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The Confluence

In-Person Visits Resumed This Week At Five State Prison Facilities

By Laura Tsutsui,

Kevin Gavin, Marylee Williams, Julia Zenkevich

Published May 27, 2021 at 9:20 AM EDT

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On today’s program: Pennsylvania Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel explains how the department is bringing back in-person visits at state prisons, and the preventative measures in place to reduce COVID-19 outbreaks; the participant in a breakthrough study explains how he can "feel" some sensations through his robotic arm; and a new program is helping people earn more based on their skills, and not just education.

The Confluence

Laura Tsutsui

See stories by Laura Tsutsui

Kevin Gavin

See stories by Kevin Gavin

Marylee Williams

See stories by Marylee Williams

Julia Zenkevich

Julia Zenkevich reports on Allegheny County government for 90.5 WESA. She first joined the station as a production assistant on The Confluence, and more recently served as a fill-in producer for The Confluence and Morning Edition. She’s a life-long Pittsburgher, and attended the University of Pittsburgh. She can be reached at jzenkevich@wesa.fm.

See stories by Julia Zenkevich

Arts, Sports & Culture

Slag structures, Downtown chandeliers, and the art of the Sixteenth Street Bridge

Katie Blackley

Pittsburgh is a beautiful city for many reasons, and that’s what we’re going to explore in episode six. From the reuse of industrial waste and slag structure public art, to the number of crystals in two of downtown’s most beautiful theaters, we’ll highlight the creativity of this region. And, we’ll answer the question: Why are the large globe structures on the Sixteenth Street Bridge different colors? (The Good Question! Podcast is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and CASTUS.)
Arts, Sports & Culture

Remember the Pennsylvania Canal, Lock and Dam No. 1, and paddle to Brunot Island

Katie Blackley

On this episode, we take to the water! Many listeners were curious about the history of the Pennsylvania Canal, which included aqueducts and inclines and mules and was an early way to transport goods in the region. We figure out why there’s no “Lock and Dam No. 1” on the Allegheny River (there used to be!). We’ll paddle to Brunot Island with WESA’s Chris Potter for a history lesson on the land, including its past as a race track. (The Good Question! Podcast is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and CASTUS.)
Development & Transportation

Making the Pennsylvania Turnpike, carp fishing in the East End, and Skybus

Katie Blackley

Let’s take a ride! Be it on the Pennsylvania Turnpike (“America’s First Super Highway,” and a model for the national interstate highway system), the massive Brilliant Viaduct over Washington Boulevard, or Skybus (futuristic transit system that never took off), we’ll explore all the different ways to get around Pittsburgh past and present. (The Good Question! Podcast is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and CASTUS.)
Arts, Sports & Culture

How Pittsburgh got 90 neighborhoods, Mt. Oliver’s independence, and Downtown lions

Katie Blackley

Our third episode revisits stories about why Pittsburgh looks the way it does. It goes into why we have 90 distinct neighborhoods, and talks about annexation (or a lack thereof in Mt. Oliver borough’s case). Plus, we look at a fun architectural feature on one of our most historic downtown streets. (The Good Question! Podcast is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.)
Arts, Sports & Culture

‘Run’ roads, the county belt system, and all about inclines

Katie Blackley

Many of our questions come from listeners who are driving and start to notice unusual signs or names. We touch on why many roads have the word “run” in them, as well as the colorful belt system that tried to help drivers navigate Allegheny County. And, of course, a history of our storied inclines (there are two now, but there used to be many more). (The Good Question! Podcast is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.)