Historic Deutschtown
Ann Vilcheck to Euan and Angharad Morgan at 1000 Middle St. for $467,500.

Manchester
Rebecca Kritschil Chappell to Daniel Wilkerson at 1210 Sheffield St. for $335,000.

Spring Garden
Kathryn Anne Benson to Nicholas McGraw at 2300 Spring Garden Ave. for $11,000.

Real Estate Transactions provided by <RealSTATs>.  Contact <RealSTATs> at 412-381-3880 or visit www.RealSTATs.net.

Brighton Heights
Estate of James Kaiser to Thomas and Lisa West at 408 Chandler Pl for $295,000.
Haven Home Builders LLC to Emilio Townsend and Megan Schillinger at 1536 Cooper Ave. for $188,000.
Estate of Ann Caroline Restaine to Edward Disy at 1144 Goe Ave. for $210,000.
Garrett Brewer to Cartus Financial Corp. at 3448 Harbison Ave. for $180,000.
Cartus Financial Corp. to Kristen Locante at 3448 Harbison Ave. for $180,000.
George Pringle to Manchester Living Matters LLC at 1131 Pemberton St. for $98,000.

Manchester
Marc Hillard Fogel to Dominic James Dicostanzo at 1003 Allegheny Ave. for $460,000.
1448 Beldale LLC to Secured Investment High Yield FD II LLC at 1448 Beldale St. for $5,430 by sheriff's deed.

Marshall-Shadeland
Estate of Frances Hein to Andrew McCue at 2917 Frederick St. for $20,405.
Bellflower Real Estate LLC to John and Brenda Hoover at 2923 Frederick St. for $215,000.
Carol Lee Croker to Joseph Hnat at 129 Mitchell St. for $49,900.
Joshua Haefele to TB Capital Group LLC at 912 Rothpletz St. for $45,000.

Spring Garden
Estate of Ronald Samuel to Barlow Investments LLC at 1237 High St. for $55,000.

Real Estate Transactions provided by <RealSTATs>.  Contact <RealSTATs> at 412-381-3880 or visit www.RealSTATs.net.

Organized by Ben Soltesz, the festival held performances from more than 75 bands over the course of the threeday event, backed by a lineup of food trucks and cuisines from local vendors like Kona’s Ice of Pittsburgh West and PGH Crepes.

Festivities began around 6 p.m. on July 10, with music from local rock bands like the Redlines who performed at the Iron City Beer Stage on Foreland and indie artist Danny Golden who performed on the festival’s second stage, WYEP stage at Allegheny City Brewing.

Saturday saw a mixture of different performers across different genres like pop singer-songwriter Lindsay Liebro, and celtic punk band Bastard Bearded Irishman.

A mix of longtime festival goers and newcomers attended, including Jim Cook, a North Hills resident, who was joined by a friend for Saturday’s festivities. Cook says he heard about the festival from NEXTpittsburgh, a local publication.

“They [NEXTpittsburgh] sent me a list of what’s going on in Pittsburgh this weekend,” Cook told the Chronicle. “I saw it and I said, ‘I have to go.’” Cooks says he enjoyed his time at the festival as it was a way to get out of the house and see “the fresh air and the people.”

The last day of the event started at 11 a.m. and was Gospel focused, mainly taking place at Allegheny Commons. Rob Geyer, who attended Sunday’s Gospel event, talked about how he believes the festival is a “positive presence” for those on the Northside. He hopes the Gospel music “emanates” throughout the area for all to hear.

“It [the festival] gives a nice counter to some of the dark experiences that happen here,” Geyer said. “It just brings a nice light to some areas that need it.”

Noel Kowalkowski, who attended Sunday’s event as a presenter for the Urban Impact Foundation, a local nonprofit organization serving local teens in areas of the performing arts and education, says she also felt the impact of the community.

As she looked around the festival, she spoke about her love of seeing the community come together and having something that is “just Northside.”

“The Northside has so much because we have like Deutschtown and we have a bunch of different kinds of people and a bunch of different artists and art,” Kowalkowski said. It’s nice to see us all here together and to have something and just show off the Northside.”

“It was definitely a big switch-up with my life, “ Germaine told The Chronicle. “Five, six years ago, I never imagined myself in boxing and going out of town, being nationally ranked.”

His rank? Number one. Germaine claimed first place at the Golden Gloves of America Junior & Youth Nationals in the 17-18-year-old male division at 143 pounds. The Golden Gloves is one of the highest levels of competition available to young boxers in the United States. The championship was held July 7-11 in Allen, Texas, with boxers from ages 8 to 18 participating.

Germaine was boxing with Team 412, a non-profit boxing organization based in Pittsburgh. In 2024, Delbert “Sonny” Taylor, who grew up on the Northside, competed in the 2024 United States Olympic Boxing Trials while boxing with Team 412.

James Hoy, head coach and founder of Team 412, described the Golden Gloves as one of the two biggest events for youth boxing, the other being the Junior Olympics. Germaine also competed at that event, earning a bronze medal.

Germaine’s final bout of the Golden Gloves was a rematch of an opponent he defeated at the 2026 Junior Olympics. Germaine faced off against Nolan Huntley of Toledo, Ohio, to claim the championship.

Despite his previous victory, Germaine knew he had something to prove going into the fight.

“The last time I beat him, everybody said I got lucky,” he said. “Anybody I beat, it was never luck,” he added later. Though he felt confident he could win, Germaine said that hearing his name called as the victor made him feel one thing: relief.

“After being in the finals, there was a lot of nervousness,” he said, “and after hearing my name and my corner, it was just a big relief of stress.”

Hoy had high praise for Germaine, calling him an “amazing athlete” with work ethic that goes “through the roof.”

“I think you get what you deserve, but you also get what you’ve earned, and he’s done both of those,” Hoy said.

The coach recalled that when Germaine first started boxing for him, he weighed around 195 pounds, and Hoy was not sure he would be able to compete. However, Germaine showed dedication and quickly got into shape.

“He’s the fastest, best conditioned kid I’ve ever coached,” he said. Germaine had equal praise for his coach, saying that Hoy “makes sure everybody is perfect.”

“You can’t really go wrong with the good type of coaching he does,” he said. “He doesn’t let off for one second.”

Germaine says he plans to continue boxing and wishes to compete in the full Olympics one day. He’s also considering potentially becoming a professional boxer.

Germaine was not the only Team 412 boxer to do well at the competition. Teammates Niko Wilson took silver at 114 pounds and D’mir Flemings won bronze at 119 pounds. Neither is a Northsider.

After the Department of Public Works closed the Spring Garden Playground due to its noncompliance, I’m happy to announce that I identified funding to fully replace the playground with t he goal of construction beginning this fall. An Engage Page found here: engage.pittsburghpa.gov/spring-garden, is now live with two current design options available to review and fill out the survey, which closes on Aug. 14.

A traffic calming project is coming to the Spring Hill neighborhood at Itin and Rhine Streets and will include speed tables and a designated parking lane. Before construction begins, the Department of Mobility & Infrastructure is coordinating with PGH2O to ensure its planned catch basin replacement project will not conflict with the work. Details on the project can be found here: engage.pittsburghpa.gov/rhine-and-itin-traffic-calming.

The Spring Hill Park is currently under construction, with the top half of the park expected to be completed by fall 2026. Work will continue on the field, and an expected completion date is spring 2027. I’m very grateful for the work done by the Department of Public Works and look forward to celebrating this transformational project’s completion. More details can be found here: engage. pittsburghpa.gov/spring-hill.

There are some great events this month in the Northside that I would recommend to attend, starting with Reggae at Riverview Park, on Saturday Aug. 1 from noon to 8 p.m., at the Valley Refuge Shelter. This is the sixth year for this free, family-friendly event which features numerous musicians, vendors, Caribbean food, art, and much more. For more details, follow the event on Instagram at reggae_at_riverview.

Also on Aug. 1, is the Observatory Hill Inc. House Tour, “Ins and Outs of Observatory Hill,” from noon to 5 p.m. Visitors will be able to explore a number of charming and historic homes which are lovingly maintained by their proud owners. Each stop gives one the ability to see the craftsmanship that went into making Observatory Hill a standout Northside neighborhood. To purchase tickets, visit ohipgh.org/events.

Lastly, National Night Out will be held on Aug. 4 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., with various events throughout the Northside. This is a great opportunity to connect with the community and public safety representatives. To learn more, visit pittsburghpa.gov/Safety/Public-Safety/National-Night-Out.

If you have any questions or concerns, call us at (412) 255-2135, email us at district1@pittsburghpa.gov, find us on Facebook, and sign up for our newsletter (pittsburghpa.gov/City-Government/City-Council/Districts/Bobby-Wilson-District-1). My staff and I look forward to hearing from you!

Fineview
Estate of Robert Matthews Dixon to Devlinc Inc. at 2100 Federal Street Ext. for $155,000.

Historic Deutschtown
Daniel Bobovnyik to William Francis Sarro Jr. and Clara De Andrade Graciano Humberg at 1202 James St. for $425,000.

Marshall-Shadeland
Amber Kotari Imam to MS Capital Group Pittsburgh LLC at 10 Courtright St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $29,000).
Real Deals LLC to Central Florida Income Fund LLC at 3124 Frederick St. for $60,000 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $180,000) by sheriff's deed.

Perry Hilltop
Estate of Harry McKinley to Sean Link at 1977 Federal Street Ext. for $155,000.
Rosalie Wisniewski to Chad Minton at 409 Bark St. for $60,000 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $180,000) by sheriff's deed.
Grey Steel City LLC to Hoan Nhut Do Tan at 2917 N Charles St. for $65,000.

Spring Garden
Cynthia Boles to Jason Weaver at 1843 Spring Garden Ave. for $85,000.

Spring Hill
Katherine Crystal Smith Sinagra to Deborah McNier at 54 Woessner Ave. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $35,200).

Summer Hill
Joanne Schmidt to Hsuan Yu and Yi Ching Lin at 4642 Mt. Troy Road Ext. for $295,000.

Troy Hill
Victoria Stephen to Michael Weleski and Donato Demarco at 1833-1835 Ley St. for $420,000.
Louis Testoni to Cesare and Ann Marie Donatelli Frepoli at 79 Waterfront Drive for $1,100,000.

Real Estate Transactions provided by <RealSTATs>.  Contact <RealSTATs> at 412-381-3880 or visit www.RealSTATs.net.

“It has been packed from the moment we opened the doors,” said Annie Perri Cole, a member of the fair’s organizing committee.

The fair was moved to All Saints Episcopal Church from its original outdoor location at Legion Park the day before the event, which was held on July 18. Organizers said the church offered the location free of charge.

While the switch made for a more constrained fair, it nevertheless managed to draw large crowds of people. Perri Cole estimated more than a thousand people attended the event, giving them the chance to browse books from 20 different vendors, listen to readings, meet local authors and get the chance to swap books.

The idea of the fair grew out of various book clubs in Brighton Heights as a way to celebrate and encourage reading. A committee was formed under the Brighton Heights Citizens Federation with representatives of these clubs, consisting of Perri Cole, Carlene Halmo, Jen Shumar and Kelly Roseberry.

Some of the participating vendors included Heroineburgh, a multimedia company that makes comics and videos based around female Pittsburgh superheroes, and Raven’s Quill, a mobile bookstore focused primarily on romance and fantasy stories.

The event also saw support from local businesses, with several donating items towards a silent auction, including California Coffee Bar, Pittsburgh Cycle Path and Allegheny City Brewing.

“The support from the community has been amazing,” said Shumar. With the apparent success of the book fair’s first iteration, Shumar said the committee has “already started planning for next year.”

The free one day event will feature live music, a bouncy house and face paint for the kids, and vegan, cruelty- free cuisine from vendors like Brewster’s Ice Cream and Fed by Vegans, a plant-based catering business from New Jersey.

The festival is also bringing back an activity called “Walk with a Doc,”according to co-founder Leila Sleiman. Festival attendees can take a brisk 30-minute walk around the commons right before the event with licensed physician Dr. Natalie Gentile, co-founder of Direct Care Physicians of Pittsburgh.

“People can walk with physician Dr. Natalie Gentile and talk about health, wellness, fitness, or even vegan food,” Sleiman told the Chronicle. “Registration is online and recommended, but not required.”

The festival will also house a variety of animals through its vendors like Pittsburgh Squealers or Maryland’s Fish Feel. According to Sleiman, a large aspect of VegFest is not just about the food, but about animal advocacy and education. She spoke of one vendor planning to attend the event, Pittsburgh Squealers, a nonprofit dedicated to Pig Rescue.

“They [Pittsburgh Squealers] just rescued like 12 pigs out of hoarder conditions, and some of them didn’t survive,” Sleiman said. “It’s hard stuff, and VegFest provides an opportunity for these organizations that are experts in their field to have conversations with the local community about those things.”

VegFest will also feature cuisine from local “fan-favorites” like Onion Maiden. Sleiman wants VegFest to be a space that highlights local businesses, especially in a time where many are shutting down in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is the heart of VegFest, according to Sleiman, and part of the reason why she started the event 12 years ago. A Northside resident at the time, she noticed a resurgence of local cruelty-free businesses in the area, and wanted to give them their proper exposure.

“I liked the idea of bringing the surrounding community to the North Side,” Sleiman said.

VegFest brings an incredibly diverse group of people, according to Sleiman, and she hopes attendees take away some knowledge after leaving, or are inspired to contribute to local businesses in their own area, Northside or otherwise.

“It has to start with us,” Sleiman said. “We can’t make a change on a bigger scale if we don’t make a change in our local community or on our plate.”

For more information, visit pittsburghvegfest.org/

Ansel “Meditation” Cridland and his band The Meditations are the headlining act at this year’s Reggae at Riverview, which will take place Aug. 1 from noon to 8 p.m. at the Valley Refuge Center. Cridland is the sole surviving founding member of The Meditations, a reggae band which has performed since 1974 and has even sung backing vocals in songs by Bob Marley.

“It’s really exciting to have them coming this year as the headliner,” Maskol said, noting the band is perhaps most well known for their 1983 album “No More Friend.”

Maskol said the rest of the lineup for the festival is also “stacked” with top tier talent. He gave special mention to a last-minute addition of Yaadcore, a newer reggae artist Maskol was able to book after seeing a show and being impressed.

As mentioned, this is the sixth year of Reggae at Riverview, an event Maskol started simply as a way to cheer people up during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the festival has grown, notably gaining a large stage in 2025.

Maskol has been very happy with how his festival has expanded, even as he has found the growth surprising. He said Pittsburgh is “overseen on the national tour scene” and it’s even more surreal to book major acts to perform not at major city venues like Stage AE, but right in Riverview Park.

He hasn’t been able to get that growth on his own. Maskol thanked the partnerships of Friends of Riverview Park and Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy for supporting the event since its early days. He also is happy to have the City of Pittsburgh, who became a “big partner” last year and is continuing this year.

In addition to the performances, vendors and Ja- maican cuisine, Maskol said this year’s festival will have representatives from numerous community groups, who will be providing services or hands-on activities for kids as a newer part of the festival.

Maskol also thanked Observatory Hill resident Frank Dreyer, who has served as the graphic designer for Reggae at Riverview’s marketing and helped in nailing down the theme for this year. Maskol said the 2026 festival is highlighting the natural inhabitants of Riverview Park as a way to give greater attention to the natural environment of the festival.

“We have a mission now,” he said, “and it’s to bring people together to celebrate unity and community through the love of reggae music and discover the beauty of Riverview Park.”

As always, the event is totally free and open to the public. Maskol is asking that attendees try to either carpool, bike or hike to the festival, as parking is limited. He’s hoping the newly rebuilt Davis Avenue Pedestrian Bridge will help to make those latter two options easier for reggae fans.

“I rode my bike from Central Northside up to Brighton Heights and then took the Davis Avenue Bridge into the park, and it’s amazing how it connects the community to the park,” he said.

For more information about Reggae at Riverview, check out the event’s Facebook page, at facebook.com/p/Reggae-At-Riverview-2026-61561914376986/

Fineview
Estate of Robert Matthews Dixon to Devlinc Inc. at 2100 Federal Street Ext. for $155,000.

Historic Deutschtown
Daniel Bobovnyik to William Francis Sarro Jr. and Clara De Andrade Graciano Humberg at 1202 James St. for $425,000.

Marshall-Shadeland
Amber Kotari Imam to MS Capital Group Pittsburgh LLC at 10 Courtright St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $29,000).
Real Deals LLC to Central Florida Income Fund LLC at 3124 Frederick St. for $60,000 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $180,000) by sheriff's deed.

Perry Hilltop
Estate of Harry McKinley to Sean Link at 1977 Federal Street Ext. for $155,000.
Rosalie Wisniewski to Chad Minton at 409 Bark St. for $60,000 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $180,000) by sheriff's deed.
Grey Steel City LLC to Hoan Nhut Do Tan at 2917 N Charles St. for $65,000.

Spring Garden
Cynthia Boles to Jason Weaver at 1843 Spring Garden Ave. for $85,000.

Spring Hill
Katherine Crystal Smith Sinagra to Deborah McNier at 54 Woessner Ave. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $35,200).

Summer Hill
Joanne Schmidt to Hsuan Yu and Yi Ching Lin at 4642 Mt. Troy Road Ext. for $295,000.

Troy Hill
Victoria Stephen to Michael Weleski and Donato Demarco at 1833-1835 Ley St. for $420,000.
Louis Testoni to Cesare and Ann Marie Donatelli Frepoli at 79 Waterfront Drive for $1,100,000.

Real Estate Transactions provided by <RealSTATs>.  Contact <RealSTATs> at 412-381-3880 or visit www.RealSTATs.net.

This retail use cannot be located within 1,000 feet of any elementary school or secondary school, it cannot be open between the hours of 11 p.m. and 9 a.m., and it cannot provide self-service sales. A map that shows the 1,000-foot buffer and the zoning districts where vape shops are permitted and not permitted can be found here: arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/1e6a861cf90844f-1bee250d51bf02655.

This legislation prohibits new vape shops from opening in Downtown and all residentially zoned districts. As we continue to invest in Downtown’s recovery, it’s important that we are intentional about the types of uses we encourage in the heart of our city.

I want to thank my fellow co-sponsors, Council President R. Daniel Lavelle (District 6), Councilperson Bob Charland (District 3), Councilperson Erika Strassburger (District 8), the Zoning Department, and the many stakeholders who have supported this bill since it was introduced last year. I believe this bill will have a positive impact on our neighborhoods.

It’s my pleasure to also share that the City of Pittsburgh and Reading Ready Pittsburgh recently announced the expansion of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library with the goal of signing up 65% of eligible children in the City of Pittsburgh. This expansion effort is made possible with a $1.8 million investment over the next five years from the Benter Foundation. Three years ago, after an unfortunate pause in the program, my office worked with Reading Ready Pittsburgh, the Dollywood Foundation, and the Benter Foundation to relaunch the program, which provides free books to kids from 0-5 years old, and to hire someone to administer the program within Council.

The program will now be administered by the Office of Community Affairs under Mayor O’Connor’s administration. I’m thrilled to see this program expand, as all children in the City deserve free, quality, diverse books, mailed directly to their homes. I know my children benefited greatly from this and I encourage you to spread the word to everyone you know. Sign up is easy and can be done here: readingreadypittsburgh.org/dpil.

As of this article, my office has conducted six neighborhood walkthroughs in Spring Hill, Observatory Hill, Spring Garden, Fineview, Central Northside, and Troy Hill which have been well-received and highly successful. The goal of these onsite visits is to identify immediate issues that we can resolve quickly, while also discussing larger, long-term issues that will take more time. We’ve identified over 270 immediate issues including weeds and overgrowth, broken railings, abandoned vehicles, clogged catch basins, unkempt utility lines, illegal dumping, and many more, of which 30% have already been addressed. I’m grateful to all the representatives from the city departments who show up each month, listen to community members, and take immediate action, when possible, to address these issues. I look forward to resolving more of these items and for our upcoming visits to the remaining District 1 neighborhoods.

Finally, Love Your Block, a City of Pittsburgh program that brings neighbors together to improve our communities by combating blight, creating assets, and building resilience, block by block, is now accepting applications until July 15. Community organizations across Pittsburgh are invited to apply for $500 and $1,000 grants, and a limited number could qualify for a $1,500 grant. These grants will function as a reimbursement. Examples of successful projects include community garden maintenance / improvements, artistic board-ups, tree and flower planting, and beautification projects involving a parcel of land owned by the City or the community group applying for the grant.

More details on the program and to apply can be found here: pittsburghpa.gov/Resident-Services/Community-Programming/Love-Your-Block.

If you have any questions or concerns, call us at (412) 255-2135, email us at district1@pittsburghpa. gov, find us on Facebook and X, and sign up for our newsletter (pittsburghpa.gov/City-Government/ City-Council/Districts/Bobby-Wilson-District-1). My staff and I look forward to hearing from you!

In 2016, the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) CREATE Lab, with support from the Heinz Endowments, launched Smell Pittsburgh, a free app that enables residents to report foul smells in the air and what symptoms they are experiencing as a result. The goal? To give researchers a way to track air pollution in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas, and how it travels.

Now, 10 years later, the app is still up and running, and has proven a valuable tool for environmental advocacy.

“It’s been a real success,” said Phil Johnson, senior program director for climate, environment and health at Heinz Endowments. “I think (the app’s longevity) reflects the nature of long-term problems and challenges. It’s not a simple thing to address chronic sources of pollution in an urban area.”

The app enables users to rank the air on a 1-to-5 scale, with 1 being the best quality and 5 being the worst. In addition, the users can describe the smell, mention any symptoms they are experiencing as a result — such as headaches, sore throats or eye irritation — and mark their location where they experienced the smell. The app then produces a map of the city, showing all of the reports for any given day, showing how dispersed bad smells are over the area.

Ana Hoffman, Air Quality Program Director at the CMU CREATE Lab, said that “crowd sourced accounts are something that environmental justice advocates have long sought,” so there was much anticipation over the app’s launch. However, the lab was “amazed” at how much Smell Pittsburgh took off and its continued usage throughout the years.

Hoffman does admit Smell Pittsburgh doesn’t get the same amount of usage these days as it did at launch, but she sees that as a sign that it is serving its function.

“We’re really happy to see that less people need to use the app, because in many ways, 10 years of air quality advocacy has yielded changes,” she said.

“I will be very, very happy if some day the Smell Pittsburgh app is not needed,” she said later.

Climate agencies have used data from Smell Pittsburgh, including a study done by the Allegheny County Health Department looking into Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) exceedances. An exceedance, as it applies in this case, is whenever the level of exposure to certain emissions exceeds safe limits, leading to potential health problems and even death.

Johnson called the app a “communication tool” that gets air quality data out to a variety of sources, helping to shape air cleanliness efforts.

“It communicates to decision makers and policy makers, air quality regulators and academics,” he said. “It also communicates across society. It’s civic communication.”

Hoffman has found the app’s success to be a source of hope by showing how much people care about the issues of air quality and a drive to see it fixed.

“I feel hopeful about the way that the app has drawn attention to symptoms that people experience from air pollution,” she said. “I feel hopeful about the way people feel entitled about clean air and clean water. It really does actually feel hopeful for the future.”

The Smell Pittsburgh app can be downloaded through either the Apple App Store or Google Play store for free. For more information, or to view the reporting map, visit smellpgh.org.

Marshall-Shadeland
John Nash Jr. to Thisprop LLC at 3234 Central Ave. for $50,000.

Spring Hill
SM Painting Restoration LLC to Maple Capital Investments LLC at 2149 Harbor St. for $82,300.

Real Estate Transactions provided by <RealSTATs>.  Contact <RealSTATs> at 412-381-3880 or visit www.RealSTATs.net.

“At age 6, I knew that I wanted to be a nurse,” Allen told The Chronicle.

Having graduated from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas, Allen’s duties as a nurse took her to Fort Worth, Texas; Knoxville, Tennessee; Indianapolis, Indiana; and finally to Pittsburgh, helping countless patients along the way.

In June, Allen received some much deserved recognition for her service when she was presented with an Innovator Award at the 18th Evelyn Paige Parker Scholarship Brunch organized by Pittsburgh Black Nurses in Action, which was held on June 3 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania.

As the name implies, Pittsburgh Black Nurses in Action is an African American nursing association, and is part of the National Black Nurses in Action. The Innovator Award celebrates Black nurses who have paved the way for future members of the profession.

Allen is known locally for co-founding Allen Place Community Services Inc., which coordinated health programs with local churches in order to see to the wellbeing of their congregations and offering health education until the organization’s dissolution in 2025.

Further, she and her husband are the namesake of the Dr. Milton and Jerry Ann Allen Family Nursing Scholarship, which helps Pennsylvania nursing students, and particularly African American ones, afford nursing education.

Joanne Boyd, president of Pittsburgh Black Nurses, called Allen a “pillar of the community,” noting her support for many nursing organizations and funding of scholarship opportunities.

“She’s just a solid partner for us,” Boyd said.

Allen described being honored by Pittsburgh Black Nurses as a “legendary” feeling. She said she first got interested in nursing during a kindergarten health program she attended at age 6, during which she found that she loved to help out her fellow students.

“(In) everything I’ve done, the patient comes first,” she said.

This interest became a passion at the age of 12, when a friend of hers was struck by a car. Allen said that during the wait for the ambulances to arrive, she realized that she needed to know more about healthcare so she can help people in accidents.

During high school, she began working in a nursing training program and hasn’t looked back since.

Allen was one of three Innovator awardees as the scholarship brunch. One of the other honorees, Lorraine Starsky, also has ties to the Northside, having worked for more than five years with Project Destiny, a California-Kirkbride organization social services agency.

“It was definitely a big switch-up with my life, " Germaine told The Chronicle. “Five, six years ago, I never imagined myself in boxing and going out of town, being nationally ranked.”

His rank? Number one. 

Germaine claimed first place at the Golden Gloves of America Junior & Youth Nationals in the 17-18-year-old male division at 143 pounds. The Golden Gloves is one of the highest levels of competition available to young boxers in the United States. The championship was held July 7-11 in Allen, Texas, and saw boxers from ages 8 to 18 participating.

Check out the August 2026 issue of The Northside Chronicle for the full story.

Three Pittsburgh public pools on the Northside are open for the 2026 season.

Jack Stack, Riverview and Sue Murray pools all opened on June 15. Each pool’s hours are as follows:

• Jack Stack: Weekdays noon to 7:45 p.m., weekends noon to 5:45 p.m.
• Riverview: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays noon to 7:45 p.m.; weekends and holidays noon to 5:45 p.m.
• Sue Murray: Weekdays noon to 5 p.m.

Both Jack Stack and Riverview pools have adult lap swims during the first hour and final 45 minutes of operation each day.

Brighton Heights Book Fair taking place July 18

The Brighton Heights Book Fair will take place July 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Legion Park, located at the corner of Davis and Shadeland avenues.

The fair will have books available for both children and adults, and will also feature a book swap, kids activity zone and other activities.

Admission to the event is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit facebook.com/events/2086273725654939/ for the event’s Facebook page.

Brighton Heights
Seth McClarey to Amber Betancourt at 3518 Simen Ave. for $265,000.

East Deutschtown
Katie Binetti to Brittany Ditto at 842 Phineas St. for $230,000.
Penn Pioneer Enterprises LLC to Boris Tafkov at 861 Vista St. for $15,500.

Historic Deutschtown
Katherine Susanne Tarara to Kekaimalu Chin and Mary Elizabeth Diercks at 514 Cedar Ave. for $335,000.

Marshall-Shadeland
Estate of Melanie Guiste to Jacob Mahaffey and Elizabeth Norris at 1256 Superior Ave. for $240,000.

North Shore
Blackburn IV LLC to Cedar One Assets LLC at 210 Federal St. for $1,075,000.

Perry Hilltop
PRF 100 LLC to Shavonne Lowry at 303 Elsdon St. for $170,000.
Betty Smith trustee to Anglican Diocese PGH at 2860 Perrysville Ave. for $279,900.

Troy Hill
Sean Ferry to Omnia Investments LLC at 1845 Ley St. for $130,000.

Real Estate Transactions provided by <RealSTATs>.  Contact <RealSTATs> at 412-381-3880 or visit www.RealSTATs.net.

The 5K, which started and ended at the Davis Avenue pedestrian bridge, was created by Li’l Swervy Run Club organizers Patrick Sanders and Benjamin Cole in their first attempt at planning an official running event.

According to Sanders, the duo originally planned for 150 runners, but after selling out in just two weeks, they increased the total to 250 to include runners from outside the Northside area. For having their event sell out twice, Sanders remarked on his lack of nervousness during the planning stage.

“Looking back on it, I’m like, why didn’t we freak out more?” Sanders said in an interview with The Chronicle.

Instead of medals, runners received painted rocks from community group Brighton Heights Rocks!, who hide painted rocks throughout the area for scavenger hunts, a local tradition that began during the pandemic, according to Sanders.

“That [the rocks] was what we thought from the beginning, “ Sanders said. “Folks do that in the neighborhood, hiding rocks or putting them out … so people see something pretty on their walk. It was a way to leave a message to your neighbors saying that you know we’re still here.”

After passing through the bridge, runners headed to Riverview Park and raced around the Allegheny Observatory before heading back to the starting point. Sanders and Cole’s choice to take this route traces back to their time at the Run Club, as the group frequents the bridge during their runs.

“That’s just what we happen to run, at run club like once a week at least,” Sanders said. “So we’re like, okay, we’ve done this before, we know it’s difficult for a 5K to run it, but it’s also very easy to get around … and also it’s really pretty.”

Another reason for the Davis Avenue trail was to increase accessibility for runners, according to Cole.

“We didn’t want to mess with a lot of traffic,” Cole said after the event. “We didn’t want to mess with buses, because we kind of promoted neighborhood folks to take buses in, and we didn’t want to inconvenience that for people.”

Runners appeared to enjoy the route, though they do view Pittsburgh’s hilly valleys as difficult, especially for new runners. One runner, Mandy Mc-Fadden, particularly enjoyed the view of Riverview Park on her trip.

“The uphill climb is tough, but it’s worth it when you get to the top of the observatory,” McFadden said. “You get to look down and see the beautiful Riverview Ave, and then it’s a nice downhill walk the whole rest of the way.”

With the run a success, Sanders and Cole are making big changes for next year’s race. Sanders said he and Cole plan on increasing the runner cap to 300 people, but aren’t interested in going further than that. He’s also considering having the award ceremony take place at the bridge, instead of Legion Park.

Cole didn’t have any immediate changes he could think of after the race, but is grateful for the race’s success and excited to start planning for next year.

“Brighton Heights is such a wonderful neighborhood…so it’s really nice to come together for a great event like this,” Cole said.

For updates on next year’s race, visit runsignup.com/Race/PA/Pittsburgh/TheBrightonHeightsLiLBridgey5K

In classrooms across the country, children are constantly looking down. Not at their notebooks, but at glowing screens that pull their attention in every direction except the lesson in front of them. A growing overreliance on technology and the recent surge of AI has amplified learning challenges and social-emotional issues for many young people, leaving parents, teachers, and community leaders struggling to find answers.

Perhaps the strongest antidote to our digital world is the easiest: teaching young people to simply put down their devices and pick up a book.

Reading is one of the most basic skills needed to thrive in our world today, as literacy affects everything from academic performance to economic security and mental health. But reading scores in the U.S. are the lowest they’ve been in decades. For example, in Pittsburgh Public Schools, more than half of third graders were not proficient in reading last school year.

Building a life of literacy is no easy feat. It takes all of us — families, educators, and communities — working together in support of the kids in our care.

For the past nearly 20 years, I’ve had the privilege to serve as the Executive Director for Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) Pittsburgh, a children’s literacy nonprofit that provides more than 84,000 books to thousands of children and families in underserved communities across Pittsburgh each year, helping to mitigate barriers in children’s literacy development. Our programs are designed to increase children’s access to books, self-selection of books, motivational reading environments, and family and community engagement.

Our work also centers the importance of reading for enjoyment by following the “pleasure, practice, proficiency” model: the more children learn to enjoy reading, the more they will read, and the more they read, the more proficient they will become. In other words, the children who learn to love reading learn how to read.

By encouraging children to read — not just for learning, but for pleasure — we can show them how to connect with each other and the world around them while preparing them for success. Engaging with stories about people who are different from them also helps instill empathy in young readers and creates inclusive reading habits. This can help reduce the feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and depression that many young people are experiencing in our tech-obsessed world.

This is why we’re proud to be part of the “Won’t You Be a Reader?” campaign. Together with the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, the Grable Foundation, and over a dozen regional organizations, we’re working to spark a lifelong love of reading among young people in the Pittsburgh area.

We invite you to be a children’s literacy champion along with us. How? Try sharing your enthusiasm for reading with a friend or relative, take a child you know to a bookstore or library, or give a child a book that you loved at their age. By encouraging kids to read more and scroll less, we can help create a new generation of engaged and empowered readers!

For more information, visit rifpittsburgh.org. 

— Florri Ladov 

Reading is Fundamental 

Allegheny City Central 

The free three-day event will feature more than 70 musical acts, as well as kid-friendly activities like face paint and a bouncy castle, all located within a walkable distance at the heart of the Northside.

The festival has two main performance stages: Iron City Beer stage on Foreland and WYEP stage at Allegheny City Brewing, though there are also smaller stages and street performances throughout the event.

According to Ben Soltesz, the festival’s organizer, everything will remain largely the same, though a stage he added last year on Jane Street near East Ohio Street will be removed to sustain walkability.

“We’re kind of just going to keep the footprint that we have, you know? “ Soltesz said in an interview.

Soltesz remarked that he’s made the mistake of expanding too much in the past with his previous music festival, the Deutschtown Music Festival, that lasted from 2013-2022. With the Northside Music Festival, he plans on keeping it localized to the community.

“There’s another event, the Millvale Music Festival… It’s a very large festival, and that’s great, but they have a whole community in a town that kind of does it,” Soltesz said. “So I think what we’re doing over here just fits really well with the neighborhood and the community.”

Gospel Sunday’s event will also have a small change this year, only having one session from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. after being split into two sessions last year.

Response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Soltesz, and is one of the reasons he keeps coming back each year to host.

“The community has been really supportive, and it’s actually why we keep doing it,” Soltesz said.

Soltesz says he conducts outreach and provides free parking to immediate neighbors prior to the event to ensure they are properly accepting of the festival and its activities.

“We are really coming into some people’s front and back yards for a day and a half, and it’s a lot to ask for folks,” Soltesz said. “But we’re Northsiders, and we’re resilient, and really appreciate the support that we get from those Northside neighbors.”

To Soltesz, the Northside Music Festival is “for Northsiders” and has no plans on moving anywhere else.

“I was happy to continue this as the Northside Music Festival, and I wouldn’t ever want to do it anywhere else,” Soltesz said.

For more information, or to volunteer for the event, visit northsidemusicfestival.com.

While the YMCA reopened its doors to the public back in March, the ceremony marked the completion and resumed availability of most of the Y’s facilities. Only the pool still remains closed, though Allegheny YMCA Executive Director Michele Charmello said that amenity should be available soon.

The renovations touched upon just about every aspect of the more than 100-year-old building, with improvements ranging from accessibility ramps and new HVAC systems to the installation of elevators and construction of childcare facilities.

It was not just the public-facing aspects of the YMCA that saw upgrades. The building’s residential areas are also receiving ongoing improvements, including private bathrooms (replacing group shower rooms) and central air conditioning, among other renovations.

In praising the YMCA during the ribbon cutting speech, Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato called it the “Swiss Army knife” of community assets.

“It serves all people from all backgrounds, from STEM education for young people to water aerobics,” she said.

The Allegheny Y closed in February 2025 to begin the renovation process, and was originally slated to reopen in January of this year. However, delays in construction pushed that date back to March, leaving the building inaccessible for 13 months.

In addition to bringing a new look, the renovations are also enabling the YMCA to offer new programs and services to the community. An examination room has been added which will host a variety of health services usable by visitors, and the Y is rolling out a new childcare program utilizing children spaces built during renovations.

Visiting dignitaries to the ribbon cutting included state Rep. Aerion Abney, Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor, state Senator Wayne Fontana, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger and City Councilman Bobby Wilson. Funding for the renovations came largely from public sources, including Community Development Block Grants, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, New Market Tax Credits and investments from the state government.

“It takes all levels of government,” Fontana said during the ceremony in reference to projects of this scale. Amy Kienle, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, called the renovations a “promise to this community” and said she was “overwhelmed” by the public support during the ribbon cutting.

“Buildings don’t serve and survive for more than 100 years by accident,” she said. The Allegheny YMCA is located at 600 W. North Ave. and is open Mondays through Fridays, 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays to Sundays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit pittsburghymca.org/locations/allegheny-ymca or call (412) 773-6440.

Brighton Heights
Patrick Gray to Paul and Susannah Barsom at 3603 California Ave. Unit B for $150,000.
Joshue Bertram MacCarty to Peter Paul Depasquale and Christina Morrissey at 3565 Gerber Ave. for $23,000.
Ryan Flynn to Emily Kinkead at 3514 Shadeland Ave. for $339,000.

California-Kirkbride
High Cirrus Development LLC to NJ 1 LLC at 1605 Brighton Place for $550,000.

East Deutschtown
1254 Dean Street LLC to West Aircomm FCU at 845 Blossom Way for $350,000 by sheriff's deed.

Fineview
Marlin Nabors to Tyler and Shanleigh Knittel at 304 Lafayette Ave. for $630,000.

Historic Deutschtown
Nebeyou Abebe Yohannes to MAHI One LLC at 1316 James St. for $61,600.
Daniel Gorsich to Nicholas and Talia Buttgereit at 1402 James St. for $317,500.

Marshall-Shadeland
David Pollard to GCAT 2019 RPL1 Trust at 3141 Brighton Ave. for $50,000 by sheriff's deed.
James Dittler trustee to Thaman Rentals & Renovation LLC at 1237 Dickson St. for $45,000.
Julia Dentice to Alex Deise at 1402 Dickson St. for $212,500.
Carmen Arana to Dahntahn Realty LLC at 1184-1186 New Hampshire Drive for $24,900.
Estate of Ronald Nyman to GAE Shelby LLC at 3318 Shelby St. for $83,000.

Observatory Hill
Bao Ping Zheng to Wei Zhu at 12 Perryview Ave. for $83,779.
WC Home Acces Owner OH 1 LLC to BAHA Properties LLC at 42 Watson Blvd. for $190,000.

Perry Hilltop
Mitchell Gray Thompson to BINA PA LLC at 2652 Norwood Ave. for $72,500.

Troy Hill
James Dunn trustee to June Bay PA LLC at 1360 Herman St. for $135,000.
Autumn Kirila to Jordan Sanchez and Brooke Austin at 1834 Ley St. for $244,000.
Michael Kolbrener to Steven Fey at 71 Waterfront Drive for $760,000.

Real Estate Transactions provided by <RealSTATs>.  Contact <RealSTATs> at 412-381-3880 or visit www.RealSTATs.net.
 

CHATEAU — Fans of all things pedal-powered from across the country converged on the Northside on May 30-31 for the 16th Bicycle Heaven Annual Bicycle Show & Swap Meet.

Bicycle Heaven — which is the world’s largest bicycle museum — organizes this gathering of cycling enthusiasts to give them a chance to show off, and potentially sell, parts of their collection. Everything from retro easy-riders to sporty BMX bikes to novelty children’s bikes filled the parking lot of the Chateau-based attraction.

“We get people from all over the country,” said Bicycle Heaven owner Craig Morrow, citing visitors from as close as New York to as far as California.

Despite the often long distances attendees have to travel, Morrow said that repeat visitors to the meet are common. In his estimation, about half of the people who take part in the meet come every year.

One of those repeat participants at this year’s meet was Craig Finnerty, who was attending as a vendor. Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, Finnerty characterized himself as a “strictly BMX, early-to-mid-80s” collector, but greatly enjoys the myriad of different bikes he gets to see at the swap.

“It’s a lot of different variety,” he said. He also cited the “camaraderie” between enthusiasts at the meet as a highlight of the event.

Like many people, Finnerty got into cycling at a young age.

“It’s our first chance to work on stuff, so you work on your bike and that turns into bigger projects like working on cars,” he said. “I returned to bikes.”

Another attendee was Curtis Creer, of New York, who specializes in collecting bikes from the 60s and 70s. He has a special fondness for bikes with “banana seats,” as those were the kinds he grew up with.

Creer said while he enjoys visiting Bicycle Heaven, the meet is a chance to see some of the bikes Morrow hasn’t collected.

“He has a lot of bikes, but he doesn’t have everything,” he said.

Indeed, Morrow told The Chronicle that he had an eye on a bicycle brought to the meet, a 1975 bicycle which is the first carob-fibre bicycle ever made, designed by F.H. Appel Company.

As for Creer, he also had a fondness for the people he meets at meets, and said he has even met celebrities at bicycle events, including actor Robin Williams and talk show host Ricki Lake.

“You meet all kinds of people when it comes to bike meets,” he said. Bicycle Heaven will hold an additional Show & Swap Meet later this year, on Aug.

15-16. Attending the event is free, though there is a fee for vendor space if someone wishes to sell at the event.

For more information, contact Bicycle Heaven at (412) 734-4034 or visit bicycleheaven.org. The museum is located at 1800 Preble Ave. and is open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In a watershed moment for justice, the court found that Pennsylvania’s mandatory life-without-parole sentence for felony murder violates our state constitution’s prohibition against cruel punishments because it fails to consider a person’s individual culpability. That is a major development, not only legally, but also for the moral integrity of our state government.

For decades, Pennsylvania’s felony murder law has imposed the same mandatory sentence on people participating at vastly different levels in these crimes. Under the law, someone who planned and intentionally carried out a killing could receive the exact same punishment as someone who never intended for anyone to die, never pulled a trigger, or, in some cases, was not even present when the murder occurred. This was never a reflection of a fair or rational approach to justice.

As a lawyer, I understand the importance of accountability under the law but also emphasize that our justice system must recognize the difference between levels of responsibility.

In this historic decision, the court held that automatically sentencing every person convicted of felony murder to life without parole — without considering their intent, conduct or role in the offense — is incompatible with the protections guaranteed by our state constitution. The justices made clear that fairness requires individualized sentencing, not blanket punishment.

Importantly, the court did not eliminate accountability for felony murder. Second-degree murder remains a serious offense. What the court rejected was the idea that Pennsylvania can constitutionally treat every person convicted under that statute exactly the same, regardless of the facts.

The court ruled on March 26 and stayed its ruling for 120 days to allow the General Assembly time to act. In other words, legislators now have both a responsibility and a deadline of July 24 to act. If we fail to address the issue thoughtfully, the courts will inevitably be forced to continue stepping in case by case. As a lawmaker, I recognize that there are many difficult questions ahead and am eager to help craft a solution centered on both justice and accountability.

We must begin from a place of honesty about what the old system did. Mandatory life-without-parole sentences erased distinctions among people whose actions and intent were profoundly different. They removed judicial discretion entirely. And they contributed to a system in which punishment was often disconnected from individual culpability. That is not justice.

As legislators, we have an obligation to build a better system. I am encouraged that there is bipartisan interest in addressing this issue. This conversation is not about excusing harm or diminishing the pain experienced by victims and families. Our legal system should strive to deliver justice that is thoughtful, constitutional and proportional. The Lee decision reminds us that the law is not static. Our understanding of justice evolves. Courts, legislators and communities all have a role to play in ensuring that our systems reflect accountability and humanity.

Over the coming weeks, the General Assembly must rise to that challenge. Pennsylvania now has an opportunity to move away from one-size-fits-all punishment and toward a justice system that recognizes nuance, constitutional rights and the possibility of redemption. That is work worth doing and work we cannot afford to delay.

If you have questions about this issue, or any others, I encourage you to call my office at (412) 321-5523, email RepKinkead@pahouse.net, or visit my office at 658 Lincoln Ave. in Bellevue. 

For many people on the Northside, getting from point A to point B is not always simple. With steep hills and gaps in public transportation, what looks like a short trip on a map can sometimes feel like a never- ending journey in practice. During the two-year pilot program, e-scooters gave our residents another way to get to work, run errands, and visit loved ones in neighboring communities.

After learning from the successes and critiques of the Pittsburgh pilot program, I introduced House Bill 1633, legislation that would allow municipalities that want shared e-scooter programs to establish them while creating a clear framework to regulate their safe use. My legislation also addresses private ownership of e-scooters because our municipalities and law enforcement agencies do not have a clear set of rules, standards, or tools to regulate them, which elevates safety concerns in areas where e-scooters are being used.

Without passing my legislation, we have an awkward gap in our laws that means that right now, Pennsylvanians can legally purchase an e-scooter, but they are not legally allowed to operate one. You probably see, as I do, that people are using these devices on a daily basis. I have even seen the Pirates Parrot using one! Micro-mobility options like e-scooters are also a great tool for helping visitors navigate special events, like the recent NFL Draft. Organizers of the Draft were surprised to learn that e-scooters, a transportation option that is available in many other cities across the country hosting large events, are not legal in Pennsylvania.

In June, the Pennsylvania House Transportation Committee held a public hearing on H.B. 1633 and the broader issue of e-scooters in Pennsylvania. The discussion included testimony from transportation experts, municipal leaders, e-scooter share industry representatives, advocates, and the insurance industry. While there are different perspectives on the best path forward, one thing that was clear from our discussion is that Pennsylvania needs to address the reality that e-scooters are already here.

My bill is all about fixing the gaps in our existing law and prioritizing public safety. It is about moving from an unclear situation where e-scooters exist in a legal gray area to a system where we can establish responsible rules around their use.

The Pittsburgh pilot program showed us what that could look like. Over the two-year pilot, more than 212,000 people signed up to use the service, with more than one million trips taken across the city. Nearly half of riders reported using e-scooters for commuting, and a significant number of trips replaced short car trips. The program also helped connect people to existing transit. In neighborhoods where bus routes do not always provide convenient connections, e-scooters helped close some of those gaps. A substantial portion of the individuals who used e-scooters were low-income.

We also learned important lessons from the pilot. Any future program must prioritize safety, accountability, and the unique needs of the communities where these devices operate. My legislation builds on those lessons by allowing municipalities to establish rules around issues like parking, operating areas, speed limits, reporting violations and accountability for operators.

A major part of this conversation has been recognizing that safety concerns are very real. E-scooters are not without risk, and any legislation must ensure riders, pedestrians, drivers and communities are protected. That is why the process of developing H.B. 1633 has included input from a wide range of stakeholders, including law enforcement and safety experts, to ensure we are adequately addressing these concerns.

As we continue to work toward establishing a legal framework for e-scooters, it is important to acknowledge that maintaining the status quo does not make these devices disappear. In fact, the current system leaves us with fewer ways to manage them. If people can purchase e-scooters but cannot legally ride them, we are missing an opportunity to create thoughtful regulations that encourage safe behavior and give communities the authority to respond to problems they are experiencing.

Pennsylvania’s transportation system must continue to evolve to meet the needs of its people and ensure that Pennsylvanians have the ability to legally and safely use every mobility option as they become available. House Bill 1633 does not require municipalities to adopt e-scooter share programs, but it does provide a clear framework based on lessons learned from the Pittsburgh pilot for communities to develop safe and affordable transportation options that fit their needs while ensuring those programs operate responsibly.

Whether for daily transportation or special events, communities deserve the ability to decide what works best for them. For many residents, especially those facing barriers to reliable transportation, expanding safe and affordable mobility options would make a real difference in their daily lives.

With H.B. 1633, I am committed to creating a balanced approach that puts public safety first while recognizing the transportation needs of Pennsylvanians. If you want to learn more about this issue, or any others I am working on, I encourage you to call my office at (412) 321-5523, email Rep-Kinkead@pahouse.net, or visit my office at 658 Lincoln Ave. in Bellevue.

Although obviously not a feline, the 1888 beautiful red brick and inky corn flower blue painted Victorian building formerly known as Fat Cat on East Ohio Street which transitioned into tacOcat, is definitely resilient and has continued to survive! Husband and wife, Mike Schmidt and Jess Frandsen, of Deutschtown breathed new life into the old “Fat Cat” location on East Ohio Street and transformed it into a fresh, new neighborhood gathering spot called The Eastman which officially opened on April 18.

The common themes of Northside businesses I have chatted with over the past five years are “inclusive,” “welcoming,” “community forward/focused,” “diversity,” and “locally sourced.” And these themes also ring true for The Eastman.

This dynamic husband and wife duo’s journey to the Northside is also not unfamiliar. Mike hails from the Buffalo area and Jess is from the great state of Indiana. They landed in Pittsburgh years ago to start their careers. Mike lived on the Southside for many years while Jess made a beeline for the Northside.

Finding each other and getting married in 2023, then moving to Deutschtown, Mike and Jess now call the Northside their home. Mike clearly admits that it was Jess who influenced him into coming to the Northside because she felt it was a “hidden gem while being close to downtown.” Along with Jess, Mike is now a full-fledged Northsider who describes the Northside as having “a sense of community and real neighborhood feel.”

As active Northsiders, Mike and Jess yearned to become more involved in their community and wondered what that might look like. So, they took a chance and “dove head first” and purchased the historic East Ohio Street building. With their open-minded approach and “all in” commitment, Mike and Jess hoped to “create something that the neighborhood did not have and would enjoy” and give Northsiders “an additional place to relax.” And that’s exactly what they achieved!

Working with designer and builder Dan Winter of DW Finishes, Mike and Jess put their own spin on this space to set a “cozy, comfortable, and inviting vibe.” The deliberate move to “focus on the brick “and “bring back the original beauty of the building” was a pivotal move in creating the look, feel, and tone that is The Eastman. Although I had been in the building under previous owners, I never noticed the brick until The Eastman’s soft opening. I was stunned at how the exposed brick served as the perfect backdrop for the artwork and their bar back. Most who knew this Victorian building as Jerry’s 1888, Dagwood’s, or JR’s would not recognize it with its makeover.

Mike and Jess also upcycled items to create the stylish decor of The Eastman. The second-hand purchases bring a note of originality: from the vintage sport memorabilia, foosball table, the French fluted chimney and old Bombay steel drums fashioned into cool lighting fixtures; to the old “Sound Advice” music sign complete with accordion and saxophone ironically sharing the brand colors of The Eastman. The first piece that Mike and Jess purchased was a large metal multi pane frame with inset mirrors. With a few mirrors randomly missing from the frame, Jess describes this piece as “imperfectly missing mirrors” which exudes a sense of history and “feels like it should be in a bar.” This piece also adds to their rustic industrial décor and accentuates the coziness.

Décor is great but you can’t eat it!! Let’s talk food. The Eastman describes their menu as: “Where the flavors of New Mexico meet the shores of Lake Erie.” A unique combination that satisfies even the most discriminating tastes and heartiest appetites.

Not unlike our beloved regional dish of pierogis smothered in butter and fried onions, I have learned from Mike and Jess that “pizza logs” and “beef on weck” are also regional dishes — yet from the Buffalo/Lake Erie area. I had never heard of pizza logs until a recent visit to Western New York where I saw “pizza logs” for the first time on a menu. I then fully realized that pizza logs are truly a regional dish like our tasty pierogis. What is a pizza log? I will tell you it is NOT another name for a pepperoni roll. It is in a class all by itself and Chris Acosta of Taqueria Acosta — chef and kitchen manager of The Eastman — serves them up fresh, hot, and homemade! The “pizza log” has been authentically recreated at The Eastman and consists of pepperoni and mozzarella nestled inside a crispy eggroll wrapper served with a side of marinara sauce. East meets West all wrapped into one delectable concoction. And pizza logs are not the only regional specialties crafted by Chef Acosta.

“Beef on weck” is another regional offering by The Eastman. And as Mike relays, this sandwich is all about the weck — a roll that is “a little crusty on the top, soft underneath with a light coating of coarse salt and caraway seed” that makes this sandwich unique.

Chicken thighs anyone? I thought I was not a fan of chicken thighs until I tasted the Chimayo Hot Honey Chicken at The Eastman. WOW! It’s a scrumptious and juicy “buttermilk and corn fried” boneless chicken thigh, drizzled with red chili hot honey and topped with pickled cabbage and sweet carrots for a perfect mix of slight heat and sweet. This is my absolute go to sandwich at The Eastman.

I guess I do like chicken thighs. True New Mexican favorites such as tacos, burritos, tostadas, and the famous “The Bowl Acosta” created by Chef Acosta that my husband and I (and many other Pittsburghers) have come to enjoy are also part of The Eastman’s menu. According to Mike and Jess, the tacos are the customers’ favorite menu item. If you ever tasted them, it would readily become your favorite too! They are packed full of savory flavor with imaginative combinations and tasty options to also create your own.

Besides their unique menu, there are other features that set The Eastman apart from other businesses in Deutschtown: It’s family friendly, a place where you can watch current sports happenings, and a place where you can grab a bite to eat on Sunday! Separated into a distinct bar and dining room, The Eastman is also a place where you can bring the family. With high chairs and games for kids in the dining area (and soon to be released kids’ menu), families are embraced and welcomed. Whether it’s football, soccer, hockey, baseball, or golf, you can find your sport to watch at The Eastman while you also enjoy Sunday brunch!

The Eastman’s comfortable and relaxing atmosphere, tasty food, selection of local craft beer, non-alcoholic beverages, and fancy cocktails combined with the owners’ welcoming hospitality will “make you feel right at home.” Try the New Mexican mule which is a welcomed twist to the classic mule made with house-made ginger beer garnished with “taco dust” — a truly thirst-quenching libation.

Mike and Jess also expressed their deep appreciation for all the “community support” they received and believed that “they wouldn’t be here” without it. Not a surprise, community is what the Northside is all about.

Last but not least, Mike and Jess became proud parents of a sweet baby girl — Murphy — born Feb. 26, 2026. A little over 7 weeks after Murphy’s birth, The Eastman was born. That’s true commitment and determination!

The Eastman is located at 520 East Ohio St. and is open Thursday and Friday 4-10 p.m., Saturday Noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Look for expanded hours coming soon!

For more information, visit theeastmanpgh.com

On June 2, representatives of the Chamber testified during the Board of Health’s public hearing on the proposal. Speaking on behalf of the Chamber’s more than 470 business, nonprofit, and community organization members, Board Chair Matt Napper emphasized that the Chamber supports paid parental leave as a concept but opposes placing the entire financial burden on employers.

“The issue before us is not whether paid parental leave has value,” Napper stated during the hearing. “The issue is who should bear the cost.”

The proposed regulation would require employers operating within Allegheny County to provide up to 18 weeks of paid parental leave to eligible employees. According to the proposal, employers would be responsible for continuing employee wages and benefits during the leave period.

The Chamber argued that while large corporations may be able to absorb such costs, many small businesses and nonprofits operate on narrow margins and lack the financial reserves necessary to cover extended paid leave while simultaneously paying for replacement staffing.

As part of its testimony, the Chamber highlighted a hypothetical example of a neighborhood business generating $500,000 in annual revenue with a 10% profit margin. Under the proposed regulation, the combined cost of continuing salary and benefits while hiring temporary replacement coverage for an employee taking the full leave could exceed $50,000 — effectively eliminating the company’s annual profit.

The Chamber further warned that increased labor costs could discourage business expansion, delay hiring, reduce employee hours, and place additional pressure on nonprofit organizations already facing funding challenges.

Instead of an employer-funded mandate, the Chamber urged policymakers to explore public funding mechanisms similar to state-administered paid family leave programs used elsewhere in the country, where costs are shared more broadly rather than imposed entirely on individual employers.

Chamber releases FAQ for businesses

In response to questions from employers, the Chamber developed and distributed a frequently asked questions (FAQ) document summarizing key provisions of the proposed regulation and its potential impact on businesses.

Among the issues highlighted in the FAQ:

l The proposal would require employers to provide up to 18 weeks of paid parental leave.

l Employers would be responsible for paying both wages and benefits during the leave period.

l The requirement would apply to employers of all sizes, including small businesses, nonprofits, and local governments.

l Eligibility would begin after an employee has worked for an employer for 30 days.

l Leave would apply not only to births, but also to adoptions and foster child placements.

l Domestic partners would also be eligible for leave under the proposal.

l Employers would be required to restore employees to their positions upon return from leave.

l Leave could be taken intermittently over an 18-month period rather than in a single continuous block.

l The proposal includes civil penalties for employers who fail to comply.

l The Chamber noted that the FAQ was developed to help employers better understand the proposal and participate in the public comment process.

The Chamber has and continues to encourage business owners, nonprofit leaders, and employers throughout Allegheny County to review the proposed regulation and make their voices heard through public comments and outreach to county officials.

Chamber leadership emphasized that the organization’s position should not be interpreted as opposition to supporting families. Rather, they argue that any parental leave program should be structured in a way that balances family needs with the economic realities facing small employers.

The Allegheny County Board of Health is expected to review public feedback before determining whether to advance the proposal for further consideration. The deadline for all comments is July 16.

Comments may be submitted directly to the Allegheny County Health Department by email at publichealthcomment@alleghenycounty.us or through the online public hearing participation portal, at alleghenycounty.us/Services/Health-Department/Board-of-Health/ Public-Hearing-Participation-Form 

Community members may also scan the QR code distributed by the Chamber in its Paid Parental Leave FAQ sheet to access the comment portal directly.

In addition to submitting comments to the Board of Health, the Chamber encourages stakeholders to contact their Allegheny County Council representatives and County Executive Sarah Innamorato to share their perspectives on the proposal and its potential impact on employers, nonprofits, employees, and the local economy.

The Chamber believes that informed public participation is critical as county officials consider a policy that could have significant implications for both working families and the small businesses and nonprofit organizations that form the backbone of Allegheny County’s economy.

As we start to enter the warmer months, keeping cool is more expensive than ever. Duquesne Light Company offers a Customer Assistance Program that provides an alternative budget billing plan to combat high energy prices. Eligibility criteria and options for applying can be found on the Duquesne Light webpage or by calling our office.

This year, Pittsburgh Regional Transit will be rolling out their new Ready-Fare system. Senior ConnectCard riders will have extended access to their expired card until early 2027 but are encouraged to apply for the new ReadyFare card before then. Keep an eye out for written communication from PRT, and call our office with any questions.

As always, if you need any assistance with other state resources, do not hesitate to reach out to our office at (412) 781-2750 or email RepPowell@pahouse. net. My team also has office hours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the second floor of the Shaler Municipal Building, 300 Wetzel Road, Glenshaw, every Thursday.

Be well, Lindsay Powell