October 20, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne City Council has appointed a new solicitor --- the city's fourth this year --- and says it will pursue an state ethics complaint against the city's treasurer.
At its Oct. 9 meeting, council appointed Myron Sainovich to replace John Rushford as the city's solicitor. Rushford was hired in April.
In addition, council voted to file a complaint with the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission against city Treasurer David Bires for what Mayor Nickole Nesby said is a conflict of interest. Bires chairs the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Duquesne, which is currently being sued by the city.
“Council and I believe that his actions need to be investigated," Nesby said. "As chairman of the redevelopment authority, we believe there is a conflict of interest and he should resign from one of the positions.”
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October 10, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Crime and Police News, Duquesne News
Duquesne police Chief Tom Dunlevy reported 564 calls for service for the month of August, resulting in 52 arrests.
Calls for service included 24 abandoned vehicles, 25 criminal mischief calls, 10 juvenile complaints, 33 domestics, 17 disturbances and 10 thefts. A full list of calls for service can be viewed on the department’s Facebook page or at the police department.
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October 09, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne water customers owed the city nearly $64,000 at the beginning of September --- but city officials said delinquent accounts are not going to be allowed to slide any longer.
At council's Sept. 25 meeting, Councilwoman Elaine Washington said that a review of the city's accounts found that some residents had past-due balances of more than $4,000. In some cases, she said, residents who had unpaid water bills were allowed to open new accounts without paying off the old bills.
That arrangement is no longer acceptable, Washington said, and bills must be paid in full monthly.
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October 08, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne officials are planning to take legal action against three non-profit agencies that own vacant properties in the city.
At the Sept. 25 meeting, council authorized the city solicitor to bring a lawsuit against the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Duquesne, the Allegheny County Housing Authority and the Allegheny County Redevelopment Authority.
“One-third of the land in Duquesne is owned by one of these three entities and we are actively trying to address the blighted properties in the city,” Mayor Nickole Nesby said. “In total, these three governmental agencies have held properties for over 16 years, denying the city nearly $385,000 in delinquent tax funds.”
Government agencies are typically exempt from local, school district and county real estate taxes.
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September 23, 2018 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, Duquesne News
(Updated 10 p.m. Sunday)
A Pittsburgh man died following a shooting Saturday afternoon in Duquesne.
A spokesman for the Allegheny County police said Duquesne police and McKeesport paramedics were dispatched to the 1100 block of Grant Avenue just after 4:30 p.m. when callers to 9-1-1 reported that a man had been shot.
When police and paramedics arrived, they found the victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the head.
The Allegheny County medical examiner's office on Sunday identified the victim as Bronson Szallar, 22. A spokesperson said Szallar was found near the intersection of Pitts Avenue and Wilmot Street. Szallar's death has been ruled a homicide.
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September 13, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Duquesne News
(Students at Duquesne Elementary School learn how to use a MakerBot 3D printer. Duquesne City School District photo via Facebook)
Duquesne City School District students were excited to learn about some new programs and opportunities awaiting them when they began school this year.
A new coding program called Codes and Bots --- complete with a new lab space for elementary students to utilize --- an addition to the curriculum for the 2018-2019 school year.
Dubbed the CAB Lab, the area has been stocked with virtual reality googles, 3-D printers, iMacs, LEGO racers, light tables and other new equipment. Additionally, iPads were distributed to all students for use during school hours.
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August 30, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Duquesne News
With new officers Nathan Calabro, Kevin Diamond and Ian Clinton-Layton being hired in Duquesne, the city once again has a fully staffed department, Police Chief Tom Dunlevy announced at Tuesday’s council meeting.
The hiring of the new officers filled a gap created when several officers retired and several more relocated earlier this year.
“It will be nice to have our force back to a full staff,” Dunlevy said. “We will be able to focus more on some of the issues we are aware of concerning juvenile problems in the area.”
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August 29, 2018 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, Duquesne News
A Hill District man has been arrested and charged in connection with a shooting in a Duquesne bar that led to another man's death.
Carl Jones, 27, was arrested on Tuesday by Allegheny County sheriff's deputies, a spokesman said. He is being held in the Allegheny County Jail without bond on charges of homicide and a firearms violation pending a preliminary hearing Sept. 9 before Allegheny County Judge Jeffrey Manning.
Jones was wanted by county police in connection with the death of Donnell Demery, 54, on Aug. 13.
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August 18, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne officials said they will pursue state ethics complaints against a former city manager, a former councilman and a police secretary.
Council voted unanimously this week to file the complaints against Frank Piccolino, John Gyure and Lori Achtzehn.
At council's meeting on Tuesday, Mayor Nickole Nesby alleged that Gyure, a former city councilman, removed playground equipment without authorization, while Nesby accused Achtzehn, a police department secretary who was terminated in March, with misuse of a city computer system to remove a citation.
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August 17, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Duquesne News
Two new council members were sworn in at Tuesday’s Duquesne city council meeting.
Terra Henderson-Murphy (above) and Elaine Washington were sworn in by Magisterial District Judge Scott Schricker after motions were passed unanimously to name them to council.
Additionally, a motion was passed naming Sidney Walker as the city’s new zoning officer.
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