Onorato: Financial Crisis Not An Immediate Concern

Allegheny County's investments are safe for now, according to Chief Executive Dan Onorato. He says the financial crisis is not causing any immediate problems for the county's pension fund. But he says he hopes the downturn won't last long. Onorato says the county borrows money about every two years for capital projects, and the financial crisis could impact that borrowing in the future. Onorato says the county is monitoring the situation daily.

Counties Differ on "Passive Electioneering"

Allegheny County voters have been free to wear campaign t-shirts, buttons and stickers at the polls. But voters in Butler County have not. The Department of State recently issued a memo that says so-called "passive electioneering" is okay as long as voters don't do anything else to try to influence other people's votes. But ultimately, it's up to individual counties to decide how to interpret the state's ban on electioneering.

Regis Young, that county's Director of Elections, says he thinks wearing campaign paraphernalia at the polls is electioneering. Elections judges there have often given voters a jacket to put over campaign t-shirts or asked them to remove buttons. He says it hasn't been a big problem in the past.

Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato says it's not okay for poll workers to wear partisan attire, but he doesn't think what voters wear is a big issue. Like Young, he says it hasn't been a big source of conflict. But two poll workers in Allegheny County are suing over the State Department memo, arguing it's illegal.

Point State Park Fountain Turned Pink

October 1st marks the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness month and as a way to kick it all off, the Point State Park fountain at the culmination of the three rivers was today turned pink, the familiar color of the Breast Cancer Coalition. The pink fountain event in the city was part of a state-wide movement in which fountains in Harrisburg and Erie were also turned pink. Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Commission for Women Leslie Stiles says she hopes the pink fountain will remind people of those women who died from breast cancer, those are fighting it currently, and those lives that will be saved in the future. A conference was held also across from Point State Park at the Riverwalk near Heinz Field. Much of the discussion there and for all of breast cancer awareness month focuses on education and encouraging regular testing. Currently breast cancer is the leading cancer among Pennsylvania women.

Carnegie Mellon builds new Computer Science Complex

A new computer science complex at Carnegie Mellon University is to open by July of 2009, said Computer Science Associate Dean Guy Blelloch. There will be two buildings to make up 200,000 square foot complex. It will hold 15 new classrooms and assist in connecting the main campus and west campus at CMU. Blelloch said it is the biggest building to be built on campus in decades.

The two buildings are named after the primary donors. The Bill and Melinda Foundation gave $20 million, and the Hillman Foundation gave $10 million. The complex project totalled approximately $100 million. A bridge named after the late Randy Pausch will connect the two buildings. A topping off ceremony to commemorate the placement of the highest steel beam of the building is to take place this afternoon.

Ribbon Cutting at new Greyhound bus station

This morning's ribbon cutting marked the grand opening of the new Greyhound station, and also opened almost 1000 new parking spaces. The Grant Street Transportation center will not only house the Greyhound bus station, but will also have two parking garages to accommodate business relocations to downtown and relieve parking pressure from the Strip District surface lots. Mayor Luke Ravenstahl says it will be a gateway from the Strip District to downtown, and the project will key into the revitalization to Downtown Pittsburgh. Ravenstahl says weekday parking rates are 20 percent cheaper than the average price charged by prvate vendors, and 37 percent cheaper for event parking rates.

The center is located between the Convention Center and the Strip District.

Plan Calls For More Digital Billboards

The Active Network is a consulting group based in California that was hired by the city to draft a plan to raise private dollars for the city through partnerships. The Network's plan includes giving a bank exclusive rights to put ATMs on city property, giving exclusive rights to a beverage and food company to operate vending machines on city property, having an official telecommunications provider for the city, and licensing 15 big electronic billboards on city property.

The plan is being reviewed by a panel that includes city councilman Bill Peduto who says the plan is a good start but the idea of 15 big electronic billboards would create a "blade runner effect" of over saturation. Peduto said he would like to see more digital advertising just not more digital billboards. Peduto wants something similar to what he has seen in New York city where small digital advertising monitors are present in bus stops, taxi cabs and some elevators. Peduto is not totally against digital billboards, but he wants to see them used in a way that is respectful to the city's architecture and history. He said some places would be perfect for digital billboards. The plan estimates $4 million in revenues by 2011, but Peduto was more modest in projecting half a million dollars to $2 million annually.

Firings Draw Protests from Some North Siders

Some North Side residents say the staff members of their neighborhood group were unjustly fired. A new group called Concerned Members of the Central Northside Neighborhood Council is protesting outside tonight's Board of Directors meeting. CNNC's Executive Director and Community Organizer were fired last week.

In May, seven new CNNC Board members were elected on a platform to improve accountability. Instead, the Concerned Members say the new Board has voted against measures that would promote diversity and inclusiveness. One of those measures was an application for a tax credit that would allow the neighborhood to build 34 affordable rental units on sites scattered throughout the North Side. Meanwhile, the Concerned Members say the Board has approved more upscale housing. The Concerned Members also say they're concerned about recent opposition to the Salvation Army's efforts to provide more social services in the North Side.

October Deadline For Stimulus Check

Anyone who files for an income tax extension has until October 15th to file a return. Usually that is about 10-percent of the Pennsylvania’s taxpayers. This year the number was just 8-percent but IRS spokes person David Stewart says there are an estimated 178-thousand citizens who do not usually file any tax return who need to meet the October 15 deadline if they want to get their economic stimulus check. About 18,700 of them are in Allegheny County. Stewart says many of those who have not filed are social security or V-A benefit recipients who may not have seen a tax form in years. The stimulus payment forms are on the IRS web site and at IRS field offices. It takes 8-12 weeks to process the request.

Islamic Center of Pittsburgh to Hold Humanity Day Event

The Islamic Center of Pittsburgh will be holding its 14Th annual humanity day event on Sunday, September 28Th. The event is free to the public and anyone is welcome. The event is being held to celebrate the Muslim holiday of Ramadan. The event is meant to build bridges between area Muslims and non Muslims. The Islamic center will also be receiving a proclamation by the city for their efforts on humanity day, and will also be giving out awards to members of the community who have worked to better life for members of their neighborhood.

New Energy

Volatile oil prices, debates over global warming and talk of energy independence have all come together to heighten worldwide interest in renewable energy. DUQ's Mark Nootbaar reports companies and unions in Pennsylvania are trying to make sure they are ready to capitalize on that growing demand for years to come.

Listen to the full-length story here.