🏭 In the Mon Valley, it’s more than just a bad air day

Plus, a weekend guide for our Incline Insiders.

By Francesca Dabecco

Happy Friday, Pittsburgh!

☕ A couple of weeks ago I gave our Incline Insiders a heads up about the new Schenley Park blend by Commonplace Coffee. They released these beans to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, which was founded in that very park in 1996.

As it happens, I also was “founded” in ‘96, I love me a good cup of coffee, and I appreciate a good cause even more. Plus, Commonplace Coffee is a neighborhood favorite of mine, so I had to try it out. I wish I had all of the right coffee sommelier terms to describe it — like it had a complex body and bright acidic notes — but I’m going to have to settle with this… It was  a really nice cup of joe. Get grindin’ and try it out for yourself.

Now, onto today’s news: Allegheny County is riding its fourth wave of COVID-19 infections, and it’s still hard to breathe in the Mon Valley. On a lighter note, check out this very Pittsburgh house for rent. Plus, a look at the night sky captured by a local photographer.

What Pittsburgh is talking about

4 things to know today

📈Allegheny County is now in its fourth wave of COVID-19 cases according to county health director Dr. Debra Bogen. Over the past few days, the area has seen record highs in COVID-19 infections and deaths for 2021. Although reported deaths had been steadily declining since December, this began to change during the week of March 21. (TribLIVE)

💉 UPMC and Allegheny Health Network will vaccinate about 25,000 people in groups 1A and 1B with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine during a two-day mass vaccination clinic in Monroeville this weekend and another two-day clinic in Tarentum next weekend. (90.5 WESA)

• ➡️ Related: Port Authority of Allegheny County is offering bus drivers and other employees a $200 bonus to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. (Pittsburgh City Paper)

⚠️ The Mon Valley is on air pollution watch, again, with air quality readings at the Liberty Monitor exceeding the Environmental Protection Agency’s 24-hour standard. This can cause health problems like difficulty breathing and decreased lung function. “Unfortunately, our air in Allegheny County, particularly in the Mon Valley, has been ranked as being in the 10 worst air sheds in the entire United States nine times since the beginning of spring, March 21,” said Matt Mehalik, executive director of the Breathe Project. (90.5 WESA)

• 📣 Related: Watch this video of community voices speaking out about the right to clean air.

🏘️ Lawrenceville civic groups want to expand a zoning law that requires developers of any project with 20 or more units to set aside 10% of their units for lower income housing. The new proposal would include 15% of the units. This program is the first in the city to use inclusionary zoning to combat gentrification. (TribLIVE)

4 things to make you smile

✨Oh my stars! Pittsburgh photographer Paul Vladuchick posted this photo capturing the International Space Station flying over the Allegheny Observatory. (Instagram)

🌈 You could rent this colorful home in Mexican War Streets on the North Side. The property features high ceilings, original charm, modern design, and oh yeah — a swoon-worthy Pittsburgh mural on the entire exterior of the house. There’s already lots of interest, but it’s worth just being nebby and taking a peek. (Zillow)

🏟️ Bednar root, root, roots for the home team… and now he’s pitching on it. Mars native David Bednar fulfilled his childhood dreams of playing with the Pittsburgh Pirates. (KDKA-TV)

⚾ Speaking of baseball… The Clemente Museum in Lawrenceville is celebrating its reopening this Saturday and Sunday with an outdoor Spring Fest. Visitors can also book a guided tour, but capacity is limited. (Pittsburgh Magazine)

Yinz got weekend plans?

Help us help you

Today our members — a.k.a. Incline Insiders — are getting a weekend guide specially curated by us! It includes tips on pop-up shops, outdoor Earth "Month" events, and delicious drinks. Don’t miss out on next week’s edition.

Get in on the fun by becoming an Incline Insider today.

Things to do

Submit your events to our calendar.

Tomorrow

🐾 Help hundreds of local baby wildlife who are injured or abandoned this spring at a virtual baby shower with Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (Online)

⚾ Celebrate the reopening of the Clemente Museum in Lawrenceville this Saturday and Sunday with an outdoor Spring Fest (Lawrenceville)

🛍 Shop local at the Car Bazaar, an open-air flea market in the Sixth and Penn parking garage (Downtown)

🇿🇦 Explore traditional South African music with singer, music director, composer, and theatrical producer Bongani Magatyana (Online)

🎭 Watch a live streaming of "Miracle in Rwanda," presented by the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh and Prime Stage Theater in honor of Genocide Awareness Month (Online)

Sunday

⚾ Celebrate the reopening of the Clemente Museum in Lawrenceville this Saturday and Sunday with an outdoor Spring Fest (Lawrenceville)

Tuesday

🗣️ Engage in important dialogue with your neighbors at "Let’s Talk About…Public Safety and Police Reform," with CivicCLP and The Art of Democracy (Online)

📺 Watch the Pittsburgh mayoral debate between four Democratic candidates, presented by 90.5 WESA and the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation (Online)

One more thing …

📺 Don’t forget to watch the mayoral debate hosted by 90.5 WESA and the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation on Tuesday, April 13 at 7 p.m. Candidates include State Representative Ed Gainey, retired police officer Tony Moreno, incumbent Mayor William Peduto, and south Oakland resident Mike Thompson.

Have a great weekend, everyone! Let’s meet back here on Tuesday.

— Francesca at The Incline

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