January 23, 2024 |
By T.J. Martin | Posted in: North Versailles Twp. News
East Allegheny School Board is considering a measure to give a $3,000 annual property tax break to qualifying members of volunteer fire departments.
The measure, proposed by School Director Merle Pusey, is designed to help encourage residents of the district to join their local fire departments, which have struggled for years with declining numbers of volunteers.
At last week’s school board meeting, there was a standing room only crowd, and most of the members of the audience were there to see if the measure would pass.
The school district is served by five volunteer fire departments — Crestas, Fire Department of North Versailles, West Wilmerding, Wilmerding and United, which serves East McKeesport and Wall.
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December 28, 2023 |
By T.J. Martin | Posted in: North Versailles Twp. News
North Versailles Twp. property owners will see no real estate tax increase under the 2024 budget passed unanimously this month by the township commissioners.
The budget has revenues and expenditures of $8.14 million, a slight increase from the 2023 budget of $8.02 million.
Also passed unanimously was a 3 percent pay increase for the township manager, finance manager, code enforcement officer and two parks and recreation department employees.
T.J. Martin is a freelance writer from Trafford whose work has also appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Irwin Standard Observer.
December 08, 2023 |
By T.J. Martin | Posted in: North Versailles Twp. News
East Allegheny High School cheerleaders and members of the school’s athletic teams participated in the Raising Cane’s grand opening event. The chain made a $1,500 donation to the school district during Tuesday’s grand opening. (T.J. Martin photo for Tube City Almanac)
Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers opened its doors in North Versailles Twp. on Tuesday with a crowd that included more than a dozen cheerleaders from the local school district to which the restaurant chain gave a gift of $1,500.
Area leader Justin Pesicek said the donation earmarked for the school’s athletic department was in keeping with the restaurant chain’s philosophy of giving back and community involvement.
Dave Loya, athletic director of East Allegheny School District, said the district brought a total of 22 people to participate in the grand opening event, including the cheerleaders, some senior-class athletes and the school’s Wildcat-costumed mascot.
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December 05, 2023 |
By T.J. Martin | Posted in: North Versailles Twp. News
The North Versailles Twp. Sanitary Authority voted 5-0 to approve an asset purchase agreement with Aqua Pennsylvania Wastewater Inc. after three of the company’s executives told the authority board members about their company and the purchase agreement as they did earlier in November when they met with the township commissioners.
Scott Shearer, managing director of PFM Financial Advisors LLC, said his company was hired by the township in June to help with the sale. He said under the agreement, Aqua will pay between $25 million and $30 million for the township sewer system, including the pipes and three pumping stations.
Aqua is owned by Essential Utilities Inc. of Bryn Mawr, Montgomery County, the parent company of Peoples’ Gas. The company operates in nine states with more than 3,100 employees and under the agreement, all of the sanitary authority’s employees will be offered employment with Aqua.
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November 25, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Crime and Police News, North Versailles Twp. News
A man accused of shooting a North Versailles Twp. police officer early Friday morning apologized to detectives and his girlfriend before passing out from his own injuries, investigators said.
Ian Lamont Fields, 47, of Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood is being held at the Allegheny County Jail without bond pending a preliminary hearing Nov. 29 before Magisterial District Judge Kim Berkeley Clark.
Fields, who sustained two gunshot wounds to the leg in Friday’s incident, is accused of wounding a North Versailles officer following a domestic dispute in the 200 block of Arlington Avenue.
The wounded police officer was treated and released at a local hospital. His name has not been officially released.
In an affidavit of probable cause filed in Allegheny County night court, county detectives alleged that shots fired from Fields’ .40-caliber Glock pistol wounded the officer in the face and hand. Officers returned fire, according to the criminal complaint, striking Fields twice in the right leg.
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November 24, 2023 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, North Versailles Twp. News
BREAKING: This is a developing story and will be updated with new information.
A North Versailles Twp. police officer was wounded early Friday morning when a suspect shot at him, Allegheny County police said.
The incident happened just before 4 a.m. in the 200 block of Arlington Avenue.
An intense police search for the suspect involving multiple agencies was underway in the early hours of Friday morning. According to broadcast reports, the suspect was taken into custody at about 8:30 a.m. His name has not yet been released.
Allegheny County police said that township officers were called to a report of a domestic disturbance with shots fired at 3:39 a.m. Responding officers encountered a suspect in an alley behind a home and attempted to take him into custody, police said. The man refused and instead produced a handgun, firing at least one shot at the officers, Allegheny County police said.
One township police officer was injured.
Police said a township offier returned fire and the suspect fled the scene. The wounded officer was taken to a local hospital where he was reportedly in good condition, according to a county police spokesperson.
Witnesses reported that a handgun was recovered on Delaware Avenue, about one block from the shooting.
Allegheny County homicide detectives are investigating. The suspect was described only as a Black male wearing dark clothing.
Anyone with information concerning the incident is asked to call the Allegheny County police tip line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous.
November 16, 2023 |
By T.J. Martin | Posted in: North Versailles Twp. News
The potential sale of the assets of the North Versailles Twp. Sanitary Authority to Aqua Pennsylvania Wastewater Inc. took another step forward earlier this week when the North Versailles Twp. Commissioners voted Wednesday to support the evaluation of the proposed deal.
In a public presentation on the proposed sale during the monthly commissioners meeting on Wednesday night, the board heard from Scott Shearer, managing director of PFM Financial Advisors LLC, which the township and authority hired in June to help assist it with the proposed sale.
Aqua is owned by Essential Utilities of Bryn Mawr, Montgomery County, the parent company of Peoples’ Gas.
Shearer said Aqua Pennsylvania Wastewater Inc. and the authority have signed a letter of intent in which the company will pay between $25 and $30 million for the sewer system, including the pipes and three pumping stations.
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October 18, 2023 |
By Dianne Ribecca | Posted in: North Versailles Twp. News
Parents of an East Allegheny School District student allege that four other pupils attacked their child at a bus stop, causing personal injury and property damage — and that the students involved were related to school board members.
The accusation, leveled at the Oct. 9 school board meeting, resulted in an intense confrontation between district officials and the parents, who were removed from the room by school security.
District Solicitor Dan Beisler warned the parents not to name the children who are accused in the incident, while District 2 School Director Courtney Verner vehemently disputed the accusation.
North Versailles Twp. police were called to the meeting but the situation was resolved outside.
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September 17, 2023 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, North Versailles Twp. News
A Monroeville woman died Saturday following a two-car crash on Route 30 in North Versailles Twp.
Darlene Fairfull, 78, was pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital emergency room less than an hour after the accident, the Allegheny County medical examiner’s office said.
In a prepared statement, the Allegheny County police homicide unit said a Buick Verano collided with a Subaru Imprezza in the 1400 block of Lincoln Highway, near the intersection with Broad Street.
The driver of the Subaru, later identified as Fairfull, was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said. The driver of the Buick, a woman whose name was not released, was treated at the scene, police said.
Accident reconstruction experts from the county police are investigating.
Route 30 was closed between Luehm Avenue and Broad Street for approximately three hours, North Versailles police announced on social media.
Anyone who may have witnessed the accident is asked to call the Allegheny County police tip line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous.
September 13, 2023 |
By Kristen Keleschenyi | Posted in: North Versailles Twp. News
Brennen Runt, Aiden Geary, Landon Kieler and Zachary Meredith belt out the ’60s juke box hits during practice for East Allegheny High School’s new band show. (Kristen Keleschenyi photo for Tube City Almanac)
If you go...
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East Allegheny Marching Band home show competition
Also featuring Serra, Penn Trafford and Woodland Hills high school bands
Where: Churchman Stadium, East Allegheny High School, 1150 Jacks Run Road, North Versailles Twp.
When: 6 p.m. Sept. 16
Admission: $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors
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The East Allegheny Marching Band is taking audiences back in time this year with its 2023 field show featuring the music of “Jersey Boys.”
The musical, which debuted on Broadway in 2005 and ran for 12 years, is inspired by the 1960s rock group The Four Seasons.
Senior band member and co-drum major Daniel Cipcic says the show is certainly something to see. “They may be older songs, but you’ll still know them,” he says. “They’re very recognizable and we put on a good show.”
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