July 12, 2021 |
By Jason A. Mignanelli | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Photo, “Strong Night Angles & Lines at Sheetz,” by Steve Rhode. Used under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic License.)
“If you want to drive, then you’re gonna pay for gas, whatever the price is,” said Bridget Wisocki of North Versailles Twp.
As the nation begins exiting the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are noticing that prices on a wide range of goods have gone up.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall prices for consumer goods increased 5 percent between May 2020 — when many states, including Pennsylvania, were in “lockdowns” — and May 2021.
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July 12, 2021 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
The Allegheny County Health Department is asking the public to provide feedback on its 2022 Air Monitoring Network Plan.
A county spokesman said the Air Monitoring Network Plan is an annual report which provides a detailed description of how and where air pollution is monitored in Allegheny County, and is required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The county currently maintains air monitoring stations at 10 locations, including Clairton, Glassport, Liberty Borough, North Braddock, Wilkinsburg and Avalon, downtown Pittsburgh, Harrison Twp., Lawrenceville and South Fayette Twp.
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July 12, 2021 |
By Vickie Babyak | Posted in: Announcements, McKeesport and Region News
Fawn Walker-Montgomery, co-founder of Take Action Mon Valley, said this Saturday’s event is a chance for Black business owners to network and reach out to the community. (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)
Events for Black entrepreneurs are regularly held in Pittsburgh, but this Saturday, Take Action Mon Valley is sponsoring Mon Valley Black Business Day in McKeesport.
“It’s not always easy to travel into Pittsburgh and some people don’t own cars,” said Fawn Walker-Montgomery, the group’s co-founder and executive director. “The organization came up with the idea to reach out to local Black businesses. We want to provide support for them and an opportunity to network.”
Mon Valley Black Business Day will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July 17 at 2000 Eden Park Blvd., next to the side entrance of McKeesport Area High School, in the lot where Corner Pocket used to be.
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July 09, 2021 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
(Submitted photo courtesy Miguel Sague Jr., via Facebook)
The story of the indigenous peoples of Western Pennsylvania will be told Sunday afternoon during a program at McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center.
Miguel Sague Jr. of the Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center is the featured guest at 5 p.m. during the heritage center’s second “parking lot program” of the summer. Admission is free to center members and $5 for non-members.
A Cuban-American, Sague’s heritage is Taino — the indigenous people of the Caribbean islands. Sague is a former teacher in Pittsburgh Public Schools. An artist, historian and activist, he serves as a medicine man for the Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center and is a founding member of the Canay Indigenous Spiritual Circle.
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July 09, 2021 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A White Oak woman died Wednesday afternoon after being struck in the parking lot of UPMC East hospital in Monroeville.
Josephine Mayni, 92, died in the emergency room of AHN Forbes Hospital shortly after the incident, the Allegheny County medical examiner’s office said.
Allegheny County police said Mayni was a pedestrian in the garage when she was struck by a car just after 2 p.m. She was taken by ambulance to Forbes Regional where she was pronounced dead.
Family members said Mayni had been a volunteer at UPMC East for seven years.
The county police Homicide Unit and Collision Reconstruction Unit are investigating. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call county police at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers may remain anonymous.
July 08, 2021 |
By Siana Emery | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
McKeesport Area School Board has rehired Superintendent Mark P. Holtzman Jr. for another five years.
But in an unusual move, Holtzman first had to resign his position and then be re-appointed.
At a brief special meeting Tuesday, school directors voted 5-0 to accept Holtzman’s resignation, effective July 6.
School directors in attendance were Diane Elias, Tom Filotei, Ivan Hampton, Jim Poston and board President Joseph Lopretto. School directors Jim Brown, Dave Donato, Steven Kondrosky and Mindy Sturgess were absent.
The board then voted 5-0 to rehire Holtzman as superintendent for a five-year contract, beginning July 7, 2021 and ending June 30, 2026.
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July 08, 2021 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: West Newton News
(Submitted photo)
West Newton Public Library held an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony of their new children’s room on June 30, after a year’s delay because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pictured cutting the ribbon are John Medsger, Barb Pritchard Rutter, Pete Pritchard and library board President Gary Johnson.
The renovation and design was dedicated in memory of former library board member Patty Medsger and her mother, Emma Jean Pritchard, for their contributions to the library. The event was attended by family and friends and concluded with light refreshments.
A spokesperson for the library board thanked everyone who donated funds in memory of Medsger and Pritchard. These funds along with a bequest from a longtime patron and a grant from the Trixie Puff Foundation were used to make the renovations to the library.
The library is located at 124 North Water St. and is open 12 to 5 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays, 12 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, call (724) 633-0798.
July 08, 2021 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
(Submitted photo courtesy Youghiogheny Country Club, via Facebook)
McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center will hold its first-ever “Heritage Golf Classic” at Youghiogheny Country Club in Elizabeth Twp. on July 26, a spokesman said.
Registration begins at 11 a.m. The 18-hole “scramble” style tournament includes a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. Cost is $125 per person and includes lunch, dinner, golfing and cart rental.
There will be complimentary water and beer at holes 5 and 13.
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July 08, 2021 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
McKeesport City Council will return to meeting in-person, with public participation, in September.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Mayor Michael Cherepko, who participated by phone, said the city will lift COVID-19 mitigation measures in time for the Sept. 1 meeting and the public will be able to attend.
There is no council meeting scheduled for August.
“After a year of struggling with the obstacles caused by the pandemic, we want to get back to as close to normal as we possibly can,” Cherepko said.
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July 07, 2021 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Tube City Almanac file photo)
A local non-profit comprised of former members, volunteers and employees of the LaRosa Boys & Girls Club will announce plans soon to reopen the facility.
At Wednesday’s McKeesport city council meeting, Councilman Jim Barry Jr. — a former executive with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania — said the LaRosa Youth Development Foundation expects to take possession of the property on Friday.
The club was abruptly closed in November 2020 by the Pittsburgh parent organization, which cited declining membership, rising expenses and a lack of participation by local youth.
The announcement set off a backlash from parents, city residents and elected officials, including McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko, state Sen. Jim Brewster and state Rep. Austin Davis, all of whom sharply and publicly criticized the move — and the leadership of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania.
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