State Funds Will Aid City Demolition Program

May 25, 2021 |

By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Liberty Borough News, McKeesport and Region News

These three buildings near the corner of Fifth Avenue and Coursin Street are among seven in the city’s business district targeted for demolition with the help of funds from the state’s Blight Remediation Program. (Tube City Almanac photo)


Seven vacant buildings in the city’s Downtown business district — all in severe disrepair — will be demolished with the assistance of funding from the state’s Blight Remediation Program.

State officials announced Tuesday that McKeesport has been awarded $294,063 from the Commonwealth Financing Authority towards the demolition and environmental cleanup of properties at 903, 907, 911, 1013 and 1017 Fifth Ave., 328 Sixth Ave. and 422 Shaw Ave.

Funding also was awarded to remove blighted buildings in Dravosburg, Glassport, Liberty Borough and Wilmerding.

A total of $12 million was awarded statewide, including more than $1.3 million in grant money for efforts in the 45th Senate District, said state Sen. Jim Brewster of McKeesport.

 
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High-Jumper’s Story Inspires Local Kids

May 21, 2021 |

By Vickie Babyak | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

Kids at A Developmental Journey Christian Childcare eagerly listen to Kris Kornegay-Gobel talk about his journey to success, from childhood until his current life, training for the U.S. Olympic Team for this summer’s games in Tokyo. (Tube City Almanac photo by Vickie Babyak)


Olympic hopeful Kris Kornegay-Gober came to McKeesport over Mother’s Day weekend to inspire some youth at a child care facility. By the end of his visit, the children felt more confident about their own abilities.

Kornegay-Gober is the son of Lynne Lennon, who teaches geometry and science at McKeesport Area High School, and the stepson of Moses Lennon of Duquesne. Lynne Lennon said her son had attended Faith Christian Academy in Martinsburg, W.Va. The coach asked if anyone was interested in high jumping and Kris said he would try. That was the beginning of his sports career.

A Washington, D.C., resident and a marine science technician for the U.S. Coast Guard in Curtis Bay, Md., where he holds the rank of petty officer third class, Kornegay-Gober recently competed in a pre-Olympic trial event where he came in fourth with a high jump of 6 feet, 8 inches. He is training with hopes of making the U.S. Olympic Team for this summer’s games in Tokyo.

 
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Hobbyist Badly Burned in Fireworks Explosion

May 20, 2021 |

By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Crime and Police News, McKeesport and Region News

A Banker Street man who emergency personnel said is a fireworks enthusiast was badly burned Thursday morning in an explosion.

The victim, whose name was not immediately released, was airlifted by STAT MedEvac helicopter to UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh following the incident just before 3 a.m.

The Allegheny County police bomb squad responded to the scene to remove what officials described as a large quantity of fireworks, which were labeled for retail sale and appeared to have been purchased legally.

“Vast amounts, and when I say vast amounts, I mean there were many, many boxes throughout the house,” said McKeesport deputy fire Chief Tom Perciavalle. Some of the fireworks were in the large cardboard tubes of the types sold for public displays, he said.

 
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Incumbent Duquesne Mayor Loses Primary,
Macey Holds Off District 9 Challenger

May 20, 2021 |

By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Duquesne News, McKeesport and Region News, Politics & Elections

Duquesne Mayor Nickole Nesby was defeated for the Democratic nomination for a second term in office, but Allegheny County Councilman Bob Macey held off his primary challenger.

Winners of primaries in each party will face one another in the general election Nov. 2.

Duquesne Mayor

According to complete but unofficial returns from the Allegheny County Elections Division, Nesby, the first Black woman elected mayor of Duquesne, was defeated in the Democratic Primary by City Councilman R. Scott Adams by a sizable margin.

 
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11 Candidates Seeking MASD School Board Seats

May 14, 2021 |

By Siana Emery | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

Eleven candidates — including three incumbents — are seeking four positions on the McKeesport Area School Board during next week’s primary.

School Director Ivan Hampton is not seeking re-election.

The primary election is Tuesday, May 18, and gives voters who are registered as either Democrats or Republicans the chance to choose their party’s candidates for the November general election.

Seven candidates are cross-filed as both Republicans and Democrats, while four candidates are running strictly as Democrats.

 
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Large Crowd Celebrates Field’s Dedication

May 13, 2021 |

By Vickie Babyak | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

Friends and family of Jamie Brewster-Filotei gather around a bench at Jamie Brewster-Filotei Memorial Field on Wednesday. The bench was donated by members of the staff of state Sen. Jim Brewster, shown at right, with his wife, Linda, at left. (Tube City Almanac photo by Vickie Babyak.)


A large crowd of friends, family members and former students gathered Wednesday evening to celebrate the life of Jamie Brewster-Filotei, former McKeesport Area school teacher and vice president of city council.

During a ceremony in Renziehausen Park, a baseball and softball field was renamed for Brewster-Filotei, who died May 12, 2020 of non-small cell lung carcinoma.

The event began with an invocation by the Rev. William B. Meekins Jr., senior pastor of the McKeesport Charge of the United Methodist Church, which Brewster-Filotei attended.

 
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Free Lead Testing Available for Local Gardeners

May 13, 2021 |

By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

Raised beds, such as these ones growing greens, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli and strawberries, are one way to help keep lead contamination out of fruits and vegetables. (Jennifer Feuchter photo via Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons)


Fruit and vegetable gardeners in McKeesport who are concerned about possible lead contamination in their soil will be able to get a free test done May 22.

During the event, organizers also will provide free information to gardeners about how to keep lead contamination out of their vegetable patches this spring and summer. Advance registration is required at bit.ly/McKeesportLeadTesting.

The event is being organized by “Get The Lead Out, Pittsburgh” in cooperation with the Allegheny County Conservation District and Women for a Healthy Environment.

A sampling of home gardens in McKeesport in December 2020 concluded that 83 percent had levels of lead exceeding safe standards. The soil samples were tested by Penn State University.

 
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Field to Be Renamed for Late Councilwoman

May 11, 2021 |

By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

(Tube City Almanac photo)


City officials, friends and family will gather Wednesday evening (May 12) to dedicate an athletic field at Renziehausen Park to former McKeesport Councilwoman Jamie Brewster-Filotei.

The dedication at 6 p.m. will take place on the one year anniversary of Brewster-Filotei’s death at age 46 after a nearly three-year battle with non-small cell lung carcinoma.

“Obviously we know what Jamie meant to this community, we know her extreme commitment to our youth, and we know her as an athlete as well, whether it was coaching or playing,” Mayor Michael Cherepko told city council last week.

 
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AFL-CIO Leaders Question U.S. Steel Decision

May 09, 2021 |

By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

The federation of the state’s largest labor unions has joined local elected officials in questioning a decision by U.S. Steel to cancel more than $1.5 billion in upgrades to its three Mon Valley facilities.

In a joint letter to U.S. Steel’s chief executive officer, leaders of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO called themselves “shocked, disappointed and bewildered” by the corporation’s April 30 announcement that it will not carry through with its plans to construct an “endless caster” at Edgar Thomson Plant as well as a co-generation energy facility at Clairton Plant.

“Over the years we have diligently and cooperatively worked with your government affairs team and the Pennsylvania Steel Alliance to encourage new manufacturing in the Commonwealth and beyond,” wrote Rick Bloomingdale, president of the state AFL-CIO, and Frank Snyder, secretary-treasurer, in the letter made public May 6.

 
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MAHS Students Make Their Voices Heard

May 09, 2021 |

By Vickie Babyak | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

Brandy Daye, assistant principal of Twin Rivers Elementary School, discusses summer employment opportunities for the high school students during "The Voices of Change" meeting. (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)


A growing group of McKeesport Area High School students are learning about their cultural differences — and finding out that more unites them than separates them.

“The Voices of Change” includes students and faculty facilitators, who are focused on discipline, diversity and academics, said the organizers. Since their first meeting in March, which attracted about a dozen students, the group has continued to expand.

In the past few weeks, the group’s popularity has grown and membership continues to increase for the upcoming new school year.

 
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