I’ve actually probably been out of the city long enough now, that I’m going to have a whole plethora of information to talk about when I get back!  So that’s something we all can look forward to!

What happened to the Onorato Tax money that they are still collecting?  It’s time to actually be honest about what’s going on with this.  It’s continually losing money, continually cutting routes, and continually raising fees.  Something just doesn’t add up, and sooner or later, they have to be breaking even.

I forgot though, it’s government run, silly me.  One of the most corrupt business there is.  Apparently some people are angry about this, Shocked?  I know, it’s surprising.  What does WPXI.com have to report about it?  Let’s see:

Chief Executive Officer Steve Bland said the agency faces a $51 million budget deficit despite service cuts and other reforms in the past three years that have saved $52 million annually. The company also blames the deficit on $27 million it would have received if the federal government approved tolling on Interstate 80, but that was rejected.

“I had dozens of CEOs tell me their employees use the system,” said Bland. “It impacts business, caretakers. My fear, we won’t realize until it’s lost and then it’s hard to get that back.”

“Every year, the Port Authority comes up with something,” said Bloomfield resident Tyrone Campbell. “They crying that they are broke. Now they’re talking $4. They need to quit.”

“I, personally, get to and from work through buses now,” said Corey Watkins. “Now, I have to hike two to three miles just to get to my bus station.”

Watkins said he uses services along Steubenville Pike and Campbell’s Run Road, a place where transit officials said services could be greatly reduced or discontinued.

Struggling college student Alyssa Moore said she will probably have to quit her weekend job on the South Side.“I’m not really happy, I already leave an hour early to get to work. If they cut any more, I have to leave earlier,” said Moore.

Spokesman Jim Ritchie said the authority has “no other options” without more state funding.Fare increases could take effect on Jan. 1 with the cuts coming Jan. 9.

Over the next 30 days, riders who will be affected by the changes can voice their concerns. On Aug. 19, the Port Authority is planning an all-day public hearing at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

The Port Authority’s Board of Directors will then vote on the plan in September. But riders are already upset about the future cuts.

Even though the county said the changes are necessary to avert a $50 million deficit, some people aren’t buying it.“I don’t know why they need more money,” said Moore. “I pay $85 a month, that’s already too much.”

I’m just as much amazed as these people are.  For this situation to continually lose that much money, because last year they cut 50 million, and this year they want to cut another 50.  You’re telling me they’ve lost 100+ million in two years?  What kind of joke spending are they doing?  It’s absurd, and the Pittsburgh Council needs to do something about this.

It’s a great thing to see the Pirates just throwing runs on a team with sketchy pitching like the Brewers have, and with the Pirates young line-up, it looks like they are finally getting their games up to speed at once.  Personally, as a die hard fan, this is awesome.  I couldn’t ask for anything better right now, outside of a winning ball club.  These kids are just fresh and fun to watch, and when they are clicking, they make themselves look exciting.

Walker has been on a tear, Milledge is actually hitting very well right now too.  Alvarez?  He’s just turned into a monster overnight.  He’s been hitting ball after ball in this series with the Brewers, and when he’s connecting, his swing looks effortless.

I don’t know, this is actually the first time where the team looks promising and could potentially have a bright future(if the Nuttings decide to spend money to keep them that is).

Sheard was arrested early Sunday morning for his involvement in an altercation that took place. He has been charged with a felony of aggravated assault and two misdemeanors of criminal mischief and resisting arrest.

Police say Sheard was in a fight early Sunday and had to be pepper sprayed after he threw the man through the door of La Fond Galleries.

Pitt spokesman E.J. Borghetti says Sheard has been suspended from team activities while the athletic department investigates.

Sheard was arraigned Sunday on charges including aggravated assault and resisting arrest. Police say charges are possible against the other man. Borghetti declined to comment on Sheard’s behalf.

The 21-year-old Sheard is from Hollywood Hills, Fla. He tallied five sacks while starting all 13 games for the Panthers last season.

Unbelievable, come on guy.  Get your act together.  We’ve got a Big East title to run for.

Jabaal Sheard - Defensive End - University of Pittsburgh

All in all, it’s a crappy day to be a commuter in some areas of Pennsylvania.  It just so happens, that the toll road increases will be the costliest in the nation.  Didn’t we lease the naming rights to the Pennsylvania Turnpike to reduce this cost?  This is just unbelievable.  Other states have cheaper tolls and can keep their roads in much better condition than ours.

It’s embarrassing, and it’s caused me to write a letter to our government.  Not like any of that matters, but I’m upset, and I just don’t want to take it anymore.

Anyways, here’s the news on the situation that has me fuming:

The turnpike commission on Wednesday approved a 3 percent increase for users of E-ZPass electronic fare collection and 10 percent for cash customers, effective Jan. 2.

That will raise the cash cost of driving the turnpike to 8.5 cents per mile, highest of the 11 U.S. toll roads of 100 miles or longer. Currently, the Pennsylvania and New Jersey turnpikes are tied at 7.7 cents per mile.

---

Get E-ZPass

E-ZPass is available online at www.paturnpike.com or by calling 1-877-Penn-Pass (1-877-736-6727). Some Pennsylvania retailers offer E-ZPass sign-ups at their customer service desks, including Giant Eagle and GetGo. Many of the state’s AAA offices offer transponder sales, and there are E-ZPass vending machines called Tag Tellers at select turnpike travel plazas.

---

Shorter toll facilities, including highway spurs and bridges, typically have higher per-mile costs. A March survey by the Pennsylvania Turnpike found 10 facilities with per-mile rates of 27.8 cents or more, including a 6-mile highway in California whose users pay 45.8 cents per mile.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike has ascended to the top among longer toll roads largely because of a 2007 state law requiring it to help fund non-turnpike transportation programs. Since then, the turnpike has given the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation $2.5 billion to pay for highway and bridge work and mass transit.

That amount is the equivalent of more than three years’ worth of turnpike toll income. The turnpike took in $700 million last year.

The Jan. 2 toll increase will mean that travel from Pittsburgh to Breezewood will cost $9.25 in cash or $8.65 with E-ZPass, up from the current $8.40. Travel from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia will rise from the current $23.20 to $25.55 in cash or $23.90 with E-ZPass.

The increase also will affect tolls on other turnpike-owned highways, including Toll 66, the Mon-Fayette Expressway and a section of the Beaver Valley Expressway. Tolls will not increase on the Findlay Connector near Pittsburgh International Airport.

Turnpike spokesman Carl DeFebo said that aside from the commission’s obligations to PennDOT, factors fueling the rising tolls are the highway’s age and an extensive capital improvement program that by next year will have widened and resurfaced or rebuilt the turnpike from the Ohio line to the Allegheny Tunnels.

The state’s “challenging geography” and weather also contribute to higher construction and maintenance costs, he said.

That last statement is absolutely garbage. So what about West Virginia and it’s “challenging geography?” It has just as many hills as we do and it’s not twice as bad. It’s all a cop out, and it’s frustrating as all hell.

First will start with Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.  He had his contract extended for 3 years just recently.  It’s good news, because the Steelers need some kind of normalcy going on around those parts.  I’m happy to have the guy, and here’s to many bountiful years in the play-offs and and Super Bowl.

So here’s what Pittsburgh Post Gazette had to say about the signing:

Tomlin’s new contract will carry him through 2014. His previous contract, signed when the Steelers hired him in ’07, had one year and an option left. The five-year deal was worth an average of $2.5 million annually.

Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers have not yet announced Tomlin’s new contract and financial terms were unavailable.

Steelers president Art Rooney, who negotiated the deal with his coach, is on vacation and could not be reached for comment.

In similar circumstances, Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt, with two years left on his first deal, signed an entirely new five-year contract in February that reportedly will pay him an annual average of between $5.5 million and $6 million.

All is well and good on the head coach front.  So how about the player front?  LaMarr Woodley was told he would not be given an extension.  This is alarming news to me, and I do not like this one bit.  Woodley has been the player that has shined throughout the past two years.  I mean sure it make take a few games for him to pick up, but there’s no need not to re-sign him.  He’s really valuable and he’s a defensive monster.

According to ESPN, this is what was said or speculated even:

The Pittsburgh Steelers have decided not to give outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley a contract extension before the start of the 2010 season, a source told ESPN.com on Monday. Woodley is in the final year of his rookie deal and will make $550,000 this season, making him one of the NFL’s best bargains.

It’s extremely rare that the Steelers negotiate with players during the season, which means Woodley would be set to become a

The Honest Truth about LaMarr Woodley

free agent next March. The source added that it’s highly unlikely the Steelers would change their stance on Woodley between now and September. Pittsburgh is primarily focused on filling its right tackle position and could spend money there following the season-ending Achilles injury to Willie Colon.

Woodley is facing the same dilemma as a lot of NFL players seeking extensions this offseason. New rules during the uncapped year have made things complicated. The league’s 30 percent rule, in particular, is the biggest hurdle.

By rule, Woodley could only make a maximum salary of $598,000 in 2010, which is a 30 percent increase over last season. The subsequent salaries could only go up 30 percent for the life of the contract. That means a substantial bulk of an extension would be put into bonuses, which the Steelers are not interested in at this time.

A one-year franchise tag for Woodley also is a possibility, although there are no guarantees that the use of a franchise tag will be included in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Woodley, 25, has been one of the league’s most dominant outside linebackers during his first two years as a starter. He has combined for 25 sacks in that span and made his first Pro Bowl last season.

All around, if he’s let go, I will not be a happy camper.  It’s just one of things, that yea it could be business, but the situation is that he was a bright spot on a typically bad defense last year.  Just don’t let him go, or I just may cry.

——————————————-

Moving on to hockey, we’ve got some really awesome news to report.  The Console Energy Center will host the 2013 Frozen Four, and RMU(Robert Morris University) will play hosts to the sporting event.  That’s just so awesome, and I urge everyone that can to buy tickets to watch some of the best in college play some great hockey.

KDKA Reports:

The Consol Energy Center has landed yet another big event before officially opening its doors.

The NCAA awarded the 2013 Frozen Four to Robert Morris University.

The hockey version of the Final Four is expected to bring more than 15,000 visitors to Pittsburgh.

It’s also a big boost for the national image of Robert Morris’ hockey program.

The Frozen Four comes to Pittsburgh on April 11-13 in 2013.

It will mark the first time the Frozen Four has returned to the eastern part of the United States since Columbus, Ohio hosted the event in 2005.

Boston College has appeared in four of the last five national championship games, having won in 2008 and 2010.

It will be the first time the state of Pennsylvania has hosted the event and will be the first time the NCAA has held a national championship in Pittsburgh.

I’ll be getting tickets the day they go on sale.  I can’t wait to see Boston College, Robert Morris, Miami, and other hockey power houses go at it.  Good times!

It’s just weird I suppose.  I have two weeks left until I’m in North Carolina, and all I’m trying to do at this moment is just work it out, get done as quietly and painless as possible at work, and head home and go to bed.  I mean, it’s not necessarily a great thing to try and sleep through this next two weeks, but I just get too excited and anxious for what’s about to come.

I guess the sad realization that as quickly as the vacation comes, it’s going to be over even faster.  It’s a catch 22 that I’m not a fan of.  That being said, it’s nice to take a break from the city of Pittsburgh as well.  I love this town with all my heart, but sometimes you just need a break.  I’m tired of the construction on Route 28, I’m tired of the endless traffic that really isn’t even that bad compared to most cities, and I’m just overall tired.  I just need to get away, re-charge, and come back ready to kick butts and take names.

Another great thing is that the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp is a few weeks away as well.  It’s always an awesome time of the year when football begins to pick up.  The city comes alive and the hope is refreshed.  The only thing I’m concerned about is how well the Yinzers at heart out there handle when/if the Steelers get off to a slow start.  I myself am prepared for it as best as I can.  It’s frustrating, but hopefully Big Ben has his suspension reduced to 4 games and the ship gets righted back into a winner.  I don’t know, we’ll see once the season starts!

The Pittsburgh Pirates still suck.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have their developmental camps starting and they are back on their way to try and work their rookies into shape.  It’s great news, and I’m really excited for the Pens to meet back up and start working as a team.

Outside of that I don’t have much to go on.  Aside from telling you about the image that was used for the header.  It comes from OnlyInPgh.com and it was submitted by Sean Mckeag(flickr account).  Overall the image is awesome, and it’s a great contrast to the actual future of today.

You can click here for the full size image of the Pittsburgh Panoramic.

This one comes from RustWire.com:

PNC Park? Pittsburgh, PA

Totally awesome night picture from Pitt.edu:

Pittsburgh at night

Image of Point Park from TripAdvisor:

Point Park, Pittsburgh PA

One of my Favorite things in Kennywood, The Racers:

The Racers, Pittsburgh PA

Pittsburgh Waterfront:

Pittsburgh Waterfront

Finally, I’m really going to miss this place:

Mellon Arena

I personally don’t know how I feel about this.  On one hand, it’s a great boom in revenue, on the other hand, it could likely cause a whole new slew of problems in the area.  While I’m still relatively young(24 years old), I have learned that spending an enormous amount of time in a casino is bad news.  Especially if you have any type of addiction problem related to gambling.  However, when done right, a casino can be a hell of an experience.  I guess it’s just more about learning the limits rather than breaking the bank.  Anyways, let’s see what the news sites have to say about this Pittsburgh event:

ABCNews.com says:

Pennsylvanians who want to play poker, craps and other table games at the state’s slots casinos now have their chance.

The first casinos featuring tables games opened early Thursday morning. Gamblers at the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh and The Meadows Racetrack & Casino in Washington County crowded in when the doors opened at 6 a.m. Also opening table games Thursday was Presque Isle Downs and Casino in Erie.

Pennsylvania first opened slots casinos in 2006. Last year, Gov. Ed Rendell and top legislators included the legalization of table games as part of a handshake deal to raise more revenue for the recession-battered state treasury. Lawmakers passed the bill in January.

Ok so that wasn’t so much an opinion rather than a statement of information regarding whats’ actually happening in the state of Pennsylvania.  Heading on over to the Post-Gazette where it actually has information on what’s happening at The Rivers is kind of awesome:

Eighty people stood in line for the official opening of table games at Rivers Casino at 6 a.m. today, and another 200 playing slot machines pounced once the new section opened.

“Six tables in the poker room were full and people were screaming at the craps table — you couldn’t have written a better script,” said the casino’s general manager, Todd Moyer.

The new offerings at the North Shore casino include 86 table games, including a poker room with 24 tables, blackjack, craps and roulette.

Table games were also being launched this morning at the Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Washington County and at Presque Isle Downs and Casino in Erie.

“I was talking to people, and they were wearing it as a badge of honor to be the first to ever play the tables,” Mr. Moyer said.

Now that’s where I actually have a problem with society.  People were lined up and taking it as a badge of honor to lose money?  I don’t get that, I suppose I never will really.  Here’s where you come in though:

What do you think about table games being at the Rivers Casino?  Do you think it will be a good thing for the state?  Or do you think it’s a terrible idea.  Why do you feel this way?  Let me know in the comments and the best comments will be highlighted in a new article tomorrow!

The Pirates took 3-4 from the Phillies, which is hilarious because the Phillies are in such a landslide right now that it has the Philadelphia media clamoring to behead someone out there on the other side of the state.  Anyways, back to the excitement and long awaited homerun.  It took 55 at bats for Alvarez to learn how to hit the major league curve ball.  Once he had that down, it’s all a matter of getting comfortable and getting much needed confidence.

The best thing about the situation?  Both homeruns he hit this weekend sparked the team in a huge way, and even had a few men on to make the situation even that much more dramatic, and to think, all it took was manager John Russel to move him around in the order.  For some God awful reason, Russel decided to bat him late in the order effectively making no pitcher afraid of what Alvarez could do.  Once he moved him to the top of the order?  Everything changed, Alvarez was seeing pitches, specifically fastballs, and he was getting his timing down.

It’s great news, and I’m happy to report that this life long Pirates fan has some kind of hope for the future of Alvarez, even if it may be a short one with the Pirates.