Byron Janis, City Native, Piano Virtuoso, Dies at 95

March 18, 2024 |

By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

Maria Cooper Janis and Byron Janis. (Photo courtesy the Janis family, via Facebook)

Byron Janis, a child prodigy from McKeesport who rose from poverty to become one of the most celebrated concert pianists of his generation, died Thursday in New York City. He was 95.

His death was announced over the weekend by his wife of 58 years, Maria, who called it “a loss to me and the world.”

“Byron understood that music has many powers, including that of bridging barriers that seem insurmountable, and in today’s fractured world, let us remember and practice this to honor his legacy,” she wrote.

Born March 28, 1928, in McKeesport, Janis was the son of Russian immigrant Hattie Horelick and Polish immigrant Samuel Yankilevitch, who owned a chain of Army and Navy surplus stores.

 
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Skeletal Remains Found in White Oak

March 17, 2024 |

By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News, White Oak News

Allegheny County police and the medical examiner’s office are working to identify what appear to be human remains found behind a building in White Oak.

Foul play is not suspected, police said.

In a prepared release, Allegheny County police said that emergency personnel received a call through 9-1-1 at 5:30 p.m. Saturday that remains had been found behind a building in the 700 block of O’Neil Boulevard.

County homicide detectives are investigating and the medical examiner’s office is working to identify the remains.

Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call the County Police Tip Line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous.

 

EA Board, Police Warn Parents About Vaping

March 17, 2024 |

By T.J. Martin | Posted in: East McKeesport News, North Versailles Twp. News, Wilmerding News

(Source: Pennsylvania Department of Drug & Alcohol Programs)

North Versailles Twp. police and the East Allegheny School Board are warning parents about the dangers children face from vaping.

At this month’s school board meeting, Acting Superintendent Joseph DiLucente told the board that he and Norm Locke, North Versailles assistant police chief, sent letters to parents earlier this month warning of the dangers children face from vaping.

The school district letter, signed by DiLucente, junior high school principal Mark Draskovich and senior high school principal Brian Ferek, notes, “We have noticed an unfortunate upward trend in drug use among our student population and youth in the Mon Valley as a whole.”

“I ask that you address the dangers of drug use, particularly unknown substances in vape devices, with your children. In speaking with Norm Locke, Assistant Chief of NVPD, and reviewing recent confiscations of vaping devices at the high school, this is our chief area of concern,” the letter continues.

 
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EA Board OK’s Tax Break for Volunteer Firefighters

March 17, 2024 |

By T.J. Martin | Posted in: East McKeesport News, North Versailles Twp. News, Wilmerding News

(File photo courtesy Fire Department of North Versailles via Facebook)

While not as much as originally proposed, some volunteer firefighters in the five fire departments serving the communities in the East Allegheny School District will receive a real estate tax credit of up to $300.

The East Allegheny School Board voted 5-1 at their monthly meeting earlier this week to approve the program, with Board President John Savinda opposed, Merle “Bud” Pusey and Shannon Basa-Sabol abstaining and Macey Kinard absent.

The proposal will give an annual $300 real estate tax credit to qualifying homeowners who are volunteer firefighters in the five fire departments — Crestas, the Fire Department of North Versailles, Wilmerding, West Wilmerding and United, which serves East McKeesport and Wall — within the district. The proposal places an annual cap of $7,000 on the program.

 
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Duquesne Seeks Grants for Demo, Trail Work

March 14, 2024 |

By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News

Duquesne will seek grants to fund demolition of dangerous abandoned buildings and other improvement projects.

At this month’s council meeting, Councilwoman Denise Brownfield discussed the possibility of using Gaming Economic Development Tourism funds to demolish dangerous properties in the city. Duquesne recently was awarded $75,000 for a demolition project that’s estimated to cost $285,000.

Officials are to prioritize which properties among the 17 listed should be razed first. In Brownfield’s report, it was recommended that the city seek bids to demolish 32, 33 and 125 on South Seventh Street, as well as 733 Klere St., 138 and 151 Auriles St., and add 11 to 31 South 7th Street as alternatives.

 
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Postal Union Sounds Alarm Over Cuts, Shortages

March 11, 2024 |

By Danielle M. Smith - Public News Service | Posted in: State & Region

The McKeesport post office will hold a hiring fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Wednesday. A postal union official says that the U.S. Postal Service is constantly hiring, but does a poor job retaining new employees because of working conditions. (Tube City Almanac photo)

Postal workers from Pennsylvania will head to the nation’s capital in early May for a national rally to raise awareness about the challenges faced by the U.S. Postal Service.

The workers say staff shortages, consolidations and office closures all are affecting mail delivery. The U.S. Postal Service’s goal is 95 percent on-time delivery across its vast network of 167 million addresses nationwide.

Kimberly Miller, president of the American Postal Workers Union Keystone Area Local 1566, said the worker shortage means some post offices close their facilities early and see delays in processing the mail. Miller pointed out rural customers often are hardest hit.

 
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Gergely Family, Friends Gather to Rededicate Park

March 11, 2024 |

By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

Charlene Salvi Gergely, wife of the late Richard J. Gergely, speaks Saturday during a rededication of Gergely Riverfront Park in McKeesport as her children, Ericka, Jason and Chris Gergely, look on. Also shown are Mayor Mike Cherepko (left) and nephew, state Rep. Matt Gergely (rear). (Tube City Almanac photo)

Despite a steady, cold rain, there were many smiles — and a few tears — on Saturday when friends and family of the late Richard J. Gergely gathered to rededicate the city’s Riverfront Park in his memory.

The ceremony was held 40 years to the date of the death of Gergely, a teacher, city council member, youth football coach and father of three who died of cancer March 9, 1984 at the age of 43.

An obituary at the time of his death called him “probably the most popular person in the city.”

Speakers included Gergely’s widow, Charlene Salvi Gergely, and his now-grown children, Jason, Christopher and Ericka Gergely, as well as his nephews, state Rep. Matt Gergely and former state Rep. Mark Gergely, and state Sen. Jim Brewster.

 
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Duquesne Council Tables Parking Limitations

March 08, 2024 |

By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News

Duquesne City Council on Tuesday night tabled a proposed ordinance to limit parking on a part of Overland Avenue.

For months, officials have talked about the need to discuss upgrades on parking conditions of Overland between Clearview Avenue and Richford Street. Solicitor Myron Sainovich told a resident during public comment that a parking ordinance had been drafted but he “wasn’t happy with it.”

Instead, he floated the idea of Mayor Scott Adams and Police Chief Tom Shaw joining him on a tour of Overland, as well as other streets in the city where parking has been a problem.

“We have to look at some places, and fill in blanks,” he said. “We hope to go out next week.”

In addition to parking, Sainovich and other leaders want to discuss the need for stop signs, sidewalk concerns and the like.

 
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Finance Report: Mostly Positive Outlook for MASD

March 08, 2024 |

By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

Auditor Peter Vancheri delivers his report on the McKeesport Area School District’s finances during a Thursday agenda meeting. (Adam Reinherz photo for Tube City Almanac)

An independent auditor’s report during Thursday’s open agenda meeting provided a source of optimism for the McKeesport Area School District.

For nearly 15 minutes, Peter Vancheri, of Hosack, Specht, Muetzel & Wood LLP, a certified public accounting firm, updated listeners on district finances ending June 30, 2023.

The district’s fund balance is broken into two categories: assigned and unassigned, he said: whereas the former is $7 million, the latter is $9.5 million.

“The unassigned balance is about 11.9 percent of your total budget and expenditures for the year. The assigned has been assigned for future capital purposes and future expenditures provided shortfalls in future budget years,” he said.

 
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MASD Eyes Public Return to High School Stadium

March 08, 2024 |

By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

(McKeesport Area School District official photo)

McKeesport Area School District hopes that the general public can resume using the high school stadium within a few months.

The district is working with a private security company to address concerns at Weigle-Schaeffer Memorial Stadium on Eden Park Boulevard, Superintendent Tia Wanzo said this week.

A message posted to the district’s Facebook page on Feb. 25 stated, “Due to acts of vandalism and misconduct that compromise safety, the stadium will be temporarily closed as we explore ways to ensure safety for the community.”

Police officers have said that groups of kids — some of whom had been dropped off by the parents from neighboring school districts, including Clairton and Duquesne — were gathering at the stadium after hours.

 
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