May 14, 2023 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News, Politics & Elections
The race for mayor of McKeesport has a great deal of intrigue, as voters will report to polling places in just a few days.
In many races throughout Allegheny County, including the race for mayor of McKeesport, there are no official Republican challengers. Barring a successful write-in campaign during November’s election, the winner of the primary will be sworn in as mayor.
McKeesport Mayor Mike Cherepko, 46, has been in office since 2012 and is hoping to secure the Democratic nomination on Tuesday. The Penn State University graduate was a fifth-grade teacher in the district before becoming an elected official. He touts his “Working Together for a Better McKeesport” as a successful motto.
In this year’s Democratic primary he faces two challengers who both emphasize their “outsider” status, Joe Lopretto, 58, a retired McKeesport police officer, and Corry Sanders, 52, a church deacon, barber and business owner.
All three candidates received an questionnaire with identical questions. In addition, reporter Tom Leturgey called Lopretto and Sanders on May 2 and May 12, and sent questionnaires to Sanders and Lopretto via their official Facebook pages.
Lopretto and Sanders did not respond to Leturgey’s phone messages or Facebook messages, though both have been using Facebook to share their campaign statements and positions.
McKeesport has about 17,700 residents as of the 2020 census.
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May 14, 2023 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News, Politics & Elections
Five of the candidates running for McKeesport Area School Board have offered their views on pressures facing the district, relating to student achievement, building safety and charter schools.
There are 13 candidates filed to run for five seats on the school board, which has nine members in all. In addition to the city, the school district serves Dravosburg, South Versailles Twp., Versailles and White Oak.
School board elections are officially non-partisan and candidates may file to run in more than one party. Of the 13 candidates, 11 are filed as both Republicans and Democrats, while two have filed only as Democrats.
The primary election is this Tuesday. Voters from each party will choose candidates who will run in the general election in November.
In April, Tube City Almanac mailed a questionnaire to all 13 candidates at their homes, and a reminder was mailed one week later. All candidates received the same questions. Five candidates had responded as of May 13:
Jeffery Anderson (Democratic)
Diane Elias (cross-filed Democratic/Republican)
Matthew Keller (cross-filed Democratic/Republican)
Matthew Mols (cross-filed Democratic/Republican)
Cameron L. Preston (cross-filed Democratic/Republican)
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May 14, 2023 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News, Politics & Elections
Name: Cameron L. Preston
Address: Craig Street, McKeesport
Filed as: Republican/Democratic
Almanac: Why are you running for school board, and what are your qualifications?
Preston: As a lifelong resident and district alumnus, I feel it is my duty to step up in the community in which I reside. I have over 15 years of experience working in social services, both inside and outside of school settings.
Almanac: One constant question at board meetings has been about gun violence. Prior to this election, how have you addressed gun-related violence within the community?
Preston: On Jan. 23, 2023, my then-16-year-old son was critically shot while walking home from school. Prior to that incident, I have spoken at rallies against gun violence and attended many functions and events. But, since gun violence has made it directly to my doorstep, I believe now is the perfect time to step up.
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May 14, 2023 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News, Politics & Elections
Name: Matthew Mols
Address: Ridgeview Drive, Dravosburg
Filed as: Republican/Democratic
Almanac: Why are you running for school board, and what are your qualifications?
Mols: I have multiple master’s degrees in education. I have spent the last 25 years as an educator, with over two decades as an employee of McKeesport Area School District.
While at McKeesport, I worked in multiple buildings, serving in many different capacities. I was an in-school suspension coordinator, teacher, counselor, principal, career and technical director, and union president.
I have served as member of council in the Borough of Dravosburg for over 10 years and have volunteered in community outreach programs. Over the past five years, I have had the pleasure of highlighting McKeesport scholar athletes, as the “Voice of the Tigers.” The administration has trusted me to provide the play-by-play call of sporting events over the radio and Internet.
My diverse background has afforded me the opportunity to learn quite a bit about the operations of McKeesport Area School District. I am currently employed as a Head High School principal in an urban school setting with similar demographics to that of McKeesport Area School District. My daily work as an educator and council member focuses on issues that are essential to the skillset of a school board member including: school safety, fiscal management, educational decision making, and community outreach. As a former employee, I have working relationships with personnel, have aided in development of procedures, and have familiarity with school board policies to best streamline services for McKeesport Area School District families. I have family members that are students within the school district, and like your family want what is only best for our students. As a graduate of McKeesport Area School District, I am aware of the rich tradition and pride one can have with a diploma from McKeesport.
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May 14, 2023 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News, Politics & Elections
Name: Matthew Keller
Address: Fawcett Avenue, White Oak
Filed as: Republican/Democratic
Almanac: Why are you running for school board, and what are your qualifications?
Keller: I am running for school board to bring a sense of direction back to he district with a student-first mentality, to support our administration, teachers, and support staff. I want to keep safety and security a top priority. I demand transparency for students, parents and community members.
I am a 2006 graduate of McKeesport Area School District, I went on to get my bachelor of arts from the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg in 2012, and completed my paralegal certificate from Duquesne University in 2015.
Almanac: One constant question at board meetings has been about gun violence. Prior to this election, how have you addressed gun-related violence within the community?
Keller: I would look to outside agencies and elected officials on how we can help support them in helping curb gun violence in the community.
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May 13, 2023 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News, Politics & Elections
Name: Diane Elias
Address: Diehl Drive, McKeesport
Filed as: Republican/Democratic
Almanac: Why are you running for school board, and what are your qualifications?
Elias: So I can continue to support our students, staff and taxpayers.
Almanac: One constant question at board meetings has been about gun violence. Prior to this election, how have you addressed gun-related violence within the community?
Elias: I have attended several gun violence meetings and agree to work collectively with other board members, administration and any other community leaders.
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May 13, 2023 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News, Politics & Elections
Name: Jeffery Anderson
Address: Washington St., McKeesport
Filed as: Democratic
Almanac: Why are you running for school board, and what are your qualifications?
Anderson: I’m running for school board because I believe the district needs a change and new direction. I believe the current board is failing our children. I am very well known for the community work that I do such as my non-profit, the Mentoring Village. I run a weekly food pantry. I am also known for the Buddy Benches I made for the school district last school year.
Almanac: One constant question at board meetings has been about gun violence. Prior to this election, how have you addressed gun-related violence within the community?
Anderson: The recent gun violence is very sad and unfortunate. It’s mainly kids killing kids, but I feel like if these kids had something to keep their minds occupied — keep them off the streets — it would at least eliminate (not take away all of it) but eliminate a lot of the gun violence that is occurring throughout the community.
I also believe holding the parents accountable for the actions of their children would help eliminate some of the violence through the community.
I think that’s why it’s very important to know “if you see something, say something.” It’s not considered snitching when you're protecting the lives of others.
And it also leads back to the safety of our schools — so that what happened in Tennessee a few weeks back, and what’s been happening throughout the country, does not happen in our school district. Upgrading the security in our schools, coming up with new active shooter guidelines, I think is very important. Hopefully with me on the school board we can get a chance to make the changes that need to be made for the safety of our kids, and our staff and our school buildings.
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May 13, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Janet and Barry Wagner of White Oak examine the monument to the McKeesport 23 following Saturday’s rededication ceremony on the lawn of McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center. Wagner’s first husband, U.S. Army Capt. Terry Martell, is one of the local soldiers killed in action in Vietnam whose name appears on the tablet. (Tube City Almanac photo)
U.S. Army Pfc. Denny Pliska was engaged to be married to his girlfriend just a few days before he was deployed to Vietnam. He was saving his combat pay to buy a Corvette when he got back to McKeesport.
Pliska didn’t make it home. He was killed in action only six days after fellow Army Pfc. Mike Nemchick — who, like Pliska, was an alumnus of McKeesport Vocational High School — also became a casualty of the Vietnam War.
Nemchick, said Joe Hoffman, former White Oak police chief, had planned to go to college on the GI Bill when he returned to McKeesport. He wanted to become a physical education teacher, Hoffman said, and work with Sam LaRosa at the McKeesport Boys Club. Nemchick, who was killed by a sniper on Feb. 22, 1966, never got the chance.
Those were just two of the stories of the McKeesport 23 — former city residents who were killed in the Vietnam War between 1965 and 1971 — that Hoffman shared on Saturday during a ceremony rededicating a monument in their memory.
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May 11, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
McKeesport will look to add more police officers to fill vacancies, and the city’s mayor said the candidates that have applied so far seem “excited, energetic and eager to learn.”
The additions — plus three full-time officers welcomed last month — will help boost a department that is still healing from a shooting on Feb. 6 that claimed the life of police Officer Sean Sluganski and wounded Officer Chuck Thomas Jr.
A city man faces homicide charges in connection with that incident.
At this month’s city council meeting, Mayor Michael Cherepko said McKeesport police have done “an incredible job” since coming back to work after Sluganski’s death. County and state police and other agencies patrolled in McKeesport following the incident.
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May 11, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Parts of nine McKeesport streets will be resurfaced under a contract awarded this month by city council, with more to come as weather and personnel permit, officials said.
City council awarded a $629,647 contract to El Grande Industries of Donora, Washington County, for paving along Cornell, Coursin, Forest, Reed, Porter, Soles and Steele streets and Evans and North Grandview avenues.
El Grande was the lowest of three bidders, city officials said.
McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said public works crews also will pave several streets using city equipment, but employ outside contractors such as El Grande to mill — or remove — the old paving. He praised Steve Kondrosky, city public-works director, for work done last year.
“Steve and the guys did an incredible job last year, so the bar is set pretty high,” Cherepko said. “The amount of roads we did in-house is amazing.”
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