July 28, 2021 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Announcements, McKeesport and Region News
A “do not use” order has been lifted in 10th Ward, but some homes and businesses — in the area shown in red — remain under a “do not drink” order. (Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County map)
An order preventing residents of the 10th Ward from using their tap water for anything except flushing toilets has now been lifted, a water authority spokesman said.
However, about 20 homes and businesses along Romine Avenue, Rebecca Street and West Fifth Avenue have been told they should not drink or cook with the water, said Matthew Junker, spokesman for the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County.
A “do not use” order for residents of lower 10th Ward was issued July 17 after emergency personnel reported that firefighting chemicals may have been sucked into an open fire hydrant as crews battled a multiple-alarm blaze at McKeesport Auto Body on Rebecca Street.
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July 23, 2021 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
Due to inclement weather, last Saturday’s Black Business Day in McKeesport was cut short, so organizers are holding a second event tomorrow (July 24).
The event is scheduled from 2 to 6 p.m. in the parking lot of the Healthy Village Learning Institute, 1102 Fremont St., just off Versailles Avenue.
A limited number of spots are available for exhibitors. For details, visit Take Action Mon Valley on Facebook.
July 21, 2021 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Announcements
Preliminary test results indicate that drinking water in the city’s Lower 10th Ward is not contaminated with firefighting chemicals, a spokesman said.
However, another round of testing will be necessary before a “do not drink” advisory is lifted, said Matt Junker, spokesman for the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County.
In the meantime, customers are being urged not to use their tap water for anything except flushing toilets — that includes not using the water for showers and bathing.
On Wednesday afternoon, McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko announced that shuttle buses will be available, beginning Thursday morning, to take residents to McKeesport Area High School if they want to use the showers there.
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July 19, 2021 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Announcements, McKeesport and Region News
City officials said they are pressing the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County to quickly resolve the issues that have kept Lower 10th Ward residents from using their drinking water.
“I have been in constant contact with MAWC since Friday, and I will continue to see this process through,” McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said Monday. “We are doing everything within our power to expedite MAWC’s water-testing process to determine if any contamination took place during the Friday evening fire at McKeesport Auto Body.”
MAWC warned on Saturday morning that chemicals from firefighting foam “may have” entered the drinking water system in the area between the CSX Railroad tracks and the Monongahela River. Some homes on Romine Avenue, Rebecca Street, Arlington Street and West Sixth Avenue also are affected.
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July 17, 2021 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Announcements
A massive fire on Friday night left behind ruined equipment and cars at a 10th Ward auto repair shop. (Tube City Almanac photo)
From her living room on Rebecca Street in the city’s 10th Ward, Annette Slivka heard the noise and saw the sparks.
Her son, John Slivka III, who lives next door, was getting ready to order dinner when “all of a sudden, there was an explosion.” In the wake of a thunderstorm Friday evening, power lines had fallen onto the roof of McKeesport Auto Body Inc., next to Annette Slivka’s home.
The lines were sparking and snapping, John Slivka III said. Eventually, the building was set ablaze — yet firefighting efforts could not begin until the power was shut off, a process that the Slivkas and other sources said took more than 45 minutes.
The resulting fire sent a pillar of black smoke into the air that could be seen for miles, and was battled for hours by firefighters from throughout Allegheny and Westmoreland counties. A Dravosburg volunteer firefighter was treated for heat-related injuries, said Matt Brown, chief of Allegheny County Emergency Services.
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July 13, 2021 |
By Kristen Keleschenyi | Posted in: Announcements, Entertainment, North Versailles Twp. News
East Allegheny graduates Taylar Getsy (2020) and Chris Rayman (2021) return to the high school stage for a summer musical “A Pirate’s Tale” July 15-17. The musical was supposed to be the spring show in 2020, but was cancelled due to the pandemic. (Submitted photo)
If you go...
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“A Pirate’s Tale”
Where: Online and live shows, East Allegheny Junior-Senior High School, 1150 Jacks Run Road, North Versailles Twp. Patrons are asked to wear a mask while at the performance if they are not fully vaccinated. Seating will be every other row to provide some distancing for patrons.
When: July 15, 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on the 17th. Streaming is available July 15-17 and 22-24.
Tickets: https://easd.booktix.com/
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High school musicals aren’t usually performed in the summer months.
But this week, “A Pirate’s Tale” is about to set sail at East Allegheny Junior-Senior High School. The show was supposed to be performed during the spring of 2020, then was postponed to summer, but COVID-19 thwarted every attempt to get it out of port, says director Amanda Rosco.
“I knew this was kind of the last shot if we were ever going to get it up with that semi-original cast. It was going to be this summer, because (after) this summer we would have had two classes of alumni that were off and doing other things,” she says.
The cast is smaller than the original one planned for 2020, she says — not everyone was able to recommit — but with the help of one guest actor and three staff members they make the show work.
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July 12, 2021 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Announcements
International Village is less than a month away!
Yep! After the horrible, no-good, very-bad year of 2020, when International Village (and pretty much everything else) was canceled, the Pittsburgh area’s largest and best folk music and food festival is returning to McKeesport’s Renziehausen Park on Aug. 10, 11 and 12, 2021.
We are once again producing a live video webcast of International Village entertainment from the main stage.
We’ve retired our old video cameras and have four new HD digital video cameras this year — and because it’s been known to rain during International Village, they’re waterproof. We’ve also purchased a new digital mixer. Together, they should produce a much clearer picture than we’ve ever been able to offer before.
Unfortunately, together, they’ve also set us back more than $1,000.
So we need to raise some money ... again. We need donations, and we need advertisers, and we need them fast ...
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July 12, 2021 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements, North Versailles Twp. News
Four local students are among 20 throughout the country receiving college scholarships from the U.S. Steel Foundation.
Company spokeswoman Amanda Malkowski said the students are sons and daughters of U.S. Steel employees from facilities throughout the region.
This year, the U. S. Steel Scholarship program offered twenty $10,000 awards — $2,500 per year renewable for up to four years — to current high school seniors, Malkowski said.
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July 12, 2021 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
The Allegheny County Health Department is asking the public to provide feedback on its 2022 Air Monitoring Network Plan.
A county spokesman said the Air Monitoring Network Plan is an annual report which provides a detailed description of how and where air pollution is monitored in Allegheny County, and is required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The county currently maintains air monitoring stations at 10 locations, including Clairton, Glassport, Liberty Borough, North Braddock, Wilkinsburg and Avalon, downtown Pittsburgh, Harrison Twp., Lawrenceville and South Fayette Twp.
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July 12, 2021 |
By Vickie Babyak | Posted in: Announcements, McKeesport and Region News
Fawn Walker-Montgomery, co-founder of Take Action Mon Valley, said this Saturday’s event is a chance for Black business owners to network and reach out to the community. (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)
Events for Black entrepreneurs are regularly held in Pittsburgh, but this Saturday, Take Action Mon Valley is sponsoring Mon Valley Black Business Day in McKeesport.
“It’s not always easy to travel into Pittsburgh and some people don’t own cars,” said Fawn Walker-Montgomery, the group’s co-founder and executive director. “The organization came up with the idea to reach out to local Black businesses. We want to provide support for them and an opportunity to network.”
Mon Valley Black Business Day will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July 17 at 2000 Eden Park Blvd., next to the side entrance of McKeesport Area High School, in the lot where Corner Pocket used to be.
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