October 04, 2023 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
Mary Louis Bittner joked with Duquesne Solicitor Myron Sainovich that this is her “fourth” swing at serving as “interim city manager” for the city.
At its Oct. 3 meeting, city council voted 4-0 (with Councilman Tim Caldwell absent) to appoint Bittner to the post after accepting Samuel Sulkosky’s resignation.
She will remain on the job until Oct. 23, when Douglas Sample is re-hired back with the city.
Currently the borough manager for Crafton, Sample worked as Duquesne City Manager just a few years ago. In 2020, Sample “wore two hats” for Duquesne, serving as city manager and part-time public works director. City Councilwoman Elaine Washington said she led the effort to get Sample back and worked to secure his services.
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September 17, 2023 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: Duquesne News, McKeesport and Region News
Community members recruited to be part of “The Village” recently greeted students as they arrived for the first day of school in Duquesne. (Submitted photo courtesy Allegheny Intermediate Unit)
Superintendents from the Clairton City, Duquesne City and McKeesport Area School Districts are spearheading efforts for greater communal support.
Through a newly formed program titled “The Village,” local school leaders are encouraging community members to help educate and mentor local children.
McKeesport Area Superintendent Tia Wanzo said she conceived of the idea in July. At the time, Wanzo was thinking about the African proverb, that it “takes a village to raise a child,” she said.
Wanzo reached out to Clairton City Superintendent Tamara Allen-Thomas and Duquesne City Superintendent Sue Mariani about gathering a group of villagers — business owners, clergy, school board members and retirees — to dedicate their time and wisdom to today’s youth.
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August 30, 2023 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, Duquesne News
A Turtle Creek woman faces formal arraignment in Allegheny County Court after being accused of threatening the life of a district magistrate in Duquesne.
Rose Ann Kardell, 58, remains in the Allegheny County Jail pending the Sept. 29 hearing.
Kardell was charged July 20 by the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office with threatening harm against a public official, stalking, disorderly conduct and harassment after Magisterial District Judge Scott Schricker in Duquesne began receiving threatening text messages on his personal cell phone.
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August 16, 2023 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
Residents in Duquesne and the surrounding area are without another grocery store, as the Shop ’n Save in the Village Shopping Center suddenly closed for the last time on Friday.
The store along Homeville Road in West Mifflin, which had changed ownership about a year ago, had a small, dedicated group of employees who opened the market at 7:30 a.m. and served nearby residents, including those who live in the neighboring senior-citizen high-rise.
A few years ago, a Save-A-Lot store located in Duquesne Plaza — the last supermarket in the city limits — closed its doors. Many residents started shopping at the Village Shopping Center Shop ’n Save instead.
Efforts to find a new supermarket for Duquesne have been unsuccessful.
As a result, Duquesne is one of the communities classified as a so-called “food desert,” because although there are convenience stores and dollar stores, none of them provide fresh perishable fruits or vegetables.
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August 13, 2023 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Duquesne News
Motorists who use Route 837 between Duquesne and Dravosburg can expect delays this week as crews conduct pavement repairs, said a district spokesperson for the state Department of Transportation.
Single-lane alternating traffic is currently underway between Coal Valley Road and Watco Terminal and Port Services, south of the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge. Lane restrictions are occurring in various locations from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays through Wednesday, weather permitting.
Flaggers will assist motorists through the work zone, the PennDOT spokeswoman said, adding that drivers should use caution in the area.
August 08, 2023 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
(Tom Leturgey photo for Tube City Almanac)
Residents enjoyed music, spoken word performances, hot dogs and hamburgers as Duquesne celebrated its 31st annual Community Day on Saturday.
Even the weather cooperated, providing near perfect conditions for the event at Polish Hill Park.
Patricia Ann Haley Bluett, lovingly known as “Miss Pat,” is one of the driving forces for the success of Community Day, Councilman Derek Artim said. “Miss Pat” handed out community pamphlets and talked with countless attendees.
“She puts in a lot of work,” he said.
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August 02, 2023 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
The City of Duquesne has completed most of the hurdles to emerge from state-mandated fiscal oversight.
At a meeting July 17, former City Manager Kelly Robertson — who has now taken a job with another agency — and Act 47 oversight coordinator George Dougherty read the exit plan for the public.
City Councilman Derek Artim said the public forum was brief and few people spoke. A final decision on whether the city can exit state oversight will come in less than 90 days.
In other business, city council accepted the resignation of police officer Hunter Scherf. Mayor R. Scott Adams thanked Scherf for his time with the department.
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July 24, 2023 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, Duquesne News
A Turtle Creek woman is in the Allegheny County Jail after being accused of sending death threats to a district magisterial judge in Duquesne.
Rose Ann Kardell, 58, is charged by the Allegheny County sheriff’s office with making threats toward a public official — a felony — along with criminal coercion, stalking, disorderly conduct and harassment that began July 17 toward Magisterial District Judge Scott Schricker.
Kardell was jailed in lieu of $25,000 cash bond pending a preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. July 31 before Magisterial District Judge Kim Berkeley Clark in Pittsburgh Municipal Court.
She also has been ordered to have no contact with Schricker or anyone else associated with the case, court records indicated.
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July 05, 2023 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
In another attempt to help beautify the community, Duquesne officials agreed to enter into a street-sweeping program with Steel Rivers Council of Governments.
From now until September or October, a sweep sweeper will patrol the streets at $95 per hour to pick up litter, city officials said.
City officials said they will work to let residents know that they must move their parked cars on street-sweeping days. If automobiles aren’t moved on the designated day, those streets will not be cleaned.
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June 27, 2023 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
Correction: Samuel Sulkosky’s name was misspelled in earlier versions of this story. We apologize for the error. -JT
Duquesne has another new city manager. Samuel Sulkosky has been hired by the city, but was not officially appointed at the June 6 general meeting.
A vote to appoint him was tabled, because other members of the newly-configured city administration were unable to attend the monthly meeting. The official designation will take place at July’s general meeting.
Council did, however, vote to give Sulkosky signator powers on city checking accounts.
Former City Manager Kelly Robertson left the city for another job late last year. George Newsome, who had worked under Robertson, was tapped interim city manager until January, when Scott Crawford was hired.
Crawford’s tenure ended by March, and Mary Lou Bittner served as interim until Sulkosky was tapped. Bittner remains with the city, but was not at the meeting.
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