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Were you too busy to dive into our investigative series about Springdale ([link removed]) this week? Here are the basics, with the links below for weekend reading.

➡️ The borough of Springdale, 20 minutes northeast of Pittsburgh, is at the center of two national issues ([link removed]) . Its police are actively assisting ICE, and developers are planning a hyperscale data center in the borough.

➡️ Some residents in the normally serene borough have been stirred to protest and push back on both issues.

➡️ The police chief, who led the effort to cooperate with ICE, has a record dotted with allegations of excessive force ([link removed]) , criminal complaints and a firing from another police department.

Keep scrolling to find the full stories.

Also: 25 years after 9/11, we want to hear how the attacks changed the lives of Southwestern Pennsylvanians. Drop us a note here ([link removed]) .

✍️ Newsletter written by Charlie Wolfson ([link removed]) ,

Public Source local government reporter & newsletter editor


** ICE, A DATA CENTER AND A TOWN DIVIDED
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How ICE and a data center turned a small Pittsburgh suburb into a civic battleground ([link removed]) — In Springdale, a year of immigration arrests, data center opposition and confrontations with local officials has fueled a new wave of organizing.

ICE-allied police chief in Springdale faced lawsuits and allegations before clashes with critics ([link removed]) — Now, video raises new questions about his handling of controversy over the Western Pennsylvania borough’s cooperation with ICE.

Video: How Springdale data center moved Allegheny Valley residents ([link removed]) — Hyperscale data centers are changing communities from the Pittsburgh region to West Virginia to Tennessee. In Springdale and Cheswick, residents seek answers while others prepare to leave.

DA drops charges against Springdale man forcefully arrested at council meeting ([link removed])

— William “Danny” Rosenmund was tackled to the ground by multiple police officers during an April 21 meeting and was charged with felony aggravated assault.


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** MORE STORIES
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ICE seeks 60 parking spaces in Pittsburgh amid nationwide expansion ([link removed]) — The federal parking request comes as ICE adds thousands of officers and intensifies immigration enforcement nationwide.

First-person essay: Pittsburgh’s Chinatown is gone, but its history showed me that I belong here ([link removed]) — For the first few years that I lived in Pittsburgh, I didn’t think there was much of an Asian population whatsoever. I’ve since learned far more about the city and sought out more cultural diversity.

If 9/11 changed you, we’d like to know about it ([link removed]) [link removed]— The 2001 terrorist attacks led to a dramatic change in America’s direction. How did they affect you?

Tuition rises at Pitt’s main campus while satellites go free ([link removed]) — A new tuition-free program at the University of Pittsburgh’s regional campuses has students at its main campus confused.

Foundation of HOPE opens doors for those leaving Allegheny County Jail ([link removed]) — “I keep staring at my cell, cell 124,” DuJuan Williamson said while holding back tears. He told the crowd of about 25 men in green uniforms to “keep going” despite the hardships that incarceration brings.

Showdown over short-term rental rules in Pittsburgh looms ([link removed]) — Both Pittsburgh City Council and the Planning Commission are expected to vote on proposed new rules for Airbnbs and the like after Labor Day. Operators worry that too much regulation could hurt tourism and livelihoods.


** IN OTHER NEWS
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→ Data center project proposal near Star Lake draws detractors ([link removed]) (TribLIVE)

→ Pa. state police are covering more municipalities than ever. Can recruitment and funding keep up? ([link removed]) (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)

→ Employers unexpectedly cut 23,000 jobs in a sign of a wilting labor market ([link removed]) (NPR)


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** TODAY IN HISTORY 📅
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Today is August 8.

5 years ago, 2021: Steelers lineman Alan Faneca was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. (Post-Gazette)

52 years ago, 1974: President Richard Nixon, facing damaging new revelations in the Watergate scandal, announced he would resign the following day. (AP)

211 years ago, 1815: Napoleon Bonaparte set sail for St. Helena to spend the remainder of his days in exile. (AP)


** LOCAL EVENTS
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🍺 Barrel & Flow Fest ([link removed]) Saturday | The Stacks at 3 Crossings, Strip District

🇮🇹 Little Italy Days ([link removed]) Aug. 13-16 | Liberty Avenue, Bloomfield

🪷 Vintage mixer night at Phipps ([link removed]) 5 p.m. Aug. 20 | Phipps Conservatory, Oakland

🚲 Pedal PGH ([link removed]) Aug. 30 | Allegheny Commons Park West, North Side

👋 Thanks for reading today’s newsletter! I hope you feel more informed about Pittsburgh and your community. For any questions or comments, feel free to email me at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .
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Thank you to those who became supporters of Public Source’s journalism for July 27-Aug. 3: Cheryl, David, Gerald, Glen, Hilary, Jaclyn, Kim, Mackenzie, Marcia and Patricia. Join them by giving today ([link removed]) .

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