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"Star Wars" vending machine stunt awakens Pittsburgh's ire

The creator says he'll repair and return the beloved Mt. Washington landmark, but not everyone's happy.

Culture

A social media stunt involving <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Pittsburgh&#x27;s beloved &quot;Star Wars&quot; vending machine" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/08/27/star-wars-vending-machine-replaced-pittsburgh" data-vars-content-id="068bae5b-67e9-4eb1-a4b6-3c4042b9e8e7" data-vars-headline="&quot;Star Wars&quot; vending machine stunt awakens Pittsburgh&#x27;s ire" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/08/27/star-wars-vending-machine-replaced-pittsburgh" target="_self">Pittsburgh&#x27;s beloved &quot;Star Wars&quot; vending machine</a> has the region up in arms.Why it matters: Los Angeles-based content creator Braeden Days said <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="last week" data-vars-click-url="https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/content-creator-claims-he-took-mount-washingtons-iconic-star-wars-vending-machine/OX77WMBFO5AXTGNMW6E45AAULE/" data-vars-content-id="068bae5b-67e9-4eb1-a4b6-3c4042b9e8e7" data-vars-headline="&quot;Star Wars&quot; vending machine stunt awakens Pittsburgh&#x27;s ire" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/content-creator-claims-he-took-mount-washingtons-iconic-star-wars-vending-machine/OX77WMBFO5AXTGNMW6E45AAULE/" target="_blank">last week</a> he took Mt. Washington&#x27;s &quot;Star Wars&quot; vending machine, prompting a flurry of reactions from locals, including prominent radio personalities.

Exclusive: Deluzio nabs Working Families Party endorsement

The endorsement adds to intrigue around the congressman's growing political profile.

News

Rep. <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Chris Deluzio" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/11/20/deluzio-trump-response-threat" data-vars-content-id="1d3fbabc-695f-4cb4-b898-146c215b537d" data-vars-headline="Exclusive: Deluzio nabs Working Families Party endorsement" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/11/20/deluzio-trump-response-threat" target="_self">Chris Deluzio</a> (D-Aspinwall) was endorsed by the national progressive group Working Families Party, Axios learned Monday.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Deluzio" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/02/04/deluzio-ice-oakmont-immigrant-detention" data-vars-content-id="1d3fbabc-695f-4cb4-b898-146c215b537d" data-vars-headline="Exclusive: Deluzio nabs Working Families Party endorsement" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/02/04/deluzio-ice-oakmont-immigrant-detention" target="_self">Deluzio</a> is expanding his political base ahead of his election against <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Republican Tony Guy" data-vars-click-url="https://tonyguyforcongress.com/" data-vars-content-id="1d3fbabc-695f-4cb4-b898-146c215b537d" data-vars-headline="Exclusive: Deluzio nabs Working Families Party endorsement" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://tonyguyforcongress.com/" target="_blank">Republican Tony Guy</a>, which could carry him beyond the U.S. House and on to higher ambitions.

Pennsylvania ER visits among the nation's longest

Patients typically spend over 3 hours in Pennsylvania emergency departments.

Health

A typical emergency room visit in Pennsylvania runs more than three hours, per new federal <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="data" data-vars-click-url="https://data.cms.gov/provider-data/dataset/apyc-v239" data-vars-content-id="f6546a56-825c-4dec-beda-d3d2ca861138" data-vars-headline="Pennsylvania ER visits among the nation&#x27;s longest" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://data.cms.gov/provider-data/dataset/apyc-v239" target="_blank">data</a>.Why it matters: New insurance <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="eligibility rules" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/03/medicaid-work-eligibility-requirement-rules-patients" data-vars-content-id="f6546a56-825c-4dec-beda-d3d2ca861138" data-vars-headline="Pennsylvania ER visits among the nation&#x27;s longest" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/03/medicaid-work-eligibility-requirement-rules-patients" target="_self">eligibility rules</a> could push more patients to delay care until their conditions become emergencies, further straining emergency departments.

What to do in Pittsburgh this September 

As fall approaches, expect a bevy of food fests, live music, Oktoberfest and a parallel parking showdown.

Things to Do

It may not feel like it with extreme heat settling over the region this week, but fall is closing in — bringing film fests, food fests and even a parallel parking championship.Here are Pittsburgh&#x27;s top events this September.

Pittsburgh renters are paying more for less

New apartments lost 142 square feet over a decade while inflation-adjusted rents rose.

The average new Pittsburgh apartment shrunk by 15% in the past decade, per a new survey from <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="RentCafe" data-vars-click-url="https://www.rentcafe.com/blog/rental-market/market-snapshots/national-average-apartment-size/" data-vars-content-id="72d3e5a6-9504-411c-b1bb-31c47954daa5" data-vars-headline="Pittsburgh renters are paying more for less" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.rentcafe.com/blog/rental-market/market-snapshots/national-average-apartment-size/" target="_blank">RentCafe</a>.Why it matters: Despite shrinking square footage, Pittsburgh renters are paying more — even accounting for a 39% rise in inflation.

How Pa. went from data center darling to strict controls

Community opposition is reshaping how Pennsylvania handles its data center boom.

To paraphrase &quot;The Graduate&quot; — I&#x27;ve got two words for you, Pennsylvania: local control. That&#x27;s the past, present and probably future.The big picture: The Keystone State was set to be a key player in the next economic revolution thanks to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="$90 billion in AI and energy investment" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/07/15/pittsburgh-pennsylvania-ai-energy-investment" data-vars-content-id="1b4a7bb9-8a2e-499c-bad8-53ef49a9fcff" data-vars-headline="How Pa. went from data center darling to strict controls" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/07/15/pittsburgh-pennsylvania-ai-energy-investment" target="_self">$90 billion in AI and energy investment</a> announced in Pittsburgh last year, but grassroots uprisings, fear of changing local communities, and shifting feelings about tech have combined to put Pennsylvania on a new course of anti-data-center backlash.

What Pittsburghers are saying about data centers

Two dozen readers weighed in, and opposition to large data centers dominated the responses.

We asked our readers what they thought of data centers, and the message was loud and clear: you don&#x27;t want them.Zoom in: Two dozen people voiced their disapproval in response to an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Axios Pittsburgh social media post" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/Dcbp4d7lbXT/" data-vars-content-id="3d450f57-517c-4ee5-b11f-f452ad4fc955" data-vars-headline="What Pittsburghers are saying about data centers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Dcbp4d7lbXT/" target="_blank">Axios Pittsburgh social media post</a>, bringing up concerns about water consumption and contamination, increased utility costs, more natural gas production, and AI&#x27;s effect on creative fields.

Zara to open first Pittsburgh-area store

The new store will anchor a broader redevelopment at the North Hills shopping center.

Global fashion brand Zara is coming to Ross Park Mall.The big picture: The Spanish retailer — known for its fast-fashion, accessories and beauty products — is bringing its first store to the Pittsburgh area as part of a broader expansion throughout the U.S.

PPG to invest $280M in Ohio expansion

The project will add jobs and boost automotive coatings production, per PPG.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Pittsburgh-based" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/03/20/ppg-paints-arena-wifi-upgrade-6ghz" data-vars-content-id="d8624c44-4801-42f0-8cff-8565fa06cf5c" data-vars-headline="PPG to invest $280M in Ohio expansion" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/03/20/ppg-paints-arena-wifi-upgrade-6ghz" target="_self">Pittsburgh-based</a> paint giant PPG is expanding an automotive coatings manufacturer facility in central Ohio and investing $280 million.Why it matters: The expansion will boost production and add 100 jobs to the site in Delaware, Ohio, located 40 minutes north of Columbus, per a PPG press release.

Caffeena to open Yemeni cafe, grocer Downtown

The new café will feature Yemeni coffee, bakery and grocery items in a large gathering space

Food and Drink

Caffeena Coffee House is doubling down on Pittsburgh with plans for a Downtown flagship that owners say will rank among the city&#x27;s largest coffee shops.The big picture: The Yemeni-American coffee chain that announced its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="first Pittsburgh café in Oakland " data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/02/02/yemeni-coffee-shop-caffeena-coming-to-oakland" data-vars-content-id="63cf5b99-11b3-405a-9b0a-5c1385a210b9" data-vars-headline="Caffeena to open Yemeni cafe, grocer Downtown" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/02/02/yemeni-coffee-shop-caffeena-coming-to-oakland" target="_self">first Pittsburgh café in Oakland </a>earlier this year is expanding with a 4,500-square-foot footprint inside the LiveWell Apartments building — the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="former GNC headquarters" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/02/20/former-gnc-building-housing" data-vars-content-id="63cf5b99-11b3-405a-9b0a-5c1385a210b9" data-vars-headline="Caffeena to open Yemeni cafe, grocer Downtown" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/02/20/former-gnc-building-housing" target="_self">former GNC headquarters</a> at Sixth Avenue and Wood Street.

Downtown city employees get free transit

Officials want more employers to offer discounted transit benefits.

Pittsburgh officials are building incentives into their strategy to get more people to take public transit Downtown.Why it matters: Downtown still <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="hasn&#x27;t recovered all of its pre-pandemic crowds" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/05/09/pittsburgh-small-business-downtown-revival" data-vars-content-id="4cff2794-f795-4ce0-9236-a002453f78d0" data-vars-headline="Downtown city employees get free transit" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/05/09/pittsburgh-small-business-downtown-revival" target="_self">hasn&#x27;t recovered all of its pre-pandemic crowds</a>, especially weekday office workers.

Inside look: Citizens Live at The Wylie

We checked out Pittsburgh's newest concert venue before its October debut.

Pittsburgh&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="newest music venue" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/03/05/first-look-citizens-live-wylie-concert-venue" data-vars-content-id="cb96585b-ca07-4bef-aebe-9a21a26d4d47" data-vars-headline="Inside look: Citizens Live at The Wylie" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/03/05/first-look-citizens-live-wylie-concert-venue" target="_self">newest music venue</a> is nearly complete and will be ready for its Oct. 1 opening date, officials tell Axios.Why it matters: Citizens Live at The Wylie adds another piece to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the redevelopment of the Lower Hill" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/06/25/penguins-new-owners-pittsburgh-hotel-ppg-arena" data-vars-content-id="cb96585b-ca07-4bef-aebe-9a21a26d4d47" data-vars-headline="Inside look: Citizens Live at The Wylie" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/06/25/penguins-new-owners-pittsburgh-hotel-ppg-arena" target="_self">the redevelopment of the Lower Hill</a> decades after the neighborhood was demolished in the name of urban renewal.

AI Avenue lands 2 new companies

Two AI companies are expanding Pittsburgh's growing tech corridor.

Two new tech headquarters are coming to Pittsburgh&#x27;s AI Avenue.Why it matters: Leaders at the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="AI Strike Team" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/02/10/ai-boom-strike-team-data-center" data-vars-content-id="a9a0039d-87c5-436d-8c09-e157f1b8030f" data-vars-headline="AI Avenue lands 2 new companies" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/02/10/ai-boom-strike-team-data-center" target="_self">AI Strike Team</a> want to concentrate AI companies in the same area so they can collaborate and drive greater growth for the city&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="burgeoning tech industry" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/07/15/pittsburgh-aims-to-power-ai-future" data-vars-content-id="a9a0039d-87c5-436d-8c09-e157f1b8030f" data-vars-headline="AI Avenue lands 2 new companies" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/07/15/pittsburgh-aims-to-power-ai-future" target="_self">burgeoning tech industry</a>.

Mic Drop to bring live music, karaoke to North Shore

A new nightlife venue will feature live music, karaoke and dueling pianos near PNC Park.

A new entertainment venue, Mic Drop, is coming to the North Shore with a lineup of live music, karaoke and dueling pianos.Why it matters: The space is the latest addition to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Legacy Hospitality Partners&#x27;" data-vars-click-url="https://www.legacyhospitalitypartners.com/" data-vars-content-id="9e831776-07ae-40e4-a8de-25404b9bc5b9" data-vars-headline="Mic Drop to bring live music, karaoke to North Shore" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.legacyhospitalitypartners.com/" target="_blank">Legacy Hospitality Partners&#x27;</a> fast-growing North Shore portfolio and citywide <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="real estate" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/06/30/new-owners-eye-housing-at-smithfield-building" data-vars-content-id="9e831776-07ae-40e4-a8de-25404b9bc5b9" data-vars-headline="Mic Drop to bring live music, karaoke to North Shore" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/06/30/new-owners-eye-housing-at-smithfield-building" target="_self">real estate</a> investments.

Bar chart shows the average size of new apartments, ranging from 1,156 square feet in Tallahassee, Fla., to Seattle at 645 square feet. The U.S. average is 910 square feet.

Development 🏗️

Pittsburgh renters are paying more for less

How Pa. went from data center darling to strict controls

What Pittsburghers are saying about data centers

Zara to open first Pittsburgh-area store

PPG to invest $280M in Ohio expansion