Laura Tsutsui

On today’s episode of The Confluence: A jury has found the person responsible for a shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in 2018 is eligible for the death penalty; and it has been more than five months since a Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio — we discuss railroad safety and policy changes on the horizon.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: We speak to Lt. Gov. Austin Davis about the delayed state budget, which has been stalled in the legislature, while Davis embarks on a tour of local initiatives to reduce gun violence and address the health of communities; and we speak to a child abuse prevention advocate about where things stand in expanding statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: The city hired an outside consultant to assess staffing among the Pittsburgh Police, we hear about the results of that study; the Children’s Museum turns 40 years old, and is celebrating it’s growth and impact; and a look at an investigation into whether new accountability measures at Penn State have tamped down misconduct.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: A dark money group has pressured state lawmakers to approve school vouchers, which has held up the budget after Gov. Josh Shapiro told Democrats he would line-item veto the program. Following the resignation of Rep. Sara Innamorato, we discuss the balance of power in the state House on our state politics roundtable.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: A new study looks at how doctors could prevent the over-prescribing of antibiotics for a common childhood illness, sinusitis; the small Pittsburgh suburb of Etna is leading the state with innovative protections for animals; and three exhibits currently showing in Pittsburgh investigate the dangers Black Americans have historically faced while driving across the U.S., and how they have endured.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: An Allegheny County Jail inmate died over the weekend while he was awaiting transfer to a state mental health facility; the oldest housing development in the city just received a federal grant to revitalize and develop the property; and the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania is calling for official recognition from the commonwealth.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: Pennsylvania Senate Republican leaders have decided not to appeal to the state Supreme Court a ruling that the state’s education funding system violates the state constitution. We ask a panel of education experts where the state’s school funding policies could go next.Today’s guests include: Ron Cowell, founder and senior fellow at the Education Policy and Leadership Center; Michael Griffith, senior researcher and policy analyst at the Learning Policy Institute; and Matthew Kelly, assistant professor of education at Pennsylvania State University.The Confluence, where the news comes together, is 90.5 WESA’s daily news program. For those who have enjoyed listening to the show, find more episodes of The Confluence here, or wherever you get your podcasts.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: There seems to be slight movement in the budget stalemate, with Senate Republican leaders indicating they might return in August instead of September; local Republicans have nominated Erin Connolly Autenreith to run for the 21st House District seat left vacant by the resignation of Sara Innamorato; and Point Park University’s Board of Trustees has appointed Chris Brussalis as the university’s ninth president.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: We speak to Sara Innamorato, the Democratic nominee running for Allegheny County Executive; and we revisit the author of “100 Things to Do in Pittsburgh Before You Die” for an update three years since the pandemic.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: We speak with Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey about the latest in his Plan for Peace, his administration’s new Office of Equal Protection, and his thoughts about the now-public staffing study of the city’s police force.