April 15, 2020 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
A worker from Arch Masonry & Restoration of Lawrenceville maneuvers a crane platform into position at the People’s Building, Downtown. (Tube City Almanac photo)
Repairs are underway at the People’s Building, Downtown, after a section of brick near the eighth floor began to crack and peel away from the structure.
Although most construction work in Pennsylvania has been ordered shut down by Gov. Tom Wolf due to the coronavirus pandemic, emergency repairs are allowed to continue — and building owner Jonathan Stark said the brick repairs qualify.
“Any time you do a repair of that scope and size, at that height, it is dangerous, and we were concerned that it might fall onto Lysle Boulevard,” he said.
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April 12, 2020 |
By Nick Zurawsky | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Barney Oursler, director of the Mon Valley Umemployed Committee, testifies at an Allegheny County Sanitary Authority hearing in 2012. (Clean Rivers Pittsburgh via YouTube)
Nearly 405,000 Pennsylvanians filed an initial claim for unemployment compensation in the last week of March, according to the U.S. Employment and Training Administration. A month earlier, the number was a little over 12,000.
Barney Oursler, director of the Mon Valley Unemployed Committee, says he’s “blown away by the number of people desperately trying to get through and apply for unemployment.”
MVUC is a non-profit that aims to help unemployed and dislocated workers gain access to the benefits they need to remake their lives. The organization started in the early 1970s and played a key role defending workers during the steel industry collapse in the 1980s.
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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 Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
The state Department of Transportation has reopened a section of Route 837 that was closed last month due to a rock slide.
Crews from Allison Park Contractors removed debris and installed barriers, said Steve Cowan, district spokesman for PennDOT.
The road was closed on March 28 between the railroad crossing at Watco’s Dravosburg terminal (Boswell Oil) and the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge. It reopened Friday.
April 08, 2020 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Duquesne News, McKeesport and Region News, Politics & Elections
Duquesne’s Nickole Nesby and Braddock’s Chardae Jones joined more than 30 other mayors of cities and boroughs across Pennsylvania to ask the federal government to increase production of medical supplies and coordinate distribution to communities.
In a letter signed by 113 municipal leaders from across the United States and released Monday, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group called on the federal government to do a better job of coordinating response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s time for leaders in Washington to have our back,” said John Henry, mayor of West View, north of Pittsburgh. “The federal government must do its job coordinating national disaster response to get us the masks and ventilators we need to save lives. Every minute counts.”
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April 08, 2020 |
By Nick Zurawsky | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Last week, Auberle program participants chalked inspirational messages on sidewalks around the McKeesport campus. (Auberle photo via Facebook)
Despite the hardships everyone is experiencing during the coronavirus pandemic, Auberle’s John Lydon says he’s trying to stay focused on the goodwill that people are showing, and the good deeds that have resulted.
“It seems that everything out there is doom and gloom,” says Lydon, chief executive officer of the non-profit organization that provides a variety of social services to families and communities. “We need to know that there are people persevering.”
Some of the gestures are large, he says, but others are more personal, like the dozen hand-sewn washable face masks that were donated to Auberle by Amanda Huff, a local woman who runs a sewing shop.
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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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April 02, 2020 |
By Richard Finch Jr. | Posted in: Duquesne News
Patrick Dowd of Allies for Children passes meals to Rob Quigg of Eat ’n Park during a delivery on Wednesday. (Richard Finch Jr. photo for Tube City Almanac)
School may be out across Pennsylvania, but buses are still on the streets in Duquesne, delivering lunches to students at each of five regular bus stops, with the help of Eat ’n Park and funding from PNC Foundation.
The school district developed the plan to deliver meals to students during the statewide school shutdown in cooperation with Eat ’n Park, Pennsylvania Coach Lines, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, PNC Foundation, Allies for Children and 412 Food Rescue.
Duquesne is not the first school district to deliver meals to bus stops. A similar program is in place in Pittsburgh Public Schools through a joint initiative with A+Schools, the Latino Community Center and 412 Food Rescue.
“We offer breakfast and lunch meals on Monday that include food for Monday and Tuesday,” said Sue Moyer, district superintendent. “On Wednesday we provide food for Wednesday through Friday, families can come right to the bus stop, we are able to provide food not only for students, but for their families as well.”
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April 02, 2020 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Commentary-Editorial
McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko on Wednesday released the following letter to residents:
With the novel COVID-19 coronavirus making an impact not only on our operations here at the City of McKeesport, but in the daily lives of each and every one of our residents, it is important that we remind ourselves what makes the McKeesport community strong.
As we continue to observe social distancing, hygiene and safety recommendations from national and state officials, it is important that we keep open our lines of communication with our neighbors, local businesses and local leaders.
Check in on folks who may need assistance with food or other services during these uncertain times, and be on the lookout for new information via regional news outlets and the “City of McKeesport — Mayor’s Office” Facebook page for local updates to changes in our services as well as surveys that help the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania determine what resources may be needed in our community.
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April 02, 2020 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements, West Newton News
(West Newton Center for Active Adults, via Facebook)
The manager of the senior citizen center in West Newton said the facility is closed to the public during the coronavirus pandemic, but is still offering assistance via email and telephone.
Paul A. Kurzdorfer III, manager of the West Newton Center for Active Adults, said there is no timetable for reopening, but that the facility will use guidance from the state health department and will send updates to WTAE-TV and other local media.
“Though the center will remain closed to the public for the foreseeable future, staffing is still available to answer phone calls and emails on Mondays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m,” Kurzdorfer said. “The center continues to offer home-delivered meals to those participants enrolled with the county (on a limited delivery schedule), as well as lunch take-out at the center on Mondays and Thursdays (to be enjoyed in the comfort of your home).”
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