Podcast: How Medicaid cuts could affect nursing homes
Medicaid cuts may be on the horizon after President Donald Trump signed the controversial “Big Bill,” legislation aimed at eliminating fraud, waste and abuse across various government and bureaucratic systems. Many Americans are concerned about potential ripple effects on publicly funded programs. It will take time to assess how the...
Podcast: Inside Pittsburgh’s friendship with the furries
Summer events are well underway in the steel city, and Anthrocon — a perennial Pittsburgh staple — retuned last weekend for a four-day event at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Organizers projected a record 19,000 attendees, the highest amount since the event debuted in 1997. Megan Swift joins Anna...
Podcast: What closing time on the South Side looks like
Early Sunday morning, the South Side streets were host to hundreds of weekend revelers after the bars closed at 2 a.m. along East Carson Street in Pittsburgh. A hefty police presence awaited the crowds, forming a riot line and using pepper spray to disperse them. At one point gunfire rang...
Podcast: Why are younger people behind on financial literacy?
“Are you saving for retirement?” It’s a question that gets a range of answers, especially across age groups. Some think it’s too early to start; others believe it’s never too soon. Among millennials and Generation Z, one trend stands out: a significant gap in financial literacy. Many young Americans lack...
Reporter recap: What it was like covering the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club
J.J. Spaun took home the title of champion of the 125th U.S. Open as the sole golfer under par Sunday night at Oakmont Country Club. The championship rounds during the past week reaffirmed Oakmont Country Club’s reputation as one of the toughest tests of the world’s best. The course’s slick...
Podcast: Inside the Penn State closure decision
Penn State’s Board of Trustees voted to close seven of the twelve branch campuses that were up for consideration in a virtual meeting on May 22. Those campuses, to close after the spring 2027 semester, are New Kensington, Fayette, DuBois, Mont Alto, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre and York. According to Penn State’s...
Podcast: Navigating the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club
In two weeks, about 200,000 people will flock to Oakmont Country Club for the U.S. Open golf championship to watch some of the world’s best golfers. Those fans should plan ahead. With shuttles bussing crowds to and from off-site parking lots on top of the regular event traffic, delays are...
Podcast: Reviewing the Pittsburgh mayoral primary
On primary day in Western Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Democratic mayoral candidate Corey O’Connor bested incumbent Ed Gainey for the seat on the general election ballot this fall. His challenger will be Tony Moreno, who won the Republican primary for mayor. TribLive reporter Julia Burdelski, who covers Pittsburgh City Hall, joins host...
Podcast: Previewing the Pittsburgh mayoral race
The Pittsburgh mayoral primary next week on May 20 features competitive races on both side for the Democrat and Republican candidates. In the Democratic primary, incumbent Mayor Ed Gainey is seeking a second term but faces a challenge from Corey O’Connor, the Allegheny County Controller and a well-known figure in...
Podcast: Pet funeral director accused of burials that didn’t happen
A longtime funeral director in Pittsburgh is facing felony charges after authorities say he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from grieving pet owners, some of whom were unknowingly given ashes that did not belong to their animals. Patrick Vereb, who ran a pet cremation business in Pittsburgh and Natrona,...
Podcast: What’s it like to run 26.2 or 13.1 miles. Training for the Pittsburgh Marathon and Half Marathon
Pittsburgh will be off and running this weekend with the annual marathon and events. Since it was first held in 1985, the event now includes a marathon, half-marathon, marathon relay and 5K races that run through the heart of the city, across many of the city’s iconic bridges, and through...
Podcast: Mike Sullivan’s departure from the Penguins
Ten days after stating his intentions to continue in his position as the Penguins’ head coach, Mike Sullivan was out. His 10-year run with the team included two Stanley Cups and the most wins in franchise history. Triblive Assistant Sports Editor Jonathan Bombulie joins host Zac Gibson to break down...
Podcast: The papal transition: What happens next
Many mourners are taking a closer look at one of the most sacred and secretive transitions in the world — the period following the death of a pope. Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, died on April 21, 2025, at age 88. Since his death, the...
Podcast: College students voice fear, anxiety over visa revocations
A rising wave of fear and uncertainty is spreading among international students in Pittsburgh and throughout the United States, as visa revocations become more frequent under the Trump administration. Some students who have not violated any immigration rules are choosing to stay in the U.S., during college breaks, rather than...
Measles cases in Pa. remain low amid national outbreak, but vaccine hesitancy lays groundwork for spread
This story first appeared in How We Care, a weekly newsletter by Spotlight PA featuring original reporting and perspectives on how we care for one another at all stages of life. This year marked the first death from measles in the United States since 2015 — and the second and...
Podcast: How do Trump supporters feel about tariffs?
The tariffs are on. The tariffs are paused. President Donald Trump’s second term has been dominated by a jarring back-and-forth of American trade policy. Trump says the aim of the high tariffs is to encourage companies to move their manufacturing and production to the U.S. to create jobs and lower...
Podcast: What’s really driving up concert tickets?
Spring is here, bringing the start of concert season to Pittsburgh. With ticket prices soaring, affordability has become a key topic among concertgoers. Ticket prices are influenced by various factors, such as free-market resale and the dynamic pricing strategies used by major ticket vendors like Ticketmaster. TribLive reporter and reviewer...
Podcast: Pittsburgh Mills’ pothole problems
Pittsburgh Mills has spent much of its 20-year existence as part of the discussion about dying malls around the area and the country. But lately, it’s potholes — not vacancies — that have people talking. These are not ordinary potholes — we’re talking three-foot-wide, one-foot-deep, bone-rattling holes that have damaged...
Podcast: Pine-Richland school board approves library policy in contentious vote
Pine-Richland School Board has become the latest local school system to join the conversation of library censorship and book bans, thanks to a new policy that was narrowly passed, and has engaged board and community members alike. As the board nears primary election season, TribLive reporter James Engel and host...
Podcast: Delays become customary for Springdale plant demolition
Since the Springdale smokestacks fell in the summer of 2023, the Cheswick Generating Plant’s boiler structure has stared down its final days. For almost two years, lawsuits, weather conditions and delays have hindered the final deconstruction efforts. That changed on March 8 when the remaining portion of the structure was...
Can recent breakthroughs improve life with sickle cell disease?
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1 out of every 365 Black people has sickle cell disease and the sickle cell trait affects 10% of Black people, compared to .3% of white people. Although the disease disproportionately affects Black people, it also has been seen in...
New technology, culture shifts give cold cases from latchkey-kid era new hope
In the American latchkey era, if a child went missing, law enforcement and the local community utilized tools of the time, milk cartons, print publications and a community network, to gain and share information to help find the missing child. Time has since afforded progressions in culture and technology that...
Rise in flu cases spurs alternative treatments
Flu cases are spiking in Western Pennsylvania and hospitals are dealing with increased patient traffic. Some people have tried to fight the flu by turning to alternative practices. While most homeopathic remedies are ineffective, there are some practices that can shorten your sick time, experts say. Megan swift joins host...
Podcast: The long-awaited release of Marc Fogel from Russia
Marc Fogel, the 63-year-old Butler native and former Oakmont teacher, was released Tuesday and is back in the United States. Fogel, an American history teacher, spent 1,278 days in a Russian penal colony after being was arrested in Moscow on Aug. 14, 2021, for taking prescribed medical marijuana into the...
Podcast: Seton Hill’s Setonian hiatus signals journalism’s need to adapt
Seton Hill University in Greensburg has decided to place its student-run newspaper on indefinite hiatus. While the Setonian’s shuttering came as a surprise to some students, university representatives and the organization’s longtime adviser said the newspaper needs to change and the journalism major needs to regain student interest. TribLive reporter...
