Pittsburg, PA
Pittsburgh City Council delays action on public-safety training center as controversy simmers
Pittsburgh City Council delayed action Wednesday on a controversial plan to convert a former Veterans Affairs hospital to a public safety training center — setting council up to revisit the debate after it returns from its August recess.
Council voted to hold off for seven weeks on approving a contract related to the proposal, first made during the administration of former Mayor Bill Peduto.
“In many ways, we really need … to go back to the drawing board and look at what the potential options are that we have for the use of that land,” said Councilor Khari Mosley during the 20-minute discussion. “Even though this is eight years into this, in some ways we can look at this as early in the process.”
The Peduto administration acquired the land from the federal government after the hospital closed, with plans to use it as a state-of-the-art training facility. In that vision, the center would include a “Hogan’s Alley” — a simulated urban environment for police to train in — as well as fitness equipment, shooting ranges, and other training facilities.
Those plans sparked alarms among some progressive activists in the wake of a bitter national dispute over “Cop City,” a controversial training facility in Atlanta.
Mayor Ed Gainey’s administration has said it has a different vision for the site, one that would offer training for all the city’s first responders.
Deputy Mayor Jake Pawlak told council earlier this month that cop city concerns “mostly reflect the previous vision for the site, which did include a relocation of police headquarters, the special deployment division [and] the Zone 5 police station … alongside training facilities. All of those uses have been removed from this proposal, in part to address those concerns.”
Pawlak said the administration’s new proposal “would replace existing training assets that we have elsewhere in the city,” including a defunct tower once used by city firefighters.
Pawlak also warned that under the terms of the city’s acquisition of the land, the site had to be used for public-safety purposes. And he said the city was required to have a master plan for the site completed by next June. If it didn’t, he said, the federal government could take back the property — and potentially use it for immigration-related purposes.
On Wednesday, however, council members still had doubts.
The vote before them Wednesday involved a comparatively modest sum: a $1.8 million contract with Henningson Durham & Richardson to perform a master plan for the site, complete with a review of underground utilities. But it was clear that broader concerns were also just below the surface.
“This just seems so entirely unnecessary,” said Councilor Barb Warwick. “And the idea of this larger-scale training facility — whether it be for the police, for fire, or for EMS — at this point in time just seems sort of pie in the sky.
“We have pools that need to be fixed. We have rec centers that need to be fixed,” she added.
Warwick said that fears of the Trump administration using the site for immigration detention sounded like an “excuse” because the administration had already shown an ability to ramp up detention facilities elsewhere.
Councilor Deb Gross said the original deal struck by Peduto left council facing a dilemma. Officials might want to use the site for other purposes entirely, she said, such as recreation or affordable housing.
“How do we not lose the site and have to give it back to the federal government, but then … how to do what Pittsburghers want and are asking us to do within the constraints of that contract?” she asked. “Is there still an opportunity to say … ‘Actually, we changed our mind and we’d like to do housing here?’ We don’t have the answer to that right now.”
Short of a sweeping change to plans for the site, councilors ruminated over the possibility that a public-safety center could be both opened up to the community, and used to support more community-based responses. The city has sought to include social-support professionals on some police calls, and it has long espoused better police-community relations.
“I do support our police officers, and I do think we need them,” said Councilor Theresa Kail-Smith. “And I do think we need to do things in combination to get people help.”
But with such broad questions unanswered, council members voted to delay action on the contract until after they return from their summer recess.
Anthony Coghill, who chairs council’s public safety committee and has often been a vocal supporter of more robust policing, was absent for the discussion Wednesday. But some public-safety union leaders said a new facility would help their members.
“We just don’t have enough classroom space to keep up with the training that we do,” Tim Leech, vice president of the city’s firefighter union, told WESA.
Firefighters currently use Allegheny County resources to train, he said, and “a new, updated training facility would be great. If we had adequate facilities that we could use like that, we wouldn’t need to take our training up to the county’s training facility.”
Jon Atkinson, president of Pittsburgh’s local paramedic and EMT union, agreed that EMTs could use updated training space. But he’s also concerned about where the city would find the money to provide that space, and whether it would come from other public-safety needs.
“The city’s got some budgetary issues, and I just don’t know how they would fund it,” he said. “Especially when you consider the more immediate needs of public safety, the fact that our fleet is in pretty rough shape right now.”
Many critics, meanwhile, appear to have few doubts that the proposal is a bad idea. Council’s move to delay the vote came after an hour-long public comment period, which was dominated by speakers who opposed the plan. Several said they had bad encounters with city police during the George Floyd-related protests of 2020, and they warned that the facility would instill a more militarist mindset among police.
“If we give military training to our police, they are more likely to act as military police,” said Daniel Dulaney of Shadyside.
Another speaker, Daniel Patel, decried the possibility of spending money on a police-training facility at a time when community needs such as public transit and social-safety-net programs such as food stamps were being threatened by cuts at other levels of government. When he hears the plan discussed, he said, “My heart tells me that this American dystopia is alive in my city, too.”
Other police reformers have yet to weigh in, in part because of uncertainty about what Gainey — long a standard-bearer for reform efforts — has in mind.
Brandi Fisher, executive director of the Alliance for Police Accountability, said her organization was initially against the plan back when it started under Peduto. She said that confusion surrounds the current proposal, and that activists are scheduling a meeting with Pawlak to understand it better.
“It seems like things have changed depending on who has been in power, and that’s where the lack of clarity is coming from,” she said.
Pittsburg, PA
Written off in Pittsburgh: 5 former Steelers looking for redemption in UFL
Spring football may not carry the same weight as the NFL, but it still offers an opportunity for everyone involved. Fans can satisfy the urge to watch the game they love, while players in the United Football League work to earn another shot at the NFL. No one should expect top-tier play from these teams, but the UFL can still deliver compelling storylines.
Several recognizable names will take the field this spring, including personnel with ties to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
One reason or another, things didn’t work out between the Steelers and these members of the UFL, and that’s why they are attempting a comeback. Pittsburgh either cut them or let them go, and few have heard much from these former members of the Steelers since. The United Football League will see them be thrust back into the spotlight in hopes of landing a shot in an NFL training camp.
Fans will witness several Ex-Pittsburgh Steelers making a comeback in the UFL
Benny Snell Jr., RB, Louisville Kings
The name Benny Snell Jr. has disappeared from football conversations in Pittsburgh since he left the team in 2022. A fourth‑round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Snell never fully found his footing with the Steelers. He was known as a tough, physical runner who could contribute on special teams, but his role in the NFL rarely extended beyond that.
Snell struggled to make a lasting impact in Pittsburgh, and the UFL now offers him a chance to rebuild his reputation and revive his professional prospects.
Todd Haley, OC, Columbus Aviators
It has been nearly a decade since Todd Haley left the Steelers after his stint as offensive coordinator. His last NFL role came in 2018 with the Browns, and since then, his coaching career has taken a winding path that has included high school football and spring league opportunities. Haley’s role with the Aviators could provide him with a chance to re-enter the NFL coaching conversation.
Anthony McFarland Jr., RB, Birmingham Stallions
Many had high expectations for Anthony McFarland Jr. when the Steelers selected him in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. His speed stood out immediately, but he struggled to develop into a complete running back. McFarland now enters his second season in the UFL after a solid stretch of production in 2025. He will need to take the next step and show more consistency this spring.
Tre Norwood, S, Birmingham Stallions
Another United Football League veteran with ties to Pittsburgh is Tre Norwood.
A seventh-round pick by the Steelers in the 2021 NFL Draft, Norwood used his positional flexibility to carve out a role early in his career. He now enters his second season with the Stallions after posting modest production last year. If the versatile defensive back hopes to earn another opportunity in the NFL, he will need to make a stronger impact in 2026, particularly by creating turnovers.
Roc Taylor, WR, Columbus Aviators
Fans were hopeful for Roc Taylor after he signed with the Steelers last year as an undrafted free agent. The wide receiver group on the roster lacked depth at the time, but Taylor was unable to make it through training camp. Despite that setback, his talent remains evident, and the UFL may represent his best path forward. Taylor has a valuable opportunity in front of him to take advantage of.
Pittsburg, PA
Get PFL Pittsburgh results for the Eblen vs. Battle event Saturday night.
MMA Fighting has PFL Pittsburgh results for the Eblen vs. Battle fight card and more from UPMC Events Center in Pittsburgh on Saturday night.
In the main event, former Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen tries to earn another title shot with a win over Bryan Battle, who makes his PFL debut. Eblen (16-1) suffered his first career loss against Costello van Steenis in a PFL title bout in his most recent outing.
Dalton Rosta and Impa Kasanganay clash in a middleweight contest in the co-main event.
Check out PFL Pittsburgh results below.
Main Card (ESPN2 at 10 p.m. ET)
Johnny Eblen vs. Bryan Battle
Dalton Rosta vs. Impa Kasanganay
Ariane Lipski da Silva vs. Sumiko Inaba
Alexei Pergande vs. Julio Arce
Lazaro Dayron vs. Jacob Thrall
Prelims (ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET)
Allan Begosso vs. Jack Cartwright
Natan Schulte vs. Jakub Kaszuba
Robert Watley vs. Dakota Bush
Ernesto Rodriguez vs. Masayuki Kikuiri
Tatiana Postarnakova vs. Elora Dana
Josh Fremd vs. Jarrah Al Salawi
Ethan Goss vs. Fred Dupras
Pittsburg, PA
Pittsburgh has rainiest March in nearly 60 years as flooding causes issues across area
Several areas across western Pennsylvania were hit by flooding as overnight rainfall pushed Pittsburgh past a nearly 60-year-old record.
Pittsburgh has recorded 6.18 inches of rain in March, breaking the record of 6.10 inches, which was set in 1967. The rain caused issues in several communities on Friday, including some in Washington and Westmoreland counties.
Major road flooded in Washington County
Communities across Washington County spent Friday cleaning up after flooding from Thursday night’s storms.
Roads were closed, and ballfields were wrecked because of the rain. Ponds that aren’t supposed to be there could be found all over the county.
“As long as it rains and the creek is flooded, then the road is flooded,” Ruth Mahoney, the owner of The Glass Place in Cecil Township, said.
Georgetown Road in Cecil Township turned into a lake at the bottom of a hill and underpass. Dispatchers said the driver of a car stuck in the water didn’t have to be rescued or taken to the hospital. The flooding ties up the area as the road connects Interstate 79 to Route 19.
“It’s a main artery,” Mahoney said. “Tons of cars come down here every day.”
North Strabane Township saw more of the same. The Lindenwood Golf Club had some new water hazards on the course on Friday. As the water receded into the Linden Creek, a mess was left behind.
It was the same story in Houston.
“When I looked out the window, I was like, ‘woah.’ It’s just rising fast,” said Rogelio Esteris. “My daughter was here playing baseball yesterday because she’s on the softball team and now the field is ruined.”
South Strabane Township had a landslide on Locust Road as well. Mother Nature didn’t take it easy on Washington County. Mahoney said it’s affecting her business.
“When people call, they want to know how to get here,” she said. “You have to tell them, you can’t come because it’s closed today or there’s a backroad, but they don’t understand how to come on the backroad.”
Mahoney said the water should take about a day to recede. Officers told KDKA the car would have to wait to be towed until the water goes down.
Loyalhanna Creek rises, flooding yards
As dawn broke on Friday morning and the rain from the previous night began to cease, some residents of Westmoreland County who live close to the Loyalhanna Creek saw flooding around their homes and along their local roads.
Paul Faust, who lives in the Darlington area of Ligonier Township, has a small tributary to the Loyalhanna Creek in his backyard, but on Friday, that run was acting less like a stream and more like a moat.
“I was up probably about 5 a.m., and it was high,” Faust said. “But it wasn’t over the bank like this and then the next following two hours it started going up. But that is always how it is after it rains.”
Faust says that he and his wife have a system for when their area floods, including tying down outdoor furniture and moving their cars to the top of their driveway.
Many people that KDKA spoke with in Ligonier Township on Friday who live in low-lying areas said they are used to this type of thing and while this flash flood was unexpected, it was not out of the ordinary.
Some water had already begun to recede by Friday afternoon, but Ligonier Valley Police Chief Michael Matrunics still wanted to urge caution, especially for people driving on side roads that may still be flooded around the township.
“It might not look it, but it could be deeper than you expect,” Matrunics said. “And keep in mind, if you go past signs that are posted here, you could be cited for that. Also, if emergency services have to come out and rescue you or tow companies, you’re responsible for the cost. And your safety. Let’s put that at number one. So don’t drive through standing water on these bad weather dates.”
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