historical duties and meet all their needs, mentally and physically,” Barnes says. “Dead rats are always a bonus, and we love to be able to work the dogs.”
Ratting, or rat hunting, is, of course, not new. Dating back to medieval times,
rat catcher.)
Over time, ratting evolved into organized competitions, particularly during the Victorian era, where rat-baiting, which pitted dogs against rats in a “rat pit” for entertainment and gambling, became a blood sport. At its height, dogs were encouraged to kill a rat every five seconds. As public concern increased for animal welfare, the sport lost popularity and was widely outlawed at the beginning of the 20th century.
Today, Barn Hunt is a competitive sport where dogs sniff out tame pet rats hidden in hard tubes that prevent the rats from being harmed. The Barn Hunt Association website notes that some dog breeds were “specifically created” to fill a ratting role, and the modern sport “provides their first true opportunity for responsible breeders to test
after critters, and she loves that.”
Simms, a city dweller in West View, also believes in the importance of giving her dog “biologically fulfilling” activities. In addition to Barn Hunt, Simms shares videos of Flora at tracking practice, going ratting (“her favorite thing”), and competing in dock diving for dogs.
Kayla Campbell of Morgantown, W.Va., who handles Ashlyn, a border collie, says her dog goes against type. While border collies are typically herding dogs, Ashlyn took an interest in hunting rodents at their local feed store.
“She has naughty habits. She likes to kill things,” Campbell tells CP. “This is a healthy outlet for that.”
Bob, Flora, and Ashlyn are the three regulars among a core group of about eight dogs, including
a miniature pinscher and dachshunds.
But Bob, as the group’s first dog and the terrier, has the star power, and the rainbowcolored SCRC logo features him carrying a rat.
“He’s so cute, and he does everything. He’s a show dog,” Simms says.
Though all the SCRC dogs are working dogs, and most are considered ratting dogs, the terrier is literally a breed apart, estab lished more than 200 years ago specifically for “vermin hunting.” The American Kennel Club describes the border terrier standard as a “tough, no-frills working terrier” and a “plucky, happy, and affectionate dog.”
During the Ohio job, everyone in the group shouts for Bob, who also goes by Bob, Bobby, Rob, and Robbie — spelled “the ’80s way,” Barnes says, ending in “-ie” — after Rob Halford, heavy metal singer of Judas Priest. (Among Bob’s registered show dog names are “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’” after the hit Judas Priest song.)
After nearly a year of working together, the dogs have established a pack rhythm. SCRC is frequently asked what training the dogs require, but Simms says the need is minimal as “they’re always on the job, they’re
always looking for critters.”
“Usually, Robbie will get in[to] something, he’ll get in a floor, he’ll get in a wall, he’ll get in a hole,” Barnes explains. “And then he kills whatever’s in there, and whatever runs out. Then, the big dogs grab. The big dogs are the catch dogs. So everybody works really well together.”
The dogs even have signature moves.
“Ashlyn will stare down a hole and wait for something to come out or to dive in,” Simms says. “Flora huffs, takes big, deep breaths off the dirt. Bobby grumbles, so he’ll make little noises. And as soon as you hear it — it’s a very specific noise. If you hear it, you’ll immediately know [there’s a rat].”
At Bob’s urging, the Barneses and the property owners jump in to lift stall mats out of the coop, revealing a rat den inside a hollow block in the building’s foundation.
While Barnes says most homeowners are interested in “having the dogs come out and
off cracks and “block all the little nooks and crannies” the dogs can’t access. The group also uses water to show where burrows are and to flush out rats. Displacing the den also helps wipe them out.
Just when it seems like the dogs are winding down after killing about six rats in an hour, Bob moves to another coop nearby and starts digging. Flora bounds behind, and suddenly both dogs are barking.
“Found a horde!” Barnes shouts, and a rat-killing frenzy ensues. Rats, it turns out, scream, and with the dogs after them, they start running out of the coop en masse.
“Yeah, good girl, Flora! Got it in her mouth. Good girl!” Simms yells. “There’s another one! Flora, you’re missing them! Go get ’em!”
“There it is! Get it, Ashlyn! She got it,” Campbell says proudly.
Rats in mortal peril sometimes bite back, so the dogs’ handlers will jump in to treat their wounds. There’s always concern about
This time, Flora gets bitten on the nose, though it doesn’t slow her down.
“ hey re slamming rats off the wall,” Barnes says.
“Bob is a champ ” one of the property owners says. fter a slow but steady start in the first hour, the dogs “probably caught like rats in minutes.” t the end of every ob, has a tradition of taking a group photo with all the rats laid out on a tray. oday, they celebrate an even kills.
“ sually, I hold the biggest rat ne t to Bobby so you can see how big the rats are, because that rat s bigger than his head is,” Barnes says.
s gruesome as it might seem, the group s put a dent in a ma or rat infestation, destroying dens and tunnels using no chemicals, all while keeping their dogs engaged. hey leave the homeowners grateful.
“ hat s rats we didn t catch,” they say, also noting they now have a plan for securing their coops.
fter a break, the dogs will be ready to hunt again, and have to be carted home.
“ e ll hose everybody off, collect our tools,” Barnes says. “ he hope is that this catches on.” •
Pittsburgh has changed since the decline of steel, and perhaps no neighborhood is clearer evidence of that than Upper Lawrenceville. Once a steel hub, the former home of Lucy Furnace is in a real estate boom, with ample new construction and houses going for an average of $448,360, per Zillow.
Wylie Holdings, which Pittsburgh City Paper brie y covered in Part One of this story, played a prominent role in the neighborhood’s metamorphosis. The company attracted businesses and young people to previously vacant properties. It also angered some area residents with questionable threats, and upward pressure on the area’s real-estate market.
Wylie sold most of its assets to Baltimore-based
Riparian Management in 2024, leaving Riparian with valuable but maintenance-intensive properties, skeptical tenants, and well-organized neighborhood groups. After early missteps, the company is under pressure to make good with its remaining tenants. Riparian’s CEO says it has implemented policy changes, and has short- and long-term plans for a local presence.
But the unaffordability of a growing swath of the ast nd and hard to reach, out of town landlords may still be a foregone conclusion without broader changes in policy. Two Riparian tenants interviewed by City Paper after publication of Part One corroborated many of the same concerns about communication and notices to vacate detailed in our first story.
“We ended up experiencing many of the same issues you reported: short notice for home inspections that never ended up taking place, and a signed lease e tension offer that was later rescinded and replaced with a 90-day notice to vacate,” Upper Lawrenceville resident Matthew Buck tells CP
“I haven’t been able to reach them through any avenues,” a second anonymous tenant says. “All I’m looking for is answers.”
pper awrenceville was, by many accounts, a different place years ago. It was low on a list released in 2000 that ranked Pittsburgh neighborhoods by percentage of college graduates. News articles from the time describe a neighborhood in the early stages of gentrification. everal of those articles also note the role early developers played in reawakening the Butler treet corridor and their sometimes legally dubious and disruptive ways of doing business.
“YOU’RE
Wylie drew local media scrutiny at the time. The company reportedly submitted in ated estimates for renovations in e change for interest-free loans from Pittsburgh’s Urban Redevelopment Authority between 2006 and 2008, per the Tribune-Review. (“It’s not like we could just give it to somebody we liked,” a URA employee said at the time.) Wylie’s managing partner, Joe Edelstein, also reportedly pled guilty to health care fraud in a previous 1996 case. (Edelstein did not respond to CP requests for comment by email and text.)
“It was a risky business strategy that involved buying hundreds of small properties with hopes of spurring revitalization in the long run,” Edelstein told CP in 2017 regarding Wylie’s history.
The company acquired a mixed reputation among its tenants as its portfolio grew over the years. Wylie has 31 reviews on Google, with an average rating of three stars, and several Reddit threads dedicated to cautionary tales about its role in ittsburgh real estate. ources CP contacted for this two-part story describe a relationship of necessity with Wylie given their outsized presence in the neighborhood.
By 2021, Edelstein was telling a panel convened by the Pittsburgh Business Times that his company played “a pivotal role” in getting Lawrenceville back to its “former glory.”
“Our strategy was to identify, purchase and improve all the derelict properties we could get our hands on,” Edelstein said at the time, the goal being remediation of “crimeridden neighborhoods [with] entrenched bad actors.”
The numbers tell an interesting story: crime, while always relatively low, has, in fact fallen in the area, per a 2022 neighborhood metrics report by the Lawrenceville Corporation (LC). Housing prices have concurrently risen — the report found a tenfold increase in median home sale price since 2000. While Lower and Central Lawrenceville’s populations increased by over 10% and 5%, respectively, Upper Lawrenceville actually saw a more than 10% decrease in its population. Much of the growth was driven by a decrease in seniors and a 40% jump in residents aged 25 to 34.
During that time, Lawrenceville as a whole has also seen a 68% decrease in its total Black population — disproportionate to the city’s overall decrease in Black population of 13.4%.
Increased rent, notices to vacate ahead of renovations, fewer properties accepting Section 8 vouchers, and other factors have all accelerated this phenomenon.
Residents say the changes afoot raise questions about how to keep Pittsburgh affordable for existing residents — and who gets the final say in that decision.
Riparian is no stranger to cities in transition. Riparian CEO, Kris Garin, notes the company’s presence in Cleveland and Detroit, where the real estate markets have yet to bounce back as Pittsburgh’s has. Detroit, for example, has an average home price of $78,601, while Cleveland averages $116,771, both well shy of Pittsburgh’s $244,928. In Baltimore, where Riparian is headquartered, that number is $190,745.
“Historically, Riparian has operated primarily in deeply affordable communities in the mid-Atlantic and Midwest — partnering with dozens of housing authorities and voucher-issuing nonprofits in the process,” Garin tells CP. “When we met the Wylie team,
they were already in the process of selling a portion of their portfolio, and we were confident that continuing the process they set in motion to convert a subset of rentals to owner-occupied would make it feasible for us to sustain a core portfolio of more affordable rentals for the longer term.”
The company’s claim to working in affordable housing is partly borne out of a large 2022 deal in the Baltimore area, where Riparian purchased 461 units using $54.7 million in loans that would enable the company to target renters making between 60 and 100% of the area’s median income (in Baltimore, $37,411). “Section 8 and other voucher programs are being used. Riparian owns more than $125 million in assets under management, making its [Single-Family Rental] portfolio one of the largest in the Mid-Atlantic area,” a report read at the time.
“IT WAS A RISKY BUSINESS STRATEGY THAT INVOLVED BUYING HUNDREDS OF SMALL PROPERTIES WITH HOPES OF SPURRING REVITALIZATION.”
While it’s unknown how large the Wylie deal was, it seems Riparian’s intent is to sell off potentially millions of dollars in Pittsburgh properties acquired last year. “Wylie had already initiated a dispositions program for most of the single-family properties in their portfolio, transitioning them from rentals to owner-occupied over time. We expect to continue this program,” Garin says. “These sales are essential to allow us to preserve the remaining rental portfolio for the longer-term.”
As corporate real estate’s role increases, to rent or to own is a complicated decision for individual Pittsburghers. A recent report concluded that Pittsburgh was the only city nationwide where mortgages remained cheaper than the median monthly rent, but noted that “home prices in Pittsburgh have climbed roughly 31%, while rents have surged nearly 40% over the same time
period, pushing the cost of renting beyond the cost of buying.” (The report also calls Pittsburgh “Midwestern.”) As other outlets have recently noted, locals are also strained by the area’s low salaries, and Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh’s $7.25 minimum wage.
Antony Gnalian, a former Lawrenceville resident, tells CP he experienced the same poor communication from Riparian as other tenants, and that he and his partner have been waiting longer than the required 30 days for their security deposit. Gnalian says they’ve been “very fortunate” compared to other Riparian tenants and recently purchased a home, but they were unable to find a place in Lawrenceville that was the right size, in good repair, and within their budget, and are moving instead to an innerring Pittsburgh suburb.
“Just living in Lawrenceville all the time that we had been living there, you could definitely see the change in the neighborhood, especially with rent prices going up,” Gnalian says. “You’re seeing more young urban professionals who can afford the higher rent prices, but you’re losing some of the cool cultural components of what made Lawrenceville really cool to begin with.”
“We’re not all able to just go out and buy a house anymore,” Riparian tenant Kwamé Govine tells CP . “We have to rent. We have to. And we’re just trying to get into a bigger place, a better place, just to hopefully, in the next few years, be able to buy a house.” Govine, who calls his rent “competitive” for the area, says his since-resolved water bill stalemate with Riparian (detailed in Part One) was just one example of the ways young people often find themselves at the mercy of their landlord.
“I think if you would look into other places outside of Riparian, you’d probably hear similar things. I think there’s a lot of people that have issues with getting maintenance done, have issues with rising rent costs,” Govine says.
Riparian’s Google Review ratings average — 3.6 stars — is actually higher than Wylie’s. Other area rental agencies range from 2.5 stars (Mozart Management) to comparable at 3.8 stars (Walnut Capital) to slightly higher at 4.0 (J.J. Land Co.).
“I think there’s a bigger concern that maybe Riparian is just a symbol of, or symptom of … these big corporate LLCs
… buying more and more of our housing stock,” Pittsburgh City Councilor Deb Gross tells CP. “Our state government does not allow the City of Pittsburgh and the city council to interfere in the marketplace[, but] we’re certainly looking at every kind of policy we can to disincentivize this kind of land grab by big LLCs outside of the city.”
Dave Breingan of Lawrenceville United (LU) says his organization has had a “productive conversation” with Garin and others at Riparian, and that the company has taken steps to issue security deposits to tenants who had been waiting on them. “We will be closely monitoring and checking in with tenants and businesses to ensure this translates to actual progress for the neighbors affected by these issues,” Breingan tells CP
But, like Gross, Breingan sees bigger problems than one company’s missteps. “ We believe, at Lawrenceville United, that housing is a human right, and that our homes are the building blocks of our family and community lives, and should be treated better than just a commodity to be bought and sold for profit,” Breingan says. arin frames iparian s partial selloff of ylie s former portfolio as a way to add stability, and says he remains in dialogue with local groups such as . “ ur roots as a company are in affordable housing, and where we can meet our responsibilities to our other stakeholders while continuing to support the long term affordability and economic diversity of Lawrenceville, we will always prioritize those outcomes,” he says.
Garin also highlights a professional history of 11 years founding and chairing the board of a nonprofit grocer serving food deserts in the greater Washington, D.C. area. He says Riparian is infused with “social impact spirit” and offers its staff access to an employee ownership and profit sharing program.
Erik Oas of Pittsburgh United agrees with Breingan that housing shouldn t be commodified and says he d like to see local governments get involved in real estate. “The public needs to be in the housing game,” Oas tells CP. “I think that is very doable, actually, considering it’s just a question of something we’ve done in the past, which was building housing, and [we] have really gotten away from with private-public partnerships and Section 8 vouchers.”
Gross says she and other Pittsburgh leaders have been looking beyond the city s borders for models specifically e amples in Riparian’s home state of Maryland, where, Gross says, Montgomery ounty has implemented one of the country s most sweeping affordability policies. The county is also doing what Oas wants to see in Pittsburgh: building affordable housing.
This has already happened at a smaller scale in Upper Lawrenceville. Gross hopes scaling up can help Pittsburgh avoid another “unbearable” situation such as the demolition of Penn Plaza, which saw local residents uprooted.
“ e upping the affordability terms gets you another generation or two, right But having longer affordability terms keeps people in their homes even when they’re old,” Gross says. “So, while it’s true, in the 1,000 units that were built or preserved in the last three years … I think we could even try to push that envelope and do that even better.” •
10 A.M. MONDAY THRU THURSDAY AT
At the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center, ancient teachings meet Zoom meditation, Sri Lankan food festivals, and mindfulness circles in library basements
BY: AAKANKSHA AGARWAL //
INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
It’s just before 6 p.m. on a Tuesday at the Oakmont Carnegie Library. In the basement’s Oak Room, a dozen Pittsburghers are already seated cross-legged on the oor or sinking into folding chairs. More are slowly trickling in. Libraries are supposed to be quiet, but this evening, it’s almost unnaturally still.
own the hallway, past a minefield of plastic train tables and ride on toys, three monks stroll in, barefoot and unbothered, their vivid saffron robes swaying like they ust stepped out of a temple in andy.
ne woman clutches a dog eared novel. nother closes her eyes as Bhante emaratana, a herav da Buddhist monk, soft spoken and smiling, welcomes everyone with folded hands.
emaratana gently guides the community through a meditation practice that has become a weekly ritual, both here and in libraries across llegheny ounty, for more than a decade.
“ e ust want to be helpful to people. If people can learn these important techni ues to calm their minds and keep their minds free from unnec essary worries, we are happy to dedicate our time,” he tells Pittsburgh City Paper.
hat unassuming library session is ust one of many portals into the world of the ittsburgh Buddhist enter, a herav da temple tucked into a wooded corner of llison ark. rom free children s oom meditations to ri ankan food festivals, the center reaches across estern ennsylvania, bringing Buddhists and others together through service and community.
ounded in by a group of ri ankan professionals from ltoona, tate ollege, and ittsburgh, the enter was created as a peaceful
“EVERYONE HAS INNER GOODNESS. WE JUST HAVE TO BE SKILLFUL TO BRING THAT GOODNESS OUT.”
place to meditate and study the Buddha s teachings. rom the beginning, it was meant to be open to all. he founders needed someone who could bridge cultures, a monk uent in both the hamma and the nglish language.
emaratana, who was happily based in ri anka at the time, wasn t interested.
“I felt that the . . was very far, almost the other side of the globe,” he recalls. “I was also not familiar with merican or estern culture.”
But the community was persistent. e agreed to visit in , ust to see. hat he found was a real need, a warm welcome, and the sense that he could be of service.
e returned to ri anka, received his monas tic master s blessing, and moved to ittsburgh in . he transition wasn t easy. e had to learn to drive, adapt to a new culture, and build trust in communities unfamiliar with Buddhism. hat same year, he enrolled in the niversity of ittsburgh s h. . program in eligious tudies, focusing on how Buddhism has moderni ed across sia.
“ y studies at itt gave me both an insid er s and an outsider s view into Buddhism,” he says. “It helped me re ect on my own tra dition with fresh eyes.” oday, he is the chief monk at B and also teaches sian religions
and the history of meditation at Carnegie Mellon University.
For 15 years, the Center operated out of a modest home in Natrona Heights. In 2021, it moved into its current location in Allison Park, nestled in the woods near Deer Creek. The setting is serene, ideal for meditation, and re ective of the center s deepening roots.
But physical space is just the beginning. What sets the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center apart is its reach. Pemaratana and his fellow monks, now a trio, lead free guided meditations at libraries in East Liberty, Fox Chapel, and Penn Hills. Every Sunday, kids from across the country log on for Zoom meditation. The Center also brings chanting and mindfulness to assisted living homes, and, until SCI Pittsburgh shut down, to the incarcerated.
These free, secular meditation classes have made mindfulness accessible to people who might never set foot in a Buddhist temple.
hey ve built up a surprisingly robust ou ube presence, too. nd during uesday night meditations at the temple, it s not uncommon to spot participants joining the livestreamed event from Singapore or Malaysia — Wednesday morning for them, a zen start to the workday.
“In the library setting, we offer a secular version of meditation,” Pemaratana says. “People feel comfortable coming to a place they already know.”
The impact has been profound. One participant with multiple sclerosis said his doctor could tell from his scans whether he had been meditating. Another said the sessions helped regulate blood pressure. A family made a donation to the Cooper-Siegel Library in honor of the monks. Others report that they simply sleep better or fight less with their spouses.
et the teachings go deeper than stress relief. he foundation of herav da Buddhism lies in the our oble ruths understanding suffering, its causes, and the path to its end. emaratana encourages students to sit with difficulty, e amine their pain, and respond with compassion and wisdom.
“ uffering is understood as arising from causes and conditions both mental and social. A practitioner is encouraged to look at their life, recognize what they can change, and accept what they cannot with equanimity,” he says.
Occasionally, the teachings drift into more unexpected territory.
“People are also getting interested in learning the relationship between the Buddhist view of the world and quantum physics,” Pemaratana says. “Some are curious to learn about rebirth.”
That kind of crossover — between Buddhist philosophy and quantum mechanics — has found surprising popularity. The Dalai Lama helped spark this interest by hosting Mind & Life conferences with scientists starting in 1987. Books like The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra and The Quantum and the Lotus by Matthieu Ricard (a Buddhist monk with a Ph.D. in molecular genetics) made the parallels feel thrillingly possible.
Both Buddhism and quantum physics challenge the idea of a fi ed, independent self. In physics, particles don t take on definite properties until observed. In Buddhism, the self is a shifting
constellation of mental and physical processes the five aggregates. s for rebirth hat s not something science can measure, but the uestion is welcomed.
“It s not always the main focus of our practice,” emaratana says with a smile. “But people are curious. nd we welcome uestions.”
hat includes uestions from younger people. he weekly oom meditations for kids, a pandemic era creation, stuck around because children wanted to keep showing up. here are monthly Buddhism classes for young people and a summer camp, too.
“ tarting early helps them build healthy mental habits before negative patterns take root,” emaratana says.
very class, talk, oom session, and visit is free. It s a core principle in Buddhism, called daana, or generosity. “It s trust in each other,” emaratana says. “ nd that trust has been honored.”
he enter s cultural events are e ually thoughtful. n ew ear s ay, people wear traditional ri ankan dress, cook family dishes, and perform rituals of gratitude and forgiveness. In spring, esak celebrates the Buddha s birth, enlightenment, and death with oil lamps and hamma talks.
ervice is stitched into everything. here are three annual food drives for the est eer ood Bank. In ecember, the enter ships school supplies and backpacks to underserved kids in ri anka. amilies cook vegetarian dishes for monthly temple potlucks. veryone eats together.
But if you re really hungry, the fall ri ankan ood estival is the showstopper. he parking lot transforms into a cultural buffet of hoppers bowl shaped coconut rice pancakes with egg , spicy ackfruit curry, sambal, mbul hiyal blackened fish , and kottu roti. ince there s no ri ankan restaurant in ittsburgh, for many, this is the only way in.
“ haring food is an e pression of love,” emaratana says. “ ou put effort and care into making something, and then you let someone else en oy it. hat is generosity.” ne memory stays with him. friend introduced emaratana to a man with a terminal brain tumor who wanted help staying calm. e taught the man to use his breath as refuge. s the illness progressed and his senses faded, the man continued to meditate. emaratana was by his side, chanting, when he took his final breath.
“ hat moment comes to my mind very often,” he says. “It taught me the fragility and preciousness of life, and how far a little help can go.”
Inside the llison ark center, plans for the future are already unfolding. emaratana hopes to build meditation cabins by the creek, e pand the outdoor trail, and continue evolving the space into a deeper refuge.
“I would like people to carry the understanding of their inner potential to change and grow,” he says. “I also want people to develop trust in the goodness of others. veryone has inner goodness. e ust have to be skillful to bring that goodness out.” •
A familiar Regent Square building with an odd façade has an even stranger history
BY: DAVID S. ROTENSTEIN // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
In a recent Pittsburgh City Paper ffordable ish ousing column, ichael achosky wrote about a curious egent uare building at . Braddock ve., known by passersby for the massive bearded face affi ed to the facade. “ ou can now rent an apartment in the house with the weird face on it in egent uare,” achosky wrote.
ittsburgh true crime afficionados might know the apartment building for another reason in the s, ittsburgh police identified it as one of the se work sites run by the city s so called illion ollar adam, ae cheible.
cheible became one of ittsburgh and the nation s best known madams in the s after BI director . dgar oover tar geted her in a roundup of interstate se workers. he government tried cheible and others under a law known as the ann ct for trans porting women across state lines to engage in prostitution.
Between and the early s, cheible operated mul tiple brothels in ittsburgh and ew ork ity. er well guarded black book allegedly included
attorneys, udges, law enforcement officers, and many wealthy ittsburgh businessmen, including real estate mogul erman amin.
cheible hired scores of young women to service her well heeled clients. er brothel locations included a second story ifth venue apartment in akland ciulli s i a now occupies the building s first oor a building across the street from the Allegheny County Courthouse, and several hadyside apartment buildings.
In the late s or early s, cheible, who was born in and well into her s, struck up a partnership with Imogene rum, a something entucky native who had moved to ittsburgh after her first marriage to heeling ukebo and pinball machine company operator, enry rum, disintegrated. ight years before they married in , rum s heeling office was destroyed in a bomb blast linked to organi ed crime.
he BI described rum, who used the street name “ enny,” as an “established pros titute e tremely cautious in her dealings with customers to insure that the operation is not taken over by the racket element.”
In a department prostitution record card, ittsburgh police noted that rum was a “very attractive” woman who gave established cus tomers codes to protect the operation, by then based at . Braddock ve. “I think the best bet on this operation is to stake it out
and capture a trick, scare him and try to obtain the correct code,” a vice officer wrote in .
In that same year, federal prosecu tors ailed rum on contempt charges because she refused to answer grand jury uestions about her ties to organi ed crime. he was the last in a string of se workers tied to cheible who were ailed for refusing to cooperate with local and federal law enforce ment officers.
cheible, who by then had married erbert mith, the owner of a ittsburgh engineer ing supply company, was using the name ue mith. erbert died in , and cheible retired to lorida, where she died in or lorida doesn t release death certificates to non relatives .
rum also left ittsburgh in . he remarried that year in hio and divorced her second husband in . By , rum was living in e as. hat s where she married her third and final husband, dward eichert.
rum was living in ecos, e as, when she died in . rum s obituary, published in the ecos nterprise, described her as “a homemaker, a longtime ecos resident and a member of orth emple Baptist hurch.” nother curious postscript to the egent uare building s saga happened after rum moved to hio. he federal Bureau of lcohol, obacco and irearms published a legal notice in the Pittsburgh PostGazette. he agency had sei ed blast ing caps from . Braddock ve. “ ny person claiming an interest in said property may file a claim,” they wrote. othing else appeared in local papers, and it s unknown whether the e plosives owner was ever identified. •
CatVideoFest Showtimes vary. Continues through Thu., Aug. 7. Row House Cinema. 4115 Butler St., Lawrenceville. Ticket prices vary. rowhousecinemas.com
Reading and Conversation: Maggie; Or a Man and Woman Walk into a Bar Author Katie Yee with Robert Yune. 7-8 p.m. White Whale Bookstore. 4754 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. Free. RSVP required. Livestream available. whitewhalebookstore.com/events
Emerging Filmmakers Showcase: Validity
7 p.m. The Lindsay Theater and Cultural Center. 418 Walnut St., Sewickley. Free. RSVP required. thelindsaytheater.org
Soon, fans of Disney’s live-action golden age will see Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan reprise their roles from the 2003 remake of Freaky Friday. Before that summer movie event happens, the Riverfront Theater Company will put a musical twist on the tale of a daughter and mother who develop a deeper understanding of each other after magically switching bodies. Bring the whole family to this special show at Allegheny RiverTrail Park 7:20 p.m. Continues through Sat., Aug. 2. 285 River Ave., Aspinwall. $31-52. riverfronttheaterco.org
Hot Wheels Glow-N-Fire 12:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., Aug. 3. PPG Paints Arena. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. Tickets start at $16. All ages. ppgpaintsarena.com
The Lawrenceville Art Crawl serves up a full day of visual art, live music, drink specials, and more at multiple venues up and down Butler Street. The neighborhood comes alive with local bands, DJ sets, and other entertainment at various indoor and outdoor stages. Shop the vendor market at Spirit, cheer on drag acts at Blue Moon, and view works by more than 75 artists at Redfishbowl Studios. Don’t miss this mostly free, mostly all-ages creative community event. 1-9 p.m. Multiple Butler Street locations, Lawrenceville. Free. Optional $10 after-party. redfishbowl.com/lac2025
COMEDY • MILLVALE
Jim Norton: Now You Know. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Mr. Smalls Theatre. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. $54.55. mrsmalls.com
MUSIC • WARRENDALE
Sweet with Creedmoors and Rattlebones
8 p.m. Doors at 6 p.m. Jergel’s Rhythm Grille. 103 Slade Ln., Warrendale. $35.15-48.15. jergels.com
ART • SEWICKLEY
Temporary Truths: Painting by Annie Heisey Opening Reception 5-8 p.m. Continues through Sept. 5. Sweetwater Center for the Arts. 200 Broad St., Sewickley. Free. RSVP required. sweetwaterartcenter.org
ART • GARFIELD
In Two Dimensions: A PCA&M Teaching Artist Group Show
Opening Reception. 5-9 p.m. mossArchitects. 5122 Penn Ave., Garfield. Free. pghartsmedia.org/events
Experience one fierce dance party when Jaguar celebrates its first anniversary at Spirit. Described as a “two-floor all-out techno rager,” Primal presents a roster of talent that includes Eddie Fowlkes, a Detroit DJ regarded as a pioneer in techno music, and Sister Zo, an award-winning DJ from New York City. The night also features local acts like Formosa of Jellyfish, Paul Fleetwood, and Ron Mist, among others. 8 p.m. 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. $15-25. spiritpgh.com
Ensemble Actors Studio presents All Things Pittsburgh Play Festival. 8 p.m. Continues through Sun., Aug. 3. Three Stories
937 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $20. ensembleactors.com/ theater-co
Rock Reggae & Relief 3 p.m. Stage AE. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. $91-204. promowestlive.com
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra presents Marvel Infinity Saga. 7 p.m. Heinz Hall. 600 Penn Ave., Downtown. $42-134. pittsburghsymphony.org
Fall Festival Parades. 7:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., Aug. 17. Kennywood. 4800 Kennywood Blvd., West Mi lin. Included with regular admission. kennywood.com
Longturn presents The Night Shift with Rem Siman 9:45 p.m. Cobra. 4305 Main St., Bloomfield. $11 in advance, $15 at the door. 21 and over. linktr.ee/longturnmusic
Second Rodeo Home and Garage Sale 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Workshop PGH. 321 Pennwood Ave., Wilkinsburg. Free. instagram.com/workshoppgh
MUSIC • NORTH SIDE
Axis:Sova, 0-Six Female, and Grow Room. 8 p.m. The Government Center. 715 East St., North Side. $10. thegovernmentcenter.com
LASERS • NORTH SIDE
Laser ABBA 2 p.m. Continues through Sept. 1. Carnegie Science Center. One Allegheny Ave., North Side. $6-7. carnegiesciencecenter.org
DRAG • BLOOMFIELD
Drag Bingo. 6-10 p.m. Trace Brewing. 4312 Main St., Bloomfield. Free. Tip money recommended for performers. tracebloomfield.com
PARTY • NORTH SIDE
National Night Out 5:30-7:30 p.m. 1400 Arch St., North Side. Free. All ages. mexicanwarstreets.org/events
MUSIC • WHITEHALL
Kiesza with Bonnie McKee. 7:30 p.m. Doors at 6 p.m. Crafthouse Stage and Grill. 5024 Curry Rd., Whitehall. $27.5080. crafthousepgh.com
MUSIC • STRIP DISTRICT
Tracy Bonham and Je rey Gaines. 7:30 p.m. Doors at 6 p.m. City Winery. 1627 Smallman St., Strip District. $20-35. citywinery.com/pittsburgh
WED., AUG. 6
MUSIC • BURGETTSTOWN
The Doobie Brothers with The Coral Reefer Band. 7 p.m. The Pavilion at Star Lake. 665 Route 18, Burgettstown. Tickets start at $37. pavilionstarlake.com/shows
MUSIC • DOWNTOWN
Wilco. 8 p.m. Heinz Hall. 600 Penn Ave., Downtown. $76-97. trustarts.org
TUE., AUG.5
The Institute for Relational Change is established as the benchmark transformational model for mental health training and supervision, developing exceptional systemic therapists, while ensuring universal access to premier mental health care, irrespective of origin circumstances.
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IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: NO. GD-25-004211, In re petition of Jordan Aaron Moore, change of name to Javier Luis Moore. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 30th day of July, 2025, at 9:30 a.m, as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 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-25-006875, In re petition of Arreale Lee Waldron, change of name to Alexandria Saine Glackin. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 27th day of August, 2025, at 9:30 a.m, as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 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-25-006120, In re petition of Jamarr Pleasant Jackson, change of name to Jamarr Jackson. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 30th day of July, 2025, at 9:30 a.m, as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 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.
THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION of the SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
RFQ/P is available at the Pittsburgh Public Schools website, https://www.pghschools.org/community/ business-opportunities/rfps or by email request to LFornataro1@pghschools.org, at
Let Pittsburgh City Paper help you hire! Every month, over 400,000 people visit pghcitypaper.com for news, entertainment, and job listings.
New jobs are posted every Sunday online and in our Tuesday City Pigeon e-newsletter.
Contact T’yanna McIntyre at tmcintyre@ pghcitypaper.com to advertise your job listing in City Paper.
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 Tuesday, August 19, 2025, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for:
• Chilled Water Plant Upgrades
• Mechanical, Electrical, and General Primes
Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, 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.
Many Americans are fortunate to have dental coverage for their entire working life, throughemployer-provided benefits. When those benefits end with retirement, paying dental bills out-of-pocket can come as a shock, leading people to put off or even go without care.
Simply put — without dental insurance, there may be an important gap in your healthcare coverage.
Look for coverage that helps pay for major services. Some plans may limit the number of procedures — or pay for preventive care only.
Look for coverage with no deductibles. Some plans may require you to pay hundreds out of pocket before benefits are paid.
Shop for coverage with no annual maximum on cash benefits. Some plans have annual maximums of $1,000.
Medicare doesn’t pay for dental care.1
That’s right. As good as Medicare is, it was never meant to cover everything. That means if you want protection, you need to purchase individual insurance.
Early detection can prevent small problems from becoming expensive ones. The best way to prevent large dental bills is preventive care. The American Dental Association recommends checkups twice a year.
Previous dental work can wear out.
Even if you’ve had quality dental work in the past, you shouldn’t take your dental health for granted. In fact, your odds of having a dental problem only go up as you age.2
Treatment is expensive — especially the services people over 50 often need.
Consider these national average costs of treatment ... $222 for a checkup ... $190 for a filling ... $1,213 for a crown.3 Unexpected bills like this can be a real burden, especially if you’re on a fixed income.
BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY // BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM
1. Letting a draft in 5. Lady’s title
10. Govt. group that oversees the workplace
14. A few
15. Novelist Zola
16. NHL star Ovechkin
17. Like those that inhale certain tobacco?
19. Modified mortgage, for short 20. They stand for things?
21. Bed with a baby bumper
23. GRE company
24. Prime minister May
26. Garden bulb
28. Praise to the skies
30. Islamic leader
33. Strong impulse
36. Hammer’s target
38. Danger signal
39. Title for Sadiq Khan
40. Capital of Wales, or the “W.A.P.” rapper after alteration in the style of this puzzle’s theme
42. Very small number
43. ___ diver
45. Distribute
46. Dramatists’ degs.
47. Remove impurities from
49. Shampoo brand
51. Farm young
53. Chip from a can
57. “That’s nice”
59. Actor Hemsworth
61. Becomes established
62. Oscar-winner Penelope
64. Injury caused by those on the payroll?
66. “That’s ___”
67. Weed grown without soil
68. Amusement park feature
69. Out of danger
70. Eagerness
71. Top banana
1. It’s a plus
2.
3.
4.
Hill of Hollywood
Charm
10. Scull
11. Joke made while in R.E.M.?
12. Bulk
13. Line of rotation
18. “Weird ___, but okay”
22. It may be called
25. Eyeopener?
27. Sick as a dog
29. Oceanographer’s study
31. Bailiwick
32. Cuts
33. Country that forbade citizens from owning private land, briefly
34. Wild ___
35. Surly sulky mood?
37. Began to smoke
40. Lock site
41. Is deeply concerned about
44. Story of one’s life
46. Gurus
48. Biblical prophet
50. Penthouse aparment’s feature
52. Mythical creature 54. Astronaut’s wear
Yorba ___, Calif. 56. Terminator
Often torn knee parts, briefly
Met solo 60. Safety org. that sponsors proms
Main character in Zoolander
Back again
