Good morning, this is Pittsburgh Local Pulse for Friday, August fifteenth. We wake up with rare breaking news out of the Mon Valley where Allegheny County is stepping up air quality monitoring after that serious explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works on Monday. Sadly, two lives were lost, and more than ten people were hurt. While the county lifted shelter-in-place orders quickly when monitors didn’t show high levels of soot or sulfur dioxide, mobile air testing units from the state and Carnegie Mellon University are now stationed in Clairton and the valley. Local health officials want to reassure everyone that these measures go well beyond typical monitoring, and the investigation into what happened—and its aftermath—remains ongoing. This comes as community groups ramp up calls for tougher air safety regulations in the region.Our city government has its hands full this August. Last night’s Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting saw heavy discussion around major downtown projects and fresh efforts from Pittsburgh City Planning to solicit public feedback on zoning reforms. And the city is continuing its bid to make public spaces more accessible, with new efforts underway to improve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and talks about sidewalk upgrades on Fifth Avenue.Turning to the job market, the latest data shows unemployment ticking down just below four percent for the Greater Pittsburgh region. New postings are up in healthcare and advanced manufacturing but down slightly in tech, reportedly due to summer slowdowns. On the real estate front, Highland Park’s beloved community pharmacy is closing for good on August thirtieth, after decades of service. The Grant Bar and Lounge in Millvale is now up for sale, which may signal changes coming to that block.Switching gears to community events, Bloomfield’s Little Italy Days kicks off today with more than a hundred vendors stretching along Liberty Avenue—expect delicious food, art, and music through Sunday. If you are heading outdoors, bring an umbrella. We’ve got scattered showers this morning, a chance of heavy rain through midday, clearing by sunset with highs in the upper seventies.Music lovers are in luck this weekend. Up in Greensburg, The Drifters, The Platters, and The Coasters are sharing a magical night with fans at the Palace Theatre. And down at Oakmont Country Club, the best golfers in the world are teeing off for the one hundred twenty-fifth U.S. Open—despite yesterday’s soggy conditions, the competition is fierce.In schools, new test results show Pittsburgh Public students making modest gains in math and reading, with several local elementaries posting their best scores in years. Spring sports just wrapped up, with Allderdice High School’s baseball team clinching a dramatic win over Central Catholic—one to remember for those kids.City Hall is also reminding us to watch for low-flying planes and helicopters today as the regional oral rabies vaccination program gets underway throughout Allegheny County, including drops in local parks, to keep our raccoon population—and our pets—healthy.Crime news is quieter than average. Pittsburgh Police report no major incidents overnight, but police in Westmoreland County, just east of us, are investigating a ring targeting skill game machines—so keep an eye out if you operate or visit local small businesses.And ending on a heartwarming note, newborns at West Penn Hospital got some big smiles this week after being dressed up as Peanuts comic characters to celebrate the strip’s seventy-fifth anniversary, a small but joyful moment that brought staff and families together.Thank you for tuning in and don’t forget to subscribe. This has been Pittsburgh Local Pulse. We’ll see you tomorrow with more local updates. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

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