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Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and his wife Erin are calling it quits. "For some time, like many couples, Erin and I have been working hard to build a successful marriage and have faced the challenges associated with that," the mayor said in a prepared statement released late last night. "Sadly, Erin and I have decided that it is in our family's best interested to formally separate." Erin Ravenstahl said in a separate statement that the couple's 1-year-old son Cooper will be a priority and asked that the public respect the family's privacy.

A majority of Pittsburgh City Council members said yesterday that they'll vote for a tuition tax, but that won't stop the universities -- and maybe the students -- from trying to derail the effort. [snip] Mayor Luke Ravenstahl gathered five council members in his conference room yesterday to deliver a message: We don't want to tax students, but unless the universities pay voluntarily, we have no choice. [snip] "If this tax is implemented, it will not be the fault of Mayor Ravenstahl," said Mr. Burgess. "It will not be the fault of council. It will solely be on backs of...

Thirty years ago, a young Frenchman walking in Normandy came across an American soldier's rusted dog tag among the rocks at Nacqueville, west of the port of Cherbourg. The name read: "Addison W. Arthurs." Etienne Desquesnes, now 46, wanted to return it to the owner or his family. But who was Addison Arthurs? Mr. Desquesnes wrote to the U.S. embassy in Paris but never got an answer. He finally has one now, and just in time for Veterans Day, thanks to some Internet sleuthing by his friend, Bertrand Goucovitch, 49, an amateur D-Day historian, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. After a...

Bellevue tax collector Joe Nolan, 53, plans to announce today he's challenging U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Forest Hills, in the 2010 general election. Nolan, a Republican, said he's "become more and more concerned about the path we've taken," specifically bank and insurance company bailouts, he said. He said he opposes the cap-and-trade legislation, which could come up for a final vote in Congress this year, as being too restrictive of energy production. Doyle beat Green Party candidate Titus North in the 2008 election 91.3 percent to 8.7 percent. He ran unopposed in the general election in 2006, in an overwhelmingly...

Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl plans to propose a 1 percent college-education privilege tax to council today, in a move that's likely to set off a fight with the city's schools of higher learning. College and university representatives met with the mayor on Wednesday and argued against the tax, which would be assessed on a college student's tuition. It technically would not be a levy on the students or their schools, but rather on the privilege of getting a higher education in Pittsburgh. "They weren't pleased to hear that this was an option we were pursuing," Mr. Ravenstahl said. But he...

A farm in every Pittsburgh neighborhood would be one of the goals of a Franco Dok Harris administration, the independent mayoral candidate said today, as his campaign sounded its final notes before Tuesday's election. The novel proposal -- which would have the city assemble vacant lots and help gather the expertise needed to transform them into farms Read more: http://www.postgazette.com/pg/09303/1009555-100.stm#ixzz0VRy1TKRj

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. has agreed not to charge ACORN with violating a state law regarding quotas for registering voters, under an agreement reached in a federal lawsuit today. The agreement between attorneys for ACORN and Zappala's office drops the district attorney from the lawsuit that challenges a state law barring use of quotas to pay voter registration canvassers. Under the three-page agreement filed today, Zappala agreed not to charge ACORN, or the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, with violations of the state law it is challenging. The agreement does not immediately affect pending...

It was, as a famous Pittsburgher liked to say, a beautiful day in the neighborhood. The world champion Steelers were kicking off their title defense against the Titans. The world champion Penguins were down in D.C., Stanley Cup in tow, to meet the president. Native son Dave Wannstedt was at practice on the South Side, preparing his unbeaten Pitt football team for the weekend's win at Buffalo. That was September 10, 2009, and here's how beautiful it was in this year's Best Sports City: Pittsburgh's Pirates did not—repeat, did not—lose that day. (So it was an off-day. Beauty is in...

On the first Tuesday of October, the second day of its new session, the Supreme Court will take up the case of a dog lover whose bloody pit bull fighting videos have raised questions on whether free speech protects the sale of horrific scenes of animal cruelty. ~snip~ The case has made some strange allies. The New York Times joined other media organizations and publishing groups to write a brief to the Court supporting Stevens' case. The paper is concerned the animal cruelty law is so broadly written that it "imperils the media's ability" to report on animal issues. Also...

A source tells me that sometime yesterday afternoon the head of the Pittsburgh VA, Terri Wolf, held a meeting with the radiology department. At that meeting, Ms. Wolfe announced that effectively immediately Dr. Anna Chacko would be on indefinite administrative leave. If you have been following my work, you need no more information but for those unfamiliar, here's a quick recap. Dr. Anna Chacko is the head of radiology at the Pittsburgh VA. She has been there since October of 2008. Almost immediately, staff in the radiology department began to complain about her behavior. They described her as tyrannical, a...

Several college students claim they were trapped and attacked with tear gas on the University of Pittsburgh's campus while they observed the G-20 summit protests in Pittsburgh. Anarchists were behind some of the clashes with police during the protests, but many students say they were involuntarily caught up in the melee and arrested or tear gassed as police blocked outlets. In the following video posted on YouTube on Sept. 25, riot police allegedly trapped a group of students on a staircase and launched tear gas at them while they coughed, screamed and desperately tried to escape:

Deep-cover MI6 agents who have described the workings of the once-secret underground uranium enrichment plant near the Iranian city of Qom now have discovered a staggering five more similar operations, according to a report from Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin. They, like the Qom facility, are buried deep inside the mountains of north Iran and are guarded by divisions of Revolutionary Guards. The details were sent this weekend to some G20 leaders who met in Pittsburgh when the Qom facility was revealed to the world. The MI6 agents have established that, like Qom, the new plants are staffed by nuclear scientists...

IT'S A RIOT: Young members of anarchist groups hold violent demonstrations during Friday's G-20 finance meetings in Pittsburgh. Politics: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi berated town hall and tea party protesters this month, tearfully warning they'd incite violence. Well, there's been violence all right, at Pittsburgh's G-20. But it wasn't the tea partiers.It takes gall to characterize ordinary Americans, freely exercising their rights of speech and assembly in civic forums, as "mobs" while ignoring a pack of leftist thugs now smashing a U.S. city. But that's what Pelosi did, directing her righteous tocsin to the Norman Rockwell-like gatherings of Americans...

It wasn't Seattle, circa 1999. That's when a meeting of the World Trade Organization, disrupted by massive riots, set the "standard" for anarchists everywhere. But Pittsburgh cheerleaders who welcomed last week's Group of 20 economic summit of world leaders didn't exactly get what they had wished for, either. The rah-rah crowd argued that Pittsburgh would be the beneficiary of wonderful media coverage by hosting the G-20. And, indeed, it received some glowing, chamber of commerce-like coverage in the buildup. It was a testament to the power of the public relations lie; supporters sold what's largely a Potemkin village as a...

A large march against the Group of 20 economic summit ended in the North Side after wrapping several miles from Oakland to Downtown with few problems. "I support the people's rights to assemble," said a man who identified himself as Vermin Supreme, 50, of Baltimore, who wore a red clown nose to stress he is a peaceful marcher as he followed the crowd on Fifth Avenue. "It disarms the police."

G20 protesters blasted by sonic cannon US police spark outrage by using wartime acoustic weapon to disperse G20 protesters in Pittsburgh Only a few hundreds protesters took to the streets of Pittsburgh to mark the opening day of the G20 summit of world leaders, but the police were taking no chances. Sonic weapons or long-range acoustic devices have been used by the US military overseas, notably against Somali pirates and Iraqi insurgen

Check out source URL for video of cops attempting to pursue anarchists and students into the Litchfield towers dormitories at the University of Pittsburgh. Video taken by a student from a dorm window. This occurred within the last couple of hours. The demonstrations apparently aren't over. CAUTION --F-word warning on narration of tape

This homeowner made no bones about his feeling towards protesters.This 'winner' had a different reaction.These kids cheered the protesters. Ah, the future of America.

Here are some stories from a student news outlet, about the riot police on the U of Pitt campus. http://www.pittbriefly.com/

Tried to get these posted last night but I had some technical difficulties. These are pictures I took yesterday afternoon roughly between 2:45 amd 3:45. I didn't see any violence and only saw one arrest. Some guy wearing a sombrero. The police were very professional and exercised great restraint. It was the Bush Doctrine - overwhelming force. Looking up Liberty Ave. torwards Lawrenceville/Bloomfield. One block over on Penn, looking the same direction.32nd and Penn Same intersection, a little closer Some of the sickos tried to sneak through between Penn and Smallman via Mulberry. The idiots in the orange hats were...

PITTSBURGH — Police fired canisters of pepper spray and smoke at marchers protesting the Group of 20 summit Thursday after anarchists responded to calls to disperse by rolling trash bins and throwing rocks. The afternoon march turned chaotic at just about the time that President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrived for a meeting with leaders of the world's major economies. The clashes began after hundreds of protesters, many advocating against capitalism, tried to march from an outlying neighborhood toward the convention center where the summit is being held. The protesters banged on drums and chanted "Ain't no...

The G20 comes to streets of Pittsburgh - 118 photos

Riot Police Fire Tear Gas At G20 Protesters Breaking News 9:35pm UK, Thursday September 24, 2009 Protesters and police are clashing on the streets of Pittsburgh after police tried to break up a march opposing the Group of 20 summit.

Channel 11 News reporter Vince Sims said cars were at a standstill as the group converged at 37th Street and Liberty Avenue. "Our city, our streets, our park" were among chants that also included, "This is what democracy looks like." By the time the protesters hit 34th street, police in riot gear blocked the group. There is no word yet on whether they were allowed to continue. Sims spoke to the first protesters to arrive to Pittsburgh for the march. They are protesters in town from Denver and they thanked Sims for covering the story and giving the cause a...

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (AFP) – Activists promised an angry welcome for leaders of the G20 economies when they arrive in Pittsburgh Thursday, with anarchist factions threatening to march on the summit venue. "The city has bought a thousand cannisters of tear gas. That's something people are concerned about, like what to do if they're gassed," Noah Williams, a spokesman for the Pittsburgh G20 Resistance Project told AFP. The group's unauthorized march, called in open defiance of the authorities, could result in an explosive situation, said Michael Healey, a civil rights lawyer representing 14 environmental activists who were arrested Wednesday. "What I...

An independent threat assessment report by a Dallas-based firm called The Densus Group ranks tomorrow’s March on the G-20 and Friday’s “Day of Action” as having the highest risk for disorder for the Pittsburgh Summit. Called the G-20 Pittsburgh Report, the Densus research rated the threat of disorder for the Thursday march from Lawrenceville to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center as “high” and described it as “likely to be the most violent event of the week.” Densus also described the threat of disorder for a citywide “Day of Action” as “extreme” and expected it to target businesses throughout the...

Pittsburgh, The city of bridges has built a bridge from its steel past to a diverse 21st-century economy. The summiteers arriving on September 24th can take note EVEN on an overcast day, the view from Jeffrey Romoff’s office is spectacular. Across the river are waterfront baseball and football stadiums. Dozens of bridges span the Allegheny to the north-east and Monongahela to the south-east. The two rivers merge to form the Ohio River. Not one soot-churning mill is in sight. Ed Rendell, Pennsylvania’s governor, observed that it used to be “you couldn’t see a bloody thing”. Steel was once the largest...

Yesterday and last night, there have been heavy helicoptor traffic over Pittsburgh. Apaches flew overhead yesterday and I dont know what the hell was flying last night, but whatever it was, it was low. The G20 summit is coming to town, so one could see the State Police choppers flying around, but Apaches are tank killers. Will protestors have armor? Anyone have any ideas? Take all pictures of Pittsburgh while it still exists, because after the Anarchists and other assorted goofballs get done with us, the Steel City will look like Stalingrad.

KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. A Pittsburgh man whose body washed up in Kill Devil Hills, N.C., after he went for a late-night swim off Corolla died from extensive shark bites, according to police and the medical examiner's office. The man's body was discovered Thursday morning in the 1300 block of N. Virginia Dare Trail by a tourist who was taking an early-morning walk, according to the Kill Devil Hills Police Department. The man was identified as Richard A. Snead, 60, of Ross Township in Pittsburgh. The body was taken to the regional medical examiner's office in Greenville; the cause of...

An Internet list includes names of businesses, government buildings and university structures around Pittsburgh that protesters apparently plan to illegally target during the G-20 summit, Team 4 investigator Jim Parsons reported. Many of the 100 sites are in the East Liberty, Shadyside, Oakland and Lawrenceville neighborhoods, away from the site of the global economic summit, which will be held Sept. 24-25 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center downtown.

PITTSBURGH -- Hundreds of inmates are apparently qualified for a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card courtesy of the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh. On Thursday, a judge revealed that up to 1,000 inmates could be released from the Allegheny County Jail before the summit next week. The move is to make room in the jail, since police expect to arrest hundreds during the summit. The judge said only nonviolent offenders will be considered. Still, that has not lessened the shock for people who talked to Channel 11 News. Channel 11 News was at the jail when inmate Timothy Spanbauer was...

Dozens of US cities may have entire neighbourhoods bulldozed as part of drastic "shrink to survive" proposals being considered by the Obama administration to tackle economic decline... Having outlined his strategy to Barack Obama during the election campaign, Mr Kildee has now been approached by the US government and a group of charities who want him to apply what he has learnt to the rest of the country. Mr Kildee said he will concentrate on 50 cities, identified in a recent study by the Brookings Institution, an influential Washington think-tank, as potentially needing to shrink substantially to cope with their...

Under a rainy sky, Vice President Joe Biden appeared at today's annual Pittsburgh Labor Day parade, joined by U.S. Sen Arlen Specter and Jack Shea, president of the Allegheny County Labor Council. Mr. Biden joked that the parade organizers would never invite him back, noting that his appearance last year was also weather-challenged -- then with the threat to the Gulf Coast of Hurricane Gustav, which prompted him to cancel his visit. While noting that "people are hurting" across the country, he boasted of the effects of the administration's economic stimulus package. Mr. Biden praised Mr. Specter's role in supporting...

Some of the 4,000 downtown residents who live near a potential security perimeter during the G-20 summit have begun to think about how they will move around then. KDKA-TV News has learned that some residential management firms have told their residents that apartment communities near the David L. Lawrence Convention Center will have to provide a list of residents to the city which would be put in a database. That would allow residents to show a photo ID at a checkpoint. A driver's license or a city issued credential would be used if a driver's license isn't up to date.

Proposed new rules meant to help police handle G-20 protests faced a barrage of verbal rotten eggs yesterday at a Pittsburgh City Council public hearing, and appear to be headed for a close vote. The hearing was held to get views on rules that would allow police to cite people wearing masks or carrying items from pipes to high-powered rifles if they appear intent on thwarting police dispersal orders. It became an outlet for concern about what some called the pending militarization of Downtown, and what others characterized as the demonization of protest. "The real message that I'm hearing is...

Need help. Our cowardly Democrap Congressman is having a telephone thing Monday. I want to ask him about the exemption for himself and other government employees built in to the bill. I am unable to download the entire text in PDF form. Could one of you FReepers please tell me which section of the bill covers this exemption, and what is the exact language used? Thanks so much.

I got the following e-Mail today. ===== On Tuesday, September 1st, I will be hosting a public forum to discuss the Affordable Health Choices Act, the Senate's Health Care Bill. Details for the forum are below. Please plan to come early. Doors will open an hour before the event and seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Tuesday, September 1 at 10:00 am Community College of Allegheny County Allegheny Campus Foerster Student Service Center Ridge Avenue Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Doors open to the public at 9:00 am. Seating is first-come, first-served. CONTACT ME I'm always interested to hear from constituents....

City council members are expected to consider a proposed assault weapons ban today during a special session on the G-20 Summit As the G-20 Summit nears, Pittsburgh City Council is considering the possibility of instituting an assault weapons ban during the high-profile event. According to our news partners at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, city officials are talking about reviving an old law that would ban those types of weapons. If approved, the ban would likely be in effect until after the G-20 Summit ends. City council members are expected to consider the assault weapons ban today along with many other pieces...

Here is disturbing cell phone video just released last week of what is reportedly an autistic child in Pittsburgh being slapped by a teacher back in 2008. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the parents of the child are suing but had not seen the video until it was posted on YouTube just recently. The teacher was removed from the classroom last year. On the video, you clearly see the child being slapped in the face and being screamed at. . . . (Video)

BRIDGEVILLE, Pa. -- Several people were reported shot at the LA Fitness gym in Bridgeville, emergency officials confirmed for WTAE Channel 4 Action News. The reports came in shortly after 8:15 p.m. that authorities were called to the gym at the Great Southern Shopping Center at 1155 Washington Pike. Emergency officials said as many as 15 people may have been involved, but their conditions were not immediately known. Witnesses told WTAE Channel 4 Action News that the victims shot in the gym were in a class in the aerobics center at the time of the shooting. Former WTAE Channel 4...

Here is video coverage from Pittsburgh where at least four people are dead following a deadly gym shooting there. Reportedly, a man wearing a black hat walked into an aerobics room filled with women last night, turned out the lights, and then opened fire. A witness said at least 30-40 shots rang out. Information is still sketchy, but at least four are dead and others wounded. At least four people are dead after a gunman opened fire at an LA Fitness gym outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Tuesday evening, police said. Several others were wounded. "We have four confirmed deceased," said Charles...

A gunman carrying a duffel bag walked into a rear door of an L.A. Fitness center in Collier this evening and opened fire, shooting more than 10 people, witnesses said. Allegheny County police said at least four people and the gunman were believed to be dead, according to KDKA-TV.

Four major cities _ New York, Seattle, Houston, and Pittsburgh _ will get no money from a $1 billion economic stimulus program to help cities avoid laying off police officers, officials told The Associated Press on Monday. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the details publicly, said about 7,000 state and local agencies applied for aid under the COPS program that is part of the $787 billion stimulus package passed earlier this year. Only about 1,000 were approved. Justice Department spokeswoman Hannah August declined to comment in advance of the official announcement....

Here is a brief statement made by Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on a civil suit filed against him by a woman who claims he raped her. He said he did no such thing, and promised to fight the allegation, but to stay focused on football. . . . . (Watch Video)

PennDOT has spent $60,000 to create large green road signs telling motorists that funding was secured by the federal stimulus package. Agency spokesman Eric Waters said the signs will be visible at 30 projects across the state. The signs will cost about $2,000 each. "We received $1 billion for roads and bridge projects; not all of the 242 projects will have signs," he said

Here are some pics from the Pittsburgh July 4th, 2009 Tea Party. A half hour before the rally at Flagstaff hill, Schenley Park My wife and a friend of mine from Ohio. I grew up with him...ummm... a log time ago, LOL! My wife and I with our Gadsden. The crowd begins to build. Opening prayer. The Star Spangled Banner. Signs and Gadsdens everywhere. More signs. And MORE! More. Last one.

Vandals toppled 115 headstones and ripped up American flags in Hazelwood's Calvary Cemetery, where some of Pittsburgh's noted political, sports, religious and arts figures are buried, causing an estimated tens of thousands of dollars damage. The vandalism discovered Wednesday morning was the worst in the history of the Catholic Cemeteries Association, which oversees 16 cemeteries for the Diocese of Pittsburgh

A district judge who held another ACORN worker for trial Monday on election law violations urged prosecutors to go after the real culprit, the organization that employed him. "Somebody has to go after ACORN," Senior District Judge Richard H. Zoller said about the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. "It's happening all over the country. All you have to do is turn on the television," he said, referring to voter registration fraud charges brought recently against ACORN and its workers in Nevada. "We will," Allegheny County Detective Robert F. Keenan promised as he wrapped up his testimony. A spokesman...

Live Internet TV Feeds (Direct Windows Media Player Links)Pittsburgh NBC | Pittsburgh ABC 06.15.09: Pittsburgh Officials Prepare for 350,000 fans at Penguins' Victory Parade The City of Champions has gone Cup crazy. As Pittsburghers basked in the glow of a second pro sports championship in four months, the Stanley Cup toured PNC Park on Sunday, Sidney Crosby talked about the excitement of a two-title town and people crammed hotels in advance of today's celebration parade Downtown. "It's been an amazing couple of days," Penguins winger Bill Guerin said after throwing out the first pitch at yesterday's Pirates game. "This city...

Republican Party lawmaker wants Corbett to probe ACORNBy Brad Bumsted STATE CAPITOL REPORTER Thursday, June 11, 2009 HARRISBURG — A Delaware County lawmaker is asking his colleagues to co-sponsor a House resolution urging the state attorney general to investigate ACORN, an organization whose members are charged with voter registration fraud in Allegheny County and elsewhere. "I believe the activities of this organization have raised significant questions, and my resolution asks that ACORN be investigated by the attorney general to determine whether they are in compliance with the law," Rep. Stephen Barrar, a Republican, wrote in a June 3 memo made...