Pittsburgh Pulse: School Shooting Arrest, Job Market Update, Real Estate Changes

Good morning, this is Pittsburgh Local Pulse for Wednesday, December 18, 2024. We start with breaking news from the past 24 hours. A 17-year-old boy has been arrested after nearly a dozen shots were fired outside Pittsburgh Public Schools' Perry High School on Tuesday. Micaiah Wheeler of Forest Hills is facing nearly 30 charges, including eight counts of attempted homicide. Police used surveillance video to identify Wheeler, who was located and arrested in the city's Hill District[4]. Moving on to the job market, the latest unemployment rate for Pittsburgh is 3.30%, which is slightly higher than last month's 2.90% but still lower than the long-term average of 5.62%[2]. While there are no major hiring announcements or new job postings to report today, it's worth noting that the Pittsburgh metro area is still struggling to recover from the pandemic's job losses, particularly in the goods-producing sectors[5]. In real estate news, construction is taking off at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, with a new location set to open next summer. Meanwhile, another restaurant in Pittsburgh's Station Square is closing its doors, with D&G Pizza owner Ken Levato announcing that the final day of business will be Saturday, December 21. From city hall, we have updates on efforts to make housing more affordable, a cornerstone of the Gainey administration. However, critics say these efforts have fallen short. Additionally, lawmakers are proposing standards for internet gambling, including a tax rate of 15% to 25% and a ban on credit card deposits. Weather-wise, temperatures are expected to drop later in the week, so make sure to bundle up if you're planning on attending any outdoor events. Speaking of events, the Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh held a "mega adoption event" this weekend, and we're told it was a huge success. In local sports news, Pitt swept Kentucky 3-0 on Saturday at the Petersen Events Center to punch their ticket to the semifinals in Louisville. The Steelers have officially clinched a playoff berth for the 2024-25 NFL playoffs, despite losing 24-19 to the Cleveland Browns. On a more serious note, our crime report includes the arrest of Micaiah Wheeler, as mentioned earlier. We also have reports of a shooting near the 7-Eleven convenience store and Exxon gas station along James Street. Finally, a feel-good community story: the Allegheny County Health Department has been working hard to keep our community safe, and we appreciate their efforts. We also want to recognize the University of Pittsburgh for jumping into the NIL sphere with both feet, supporting our local student-athletes. This has been Pittsburgh Local Pulse. We'll see you tomorrow with more local updates. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.