October 08, 2020 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Crime and Police News, McKeesport and Region News, White Oak News
A longtime city police officer is recovering at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, Oakland, after being injured in a serious motorcycle crash on Route 48.
McKeesport police Chief Adam Alfer said Detective Joseph Osinski was southbound at Ripple Road at around 3 p.m. Monday when his motorcycle collided with a car pulling out onto the highway.
White Oak police are investigating. Chief Mark Sargent could not be reached for comment.
Osinski and his wife, Brenda, are the owners of Puzzlers’ Restaurant & Lounge in Christy Park and founders of the Joey-O Foundation for Autism Awareness, and are frequent contributors to charitable causes around the region.
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May 21, 2020 |
By Richard Finch Jr. | Posted in: Crime and Police News, White Oak News
White Oak police Officer Gregory Smith has been commended for his help investigating a bank robbery in December.
At Monday’s council meeting, Mayor Ina Jean Marton read a letter from FBI Supervisory Special Agent Timothy Wolford commending Smith for providing “exceptional assistance” in assisting the FBI during the investigation of the Dec. 14, 2019 robbery of the PNC Bank in White Oak.
The investigation led to the indictment March 3 by a federal grand jury of Chezeq Morgan, 26, of Monroeville, on robbery charges.
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May 21, 2020 |
By Richard Finch Jr. | Posted in: White Oak News
Plans to open Heritage Hill Pool this summer are in limbo.
At Monday’s council meeting, White Oak officials said it’s possible the pool could open under limited conditions if the borough can adhere to public health guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Borough Manager John Palyo said White Oak is still under an emergency declaration order at the local, state and federal levels. “The declaration has not been relaxed, released or removed,” he said.
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May 10, 2020 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News, North Versailles Twp. News, White Oak News
Sarah Colon holds Javoni Hancharik and Nikki Hancharik holds Natalia Hancharik on Fawcett Avenue in McKeesport as they enjoying the dance party parade mix by DJ Jess. (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)
With entertainment venues closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Pittsburghers have been unable to go to any dances for almost two months.
So on Saturday, the dances came to Pittsburghers.
Disc jockeys from throughout the region participated in the first-ever Pittsburgh Mobile Dance Party, climbing aboard trucks and into vans to spread music and fun for a few hours.
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May 05, 2020 |
By Jason A. Mignanelli | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News, White Oak News
(Submitted photo)
Kelly and Mike Doyle never could have imagined that they would be feeding 100 different families when they started a small community Facebook page called, “What’s Happening in White Oak & Surrounding Areas.”
The Doyles live in White Oak with their five children, where they also own and operate the privately held White Oak Post Office.
“We are just a normal middle-class family,” Kelly Doyle said.
About six years ago, Kelly started the “What’s Happening in White Oak & Surrounding Areas” Facebook page, hoping to keep the community up-to-date on current events.
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April 22, 2020 |
By Richard Finch Jr. | Posted in: White Oak News
All White Oak recreational activities have been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Councilwoman Julie Opferman, speaking on behalf of the parks and recreation department, said at Monday night’s meeting that the borough will be monitoring the situation to consider when events can possibly be re-scheduled and resumed.
In other business:
Council approved a motion to exercise the first option year with Cargill, Inc., for the purchase of rock salt for the July 2020 to June 2021 contract year.
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April 22, 2020 |
By Richard Finch Jr. | Posted in: White Oak News
White Oak Council voted 4-3 to rehire a former police officer who was terminated over allegations that he assaulted his wife in September 2018.
The motion was introduced at Monday’s meeting by Councilman Lou Bender, chair of the public safety committee. The officer, Timothy Estep, was hired by the borough in 1995 and terminated in December 2018.
Bender and council members Julie Opferman, Ed Babyak and Chuck Davis voted in favor of rehiring Estep. George Dillinger, Ken Robb and George Pambacas voted against.
In a contentious discussion at Monday’s meeting, livestreamed on Facebook and Zoom, veteran Councilman Kenneth Robb warned fellow officials, “If anything happens as a result of the vote to bring him back, and we get sued, I’m going to offer as additional defendants the people who voted to bring him back.”
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April 10, 2020 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, White Oak News
A North Huntingdon Twp. man died Thursday afternoon following a head-on collision near White Oak Park.
Donald Pivirotto, 59, was pronounced dead at the scene, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said. The cause of death is pending an autopsy.
Allegheny County police Lt. Venerando Costa said a Nissan Sentra driven by Pivirotto was on Route 48 near McClintock Road, heading toward Lincoln Way, when it was struck head-on by a box truck traveling in the other direction.
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April 08, 2020 |
By Richard Finch Jr. | Posted in: White Oak News
White Oak Council used Facebook and teleconferencing technology to hold its first meeting since Gov. Tom Wolf’s mandatory stay-at-home order went into effect March 23.
In attendance at the special meeting April 1 were Council President Chuck Davis and Council Members Lou Bender, Ed Babyak and Julie Opferman.
The meeting was streamed on the borough’s Facebook page. Participating via phone due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions was borough manager John Palyo, engineer Kenneth Hillman, solicitor Patricia McGrail, Mayor Ina Jean Marton, council members George Dillinger, Kenneth Robb, George Pambacas and administrative assistant MaryAnn Winemiller.
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March 30, 2020 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Duquesne News, McKeesport and Region News, White Oak News
CORRECTION: McKeesport city officials said the public is being asked not to attend Wednesday’s council meeting for social distancing reasons. We apologize for the error.
This story was edited after publication.
Port Vue (above), North Huntingdon Twp. and White Oak are among local municipalities that have closed playgrounds as well as basketball and tennis courts to discourage groups from congregating. (Tube City Almanac photo)
Although playgrounds are closed and police have been needed for traffic control outside of crowded banks and supermarkets, life during the coronavirus pandemic is continuing in Mon-Yough communities.
But shutdowns, closures and restrictions are expected to remain a fact of life continue well into the spring, and possibly the summer.
Some communities are canceling municipal meetings, while others are moving them online and inviting the public to participate.
On Monday, Allegheny County officials announced that the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 is doubling every three days. There are now 290 cases and 38 people currently hospitalized, county officials said.
There were 158 confirmed cases on Friday.
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