March 01, 2022 |
By Vickie Babyak | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
McKeesport Area High School staff placed positive notes of encouragement in school hallways to boost students' morale. (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)
After two years, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause shortages of teachers, substitute teachers and bus drivers for school districts across the country — and McKeesport Area School District has been no exception.
So a group of teachers, counselors and staff decided to come together and brainstorm ideas on how to uplift everyone's morale at McKeesport Area High School. They looked for budget-friendly activities to start a wave of positive emotions.
The “positivity project” was born.
“Students have had to adapt to new ways in accessing their education and teachers have had to learn new ways in delivering that education," said Sherri Geyer, school counselor. “Mental health and morale get lost in the process.”
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March 01, 2022 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
The Allegheny County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a blaze that damaged a Union Avenue home on Sunday afternoon, but the fire is not considered suspicious in nature.
McKeesport firefighters were dispatched to a duplex at 1307 Union Ave. just after 12 noon when one of the occupants of the home spotted flames in an upstairs bedroom, said firefighter Garrett Segelson.
Their quick decision to call 9-1-1 probably saved the home and helped keep the fire from spreading, he said.
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February 28, 2022 |
By Paul Wintruba | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Singer-songwriter Dolly Parton created the “Dolly Parton Imagination Library” in 1995 to serve children near her home in eastern Tennessee. The program has recently expanded into the McKeesport, Glassport and Duquesne areas. (Submitted photo)
“There is really nothing much better you can do to support your children, getting them ready for school than reading them a book,” Mary Denison says.
Denison is the founder and executive director of Reading Ready Pittsburgh, a non-profit organization that began in Homestead. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group partnered with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a charitable program created by the singer-songwriter that sends a free book monthly to parents of children younger than five years of age.
Created in 1995 to serve children near Parton’s home in Tennessee, the imagination library now operates across the United States, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Australia. In February, the program expanded into McKeesport, Glassport and several other Mon-Yough ZIP codes.
“McKeesport is prime real estate for this program,” says Vincent D’Alesio, director of the Carnegie Library of McKeesport. “I have no doubt it will prove useful to our patrons.”
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February 25, 2022 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Tube City Almanac photo)
A $3.4 million renovation of the McKeesport Transportation Center is nearing completion.
Adam Brandolph, spokesman for Port Authority of Allegheny County, said contractors are finishing the last remaining items and that a ribbon-cutting will be scheduled soon.
“We should have more information about that in the next week or so,” he said. The new station is not yet open and transit riders should continue to catch their buses at temporary stops along Lysle Boulevard, Brandolph said.
Located on Lysle Boulevard between Huey and Sinclair streets, the transportation center closed in January 2021 for improvements that included complete removal of the old parking lot, four new bus shelters with benches, ticket vending machines and improved access to the Great Allegheny Passage biking trail.
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February 24, 2022 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
The disagreement over the renewal of the superintendent’s contract by outgoing members of the McKeesport Area School Board continues to divide the district — and some parents say it’s a distraction from student education.
Wednesday’s meeting began 32 minutes after its scheduled 7:30 p.m. start time, and it wasn’t long before tempers flared.
Last month, school directors voted 5–4 to hire an outside counsel to review July’s decision by the outgoing board to allow Superintendent Mark Holtzman Jr. to resign, and then be re-hired for another five years.
Attorney William C. Andrews of Andrews & Price reviewed the enforceability of the contract on behalf of the board. On Wednesday, School Board President Mindy Lundberg asked that Andrews’ memorandum be included in the minutes of the meeting.
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February 24, 2022 |
By Sarah Turnbull | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Tube City Almanac photo)
When Chris Tricarico and his wife Heather moved to Pittsburgh in July 2020, they knew they wanted to continue the family tradition of serving high-quality food.
“My family has been in the food business since the 1950s in New York and is what gave us the confidence to make the move here to McKeesport. We love food and have lots of experience owning and operating restaurants,” Tricarico said.
Originally from New York, the Tricaricos spent 19 months working on their new restaurant, Tube City Brew Works, which opened for reservation-only seatings on Feb. 19 and is now open 5 to 11 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays, according to Facebook.
A grand opening is scheduled in March.
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February 21, 2022 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Dorothy Kuharski, left, and Carol Lasch, right, of the White Oak Lions Club present a 100th anniversary banner to Joe Clemente, president of the McKeesport Lions Club. (Tube City Almanac photo)
More than 250 people gathered at the Palisades Ballroom on Saturday night to wish the McKeesport Lions Club a happy 100th anniversary — and cheer on its work.
Invited guests included city, county and state officials, as well as representatives of Lions Clubs from throughout Western Pennsylvania. Entertainment was provided by the rock group Dancing Queen.
“A 100th anniversary is an awesome thing,” said Larry Edwards of Altoona, a member of the board of directors of Lions Clubs International. “Not many organizations last for 100 years.”
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February 15, 2022 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Editor’s Note: The writer of this story has a conflict of interest. See explanation at the end of this story.
An engineering report has concluded that only the front part of the former Penn-McKee Hotel, shown here, can be salvaged. McKeesport’s redevelopment authority will make a decision later this year on whether to demolish the entire structure, or try to save a portion of it for reuse. (Tube City Almanac photo)
Matthew Craig was late to the McKeesport Redevelopment Authority meeting on Tuesday, but for a good reason: He stopped to buy a box of Eat’n Park Smiley cookies.
“Because you can’t be sad if you’re eating a cookie,” he said, offering them to the board members.
Although board members didn’t say whether they were sad, they do have some tough decisions to make regarding the historic Penn-McKee Hotel on Fifth Avenue, Downtown.
An engineer’s report presented at Tuesday’s meeting concluded that although part of the building could be saved for reuse, a large portion of it should be demolished — and the cheapest option would be to tear down the entire structure.
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February 14, 2022 |
By Paul Wintruba | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
The Pittsburgh Community Task Force for Police Reform’s report on changes to policing was the focus of the Crossing Bridges summit on Feb. 10.
This was the third installment of the program put on by Penn State Greater Allegheny in McKeesport.
The most recent installment of the summit, “Voices from the Judicial System and Police,” follows two previous online discussions. The first took place between activists and scholars in October 2021 directly following the release of the PCTFPR report, and the second focused on victims of police violence in November 2021.
The Feb. 10 panel was moderated by Sandra Trappen, assistant professor of administrative justice. Panelists included Kim Berkeley Clark, Allegheny County president judge; Iris Richardson, director of diversity, equality and inclusion for Penn State University Public Safety; and David A. Harris, law professor at the University of Pittsburgh.
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February 11, 2022 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
The Versailles Avenue Bridge was closed Friday to both motorists and pedestrians after an inspection this week raised concerns among city officials. McKeesport is seeking funding from the federal government for its replacement, estimated to cost $8 million to $10 million. (Photo special to Tube City Almanac)
Citing an inspection report that determined the span had become dangerous, McKeesport officials closed the Versailles Avenue Bridge to all traffic on Friday morning.
“We received notification Thursday evening that we should be working to close this bridge within 10 days,” McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said Friday. “It is in the best interest of the safety of our residents that we are proactive in closing this bridge immediately, rather than waiting for any time at all.”
Both pedestrians and motorists are being asked not to use the span, a spokesperson said.
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