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The National Institutes of Health terminated two more research grants at the University of Pittsburgh ([link removed]) this month. Both were funding study of how race and socioeconomic status impact brain health.

It’s the latest in a long list ([link removed]) of changes the Trump administration has dealt to Pittsburgh’s higher education sector since its inauguration in 2025. Keep up with our timeline ([link removed]) .

In other news this week: Troy Hill is still waiting ([link removed]) for its rec center, construction plans put an Allegheny County marina community on tilt ([link removed]) and Springdale’s police chief says he won’t resign ([link removed]) .

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

Public Source local government reporter & newsletter editor


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ReelAbilities Pittsburgh ([link removed]) celebrates independent cinema by and about people with disabilities. Join us Sept. 3 ([link removed]) at the Pittsburgh Playhouse for seven powerful short films, an Art Market, and after-party—then stream 13 additional films virtually Sept. 4–13. Discover stories of resilience, creativity, vulnerability, and hope.


** THIS WEEK’S STORIES
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Guest commentary: What Germany’s ‘school cone’ tradition can teach us about childhood literacy ([link removed]) — As reading rates plummet, Pittsburgh needs concerted investment in improving literacy for our youngest children.

Troy Hill is still waiting for its new rec center, five years after a $6M pledge ([link removed]) — Federal ARPA pandemic relief money was supposed to be the solution. Now the funding has dwindled and the center is still mothballed. What happened?

Timeline: First half of 2026 brings more research cuts to Pitt ([link removed]) — A timeline of federal higher ed changes and responses by Pittsburgh-area colleges and universities.

Caught between a river, a water project and a railroad, a marina community tries to hang on ([link removed]) — Thomas Grubbs woke up on a Monday, checked the group chat and felt it in his stomach. “Oh, I’m actually trapped,” he said. “Like, I can’t leave.” His 50-foot houseboat floats in an Allegheny River marina that’s feeling pinched by a railroad and the water authority.

What Shapiro’s new data center order does — and doesn’t — force developers to do ([link removed]) — The new order isn’t a moratorium, but it does make it much harder for developers to build data centers without following strict standards.

Childcare’s high cost, low supply pushes Pittsburgh families to get creative ([link removed]) — Southwestern Pennsylvania households struggle to find affordable care for kids. A hybrid worker, a homeschooler, a nanny and a former daycare worker talk about their paths through a difficult space.

Springdale police chief says he has ‘overwhelming support’ amid petition for resignation ([link removed]) — Following a Public Source investigation, critics of Springdale Borough Police Chief Derek Dayoub gleaned more than 440 online signatures calling for his departure. Council members who spoke Monday said they still back him.

Pittsburgh’s summer of teen restrictions raises transparency questions ([link removed]) — Fears of “teen takeovers” changed access to some public spaces for Pittsburgh’s youth this summer. City officials are tight-lipped about how these decisions were made.


** IN OTHER NEWS
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→ Broken swing lands 2 Springdale kids in court ([link removed]) (TribLIVE)

→ Haitian community in Charleroi makes emergency plans as ICE steps up enforcement in other regions ([link removed]) (WESA)

→ Satellite images show bedrock and glacier collapsed on Nepal-China border, then rivers flooded ([link removed]) (AP)


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George Saunders. Live in Pittsburgh. Join the acclaimed author of "Vigil" on Sept. 14 for the first Ten Evenings event of Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures' 2026–27 season. ([link removed])


** TODAY IN HISTORY 📅
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Today is August 29.

18 years ago, 2008: Sen. John McCain surprised the political world by naming Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate on the Republican ticket. (New York Times)

21 years ago, 2005: Hurricane Katrina struck the U.S. Gulf Coast in southeast Louisiana, breaching levees and spurring floods that devastated New Orleans. (AP)

100 years ago, 1926: Two robbers dynamited a safe inside a Downtown’s Kaplan Jewelry Company and made off with $15,000 worth of jewelry (about $280,000 in today’s money). (Post-Gazette)


** LOCAL EVENTS
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🥓 BaconBurgh ([link removed]) Today | Southside Works Town Square

🐿️ Squirrel Hill Night Markets ([link removed]) 6-10 p.m. today and Sept. 26 | Murray Avenue between Forbes and Beacon

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

🎷 Jazz in the Garden ([link removed]) Sept. 17 | Phipps Conservatory, Oakland

🦁 Disney’s The Lion King ([link removed]) Sept. 9-27 | Benedum Center, Downtown

👋 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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