Articles Archive - Page 86 of 155 - Pittsburgh Quarterly

An Open Letter to Amazon Read More »

With cities across the nation primping and preening to be the fairest of them all and win the prize of becoming Amazon’s second headquarters, I’d like to let the Amazon decision makers know about a quality which I doubt has been part of any sales pitch thus far. But first, a preamble. Pittsburgh is now …

Gaining Critical Mass

Gaining Critical Mass Read More »

Alfred Hunt knew a good idea when he saw it. And Charles Martin Hall had one. In 1886, the 23-year-old chemist had discovered a smelting process to make aluminum inexpensively while working in a lab he cobbled together in a shed behind his parent’s house in northern Ohio. Hunt, a Pittsburgh metallurgist, realized its commercial …

What are “Waters of the United States”? Read More »

What are “Waters of the United States”?

by Ashley Murray

What are the so-called “waters of the United States” and why did the Obama administration expand the definition? To understand that is to understand the evolution of environmental regulation in the United States and how the nation’s courts have interpreted what’s protected. With the exception of the 1948 Federal Water Pollution Act, hardly any water …

Region Gets Average Marks for Senior Livability

Region Gets Average Marks for Senior Livability Read More »

The Pittsburgh region has filled a trophy case with awards for being judged the “most livable” place in the nation by a variety of publications and organizations. But when the livability of senior citizens is considered, the region is less than a standout, an AARP index suggests. AARP scores the livability of U.S. counties based …

A Different Pittsburgh Read More »

A Different Pittsburgh

by Julia Fraser

There’s an Andy Warhol canvas of a newspaper clipping with a photograph of a can of tuna fish and, beneath it, two middle-aged women and the caption: “Seized shipment: Did a leak kill…Mrs. McCarthy and Mrs. Brown?” The painting, “Tunafish Disaster,” is comedian and Warhol collector Steve Martin’s favorite work by the Pittsburgh-born artist. And …

Protecting Our Streams Read More »

Protecting Our Streams

by Ashley Murray

Determining where water begins and ends seems a matter of physical properties, of whether two hydrogen molecules are bonded to oxygen, and how much of it exists. Where is it located, and will people eventually drink it? Swim in it? Fish in it? This molecule, essential to life, has become another point of political polarization. …

It Wears You Down

It Wears You Down Read More »

Caring for her father fell to Patrice Cottrell about nine years ago. It involved a few errands, at first. Doctor visits, marshaling his medications, coordinating health care and financial matters and scouting out and evaluating long-term care possibilities followed as his health declined. There were late-night calls when he was anxious about living alone, but …

The Economic Outlook for 2018

The Economic Outlook for 2018 Read More »

tronger hiring last year, rising wages and upcoming tax cuts lead those who read the economic tea leaves to be cautiously optimistic that 2018 could reward southwestern Pennsylvania with the largest increase in job growth in five years, finally shaking the malaise that works to contract the local labor force, send residents packing and stifle …

Special Reports

Pittsburgh Today and Tomorrow 2018

by Pittsburgh Today Staff

In this 2018 Pittsburgh Today & Tomorrow report, we compare the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area with regions across the country in key quality of life measures. Additionally, look for in-depth reports on: the region’s 2018 economic forecast; the rationale for building a new airport; an examination of what effect the Trump administration’s removal of …

Pittsburgh Today and Tomorrow 2018 Read More »

Birds

The Roseate Spoonbill

by David Liebmann

Roseate Spoonbills are birds worth traveling for. Sometimes they even travel to us. Typically found on the Gulf Coast, the first time I spotted one was on a marathon birding adventure I took to south Texas in 2005. To bird far from Pittsburgh meant I’d see unfamiliar species in new habitats. The spoonbills didn’t disappoint. …

The Roseate Spoonbill Read More »

Health

New Age Nuances

by Barbara Eichenlaub

Spring. A time for renewal and rejuvenation, especially if you’re feeling tense. A great place to start your revival is with your body. The best defense against burnout is a peaceful, relaxed offense. There are several companies in the area that can help you reach nirvana naturally. Peace, Love & Zen Holistic Wellness Center is …

New Age Nuances Read More »

Airport Overhaul

Airport Overhaul Read More »

As birthday celebrations go, this one was fairly harsh. The local news media was gathered at Pittsburgh International Airport’s Midfield Terminal on a late-summer day last September. Earlier, they’d reported the terminal complex, once lauded for its innovative design, had turned 25. Now, with cameras rolling, airport officials noted its inefficiencies, declared it was time …

What Do We Need to Make Western Pa. the Best Place to Live?

What Do We Need to Make Western Pa. the Best Place to Live? Read More »

We asked a cross-section of regional leaders to respond, in 75 words or less, to this question: What do we need to do to make Western Pennsylvania the best place to live in the world? “The incredible transformation here in such a short time gives me tremendous hope and excitement for the future of our …

Events

Annual Heart Ball Raises More Than $1.2 Million

Annual Heart Ball Raises More Than $1.2 Million Read More »

More than 550 attendees celebrated the accomplishments of the American Heart Association on Saturday, February 17 at the 29th Annual Pittsburgh Heart Ball. This year’s theme, Heart of a Champion, celebrates lifesaving advancements in cardiovascular research and increases awareness of programs to improve the health of local communities that have the greatest need for prevention, …

Events

Calgon Carbon’s Randy Dearth Crowned King of the 2018 Mardi Gras Gala

Calgon Carbon’s Randy Dearth Crowned King of the 2018 Mardi Gras Gala Read More »

Balloons, boas, a sit-down dinner, dancing, Dixieland-style bands and a carpool karaoke video featuring some of Pittsburgh’s most influential corporate leaders were all showcased at what has become one of Pittsburgh’s premier social gatherings: the Annual Mardi Gras Gala to benefit the Epilepsy Foundation Western/Central Pennsylvania. 2017 King Jerry MacCleary of Covestro headed up the …

Creative Capital

The Trouble with “Capital”

by Greg Curtis

In the summer of 2013 a remarkable event occurred in the publishing industry. A challenging, 685-page economic text written by an obscure French economist and published by an academic press became an overnight best seller. Thomas Piketty’s “Capital in the Twenty-First Century” (referred to here simply as “Capital”) sold so quickly that Harvard University Press couldn’t keep up …

The Trouble with “Capital” Read More »

Events

Gentlemen’s Night Out Raises $180,000 for the National Aviary