Pittsburgh
The oil market that sets today’s gas prices was invented in western Pennsylvania
A historian traces how Oil City brokers, then John D. Rockefeller, then futures exchanges decided what the world pays for crude – and why no one entity does today.
2026 midterms could be the end of Pennsylvania’s split legislature, with effects on affordability, election reform, marijuana and more
Pennsylvania has a split legislature, and both chambers are up for grabs in the 2026 midterms.
Can development happen without displacement? Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood is a test case
A decade of research on Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood finds that major riverfront investment did not push out longtime residents.
Pennsylvania’s skill games are officially gambling – so should they be at every gas station?
Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court says skill games are gambling. As lawmakers rush to tax them, a CMU scholar says the debate skips a more fundamental question.
How libraries in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and other Pennsylvania communities evolved from subscription clubs to vital public institutions
The nation’s first successful circulating library was established almost 300 years ago by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania is suing TikTok over ‘addictive’ features – but that’s messier than it sounds
TikTok’s lawsuit fits a pattern – from cigarettes to opioids – of courts stepping in where lawmakers won’t.
Trust is a behavior, not a credential – and that explains the Rodgers‑Fauci divide
Viewing trust as behaviors, not feelings, can help explain why some heed Aaron Rodgers’ advice over Dr. Fauci’s – and what experts can do about it.
How new SNAP restrictions could hit Greater Pittsburgh’s food access and economy
Nearly 14,000 people in one Pittsburgh-area county could lose a benefit that’s long been considered one of the country’s most effective anti-poverty tools.
What Allegheny County’s new court‑ordered mental health treatment program can and can’t do
Allegheny County can now order treatment for people with serious mental illness. But what’s driving results – the order itself or the services behind it?
How a 22‑year‑old George Washington learned how to lead, from a series of mistakes in the Pennsylvania wilderness
Washington’s fundamental character as a military leader was forged in the Ohio River Valley, where he also inadvertently helped ignite the French and Indian War.