February 28, 2022 |
By Paul Wintruba | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Singer-songwriter Dolly Parton created the “Dolly Parton Imagination Library” in 1995 to serve children near her home in eastern Tennessee. The program has recently expanded into the McKeesport, Glassport and Duquesne areas. (Submitted photo)
“There is really nothing much better you can do to support your children, getting them ready for school than reading them a book,” Mary Denison says.
Denison is the founder and executive director of Reading Ready Pittsburgh, a non-profit organization that began in Homestead. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group partnered with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a charitable program created by the singer-songwriter that sends a free book monthly to parents of children younger than five years of age.
Created in 1995 to serve children near Parton’s home in Tennessee, the imagination library now operates across the United States, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Australia. In February, the program expanded into McKeesport, Glassport and several other Mon-Yough ZIP codes.
“McKeesport is prime real estate for this program,” says Vincent D’Alesio, director of the Carnegie Library of McKeesport. “I have no doubt it will prove useful to our patrons.”
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February 28, 2022 |
By Kristen Keleschenyi | Posted in: North Versailles Twp. News
East Allegheny School District may soon make a change to its COVID-19 health and safety plan.
The current plan states masks are required to be worn by students, staff and visitors throughout the day in school and on the bus. At the February meeting, Superintendent Alan Johnson said that with the substantial decline in COVID-19 cases it might be time to join other local districts and drop the mask mandate.
“If we are continuing to see the kind of drops in the incident rate that we are seeing presently we are probably going to ask the board to approve a change to the health and safety plan to eliminate the use of masks that we have in place now,” Johnson said.
On Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention relaxed its mask guidelines. Many parents have taken to social media wondering what the policy would be moving forward for EA students in light of the new guidance.
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February 28, 2022 |
By Vickie Babyak | Posted in: Announcements
Outgoing Semper Fidelis president Norine Jenkins pins a corsage on incoming president Jacqueline Blake. (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)
McKeesport’s Semper Fidelis Club installed its new officers during a luncheon ceremony on Saturday afternoon.
The club, which is marking its 101st anniversary this year, promotes educational programs, provides scholarships for students of African-American descent, and promotes civic and social activities within the community and, whenever feasible, regionally and nationally.
Club members said the group also has been a source of input and support on issues that affect women and supports other local charities.
Newly installed officers for 2022 are Jacqueline Blake, president; Joanne Rodgers, vice president; Tia Wanzo, treasurer; Laura Green, financial secretary; T. Renee Easley, recording secretary; Fawn Walker Montgomery, assistant recording secretary; Amber Webb, corresponding secretary; Anica Jones Paige, parliamentarian; Paula Robinson, chaplain; and Joy Simmons, historian.
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February 28, 2022 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
The McKeesport affiliate of the National Association on Mental Illness will host a teleconference meeting at 4:30 p.m. March 2 with Elaine Cole, public affairs specialist for the Social Security Administration.
Cole will answer questions about Social Security benefits for those living with mental illness, a spokeswoman said.
For information on how to join in the telephone conversation call (412) 527-6600 for the link. There will be no in-person meeting at Penn State Greater Allegheny in March.
Elaine Cole received a Bachelor of Science in business administration and human resource management from Robert Morris University in 2003, and a Master of Science in executive leadership from Champlain College in 2017.. Cole became a public affairs specialist for the Social Security Administration and has been serving in this position for 10 years.
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February 27, 2022 |
By Sarah Turnbull | Posted in: White Oak News
White Oak’s 2022 paving project will go out to bid in mid-March, members of council announced at Monday’s meeting.
Borough engineer Ken Hillman provided updates on the borough’s ongoing infrastructure projects.
“The paving project is out to bid — the bids are due March 11,” Hillman said. “We’re also halfway done replacing the inlets on Fawcett Avenue.”
On a related note, Mayor Ina Jean Marton announced that White Oak and McKeesport Area School District will discuss conducting a traffic study around the Francis McClure school in mid-March.
“We’re meeting in mid-March to discuss having a traffic study conducted around Francis McClure for a school zone,” Marton said.
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February 25, 2022 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Tube City Almanac photo)
A $3.4 million renovation of the McKeesport Transportation Center is nearing completion.
Adam Brandolph, spokesman for Port Authority of Allegheny County, said contractors are finishing the last remaining items and that a ribbon-cutting will be scheduled soon.
“We should have more information about that in the next week or so,” he said. The new station is not yet open and transit riders should continue to catch their buses at temporary stops along Lysle Boulevard, Brandolph said.
Located on Lysle Boulevard between Huey and Sinclair streets, the transportation center closed in January 2021 for improvements that included complete removal of the old parking lot, four new bus shelters with benches, ticket vending machines and improved access to the Great Allegheny Passage biking trail.
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February 24, 2022 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
The disagreement over the renewal of the superintendent’s contract by outgoing members of the McKeesport Area School Board continues to divide the district — and some parents say it’s a distraction from student education.
Wednesday’s meeting began 32 minutes after its scheduled 7:30 p.m. start time, and it wasn’t long before tempers flared.
Last month, school directors voted 5–4 to hire an outside counsel to review July’s decision by the outgoing board to allow Superintendent Mark Holtzman Jr. to resign, and then be re-hired for another five years.
Attorney William C. Andrews of Andrews & Price reviewed the enforceability of the contract on behalf of the board. On Wednesday, School Board President Mindy Lundberg asked that Andrews’ memorandum be included in the minutes of the meeting.
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February 24, 2022 |
By Sarah Turnbull | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Tube City Almanac photo)
When Chris Tricarico and his wife Heather moved to Pittsburgh in July 2020, they knew they wanted to continue the family tradition of serving high-quality food.
“My family has been in the food business since the 1950s in New York and is what gave us the confidence to make the move here to McKeesport. We love food and have lots of experience owning and operating restaurants,” Tricarico said.
Originally from New York, the Tricaricos spent 19 months working on their new restaurant, Tube City Brew Works, which opened for reservation-only seatings on Feb. 19 and is now open 5 to 11 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays, according to Facebook.
A grand opening is scheduled in March.
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February 21, 2022 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Dorothy Kuharski, left, and Carol Lasch, right, of the White Oak Lions Club present a 100th anniversary banner to Joe Clemente, president of the McKeesport Lions Club. (Tube City Almanac photo)
More than 250 people gathered at the Palisades Ballroom on Saturday night to wish the McKeesport Lions Club a happy 100th anniversary — and cheer on its work.
Invited guests included city, county and state officials, as well as representatives of Lions Clubs from throughout Western Pennsylvania. Entertainment was provided by the rock group Dancing Queen.
“A 100th anniversary is an awesome thing,” said Larry Edwards of Altoona, a member of the board of directors of Lions Clubs International. “Not many organizations last for 100 years.”
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February 21, 2022 |
By Sarah Turnbull | Posted in: White Oak News
The borough of White Oak has several infrastructure projects planned this year, council members announced at the Feb. 14 workshop meeting.
Borough engineer Ken Hillman provided updates on the construction projects planned for this spring.
“Work on inlets started last week, and our 2022 paving project is going out to bid in March. Maintenance garage roofing will start in the spring,” Hillman said.
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