Pittsburgh Local Pulse: Tragedy, Resilience, and Community Updates - December 22, 2024

Good morning, this is Pittsburgh Local Pulse for Sunday, December 22, 2024. We're starting off with some breaking news from the past few days. A woman was tragically killed at the intersection of Terrace Street and Darragh Street in early December, and our community is still reeling from the loss. In other news, hundreds of people in Verona came together on Thursday to support families who lost everything in a fire last week, showcasing the resilience and compassion of our community. On the job market front, the United States Postal Service is hosting job fairs in western Pennsylvania to fill immediate openings for various positions, including city carriers and mail handlers, with hourly wages ranging from $18.62 to $22.18. Additionally, the tech industry in Pittsburgh is booming, with a 203% growth in tech investments to $3.12 billion in 2023, making software engineering, especially in AI and robotics, the most in-demand job for 2024. In real estate news, the Monroeville Mall is up for sale, and construction is taking off at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. The new location for a major development project near PNC Park is expected to open sometime next summer. However, we're seeing some closures, with D&G Pizza in Station Square shutting down, and its final day of business was Saturday, December 21. From city hall, the Pittsburgh City Council has approved the 2025 budget with no tax hike, which is a relief for many residents. However, Allegheny County has passed a 1.7 mill property tax hike, which will begin to address some of the fiscal challenges inherited from the previous administration. Weather-wise, it's going to be a chilly day today, with the winter solstice just around the corner. Make sure to bundle up if you're planning on heading out to any of the holiday events happening around the city. Speaking of events, American Airlines is adding daily nonstop flights between Pittsburgh International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport, which is great news for travelers. Unfortunately, Mariah Carey's holiday concert at PPG Paints Arena was canceled on Wednesday afternoon, but there are plenty of other festive activities to enjoy. In local school news, the Pittsburgh Public Schools have seen an improvement in attendance, but disparities and pandemic-era learning loss difficulties persist. On the sports front, the Pittsburgh Steelers are gearing up for their next game, and the University of Pittsburgh's women's volleyball team had a tough loss against Louisville in the NCAA tournament. In a heartwarming community story, a motorcycle club donated a truckload of toys to spread holiday cheer to pediatric patients at UPMC Mercy Burn Center. Finally, in today's crime report, a man is accused of holding up a Subway restaurant in Downtown Pittsburgh with a pellet gun, and police have charged a man with raping a 93-year-old North Side woman after following her home on a bus. We urge everyone to remain vigilant and report any suspicio This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.