On today’s episode of The Confluence:
An arbitration panel voted to reinstate an officer to the Pittsburgh police
(0:00 - 7:49)
Pittsburgh Police Officer Aaron Fetty was fired on Sept. 27 after a Civil Court judge found that he had “committed the Act of sexual assault” against a colleague who has been identified in reporting on the matter as Officer X.
Since then, the Fraternal Order of Police filed a grievance seeking to reinstate Fetty, and an arbitration panel sided with the FOP, voting two to one that Fetty should be reinstated to his job with back pay.
“One of [the FOP’s] central arguments is that, hey, the city already punished Officer Fetty for the conduct alleged by suspending him for three days. And, you know, there's kind of a double jeopardy clause in the city's contract with the police: You can't punish someone twice for the same behavior,” explains Rich Lord, managing editor for Public Source. “So, firing him after having suspended him previously, according to the FOP, runs afoul of the contract.”
The city has appealed the ruling to Common Pleas Court, and the case will soon be assigned to a judge.
Food Donation Improvement Act will allow businesses to donate food that might otherwise be wasted
(7:48 - 15:07)
Last week, President Joe Biden signed a bill to improve food donations, which makes changes to regulations surrounding food donation. The new law expands liability protections for donors giving directly to people, gives jurisdiction of the act to the USDA to improve federal oversight, and expands liability protections for donors whose food gets processed and sold.
412 Food Rescue in Pittsburgh has been working to address the issue of food waste and reducing hunger through a network of volunteers, and supported this legislation.
“We live often in a litigious society, and donors are really worried that if something happens and somebody gets sick from food that they donate, that they'll be liable. This [bill] really protects them,” says Jennifer England, chief operating officer with 412 Food Rescue.
Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Wayne Walters looks ahead to student achievement
(15:22 - 22:30)
Wayne Walters is five months into his official role as Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent. Recently the school board approved his long-term goals of improving student achievement, safety measures, community engagement and equitable allocation of funds. 90.5 WESA’s Sarah Schneider spoke with Walters about more immediate issues the district is facing.
The Confluence, where the news comes together, is 90.5 WESA’s daily news program. Tune in Monday to Thursday at 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. to hear newsmakers and innovators take an in-depth look at stories important to the Pittsburgh region. Find more episodes of The Confluence here or wherever you get your podcasts.
