On Thursday the State Senate will vote to approve the final passage of two regulations that will help protect Pennsylvania’s waterways from the consequences of Marcellus Shale drilling and pollution created by development.  The first regulation, the Wastewater Treatment Requirements, would require drillers to reduced the number of total dissolved solids in drilling wastewater to drinking water quality levels before it can be released back into streams and rivers.  The second resolution, Erosion and Sediment Control, would require companies to maintain a 150 feet vegetation buffer between any development and Pennsylvania’s best streams and rivers.

Polluters across the state are fighting against the passage of these clean water regulations, and we need your help to fight back.  Please contact your state senator before the vote at 12pm on Thursday to voice your support for these regulations.

Learn more – check out PennFuture’s “Take Action to Protect Clean Water”

A new report by the Keystone Research Center shows that Pennsylvania has begun to invest in sustainable development across the state.  Between 2003 and 2008, Pennsylvania’s three major economic development assistant programs invested more aid per capita into older cities and towns than into “outer townships.”  KRC also released data on how the state’s major metropolitan areas distributed the business subsidies they received, and ranked that data in order from the most investment into older communities to the least.  Of the 9 areas examined, Pittsburgh was tied with Lancaster for 6th, behind Erie, Reading, Harrisburgh, Philadelphia and Scranton – Wilkes Barre.

To learn more, read the report.

The Creative Neighborhood Revitalization Taskforce, a group of students at The Ohio State University, are among the many speaking out for sustainable development and investment in older communities.  It is imperative that the Pittsburgh region begins to focus on reversing our cycle of sprawl and decline, and emerges as a leader in Pennsylvania and the nation in the practice of revitalizing our older communities through smart growth practices.  Watch a video created by The Creative Neighborhood Revitalization Taskforce below.

There is a meticulous ritual the guard follows when watching over the graves:

1. The soldier walks 21 steps across the Tomb. This alludes to the 21-gun salute, which is the highest honor given to any military or foreign dignitary in America. His weapon is always on the shoulder opposite the Tomb (i.e., on the side of the gallery watching the ritual).
2. On the 21st step, the soldier turns and faces the Tomb for 21 seconds.
3. The soldier then turns to face the other way across the Tomb and changes his weapon to the outside shoulder.
4. After 21 seconds, the first step is repeated.

This is repeated until the soldier is relieved of duty at the Changing of the Guard.

The mat is usually replaced twice per year: before Memorial Day and before Veterans Day.  This is required due to the wear on the rubber mat by the special shoes worn by Tomb Guards. The guards have metal plates built into the soles and inner parts of their shoes to allow for a more rugged sole and to give the signature click of the heel during maneuvers. The guards are issued sunglasses, which are formed to their faces, due to the bright reflection from the marble surrounding the Tomb and the Memorial Amphitheater.

On the ground not covered by the mat, a wear pattern in the tile can be seen that corresponds to the precise steps taken during the changing of the guard. On the mat itself, footprints worn in by hours and hours of standing guard are also visible.

Changing of the Guard

During the day in summer months from April 1 to September 30, the guard is changed every half hour. During the winter months, from October 1 to March 31, the guard is changed every hour. After the cemetery closes to the public (7pm to 8am April through September, and 5pm to 8am October through March), the guard is changed every two hours until the cemetery reopens. The ceremony can be witnessed by the public whenever Arlington National Cemetery is open.

The guard change is very symbolic, but also conducted in accordance with Army regulations.  The relief commander or assistant relief commander, along with the oncoming guard, are both required for a guard change to take place. The guard being relieved will say to the oncoming guard, “Post and orders remain as directed.” The oncoming guard’s response is always, “Orders acknowledged.”

Dedication

The Tomb of the Unknowns has been guarded continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, since July 2, 1937. Inclement weather does not cause the watch to cease.

The Tomb Guards, a special platoon within the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) work on a team rotation of 24 hours on, 24 hours off, for five days, taking the following four days off. A guard takes an average of 6 hours to prepare his uniform (which is solid wool regardless of the time of year) for the next day’s work. In addition to preparing the uniform, guards also complete physical training, Tomb Guard training, cut their hair before the next work day, and shave twice per day. Tomb Guards are required to memorize 16 pages of information about Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, including the locations of nearly 300 graves and who is buried in each one.

A special Army decoration, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Guard Identification Badge is authorized for wear after passing a detailed test of 100 questions (from a pool of more than 300), a uniform test with two gigs (errors) or fewer (measured to the 1/64″), and a test on the guard changing sequence. After serving honorably for a period of nine months, and having passed the sequence of tests, a Tomb Guard is permanently awarded the Badge. Since 1959, many men have completed training and been awarded this Badge, as well as three women. A small number of Tomb Guard Identification Badges have also been retroactively awarded to soldiers who served as Guards before 1959. Those numbers make the Badge the second rarest award currently issued in the United States Army; only the Army Astronaut Badge is rarer.

The Tomb Guard Identification Badge is the only badge awarded by the United States Army that can be revoked after a soldier has left the military. The Regimental Commander of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment has the authority to revoke a Badge from any Guard (past or present) for any act that would bring discredit upon the Tomb of the Unknowns.

The badge was designed in 1956 and first issued to members of the Honor Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns on February 7, 1958. The badge was first issued only as a temporary wear item, meaning the soldiers could only wear the badge during their tenure as members of the Honor Guard. Upon leaving the duty, the badge was returned and reissued to incoming soldiers. In 1963, a regulation was enacted which allowed the badge to be worn as a permanent part of the military uniform, even after the soldier’s completion of duty at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Last week, Councilman Bill Peduto sent a letter to the Library Board of Trustees containing a timeline of the events since last October surrounding the announced closing of several branches, and the commitment that the City of Pittsburgh made to provide $1.24 million in funding between 2009 and 2010.

Read the Letter Here

A $1 million allocation to the Carnegie Library was included as a line item appropriation in the City’s 2010 budget.  Mayor Ravenstahl says that this funding was contingent on the passage of the Student Tuition Tax, however it was never removed from the final budget, which has already been approved by both the Mayor and City Council.  City Council continues to pledge it’s support to the library system, and today introduced legislation intended to provide the rest of the $1.24 million that was promised to the Carnegie Library.

Learn more:
Pittsburgh Council Considers More Library Money
Mayor Balks at Giving More Money to Libraries
City Dangles $640,000 Before Library System

Next Monday, May 17, CityLIVE will host “What’s Next for the Igloo?,” a panel and public discussion about the fate of the Civic Arena.

Should the arena be saved, and who should make the decision about it’s future?  Panel experts include Kimberly Ellis, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Historic Hill Institute; Christine Madrid French, Director of the Modernism + Recent Past Initiative with the National Trust for Historic Preservation; Larry Glasco, an expert in the history of Black Pittsburgh and Associate Professor of History at the University of Pittsburgh and Rob Pfaffmann, AIA, AICP, architect  and planner.

What’s Next for the Igloo
Monday, May 17
New Hazlett Theater
6:30pm

For more information, or to RSVP, visit the cityLIVE website.

Recently, several cities around the country have begun to look at the possibility of creating streetcar transportation systems. According to an article on Inhabitat, 22 US cities are considering instituting streetcar systems. Streetcars have appeal to several cities not only as a convenient, more environmentally friendly method of transportation, but also as a tool to spark economic development. The Inhabitat article states that in Portland, Oregon, which was the first city to build a streetcar system, “53 percent of the area’s downtown development has occurred along the streetcar line” since 1997.  In 2007 USA Today also looked at the reemergence of streetcars as a tool for green transportation and economic stimulus.

A Streetcar Name Forbes-Fifth

Imagine getting onboard a trolley at Market Square and being connected to:

Point Park University – Art Institute – Downtown – City and County Government – Duquesne University – Mercy Hospital – Palumbo Center – Uptown – Magee Hospital – Oakland – Carnegie Museum – Carnegie-Mellon University – Squirrel Hill – Chatham University – Frick Park – Penn Avenue – Homewood – Point Breeze – East Liberty – Shadyside – Shadyside Hospital – Hillman Cancer Center – University of Pittsburgh – Montefiore Hospital – Presbyterian Hospital – Petersen Event Center – Carlow University – Hill District – Consol Energy Center – Robert Morris University – and back downtown to Market Square.

Some have said the only future for the Civic Arena is to demolish it, but are there other options?

Many believe that the Civic Arena could be preserved as an iconic piece of the City of Pittsburgh skyline.  A recent CNN story documents how the City of Austin preserved the historic Palmer Auditorium.  Instead of demolishing the building, the City instead chose to “remodel” and transform it into a state of the art new structure,reusing as many pieces as possible.  In the end, 45 million pounds of debris were recycled and reused in the new building.

Watch the CNN Video

In 2005 Pittsburgh Architect David Julian Roth proposed a green alternative to the demolition of the Civic Arena.  See Roth’s plan here.  Another local architect, Rob Pfaffmann, has proposed a plan entitled “A Civic Renewal.” These proposals are just two examples of the possibilities for the Arena outside of demolition.

To learn more, or to get involved, join the Facebook group Reuse the Igloo.

A recent Next American City article highlights the trend of cities around the country that have begun to utilize free online web applications in order to more easily connect with their residents.

Social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter are becoming increasingly popular methods of communication between local government and the community.  In addition to an official website, many cities are creating blogs through free websites such as Wordpress and Blogger, and City Council and committee meetings are increasingly appearing online through websites like YouTube.  The increase in access to the activities of city government creates a positive trend towards more accountability and transparency in local government.

Last year, the City of Pittsburgh and Yinzcam released the innovative iPhone application iBurgh for City of Pittsburgh residents, allowing them to quickly photograph and report problems to the City’s 311 service.  Pittsburgh also has begun to broadcast City Council meetings online through the City of Pittsburgh website.

Read more about free web applications for cities in the New American City article.

This Thursday, April 15, the Guyasuta Fellowship Program will be holding a panel discussion for the 10 year anniversary of the Fifth/Forbes development program.

Panel speakers will include Rob Stephany (Executive Director of the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh), Bernie Lynch and Pat Clark (Fifth/Forbes Community activists) and Chris Potter (Editor of the Pittsburgh City Paper).

10 Years After – The Lessons of Fifth/Forbes
Piatt Place, 301 Fifth Avenue, Room 3023
6:30pm – 8:30pm
Please RSVP by calling (412) 361-1111

This community discussion is free and open to the public.  For more information, read the press release.

The Post Gazette’s Tim McNulty’s report can be found here.  Tim wanes nostalgic for the old days in City Hall when he covered this story a decade ago.

Learn more about the Guyasuta Fellowship and Thursday’s 10 year anniversary session here.