[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6508817,"mediaKeyId","5460680-46a4ae72ac92902ede159352a9dc4f27","parentId",5460680,"title","Public speaker urges council to target small group of dealers linked to majority of traced guns in city","audioSeconds",144,"startMs",2143000,"endMs",2287000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5460680-46a4ae72ac92902ede159352a9dc4f27&start=2143&end=2287","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5460680-46a4ae72ac92902ede159352a9dc4f27/thumbnail_2143000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6508817/Pittsburgh/Allegheny-County/Pennsylvania/Public-speaker-urges-council-to-target-small-group-of-dealers-linked-to-majority-of-traced-guns-in-city","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6508817-d55c2ad879ae7ebdc8c44d3b13220b1a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153763&Signature=ad9PL-cT9qT4VOfktfEY74VW9GFPlmtQBS2642CtBT2ckYQWuoUXIPvKbRRvweKEZz11AogCr9gidN414agZ-RPZ-vFiUwQnG1e6LzTDL9EJ86hNgjxoqWPMcKFVeSXTnKD2N8A5GUiAqDg5In8kSw4OrT2xO6q-YCb~i2vddPi2xmaCBqCgNzQUfD4n0~BSWgYhUcwWUHvYCxxDHerNPZLlcOUnJE7YMKqq8O~uLV-ThgfyOiVUY-wJa1dYmT7RS0VvlG38XogW-cZgV-1m44Xq8iDKYVQ5Cdu~uapGmgm1MIDrSszadCkcwiA7GytIEmTyr6tw-OMpRZApC-ynpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Pittsburgh City, PA","date","2025-07-01T00:00:00Z","article","During the public-comment period on June 24, Aikahana Halmaquinha, who said she had attended a Brady United workshop on gun sourcing, urged Pittsburgh City Council to focus enforcement on a small group of gun dealers she said are responsible for a disproportionate share of traced firearms used in violent crime.

Halmaquinha told council that \"5% of the dealers, the gun dealers, are supplying 90% of the guns that are used in inner city crime,\" and urged city officials to pursue spot inspections and annual trace reports. She also named Markle Supply Company as a local supplier used by the police bureau and said it has \"25 or more violations\" recorded in trace information presented at the workshop. \"You should look it up,\" she said.

Halmaquinha framed the concern as a supply-chain problem rather than an individual-user problem: local enforcement, she said, should focus on dealers that violate rules and supply guns that later appear in crimes. She recommended pop-up site visits, annual trace reporting, and coordinated action among local authorities and the Bureau of Police to disrupt those supply lines.

Council did not take formal action on the remarks during the meeting. The speaker requested that the Administration and relevant enforcement units review dealer records and consider targeted inspections and tracing as part of an overall violence-reduction strategy.

Ending: The comment asked for increased scrutiny of dealers whose sales patterns are disproportionately associated with recovered crime guns; any follow-up — such as requests for trace data, administrative inspections, or investigative work — would involve the police bureau, the city's legal office and, where relevant, federal partners and would be recorded in future committee or administrative reports.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Pittsburgh City Council Regular Meeting - 7/1/25","oneSentenceSummary","A Brady United workshop participant told council that a small share of gun dealers supply most firearms used in violent crimes and urged the city to use trace reports and pop-up visits to crack down on violative dealers, citing a local supplier named Markle Supply Company.","taxTitle","Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania","taxId",2965,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6508822,"Allegheny County councilor asks council to modernize city dog-licensing process",133,1349000,1482000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5460680-46a4ae72ac92902ede159352a9dc4f27&start=1349&end=1482","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5460680-46a4ae72ac92902ede159352a9dc4f27/thumbnail_1349000.jpg","/articles/6508822/Pittsburgh/Allegheny-County/Pennsylvania/Allegheny-County-councilor-asks-council-to-modernize-city-dog-licensing-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6508822-2e0b7b644a0a8d914014b1e3df2858ab/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153763&Signature=ipksfLhVz~bTsTlHgPoexvsydYiuzeDbakqSNIbyJsmVSAnur6MhrqNYe47Shatoh6zBXYNNn4-eGRNIR0bsi15eawwjh5iGNKaUjdRROfnCzQn2DwepTOyRgfbGjCW2QXaNzG4jy7iWbfxWBpLdHcBWwP56lcqISEiAiE3ZKs73BZRRzePO-EUrYnQsUI57XS1MFHDFJgaHRwg3p3px7gEN-jKKb6qUkmzyl~AlQOF5fP-vKhpVY84gsRi0d2YgqInDPmpHivNNmrRaUonM20mCj080vxvvRkBuUG1h852cVI9DExOPUhfFDeDPusyTjq10q0aP-QHj3d799vuC2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jordan Botta, an Allegheny County Council member, used public comment at the June 24 Pittsburgh City Council meeting to ask the city to modernize its dog-licensing system and to form a joint working group between the City and Allegheny County to harmonize licensing portals.

Botta said the current City of Pittsburgh process requires residents to \"print out a form and mail in a physical check or money order to get a dog license,\" a requirement he described as obsolete and burdensome for seniors and younger residents who do not have printers or checkbooks.

\"We live in an age where we can file taxes, renew driver's licenses, and register to vote online. Yet to license a dog in the city of Pittsburgh, we still expect residents to have access to a printer and a checkbook,\" Botta said. He proposed a focused, collaborative working group between Allegheny County and the city to evaluate system harmonization, secure digital payment, mobile-friendly interfaces and equitable access.

Botta framed the change as a public-safety and animal-welfare improvement that would increase licensing compliance, help return lost pets to owners, and ensure continued revenue for shelters and enforcement agencies. He said the county already offers an online portal that accepts digital payments and that a city–county partnership could make licensing \"secure, and equitable.\"

Council members did not announce a formal next step on the floor; Botta said he looked forward to working with city staff and council members on a joint effort.

Ending: The suggestion to form a joint working group was presented as a collaborative ask from an adjacent elected official; any formal action by council or staff would be recorded on a future agenda or in committee records if the council decides to pursue harmonization.","During public comment, Allegheny County Council member Jordan Botta urged Pittsburgh City Council to create a joint working group with the county to modernize dog licensing, noting the city still requires mailed paper forms and checks while the county accepts online payments.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6508827,"Votes at a glance: City Council approves multiple resolutions and ordinances, June 24, 2025",1134,3101000,4235000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5460680-46a4ae72ac92902ede159352a9dc4f27&start=3101&end=4235","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5460680-46a4ae72ac92902ede159352a9dc4f27/thumbnail_3101000.jpg","/articles/6508827/Pittsburgh/Allegheny-County/Pennsylvania/Votes-at-a-glance-City-Council-approves-multiple-resolutions-and-ordinances-June-24-2025","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6508827-0df0bbee9675feb91a752462a96d8125/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153763&Signature=lSVk4u9teusVhrBi3lFtsVN1Io2kSnAX1aROEPBLAJcmS9nPxfWIwleZCH-4HDgtB5ltcgMHjpQWaB9zDoIWzTbDCzlssv7eRVEQt5DauV1s2VmRopfN9JDlCKPCbKS9ilAwkacwzKCNBzH1KMOhXEVVZpOMsywdJ3kKrXhGsHHBXuARtjJmDZbZwLv1mcAO-zrzsNNNFAvLVpc1Ac-l0GxkCVMnWDvxVtZnVWQv~f5MgQR7yWJ-Yd6F~dRqnGZ2E3qPpzrUaKAKURZrbwgvNsp1pm6HzjVBRaiP0uf0crfFrPTfiXypDz-hdU5CJkIiPzb~jlTo7b1rM1KS~M25Lg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Pittsburgh City Council on June 24 approved multiple bills and resolutions across a range of city operations, from public-safety contracts and technology services to construction-inspection agreements and zoning changes.

Highlights approved at the meeting included a one-time extension allowing the Planning Commission more time to act on council bill 2024-12-14 (referred in the meeting as bill 2000), which passed on a roll-call vote of 8-0. Council members also approved professional-service and construction-inspection agreements tied to several infrastructure projects, and a set of zoning and public-arts agreements that authorize murals and installations at community recreation centers.

Key actions recorded with vote tallies or final passage statements in the meeting record:

- Bill 2025-2000: Council consented to an extension under Pittsburgh Code §9-22-05(e) for the Planning Commission to act on council bill 2024-12-14. Final approval: 8 ayes, 0 noes.

- Bills reported by the Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure and passed finally: Bill 19-42 (Duquesne Light easements for poles/wires); Bill 19-45 (Larson Grama Group Inc., construction inspection — Liberty Avenue HSIP project; cost not to exceed $1,476,674.46, reimbursable at 80%); Bill 19-46 (supplemental agreement for Swinburne Bridge preliminary engineering, amended total not to exceed $1,308,284.86, reimbursable at 95%); Bill 19-47 (Whitman Requardt & Associates, construction inspection — Penn Avenue Phase 2, cost not to exceed $1,338,158.03, reimbursable at 80%); Bill 19-48 (license to maintain positive train control equipment in Allegheny Commons Park with Norfolk Southern). Final approved status: recorder noted the set as passed finally; reported tally: 8 ayes on most bills with Councilwoman Kale Smith recorded as abstaining on Bill 19-44 (a related South Hills Junction planning grant item).

- Bill 19-44 (application for a $250,000 Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Strategic Sites grant for South Hills Junction planning): Council discussion included an abstention by Councilwoman Theresa Kale Smith, who said she wanted additional community meetings; Councilman Charland and others said the grant would finance planning and community engagement. Outcome: passed (7 ayes, 1 abstention noted for Bill 19-44).

- Committee reports and final actions in other committees that passed finally during the session included finance and law items (e.g., Bill 19-79, amendments to open-end professional services agreement authorizations) and innovation/performance/technology items (e.g., Bill 19-82, acceptance of grant funds to support fellowship positions in data science and cybersecurity). Where roll-call outcomes were announced, votes were 8-0 unless otherwise noted.

- Several smaller administrative warrant and maintenance payments were presented as papers (for example, authorizing warrants of $6,000 to PulsePoint Foundation and $6,264 to Howell Rescue Services) and were included in committee or paper reports; those were presented for receipt and filing.

Council discussion during the vote sequence included requests for better community outreach on South Hills Junction planning and reminders that receiving a planning grant would help pay for community meetings and geotechnical work. No litigation decisions were made on the floor; an executive session on bill 19-89 (litigation-related) was scheduled for the afternoon following the meeting.

Ending: The measures approved on June 24 authorize city staff to proceed with contract work, grant applications and planning activities laid out in the committee reports; several items include federal- or state-reimbursable shares and specify spending caps. Any implementation steps or contract awards will be posted in future committee packets and city procurement records.","On June 24, Pittsburgh City Council passed a series of resolutions, contract approvals and zoning actions covering technology contracts, public-safety grants, infrastructure inspections, easements and zoning map updates. Most measures passed unanimously; one grant-related item recorded an abstention.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6508832,"Residents and campaigners urge Pittsburgh City Council to endorse Plant Based Treaty",2168,837000,3005000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5460680-46a4ae72ac92902ede159352a9dc4f27&start=837&end=3005","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5460680-46a4ae72ac92902ede159352a9dc4f27/thumbnail_837000.jpg","/articles/6508832/Pittsburgh/Allegheny-County/Pennsylvania/Residents-and-campaigners-urge-Pittsburgh-City-Council-to-endorse-Plant-Based-Treaty","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6508832-8b9b94930632dc4749be8e2ddf896395/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153763&Signature=kiPh2y~W54hSW3NRSmSsMiUCwWs-2M6rrWaNHCZkVu1po13hD7vLNphGjfk~HlAY2DjjgtQ9ZZQFn6MKPK8~-SeLeKagPH0w0CCoL0CmKD0hDKm3NAOb9EQtZwLkx2cGKkDz44qXBhOinR8UHiDW7pDSq~Z2fuHYF69evnY6MM~BlqYTE-Uk-qgkMCwQs0miSUDIYRvxscW7J0kx5E1gfGtyztGIIY1AvV0oWpTGTUmgCOzER1hiJYL922IF7ISJRUsUymzzfcP0VMJxcgIsN6FY3MKLrmh9u8TgqrDMmfT8DEuwMLCZ5-cu3n29kvsPSN205ruiCUAKW3qKGuiyxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the June 24 Pittsburgh City Council meeting, more than half a dozen residents and volunteer campaigners asked the council to endorse the Plant Based Treaty, an international campaign that calls for shifting public policy to favor plant-based food systems.

The request came during the public comment portion of the meeting. Max Blair, a musician and volunteer campaigner with Plant Based Treaty, told the council that food systems are a central cause of climate change and urged local endorsement. “Climate change is not 1 issue among many, but rather a threat to the very foundations of civilization on which everything else depends,” Blair said. He cited an estimate from a collaboration with one of the Oxford study’s authors that a citywide shift to plant-based diets could yield emissions reductions “equivalent to taking 390,000 cars off the road,” free enough water to fill about 3,500 Olympic swimming pools annually, and free land “21 times the size of the city itself.”

Other speakers amplified those arguments. Ellen Dent, a global campaigner who has represented Plant Based Treaty at the United Nations, described the treaty as a companion policy to existing climate efforts and said other cities have used endorsements to launch education campaigns and pilot programs. “After endorsing the treaty, West Hollywood has run public education campaigns,” Dent said, noting municipalities that have taken steps to promote “plant-rich diets.”

Caroline Kumbhmal, a science teacher who said she supports placing food-systems change at the center of climate action, told council members that municipal steps can be immediate and equitable. “Plant based policies can buy us critical time,” she said, adding that city-level work could delay climate tipping points and create local co-benefits for public health and food justice.

Speakers described specific policy tools and outcomes they would like the city to pursue if it endorses the treaty: public-education campaigns, making city-sponsored events plant-based by default, encouraging one or more meat-free days in civic programs, and redirecting subsidies or incentives to support plant-based alternatives. Several speakers said they had met with city planning staff to request follow-up meetings and offered the Plant Based Treaty campaign’s assistance in designing local initiatives.

Not all comments were technical. Tara Solomon, who described herself as a Pittsburgh small-business owner, framed the shift as both a climate and health measure and cited an estimate she gave of an individual U.S. carbon-footprint reduction of about one metric ton of CO2 equivalent from a plant-based diet. Campaigners also referenced a 2018 Oxford study and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to buttress claims about land use and nutrition, and noted that 41 governments had already endorsed the treaty.

City council members did not take a vote or otherwise act on the endorsement request at the June 24 meeting. Speakers asked for a meeting with city staff and for council to place the matter on a future agenda so that officials could examine specific proposals and fiscal or operational implications.

The petitioners said they were available to meet with staff and council members to discuss next steps if the council chooses to consider an endorsement.

Ending: The Plant Based Treaty supporters left council members with specific examples from other cities and numbers they said show fast, measurable impacts. Council members did not announce any immediate follow-up during the meeting; any formal consideration or referral would appear in a future agenda or committee packet.","Multiple residents and campaigners used the June 24 public comment period to ask Pittsburgh City Council to endorse the Plant Based Treaty, citing climate, water and public-health benefits and offering examples of municipal actions elsewhere. Council took no formal action at the meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public speaker urges council to target small group of dealers linked to majority of traced guns in city

Allegheny County councilor asks council to modernize city dog-licensing process

Votes at a glance: City Council approves multiple resolutions and ordinances, June 24, 2025

Residents and campaigners urge Pittsburgh City Council to endorse Plant Based Treaty