February 03, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Citizens withheld tears, shouted and questioned board members about the resignation of Amy Gumbert, McKeesport Area High School’s girls basketball coach during Thursday’s open agenda meeting.
Gumbert, a third-year coach who led the Tigers to the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals in her first two seasons, and her staff, which included her brother Eric Gumbert, have all been replaced.
“Coach Amy and Coach Eric have been in my life since I can remember,” sophomore Luciana Lewis said during Thursday’s hearing of citizens. “I knew I could go to either one of them when I needed someone to talk to. They are like family.”
“Amy and Eric have been one of the best coaches ever that I've had since fourth grade,” freshman Morgan McClung said. “They pushed us to the point where we become the best version of ourselves.”
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February 01, 2024 |
By T.J. Martin | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Pennsylvania American Water Company acquired the assets of the Municipal Authority of the City of McKeesport in 2017. The company is proposing a rate increase for both sewer customers served by the McKeesport treatment plant as well as water customers in Liberty and West Mifflin. (Tube City Almanac photo illustration)
Residents in the Mon Valley took the opportunity to speak to representatives of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission this week at the first pair of public input hearings regarding a rate increase request by Pennsylvania American Water Company.
At a public hearing at the Port Vue municipal building, state Rep. Matthew Gergely of McKeesport called proposed rate increases to water and sewerage rates “extreme and unprecedented.”
About 50 people attended the hearing. Port Vue Councilman Bob Betters said he was also opposed to the proposed increase. Noting that PAWC said that it wants to make “infrastructure upgrades” as one of the reasons for a rate increase, Betters said, “You bought this junk car, you should have to fix it — not us.”
In 2017, PAWC purchased the assets of the Municipal Authority of the City of McKeesport and began providing sewage services to at that time 64,000 people in McKeesport, Duquesne, Dravosburg, White Oak, North Versailles, East McKeesport, Elizabeth, Glassport, Liberty, Port Vue and Versailles.
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January 22, 2024 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Three people, including two crew members of McKeesport Ambulance Rescue Service, were injured Sunday evening in a collision at the intersection of Stewart and Soles streets.
McKeesport police are investigating the incident, which occurred as the ambulance was responding to a house fire in the 2700 block of Dinsmore Street.
MARS Chief Bill Miller said the 2019 Ford ambulance had just left the station on Evans Avenue and was eastbound on Stewart when it was struck broadside on the driver’s side by another vehicle.
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January 22, 2024 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
A family of five was displaced Sunday evening when fire swept through their Dinsmore Street home.
Crews were dispatched to the 2700 block just before 7:30 p.m. and arrived to find smoke visible and flames emerging from the left side of the house, McKeesport deputy fire chief Ed Harmon said.
The occupants of the home — a mother and four children, ages 7 to 18 — were able to escape safely and called 9-1-1, Harmon said.
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January 12, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Members of the McKeesport Little Theater’s Juniors Program performed selections from Disney’s Aladdin Jr. at Thursday’s school board meeting. The show opens tonight (Friday). (Adam Reinherz photo for Tube City Almanac)
McKeesport Area School Board has accepted the resignation of the firm that was providing security in district buildings and will retain a new company within 60 days.
The move comes after a guard for Homeland Intelligence & Protective Services LLC of McDonald was arrested and charged this week with having a sexual relationship with a now 17-year-old student.
The guard, Alexis Brown, 24, of McKeesport is charged by Allegheny County police with unlawful sexual contact with a student, corrupting the morals of minors and unlawful contact with a minor. She is awaiting a preliminary hearing Jan. 29 before Magisterial District Judge Eugene Riazzi.
Board members and staff spent Thursday’s monthly meeting reiterating that student safety remains paramount.
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January 08, 2024 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Members of a city-based credit union have approved its merger with a larger thrift in Moon Twp.
At a meeting Thursday at McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center, shareholders of Parkview Community Federal Credit Union OK’d a merger with Clearview Federal Credit Union by a vote of 336 to 74, according to accountants from McKeever, Varga & Senko, who oversaw the ballotting.
The merger is expected to take effect July 1. The agreement has already been approved by federal regulators.
Lisa Florian, president and chief executive officer of Clearview, said there are no plans to close either of Parkview’s offices in McKeesport or North Huntingdon Twp.
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January 06, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Although McKeesport Area School Board meetings have returned to the Internet, board president Mark Holtzman said he hopes that residents will still attend in person when they are able.
“We encourage the public to come,” he said.
Monthly meetings are a chance for citizens to voice concern, however, if a “major issue” arises in the district Holtzman hopes interested parties won’t wait weeks to articulate the problem.
“Please see the superintendent,” he said. “I'm sure she'll address it and take care of it accordingly.”
At Thursday’s agenda meeting, board members extended wishes for a happy new year, and also welcomed new school district police chief Brenda Sawyer
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December 31, 2023 |
By Yousuf Lachhab Ibrahim | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Citing a lack of applicants for key jobs as well as new data-processing requirements, city-based Parkview Community Federal Credit Union is asking its members to vote to approve a merger with a larger Moon Twp.-based financial institution.
A meeting is planned for Parkview credit union members at 6 p.m. Thursday (Jan. 4) at the McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center in Renziehausen Park.
Comments also may be filed online at the National Credit Union Administration website.
The merger would end Parkview’s 88-year existence and close one of the last McKeesport-based financial institutions. Another city-based credit union — McKeesport Bell — is also considering a merger with another thrift. Several smaller credit unions are chartered by area churches and McKeesport Area School District employees.
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December 21, 2023 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Submitted photo by Penn State Greater Allegheny)
Megan Nagel has been named chancellor and chief academic officer of Penn State’s Greater Allegheny Campus in McKeesport, effective Jan. 1, a spokeswoman announced.
Nagel has served in the role in an interim capacity since June 2022, when then-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer Jacqueline Edmondson left to assume the presidency at the University of Southern Maine.
“I am pleased Megan will serve the Greater Allegheny campus in a permanent capacity,” said Margo DelliCarpini, vice president for Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses and executive chancellor, in a prepared release.
“She has a deep appreciation for the role our campuses play in fulfilling Penn State’s land-grant mission,” DelliCarpini said. “While serving in the interim role, she established collaborative relationships with regional leaders and businesses.
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December 07, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
City council has approved a 3-mill property tax increase for 2024 that McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said is directed toward salary increases for police officers and additional personnel for the police and fire departments.
The increase from 8.26 to 11.26 mills will only impact the value of buildings, not land.
The 2024 budget otherwise holds overall spending to 2023 levels and cuts expenses in several areas, Cherepko said following Wednesday night’s 5-0 vote. Council members Tim Brown and Brian Evans were absent.
Separately, council by 5-0 vote approved a four-year contract with members of the city’s police union that includes a 15.5 percent increase for 2024 and additional 3 percent increases in 2025, 2026 and 2027.
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