Tuesday: More Tiresome Bourgeois News

Mr. Kunka said the city is sending requests for qualifications to 14 law firms and 13 underwriting firms to try to forge the right team to handle the debt refinancing. He stopped short of pledging a competitive process for choosing the team, which would be paid out of the proceeds. (P-G, Rich Lord)

If we're not up against the wall on time, why not go through a competitive process? Be assured of getting competitive rates, and maybe take a look at a few innovative strategies.

Let's test whether or not our assumptions about those which we consider the most "prestigious" firms are truly warranted.

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Two Pittsburgh-area legislators are urging state gaming regulators to revoke Don Barden's slots license and award a new Pittsburgh casino license based on "a competitive process that will include new applicants," who would complete what's already been started on the North Shore. (P-G, Barnes and Toland)

The Comet is agnostic on that issue, but it is wonderful to see Sen. Orie and Sen. Ferlo being all bipartisan! This could be the start of a beautiful friendship.

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To back up his claim, Burgess cited a 2003 amendment to the city's historic preservation law sponsored by then-Councilman Bob O'Connor.

The amendment states: "Nomination of a religious structure shall only be made by the owner(s) of record of the religious structure."

A religious structure is defined as a "place of religious worship."

O'Connor fought for the amendment under the belief that some churches can't afford to make repairs or facade improvements to comply with historic preservation standards. (Trib, Jeremy Boren)

Curious that this property was still given affirmative recommendations for historic designation from the Planning Commission and Historic Review Commission. They are the stewards of these regulations.

David McMunn, president of the [Mexican War Street] Society, said the Malta Temple is zoned as a commercial structure, not as a church. Allegheny County assessment records confirm that.

McMunn said tearing down the stately brick building at 100 W. North Ave. and replacing it with a modern building nearby would remove an important thread from the North Side's already frayed historic fabric.

This one is poised to get bigger before it gets smaller.

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Dennis Yablonsky, secretary of the state Department of Community and Economic Development, likely will announce this week whether Pittsburgh should be released from state financial oversight. (Trib, Jeremy Boren)

Good. There isn't enough going on this week.

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And finally this morning...

The brown Chihuahua mix perched at District Judge Gene Ricciardi's side barks for order when her owner's gavel fails to induce it.

Lucy, Ricciardi's shaggy sidekick in the leather-backed chair, always gets her way when defendants and prosecutors bicker too loudly over trash-strewn yards, broken fire escapes, rowdy neighbors or underage drinking. Sometimes she doubles as a soothing pet therapist for juveniles too choked with rage to tell the judge their side of a scuffle at school. (Trib, Jeremy Boren)

Could have written a whole article just about Lucy!