May 22, 2018 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, Duquesne News
It took less than a half-hour for a federal jury to convict two former Mon Valley men in connection with what prosecutors described as a "robbery spree."
Kahlil Shelton, 23, of Duquesne, and Deron Howell, 25, of Swissvale, are scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 1 by U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson in Pittsburgh.
Both could face life sentences, a spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said Monday.
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May 13, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne has improved its fire preparedness rating by five points, according to a national agency.
At last week's Duquesne City Council meeting, fire Chief Frank Cobb said the Insurance Service Office, Inc., has moved the community from a 9 to a 4, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the best and 10 the worst.
The city had last been rated in 1989, Cobb said. The rating reflects the overall effectiveness of the department, he said.
Cobb said 24 calls for service were answered by the department for April. The chief also thanked Mayor Nickole Nesby and city council for funding repairs to the department's ladder truck.
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May 09, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Duquesne News
Fire company Vice President Chas Woolsey, junior firefighter Nate Beck and fire Chief Frank Cobb look over equipment at the Duquesne fire station. (Cami DiBattista photo for Tube City Almanac)
Firefighters and city officials in Duquesne are awaiting the results of an evaluation of the fire department's readiness.
The evaluation is being done by the Insurance Services Office, Inc., said Duquesne fire Chief Frank Cobb. The last ISO inspection of Duquesne was done in 1989, he said.
ISO assigns a Public Protection Classification rating between 1 and 10, with 1 being the best and 10 being the worst. Duquesne's PPC rating was seven, Cobb said.
“They seemed pleased,” he said. “It’s looking pretty good and we’re anticipating a much lower rating than we received several decades ago.”
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May 04, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Duquesne News
Ted Dintersmith greets students at Duquesne Elementary School on Wednesday. (Photo special to Tube City Almanac)
Duquesne Elementary School students enjoyed demonstrating some features of one of their school’s "makerspaces" to a special guest on Wednesday.
Ted Dintersmith, a former venture capitalist turned philanthropist and public education advocate, is on a 50-state tour to promote his documentary film, "Most Likely to Succeed," based on the best-selling book about education which he co-authored.
Dintersmith, whose newest book is called "What Schools Could Be," was in Pittsburgh this week to deliver a lecture at the O'Reilly Theater, Downtown.
When Dintersmith visited Duquesne Elementary, students demonstrated how to use virtual reality displays.
“We’re using virtual reality to visit the Holocaust museum,” said fourth-grader Lyniah McFadden.
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May 02, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Duquesne News
Around 30 people attended Duquesne’s first town hall meeting, which was held last week to provide community members with an opportunity to discuss their vision of the city’s future.
“The first meeting went well,” Mayor Nickole Nesby said at Duquesne's recent city council meeting. “We had a nice turnout and covered several subjects such as new businesses in the areas and employment opportunities, pending grant applications, the Mon-Fayette Expressway, our health insurance plan and recent audits and payments of past due bills.”
Attendees were encouraged to volunteer for one of the new committees established in an effort to address areas in need of improvement within the city.
The next "town hall" meetings are slated for 6 p.m. on May 8 and 22 at Duquesne Elementary School. All are invited and encouraged to attend.
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April 16, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Crime and Police News, Duquesne News
Residents of Duquesne are being invited to attend a town hall meeting to learn about happenings in the city.
The special meeting is slated for 6 to 8 p.m. April 25 in the Duquesne School District Auditorium on Kennedy Avenue.
Mayor Nickole Nesby will be there to answer questions, listen to ideas and hear comments about the city, programs, developments, service priorities and infrastructure needs.
Residents are encouraged to attend, join the discussion and get involved.
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April 16, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne City Council has appointed John Rushford as the municipality's new solicitor.
A senior attorney at Cafardi, Ferguson, Wyrick, Weis & Stotler, Rushford has more than 20 years' experience representing municipal governments.
The appointment was made at Tuesday’s council meeting.
Mayor Nickole Nesby said she was happy council made the appointment. “John has represented public and private entities in all areas related to governmental affairs including contract negotiations, grievance arbitration, personnel matters, constructions issues, tax assessment appeals, zoning (and) planning and development issues,” she said.
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April 13, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Announcements, Duquesne News
Duquesne area youth are invited to participate in a spring egg hunt Saturday at Memorial Park on Polish Hill.
Preparations for the activities will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. The hunt for eggs will be from 12 to 1 p.m.
The event is sponsored by the Duquesne-West Mifflin Boys and Girls Club and PRIDE (People Residing in Duquesne Equally).
“The annual Easter egg hunt has been an activity in our city for the past 20 years,” said Patricia Bluett, director of the Boys and Girls Club. “This year it will be referred to as the spring egg hunt.”
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April 09, 2018 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Announcements, Duquesne News, White Oak News
It's National Library Week, but next week also promises to be exciting at Carnegie Library of McKeesport. On April 19, the library board, staff and local elected officials will break ground on a new parking lot next to the main building at 1507 Library Ave.
The long-awaited $81,000 parking lot, being funded through grants and donations, will add 30 sorely needed spaces for library patrons.
"We were sending out invitations, and someone said, 'Do you think I should put on there that we have limited parking?'" says Colleen Denne, library director.
This week promises to be busy --- even if parking is limited at times --- with events that include "Patron Appreciation Day" on Wednesday, a visit by local children's author Sydelle Pearl on Thursday and a keynote lecture by gardening expert Doug Oster on Friday.
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April 09, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Duquesne News
New Duquesne fire Chief Frank Cobb (Cami DiBattista photo, special to Tube City Almanac)
Around 40 hardworking volunteers make up the Duquesne Fire Department, according to Frank Cobb, who became fire chief in January.
“We are a family and we are committed to the safety of the community,” said the lifelong Duquesne resident.
A 22-year veteran volunteer, Cobb has devoted his life to serving Duquesne, both as a firefighter and also as the city’s constable. Prior to becoming chief, he served as assistant chief for the Duquesne Fire Department.
“The adrenaline you get from being a firefighter is indescribable,” he said. “It gets in your blood.”
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