Even as the smog clouds that have characterized the city for decades fade, Pittsburgh continues to have lackluster air quality.

The way to fix this, according to activists, is to start from the top, with County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.

Since July, three environmentalist groups — the Clean Air Council, PennEnvironment and the Breathe Project — have gathered outside Allegheny County Courthouse each Friday with signs, grievances, and the occasional protest song. The events have followed clean air activism that's sporadically popped up since March.

Following the shooting of 17 year-old Antwon Rose, Jr. by an East Pittsburgh police officer in June, western Pennsylvania legislators vowed to come back with steps to reduce police violence.

Today, three months later, Pittsburgh House and Senate Democrats unveiled a slate of measures to reform law enforcement training practices, police oversight, and improve mental health counseling and cultural awareness in an effort to head off rising tensions between residents and police. 

Pittsburgh City Councilman Ricky Burgess (District 9), with Mayor Bill Peduto and community leaders, is attempting to ease displacement in East Liberty after years of redevelopment and gentrification through a projects funded in part by the affordable housing fund.

Announced last week, the proposal comes after a few years of fighting that’s turned the East End neighborhood into a model for what long time, often African-American, city residents fear from the city’s tech renaissance.

In light of the death of Antwon Rose Jr. in a June police shooting, Democratic lawmakers from all over the commonwealth listened to testimony from law enforcement officials, consultants and social justice advocates Tuesday with the weighty goal of improving policing and community relations. 

However, after three hours of testimony that left legislators with more questions than answers, the road to reform looks to be a long one.

In light of the police shooting last week of Antwon Rose Jr. and the overall tallies of, in particular, black people killed by police, a group of Democratic legislators gathered Monday to call for a package of policing reform bills.

Including Allegheny County representatives Ed Gainey, Austin Davis and Jake Wheatley, as well as Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Rep. Jordan Harris (D-Philadelphia), the lawmakers pushed for reform to restore the faith of communities of color in police.