September 17, 2024 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
This abandoned home on Auriles Street in Duquesne is targeted for demolition by city officials. (Tom Leturgey photo for Tube City Almanac)
Duquesne City Council has approved the demolition of another 21 vacant properties.
During a special session Sept. 3 before the regular monthly meeting, council and Mayor R. Scott Adams unanimously agreed that one house on South Fifth Street, nine on Seventh Street, two on Auriles, one on Klere, two on Earl and six vacant homes on Erwin should be razed.
The properties are vacant and, according to records, behind on Allegheny County taxes.
However, that doesn’t mean that a wrecking ball will start soon. Mayor Adams and Councilwoman Elaine Washington noted that they will have discussions with Allegheny County Councilman Bob Macey, as well as County Executive Sara Innamorato’s office, about obtaining funding to begin work.
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August 27, 2024 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne police have filed criminal charges against the city’s former mayor, Nickole Nesby, stemming from a traffic stop.
According to a criminal complaint, Duquesne police Officer Ryan Drohn was in a marked car and sitting stationary on Commonwealth Avenue at State Route 837 at 12:08 a.m. Aug. 7 waiting for a traffic light to turn green.
The complaint states that a black GMC SUV negotiated a wide turn off of 837 and entered his eastbound lane. Drohn wrote that the vehicle nearly struck the front driver side panel of his patrol vehicle “before turning abruptly back into the westbound lane of Commonwealth Avenue.”
According to the complaint, Drohn estimates that the SUV missed the cruiser by less than a foot. The complaint states that he turned the patrol car around and followed the SUV. He “observed it to be drifting over the double yellow line by approximately a half tire width for approximately two seconds with ongoing traffic in the eastbound lane.”
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August 06, 2024 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
Providing a rhythmic soundtrack for the Duquesne Community Day Parade were members of the Healthy Village Learning Institute in McKeesport, including Michael Wilson, Khalid Mikell, Jornee Murphy and Keith Murphy. (Tom Leturgey photo for Tube City Almanac)
The City of Duquesne marked its annual Community Day on Saturday with its first municipal parade in nearly two decades.
Helmed by City Councilwoman Denise Brownfield and a committee of about a dozen others, the parade included elected officials, military veterans, youth cheerleaders and football players and others.
The parade officially lined up by the Duquesne City School, began at Fourth and Grant and moved up to Polish Hill Park. The weather was ideal for the nearly half-way trek, with 75 degrees, a slightly overcast and small breeze.
The event took only about 10 minutes, because a house fire on Erwin Street that started less than 30 minutes before the 11 a.m. start sent police and firefighters racing to the scene. According to Duquesne fire Chief Frank Cobb, no one was injured in the fire.
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August 02, 2024 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
After months of planning, Duquesne’s Community Day Parade is back and this Saturday.
The parade begins at 11 a.m. at the corner of Fourth and Kennedy streets and will move up Grant Street to Polish Hill (Memorial Park).
City Councilwoman Denise Brownfield has helped lead the committee that has planned the event. In an email she noted that the city will boast a Pittsburgh Pirate Pierogy, members of the Pittsburgh Passion women’s football team, a stilt walker, a juggler and others. There will be a “Steel Dragon,” marchers playing African drums, horses, veterans, pastors, classic cars and elected officials.
“As you know, we face many challenges but remain steadfast in the Lord,” wrote Brownfield, who is in her first year with Duquesne City Council and is the Community and Economic Development committee chair. “A group of 12 faithful residents wanted to restore hope to the community. Collectively, we saw an opportunity to have a parade.”
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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 03, 2024 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne police Chief Tom Shaw is hoping to bolster his department with a new-to-them police vehicle.
At this week’s council meeting, Shaw asked City Manager Douglas Sample, Mayor R. Scott Adams and council to investigate purchasing a used vehicle for officers to drive. He said a 2017 Chevrolet Tahoe currently in the fleet is becoming “too costly to repair.”
“Do we need this vehicle to supplement the fleet?” Adams asked.
Shaw notes that the department has two Ford Explorers that are “drivable” but two newer vehicles are constantly being used, he said. He wants to avoid using those vehicles too much.
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June 18, 2024 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
State Rep. Nick Pisciottano, Duquesne Councilwoman Elaine Washington, Duquesne Mayor R. Scott Adams, Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission Chair Hayley Haldeman and Allegheny County Councilman Bob Macey celebrate the unveiling of a historical plaque for jazz musician Earl “Fatha” Hines. (Tom Leturgey photo for Tube City Almanac)
A recording of Earl “Fatha” Hines’s music filled the air outside his childhood home on Tuesday morning as crowds gathered to pay tribute to one of Duquesne’s favorite sons.
At a ceremony in the 600 block of Priscilla Street, local elected officials, historians and jazz fans unveiled a historical marker commemorating the life of a musician and bandleader considered one of the most influential figures in the history of American jazz.
Promising to keep the program tight and quick to avoid impending 90-degree summer heat, Duquesne Councilwoman Elaine Washington, who also serves as President of the Phyllis Wheatley Literary Society, recognized dignitaries, such as Duquesne Mayor R. Scott Adams, county Councilman Bob Macey, state Rep. Nick Pisciottano and Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission Chair Hayley Haldeman.
Macey presented a proclamation from Allegheny County Council and Pisciottano joked that “Fatha” was the “second most famous ‘Hines’ from Pittsburgh.”
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June 12, 2024 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
(Tube City Almanac photo)
Duquesne City Council has passed a sweeping new ordinance that regulates on-street parking of commercial and recreational vehicles, parking near the Duquesne Education Center, and other problem areas.
At its June meeting, council voted unanimously to enact a new city-wide parking regulation. The new rules are available on the city’s website.
Among its provisions, the ordinance:
• Bans on-street parking of trailers, motorhomes and boats for more than 48 hours
• Requires all vehicles to be parked with legally marked spaces
• Prohibits “angle parking” outside of painted parking spaces
• Prohibits long-term parking of commercial vehicles in residential areas, except while loading or unloading during deliveries or while services are being performed in a neighborhood
• Prohibits use of lawns as parking areas
• Restricts parking near Duquesne Education Center between 2 and 4 p.m. on school days
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April 09, 2024 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
City officials recently took a tour of Duquesne streets to identify problem parking areas, including cars blocking emergency vehicles and parked on sidewalks.
The group included Mayor R. Scott Adams, Police Chief Tom Shaw, Solicitor Myron Sainovich and Public Works Director Steve Arbasak.
Among other issues, Sainovich said, “we wanted to see if fire trucks could make turns.”
Many of the concerns are centered around the area of Overland and Clearview avenues and Richford Street. In some areas, officials said, are forced to walk in the middle of streets because so many cars are pared on sidewalks.
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April 09, 2024 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne City Council unanimously approved the disposal of three blighted properties through the Allegheny County Vacant Property Recovery Program.
At April’s meeting, council approved a resolution authorizing the acquisition and subsequent disposition of 122 Overland Ave. to Jamie Gatewood of Duquesne.
County tax records indicate that the property includes a one-story 768 square foot home listed in “Grade D” condition. According to an online obituary, the previous owner passed away in 2017.
Two vacant parcels of land on Viola Street only identified by lot and block numbers were obtained by Mustard Seeds and Soil Properties of Glassport. According to its website, the company does property flips and other services.
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