July 10, 2020 |
By Nick Zurawsky | Posted in: Duquesne News, McKeesport and Region News
Participants in the Duquesne-West Mifflin Boys & Girls Club stand outside the now-closed Third Street location. Programming is moving to the nearby Duquesne Education Center. (Submitted photo via change.org)
Some residents are upset over a new partnership between the Duquesne City School District and the Duquesne-West Mifflin Boys & Girls Club that would see programs moving to the Duquesne Education Center.
An online petition to save the club has attracted more than 5,000 signatures.
The petition claims the move will negatively impact out-of-school programming for Duquesne children. It also alleges the change will increase costs for families and reduce the number of children participating in activities provided by the Duquesne-West Mifflin Boys & Girls Club.
“If the 3rd Street DWM Boys & Girls Club closes, there will not be free in-person programming this summer,” according to the petition. “The partnership with the Duquesne City School will only be offering summer online programming for Duquesne students who are in kindergarten through second grade.”
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June 14, 2020 |
By Nick Zurawsky | Posted in: Duquesne News
The Boys & Girls Club of Duquesne-West Mifflin will move from its current location on North Third Street to a larger location in the Duquesne Education Center.
The move is part of a new partnership between the Boys & Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania and the Duquesne City School District, officials said.
Lisa Abel-Palmieri, chief executive officer of BGCWPA, said the location change was scheduled to happen at the end of 2020, but due to budget concerns and lack of visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the shift has been moved up six months.
The new facility and partnership will expand the scope of BGCWPA services, with twice as many students being able to take part, she said.
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June 04, 2020 |
By Nick Zurawsky | Posted in: Duquesne News
From concerns about student health and education to a looming municipal financial crisis, Duquesne officials are reaching out to local non-profit groups and governmental agencies in preparation for the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Allegheny Health Network, in partnership with the Duquesne City School District, will administer free COVID-19 tests to Duquesne’s schoolchildren from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday (June 5) at Duquesne Education Center, 300 Kennedy Ave.
The Squirrel Hill Health Council has also worked with Duquesne to administer the tests and is currently scheduling a return, city officials said.
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May 29, 2020 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Announcements, Duquesne News, McKeesport and Region News, North Versailles Twp. News
Roman Catholic churches in Duquesne and Wilmerding are among more than 60 in Western Pennsylvania that will merge into new parishes on July 1, Bishop David Zubik announced this week.
The mergers, which affect every part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, will create 15 new parishes, the diocese said in a press release.
They are among the latest changes that began in 2015 under the program the diocese calls “On Mission for The Church Alive.”
In a letter to parishioners released Wednesday, Zubik said the parishes to be merged had already been working closely together since October 2018 in regional church groupings to share clergy and resources.
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May 18, 2020 |
By Richard Finch Jr. | Posted in: Duquesne News, McKeesport and Region News, North Versailles Twp. News
McKeesport Area School District and six others will benefit from $350,000 in grants awarded to Allegheny Intermediate Unit.
The money includes a $200,000 grant from the Heinz Endowments to be used to purchase Chromebooks and Google licenses and an additional $150,000 from the Grable Foundation for electronic devices, as well as professional development for teachers and administrative professionals.
More than 1,700 devices will be distributed between McKeesport, Duquesne City, Penn Hills, East Allegheny, Highlands, Cornell and Wilkinsburg school districts, AIU said.
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May 18, 2020 |
By Nick Zurawsky | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne is looking for a new public-works director in preparation for the summer and will consider revising its job description in an effort to attract more candidates.
The city has advertised twice recently for a new public-works director with no success, officials said at the most recent council meeting. City Manager Douglas Sample said that right now he is “wearing both hats,” as he also serves part-time as the public-works director.
The new job ad emphasizes relevant background in civic education or a related field.
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May 06, 2020 |
By Nick Zurawsky | Posted in: Duquesne News, McKeesport and Region News
Rainbow Kitchen is falling into a comfortable routine, despite the chaos of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Executive Director Donna Little.
The iconic Homestead community food service was affected on all fronts by the quarantine measures put into effect after the national emergency declaration on March 13.
Almost every aspect of Rainbow Kitchen’s operation has changed. For example, it went from serving people daily in their cafeteria to packaging and handing out meals from the curbside.
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April 08, 2020 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Duquesne News, McKeesport and Region News, Politics & Elections
Duquesne’s Nickole Nesby and Braddock’s Chardae Jones joined more than 30 other mayors of cities and boroughs across Pennsylvania to ask the federal government to increase production of medical supplies and coordinate distribution to communities.
In a letter signed by 113 municipal leaders from across the United States and released Monday, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group called on the federal government to do a better job of coordinating response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s time for leaders in Washington to have our back,” said John Henry, mayor of West View, north of Pittsburgh. “The federal government must do its job coordinating national disaster response to get us the masks and ventilators we need to save lives. Every minute counts.”
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April 02, 2020 |
By Richard Finch Jr. | Posted in: Duquesne News
Patrick Dowd of Allies for Children passes meals to Rob Quigg of Eat ’n Park during a delivery on Wednesday. (Richard Finch Jr. photo for Tube City Almanac)
School may be out across Pennsylvania, but buses are still on the streets in Duquesne, delivering lunches to students at each of five regular bus stops, with the help of Eat ’n Park and funding from PNC Foundation.
The school district developed the plan to deliver meals to students during the statewide school shutdown in cooperation with Eat ’n Park, Pennsylvania Coach Lines, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, PNC Foundation, Allies for Children and 412 Food Rescue.
Duquesne is not the first school district to deliver meals to bus stops. A similar program is in place in Pittsburgh Public Schools through a joint initiative with A+Schools, the Latino Community Center and 412 Food Rescue.
“We offer breakfast and lunch meals on Monday that include food for Monday and Tuesday,” said Sue Moyer, district superintendent. “On Wednesday we provide food for Wednesday through Friday, families can come right to the bus stop, we are able to provide food not only for students, but for their families as well.”
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March 30, 2020 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Duquesne News, McKeesport and Region News, White Oak News
CORRECTION: McKeesport city officials said the public is being asked not to attend Wednesday’s council meeting for social distancing reasons. We apologize for the error.
This story was edited after publication.
Port Vue (above), North Huntingdon Twp. and White Oak are among local municipalities that have closed playgrounds as well as basketball and tennis courts to discourage groups from congregating. (Tube City Almanac photo)
Although playgrounds are closed and police have been needed for traffic control outside of crowded banks and supermarkets, life during the coronavirus pandemic is continuing in Mon-Yough communities.
But shutdowns, closures and restrictions are expected to remain a fact of life continue well into the spring, and possibly the summer.
Some communities are canceling municipal meetings, while others are moving them online and inviting the public to participate.
On Monday, Allegheny County officials announced that the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 is doubling every three days. There are now 290 cases and 38 people currently hospitalized, county officials said.
There were 158 confirmed cases on Friday.
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