Luke broke my heart. Another gets the nod for the Ethics Hearing Board.

Luke picked another, not me, for the open slot on the Pittsburgh Ethics Hearing Board. And, it is a lawyer.

I saw Mr. Roberts today in city hall. He is a lawyer who is an "OVERLORD." I asked him what he thought of the possibility of city council hiring its own attorney. I had suggested that city council use the crack lawyers from one of the two oversight boards that are still in town, rather than contracting for its own legal advice only to pitch fights among different departments -- like intramurals.

Mr. Roberts gave a cute reply when he said that you can never hire too many attorneys.

Taxpayers got another kick in the teeth -- straight from the overloard.

I think it is fitting to call 100 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean a 'good start.'

And on the 4th of July Luke is going to marry a couple. He doesn't know how to do it. If I was mayor, I'd marry someone every weekend. It would be a boost for destination weddings -- in Pittsburgh. And, we'd do lots of wedding receptions, renewals, reunions and block parties too.

I assume the ceremony is going to involve a man and women.

This weekend is the Riverview Park 5K. Good if you are fit, part goat and wear Heelies for the downhill. Luke has run that race in the past. Wonder if Jason is going?

kdka.com - Frick International Academy Students React To Sen. Obama's Nomination

kdka.com - Frick International Academy Students React To Sen. Obama's Nomination 'It's going to be really interesting and it's going to be a fun ride for all of us to be part of. He's gonna really need to work on the blue collar vote - and Sen. Clinton's gonna have to come out and say, 'All my voters should go to Barack Obama to keep it within the party,' ' Erik Rauterkus, a seventh grade student, said.

There is a funny story to go with the news of this feature.

The reporter, MRJ, told the kids that she was looking for some interesting quotes and had gone to Pitt's political science department. She got blahh... She didn't want to waste her time. A call to Frick Middle School turned to be far more impressive than the prior conversation with the college students.

Erik and his mates were called out of their lunch periods.

When Erik came home after school and said he was interviewed by KDKA TV, I wondered if it was about the news of the closing of Frick.

Frick is a good school. One of the very best in the city. Sadly, it is being changed in radical ways. It will move out of Oakland. It will be merged in with high school students.

The local kids, the neighborhood kids, are going to be sent to a university prep school that will be in the Hill District and will be 99% black. The language magnet kids will be in I.B.World.

Many Frick kids go to many different high schools. Some went to Schenley (woops that closed too). Some go to CAPA. Some go to Dice. Some go to Central.

Erik, son, on 6 pm news on KDKA TV

Update: This story is running on the front page of the KDKA.com site now. See tonight's 6 pm KDKA TV news and watch for Erik Rauterkus on presidential politics. His classmates and Patrice King Brown, I think.

Yep, it aired.

http://kdka.com/video/?id=42202@kdka.day

http://kdka.com/video/?id=42203@kdka.dayport.com

More Schenley Chatter from the important customers -- we know best -- by the way!

The PPS website has the press release and the two PPTs up -- one for sci-tech. They're interesting in a sickening sort of way. At least the sci-tech was, I didn't get to the other. I particularly liked the page with two spelling errors in the first two bullet points. Also the one saying why Westinghouse couldn't be used -- they'd have to rip out things that they already put in but haven't used to make new stuff. Huh? And it would be cheaper to do it there, but well, see previous sentence. And it would still be undercapacity (I guess this program absolutely, positively can't grow).

To get you up to speed, tonight Roosevelt recommended using Frick for Sci-Tech next year (2009). Renovations will be done over the next year, while the kids are there.

---

Reply


Oh they just need to table all of these changes until they come up with a plan for everyone...but we all know that. Yes, all of the pictures and trophys are out of the Schenley first floor. It felt weird and sad and as the message said "creepy". It just seems like the middle and low achieving kids are going to be left out in the cold. Since I have heard that Roosevelt ultimately wants to get rid of the Gifted Program I am supposing some of those teachers would want to move to the sci tech school. Of course, I did not see anyone from administration at Schenley's awards ceremony last evening.

NAME NUKED

This really sucks.

Make a list of the best middle schools. Frick is there, at the top.

Now make a list of the worst schools.

Guess what schools get changes and what schools are left alone? Mark Roosevelt is doing it all wrong. He is smashing apart the good schools and he ignores the bad ones.

Frick should continue as a middle school.

The Science and Technology school should be put into the under capacity, low performing, recently renovated, yet great technology legacy -- Westinghouse High School.

And, the Superintendent's office, the Pittsburgh Public School Administration and the board of education should also move into Westinghouse High School too, if they wish. There is plenty of room. Then they'd move out of a valued building that can be sold, the Oakland Board of Ed building. And, the money from the sell-off of the Board's present building can be re-invested to fix up Schenley High School. The asbestos removal from Schenley High School is NO MORE THAN $10-Million (as reported to from the PPS numbers).

Frankly, I'd rather see the Pittsburgh Board of Education and its administration move to Langley High School. But that is another conversation.

For now, the whole plan needs to be put on the table. Otherwise, nothing should be done. Nothing.

Mark Roosevelt's plans are going to kill the city.

Reizenstein school's 'redesign' estimate at $50 million - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Told ya.

This is insane.

Reizenstein school's 'redesign' estimate at $50 million - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The cost to fix Reizenstein School in East Liberty is estimated as high as $50 million, casting doubt over its long-term future in Pittsburgh Public Schools.

We MUST DEMAND that a WHOLISTIC -- and I mean the WHOLE VIEW -- approach must be taken to the high school reform agenda.

Mark Roosevelt is out of control. The crisis and rush, rush, rush sillyness is costing us great opportunities and delivering trash that is very, very expensive.

The fix-up of Schenley High School is needed. We need a prudent fix up.

To remove the asbestos at Schenley would cost about $10-million.

Furthermore, Reizenstein was a failed middle school. The building does not have any windows. The windows at Schenley are new! Reizenstein does not have an auditorium. Schenley's theater space is wonderful.

Nothing should be spend on Reizenstein. That property should be sold. It sits next to a new development, Bakers Square. They don't need and should not want a public school there. It would be a valued bit of property that can be sold for much better uses. It can fetch some good income for the district and that money can be spent to fix-up Schenley High School.

And, while we are at it -- let's sell the Board of Education Building in Oakland.

Council's vote today could mark start of statewide campaign finance reform

Council's vote today could mark start of statewide campaign finance reform: "House and Senate candidates spent $57.1 million during the 2006 election cycle."

Folks like Michael Diven and Wayne Fontana each have big chunks of that money. And that money came, mostly from gambling interests.

In the city, the last big flow of money came from Mon Valley Expressway land speculators. They were able to buy off Mayor Tom Murphy and City Council President Bob O'Connor.

When the "big boys" burn campaign money -- just like they do the public purse (and squander the public trust) -- I don't mind. But I do get yanked off at the reporting of those funds in such slanted ways.

For example, Jon Delano always makes a big, harry deal about the money in the war chests of the candidates. Go figure. This is because KDKA, Delano's employer, gets the lion's share of the money that candidate's over-spend. Local media elites won't cover the true story of the campaigns and the issues. They are not worthy of being called real journalists, generally. They are driven by the advertising money.

Schenley High School meeting - schedule

Lots coming up! Dates first, then see below for more information. Please do whatever you can fit in --

City Council:

1) Regular Meeting of Council Schedule

Tuesday, June 3, 2008 - 10:00 A.M. (Today!)

If members of the public wish to address City Council on any subject matter relating to City business, please attend any Regular or Standing Committees Meeting of Council to participate under the “Public Comment” portion of the meeting.

2) Date and Time TBA -- soon

See below -- we have petitioned for a public hearing before City Council. Hope to have it scheduled in the next two weeks. We will try to come up with an overall plan and then divide among the speakers so that the presentation hits all the high points without lots of repetition.

Hill House Meeting:

Thursday, June 5th - 6:00 P.M.

1835 Centre Avenue
(see description below)

Television:

Friday, June 6th - 3:00-4:00 P.M.
Mark Brentley is hosting an open forum on Schenley High School & High School Reform on the Pittsburgh Cable Access Channel at 1300 Western Avenue on North Side. It is supposed to be broadcast live. There will be four speakers -- each will make short statements and then it will be open to questions from the audience.

Like to get as many people as we can in the audience -- please try to make it if you can!

School Board Public Hearing:

Monday, June 16 - 7:00 P.M.

(see below)

********************************************

B-PEP, the Black Political Empowerment Project, scheduled the meeting (6/5, 6 pm) at the Hill House Center to get further input, reaction and ideas from all affected communities and parents regarding Schenley and HS reform. Come hear and be heard! (I (Jen) will be there -- please introduce yourself, umm, I'll have on either my Obama button or shirt, how's that for identification? I've had lots of fun meeting the people on this list!)

********************************************

The public hearing regarding the recommendation of the Superintendent on the possible closure of Schenley High School takes place on Monday, June 16 at 7:00pm. Registration begins on Monday, June 9th (I'll send all the info again then).

Please consider testifying. New and different voices are always needed, especially those with different viewpoints and expertise. Of course, if you have already testified, please do so again. Even if you are not sure that you can testify, please register, because, although you can be skipped at the hearing if you are not there, you cannot choose to testify if you have not registered.

We are asking the board to table the vote, unless we are sure that we would have a majority voting against the recommendation. A motion to table the vote means that the board does not have to vote against the Superintendent, which might make it easier for some board members. If you have any influence with any of the board members, now is the time to use it!

Key points:

• The fact that there is no plan for where the IB students are to be permanently housed at this point (we have convinced the district to abandon Reizenstein by revealing the real costs of renovating that building) is a strong argument for postponing the vote.

• A demand for real numbers for the districts projects- planned or unplanned- must be made, since the district's expenditures may end up being higher than the cost to renovate Schenley, without the benefit of the quality that this building offers.

• The lack of a comprehensive plan for all the high schools in the district and specifically the failing schools in the district make it impossible for the board to compare and evaluate costs, locations and buildings to plan for the future and preserve the best of the district.

• The case that the cost of losing Schenley would be so much greater to the city and the community than the number that has been presented to the public is also a crucial one.
  

(Thanks to Jill Weiss for most of the above!)

******************************

**********

It was suggested that we petition city council for a public hearing, which has been done. The date and time is not known yet. Please consider testifying or attending in support of saving the Schenley building and about our difficulty in having any real input into any aspect of this reform (see above points).

*******************************************

Write letters to the editor, and contact board members, city council members, legislators, foundation board members, and anyone else of influence.

Boy, is it ever hard to finish one of these while trying to watch that teeny tiny little puck at the same time! (Definitely a bandwagon fan, not skilled at watching games.)

Jen Lakin

Book Expo America - and publishing's past life

Booksellers talk big, act quietly at convention - Yahoo! News: "'It was quiet, very quiet,' Simon & Schuster CEO and president Carolyn Reidy said of the industry's annual national gathering, which lacked a 'buzz' book or spectacular speech, but did offer a rare private concert from the enigmatic rock star."

I used to exhibit at this show. Guess I'm not missing much this year.

I've been out of the book publishing business for a while. I miss it from time to time. But, that's okay.

The $3 Trillion Shopping Spree

The $3 Trillion Shopping Spree The occupation of Iraq will cost $3 trillion, America's most expensive conflict since WWII.

Teacher. Wordsmith. Madman. on Schenley High School

Exactly.

Teacher. Wordsmith. Madman.: "Interesting op-ed piece in this morning's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, adding yet another round to the seemingly endless debate and discussion -- it's as if Mark Roosevelt replaced Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, and we're the poor, perplexed Punxsutawneans -- over the fate of Schenley High. The central argument, that closing the school doesn't make sense until the district develops a comprehensive high school reform plan, is difficult to refute. A district with little money to spare, deciding the futures of both a landmark building and its four classes full of students, should not rush to judgment. And all of the district's plans, counter-plans, reversals of field, and reversals of reversals of field since this issue came to the fore do not exactly inspire much confidence in a steady, reasoned approach to finding a solution.

The over the top parts -- well -- here is the deal.

Schenley works. There are lots of other schools that fail. Four are drop-out factories.

Fix what is broken and replicate what works.

Roosevelt is breaking what works. Roosevelt is still in deep denial about doing anything for the failing schools.

Nothing has come, yet, about Vo Tech.

Nothing has come about Oliver, Peabody, Westinghouse nor Langley. ZIPPO.

Nothing has come about grass-roots involvement in the Pittsburgh Promise. The Exec Director of the Pgh Foundation called the Pittsburgh Promise nothing but a cruel joke if only 20% of the kids that go to college from Pittsburgh can stay there once they arrive. And, that is the right percentage.

So, I'm going overboard now.

Meanwhile, Roosevelt is still over-reaching.

Furthermore, Schenley High School is a place where students of all backgrounds, races, study skills and sporting abilities mix well. Friendships are forged there -- without a strata system like occurs at Alderdice. There are two bodies of students at many of our schools. We love how Schneley is a 'melting pot.' Meanwhile, that is being taken away from the city.

That makes us sad and will insure that another 5,000 people depart the city in the years to come.

When all the I.B. students go to I.B. High -- the melting pot is NUKED.

When the new (proposed) Science and Technology High School has no sports -- by design -- the melting pot is tossed into the trash. Another 4,000 depart the city.

We don't want melting pot of middle school kids downtown.

We don't want melting pot of kids in grades 6, and 7 with kids in grades 11 and 12.

We don't want what he is trying so hard to deliver.

We don't want a great majority of the school in the district in turf battle grounds.

The district can not afford to close schools that work. Period. Rodgers is being tinkered with. CAPA is being tinkered with. Same too with Frick Middle School, and Schenley, of course. The research is not there. They need to think again.

This is much greater than "most likely not afford to save the building." Jeepers.

Journeys - Swimming Vacations - Journeys - Swimming Vacations - Don’t Bother With the Hotel Pool - Travel - NYTimes.com

Journeys - Swimming Vacations - Journeys - Swimming Vacations - Don’t Bother With the Hotel Pool - Travel - NYTimes.com: "JOURNEYS | SWIMMING VACATIONS
Don’t Bother With the Hotel Pool

Time will tell -- so he said. Perhaps it already did.

In a thread at another blog with chatter about Luke Ravenstah as mayor, Bram wrote, "Time will tell."

Well, time does not speak.

People tell. Actions speak. Time is generally silent. Time is more often a friend of those in power.

Pittsburgh's best wish would be that time would tell as time and time again we've seen our neighbors depart, our city shrink, an economic decline and the idle time, do-nothing ways of foundations and want-a-be movers and shakers.

Its bad when the 'movers and shakers' are out sung and danced by 'old man time.'

This time, will it be different?

Let's not wait for 'time to tell.'

Looking for a photo of the Pens t-shirt with five languages: Sacrifice

Where can I find a photo of the Penguins Sacrifice t-shirt?

I'm not interested in another t-shirt. But, I'd love to see a photo of the shirt, or the design, or it on a player or fan.

Any help would be welcomed. Post it to the blog.

I hear that the team wears the t-shirts in the games, under the sweaters, of course.

Going on now: Anti-Violence Summer Project Day

Saturday, May 31st
1pm - 3pm
Westinghouse High School (1101 N. Murtland Avenue)

This is Part 1 of Support Campaign to combat the violence in our neighborhoods. This family-friendly free event is sponsored by 9th Grade Nation of Westinghouse High School and PennCORD. Invited community leaders Rev. Ricky Burgess, Randell Taylor, and Alex Mathews will lead the discussions and speak on the issue.
Roxanne Banks with the League of Young Voters Education Fund will be there registering people to vote.

Students, parents, churches, organizations, and any concerned citizen who wants to learn more is invited to attend! Face painting, music, refreshments, prizes and the planting of a Victory Garden will also be a part of the afternoon acitiivites.

More Kraus chatter

I posted some thoughts in a thread at another blog, PghComet, about Bruce Kraus.

Frankly, there are lots of other things that are more important to focus upon. However, some really want to dwell on the silly folly.

I would never have gone to Detroit for a hockey game. But, I'm not going to go out of my way to bash and devote tons of time there when many more important things are here to talk about.

---

Double talk alert from above.

Bram, you are right. A "previous negative recommendation" from the past, what two mayors ago, means zip when the new kids on the block are trying to be 'open for business.'

Kraus wants to stay in a rut of dispair?

Because the city failed in the past -- it should fail in the future -- it seems to him.

Alert to Bruce: Things change. We are fine with change. We don't want 'changes for the worse.'

"Mr. Kraus: We are stewards of the public purse, ..."

Why rush to hire additional lawyers then? (He has two attempts to hire already, one rushed.)

City bureaucrats should be able to do their jobs without the pre-approval by clearing things with lawyers in advance. That's nuts. That's EXPENSIVE. That's NOT good stewardship nor prudent. That's living in the bottom of a rut.

Bruce: "I am afraid that this will possibly then go to the courts..."

Bruce lives under and spreads FEAR. FUD.

"Mr. Motznik: If you guys would just let Pat (Ford) come to the table."

Exactly, Jim. That was another three hour meeting, or more, just on this topic. Folly. That isn't stewardship. That isn't being respectful of the public purse. That's the creation of civil war -- pompous too.

Mr. Kraus wanted to squander time, by design. He climbed a soapbox and wasn't going away.

"Mr. Kraus: I'm also increasingly concerned about the amount of time always being questioned that we spend at this table. This is the job we do. We are charged to represent the people of the City of Pittsburgh. I don't find it difficult to spend time to do the job in which I was elected to do."

The job Kraus was elected to do is NOT to represent the kittens and puppies in the animal shelter -- at the start of every committee meeting, on TV, generally 20-30 minutes late. Kraus is double-talk personified.

"Mr. Motznik: But we have someone who can answer you question sitting in the audience. You are wasting our time. He can answer your questions. Bring him to the table!"

Bingo! Motznik is right, again.

Kraus generally makes Motznik look to be on the high road. How accomplished is that!

BTW, IMHO, Rev. Burgess was sold 'down da river' by being called as the chair for that meeting. Burgess, as chair, showed his in-experience.

$32-million -- for what? Point State Park should NOT have closed

Waste.

I love parks. I know parks.

We got ripped off.

They can pat themselves on the back. Meanwhile, $32-million went poof.

Campaign Finance Reform legislation

BILL 2008-0026

SPONSORED BY MR. PEDUTO

Ordinance supplementing the Pittsburgh Code, Title One, Administrative, by adding a new section, Article XIII, entitled, “Campaign Finance Regulations.”

Be it resolved that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. The Pittsburgh Code, Title One, Administrative, is hereby supplemented by adding a new section, Article XIII, entitled, “Campaign Finance Regulations,” as follows:

Chapter 198: Campaign Finance Regulations

§198.01 Definitions

For purposes of this Chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) Candidate

(a) An individual who files nomination papers or petitions for City elective office.

(b) An individual who publicly announces his or her candidacy for City elective office.

(2) Candidate Political Committee.

The one political committee used by a candidate to receive all contributions and make all expenditures as required by §198.03.

(3) City elective office

The offices of Mayor, City Controller, or City Council.

(4) Contribution

Money, gifts, forgiveness of debts, loans, or things having a monetary value incurred or received by a candidate or his/her agent for use in advocating or influencing the election of the candidate.

(5) Covered election

Every primary, general or special election for City elective office.

(6) Person

An individual, partnership, corporation, sole proprietorship, or other form of business organization permitted under the laws of the Commonwealth to make political contributions.

(7) Pre-candidacy contribution

A contribution made to a political committee that: (a) has been transferred to, or otherwise becomes available for expenditure by, a candidate for City elective office; and (b) was made before such candidate became a candidate.


§198.02 Contribution Limitations

(1) Except as provided in subsection (3), no individual shall make total contributions per covered election, including contributions made to or through one or more political committees, of more than two thousand dollars ($2,000) to a candidate for a City elective office.

a. On the Monday following a mayoral general election, the contribution limit shall increase by the percent difference in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Customers (CPI-U) for the previous two years.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (3), no person, other than individuals who are covered under §198.02(1), and no political committee shall make total contributions per covered election of more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) to a candidate for a City elective office.

(3) The limitations imposed by this Chapter shall not apply to contributions from a candidate’s personal resources to the candidate’s political committee. However, if such contributions total $250,000 or more (regardless of the time period over which such contributions are made), then the contribution limits set forth in this Section for all other candidates for that City elective office shall double.

(4) The limitations imposed by this subsection shall not apply to volunteer labor.

(5) No candidate for City elective office, and no political committee, shall accept any contribution which exceeds the contribution limits set forth in this Chapter.

§198.03 Candidate Political Committee Accounts

A candidate for City elective office shall have no more than one political committee and one checking account for the city office being sought, into which all contributions for such office shall be made, and out of which all expenditures for that office shall be made. If the candidate for office maintains other political or non-political accounts for which contributions are solicited, such funds collected in these accounts shall not be used for the purpose of influencing the outcome of a covered election

§198.04 Competitive Bidding and Disclosure

(1) Any person who makes a maximum contribution during an election cycle may not be awarded a contract relating to City affairs, without going through a competitive bidding process.

(2) Any candidate seeking an elective office in the City must submit a disclosure form for every contributor who makes a contribution of five-hundred dollars ($500.00) or more:

1. Does business with or has a contract with the City, its Authorities, Boards or Commissions and the nature of said business or contract for the past five (5) years;

2. Is employed by the City, its Authorities, Boards or Commissions or was employed by the same in the past five (5) years;

3. Has an appointment to any Authority Board or any other Board or Commission of the City or has held one in the past five (5) years;


§198.05 Public Record of Reports

All candidates submitting campaign finance reports to the Allegheny County Department of Elections shall simultaneously file copies with the City Controller for the City of Pittsburgh. The Department of City Information System is responsible for maintaining an up-to-date and public database that is searchable based on the following categories: candidate name, contributor name, contribution level, and, where applicable, employer.


§198.06 Required Notice of Contribution Limits

The Ethics Hearing Board shall annually arrange for the publication of a notice setting forth the contribution limits set forth in this Chapter, together with a plain English explanation of the provisions of this Chapter and the penalties and remedies for violations. Such notice shall also appear at all times on the City’s official website.


§198.07 Penalties and Injunctive Relief

(1) Any person residing in the City of Pittsburgh, including the City Solicitor may bring an action for injunctive relief in any Court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin any violations of, or to compel compliance with, the provisions of this Chapter. The Court may award to a prevailing plaintiff in any such action his or her costs of litigation.

(2) The provisions of this Chapter shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Ethics Hearing Board.

§198.08 Severability

If any provision of this Ordinance shall be determined to be unlawful, invalid, void, or unenforceable, then that provision shall be considered severable from the remaining provisions of this Ordinance, which shall be in full force and effect.

§198.09 Effective Date; Implementation

(1) This Ordinance shall take on January 1, 2010.

(2) By June 1, 2009 the City Controller should provide City Council with a report on the City’s preparedness of the implementation of this ordinance.

Teachers are a huge concern. Same too with principals.

Article link from Pgh City Paper @ schools.

"I'm not trying to minimize their concerns, and I'm not saying there aren't any, but I haven't been besieged with concerns," Roosevelt adds. "For all of the public turmoil, there is also a lot of excitement."

The above quote is taken from the article "Class Trip" in the May 29 edition of City Paper (see link above). I do admit to taking the quote out of context. The article deals with the very real issue of teacher assignments which I know I, and several others, especially Jen, have brought up. With a son who is entering the diploma programme in the fall, I do not have to worry much about teachers. Teachers who have IB training have preference over non-IB trained. However, if this article is true, there is the possibility of teachers with higher seniority "bumping" non-IB teachers. More experience doesn't necessarily mean better teacher. We are already having to deal with the chaos of a new school; do we need to have a staff that is not used to working together? Sometimes change can be good but too much too quickly can lead to disaster.

Mr. Roosevelt does not think that he has been besieged by concerns. Maybe we need to speak up a little louder, write a few more letters, make sure that we are heard. There a far too many details that have NOT been worked out. Please don't experiment with our children. Plan first, before taking any action.

amy moore

I'm going to 'pile onto this concern and talk a bit about principals. Why on earth would the city hire a new principal for a new school and pick him from a leadership position directly from the worst situation ever?

I'm not sure if the Assistant Principal at Woodland Hills, a place where one teacher this year has already had to break up 60 fights within the school, is fit for a leadership position in a new school in Pittsburgh -- in the Hill District.

Generally, discipline falls onto the shoulders of the "assistant principal." Clearly, the school year at Woodland Hills has been a disaster. Good for him for getting out. Bad for us for getting a promotion here.

So, there are no problems with hiring teachers?

Connect the dots.

The district has already lost too many battles in the front lines of the war with 'trust.' Discpline was to be the battle cry for the year too. Yeah, right.

Multimedia Center from the P-G visits with Bill -- where is Justine?

Multimedia Center: "Post-Gazette staff writer Bill Toland and Bill Peduto, councilman for District 8, discuss several issues important to residents of Pittsburgh.

Penguins to open arena for Game 5

Great news. Pens keep arena open for game five. Well now. Let's continue the streak and keep the arena open for the next 15 years. Sure, build a new arena. Play the games there. But, keep the existing arena for overflow and community, err civic, events.

Penguins to open arena for Game 5: "Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals will be on the road Monday night in Detroit, but Pensguins fans can watch from the comforts of home ice, yet again.

The Penguins announced today that they will open Mellon Arena for Game 5 so that fans can watch the game on the arena Jumbotron.