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An effort to build the Pittsburgh area’s largest hyperscale data center met opposition Wednesday in Upper Burrell Township, a community of 2,000 in Westmoreland County.

More than 50 residents attended a board of supervisors meeting in the township Wednesday. Most spoke against the center.

“Alcoa brought a lot of good things to this community,” said Upper Burrell resident David Ostrosky, referring to the site’s former owner. “Bottom line is, I don’t get that vibe from these guys.”

✍️ Newsletter written by Charlie Wolfson,

Public Source local government reporter & newsletter editor

THIS WEEK’S STORIES

Upper Burrell residents decry transparency as data center progresses despite moratorium and a lawsuit — Since passing a moratorium on new data center developments in May, Upper Burrell commissioners have approved a land development plan for TECfusions.

First-person essay: My disability wasn’t the problem. The assumptions about it were. — I built a career in cybersecurity, lost a job after seeking an ADA accommodation and encountered the same doubts while training as a blackjack dealer. Disabled people shouldn’t have to keep proving what they can do.

PRT’s bus route ‘refresh’ could have short shelf life, unless state steps up — PRT hopes that a comprehensive redesign of its system can generate enough momentum to avoid a 35% reduction in service in 2028. The plan would shrink the agency’s footprint area while boosting weekend service.

On Penn Avenue, First Friday’s Unblurred vision peers into the future — Garfield’s arts crawl has grown from gallery walls into a network of bars, studios and street-level encounters. Nearby development hasn’t dulled the artists’ determination to enliven the neighborhood.

‘It’s not going to be the same.’ Back-to-school in Pittsburgh bittersweet ahead of closures. — With 12 schools set to shutter next year or beyond, PPS parents brace for different teachers, class-sizes and cultures from those they and their children have known.

The risk of eviction may be higher than you think. Here’s what you should know. — Last year, landlords statewide filed more than 100,000 cases that can lead to eviction, including nearly 13,600 in and around Pittsburgh. For struggling tenants, asking the right questions, getting accurate answers and tapping resources can keep a bad situation from getting worse.

IN OTHER NEWS

→ Judge rules Allegheny County must keep pension fund sound, grants time to fix $1.4B deficit (TribLIVE)

→ In Allegheny County and beyond, officials prepare for election as Trump seeks to change the rules (WESA)

→ US diesel prices hit a record high, pushing up transportation costs for a long list of goods (AP)

TODAY IN HISTORY  📅

Today is September 5.

35 years ago, 1991: Mayor Sophie Masloff proposed a $100 million baseball-only stadium for the North Shore. City Council members were hostile or noncommittal to the idea, and state Rep. Tom Murphy, who a decade later oversaw PNC Park’s construction as mayor, said the plan “doesn’t seem to make any sense.”

51 years ago, 1975: President Gerald R. Ford survived an assassination attempt by Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, a disciple of Charles Manson, in Sacramento, California. (Fromme was released from prison on parole in 2009.) (AP)

54 years ago, 1972: Palestinian militants attacked the Israeli Olympic delegation at the Munich Games, killing two and taking nine others hostage; five of the militants, all nine hostages and a German police officer were killed in the following 24 hours. (AP)

LOCAL EVENTS

🛍️ Neighborhood Flea 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday | Schenley Plaza, Oakland

🏈 Pitt football home opener 12:30 p.m. Saturday | Acrisure Stadium, North Shore

🎷 Jazz in the Garden Sept. 17 | Phipps Conservatory, Oakland

🦁 Disney’s The Lion King Sept. 9-27 | Benedum Center, Downtown

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