March 20, 2025 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, North Versailles Twp. News
A local man is hospitalized in critical condition after being struck by a dark-colored sport utility vehicle in North Versailles Twp., Allegheny County police said.
The driver then fled the scene.
In a prepared release, Allegheny County police said a pedestrian was in the intersection of Greensburg Pike and Hyer Avenue, near the Versailles Castle Apartments, when they were struck just after 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The victim’s name was not released by police. The county police collision reconstruction and homicide unit responded to the scene. No further information was released.
County police said detectives are working to identify the vehicle involved.
Anyone with information concerning the incident is asked to call county police at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers may remain anonymous.
March 20, 2025 |
By Stacy Alderman | Posted in: White Oak News
Gala Jewelers owner Chuck Gala is saying farewell to longtime customers after more than 40 years in the jewelry business. With an eye toward retirement, his store in Oak Park Mall is for sale. (Photo special to Tube City Almanac)
When Gala Jewelers announced via social media that the store would soon be closing, calls, emails and texts from customers and well-wishers started pouring in almost immediately.
Owner Chuck Gala couldn’t be more grateful. “I am so thankful and blessed to be a part of peoples’ happy moments,” he said, remembering gifts that were purchased for engagements, weddings and holidays. “The community has been so good to us.”
His father opened Gala Jewelers in McKeesport in 1948 and spent decades at various locations on Fifth Avenue.
Multiple family members worked for the business over the years, and Chuck began attending trade shows when he was just fourteen. In 1994, the store moved to its Oak Park Mall location in White Oak and it’s been a staple for the community ever since.
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March 18, 2025 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: State & Region
Editor’s Note: This is a developing story and will be updated.
Entrance to Kennywood in West Mifflin. (File photo from 2005 by Ski2007, via Wikimedia Commons)
One of the Mon Valley’s most beloved attractions is getting a new owner — and returning to family ownership.
Herschend Family Entertainment — which operates Dollywood near Pigeon Forge, Tenn. — announced Tuesday that it has reached a definitive agreement to purchase Kennywood Park in West Mifflin and its sister parks, Idlewild near Ligonier and Sandcastle in West Homestead.
Herschend, based in the Atlanta area, is acquiring the three amusement parks from Madrid, Spain-based Parques Reunidos, which purchased them in 2007 from the founding McSwigan and Henninger families, ending more than 100 years of local ownership.
The deal was confirmed by Parques Reunidos’ U.S. subsidiary, Palace Entertainment.
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March 18, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Commentary-Editorial
(Tube City Almanac file photo)
Ann Belser is publisher of Print, a monthly newspaper serving Pittsburgh’s East End, and volunteers as chair of the board of directors of Tube City Community Media Inc. After receiving a master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, she moved to Squirrel Hill and was a staff writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for 20 years. She writes:
March 16 marks the start of Sunshine Week in the Keystone State.
In Florida, the Sunshine State, where public access to records is baked into just about every law, every week is Sunshine Week.
But here in Pennsylvania, we might as well have the keystone sitting on many records that should be public.
Most police records are closed and the Right to Know Act gives public bodies five days to respond to a request for information, at which point they always say they need more time, and then another 30 days beyond that to produce records. Generally, from a news point of view, interest tends to die after a month or so.
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March 16, 2025 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Bus driver Stephanie Pollock speaks to the McKeesport Area School Board. She and other drivers are asking for more help with discipline on school buses ‘so that we can put our eyes back on the road.’ (Adam Reinherz photo for Tube City Almanac)
Two drivers implored McKeesport Area School Board to protect area children and increase the number of people working as monitors on bus rides.
Sidney Walker and Stephanie Pollock spoke at Thursday’s meeting and recounted alleged incidents involving strife, violence and misbehavior, while cautioning listeners to act before potential tragedy strikes.
Walker and Pollock, who both drive for Krise Transportation, emphasized that neither is a representative of the company and were merely speaking as private citizens concerned with the wellbeing of local children.
“You have no clue what we as bus drivers have to go through,” Walker said. “I implore you to come ride with us one morning, going to Francis McClure. I have been called out by name. I have been spat on. I have been accused of all kinds of foul things, not only from the children but from the parents.”
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March 16, 2025 |
By Vickie Babyak | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Jah-Chant Robinson. (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)
Jah-Chant Robinson is a 2013 graduate of McKeesport Area High School and resides in Port Vue. She began her career as an English teacher, and worked her way up to principal at Homeville Elementary School in the West Mifflin School District.
Robinson credits her drive to success from having a strong support system that included her parents and mentors. She said they instilled in her a sense of purpose and understanding that she could pave the way for others, and an unshakable faith in the importance of education as a tool for change.
“Growing up in McKeesport, I was acutely aware of the challenges that came with navigating systems that weren’t always designed with people like me in mind,” Robinson said.
Representation matters, and seeing so few women of color in leadership roles motivated her to push through the obstacles. Robinson said she has endured struggles like many other women of color experience, from being underestimated to having to work twice as hard in proving herself.
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March 13, 2025 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, Duquesne News
A Homewood man is being held on homicide charges in connection with a Jan. 20 shooting in Duquesne that claimed two lives.
Ishmeil A. Muhammad, 28, was arrested Thursday by Allegheny County Police and was awaiting a preliminary hearing, according to court officials.
Muhammad, who police said is known by a variety of aliases, including “Cash” and “Tim,” is charged with criminal homicide in connection with a shooting inside a home on Commonwealth Avenue that claimed the life of Sean R. Johnson Jr., 30 of Turtle Creek and Catherine Lawing, 39, of Duquesne.
Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Allegheny County medical examiner’s office, while Lawing died three days later at UPMC Mercy Hospital, Uptown.
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March 13, 2025 |
By Bonnijean Cooney Adams | Posted in: Entertainment
Patrick Daniels (left) plays detective Hercule Poirot, with Mike Good as his friend and fellow investigator Monsieur Bouc. (Bonnijean Cooney Adams photo for Tube City Almanac)
If you go...
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“Murder on the Orient Express”
Adapted by Ken Ludwig
Where: McKeesport Little Theater, 1614 Coursin St., (412) 673-1100, www.mckeesportlittletheater.com
When: Fridays and Saturdays March 14, 15, 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays March 16 and 23 at 2 p.m.
Tickets: $15 for adults, $10 for students. Available through the theater website, by calling and leaving a message, or through https://www.onthestage.tickets.
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McKeesport Little Theater’s latest production is a return to the murder mystery genre in Ken Ludwig’s adaptation of “Murder on the Orient Express.”
The classic play is based on a novel by the same name by Agatha Christie. It features one of her favorite characters, Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and opens Friday (March 14) at 7:30 p.m.
Christie’s novel, as many of her other works, was inspired by real life experiences.
In the play, a young girl named Daisy Armstrong had been kidnapped and murdered, similar to what occurred to Charles Lindbergh’s son in a story that rocked the world in 1932. Christie also once was a passenger on the real Orient Express.
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March 12, 2025 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A former McKeesport police detective is accused of taking more than $260,000 from the department’s evidence room over a four-year period prior to his retirement.
Christopher A. Halaszynski, 54, of Haler Heights is charged by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office with theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property. Charges were filed Wednesday with Magisterial District Judge Eugene Riazzi.
Investigators allege that money connected to 159 cases is missing, and accuse Halaszynski of using the cash to pay bills and personal expenses and finance vacation trips.
When detectives confronted Halaszynski, they said, he told them he had “nothing to show for everything I’ve (taken).”
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March 12, 2025 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
A McKeesport police officer has filed a federal lawsuit against the city and the mayor, alleging discrimination in promotions and retaliation for criticizing city officials on social media.
Julian Thomas, a McKeesport police officer since 2009, is Black. His lawsuit claims that he has been passed over for promotion and faced retaliation because he has spoken out against unfair personnel policies.
Thomas this week announced his candidacy for McKeesport Area School Board.
McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko on Tuesday night called the lawsuit baseless. “Typically in these situations, the city makes no comment,” Cherepko said. “Enough is enough. The entire case is fallacy.”
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March 10, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
Visitors and vendors talk during the 2024 Health & Resource Fair. (Submitted photo via Facebook)
Irwin Senior Activity Center will hold its 3rd Annual Health & Resource Fair March 22, a spokeswoman said. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and admission is free.
The fair is open to the public in the surrounding communities and will host nearly 30 vendors from healthcare, insurance and other organizations.
Also on hand will be giveaways, coffee tasting, therapy dogs, basket raffles, a bake sale and reasonably priced Exercise teachers from the activity center also will be on hand to answer questions.
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March 10, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Politics & Elections
CORRECTION: This story was corrected after publication to fix Squires’ job title. We apologize for the error.
Kevin Squires has announced plans to run for re-election to the West Mifflin Area School Board. Squires, 32, is seeking his second four-year term.
A graduate of Point Park University, Squires is a laboratory manager at the University of Pittsburgh. He holds a master’s degree in secondary education and currently serves as president of the West Mifflin board.
Squires said in a statement: “Four years ago, I campaigned on advancing education, fiscal responsibility, hearing the community, informing the public, and pushing for transparency.
“Since being elected, the district has changed considerably. I have supported investing millions in new technology, including new laptops for all students and touchscreen TVs for all classrooms, and curriculum materials (some of which had not been updated in over 20 years).
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March 10, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements, Politics & Elections
(Submitted photo courtesy of the candidate)
A longtime McKeesport police officer has announced his candidacy for the McKeesport Area School Board in the May primary election.
Julian Thomas is running on both the Republican and Democratic tickets. School director positions are officially non-partisan and cross-filing is common.
A graduate of Community College of Allegheny County, Thomas is married and a father of four children, including two attending McKeesport Senior High School.
Thomas, a member of Ebenezer Christian Worship Center in Clairton, described himself as “a passionate community organizer focusing on improving our communities rapport with the local government and school district as well as getting the services and resources to the communities most in need of them.”
He has been a police officer for 15 years.
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March 07, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements, Politics & Elections
(Submitted photo)
White Oak resident Adam Kitta has announced his candidacy for the 35th Legislative District and is running on the Libertarian Party ticket.
Kitta, a lifelong resident of the Mon Valley, said the driving force of his candidacy has been his “passion to make a difference and determination to bring people together.”
A special election is being held March 25 to fill the vacancy left by the Jan. 19 death of State Rep. Matt Gergely of McKeesport.
The 35th District includes McKeesport, Clairton, Duquesne, Homestead, Liberty Borough, Lincoln Borough, Munhall, Port Vue, South Versailles Twp., Versailles, West Homestead, Whitaker, White Oak and portions of West Mifflin.
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March 07, 2025 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Peter J. Vancheri updates MASD school directors. Photo by Adam Reinherz for Tube City Almanac)
An independent audit of McKeesport Area School District revealed healthy finances, according to accountant Peter J. Vancheri. The partner at Hosack, Specht, Muetzel & Wood delivered a positive outlook on the school’s budget during Thursday’s open agenda meeting and said a more substantive report will follow.
MASD possesses a “healthy fund balance” of approximately $24.5 million, of which $17.9 million is assigned and $6.5 million is unassigned,” Vancheri said on March 6.
What this means, he told school directors, is “you have money set aside for future shortfalls.”
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March 06, 2025 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(File photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel photo via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International)
Saying the city welcomes food trucks, but wants to set some guidance on their operation, McKeesport Council this week approved an ordinance setting options for daily, weekly, monthly and yearly permits.
The ordinance also prohibits food trucks from setting up operations adjacent to existing restaurants.
Permits will range from $10 per day to $1,200 for a year. “These fees are in line with nearby communities,” Mayor Michael Cherepko said.
The fees are designed to regulate trucks that stop in one place and serve food prepared ready-to-eat, and are distinct from the existing “peddler’s licenses.”
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March 06, 2025 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A Downtown bar that was the site of a fatal shooting on Feb. 26 will close permanently, and its liquor license will be sold.
Tube City Cafe, in the 900 block of Fifth Avenue, will close through a mutual agreement between its owner, the city, and Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. The deal was announced Thursday by Zappala.
The bar is one of the oldest in the city, having opened just two years after the repeal of the 18th Amendment.
“I’m appreciative that we were able to reach an agreement that puts the safety of people and first responders in McKeesport first,” Zappala said in a prepared release. “Thankfully, the Nuisance Bar Task Force and our law enforcement partners remain diligent in protecting our community from these dangers.”
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March 04, 2025 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne has hired a code enforcement officer and will make an announcement shortly, city officials said at Tuesday’s council meeting.
According to officials, the new hire will work to coordinate with different municipal departments, including police.
Mayor R. Scott Adams reported that Duquesne Police has acquired a drone that they will be able to use for city business. City Solicitor Myron Sainovich noted that he needs to draft a letter stating that the city will not use the flying device for commercial gain, but for police and official business only.
Police Chief Tom Shaw reported that the department responded to 188 calls in February. Council accepted the resignation of police officer Nate Calabro, who left the department last month.
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March 04, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News, Duquesne News
An unidentified pedestrian was hospitalized Tuesday morning after being struck by a car in Duquesne on Route 837.
The Allegheny County Police Department's Homicide Unit and Collision Reconstruction Unit said a pedestrian was walking in the 1000 block of Duquesne Boulevard, about one block north of Commonwealth Avenue, when they were struck by an Audi sedan.
The accident occured just before 9 a.m., police said. A preliminary investigation indicated that the victim was walking in the roadway at the time, according to a police statement.
The victim was transported to an area hospital and is in critical condition. The driver of the vehicle remained on scene, police said. Allegheny County police detectives are initiating the investigation.
Anyone who may have witnessed the accident is asked to call the county police tip line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers may remain anonymous.
March 03, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
Pittsburgh native and actor Joseph Cannon volunteered at the St. Sava fish fry in 2022. (Submitted photo courtesy St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church)
Lent begins on Wednesday for Western Christianity, and Lenten fish fries are just around the corner.
St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, 901 Hartman St., will hold its fish fry every Friday beginning March 7 and continuing weekly through April 4, a spokeswoman said. Hours are 12 noon to 6 p.m.
The church will accept both pre-orders Sundays through Wednesdays, or walk-in orders on Fridays. To place a pre-order, call (412) 287-6249. All orders must be paid in advance with a credit card, the spokeswoman said.
The St. Sava fish fry was voted best in the Pittsburgh area in 2024 by the NextPittsburgh website.
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March 03, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements, McKeesport and Region News
MAHS students Monae Chance, clarinet, and Emma Cantu, bass clarinet, prepare for Music in Our Schools Month. (Submitted photo courtesy McKeesport Area School District)
McKeesport Area School District will celebrate the 40th anniversary of “Music in Our Schools” month with a free concert at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the high school auditorium, 1960 Eden Park Blvd.
A district spokeswoman said the concert will feature several instrumental and vocal groups from the middle and high school, as well as combined band and orchestras from both age levels.
“Music in Our Schools Month” was created in 1985 by the non-profit National Association for Music Education, formerly the Music Educators National Conference. The group, representing 58,000 music teachers from all 50 states, was founded in 1907.
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March 02, 2025 |
By Stacy Alderman | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Hope Ministries has begun operations in the Seventh Avenue space that housed The Intersection for decades. (Submitted photo)
For nearly a half-century, The Intersection in McKeesport provided meals and emergency assistance to residents who needed it most. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy and run by volunteers, the charity quietly closed its doors in recent months.
Another organization, Hope Ministries, has already stepped up to make sure people don’t have to go without.
According to board member Jerry Kuhn, Hope Ministries was started in 2022 under a different name. The group wwas just getting its footing when it were displaced due to a gas explosion in August of that same year that heavily damaged the former YWCA on Ninth Avenue.
The vacancy of the building on Seventh Avenue — the one-time home of the Free Hungarian Reformed Church — gave Hope Ministries the opportunity they’d been waiting for—their own kitchen with room to grow.
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