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Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Welcome to Blogh

Posted By on Tue, Aug 14, 2012 at 8:33 AM

So, the other day we realized, "Hey ... the internet actually allows you to post multiple items during the course of a day." Which means all this time, we could have been giving you more reasons to log onto our website during the course of the day, when you really should be working.

Hence ... Blogh, your one-stop shop for City Paper's online content. Which we hope to be updating at least a little more often.

Our existing music, news, and arts blogs will all remain, and will continue to be updated. Material will be cross-posted here as well, but if you like your updates about Intelligent Dance Music to be untainted with political commentary -- or vice-versa -- you can still visit those blogs directly, using the navigation bar at the top of the page.

We'll start with our very first installment of "Heads Up," our morning wrap-up of worthwhile headlines.

Like all sentient human beings, you are no doubt awaiting the release of a Commonwealth Court decision on a legal challenge to the state's utterly bogus voter ID law. A ruling on the case is expected sometime this week; news of its release will be posted on the state court system's Twitter feed: @PACourts.

In the meantime, the Pennsylvania Department of State has launched a Facebook page and a Twitter account to keep you apprised of the new law. It's an effort at reaching out to younger voters especially -- and so far has FISTFULS of followers. Be advised that being a Facebook friend with the Department of state does not, under Pennsylvania law, constitute legitimate proof of voting eligibility.

Also in Voter ID news, the Thomas Merton Center has scheduled a "Just Say 'No' to PA Voter ID Laws" event this afternoon. Participants will call on Allegheny County Elections Panjandrum Mark Wolosik to "Just Say No to enforcing the new Voter ID law." Participants will gather at 12:45 p.m. outside the county courthouse Grant Street entrance. More details here.

What else to read while waiting for the Voter ID ruling?

Courtesy of our friends at PublicSource, we learn that Mayor Luke Ravenstahl "fails to file required diversity reports" ... and that for more than five years, everyone else failed to notice.

Apparently, Ravenstahl's appointments to various city boards and commissions have helped to diversify them -- at least in terms of gender and race. But he's failed to file reports documenting that change, as required by a 2006 law, and some information -- like the ZIP codes appointees hail from -- is still missing. Frankly, I'm shocked: A politician failing to disclose information that could make him look good? That's a linchpin of democracy!

... In other news, Penn State is being warned that its academic accreditation may be in jeopardy -- three guesses why. Post-Gazette columnist Tony Norman is disheartened by the outcome of the Jordan Miles civil trial. And Pittsburgh firefighters are suing the city for not paying them enough overtime.

My own lawsuit, demanding compensation for early-hours blog posting, is still pending.