October 10, 2024 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News, McKeesport and Region News
Sue and Steve Braunfield, who donated musical instruments to Duquesne and McKeesport schools, posed with members of Rachel Shively’s music class in Duquesne. (Photo courtesy Jeremy Tepper, Allegheny Intermediate Unit)
Music is transformative. That’s one of the primary reasons why Western Pennsylvania natives Sue and Steve Braunfield returned to the Mon Valley last week to donate brand new musical instruments to students in need.
The retired First Energy employees visited both the McKeesport Area and Duquesne City school districts to deliver clarinets, saxophones and trumpets.
The gesture comes in memory of Sue’s brother, Frank Sprentz Jr. of McKeesport, a passionate drummer, singer, songwriter and band member — he played with Sudden Grace, Harmony, and Glenn Pavone & The Cyclones — who died Feb. 13 at age 73.
When Sprentz passed, the couple decided they wanted to cement his legacy in a way that would make him happy. And while the Braunfields now live in Painesville, Ohio, they hadn’t forgotten their roots.
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October 10, 2024 |
By Kristen Keleschenyi | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
The view from the bandshell stage at Renziehausen Park on Oct. 27, 1974: “It was just like any other Sunday in the park,” McKeesport Mayor Jack Pribanic later said, “except it was the day of the big Rock Concert.” (Courtesy Tom Rosso)
If you go...
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McKeesport Rock Concert 50th anniversary
Featuring Ledsmith and Three Sides
Where: Renziehausen Park, McKeesport
When: 4 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 12), Lions Club bandshell
Tickets: Free
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If you were in Renziehausen Park on Oct. 27, 1974, you know why that day was special.
It was the day — 50 years ago this month — when a crowd estimated at more than 50,000 people from all over the Pittsburgh area descended on Renzie to see three of the biggest rock groups of the year — the headliner, Brownsville Station, the opening act, a Pittsburgh band called Diamond Reo, and a new band that was on one of its first U.S. tours: Aerosmith.
On Saturday afternoon, the city, McKeesport Lions Club and McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center will pay tribute to that memorable weekend and host a 50th anniversary concert featuring Aerosmith cover band Ledsmith and opening act Three Sides, a local acoustic band.
“It was a defining kind of moment for that generation,” said Jen Vertullo, vice-president of the McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center. “For small town people to be able to see something as big as Aerosmith — and at that point, they were not even as big as they would come to be.”
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October 08, 2024 |
By Yousuf Lachhab Ibrahim | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Photo courtesy Auberle, via Facebook)
Two private performances by Scott Blasey sold for $6,000 each during the live auction at Auberle’s 20th Annual Voices Carry event.
Initially, the offer was for just one performance, and the bidding began below $1,000, but Blasey agreed to a second performance for the second bidder in the spur of the moment.
The event brought in 324 attendees, all of whom witnessed performances of 1960s classics by Ashley Marina, Kelsey Friday, Jeff Schmutz, Blazey and a dozen others.
The Western Pennsylvania-based human resources agency raised over $271,000 in unrestricted funds at this event, surpassing last year’s event by just under $50,000.
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October 01, 2024 |
By Vickie Babyak | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Fawn Walker-Montgomery, chief executive officer and co-founder of Take Action Advocacy Group, shares information about the advocacy and programs that her organization provides. (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)
Take Action Advocacy Group marked a decade of advocacy with a celebration, a panel discussion and a vision for the future.
Founded in 2014 as Take Action Mon Valley, TAAG’s 10th anniversary celebration was held Sept. 22 in the Student Community Center’s Ostermayer Room at Penn State Greater Allegheny.
The group was sparked out of a discussion between then-McKeesport City Council Member Fawn Walker-Montgomery, community member Autumn Perkins, and Walker-Montgomery’s cousin, Mae Herriott Hudson.
Hudson had lost a son to violence, and Perkins noted that in Pittsburgh, community advocates were demanding justice for victims of homicide. We need justice, too, in the Mon Valley, Perkins said.
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October 01, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
In February, students at Francis McClure Elementary School learned about volcanoes and the culture of Chile with the help of Pittsburgh’s Latino Community Center and teacher Nevenka Kostley. The non-profit LCC is urging the McKeesport Area School District to do more to help the region’s small but growing Spanish-speaking population. (Photo courtesy Latino Community Center via Facebook)
An educator who works with the McKeesport area’s growing number of Spanish-speaking students said that more needs to be done to help them learn and succeed.
Last month, McKeesport Area school board approved the hiring of Kaelynn Hillegass for translation services at a rate of $35 per hour, not to exceed 10 hours per week, to be paid for by Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation.
Hillegass was already helping McKeesport Area High School students prepare for college or a career, through her work with Human Services Center Mon Valley, she said. The new role ensures that gaps will be “bridged” between the district and families.
Although Hillegass’s help is welcome, Monica Mendez, director of programs for the Latino Community Center, cautioned that the school district is going to need to do more.
“Adding one person, as amazing as she may be, is not going to be enough,” Mendez said. “The kids need super amounts of support in order for them to be able to advance.”
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September 22, 2024 |
By Yousuf Lachhab Ibrahim | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Revelers take the dance floor at the 2022 Voices Carry. (Photo courtesy Auberle via Facebook)
For 20 years, some of Pittsburgh’s favorite musicians have been performing at Auberle’s Voices Carry event to fundraise for the nonprofit agency’s human services programs.
On Tuesday, Auberle will be holding its 20th annual Voices Carry at The Westin Pittsburgh hotel at 1000 Penn Ave., downtown Pittsburgh, with doors opening at 5:45 p.m.
Attendees can expect performances from DJ Bonics, Scott Blasey of the Clarks, Kelsey Friday, and over a dozen others. Pittsburgh musician Josh Verbanets will be the MC of the event.
Blasey, who just released a three-song EP in February, will be playing two Motown classics at the event: “Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch” by The Four Tops and “It’s Your Thing” by The Isley Brothers.
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September 17, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Adam Reinherz photo for Tube City Almanac)
Three McKeesport Area School District employees have been moved from paid leave to unpaid leave as an investigation continues into the administration’s handling of an alleged sexual relationship between a former school contractor and a student.
A fourth employee, previously on leave, has been reinstated, effective Sept. 13, District Solicitor Gary Matta said.
The employees’ names have not been officially released or confirmed.
The district has retained an outside law firm, Dillon, McCandless, King, Coulter & Graham, to investigate what happened when the administration learned that a former school security guard, Alexis Brown, had been accused of having a sexual realationship with a student.
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September 14, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Rev. Richard Truss testifies during Thursday’s McKeesport Area School District board meeting. (Screenshot from YouTube)
The loss of the superintendent, the arrest of the school police chief, and an investigation of multiple employees are taking their toll on McKeesport Area School District, one community leader said on Thursday.
“This city is on fire,” Rev. Richard Truss, pastor of Zion Baptist Church, told the school board. “The city is on fire, and you all are like Nero fiddling around while the city burns.”
At Thursday’s meeting, the board began filling administrative and other staffing holes. The district agreed to hire Albert Educational Consulting to conduct a superintendent search not to exceed $10,000.
The consulting firm is headed by Edward Albert, a former superintendent, who according to his resume has conducted “several superintendent searches throughout Pennsylvania.”
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September 09, 2024 |
By Bonnijean Cooney Adams | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Musicians and color guard are all decked out for competition season with a “Robin Hood” theme. (Photo courtesy of Serra Catholic Marching Band)
There’s a lot of excitement and enthusiasm in the air from Serra Catholic Marching Band members about the theme of their 2024 show – “Robin Hood.”
“When the band show was first announced to be ‘Robin Hood,’ I was beyond ecstatic,” said Emilia Capasso, a senior and one of three drum majors.
“I've always loved the story and all the different adaptations of it, so I was excited to see where our show would take it,” she said.
Junior Drum Major Lyndsay Chirdon not only was excited about the theme, but for her role as Maid Marian.
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September 06, 2024 |
By Bonnijean Cooney Adams | Posted in: Entertainment, McKeesport and Region News
CORRECTION, NOT PERFECTION: Two students, Deshea Davis and Marek Krol, were incorrectly identified. We apologize for the error.
McKeesport Area High School’s Tiger Band opens tournament competition for the season on Saturday at Penn-Trafford. This year’s show, titled “Recess,” includes use of a swing set as part of the show. (All photos: Bonnijean Adams for Tube City Almanac)
McKeesport Area High School Marching Band’s 2024 show is designed to bring smiles to faces of all ages during “Recess.”
“It was a fun and upbeat concept,” Band Director Drew DeCarlo said, “and most likely was the best time for students when they were in elementary school. We wanted a show this year that everyone would understand.”
He and his staff started their yearly brainstorming sessions in January, DeCarlo said.
“We talked about our strengths and weaknesses for this season, and had many ideas. We didn’t have a nailed-down concept until about March. We all settled on ‘Recess,’” he said.
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