Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jon Hanrahan @hanrahanrahanra.bsky.social · Aug 11

It's not about good Airbnbs and bad Airbnbs. It's about fewer Airbnbs, period.

The short-term rental bill before City Council is a solid bill. All the same, I'm going to be advocating alongside others for the strongest possible restrictions on short-term rentals in our neighborhoods.

Housing advocates, hosts split on bill to regulate short-term rentals in Pittsburgh

New short-term rental regulations may be on the way. However, some have varying opinions on how this should be executed.

www.publicsource.org

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Jon Hanrahan @hanrahanrahanra.bsky.social · Jul 28

for photos, check www.urbanarchive.org/cities/nyc

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The™ Colin Williams @colinbwilliams.com · Jul 23

Riparian Management bought up most of Wylie Holdings' massive portfolio of Lawrenceville real estate — then basically ghosted their new tenants and kicked many of them out of their homes. My latest (Pt. 1 of 2)

East End tenants accuse Riparian Management of hostility and greed

Riparian Management's tenants say they’ve faced utility problems, poor communication, and sudden notices to vacate.

www.pghcitypaper.com

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Pittsburgh City Paper @pghcitypaper.com · Jul 21

A video posted to Instagram purports to show an Allegheny County Jail employee holding a weapon and saying a racial slur:

ACJ in hot water after an alleged guard posts racist, violent video

The video drew immediate condemnation and calls for reform.

www.pghcitypaper.com

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steve felix @stevefelix.com · Jul 18

I stg if I catch you donating to an out of state democrat instead of becoming a sustaining member of your local npr affiliate…

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Chris Potter @cpotterpgh.bsky.social · Jul 18

On the bright side, these cuts have paid for about one-third of one day's worth of interest payments on the federal debt.

We've done our part!

WESA @wesa.fm · Jul 18

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have passed legislation on a narrow, party-line basis to eliminate all federal funding for public broadcasting for the next two years. That's $1.1 billion previously approved by the Republican-led Congress and President Trump.

How bipartisan support for public media unraveled in the Trump era

"It will test every single shred of creativity we have to continue to try to serve our mission," says one public media executive, as Congress ends federal funding for public broadcasting.

www.wesa.fm

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Jon Hanrahan @hanrahanrahanra.bsky.social · Jul 16

This is a cool bill that could become a Very Cool bill if some changes are made. Down with Airbnbs.

Pittsburgh councilwoman wants to crack down on Airbnb, Vrbo rentals

Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Deb Gross on Tuesday introduced legislation that would create new regulations for short-term rentals, like those through Airbnb or Vrbo. The bill would permit short-term r...

triblive.com

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The™ Colin Williams @colinbwilliams.com · Jul 7

Some more positive local news. City Council is due to vote on the bill tomorrow:

An ordinance decriminalizing sex work is headed to Pittsburgh City Council

Sex workers and LGBTQ groups say the legislation is critical. Council will vote July 8.

www.pghcitypaper.com

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Adam Rothman enjoys a good sandwich @adamrothman.bsky.social · Jul 6

Absolutely incredible graphic from 1880 tracing the history of political parties in the United States.

From Smithsonian description: "This ambitious chart presents U.S. political history on a single page. Moving from left to right, a timeline of parties, policies, persons, and events courses like a river through graphic space marked in four-year intervals. The analogy between politics and springs and rivulets (that jump and rejoin their banks) is the most conspicuous feature of the timeline. The parties appear in different colors. The ascendance of a party is gauged as its stream rises above the centerline, and above the streams of other parties. The thickness of a stream indicates the party’s strength.
The diagram is meant to dramatize U.S. political history in a more accessible shape for educators and to offer a ready reference for scholars, statisticians, and statesmen. The chart itself, titled “Diagram of the Rise and Fall of American Political Parties, from 1789 to 1880, inclusive,” is from the Conspectus of the History of Political Parties and the Federal Government, by Walter R. Houghton, 1880"

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez @aoc.bsky.social · Jul 3

I don’t think anyone is prepared for what they just did w/ ICE.

This is not a simple budget increase. It is an explosion - making ICE bigger than the FBI, US Bureau of Prisons, DEA,& others combined.

It is setting up to make what’s happening now look like child’s play. And people are disappearing.

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Jon Hanrahan @hanrahanrahanra.bsky.social · Jul 2

wow!!!!!!

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Sar @sarr.bsky.social · Jul 2

found a beautiful mayfly molt on my porch. molting is an energy-intensive effort on animals from insects to birds, so I'm glad little guy was able to find a safe spot here.

ghostly molted skin of a mayfly, perched sideways on a wooden porch slat

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Bob Batz Jr. @bobbatzjr.bsky.social · Jul 1

"Traffic statistics [from] June 2021 showed 54% of drivers exceeded the speed limit of 25 miles an hour with a high speed of 51 miles an hour. The city recorded six crashes involving pedestrians at this intersection from 2020 to 2024." Now calming is coming: www.unionprogress.com/2025/07/01/p...

Pittsburgh takes steps to slow Federal Street traffic on the North Side - Pittsburgh Union Progress

A block of Federal Street in the Central North Side is the latest Pittsburgh street to get traffic calming measures and safety improvements. City crews began work Monday to install new ADA ramps in th...

www.unionprogress.com

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MAN-E @man-eternally.bsky.social · Jun 29

Someone remind UPMC that Trans rights are Human rights.
@bethanyhallam.bsky.social @tanishaevonne.bsky.social
@gaineyformayor.com
@barb4pgh.bsky.social @themariamontano.bsky.social @cmroma.bsky.social @hanrahanrahanra.bsky.social

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Maria Montaño @themariamontano.bsky.social · Jun 29

Stand with me and my community today. 3 PM at UPMC headquarters to demand that UPMC reinstate the life saving care we need.

Flyer for a rally protesting UPMCs decision to cancel gender affirming care for anyone under 19.

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Jon Hanrahan @hanrahanrahanra.bsky.social · Jun 27

I'm stunned to learn that Public Safety suddenly cares about parking on sidewalks

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kiley koscinski @kileykoscinski.bsky.social · Jun 23

UPMC is winding down gender-affirming care for young trans patients this month, citing “federal directives.”

Now, more than 100 UPMC doctors, therapists and staff are demanding the health system reverse course and use its “immense resources” to “fight back.”
www.wesa.fm/health-scien...

Therapists, doctors urge UPMC to ‘fight back,’ reinstate gender-affirming care for trans youth

In an open letter to UPMC administrators, physicians, therapists, nurses and specialists call on the health system to continue to provide gender-affirming care services for young patients. Providers t...

www.wesa.fm

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Eric Umansky @ericumansky.bsky.social · Jun 22

Timely poetry from Donald Rumsfeld.

www.trashberg.com/p/the-rumsfe...

Memo from Donald Rumsfeld: "We ought to think through what are the bad things that could happen...."

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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · Jun 19

the destruction of chattel slavery is one of the great accomplishments in our nation's history and the reason conservatives hate celebrating it is because doing so legitimizes the black counter-narrative of the united states

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Janet Lunde @janetlunde.bsky.social · Jun 18

Biden's infrastructure bill provided the money, and the city of Pittsburgh hustled to get it allocated and used. My street's 110-year-old water main is replaced, our lead water lines are replaced, and the spot in the sidewalk they had to dig up for each new waterline was done today!

Looking down at the sidewalk in front of my house. There's a cement truck and a crew, and they're finishing smoothing the new square of sidewalk.

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NPR @npr.org · Jun 15

Vienna has a way to make affordable housing and combat climate change all at the same time. Now U.S. cities want in, and they're building their own green housing.

Could this city be the model for how to tackle the housing crisis and climate change?

Vienna has a way to make affordable housing and combat climate change all at the same time. Now U.S. cities want in, and they're building their own green housing.

n.pr

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Jon Hanrahan @hanrahanrahanra.bsky.social · Jun 6

"Of the single adults who have been housed through the program, 98% have not returned to the homeless system. All of the families have remained housed."

Allegheny County officials say hundreds have been housed one year into ‘500 in 500’

A year in, 396 people have moved into 276 units of housing, Allegheny County officials said. Families account for about 75 of those who have been housed.

www.wesa.fm

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Jon Hanrahan @hanrahanrahanra.bsky.social · Jun 5

WOW I will literally chip in, you have to

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it's decorative dani season motherfuckers @daniskitchen.bsky.social · Jun 2

pittsburgh friends! please come out tomorrow to ask DOMI to prioritize keeping the herron ave bridge open to pedestrians and cyclists during the repairs

details below ⬇⬇⬇

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Abolitionist Law Center @abolitionistlawcenter.org · Jun 2

Our goals are to stop deaths & improve conditions in the Allegheny County Jail. “No one warden is going to do that, but I have been pleasantly surprised at the gains we’ve made.” A responsive warden engaging the community is progress. @tanishaevonne.bsky.social community.triblive.com/news/3807776

Allegheny County Jail's new warden draws praise, even from the lockup's fiercest critics

community.triblive.com

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