A Very Special Day for Pittsburgh

For one thing, Luke Ravenstahl is to be inaugurated as Mayor, having won election to the citywide office in his own right for the first time.

It won't feature a lot of pomp, circumstance, or bold, new visions, he said. In part because it's not being held in the City-County Building, there won't be any tours of the Mayor's Office, as there were when the late Mayor Bob O'Connor was inaugurated in January 2006. (P-G, Rich Lord)

Pirates broadcaster Lanny Frattare will serve as master of ceremonies. The Rev. Terrence O'Connor, son of the late mayor, will conduct the benediction. Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato will speak.

Is that customary?

Pittsburgh's youngest mayor will be inaugurated as the city is poised to begin a yearlong celebration of its 250th anniversary and as Ravenstahl must show voters he won't repeat missteps that have plagued him and hurt his support on City Council, said council members and political experts. (Trib, Jeremy Boren)

Ravenstahl's time in office also has been marked by staff shakeups.

The most recent was June 14, when he asked 11 city and authority directors to resign and reapply for their jobs. One director left; two others were fired.

The move hurt morale among city employees, but the city is running more efficiently now and morale has improved, said Arthur O. Victor Jr., Ravenstahl's director of operations since September.

Victor said Pittsburgh must become a more competitive employer. He intends to analyze the salaries and duties of all city employees in hopes of attracting more talent.

"In 2008, a lot of what we want to do is about increasing efficiencies," Victor said.

Is that right. We were wondering what that guy did.

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Also today, the Pittsburgh Comet turns one year old.

Do us just this one honor, wherever you may find yourselves this evening -- raise a glass of scotch or whatever you prefer with your compatriots, and offer a short toast to the coming tyranny of the bloggers.