Saturday Pittsburgh Report: Vape Zoning, Budget Limbo, School Bus Crash, and More Local News

Good morning, this is Pittsburgh Local Pulse for Saturday, September twentieth. We wake up to a cloudy start in the Steel City, with showers hanging around through midday. The downtown forecast calls for highs near seventy with clearing skies this afternoon, but expect roads to be slick if you are heading out early. The rest of the weekend looks comfortable, just in time for all the events on our calendar. There is breaking news from city hall this week as Pittsburgh councilmembers prepare to introduce new zoning changes for vape shops. The move comes after growing concerns from residents, especially around Murray Avenue and South Side, about the rapid increase in smoke shop storefronts near schools and neighborhood parks. It is shaping up to be a passionate debate at next week’s session. The state budget is still in limbo and county agencies are starting to feel the pinch. According to recent remarks from Governor Josh Shapiro, frustration is mounting as Harrisburg closes in on three months without an approved state spending plan. The lack of a state budget is threatening funding for public schools, county governments, and mass transit across Allegheny County. Public transit riders should keep an eye on potential service changes if lawmakers cannot reach a consensus soon. On the city’s north side, eight people were hospitalized after a collision involving two North Allegheny School District buses on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Most injuries are described as minor, but the incident has raised new concerns for school transportation safety as students settle into the new academic year. In lighter school news, Avonworth is now four and oh after a big win over Hopewell last night, adding to an exciting start for high school football all across Western Pennsylvania. You can feel the playoff buzz already as teams chase those Friday night lights. Pirates fans, our team fell short last night with the Athletics pulling off a ninth-inning comeback. As the baseball season winds down, the Bucs are marking the end of an era, as the family behind the club's century-long legacy prepares to step back. Meanwhile, all eyes are on the Steelers, who are set to face off against the Vikings next Sunday in Dublin, Ireland—a rare overseas game that promises plenty of excitement. Looking at the job market, Pittsburgh-based Sheetz was just crowned the second-best retail employer nationwide by Fortune magazine—a bright spot for job seekers, especially with several Wawa locations inching closer to western Pennsylvania. If you are in retail or hospitality, it is a good time to explore new openings. On the real estate front, home values remain steady in the East End and South Hills, but the much-anticipated sale of the Corelle Brands plant in Charleroi has stalled again, leaving local workers in limbo and raising questions for industrial real estate watchers. For the arts and culture crowd, Poulet Bleu in Lawrenceville has announced a reopening date, set to welcome d This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.