March 28, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Announcements
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was corrected after publication to clarify that the move was made at no cost to the McKeesport 23 committee.*
A monument that honors 23 McKeesport-area veterans who lost their lives during the Vietnam War has been relocated from the campus of McKeesport Area High School to a more accessible location.
Organizers are planning a re-dedication at 3 p.m. May 13 when the monument is unveiled outside the McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center in Renziehausen Park.
An indoor reception will follow the outdoor celebration.
Joe Hoffman, a member of the McKeesport 23 committee, says the monument was originally placed in the high school courtyard because most of the veterans honored were McKeesport Area High School graduates.
But over the years, access to the monument has been restricted due to safety concerns about allowing visitors onto the campus, he says. The monument also hasn’t been accessible during weekends or school holidays.
Read More
March 24, 2023 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements, Duquesne News
Lane restrictions and delays are possible beginning Monday while crews inspect the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge.
Steve Cowan, district spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, said workers from AECOM will conduct bridge inspection activities from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays until April 7, weather permitting.
Meanwhile, delays also are likely on Route 837 near Kennywood while workers complete repairs to the pedestrian tunnel connecting the amusement park to the parking lot.
Single-lane restrictions are possible in both directions between Hoffman Boulevard and Glencairn Street, from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., beginning Monday and continuing through March 30, PennDOT said.
Crews from JET Excavating Co. are conducting the work.
Motorists should be prepared for changing traffic patterns, a PennDOT spokeswoman said.
March 22, 2023 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
Auditions will be held this week at McKeesport Little Theater for the group’s upcoming presentation of “Dearly Departed” by David Bottrell and Jessie Jones.
Acting auditions will be open on Friday and Saturday, and musical auditions will be open Sunday. To sign-up, visit the website. MLT is located at 1614 Coursin St.
The show, set in a small-town in the Southern United States, debuted off-Broadway in 1991 and has become a community theater favorite since then. The story revolves around the Turpin siblings, who have difficulty pulling themselves together and preparing a funeral for their deceased father.
Read More
March 22, 2023 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
Two student-journalists from Penn State’s campus in McKeesport have received Student Keystone Media Awards from the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association.
Yousuf Ibrahim and Carlin Whalen, both students at Greater Allegheny Campus, will be honored during an awards luncheon April 26 in Harrisburg. Both write for the campus newspaper, the GA-Zette.
Whalen received an honorable mention in the category of “Ongoing News Coverage” for his series of campus updates on the transition process after former Greater Allegheny Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer Jacqueline Edmondson stepped down. Whalen meets regularly with Megan Nagel, interim chancellor and chief academic officer, to keep readers informed of campus initiatives.
Read More
February 27, 2023 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Announcements
The third in a series of meetings to discuss the community response to violence has been postponed to give families a chance to cheer on McKeesport Area basketball teams that are competing in the playoffs.
The meetings are being sponsored by the McKeesport unit of the NAACP.
A spokeswoman said that due to both the boys’ and girls’ high school teams competing tonight, the meeting will be rescheduled.
The next meeting will discuss strategies and planners hope to get committees in place. She urged parents and other interested residents to attend. The new date will be announced soon, she said.
The girls’ team is playing in the Class 5A semi-finals against Gateway at 8 p.m. The winner will play for the Class 5A championship on March 4.
The boys’ team is playing in a Class 5A consolation round against Fox Chapel at 8 p.m. The winner will advance to the PIAA playoffs as the WPIAL’s seventh seed.
February 27, 2023 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
The McKeesport chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will meet at 6 p.m. March 1 at Penn State Greater Allegheny, Frable Building, Room 122, a spokeswoman said. The meeting is open to families and friends of loved ones living with mental illness.
Through a “care and share” session, members offer understanding and support unique to those who are affected by these conditions. NAMI McKeesport occasionally invites mental health professionals to speak about treatment and resources.
For more information about the McKeesport meeting, call (412) 527-6600. For the NAMI Helpline call (412) 366-3788 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
February 20, 2023 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
Christy Park United Methodist Church campus of McKeesport Area Shared Ministry will host a Shrove Tuesday pancake supper from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday in observance of Shrove Tuesday, a spokesperson said.
The dinner is free and open to the neighborhood. The church is located at 29th and Beale streets.
Shrove Tuesday is the final day before the beginning of Lent and is observed by many Christians, including Methodists, Episcopalians, Lutherans and Roman Catholics. “Shrove” comes from the word shrive, meaning “to absolve.”
On Shrove Tuesday, sometimes called “Fat Tuesday,” Christians traditionally supposed to use up rich and sweet foods, such as pancakes and syrup, before Lent.
February 02, 2023 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
Scientists from the University of Pittsburgh will hold a meeting tonight to discuss the results of a new water testing study in the lower 10th Ward.
Dr. Carla Ng, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Pitt, has been conducting additional testing to determine if chemicals known as PFAs are still present in the water supply and soil after a fire at McKeesport Auto Body on Rebecca Street contaminated the area in July 2021.
PFAs, used in some types of fire-suppressant foam, are believed to have entered the water supply through a fire hydrant.
PFAs are found in a variety of consumer products and also are used in firefighting foam to smother blazes.
However, according to the EPA, PFAs also have been linked to health problems, including low infant birth weights, immune and thyroid disorders and cancers.
The meeting will also provide opportunities for residents to sign-up and get their water tested. Pitt is working with the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County and Women for a Healthy Environment.
The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at West Side United Methodist Church, 305 Atlantic Ave.
January 25, 2023 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
The Lenten season is right around the corner, which means fish fries are too.
The Allegheny County Health Department is reminding fish fry sponsors that they must have a valid food permit, a requirement for all food facilities in the county, including temporary fish fries.
“Seasonal fish fries are a great part of the region’s cultural identity,” said Otis Pitts, deputy director for food safety, housing & policy at the health department. “It is important that seasonal fish fry organizers follow proper food safety handling procedures to make sure their patrons do not get sick from the food they serve. Working with the Health Department’s Food Safety Program will help fish fry organizers do just that.”
Read More
January 25, 2023 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
The McKeesport chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will meet at 6 p.m. Feb. 1 in Room 122 of the Frable Building at Penn State Greater Allegheny, a spokeswoman said. The meeting is open to families and friends of loved ones living with mental illness.
Updates regarding NAMI programs and other resources will be available. A care and share session will be held.
NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.
For more information about the McKeesport meeting call (412) 527-6600. For the NAMI Helpline, call (412) 366-3788 between the hours of 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
