The nonprofit company hired to run the Shuman Juvenile Detention Center has yet to reopen the facility despite a targeted April launch. The nonprofit, Adelphoi Western, has already received $1.2 million from Allegheny County and is seeking more in a Court of Common Pleas filing this week. Adelphoi Western is taking legal action against the county, seeking damages for operational and reputational harm it says County Council has inflicted on it in trying to halt the contract. Meanwhile, about 20 minors are incarcerated in the adult-oriented Allegheny County Jail.  Adelphoi said in the lega ..read more

Once a week in a softly lit room, a circle of chairs awaits gathering souls, each one a beacon of solace in the dimness. This is a space we consider sacred. Tonight as we embark upon another Placed Based Healing Affinity Circle, the air carries a weight of shared sorrow and a lot of hope. The sorrow stems from the deepest and most sudden of losses: The deaths of children to gun violence. The hope comes from the community we’re working together to mend. This sacred space is adorned with flickering candles, fragrant flowers, the gentle hum of a singing bowl and the fellowship that comes from sh ..read more

When Josey Cooley first started attending Pittsburgh’s Perry Traditional Academy earlier this year, the school hadn’t had a drama club since 2021. Now, just months later, students are getting ready to put on a dinner show set in a zombie apocalypse. “We’re, like, so close to the finish line. It feels impossible that we did this,” said Cooley, a junior at Perry who’s directing the show. “But we did it.” Cooley and her peers attribute much of the show’s success to their music teacher, Aaron Taylor, and his efforts to expand the school’s arts offerings. Earlier this school year, Taylor also rela ..read more

The Allegheny County Health Department proposed the creation of a housing advisory committee on Wednesday — a move that signaled County Executive Sara Innamorato’s alignment with advocates who want more public oversight of healthy housing rules.  The Health Department introduced the proposal before the county’s Board of Health, which voted unanimously to invite the public to comment on it during an as-yet-unspecified 30-day period. The proposal will then be moved to a vote, likely during the next board meeting in July, a county official told PublicSource. If approved, the committee will ..read more

An initiative to reduce maternal mortality among women of color in Pennsylvania advanced Monday with the unanimous passage of a bill to expand Medicaid to cover doula services and create an advisory board to ensure doulas are properly accredited. The bill, introduced by state Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Philadelphia, is part of a package of legislation on Black maternal health — nicknamed the “Momnibus” by supporters — that includes a requirement for Medicaid to pay for blood pressure monitors, which also passed Monday in the state House with a 164-37 vote. Both bills will now go to ..read more

One of the wettest Aprils to date flooded much of Point State Park, rendered roads and bridges undrivable and left residents dealing with transportation problems, insurance questions and damage to their homes.  When roads close and homes flood, it’s hard to find the information needed to move forward. In preparation for the next downpour, here are answers to questions that emerged from PublicSource’s outreach to readers affected by the rain. What caused the record rainfall and flooding? A combination of factors lead to significant flooding issues in Pittsburgh. “The terrain doesn’t help ..read more

Many people make universities run. Presidents oversee multibillion-dollar budgets and fundraise for the institution. Faculty teach courses and mentor students. Staff and administrators manage enrollment and the student experience.  Opening the books Investigating how Pittsburgh’s wealthiest universities invest their billions These employees have different job responsibilities and are paid different salaries. But in the last decade, the president of Carnegie Mellon University and the chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh have seen their salaries balloon in excess of inflation, whi ..read more

When Kelly Cain, the mother of an autistic child in Pittsburgh, founded the Autism Caring Center in 2017, her goal was to help parents and families with autistic children feel like they had a safe place to receive support. What started as a resource for people who understood the ins and outs of autism grew into a mission to educate those in her larger community who didn’t. Through the Autism Caring Center, Cain began providing autism awareness training for first responders, schools and businesses in Pittsburgh’s southwest suburbs. For families with autistic children, the knowledge that the ad ..read more

A growing chorus of current and former Pittsburgh officials see a financial crisis in the city’s future and say big changes are needed to prevent layoffs and service cuts. The mayor’s office, meanwhile, maintains the city is in a strong position and does not plan any cutbacks. While real estate tax revenue crumbles and federal COVID-19 relief funds dwindle, even the optimists in City Hall forecast lean years ahead. But a difference of opinion has emerged on just how bad it will get — ranging from a tight-but-stable budget predicted by the mayor’s office to deficits and depleted reserve funds ..read more

This story was originally published by Kidsburgh.org, a media partner of PublicSource. Kidsburgh is an online resource for families that highlights stories about the people, organizations and events making Pittsburgh a better place to raise all kids. Sign up for Kidsburgh’s free e-newsletter. If you’re a parent or a carer of a child with a recent autism diagnosis, you may be wondering where to turn to the get the support you need. Kidsburgh interviewed two experts in the field — Dr. Stephanie Fox, a licensed psychologist specializing in autism at UPMC Western Behavio ..read more