March 6, 2024 - Pittsburgh City Paper

COLIN WILLIAMS

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UNDER THE MATTRESS

A union push. A 9-1-1 call. “Barbenheimer.” The Mattress Factory is once again in the hot seat for employee complaints about safety and compensation.

BY COLIN WILLIAMS // CWILLIAMS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

In 2023, the Mattress Factory focused heavily on waste. The museum’s Garden Party last June was trash-themed . An installation made of accumulated Mattress Factory detritus made a successful run through December interrogating sustainability. Other installations similarly used upcycled materials to evoke “the risk of failure” and the struggles of everyday life faced by part-time artists.

As the museum made refuse its artistic focus, a different sort of accumulation and disposal was going on behind the scenes — five years on from employee allegations of sexual assault and an administrative

coverup, Mattress Factory workers were raising new concerns about safety, pay, and ethics. This culminated in a failed union drive, at least five confirmed firings plus additional turnover, the outsourcing of previously in-house roles, and even a 9-1-1 call.

Though many of the incidents at the center of this story happened last fall, now-former employees say the financial challenges of losing work persist to the present day. In at least one case, a dismissed staff member says they are facing eviction. The museum, meanwhile, has changed its staffing model and updated its brand.

THE MUSEUM COLLECTS ITSELF

Morale was slow to recover after the museum’s 2018 scandal, former employees say. According to those Pittsburgh City Paper spoke to, lingering unease from those allegations, overwork, and limited opportunities for advancement sowed seeds of discontent that sprouted early in 2023, when frontline staff at the Mattress Factory began to investigate the possibility of unionizing with a major local organizer.

“We had a really special group of people,” former employee Taylor* tells City Paper (Taylor, like others in this story, requested anonymity to discuss their experiences while pursuing new employment opportunities). Taylor says the staff was creative, inclusive, and held disproportionately LGBTQ, BIPOC, and disabled identities compared to the museum’s leadership.

“We all, also, had experienced trauma outside of working at Mattress Factory, which is why I think there was such a push for unionization,” Taylor says. “We were like, ‘We don’t want other people who could be in this situation to be being traumatized by their workplace.’”

In March, the museum opened an exhibition by Lenka Clayton and Phillip Andrew Lewis called The Museum Collects Itself . The installation was a striking one — its main precept was that Mattress Factory staff would gather waste from art prep and handling, including offcut

wood, scrap cardstock, plastic film, and bubblewrap, and collect it in the museum’s Monterey Annex.

“We designed the system for the museum to carry out, describing the central concept of the work — a concept that the museum was completely on board with,” Clayton and Lewis told CP via email. The pair says they “had positive experiences all around” with museum staff and management. Mattress Factory executive director David Oresick likewise says, “We believed [ The Museum Collects Itself], then and now, was an innovative and important installation.”

“WHILE WORKING AT THE MUSEUM, THE VEAS WERE TEACHING EACH OTHER TO APPLY FOR FOOD STAMPS.”

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON Mattress Factory museum on the North Side

The work as described on the Mattress Factory website was designed to collect “10-months [sic] of trash” in “an ever-evolving accumulation, forming piles into dunes, dunes into hills, slowly filling the space.”

For Taylor, who says the museum “[did]n’t really want a system,” this was precisely the problem. “There were health concerns because they were like, ‘Yeah, we’re gonna put glass in there.’ And they weren’t thoughtful about where they were gonna put

“The only thing that I can say that is a kind word about that installation is it really truly highlights the absurdities of capitalism,” Taylor continues. “We were being paid $13 an hour to sort through trash for these people who were not putting in labor.”

While the piece provided commentary on sustainability, former employee Sam* says it sparked safety concerns and reminded some employees of bad past experiences with homelessness. Sam says when staff raised these concerns to Oresick and museum brass, “we kind of sensed we became, like, ‘problem children’ for our managers and the director.”

Clayton and Lewis say they were unaware of these issues and characterize the work’s process differently. “From the start … we determined that any waste deemed unsafe would not be part of the work,” they said in their “The piece was constantly monitored for stability and safety by the museum staff. We observed that the museum took careful measures to make sure the environment

Oresick likewise says there were procedures in place to ensure employee safety. “We’ll work with any employee who does not want

to engage with an exhibit as much as possible,” he tells CP . “Both the safety and quality of that exhibit are reflected in the more than 40,000 Mattress Factory visitors who took the opportunity to experience it.”

Meanwhile, frontline staff sought broader union buy-in from nonmanagerial employees. Former staff interviewed for this story say that, at some point in the spring, someone took that news of the union effort to museum directors.

Michael Gibson was the Mattress Factory’s marketing director until late July 2023. As an administrator, Gibson would’ve been ineligible for union representation, but he says he was broadly supportive of the efforts and sympathetic to staff including visitor experience associates (VEAs), who were paid hourly wages and often worked inconsistent, parttime schedules.

“The wages at the bottom were $12 an hour,” Gibson tells CP. He says part-time staff could sign up for the museum’s health insurance policy but had to pay for it out of pocket.

“While working at the museum, the VEAs were teaching each other to apply for food stamps,” he says.

Staff concerns had been mounting around issues including pay, scheduling, and the potential hazards of The Museum Collects Itself when one former VEA says a museumgoer assaulted them on Mattress Factory grounds.

“That kind of got brushed under the rug by the executive director,” Sam tells CP . Former staffers say this incident and administration’s perceived lack of concern created more urgency around the policy changes they hoped a union would make possible.

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON

Michael Gibson, former marketing director for Mattress Factory, talks to his dog, Faolin.

While this was happening, Gibson was struggling to bounce back from a monthslong medical leave, during which he says he was still working “pretty much every day.”

The museum, meanwhile, brought in a union-busting law firm, Gibson says. (Oresick tells CP that “in 2023, we made it clear to all staff that decisions on collective bargaining are up to each employee. Then and now, we have had no contact with any representatives of organized labor.”) The museum also contracted with Outmark , a marketing outsourcing firm, to “streamline” communications around this time. Gibson says he believes this firm continues to work with the museum to create marketing materials. According to the museum’s staff page, the Mattress Factory currently has a marketing project manager but no longer employs someone with Gibson’s former title.

BARBIES, BLOW-UPS, AND BETRAYAL

Like other arts marketers around the country, Gibson sought a boost on social media by riffing on the dueling blockbusters of Barbie and Oppenheimer, in this case using Sarah Oppenheimer’s convenient surname and permanent installation, 611-3556 CP was able to view the since-deleted post, which encouraged visitors to treat a post-movie visit to 611-3556 as a “double feature.”

“Here was my reasoning: it’s timely, it’s engaging, we’re seeing a lot of people interested in it. It directly talks to one of our pieces … Sarah [Oppenheimer] talked about being a film director. It all really fits,” Gibson recalls explaining.

Gibson says Oresick wasn’t amused by the post in spite of the engagement it fostered and requested that it be taken down. In response, Gibson says he shared “like 15 links” to other museums’ posts tied to Barbenheimer.

“THE LAST FEW MONTHS [I WORKED AT THE MUSEUM] CONSISTED OF A LOT OF DISTANCING BETWEEN THE FRONT OF HOUSE AND BACK OF HOUSE.”

With distrust mounting, trash accumulating, and the museum’s leadership preparing for a major brand overhaul, it was, of all things, a summer social media post about “Barbenheimer” that set the scene for a string of dismissals and recrimination.

“I said, ‘with that additional context, if you still want me to take it down, I will; just let me know.’” Oresick maintained the post was “inappropriate,” according to Gibson, who then removed it. He says the atmosphere at the museum had begun to change and describes a “culture of secretiveness.” Gibson, who says he still felt “underwater” and was “catching up” following his medical leave, reached out to discuss the situation with the museum’s parttime human resources representative, Fatima Bunafoor. Bunafoor, in a unique arrangement, worked for the museum and three other Pittsburgh arts nonprofits simultaneously. CP was unable to reach her for comment by press time. Though it seems Bunafoor is no longer with the museum, Oresick says the

Mozart Management

Mattress Factory “provide[s] human resources support through a dedicated full-time staff member and a highly-regarded firm.”

When called in for a meeting with Oresick two days later, Gibson says he was presented with a performance improvement plan that contained “inaccurate information.”

If he refused to sign and thereby endorse its contents, Gibson says he was told, he would be let go — which is what ultimately happened. Oresick declined to address this incident or any other personnel matters at the museum, citing sensitivity and privacy.

Meanwhile, frontline staff say they began to feel the pressure. Former employee Tracy* says staff was “frustrated” with “disorganization” and “mismanagement” and felt unable to voice concerns without blowback.

“The last few months [I worked at the museum] consisted of a lot of distancing between the front of house and back of house,” Tracy tells CP.

Former employees also say they were frustrated that wages remained stagnant during the museum’s rebrand, which they say cost approximately $250,000, and that the Garden Party windfall had not trickled down to VEAs and other hourly workers.

“Staff wasn’t getting paid a living wage … yet there always was money in the budget to buy birthday cakes each month for whomever had a birthday that month on the staff, or to throw pizza parties every other week,” Tracy says. “While all this was going on, we never had an in-house HR person that was readily present or available to help.”

Another dismissal came during a tense meeting later in the fall. While CP is not divulging all reported details to protect our sources, all former employees familiar with the situation allege that the precipitating incident was late arrival at work by

between five and fifteen minutes. The meeting went poorly and eventually made its way to the popular Twitter account Pittsburgh Scanner after Mattress Factory director of operations Mallory Locante called police.

Though the tweet alleged the distressed employee “threaten[ed] to beat up the entire building,” multiple former employees say this was not true, and CP was able to independently verify that — although the incident was highly unpleasant — this employee did not threaten other staff with physical violence.

( CP additionally sent a public records request to the City of Pittsburgh for any records related to this incident. The city responded on Feb. 29 that it was denying the request as it was “not in possession of the requested records”.)

“HONESTLY, WORKING AT MATTRESS FACTORY WAS GOOD PREPARATION FOR BEING UNEMPLOYED.”

This particular firing proved to be a tipping point for frontline workers. Sam says a manager raised their voice to employees during a meeting in the days after the 9-1-1 call, and when Sam raised concerns, those complaints made their way up the chain. “I was like, ‘Oh, Jesus, okay, I’m probably next,’” Sam says.

Sam was dismissed.

“ Three days later, another friend of mine and coworker [got] let go,”

Sam tells CP . “There were a couple others who were just very intimidated … and they just left, so that really reduced a lot of numbers and a lot of hope for the union.”

At least one former Mattress Factory staff member was apparently fired by phone from a new HR person based in Ohio on their day off. Morale plummeted. Tracy alleges that museum leadership perceived many of the dismissed workers as “ringleaders” of the nascent union effort.

“Their efforts to make progress towards visitor safety policy change and help make other changes were usually met with contradictory actions on the management’s behalf,” Tracy says. Tracy describes the mentality among managers as “keep quiet and do your job or leave.”

Oresick defends the museum’s

employment practices. “We have policies, procedures, and a process that meet or exceed all state and federal guidelines to accommodate employees with disabilities, and we follow those policies,” he tells CP.

He says the museum has robust policies in place to deal with inappropriate behavior and discrimination, as well. “We want employees to alert us immediately to any concerns, and we will respond, investigate, and take appropriate action,” he says. “All staff members receive annual training on these issues, with managers receiving additional training. We have a whistleblower policy and a confidential email to report HR issues.

“It’s this simple,” he says. “We will not tolerate harassment of any kind in our museum.”

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON Michael Gibson, former marketing director for Mattress Factory, poses for a portrait.

THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE

Taylor says being fired led right back to the circumstances that made The Museum Collects Itself and parttime work distressing — namely, housing insecurity and a mounting sense of powerlessness after being cast aside.

“Honestly, working at Mattress Factory was good preparation for being unemployed,” Taylor tells CP

Taylor is not alone. Though some former workers have since been able to access state unemployment benefits, others have not. Gibson says the plight of former museum workers has, in some cases, become acute, with dismissed employees struggling to find jobs, obtain food, or maintain their housing or utilities.

“The VEAs, they’re not in a super awesome financial position, but I’ve been helping them pay for groceries, I’ve commissioned art from them and pushed their [artwork],” Gibson, who has found another position, says. “One of them asked if they could live in my basement.”

Gibson says about half of those who were fired or quit — seven or eight in all by his estimation — are still looking for a job. Part of the issue, he says, is that the Mattress Factory has fought some former employees’ unemployment claims, which has exacerbated their financial difficulties. Gibson and others interviewed for this story allege that the museum used claims of “insubordination” to exclude some employees from postemployment compensation.

“That’s the salt in the wound,” Gibson says. “Why fight our unemployment? Just move on!”

Tracy says the personnel issues “affected me greatly” in terms of

finances and mental health and is still looking for steady work. Sam and Taylor are likewise still in the process of seeking new roles. In spite of all of this, some former staff members wish the best for the institution and are hopeful that future employees can negotiate for improvements.

“I, above all else, just want fair and equal treatment and consideration for the current and future staff of Mattress Factory … and that they are paid a fair, living wage,” Tracy says, capturing sentiments other former employees shared with CP . “In another world … I would love it if I could even return to continue the job and be around people that cared for [the museum].”

Oresick says staff is critical to the institution’s mission. “The art made at Mattress Factory reflects our employees’ dedication, talent, and enthusiasm for this work,” he tells CP. “Without them, this work cannot happen, and our employees’ welfare and wellbeing are paramount.”

Employees on and off the record say the museum — in spite of its turbulent recent years — is an invaluable part of Pittsburgh’s art landscape. Gibson, for one, says he harbors no ill will toward the museum and hopes that speaking up brings positive changes to the Mattress Factory. “When I saw the broader scope and the issues and targeting of teammates that couldn’t defend themselves, I had to be there for them,” he tells CP. “At its heart, that’s the mission of the museum: to stand up for independent artists in the region.”

“I’m hurt, I’m angry, and I’m a little scared, but I would walk into traffic for that museum still.” •

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“AT-RISK HOURS”

Activists and community members say a lack of programming in Northview Heights drives kids to delinquency

BY JAMES PAUL // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

It was the first warm day off the shoulder of Pittsburgh’s deep winter, and the kids of Northview Heights trickled out of their houses to play outside. Olivia Bennett said a quiet prayer.

“Please don’t have any shootings,” Bennett, a Northview Heights resident, recalls thinking. “It tends to happen when it gets warm out because you have people congregating, [there’s] not too much for them to do, so, eventually, there might not be a good ending.”

Northview Heights, an insular

455-unit public housing development on Pittsburgh's North Side circled by underdeveloped fields and the barely audible hum of the nearby highway, is notably sparse. In terms of youth recreational facilities options are split between the recently reopened gym, a playground, two baseball fields, a basketball court, and a horseshoe pit.

Community residents and organizers say a lack of resources in Northview Heights leaves juveniles with little to do, driving them to engage in acts of delinquency.

According to Russell Carlino,

the chief probation officer at the Allegheny County Juvenile Probation Department, 4% of juveniles in Northview Heights have active involvement with the county court system.

Carlino says Allegheny County uses a risk assessment tool to gauge which kids are more likely to commit crimes based on several factors. Among these are juveniles with unstructured leisure time when they’re not at school or work.

Bennett, who served on the county council from 2020 - 2023, says a lack of federal and local government

funding leaves Northview Heights’ programming budgets hollow. Put simply, she says, “There’s really nothing for these kids to do.”

“We don’t have enough to occupy our children, and we wonder why they’re getting into trouble and entering the carceral system,” Bennett says.

Northview Heights is one of several public housing projects in Pittsburgh. The federal government funds development, which includes construction and maintenance, while programming available to residents is an additional

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON Students get off the bus in Northview Heights on Feb. 12, 2024.

patchwork of local grants and private donations, according to Michelle Sandidge, the chief community affairs officer of the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh.

Among the programs available to juveniles is YouthPlaces, a nonprofit after-school provider.

Cynthia James, the president and CEO of YouthPlaces, says the organization aims to fill the idle “at-risk hours” between 3 and 8 p.m. — after school and before bedtime — with enriching opportunities for personal development.

“Kids who grew up in those environments often need to look to outside, external sources for a variety of things,” James says. “And so walking from school to home, they could become enamored with an environment that is not necessarily beneficial to their overall futures.”

Heights, says a principal aim of the organization is to give teenagers in Northview Heights — often from scattered households — positive male role models to steer them to brighter futures.

“A lot of the ‘role models,’ if you will, and I say that with quotes, were those older or younger adults that were involved in street activity,” White says, reflecting on his time in Northview Heights. “So those teenagers and those who don’t have a positive role model are looking at those young adults for guidance.”

Sandidge notes programming like YouthPlaces is available to juveniles who wish to participate, but that Northview Heights’ budget is stretched thin.

To adequately meet the needs of the juveniles in Northview Heights and tackle the high rate of court

“WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH TO OCCUPY OUR CHILDREN, AND WE WONDER WHY HEY’RE GETTING INTO TROUBLE AND ENTERING THE CARCERAL SYSTEM.”

system involvement would require increased contributions from the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and the private and public sectors, Sandidge says.

“I wish anybody would do more,” Sandidge says. “If other people’s money would be infused in [city and county] grants and whatnot, I think that’s the best way we can solve this.”

As the weather gets warmer and Pittsburgh Public Schools’ summer break approaches, Bennett says she’s getting nervous. She says she’ll play kickball or double dutch out front of her house and invite kids to join her — if only to give them something to do that precludes criminal activity.

White, who grew up in Northview

“Even little boys will be like, ‘We want to jump.’ That’s how much there’s nothing to do,” Bennett says. “The boys want to learn how to jump rope because at least there’s some interaction, and somebody’s doing something with them.” •

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON

Crossing guard Joyce Robinson directs traffic as kids get off the school bus in Northview Heights on Feb. 12, 2024.

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON

Former Allegheny County councilwoman Liv Bennett stands outside of her home in Northview Heights.

LET THEM COOK

An underutilized hospital kitchen has found new life as an incubator space for Pittsburgh chefs from marginalized backgrounds.

BY MEG ST-ESPIRIT

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON Terina J. Hicks of Cobbler World is using Catapult's kitchen to prepare baked goods to be used in Millie's Homemade Ice Cream.

At Allegheny General Hospital’s suburban campus , an ordinary loading dock has become a hub of activity. Carts full of restaurant staples and banquet supplies are loaded into the building — but none of it is for patients. The Bellevue hospital ceased all inpatient services in 2010. While there are still medical offices on site, that shift meant the large commercial kitchen sat mostly unused for a decade — until Catapult Greater Pittsburgh discovered it and launched a culinary accelerator program in 2021. “It certainly needed a deep clean,” says Lachelle Bell, Director of Entrepreneurship for Catapult Culinary. “But it’s a great space. Access to commercial kitchen space is the biggest barrier for chefs,” she adds. The spacious and well-appointed kitchen entered its next act.

That inaugural group of 15 foodbased business owners completed a year of entrepreneur classes, followed by a year of free commercial kitchen usage and continued guidance. All 15 businesses were owned by people of color, and 10 were woman-owned.

“Catapult Culinary was born when we understood that the pandemic was going to negatively impact foodbased business in a way that many of us had never seen in our lifetime,” Tammy Thompson, Founding Executive Director of Catapult Greater Pittsburgh, tells Pittsburgh City Paper in an email. “We knew that there were ‘underground’ foodbased businesses, operating with no health department certifications or business structure and although they were earning revenue they weren’t building sustainable businesses.”

As members of Catapult Culinary,

participating chefs receive extensive training on how to run their businesses — which involves more than just being a great cook. From creating a business entity to understanding Pennsylvania food safety regulations, cohort members have access to hands-on guidance every step of the way.

“They take courses on everything from marketing and branding to accounting, human relations law, operations, and more,” adds Bell. “We even have a session on balancing the stresses of entrepreneurship with daily life that we bring in a licensed therapist to lead.”

Eric White, owner of Pittsburgh Dumplingz, was a part of that initial cohort. Today, he and his business manager, Amber Slaughter, mix filling and stuff dumplings in a familiar cadence while chatting with fellow Catapult members. White continues to run his business from the kitchen — which participants can do at a discounted rate after they complete the initial program.

“I realized I needed to put my business first,” he says. Other work within the service industry prevented him from chasing his dream, but Catapult gave him the skills to grow his own business. White now cooks regularly for breweries, farmers markets, and festivals across the city. He also sells dumplings wholesale, both to consumers and local restaurants. He’s always been a great chef, but he says the business skills he learned made his business sustainable.

Marge Matyi-Fekete, a member of the second cohort, says Catapult Culinary allowed her to tackle an idea she had for years. Her business, Soup de Ville, is based on recipes she’s spent years perfecting. Today, she’s dropping dumplings into a

spinach-roasted garlic soup and passing out bowls. Her colleagues hype her up — the vibe is consistently collaborative in the shared kitchen space. “I wouldn’t be doing this business without Catapult. The tips and tricks they’ve passed on, they’re invaluable.”

Matyi-Fekete says kitchen manager Nissa’a Stallworth recently helped her learn how to post to Instagram, a necessary marketing skill for today’s small businesses. “You don’t know what you don’t know,” she says.

Behind Matyi-Fekete, chef Sharday McGee of Bouji Bites works at a commercial range — passing out crab cakes for a taste test. “I just began in November, but I’ve already learned so much.” she says. Terina J. Hicks, owner of CobblerWorld, nods in agreement from a prep table where she’s dividing warm cornbread onto

plates. Adding a drizzle of honey to each square before passing it around, Hicks says she had been trying to grow her business for a decade before discovering Catapult. “I was one of the test dummies in the initial cohort,” she laughs. Now with a storefront on Penn Avenue and commercial partnerships with both Giant Eagle and Millie’s Ice Cream, she’s finally seeing the growth she’s been chasing.

Hicks, who has a Master’s degree in entrepreneurial management from Carnegie Mellon University, says the education she received from Catapult has been every bit as valuable.

That is the goal, says Bell. “One of the things that works for us is the smaller cohort size and attention that our members get as they go and grow through the program.” Keeping the cohorts small was intentional, she says. “We love that each participant becomes part of the Catapult family.”

While they intend to keep cohorts small, which means there is a waitlist to apply right now, the team says the program is continuing to grow in other ways. A new gathering space called The Celebration Hall of Larimer will provide more opportunity to help small food-based businesses grow in the region while serving as a much needed gathering and event space in the East End.

“My work at Catapult has taught me that you shouldn’t have to choose between giving a man a fish and teaching him to fish,” says Bell.

She says they’ve chosen, instead, to do both. “When you do both, you are breaking the barriers that stand in the way of systematically disenfranchised communities and teaching them what to do once those barriers are broken, thus allowing them to take the path of generational wealthbuilding. It’s very inspiring.” .

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON Terina J. Hicks (center) talks to Lachelle Bell (right) and Marge Matyi-Fekete at Catapult's incubator kitchen located inside Allegheny General Hospital in Bellevue.

THU., MARCH 7

THEATER • DOWNTOWN

Pittsburgh Musical Theater presents Grease.

7:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., March 17. Byham Theater. 101 Sixth St., Downtown $19.50-56.50. culturaldistrict.org

MUSIC • LAWRENCEVILLE

Ma’am with Big Girl, Tetchy, and Tony From Bowling. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Spirit. 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. $17 in advance, $20 at the door. spiritpgh.com

FRI., MARCH 8

CONVENTION • DOWNTOWN

Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Continues through Sun., March 17. David L. Lawrence Convention Center. 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Downtown. $4-12, free for kids under 6. pghhome.com/phgs

FILM • DOWNTOWN

Transitioning from child to adult star can be tough — ask any talent brought up on the Disney Channel. Mia McKenna-Bruce, a British actor known for her work on kids shows,

managed this feat as the lead of How To Have Sex. The debut feature from Molly Manning Walker became a Cannes Film Festival winner with the coming-of-age story about three teens who embark on a hard-partying holiday in Greece. See it at the Harris Theater 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Continues through Thu., March 21. 809 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $9-11. trustarts.org

ART • NORTH SIDE

Opening: Marvin Touré, Isla Hansen, Catalina Schliebener Muñoz 6-8 p.m. Mattress Factory. 1414 Monterey St., North Side. Free. Registration required. mattress.org

MUSIC • UPTOWN

Lauren Daigle with Blessing Offer 7 p.m. PPG Paints Arena. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. Tickets start at $14. ppgpaintsarena.com

MUSIC • SOUTH SIDE

Hannah Wicklund with The Regal Sweet 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Club Cafe. 56-58 South 12th St., South Side. $20. ticketweb.com

FILM • HOMESTEAD

Pittsburgh Sound + Image and Tara Merenda Nelson present films by Luther Price 8-10 p.m. Eberle Studios. 229 East Ninth Ave., Homestead. $10. pghsoundandimage.com

FILM • LAWRENCEVILLE

Cult-O-Rama: Alien Takeover with Plan 9 from Outer Space and Killer Klowns from Outer Space 9 p.m. Row House Cinema. 4115 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $16. rowhousecinemas.com

SAT., MARCH 9

ART/FESTIVAL • SHARPSBURG

Pittsburgh Collage Collective presents Collage-a-Palooza 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Roots of Faith. 800 Main St., Sharpsburg. $20. Registration required. instagram.com/pghcollagecollective

MUSIC • DORMONT

The Government Center officially expands to Dormont with the grand opening of The Outpost. The day-long celebration features live music by local acts, a sidewalk sale, food, and more. See performances by Mento Fellini, 1000z of Beez, Lem, Rex Tycoon, and Tory Silver, bop to music spun by various DJs, or shop for some new vinyl. Help welcome this new addition to a Pittsburgh-area borough. 11 a.m. 1511 Potomac Ave., Dormont. Free. thegovernmentcenter.com

ART • LAWRENCEVILLE

Opening Reception: Associated Artists of Pittsburgh Featured Artists Exhibition 4-7 p.m. Continues through May 17. Associated Artists of Pittsburgh Exhibition Space. 100 43rd St. Unit 107, Lawrenceville. Free. aapgh.org

MUSIC/FILM • DOWNTOWN

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra presents The Princess Bride in Concert 7 p.m. Heinz Hall. 600 Penn Ave., Downtown. $35-120. pittsburghsymphony.org

MUSIC • MUNHALL

Taylor Dayne: The Love Me Tour 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall. 510 E. 10th Ave., Munhall. $49.75-79.75. librarymusichall.com

PARTY • ALLENTOWN

Get more than gym, tan, and laundry when Bottlerocket Social Hall presents a dance party inspired by one of MTV’s most popular reality shows. Spring Break at the Jersey Shore welcomes guests to get down like

PHOTO: COURTESY OF SPIRIT Ma’am at Spirit

Snooki, JWoww, Pauly D, and the rest of the gang during a night that promises fistpumping techno by DJ Senseishun. Break out your Bumpit and bronzer for this big event. 9 p.m. Bottlerocket Social Hall. 1226 Arlington Ave., Allentown. $10. bottlerocketpgh.com

SUN., MARCH 10

MUSIC • STRIP DISTRICT

Tank And The Bangas: Think Tank 10-Year Anniversary Show. 7:30 p.m. Doors at 6 p.m. City Winery. 1627 Smallman St., Strip District. $30-45. citywinery.com

MON., MARCH 11

LASER SHOW • NORTH SIDE

Laser Galactic Odyssey at Buhl Planetarium 2 p.m. Science Center. One Allegheny Ave., North Side. $6-7. carnegiesciencecenter.org

TUE., MARCH 12

MUSIC • NEW KENSINGTON

The Decibel Magazine Tour with Hulder, Devil Master, Worm, and Necrofier 6 p.m. Preserving Underground. 1101 Fifth Ave., New Kensington. $25. preservingconcerts.com

WED., MARCH 13

MUSIC • GARFIELD

Hotline TNT with BIB and Speed Plans. 7 p.m.

Mr. Roboto Project. 5106 Penn Ave., Garfield. $15 in advance, $18 at the door. therobotoproject.com

MUSIC • NORTH SIDE

Sound Series: Mary Timony with youbet. 8 p.m.

Doors at 7:30 p.m. The Andy Warhol Museum. 117 Sandusky St., North Side. $20-25. warhol.org

PUBLIC AUCTION

MARKET PLACE

HELP WANTED TECHNOLOGY

Philips RS North America

LLC (formerly Respironics, Inc.) is accepting resumes for the position of Senior Product Quality Engineer/ Risk Manager in Pittsburgh, PA (Ref. #BENB). Ensure the safety/compliance of products and services and their compliance to all applicable safety/compliance laws, standards, and regulations, before product launch and during the full product lifecycle. Telecommuting permitted. Mail resume to Philips North America LLC, Legal Department, Barbara Bickford, 222 Jacobs Street, Third Floor, Cambridge, MA 02141. Resume must include Ref. #BENB, full name, email address & mailing address. No phone calls. Must be legally authorized to work in U.S. without sponsorship. EOE.

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-24-000320

In re petition of Jordan Alexander Chaklos-Sracic for change of name to Jordan Alexander Chaklos. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 3rd day of April, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

HELP WANTED TECHNOLOGY

Philips RS North America LLC (formerly Respironics, Inc.) is accepting resumes for the position of Senior Design Quality Engineer in Pittsburgh, PA (Ref. #NANN). Provide oversight of system and hardware quality and risk management throughout the product life cycle. Telecommuting permitted. Mail resume to Philips North America LLC, Legal Department, Barbara Bickford, 222 Jacobs Street, Third Floor, Cambridge, MA 02141. Resume must include Ref. #NANN, full name, email address & mailing address. No phone calls. Must be legally authorized to work in U.S. without sponsorship. EOE.

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-20-10005

In re petition of Lexus Marie Santiago for change of name to Lexus Marie Santiago-Cole.

To all persons interested:

Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 27th day of March, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

OR 412-685-9009 EXT. 113

OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT

THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION of the SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on March 19, 2024, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for:

PERRY HIGH SCHOOL

• Replace EM Generator (REBID)

• Electrical Primes

Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on March 04, 2024, at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700), 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is non-refundable. Project details and dates are described in each project manual.

We are an equal rights and opportunity school district.

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-23-013280

In re petition of Gloria Lorraine Jones for change of name to Greysen Noah Ransom-Jones.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 27th day of March, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-23-012997

In re petition of Michael Lee Patterson Brown for change of name to Robert Frank Zellars V. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 20th day of March, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

Extra

its affiliates,

Storage or Storage Express, will hold a

auction to sell the

of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at location indicated : 3200 Park Manor Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15205 on March 20, 2024 at 1:00pm. Misty Dauer - Unit 3086. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction.

Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

PUBLIC AUCTION

Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its affiliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 1212 Madison Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. March 20, 2024 at 1:30 PM. Alexander Smithson 6079. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

PUBLIC AUCTION

ESTATE NOTICE

ESTATE OF HRINDA, ARLENE A., DECEASED OF WEST MIFFLIN, PA

Arlene A. Hrinda, deceased, of West Mifflin, PA. No. 022304626 of 2023.

Tricia A. Hopchak, Ext. 1097 Antler Drive, Clairton, PA 15025.

Or to D. Scott Lautner, Attorney. 68 Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236.

ESTATE NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that Letters of Administration in the Estate of David J. Monkelis, Sr., late of the Borough of West Mifflin, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, who died on July 25, 2015, have been granted to Diana Lynn Monkelis, Administratrix. All persons indebted to said Estate are requested to make payment and those having claims or demands are requested to present the same without delay to: David E. Schwager, Esquire 183 Market Street Suite 100 Kingston, PA 18704-5444

McKeesport, PA 15135.

ESTATE NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that Letters of Administration in the Estate of Raymond T. MacNeil, Jr., late of the Borough of Bridgeville, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, who died on March 31, 2003, have been granted to Kathleen A. MacNeil, Administratrix. All persons indebted to said Estate are requested to make payment and those having claims or demands are requested to present the same without delay to: David E. Schwager, Esquire 183 Market Street Suite 100 Kingston, PA 187045444

Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its affiliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 1005 E Entry Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15216 on 03/20/2024 at 11:30 AM. Jason Milbee 2240, Vincent Siriano 3159, Gregory Smith 6108, Kenneth Doyle 7113. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com.

Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

PUBLIC AUCTION

Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its affiliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 6400 Hamilton Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206 on March 20, 2024 at 1:45pm. 4040 Stephanie Hughes, 4100 Christopher Colicchio. The auction will be listed and advertised on www. storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

PUBLIC AUCTION

Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its affiliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 110 Kisow Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15205 on March 20th, 2024 at 11:15am.

Keith Steed 344. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com.

Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction.

Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its affiliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 880 Saw Mill Run Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15226, March 20, 2024, at 1:15 PM. Steven Sieckowski 2009, Chona Seaton 2084, Yvete Ntakirutimana 2202, Jalyn Duenas 3109, Bryan Byers 4117. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com.

Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

PUBLIC AUCTION

Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its affiliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 111 Hickory Grade Road, Bridgeville, PA 15017 March 20, 2024 at 12:30pm.

Bryan Schwiederowski 2012. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

PUBLIC AUCTION

Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its affiliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 700 E Carson St, Pittsburgh, PA 15203. March 20, 2024 at 12:15 PM. Michael Williams 135, LaShaune Johnson 2037, Heather Page 4160, and Tanisha Turner 4200. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.

BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY

BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM

ACROSS

1.  Many a business meeting setting

5.  “You’re hurting me”

10.  Indian flatbreads

14.  Glow from a star?

15.  Relating to hearing

16.  “___ Her To Eternity” (1984 Nick Cave album with a punny title)

17.  Spot to cast off

18.  Singer’s embellish

19.  Skier Gut-Behrami

20.  Two-syllable poetic foot studied at college?

23.  Troops feel it

26.  Small and fantastic?

27.  Bullet train to DC

28.  Help

31.  Colorful moonfish

32.  Breath fresheners fortified with vitamin B?

35.  Sweetie

36.  Get better over time

37.  Talk one’s ear off 40.  “Geometry problem about a circle’s width? Gimme!”?

44.  Rather stylish

46.  Center of Dallas?

47.  It ends in the abdomen

48.  Stored

50.  Company logo

51.  Phrase showing full support, and an alternate title for this puzzle

55.  Huge mouth

56.  Play space?

57.  Metaphorical desire

61.  Military sch. with the motto “Ex Scientia Tridens”

62.  Takes off the job

63.  Gutter’s location

64.  Part of a hammer

65.  In need of a massage, say

66.  Austin music festival

DOWN

1.  Hit with a taser

2.  Tours agreement

3.  Mined-over matter

4.  Sicilian wine

5.  Tool in a shop

6.  Greek cream

7.  Boygenius, e.g.

8.  Effrontery

9.  Jump at a half pipe

10.  Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes, for two

11.  Oil-rich peninsula

12.  “We’ve got plenty

of time”

13.  ___ burger

21.  Chowder chunk

22.  Too many

23.  Sum thing?

24.  Número de lados en una señal de alto

25.  Harness part.

28.  “The Boy and the Heron” genre

29.  Urge on

30.  What losers go on

33.  Vehicle for seniors?: Abbr.

34.  Tokyo-toSapporo dir.

37.  Birth announcement word

38.  Money on the table

39.  Huge smile

40.  Suds holder

in the kitchen

41.  Cold drink brand

42.  Oscarwinner Malek

43.  Family connections?

44.  Lacking grace

45.  Showing sympathy

48.  Ask for cash

49.  Raw writing

50.  Remove all trace from

52.  Presque Isle State Park lake

53.  Plant in a cubicle

54.  Snake eyes numbers

58.  Luxury ___ (Monopoly square)

59.  Walgreens rival

60.  Chop (down)

LEGAL NOTICE

DISTRICT COURT

CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA

CASE NO.: D-23-678339-D, DEPT: R

Diana Kamami, Plaintiff, vs. Ronnie Garrett, Defendant. SUMMONS NOTICE! YOU HAVE BEEN SUED. THE COURT MAY DECIDE AGAINST YOU WITHOUT YOUR BEING HEARD UNLESS YOU RESPOND IN WRITING WITHIN 21 DAYS. READ THE INFORMATION BELOW CAREFULLY.

To the Defendant named above: A civil complaint petition has been filed by the plaintiff against you for the relief as set forth in that document (see the complaint or petition).

The object of this action is: Divorce. If you intend to defend this lawsuit, within 21 days after this summons is served on you (not counting the day of service), you must:

1. File with the Clerk of Court, whose address is shown below, a formal written answer to the complaint or petition.

2. Pay the required filing fee to the court, or file an Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis and request a waiver of the filing fee.

3. Serve a copy of your answer upon the Plaintiff whose name and address is shown below. If you fail to respond the Plaintiff can request your default. The court can then enter a judgement against you for the relief demanded in the complaint or petition.

STEVEN D. GRIERSON, CLERK OF COURT, By: Amber-Leigh Otero, Deputy Clerk, Date 11/13/2023. Family Courts and Services Center, 601 North Pecos Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89155, Issued on Behalf or Plaintiff: Diana Kamami, 1290 8236 W. Ocean Terrace Way, Las Vegas, NV 89128, In Proper Person.

Published in Pittsburgh City Paper: Feb 14, 21, 28, March 6, 13, 2024.

PUBLIC AUCTION

Public

space at the following locations will be held online at www.Storageauctions.com ending on March 19, 2024 at 12:00 pm, and day to day thereafter until sold at which time a high bidder will be determined.

350 Old Haymaker Road, Monroeville, Pa 14146: Unit #2213 Mary Orsulak, Unit 3710 Mary Orsulak, Unit #2311 Todd Reich, Residence Inn, Unit # 3308 Marlene Jackson, Unit #3309 Barbara Baldwin, Unit #3536 Barbara Baldwin, Unit #3314 Ashley Beley, Unit #3417 Tiquan Flowers, Unit #3506 Victor Montoya

14200 Route 30, North Huntingdon, Pa 15642: Unit #1066 Tiffany Crawford, Unit #1070 Mary Jo Vallus, Unit #4046 Haley Stahl

4711 William Penn Highway, Monroeville, PA 15146: Unit #12122 Tina Gongloff, Unit #12707 Sally Frick, Unit #23715 Mike Odonnell

1028 Ridge Road, Tarentum, Pa 15084: Unit 31119 Suzanne Vogel, Unit 31203 Suzanne Vogel, Unit 31205 Suzanne Vogel, Unit 31606 Suzanne Vogel, Unit #31612 Rick Wise, Unit #32101 Jessica Sunderlin, Unit #32224 Jennifer L Brezovic, Unit #32502 Nanci Giuffre, Unit #41204 Amber Dugan, Unit #41515 Heather Prince

901 Brinton Road, Pittsburgh, Pa 15221: Unit #11416 Leah Washington, Unit #6132 Cedric McCarthy, Unit #9113 Alecia Hughes

5873 Centre Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15206: Unit #2523 Tahniece Gray, Unit #311 Rachel Shoemaker, Unit #4112 Brittany Fuhs, Unit #4209 Miah Thomas, Unit #4217 Ariana Seymour

2839 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222: Unit #4016 Angela Cleveland, Unit #5401 Brenna Harris, Unit #6708 Gamble Curtis

1002 East Waterfront Drive, Munhall, PA 15120: Unit #1421 Morgan Dawson, Unit #2301 Wendy Nichols, Unit #3412 John Tucker, Unit #3505 Sayvon Knight, Unit #3617 Taechaun Sellers, Unit #3626 Palucis Timothy, Unit #3628 Teresa Brown, Unit #3756 Shaun Beasley, Unit #3824 Matthew Grubasha, Unit #3826 Pearly Price

1599 Washington Pike, Bridgeville, PA 15017: Unit #3313 Malik Du;essis, Unit #6329 Lisa Slaby

1067 Milford Drive, Bethel Park, PA 15102: Unit #23936 Nicole Crites

7452 McKnight Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15237: Unit #2120 Jennifer Scott

922 Brush Creek Road, Warrendale, PA 15086: Unit #4207 Gabriela Garcia

401 Coraopolis Rd, Coraopolis, PA 15108: Unit #13406 James Guest, Unit #21001 David Leute,