Mark Rand

Arthurian England, based on the animated Prince Valiant, but with Queen Guinevere as a Knight of the Round Table and Rowanne as a soldier and, when necessary, Guinevere's squire.

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette State and county leaders on Thursday announced $132 million in funds to repair three major bridges in the Pittsburgh region: Fort Duquesne, West End, and McKees Rocks. The three steel structures span either the Allegheny or Ohio rivers, and have a combined age of nearly 240 years.

Most of this is from the Brainstorming Coastal City thread. These bars are on East Carson Street in Pittsburgh’s South Side Flats neighborhood. The Light-Fingered Lady is a cat burglar-themed bar. The staff there, and most customers, dress the part and talk softly. Zorba’s is a Greek bar. Belly dancers perform nightly from 9 p.m. to closing. Jake’s is a jazz bar. The Jazz Angels, a six-piece all-female jazz band, plays there Thursday through Sunday nights. The keyboardist switches between a Korg M3 synthesizer and a Yamaha CP-70M electric piano. Other members play drums, guitar, trumpet, saxophone, and a clarinet. The guitarist and keyboard player are the vocalists. The Corral is a country-western bar. The Cowgirls, a trio, plays there Thursday through Sunday. One lady plays a violin. The second plays an upright bass. The third plays guitar. The violinist hardly ever sings. On Wednesday, Jody, who looks somewhat like the late Patsy Cline, performs Patsy’s songs. Tuesday is karaoke night. Monday is open mic night. The Pumas are a soft-rock trio/garage band composed of high school girls and based on Josie and the Pussycats from the comic books. Their costumes are catsuits with puma (cougar) coloration and tails and feline ears and jazz slippers with the same coloration. One girl plays lead guitar. The second girl is the drummer. The third girl plays bass guitar.

Two more bits of Pittsburgh news. First, Duquesne University's medical school is now open. Second, Demolition of Tree of Life building begins The building’s removal will make way for a memorial Pittsburgh Post-Gazette staff Jan 17, 2024 2:59 PM Demolition of the Tree of Life synagogue building in Squirrel Hill started Wednesday morning. Most of the building will be removed to make way for a memorial honoring the 11 people killed on Oct. 27, 2018. Killed in the attack were Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil and David Rosenthal, Bernice and Sylvan Simon, Dan Stein, Melvin Wax, and Irving Younger. The designs for the memorial, unveiled last month, show a stone path cut across the greenery on the Shady Avenue side of the building. Eleven sculptures of open books will line the walkway and garden — one for each of the 11. The sculptures will be inscribed with stories of how each person lived, allowing visitors to get to know them as people and individual lives, not the abstract collective victims of a hate crime. The books represent the Jewish idea of the Book of Life: Between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur — the Jewish New Year and the Day of Atonement — those who are leading good lives and destined for heaven are written into the Book of Life. A news release said “Approximately 80% of the building will be removed to prepare for reimagined Tree of Life as designed by Daniel Libeskind working in collaboration with Rothschild Doyno Collaborative of Pittsburgh. The recognizable sanctuary walls at the corner of Shady and Wilkins will be preserved.” First Published January 17, 2024, 11:04am

South Side entertainment patrol has increased safety, city officials and businesses say Laura Esposito Pittsburgh Post-Gazette lesposito@post-gazette.com Jan 17, 2024 8:09 AM The South Side entertainment patrol has brought "substantial results and changed behavior" to the South Side, Pittsburgh police Chief Larry Scirotto said at a press conference on Tuesday. "When I arrived here, I saw quite quickly that the scene on East Carson Street [on the South Side] had become rather dangerous, mostly for the businesses and residents," Chief Scirotto said. While the city's data shows an overall decline in crime and homicides in 2023, the South Side has seen a large portion of the city's shootings and violent crime since the pandemic began, leaving residents and business owners frustrated, fearful, and calling for an increased police presence. Carson City Saloon, a popular bar on East Carson Street, had to temporarily shut its doors after a shooting one block away was “the last straw,” for the owners, referring to the South Side as the “Wild West.” The South Side entertainment patrol was established in July, which allocates more officers to East Carson Street and its surrounding areas every Thursday through Sunday between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. Sgt. Andrew Robinson, who directs the patrol, said its officers have made 95 arrests, recovered 18 firearms, and issued more than 1,000 citations since July. "Our officers are working shoulder to shoulder with the residents, the community leaders, as well as the business owners," Sgt. Robinson said. There are currently 10 officers on the entertainment patrol, all from Zone 3, Chief Scirotto said. They patrol on foot near popular bars and nightlife venues in the neighborhood. The officers have also formed relationships with business owners and created a level of connectivity in their shared goal of safety that "didn't exist" before the creation of the entertainment patrol, Chief Scirotto said. "It's changed and increased safety within the South Side," he said. Don Berman, a community liaison for the anti-violence group SouthSideCan and the South Side Hospitality partnership, agreed that collaboration between the city and residents made the neighborhood safer. "In the beginning last summer, people were coming down here to do whatever they wanted to do," Mr. Berman said. "And due to the combined efforts of the community bar owners, public safety, and public officials, things are getting better." While an increased police presence may be improving safety in the neighborhood, it hasn’t completely eradicated crime on East Carson Street. In November, police arrested five teenagers who assaulted a man and attempted to steal his backpack near the American Natural Gas Station. All five of the juveniles, who were between the ages of 13 and 15, face aggravated assault, conspiracy and robbery charges. In October, a man was shot in the chest in the intersection of East Carson Street and South 17th Street. John DeMauro, the owner of Urban Tap on East Carson Street, said it’s a "collective effort" that's responsible for the noticeable improvement in the neighborhood but cautioned residents and business owners not to let up. "We have to continue to trend upwards," Mr. DeMauro said. "We don't want to have any setbacks." First Published January 16, 2024, 6:01pm

Ginger Sturgeon, D.V.M., is the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium’s Director of Animal Health. Alicia Hahn, D.V.M., and Debbie Myers, D.V.M., are two of her associate veterinarians. Libby Galvaneck is the chief veterinary technician. There is always at least one veterinarian and one veterinary technician on duty. In a superhero universe, Ginger could have a way with animals, and they would instinctively trust her.

Coastal City is in the Washington, D.C. radio and television market.

The Coastal City Zoo and Aquarium is based on the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. Claire McCauley, DVM, from The Beasts Are on the Streets, is the zoo’s Director of Animal Health. Alicia Sturgeon, DVM, and Debbie Hahn, DVM, are two of her associate veterinarians. Ginger Galvaneck is the chief veterinary technician. There is always at least one veterinarian and one veterinary technician on duty. Claire has a way with animals and they instinctively trust her.

Memorial Park, from the 5E book Champions Battlegrounds, is one of Coastal City's parks. The New Urbana Galleria, from the same book, is just outside the city.

Coastal City first appeared in the 3E module Atlas Unleashed, where it was a generic coastal city.

Lancaster County has a number of rivers and bays, all of which are crossed by bridges. If a bridge’s “clearance below”, which is measured from the surface of the water to the underside of the bridge at the chart datum Mean High Water (MHW), is 45-feet or above, it’s a normal bridge. Otherwise, it’s either a lift-type drawbridge (used if it carries regular or light-rail traffic) or a two-leaf bascule drawbridge (if it carries regular traffic only). The Sixth Street Bridge is a two-leaf bascule drawbridge. The tenders live, and work, in a county-owned building. Christmas “Chrissy” Snow is the 7 AM to 3 PM tender. Tannis Archer is the 3 to 11 PM tender. Cindy Snow is the 11 PM to 7 AM tender.

Hawke Air, Inc. is owned by Caroline Hawke, who is also the manager of Coastal City Airport, and her daughters, Joanna and Caitlin. All are commercial pilots and certified flight instructors. Caitlin is also a certified airframe and powerplant mechanic. As with all airports, there is a beacon to mark the airport’s location at night. It flashes green and white, indicating that it’s a civilian land airport, and is mounted on a metal tower painted in alternating bands of white and international orange.

More high school stuff. All prestige cliques refer to female swim team members as “mermaids” and male ones as “merboys”. They also call the Drama Club, Stage Crew, choir, orchestra, and band members “losers”. Additionally, when the play Peter Pan is performed, Jenny Wren is always listed as playing Tinker Bell. This joke, from the original production, helps with the mystique of the fairy character. At Woodrow Wilson High, despite her thick glasses, Drama Club member Judith “Judy” Harris has been nicknamed “Gypsy” by the “popular” girls because she often wears belly dance-related tee shirts and sweatshirts. She and Tom Cochran, her husband-to-be, are sometimes called “love birds”, and are skilled dancers. When planning to work on the auditorium lighting after school, Valerie Brown wears a Space Camp flight suit. This may be the reason the “popular” girls have dubbed her “Space Girl”.

I forgot that Hawke Air, Inc. has one aircraft on the flight line that's not considered a light aircraft. It's a Douglas DC-3, and it's still in use. Also, they have both regular and T-hangars. One regular hangar is used by their mechanic.

Any superhero vehicles here would be considered light aircraft. The payphone may've been occasionally vandalized. Airport management has tried to have it removed, but, so far, the phone company hasn't budged.

Coastal City does not have any public airports within its boundaries. The city is serviced by Washington Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia, and Ronald Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. Dulles is the primary international airport for the Washington, D.C. region, which Coastal City is on the edge of, while Reagan National is the primary domestic airport. Coastal City Airport, located two miles beyond the city limits, is a general aviation airport. Just outside the terminal is a mailbox and a place where pets can relieve themselves. Inside is a pay phone, water fountain where one can fill a water bottle, restrooms, a vending area, the Runway 5 Café, and a first aid station. A car rental agency and a gas station/convenience store are across the street from the airport. Outside is Hawke Air, Inc., gas pumps for 100 Low Lead Avgas and Jet-A, T-hangars, restrooms, and the base for Medstar 4, the area medical helicopter. Light aircraft, including a biplane and gliders occupy most of the apron area, but there are also ground vehicles with light bars.

Another Woodrow Wilson High faculty member is Mr. Kenneth Andrews. He teaches metal shop and the Stage Crew faculty advisor/sponsor. They are, in fact, his home room. The Cordettes, from Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, are the cheerleaders and “popular” girls. Of that group, Harmony often gets assigned Stage Crew detention. Each Stage Crew member has his or her own set of stage keys. Forsythe Pendleton Jones III plays the orchestra bass drum in Orchestra 5. Elizabeth “Liz” Cooper plays the triangle and other special effects percussion in Orchestra 5. Wellington J. Fransworth “Spook” Spookingdorf III plays the snare drum in Orchestra 5. In addition to their regular school gear and instruments, all orchestra students carry cases containing sheet music

Good stuff, Scott. Woodrow Wilson High is simply the high school closest to the Tree of Life Congregation.

Seymour Kaufman, Ph.D., is the principal of Woodrow Wilson High. He is preoccupied with his duties but dryly humorous. His usual method of detention is to assign students to the Stage Crew. Ms. Hogarth is Principal Kaufman’s secretary. Ms. Sybil Buchanan is the 12th-grade assistant principal. Mr. Gil Casey is the 11th-grade assistant principal. Ms. Liz McIntyre is a guidance counselor. Ms. Mary Lou Graham is the school librarian and the Student Library Staff faculty advisor/sponsor. Ms. Carol Marcus (“Ms. Carol” or “Aunt Carol”) is the young and attractive activities director and cheerleader coach. Unlike most, she wears a cheerleader uniform when they do and takes to the field with them. She also drives a Spec Racer Ford in events sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America, and is a local pace car driver. Every year, there’s a charity basketball game between the varsity boys’ team and a team of male teachers. The varsity cheerleaders, including Ms. Carol, cheer for the boys while a team of female teachers cheer for the male teachers. Mr. Pete Dixon teaches 11th grade American History and an accomplished private pilot. He and Valerie sometimes talk flying. Ms. Alice Johnson is his petite and enthusiastic student teacher. Coach Ken Reeves, a former NBA player, who has retired due to injuries despite still being young enough (in theory) to play, is the boys’ basketball coach. Coach Eric Taylor is the football coach and coaches the teachers basketball team. Coach Mary Anne Kramer is the swim team coach, teaches the weekend swim classes, and is the faculty cheerleader coach. Ms. Alicia Addams is an English teacher and the Drama Club faculty advisor/sponsor. She also directs the plays.

Class hours at Woodrow Wilson High are from 7:40AM - 2:40PM. Clubs meet after school and the auditorium is open weekends for events, plays, concerts, and for the Stage Crew to work. Except for swim meets, swim team practices, and swimming classes, the pool is open for three hours after school, and all day weekends and holidays. The school is ADA-accessible. The accessible entrance is in the parking lot on Tilbury Avenue closest to Forward Avenue. There is no school uniform. CTE students wear the uniform for the course they’re taking. The mascot is Dragons. The motto is “Know something, do something, be something”. The school colors are Green and White. The high school, located at 2409 Shady Ave, was built in 1925. The 4-story-building has a total area of 292,341 square feet. It has the following facilities: 3 Science Labs, 18 Computer Lab Classrooms, 9 Dedicated Computer Labs, 4 Art Labs, 2 Music Labs, 16 CTE Labs, 2 Gyms, 1 Pool, 1 Auditorium, 1 Cafeteria, and 1 Library. The prestige cliques are the jocks, cheerleaders, and the “popular” girls, most of which are also cheerleaders. To the jocks you’re a wimp if you don’t play football or basketball and a poor poser if you don’t have a letterman’s jacket. To the cheerleaders, which include the female athletes, you’re a wimp if you don’t play basketball and a poor poser if you don’t have a letterman’s jacket. They call the girls’ swim team and Emma “mermaids”. I’m populating the school with characters from pop culture and ones I make up on the fly.

Val's father is a physicist, astronaut, and private pilot and she's already soloing in her own Cessna 172S Skyhawk. The aircraft registration number on her flight bag is her Cessna's (N9988K).

Although there’s no guitarist named Josephine “Josie” McCoy, there is a Valerie Brown. Like the one on Josie and the Pussycats, she’s African-American and highly intelligent. However, she’s not a musician. She’s a Stage Crew member, an amateur astronomer who has been to Space Camp, and an AP Physics student who wants to become an astronaut. Valerie always runs the lighting, sound and video systems during big productions.

Lauren is from one of the 4E books of normals. Michelle is, I think, Sailor Neptune's first name in one of the English Sailor Moon dubs.

Maestro Jennifer Collingsworth, the President’s niece, is Woodrow Wilson High School’s orchestra teacher and conductor. Ms. Alexandra McGregor is her TA. Rumor has it that she’s actually a Secret Service agent protecting Jennifer. If she is, most of the women dressed like Stage Crew while the orchestra is either performing or rehearsing in the auditorium are also Secret Service agents. At least one isn’t, she’s Mrs. Jo Anne Forbes an English teacher and the Drama Club wardrobe mistress, who the Stage Crew call “Aunt Joanie”. School orchestras and choirs are divided into five groups. Orchestra 1 and Choir 1 are the novices. Orchestra 5 and Choir 5 are the ones that perform for the public. Orchestra 5 members include Michelle Karpman (concertmaster), Melody Valentine (timpanist and principal percussionist) and Lauren Kay (principal oboist).

Cora likes classical music.