Episodes

  • The Best Lunar New Year Eats in Pittsburgh

    The Best Lunar New Year Eats in Pittsburgh
    Feb 3 2026
    February 17 kicks off the Year of the Fire Horse! Producer Sophia Lo is with food blogger Sophia, aka @sopheating, and they're running through some of their favorite spots to get noodles, dumplings, rice dishes, and even dessert. **This episode originally aired on January 29, 2025. Learn more about the sponsor of this February 3rd episode: P3R - Use code CITYCAST15 to save 15% off any event registration Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning newsletter. We’re on Instagram @CityCastPgh. Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
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    14 mins
  • Your Guide to February 2026 in Pittsburgh

    Your Guide to February 2026 in Pittsburgh
    Feb 2 2026
    Don't let all the snow on the ground stop you from exploring Pittsburgh this month! There are Valentine's Day markets and craft workshops, events for Black History Month, and some tasty soup competitions. Plus, you can come say hi to the City Cast Pittsburgh team at a Connection Expo featuring social clubs, hobby groups, and more. (Think back to your college activities fair!) And if you're looking to build new relationships this month, don't miss our episode about how to make friends in Pittsburgh. If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Pittsburgh community. For even more tips on how to make the most out of February in Pittsburgh, check out our website for another take on what to do this month. City Cast Pittsburgh is made possible by our awesome sponsor, P3R. Use code CITYCAST15 to save 15% off any event registration. And we're also powered by our members, who enjoy an ad-free version of the show. Find out more about how to become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here. Reach us at pittsburgh@citycast.fm.
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    31 mins
  • Snow Removal, ICE Restrictions & UPMC's Big Gift

    Snow Removal, ICE Restrictions & UPMC's Big Gift
    Jan 30 2026
    Some of our streets still haven't been cleared, nearly a week after the Pittsburgh region was hit with double digit snowfall. When can we expect some relief? And will UPMC's $10 million gift for emergency vehicles make things better? (Also, just how generous is this gift, really?) City Cast Pittsburgh host Megan Harris is joined by producer Sophia Lo and contributor Colin Williams to share the latest on snow removal. Plus, they discuss city and county efforts to restrict ICE activity, whether the new Steelers head coach counts as a win or loss for our city, and how you can help make a Pittsburgh-themed Lego set become a reality. Notes and references from today’s show: UPMC gives $10M to city for plows, ambulances [Axios Pittsburgh] The challenges Pittsburgh Regional Transit faced before making rare decision to suspend service during snowstorm [Post-Gazette] Pittsburgh-area school districts are running out of snow days [KDKA] PODCAST: Mayor O'Connor on ICE, Affordability & AI [City Cast Pittsburgh] PODCAST: Can You Be Charged for Getting in ICE’s Way? [City Cast Pittsburgh] Ways To Support Pittsburgh’s Immigrant Communities [City Cast Pittsburgh] 'Pittsburgh is my world': Emotional Mike McCarthy introduced as new Steelers coach [Post-Gazette] Guild Journalists, Pittsburgh Community, Local Labor Comes Together to Launch PAPER [CWA] Architecture: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania [Lego Ideas] Who Should Be On Pittsburgh’s Walk of Fame? [City Cast Pittsburgh] Walk of Fame Nominations [Pittsburgh Walk of Fame] Learn more about the sponsors of this January 30th episode: Fulton Commons The Westmoreland Museum P3R Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
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    53 mins
  • PA’s Favorite Rodent Holiday, Explained

    PA’s Favorite Rodent Holiday, Explained
    Jan 29 2026
    Groundhog Day is on Monday, and Pennsylvania always shows up for Punxsutawney Phil, the state's beloved groundhog and "official meteorologist." Ahead of the celebrations in Punxsutawney, host Megan Harris and producer (and Punxsy Phil devotee!) Sophia Lo are talking about how this weather-forecasting groundhog got his start, how accurate his predictions are, why PETA wants to replace Phil with a hologram, and their favorite facts about this little fuzzy rodent. Is "Groundhog Day" worth the watch? Call or text our GROUNDHOG HOTLINE at 412-212-8893. Learn more about the sponsors of this January 29th episode: Fulton Commons The Westmoreland Museum Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning newsletter. We’re on Instagram @CityCastPgh. Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
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    24 mins
  • Pittsburgh Has a Snow Plow Problem

    Pittsburgh Has a Snow Plow Problem
    Jan 28 2026
    Depending on where you live, there's anywhere from 10 to 20 inches of snow sitting on the ground. And while you may have been out clearing your sidewalk, for many of us, the streets are still a slippy mess. Both the city and county have declared states of emergency, and the city's tapped in private contractors to help to clear the snow. Host Megan Harris is with City Controller Rachael Heisler, who's been sounding the alarm about our snowplow situation for over a year. She explains what the city's doing now, how we can prevent this from happening again, and whether we have the money to actually buy new equipment. Learn more about the sponsors of this January 28th episode: Fulton Commons The Westmoreland Museum Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning newsletter. We’re on Instagram @CityCastPgh. Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
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    26 mins
  • Will Robotaxis Ever Master Pittsburgh?

    Will Robotaxis Ever Master Pittsburgh?
    Jan 27 2026
    Back in 2016, driverless car developers chose Pittsburgh. We were supposed to be the crucible! If autonomous vehicles could work here, they’d work in any city. Turns out, that challenge was a lot harder than many companies hoped. Host Megan Harris is with Axios’ transportation correspondent Joann Muller to talk about the big companies that have come and gone, how she thinks about their relative safety, and what a new arrival — Waymo! — says about Pittsburgh’s evolving role in the self-driving boom. Plus, what to do if you see a robotaxi Downtown. Learn more about the sponsors of this January 27th episode: Fulton Commons The Westmoreland Museum Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning newsletter. We’re on Instagram @CityCastPgh. Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
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    30 mins
  • Pittsburgh Has 20K Vacant Homes…and a Housing Shortage

    Pittsburgh Has 20K Vacant Homes…and a Housing Shortage
    Jan 26 2026
    Pittsburgh's lost more than half its population since our peak in 1950, and our city has more than 20,000 vacant homes. How do we also have a housing crisis? Public Source's Charlie Wolfson joins host Megan Harris to explain why so many houses are sitting empty, what (if anything) the city can do about it, and why our neighbors in Cleveland are doing a much better job turning abandoned houses into affordable homes. Notes and references from today’s show: How does Pittsburgh have 20,000 vacant homes — and a housing shortage? (Public Source) Where does Cleveland clobber Pittsburgh? Its land bank. (Public Source) 'A really steep lift': Pittsburghers in their 20s and 30s find home ownership less and less attainable (Public Source) Learn more about the sponsors of this January 26th episode: Fulton Commons The Westmoreland Museum The Ascent by Christopher Walker Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning newsletter. We’re on Instagram @CityCastPgh. Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
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    21 mins
  • ICE Rapid Response Trainings, Fresh Sharts & Fred Rogers Deepfakes

    ICE Rapid Response Trainings, Fresh Sharts & Fred Rogers Deepfakes
    Jan 23 2026
    More than 500 Pittsburghers showed up for a training this week on how to safely witness and respond to ICE activity — including City Cast contributor Meg St-Esprit. She joins host Megan Harris and executive producer Mallory Falk to share what she learned from the newly-formed group Frontline Dignity. Plus, the team discusses AI-generated deepfakes of Mister Rogers, behind-the-scenes scheming to keep the Post-Gazette alive, and a viral KDKA typo. Get your tickets to The Future of Pittsburgh Journalism, a panel featuring our very own Megan Harris and other local media experts. It's happening next Thursday, Jan. 29 at 5:30 p.m. at the Heinz History Center. Get your tickets to hear Megan on a panel about the future of Pittsburgh journalism. Notes and references from today’s show: PODCAST: Can You Be Charged for Getting in ICE's Way? [City Cast Pittsburgh] PODCAST: What Actually Happens During an ICE Raid? [City Cast Pittsburgh] Coraopolis overturns ICE agreement following community pushback and council shakeup [Public Source] Doubling down, doubling back: local departments diverge on ICE cooperation [Public Source] Munhall, Stowe police walk back ICE partnerships after quietly inking agreements [Public Source] Hundreds taken into custody at Pittsburgh ICE office, an emerging regional deportation hub [Post-Gazette] The crass Fred Rogers of AI deepfakes has some Pittsburghers 'horrified' [Public Source] Some Post-Gazette workers call for new union leadership [TribLive] Investor group seeks to make Post-Gazette nonprofit [Axios Pittsburgh] Pittsburgh school board members to vote next week on whether to reconsider building closures [WESA] Learn more about the sponsors of this January 23rd episode: Pittsburgh Opera P3R The Ascent by Christopher Walker Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh! Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
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    52 mins