the week in review
A BRIEF ROUNDUP OF THE NEWS OF THE WEEK
Our look back at the news of the past week — and how it might impact our futures — involves a number of challenging issues that deserve our time and consideration. The solutions won’t come easily, but we’re committed to covering them throughout what promises to be a tortuous process.
Facility under fire
The twisting roads along the northern U.S. border took a family that claimed to be vacationing in Canada to a controversial Berks County, Pa., detention facility.
Staff writer Daniel Moore, in Washington, D.C., told us of the young English family — including a 3-month-old baby and a pair of 2-year-old twins — that was stopped by police after, the couple said, they made a wrong turn that took them into the U.S. They were transported to the Berks County Residential Center, which is notorious for its frigid, dirty conditions.
“All they wanted to do, when they were stopped by Border Patrol, was to turn around and go back to their hotel,” said Bridget Cambria, an immigration attorney with Aldea – The People’s Justice Center, a nonprofit based in Reading. “Instead, they were taken into custody.”
The family was held for more than a week before being deported.
The state Department of Human Services revoked the 96-bed facility’s license to house children three years ago, but the county appealed and the center has been allowed to operate as the litigation drags on. Immigration advocates and lawyers for the couple are calling for Gov. Tom Wolf to close it down. SEARCH: BERKS
Reparations sought
The question of paying for sins of racial injustice, past and present, was the subject of a public forum in City Council chambers last week as community activists called for an official apology and a reparations package — including land and cash — from the city.
“There’s so much a deeprooted history, economic history, social history, political history that ties slavery, Jim Crow, mass incarceration … police brutality — and we can go on and on — into the conditions that contemporary black people have to deal with,” said Khalid Raheem, of Manchester, who petitioned for Wednesday’s hearing.
Council members in attendance included Bruce Kraus, Theresa Kail-Smith, Darlene Harris and Deb Gross, as well as the Rev. Ricky Burgess, who promised, “This is not the end of this conversation. I’ve been very moved by it.” SEARCH: REPARATIONS
Gun ban challenge
A county judge Wednesday rejected a claim by four residents who said the city’s passage of gun restrictions amounted to “official oppression” because the ordinances violate state law.
The residents charged that Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. refused to even consider their complaints. But Mr. Zappala’s legal team countered that since the law is not being enforced — pending legal challenges — no crime has been committed. So the district attorney has no obligation to look into the matter.
“Their argument is silly, quite frankly,” Mr. Zappala’s attorney, Chuck Porter, told staff writer Shelly Bradbury after the hearing.
Allegheny County Common Pleas Senior Judge Joseph James ruled in favor of Mr. Zappala after listening to about a half-hour of argument from both sides. SEARCH: GUNS
A lot of progress
There isn’t a plaque on the vacant lot at 430 Morris St. in Edgewood, but there is a forsale sign, and that’s significant. It’s the first property in Allegheny County put on the market through a land banking process.
Land banks are public entities allowed by state law to buy blighted and abandoned properties, clear them of debts, and then sell them. Three councils of government in 2017 created the TriCOG Land Bank, and it has so far purchased 28 properties, mostly at sheriff’s sales.
“Having the knowledge that there is someone actively working to get this property redeveloped helps the residents to feel that, long-term, the neighborhood is heading down the right path,” Edgewood Borough Manager Rob Zahorchak told staff writer Rich Lord last week.
The land bank process should work in depressed communities, too, said David Pasternak, the White Oak Borough Council president and chair of the TriCOG Land Bank board.
“There will be properties that will be going up [for sale] in the hearts of depressed communities,” he said. “We may put funds in to refurbish the properties, and we’ll put them back up for sale and get them on the tax rolls.”
The Tri-COG Land Bank’s members are Blawnox, Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Churchill, Clairton, Dravosburg, East Pittsburgh, Edgewood, Etna, Forest Hills, McKeesport, Millvale, Monroeville, North Braddock, Pitcairn, Rankin, Sharpsburg, South Versailles, Swissvale, Turtle Creek, White Oak and Wilkins; the school districts of Clairton City, Fox Chapel Area, Gateway, McKeesport Area, Shaler and Woodland Hills; and Allegheny County. SEARCH: LAND BANK
‘Lest We Forget’
If a picture doesn’t make an impression on you, perhaps it’s not really worth all 1,000 words.
Staff writer Sharon Eberson tells us the 60 largerthan-life portraits of Holocaust survivors, which have been erected along the pathways between Heinz Chapel and the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning in Oakland, speak loud and long. An in-your-face testament to the truth.
The photographic display by Luigi Toscano is titled “Lest We Forget” and includes 16 Pittsburghers. The traveling exhibition will be on display through Nov. 15.
Mr. Toscano, the father of two young daughters, said there are children he meets who ask questions such as “What is a concentration camp?” and “Who was Hitler?”
“There is still work to be done,” he said. SEARCH: HOLOCAUST
Moon mission
How do you get that lunar rover from Japan to the surface of the moon? Well, the road goes through Pittsburgh.
Astrobotic Technology Inc., a Downtown-based startup that specializes in lunar technology and deliveries, last week announced a deal with Tokyo-based Dymon Co. to transport a rover up there aboard its Peregrine Lander in 2021.
By partnering with companies, governments, nonprofits, universities and individuals, Astrobotic is filling up its capacity of 90 kilograms of payloads. Other contracts have included deals involving Chile, Hungary and Canada.
“This mission is going to show that we can make the moon accessible to the world,” Astrobotic CEO John Thornton told staff writer Lauren Rosenblatt. SEARCH: ASTROBOTIC
A rash of rabies
A rabid raccoon is found in Robinson. But perhaps the big news here is that it’s the 24th rabid animal in Allegheny County this year.
Outdoors editor John Hayes, says the Allegheny County Health Department recorded more rabies in 2018 and so far in 2019 than in previous years, boosting Pennsylvania’s status as the third-most rabid state in America.
Rabies is not native to North America. Researchers believe it was unintentionally introduced from Europe in the 1700s. Since then, it has been found on every continent, although the virus has been eradicated from the United Kingdom, Japan and some other island nations. An ongoing program is attempting to push it out of the U.S. SEARCH: RABIES
Basic economics
Staff writer Bill Schackner reports that the State System of Higher Education is relying more heavily on an old but potent tool to attract and retain students: financial aid.
Dollars earmarked for those awards have almost doubled in six years across the 14-member universities, from $38.2 million in 2014-15 to $69.7 million this year, with amounts varying sharply by campus, a review of State System data shows.
The increase this academic year alone was 11%, or more than $7 million, according to system records.
And it’s projected to grow further, to $77 million by 2022, according to material prepared for review by the State System’s board of governors, which met last week at Kutztown University. SEARCH: TUITION
You could look it up
Last week saw some Pirates fans saying the city ought to step up to the plate and demand to see the team’s books.
The thinking is that owner Bob Nutting, whose team signed a lease agreement to play in PNC Park, isn’t spending the money he should to field a quality team. And some city oversight might put some pressure on him.
“There is no provision within the lease agreement [with the Sports & Exhibition Authority] that says that they have to have a certain number of wins or that they have to compete during every so many years or that they have to put a percentage of their budget strictly to payroll,” Mayor Bill Peduto told staff writer Jason Mackey.
“I think we all understand that the lack of having a payroll has been the biggest detriment to being able to provide a good team. But I don’t have any legal authority to require them to do so,” Mr. Peduto added.
Does that mean he doesn’t care?
“Am I upset that we don’t have a team that competes? Hell yeah,” Mr. Peduto said. “I want to see the opportunity for playoffs again in my lifetime. I’d like to see it while I’m still mayor. I want to see a consistent competitor like the other teams in our division have been able to produce.” SEARCH: PIRATES
Trump coming to town
A lot of us have relatives who don’t visit Western Pennsylvania as much as President Donald Trump does. Staff writer Julian Routh last week learned that Mr. Trump will be making his second stop here in as many months.
Mark your calendars for Wednesday as the president addresses the Shale Insight conference at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. We’ll be providing full coverage at post-gazette.com and in Thursday’s morning paper.