Over the course of our nearly four month summer break, many of you likely returned home to areas far outside of Pittsburgh. Because of that, you might have missed some important news about the city while you were gone. Here are six of the biggest stories from this summer:
Pittsburgh Regional Transit unveils completed Downtown ‘PRTX’ stations as part of University Line project
Five new bus stations, which reroute major lines to Oakland and the East and West Busways, were unveiled by Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) on Saturday, July 27.
The stations are part of PRT’s bus route overhaul they say will streamline transport between Pittsburgh’s major universities, coined the University Line.
Market Square, Wood Street, the U.S. Steel Tower Plaza, the William Penn Building and Ross Street all got new stations.
Routes 61A (Braddock), 61B (Braddock-Swissvale), 61C (McKeesport), 71B (Highland Park), G2 (West Busway) and P1 (East Busway) were all rerouted to serve the new stations.
More PRTX stations are planned for Uptown and Oakland.
UPMC cuts gender-affirming care for patients under 19
Regional healthcare giant UPMC announced that June 30 would be the last day for gender-affirming care options for patients under the age of 19.
The move followed a Supreme Court decision on June 18, where it ruled 6-3 to uphold Tennessee’s ban on puberty blockers and hormone treatments.
As a result of the ruling, President Donald Trump’s executive rollbacks opposing transgender healthcare can now be legally enforced.
UPMC began cancelling surgeries for gender-related care in late March, shortly after Trump’s inauguration.
Many advocates argue the cuts choke Western Pennsylvania’s ever-dwindling supply of gender-affirming care options even harder.
Economic impact survey lists Point Park as generating over $200 million annually
A Point Park-commissioned study estimated the university’s regional economic impact at roughly $236 million, with an approximate 3,270 jobs created by the school.
The study was completed by Fourth Economy, a national consulting firm. It includes financial impacts of university projects and maintenance, jobs created within and outside of the university and operating costs.
A press release on the study also notes tourism as another potential economic generator.
It estimates that university activities like campus visits, COPA shows and sports games bring in roughly 80,000 out-of-towners annually.
The study also predicts that this impact will double, hitting about $486 million annually and 4,370 total jobs by 2033 — the school’s centennial anniversary.
President Chris Brussalis appointed to PRT board
Point Park President Chris Brussalis was appointed to PRT’s board on May 22, 2025 by PA House Rep. Jesse Topperin (R), according to a PRT press release.
Brussalis will serve a four-year term and replaces former PA House Rep. Lori Mizgorski (R). On the board, he is a member of the Planning and Stakeholder Relations Committee and the technology Committee, according to PRT’s website.
This appointment marks Brussalis’s sixth cumulative position on an advisory board.
He also currently serves on the boards of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, American Society for Competitiveness, Leadership Pittsburgh and the Live like Lou Foundation, which he chairs.
Two wounded in Cultural District shooting Downtown
A man and a woman were injured in a shooting on August 1 in the Cultural District after Pittsburgh police say Jaraye McLaughlin, 28, of Monroeville opened fire at them.
The man appeared to have been initially confronted by McLaughlin, then shot. Afterwards, McLaughlin fired into a nearby crowd, injuring the woman.
The shooting was unusual, especially for the Cultural District; that area, and Downtown by extension, usually reports minimal violent crime incidents compared to other areas of Pittsburgh.
O’Connor, Moreno win respective primaries for Pittsburgh mayor
Both County Controller Corey O’Connor and Tony Moreno, a former Republican nominee for Pittsburgh’s mayor, won their respective mayoral primaries for this year’s election.
County Controller Corey O’Connor beat incumbent Mayor Ed Gainey in the Democratic primary with a vote share of 52%.
Tony Moreno beat Thomas West, a businessman from Highland Park, with a vote of 61%, securing the Republican nominee.
Both will face off in November for this year’s election.
O’Connor is likely to secure the job of mayor; Democratic party registration beat Republicans’ by over 25%, and Pittsburgh hasn’t had a Republican mayor since the 1930s.
