Urban Youth Action Shutting Down After 45 Years from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 
"UYA helped further the lives of countless leaders and scholars and contributed to the growth of the region," executive director Ruthie D. King said in a statement."
The New Pittsburgh Courier has a little more detail HERE.

New Teacher Union Head Reveals Classroom Priorities from the New Pittsburgh Courier
"In a special sit down with the New Pittsburgh Courier, incoming Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers President Nina Esposito-Visgitis revealed her plans for the future of the organization amidst state budget cuts and turbulent political waters unfriendly to teacher’s unions."

Marcellus Skeptics Form Own Shale Commission (Anya Litvak) from the Energy Inc. blog at the Pittsburgh Business Times
"Disappointed with the work of Gov. Tom Corbett’s Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission, a group of organizations that have aimed to temper natural gas development in the state, has formed its own panel: The Citizens Marcellus Shale Commission."
More information about this commission can be found HERE with the dates of their public hearings HERE.

EDITORIAL

Nobody's Home: Mayor Ravenstahl is AWOL Too Much for his Big-City Job from the Editorial Board of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"For all its financial problems, oversight boards and loss of population, Pittsburgh is an important American city. It needs a full-time mayor who is thoroughly engaged in its governance. Instead it has Luke Ravenstahl."
A hard-hitting assessment in today's PG.  It is based in part on THIS STORY from their Sunday edition.

EDITORIAL

Confessions of a Bad Teacher (OPINION) (John Owens) from Salon
"I took a job in the NYC public school system because I wanted to make a difference. I ended up living a nightmare."

Bill Would Crack Down on Illegal Immigrants: Metcalfe Gets Fired Up About Immigration from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Mr. Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, who chairs the state government panel, opened two days of hearings Tuesday on more than a dozen bills that would, among other things, sanction employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants and require people to show proof of citizenship to qualify for public benefits."

Region's Joblessness Ticks Upward Again from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"The region's job market moved another tick in the wrong direction last month, with unemployment for the Pittsburgh area growing to 7.4 percent in July, up one-tenth from June and continuing a slow but steady deterioration. But Mark Price, an economist with the nonpartisan Keystone Research Center in Harrisburg, cautioned against making too much of the increase in joblessness, noting that the small sampling size limits the significance of even multi-month variations."

Caterpillar May Build Office in Pittsburgh from the Pittsburgh Business Times
"Construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar    is looking at Pittsburgh and Louisville as eastern regional office for its global mining division."

Pitt Study Breaks Down Cost of Marcellus Drilling (Anya Litvak) from the Energy Inc. blog at the Pittsburgh Business Times
"Today, a team of researchers from the University of Pittsburgh    released their dissection of the supply chain in a single Marcellus Well operation."
The original report can be found HERE.

Small Business Grants Could Be Changing (AUDIO & TEXT) from Essential Public Radio [of Pittsburgh]
"Josh Tarnoff is the CEO of a small start up company based in Pittsburgh that has benefited from the federally funded Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant program. ... Tarnoff was one of a handful of small business owners who gathered in Pittsburgh last week to speak to Congressman Jason Altmire (D-North Hills).  The program will expire September 30 if the enabling legislation is not reauthorized."

Streetcars in the Strip? (AUDIO & TEXT) (Noah Brode) from Essential Public Radio [of Pittsburgh]
"The city of Pittsburgh is asking consultants to submit bids for a streetcar system in the Strip, to be situated between 10th and 40th Streets. Pittsburgh's Principal Transportation Planner Patrick Roberts said whichever comprehensive plan the city adopts this November will also include other transportation changes for the market neighborhood, like pedestrian and bikeway improvements."

Growing Concerns Over Fracking (AUDIO) from NPR's Diane Rehm Program
"The S.E.C. has asked oil and gas companies for details about a controversial natural gas drilling method. The program explores growing concerns over fracking and the role of natural gas in the U.S. economy."

Why a Law Degree Today Offers No Guarantee from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"While enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Michael Fink was selected to work on the school's law review, which typically chooses students in the top 10th of their class. When he graduated in May, the 30-year-old finished first in his class, summa cum laude. Three months after graduation, Mr. Fink was still looking for a job."

UPMC Plans to Hire 1,900 in 2012 from the Pittsburgh Business Times
"Despite pending reductions in government spending for health care, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center    anticipates creating nearly 1,900 jobs in 2012 to meet continuing growth of the system, the same number created during the fiscal year ending June 30, CFO Robert DeMichiei said on Friday."

Few Parents Challenge School Closings from the New Pittsburgh Courier
"If approved the plan would see the closure of Fort Pitt PreK-5, Murray K-8, Northview PreK-8, Schaeffer K-8, and Stevens K-8, in addition to Oliver and Langley. The earliest the board would vote on the proposal is Nov. 22. ... Of the 23 speakers scheduled between the special hearing designated for the district’s realignment plan and the regular public hearing, only seven were there to talk about school closings and only half of those were there to represent parents."

Entrepreneurial Program Helps Former Convicts to Rise Up from the  Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
"Today, he and seven other ex-offenders are scheduled to graduate from the Entrepreneurial Mindset Program, a partnership started last year between the Mon Valley Initiative and the Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence at the University of Pittsburgh to help train people convicted of nonviolent crimes how to start businesses."

Education's Future Caught in Web of Finances from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
"Even though those numbers won't come into focus for months, some districts are steeling themselves now to help weather predicted cuts. Jim Budzilek, superintendent at Leechburg Area School District, calls himself a positive person. But when it comes to state funding, he says he must be a realist. "I think public education right now is under attack," he said."

Natural Gas Estimates in Marcellus Shale Vary (Andrew Maykuth) from the Philadelphia Inquirer via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"...on Wednesday another federal agency, the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which just a month ago estimated the shale contained 410 Tcf, announced it was revising its number downward in response to the USGS estimate. New headlines: "U.S. Slashes Marcellus Shale Gas Estimate 80%." Up? Down? For adversaries in the increasingly politicized and polarized world of shale gas, the USGS's new assessment cuts both ways."

Action Urged on Transportation Funding from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"'Huge backlog of failing infrastructure' cited."

Highmark: No Contract Too Costly from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Insurer says UPMC out-of-network rates would add $2.5B
The Tribune Review covers this story as well.

Converge Left: Region's Social-Justice Groups Assembling to "Level the Playing Field" (Lauren Daley) from the Pittsburgh City Paper
"In Washington and Greene counties, groups fight against long-wall mining, acid drainage and mountaintop removal. In Westmoreland and Allegheny counties, there are those focused on fighting Marcellus Shale natural-gas drilling. But despite the distances, many have the same goals: clean water and environmental sustainability. The Three Rivers Community Foundation wants to bring those and a multitude of other groups together to consolidate their efforts."

Outlook Bleak for Transportation Funding from the Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"The region's top planning agency is predicting a steep drop in funding for transportation projects in the middle of the decade, based on preliminary numbers outlined on Thursday at a public hearing in Cranberry. The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, a planning agency for the 10-county region surrounding Pittsburgh, said it anticipates it will receive less than $1.3 billion in federal and state money for transportation projects from 2013-16."

Fracking Opponent Sells Home to Driller from the Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"After drill sites and compressor stations popped up around her home, Hallowich spent more than a year touring the region, blaming shale drilling and hydraulic fracturing for polluting her land and causing health problems for her family. But she has had to agree to a gag order as part of the deal, and she and Pitzarella declined to discuss further details."
The Observer-Reporter has more on this story HERE.

Education Reform Discussion Continues at the Pennsylvania State Capitol from the Patriot-News [of Harrisburg]
"Over the past few weeks, the House Education Committee held hearings around the state on a variety of educational reform topics that included charter school reform and school vouchers."

Study: Differences in Pay Between Public and Private Employees "Statistically Insignificant" from Essential Public Radio [of Pittsburgh]
"When both wages and benefits are taken into account, public employees make about 2.1% less than private sector workers on an hourly basis, according to the study recently released by the Keystone Research Center and the Economic Policy Institute, working with Rutgers University."
Keystone Research's original report (.pdf) can be found HERE.

IMPORTANT LOCAL SCHOOLS STORY!

Education Chief Slams 101 Schools: Grants Released for 26 Institutions that Applied, but Most Eligible Ignored the Funds from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"In a written release, Mr. Tomalis took to task 101 schools across the state that were eligible for funding but failed to apply. He said 141 schools met the criteria but only 40 submitted applications. ... According to a chart provided by the state Education Department, local schools that qualified for the funding this year but did not apply were Sto-Rox middle and high schools, Woodland Hills Junior High School and Career Connections Charter High School. In addition, in the Pittsburgh Public Schools, Murray, Northview, and Arsenal elementary schools and Arsenal Middle School qualified but did not apply. In the Philadelphia School District, more than 50 schools qualified but did not apply."

Meet 'Generation Vexed' (OPINION) (Mary Sanchez) from the McClatchy News Service
"It is a moniker that is being applied to the nation's current crop of
20-somethings. They are said to be facing a dire job market, uncertain prospects for
surpassing their parents' standard of living, and generally a long, hard slog before
they will be able to find their way in life."

Pitt Hikes Up Tuition 8.5 Percent from the Pitt News
"Pitt announced its 8.5 percent tuition increase in early July, bringing the total tuition up to $15,272 for Keystone State residents. Pitt officials blamed the increase, the largest since 2003, on a reduction in state funding. The cost for non-Pennsylvania students went up $948 to $24,680."

30 Teacher Aides May be Furloughed from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"If approved, the action would be the latest in a series of job cuts implemented this summer across the district of approximately 26,000 students. Last month, the board voted to cut 59 district employees, including 31 teachers, through a mix of furloughs and layoffs. In June, 217 positions were cut by the board, including 147 layoffs and furloughs that touched both central office employees and operational support staff across the district of nearly 26,000 students."

Consol Natural Gas Rights Sell for $3.4B from the Observer-Reporter [of Washington & Greene counties]
"Under the deal, Houston-based Noble Energy will buy half of Consol's Marcellus development rights and existing wells in those states. The deal involves 663,350 acres that Consol has under lease in both states."

Can the Fracking Industry Self-Regulate? from the Atlantic
"A new report from the Department of Energy calls for the creation of a shale gas production organization -- a private sector agency that would set safety standards and address environmental concerns."

Allegheny County Funneling Grant to Boost Energy Efficiency from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Allegheny County towns will get help making their municipal buildings more energy efficient from a foundation that focuses on conservation and regional economic development. The Richard King Mellon Foundation has given the county a $400,000 grant to help dozens of communities pay for energy-saving updates."

U.S. Aid Can Forestall Foreclosure of Homes from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Time is running out for Pennsylvanians with mortgage woes to take advantage of millions of dollars in federal foreclosure aid. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has been offering Pennsylvanians $105 million in mortgage aid since this spring, but the program goes dry at the end of September. Since a lot of advance paperwork is involved, applications need to be made by Sept. 16."

Neighborhood Housing Services to Receive Grant from the Pittsburgh Business Times
"Neighborhood Housing Services Inc. in Pittsburgh will receive a grant from the CRA Enterprise Investment Fun of Fifth Third Bancorp  . The grant will go to financial education services like credit counseling, budgeting and foreclosure mitigation for Allegheny County communities, Fifth Third Bancorp (Nasdaq: FITB) said Monday."

Pennsylvania in Top 10 in Job Growth from the Pittsburgh Business Times
"Pennsylvania may not have recovered from the Great Recession, but it's among the leaders in employment growth in the past year, adding 70,500 jobs. That ranks Pennsylvania No. 5 among the 50 states, according to the latest seasonally-adjusted data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics."

Economics 101: Students Heading Back to Class for First Time Since Corbett Budget Cuts from the Pittsburgh City Paper
"Ever since Gov. Tom Corbett announced funding cuts for Pennsylvania colleges and universities, many students have wondered what the cuts would actually mean to them. With the fall semester right around the corner, they're about to find out.  The state's 14 fully public universities took a $90 million funding cut in the current year's budget."

Districts Aim to Ease Cuts' Impact from the Observer-Reporter [of Washington & Greene counties, etc.]
"Over the past year, school boards and communities have struggled to come up with the best ways to cut from their budgets. Gov. Tom Corbett originally proposed cutting the state budget back to 2007-08 levels. School boards passed budgets and made cuts based on that proposal. However, the state ultimately passed a budget with more education money than originally proposed, allowing districts to reduce some of their cuts."

Comcast Connects Digital Divide... To Provide Computers, Internet to Low-income Students from the New Pittsburgh Courier
"Comcast, one of the country’s largest communication services companies, is building a bridge across the digital divide in Pittsburgh and across the country. And for poor families, the bridge will be nearly toll-free."
The Bulletin [of Garfield, Friendship, etc.] has a concise breakdown of what this program will offer HERE.

State Gas Production Spikes from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"6-month figures show 60% increase for Marcellus Shale wells."

Deal with Consol Gives Texas Company Stake in Marcellus Shale from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 
"Consol Energy Inc. plans to ramp up Marcellus shale gas production now that it's getting $3.4 billion from a Houston exploration company for a joint venture designed to bolster short-term profits for shareholders, executives announced on Thursday."

Shockwaves from European Markets Could Reach Pittsburgh from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 
"Voicu, who was raised in Romania and went to graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh, said American banks and European banks are highly interconnected, meaning if an institution over there fails, it also could hurt U.S. banks. "It's one big common banking system," Voicu said."

July Pa. Jobless Rate Rises to 7.8 Percent from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"The State Department of Labor and Industry reported Thursday that the state unemployment rate grew to 7.8 percent in July from 7.6 percent in June. The national rate was 9.1 percent in July, down from the June rate of 9.2 percent."
Pittsburgh Business Times describes a more mixed picture HERE.

The Storefront Project from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Starting with Centre Avenue, interactive PG series will map growth and change in city neighborhoods."

URA to Seek Developers for Riverfront Site from the Pittsburgh Business Times
"The Urban Redevelopment Authority is preparing to submit a request for qualifications for a key stretch of riverfront property between the Rivers Casino and the West End Bridge."

Range Resources challenges South Fayette's Drilling Law from the Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"A natural gas company has asked South Fayette's zoning board to overturn a 2010 law it says enacts a de facto ban on drilling in the township."

The Opportunity Industrial Committee of America's McKeesport Affiliate: Sticking like Steel from the New Pittsburgh Courier
"What started as a store front organization in 1968 as the Tri-City OIC has trained and placed thousands in meaningful employment positions has provided vocational and academic assistance to thousands and since 1981 has performed professional weatherization services to more than 8,000 low income residents throughout the Southwest Allegheny County area."

Top Official Advocates Gas Drilling in Pa. Forests from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette
"The head of Pennsylvania's Department of Community and Economic Development has said the state could receive additional revenues totaling $60 billion in the next 30 years and solve all of its economic problems if it would allow new Marcellus Shale gas well drilling throughout its publicly owned forests."

Cities with the Biggest Growth in Tech Jobs from Bloomberg News Service
Pittsburgh comes in at No. 10 on this list.

Pittsburgh One of World's Most Affordable Cities from the Pittsburgh Business Times
"A survey released Tuesday ranks Pittsburgh as one of the more affordable cities in the world and one of the least expensive in the United States."

Yesteryear’s Brown is Today’s Green: Former Industrial Sites Are Cleaned-Up Engines for Economic Development from Imagine Pittsburgh Online
"People can now live, work and play in or near the urban core – often on prime property that is a legacy of an industrial past. Today, with 60+ years of brownfield reclamation under its belt, the region is nationally and internationally recognized for this transformative work."

Big Pay, Fewer Jobs: BNY Mellon Cuts People While Inflating Execs' Comp (OPINION) from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette
"All of which poses a question relevant to the national economy: If BNY Mellon were to trim the pay bundle for its top five execs by 20 percent -- $11.1 million -- how many family-sustaining jobs could it save?"

Council Considers Idea of New Training Academy from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette
"As the Pittsburgh Public Schools mulls a proposed reorganization, city Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith said she'd like to explore turning one school building into a "comprehensive public safety training center" for building inspectors, firefighters, paramedics and police officers."

Peters Council OKs Gas Drilling Regulations from the Observer-Reporter [of Washington and Greene Counties]
"Companies applying for permits to drill for natural gas in Peters Township must now comply with a set of regulations approved Monday by Peters council. Peters is one of a handful of local municipalities attempting to regulate natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale."

To Educate or Not: Cuts at Our State’s Universities (Matt Stroud) from Pittsburgh Quarterly
"Nordenberg questions the choices upon which Corbett’s budget proposal was built. “These are choices that will make it far harder for the young people of Pennsylvania to use the power of education to build better lives; choices that will put a real financial squeeze on Pennsylvania families, often still reeling from the effects of the Great Recession; choices that will impede this region’s economic recovery; and choices that make it less likely that Pennsylvania as a state will compete and thrive in the 21st century.”"
An interesting look at Pitt's relationship with state funding since the 1960s.

What Has Gone Wrong with Us? (OPINION) (Louis 'Hop' Kendrick) from the New Pittsburgh Courier
"Do you remember the last time a Black women or man ran for mayor, Allegheny County District Attorney or Sheriff? What kind of message are we sending our children or ourselves? It is my absolute conviction that Blacks across Allegheny County need a revival. We seem to have forgotten that period of time that we were introduced to the established facts that Black pride was an all important aspect of our lives and that definitely “Black is beautiful.”"
A hard-hitting assessment.  Read the whole thing -- one or two sentences doesn't capture it.

Dude, Where's My Bus? from the Pittsburgh City Paper
"A CMU-developed transit app will help riders find a ride and a seat."

Langley, Oliver to be Closed... More School Realignments from the New Pittsburgh Courier
"Two more high schools could be eliminated from the Pittsburgh Public School District if the board approves a proposal released by the district Aug. 4. Under the new realignment plan for the 2012-2013 school year, Oliver High School and Langley High School would be among seven schools eliminated through consolidation."

B-PEP Summit Seeks Youth Empowerment from the New Pittsburgh Courier
"Though most of the day was, like most educational forums, devoted to workshops, and spreading information, the Youth Empowerment Summit showed it was unlike typical forums by kicking off with a rally of music, dance and camaraderie that saw even weary motorists smiling and bopping their heads as they passed Freedom Corner in Pittsburgh’s Hill District."

Sota Planning New Apartment Complex for Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville Neighborhood from the Pittsburgh Business Times [Subscription wall]
"Ernie Sota is planning to redevelop a former office building into a 34-unit apartment project at the industrial edge of Lawrenceville, which is seeing new residential interest."

Third Civic Leadership Academy from The Bulletin [of Bloomfield, Garfield, etc.]
"Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced that applications are available for the City’s third Civic Leadership Academy (CLA), a free 10-week course designed to educate residents about local government in the City of Pittsburgh."

Brookings Institution Finds Pittsburgh Among Healthiest Metros from the Pittsburgh Business Times
"A new report from the Brookings Institution finds Pittsburgh among the nation's top 20 strongest-performing metropolitan areas."

Gradual Job Growth Expected in Next 2 Years from the Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"The six-county Pittsburgh region's jobless rate of 7.3 percent is expected to dip to 6 percent by the end of 2013, said Kurt Rankin, an economist with PNC Financial Services Group, Downtown. The region added 10,900 jobs this year, and PNC projects 40,000 will be created in the next two and a half years — if the nation avoids another recession, Rankin said."

Prevailing Wage Debate Goes On from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"A 50-year-old state law requires that "prevailing wages," sometimes called union wages, be paid to workers on all public construction projects, such as schools and office buildings ... He said that when Kansas repealed its prevailing wage law, "Wages dropped by 11 percent, worker training programs declined by 38 percent [and] job site injuries rose by 19 percent."

Natural-Gas Supply is a Sparkplug for State from the Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"Natural gas supplies are likely to increase because of shale formations such as the Barnett shale in Texas and the Marcellus, which is providing a special boost for Pennsylvania, analysts said. Industries such as steel and glass should benefit from having a cheap fuel source nearby. And there's talk of building processing plants that could boost petrochemical and plastic industries in the region."

Corbett Quietly Turning Off the Lights on Renewable Energy from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Quietly but systematically, the administration has all but shut down the state Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Energy and Technology Deployment -- the state's primary energy office -- and removed directors and reassigned staff in the Office of Energy Management in the Department of General Services and the Governor's Green Government Council. It has also forbidden state executive agencies from signing contracts that support clean energy supply."

New Hill House President Ready to Start from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Cheryl Hall-Russell, 51, was announced as the president and CEO of the social services organization, which serves a predominately African-American population, on Tuesday."
The New Pittsburgh Courier covers this story HERE.

Costs of Deflation: Will proposed charter-school changes leave districts flat? (Chris Young) from the Pittsburgh City Paper
"We're concerned about initiatives that take away local control of public education."