Pittsburgh councilman seeks task force for South Side problems

Pittsburgh City Councilman Bruce Kraus this morning called for a task force to bring order to the South Side's party scene.

Mr. Kraus long has complained about intoxicated revelers and the problems, including violence, that they sometimes bring to the nightclub district.

But he's more upset than usual this week following the weekend shooting of a bouncer outside one of the clubs.

Mr. Kraus assailed what he called Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's "deliberate sense of indifference" to the problems, and other council members also called on the mayor to take a hands-on role.

Mayoral spokeswoman Joanna Doven said the city has made an effort to improve sanitation and public safety on the South Side.

"There's targeted public safety outreach there all the time," she said.