July 26, 2024 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
What county detectives described as a night of smoking marijuana and drinking tequila in Versailles Borough ended up with one man dead, multiple people taken to local hospitals, and a McKeesport police officer and police dog injured.
Robert F. Kail, 40, of Peters Twp., Washington County, was being held Friday afternoon in the Allegheny County Jail awaiting arraignment on charges that include homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault, burglary, assault on a police officer, assaulting a police animal and making terroristic threats.
The victim, Vincent “Vinny” Bazzone, 38, of Versailles, was pronounced dead Thursday night at the scene of the violent incident from what Allegheny County police described as multiple stab wounds.
According to published reports, Kail is a former high school wrestler who won two state championships at Peters Twp. High School before attending Clarion University of Pennsylvania. At Clarion, he reportedly played football in 2008 on the same team as Bazzone, who according to news stories from that era, was a stand-out tackle for the McKeesport Tigers, as well as class president and an honor student.
Kail is being held without bond pending a preliminary hearing Aug. 2 in Pittsburgh Municipal Court.
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July 23, 2024 |
By Yousuf Lachhab Ibrahim | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, a native of McKeesport, talks to children playing Monday at the city’s LaRosa Youth Club. Also shown is state Rep. Nick Pisciottano of West Mifflin. (Photo courtesy Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Media Services)
Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis said that as a young man growing up in McKeesport, afterschool programs at the LaRosa Youth Club gave a lot to him and other youth.
On Monday, he came back to the club to announce plans for the state to give something back.
Davis was at LaRosa Youth Club to announced a planned $11.5 million investment in afterschool programs across Pennsylvania to help address the rise of gun violence among young people.
Also in attendance were Pennsylvania State Sen. Jim Brewster, state Rep. Nick Pisciottano, and McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko, who was one of Davis’ teachers in elementary school, as well as several members of city council.
Davis said afterschool programs “keep kids safe during the critical hours from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.,” the hours when — statistically — juveniles are most likely to be involved in violent crimes.
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July 23, 2024 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
Leonard Evagues and Donald Lennon have both been re-appointed to the Duquesne’s Zoning Hearing Board.
At this month’s meeting, council approved appointments for Evagues, whose term will expire on Dec. 31, 2026, and Lennon, whose term ends on Dec. 31, 2027.
In other business, plans for the Duquesne Community Day parade are being finalized. The parade is scheduled for 10 a.m. Aug. 3, beginning at the corner of Fourth and Grant streets and proceeding upwards toward Polish Hill Park.
Councilman Aaron Adams reported that there was nothing significant to report from the city’s water department. Consumer Confidence Report information is being included in all customers’ water bills this month.
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July 16, 2024 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
Pupils from Heritage Community Initiatives’ out-of-school programs sing “The Wheels on the Bus” for guests and local community leaders. (Photo courtesy City of McKeesport, Office of Mayor Michael Cherepko)
The only non-profit social-service organization in Pennsylvania that provides public transit celebrated its 25th year of service to the Mon Valley by announcing new vehicles, new rider amenities and more.
At a celebration on Tuesday in Braddock, Heritage Community Initiatives announced that Saturday service has been restored on its East Pittsburgh route and that buses will be equipped with wi-fi.
In addition, riders can now request flag stops at locations along the route where buses otherwise do not stop, and a new mobile app will debut later this year.
Joining Heritage staff members for Tuesday’s event were a variety of community leaders and elected officials, including U.S. Rep. Summer Lee of Swissvale and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato.
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July 16, 2024 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: White Oak News
(Tube City Almanac photo)
A portion of Lincoln Way near Oak Park Mall will remain closed until early August as crews work to replace a bridge over Long Run creek.
Demolition of the Lincoln Way Bridge in White Oak began early Monday morning. Traffic is being detoured via Route 48 to Route 30. Access to Oak Park Mall and White Oak Storage is available, said Steve Cowan, district spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.
The project is part of a two-bridge contract valued at $6.24 million, Cowan said. The new bridge will be widened several feet to accommodate the lengthening of turning lanes across the structure.
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July 16, 2024 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: North Versailles Twp. News
A North Versailles Twp. man died Sunday evening following a fire at his home on Payne Street.
Mark Gowaty, 68, died at UPMC Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh about six hours after being rescued from the blaze by firefighters, the Allegheny County medical examiner’s office said. Gowaty had suffered burns over most of his body, the medical examiner’s office said.
Crews were dispatched to the home just off Luehm Avenue after 1 p.m. and arrived to find the rear of the home fully engulfed in flame, with smoke coming from other parts of the structure, said fire Chief Vince DiCenzo III of the Fire Department of North Versailles.
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July 11, 2024 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A city man is charged with driving under the influence and several moving violations after police said he drove the wrong way on a one-way street and struck a squad car.
Jose Rodriguez-Claudio, 42, is also charged by McKeesport police with speeding, reckless driving, careless driving, driving the wrong way and causing an accident. He is free on his own recognizance pending a preliminary hearing Sept. 16 before Magisterial District Judge Eugene Riazzi.
According to a criminal complaint, an officer was driving on Centennial Street, en route to a call on Grant Street, on the evening of July 7 when he observed a minivan heading toward him at “a high rate of speed.”
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July 11, 2024 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
Four teen-agers — aged 15 to 16 — are being held in the Allegheny County Jail in connection with an armed robbery last week at a Grandview Avenue convenience store.
At a hearing yesterday in Pittsburgh Municipal Court, the youths were ordered held in lieu of $5,000 bond pending a preliminary hearing July 24.
Pennsylvania law requires juveniles who are accused of using a weapon in commission of a felony to be charged as adults. Except in rare cases, Tube City Almanac does not publish the names of minors charged with crimes.
According to a criminal complaint, a group of three young men entered the convenience store on July 4 and a fourth stood outside as a lookout.
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July 10, 2024 |
By T.J. Martin | Posted in: Wilmerding News
(T.J. Martin photo for Tube City Almanac)
Allegheny County will renovate a bridge which connects the northern and southern portions of Wilmerding beginning in 2026 and will fully close the bridge for an estimated one year beginning in 2027.
The Patton Street Bridge rehabilitation project is being planned by the Allegheny County Department of Public Works with funding from the state Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration.
The 426-feet long, four-lane bridge carries an average of 8,720 vehicles per day over Turtle Creek, Norfolk Southern railroad tracks, Wall Avenue and Avenue U. The four-span steel girder bridge was built in 1971 and was last rehabilitated in 1999.
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July 10, 2024 |
By Bonnijean Cooney Adams | Posted in: Entertainment
(File photo)
McKeesport Little Theater is one of 15 regional companies casting actors when auditions are scheduled Saturday and Sunday (July 13 and 14) to fill more than 50 roles for Pittsburgh News Works Festival’s 33rd season.
Auditions will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m at the Genesius Theater at Duquesne University, 1225 Seitz Street, Pittsburgh 15282. Pre-registration is requested.
“We are one of the original participants and we’re very excited about these auditions,” said MLT’s Jennifer R. Vertullo, who will produce the world premiere of one of the original one-act plays selected for this year’s festival.
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