We started this catch-all column called ETC for quick-hit news to keep you in the know. Got a news tip? Email us.
Biden selects Dr. Rachel Levine for assistant secretary of health
President-elect Joe Biden has selected Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine to be his assistant secretary of health. She is set to become the first openly transgender federal official confirmed by the United States Senate. Levine joined Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration in January 2015.
The Industrialist Hotel coming to Downtown
Part of Marriott International’s Autograph Collection, The Industrialist Hotel is opening Downtown next month. The 124-room, boutique hotel will be housed in the historic Arrott Building at 405 Wood Street. The reimagined interior will reflect Pittsburgh’s heritage as a steel capital and will feature a DIY-workshop-meets-bar, a fitness center and a restaurant called The Rebel Room.
Giant Eagle supporting food pantries in honor of MLK
Through Jan. 20, Giant Eagle will direct funds raised through its Feeding America partnership to food pantries that serve predominately Black communities in the Pittsburgh area. Donations can be made at all Giant Eagle and Market District locations, added to curbside pickup and delivery orders and at GetGo sites. The company will match donations up to $250,000.
Comcast adding free Wi-Fi zones to help low-income families
In partnership with the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP), Comcast is adding free Wi-Fi coverage at community centers to help low-income families connect to the internet. The new Lift Zones will be located in safe spaces in HACP’s Arlington Heights, Bedford Dwellings, Northview Heights and Homewood North properties, community centers run by Gwen’s Girls in Clairton, Pittsburgh and Wilkinsburg, and at the Boys & Girls Clubs in Carnegie.
Navy to name future ship USS Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is headed to sea. The USS Pittsburgh will be among future vessels in the Navy’s fleet. The amphibious transport dock will be the fifth vessel since the Civil War to bear the city’s name. The fourth USS Pittsburgh, a submarine, served from December 1984 to August 2019.