August 21, 2025 |
By Danielle M. Smith - Public News Service | Posted in: State & Region
AmeriCorps members at a service project. Pennsylvania and other states are fighting against a proposed 41 percent funding cut imposed on the agency by so-called “DOGE” at the direction of Elon Musk. (AmeriCorps photo)
Federal cuts to AmeriCorps are shaking up public service opportunities for young Pennsylvanians.
The Trump administration slashed 41 percent of the agency’s funding this spring eliminating $400 million in grants and sidelining over 32,000 members nationwide.
Hillary Kane, director of the Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development, said her group initially lost one of two AmeriCorps grants, which fund yearlong public service commitments with modest stipends. She noted the grants were later restored. The cut had threatened key career pathways into public service, education and health care.
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August 21, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
A Vitalant employee donates blood during a donor drive in Illinois. (Photo courtesy Vitalant, via Facebook)
Local Lions and Rotary clubs will sponsor a blood drive on Sept. 17, and participants will be entered in a contest for a chance to win a $10,000 prize.
McKeesport Lions Club, Mon River Fleet Lions Club, White Oak Lions Club and White Oak Rotary Club will hold the drive in cooperation with Vitalant at Sampson’s Mills Presbyterian Church, 1665 Lincoln Way, White Oak, from 2 to 6 p.m., a spokeswoman said. Donors should enter from the side door at the parking lot.
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August 21, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
(Courtesy Mon Yough Chorale)
A local community choir is looking for residents who love to sing and would like to meet new friends.
Rehearsals for the next season of the Mon Yough Chorale begin at 7 p.m. Sept. 14 at Sampson’s Mills Presbyterian Church, 1665 Lincoln Way, White Oak, and are held every Sunday evening.
Established in 2015, the group was formed from a merger between the McKeesport Choraliers and the White Oak Community Singers and was previously known as the Mon Yough Community Singers.
A non-sectarian group of singers, Mon Yough Chorale performs for many organizations and municipalities in and around Western Pennsylvania.
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August 21, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
(Ribbons, file photo by Andrea Kirkby via Flickr. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic)
Cancer Bridges, a local support group for people and caregivers affected by the disease, will hold an information session at 4 p.m. Aug. 28 at Kane Community Living Center McKeesport, 100 Ninth Ave., a spokeswoman said.
The guest speaker will be Cheryl Harris, a facilitator from Cancer Bridges. Refreshments will be served. The meeting is sponsored by St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 220 Eighth Ave.
Cancer Bridges is a non-profit charity that supports people impacted by a cancer diagnosis through a variety of free programs and services. This includes people with a cancer diagnosis, those who are caring for a loved one, or those who have lost a loved one.
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August 19, 2025 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Announcements
A Glassport man is in the Allegheny County Jail after police said he crashed into four parked cars in Port Vue while fleeing from McKeesport officers on Friday night.
Kane M. Snow, 26, faces a preliminary hearing Aug. 25 before Magisterial District Judge Eugene Riazzi in connection with the Aug. 15 incident.
At the time of the arrest, court records indicate, Snow was free on his own recognizance while awaiting trial in connection with a December 2024 incident in which he also was accused of fleeing from police.
McKeesport police said an officer on routine patrol in the city’s 10th Ward was stopped at a red light when a black-colored Nissan sedan turned from West Fifth Avenue onto Rebecca Street, nearly colliding with the police car.
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August 18, 2025 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Adam Reinherz photo for Tube City Almanac)
McKeesport Area School District is furthering an educational initiative in hopes of creating new possible career pathways for students — that could someday lead to jobs back on the campus on Eden Park Boulevard.
During the Aug. 14 regular school board meeting, school directors voted to approve the creation of programs geared toward aspiring educators and first responders. Each program will be offered within the district’s Technology Center.
Designed to provide MASD students in 10-12 grades “quality career and technical education programs,” the center offers young learners pathways toward "immediate occupation.”
Current programs include Collision and Repair; Building Construction; Child Care; Diversified Occupations; Engineering; Culinary Arts; Commercial Arts and Cosmetology.
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August 17, 2025 |
By Vickie Babyak | Posted in: Announcements
Trees that are native to Pennsylvania help reduce stormwater runoff, stabilize stream banks that are eroding, and filter pollutants such as chemical residue and road salt from reaching creeks and rivers.
If you feel like your property could benefit from new trees or shrubs — ones that are suitable to the Mon Valley’s growing conditions and climate — you may want to take advantage of the sixth-annual Native Tree and Shrub Fundraiser, held by Penn State Extension’s Master Watershed Stewards. The program offers 23 species to choose from.
The money raised will contribute to projects that educate communities in how to promote healthy watersheds.
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August 17, 2025 |
By Leslie Savisky | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
The last drugstore in the McKeesport area has closed. Ayres Drugs on Walnut Street in Christy Park served customers for almost 100 years. (Leslie Savisky photo for Tube City Almanac)
Chuck Traeger graduated from Duquesne University as a pharmacist in 1955 and began working at Ayres Drug Store five years later. “I started on a Wednesday, and Mr. Ayres passed away that Friday,” Traeger said.
Traeger continued to work at the drug store on Walnut Street in Christy Park and, in the late 1960s, purchased it from Ayres’ son. Since then, the pharmacist has dedicated his life and career to serving the McKeesport community.
But all good things come to an end. So when Traeger’s pharmacy license needed to be renewed in August of 2025, the lifelong McKeesport resident, now 92 years old, made the tough decision not to renew his license and officially retire — citing age and the store’s profitability.
The closure leaves McKeesport, White Oak and the surrounding area with no drug stores, except for the pharmacy counters at two local Giant Eagles. All of the local Rite Aids recently closed as part of that chain’s bankruptcy.
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August 14, 2025 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: State & Region
This story was written by Tube City Almanac Editor Jason Togyer and includes reporting by Danielle Smith of Keystone State News Connection.
A massive explosion at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Plant killed two workers and injured an unknown number of other employees. A camera operated by the non-profit Breathe Project captured the moment of the blast. The investigation into the cause of the explosion “is going to take time,” Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said. (Keystone State News Connection photo courtesy Breathe Project)
As local and federal authorities investigate a deadly blast at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Plant, local groups have renewed their concerns about the health and safety of plant workers and the community.
Two employees died and at least 12 people were treated at local hospitals following an explosion Monday morning at the facilty, which employs about 1,400 workers.
Clairton Plant is the largest operation of its kind in North America. It superheats coal in giant ovens, called batteries, to produce coke, a fuel used in blast furnaces for steelmaking.
The Allegheny County medical examiner’s office identified one of the victims as Timothy Quinn, 39, of Westmoreland County. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The name of the other victim has not yet officially been released.
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August 13, 2025 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Live coverage of International Village (weather permitting) is available at YouTube
Sally and Andy Moury of White Oak enjoy stuffed cabbage and pierogies at International Village. The three-day event at McKeesport’s Renziehausen Park continues from 3 to 9 p.m. through Thursday (Aug. 14). (Adam Reinherz photo for Tube City Almanac)
McKeesport’s 65th International Village opened Aug. 12 to the delight of local eaters. Despite the scorching sun, hundreds of event-goers happily made their way through Stephen Barry Field at Renziehausen Park in pursuit of meals paying homage to Croatia, Ghana, Hawaii, Italy, Lebanon, Poland and an array of other places.
After ordering, White Oak residents Sally Moury and Andy Moury sat at a nearby table and enjoyed stuffed cabbages and pierogies.
“They’re delicious,” Sally Moury, 71, said.
Neither the dish nor the event were new to Moury, as she and her husband are longtime patrons of International Village. Founded in 1960, the three-day festival features food, music and dancing in celebration of shared traditions and heritage.
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