February 14, 2021 |
By Siana Emery | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
The McKeesport Agape Center may relocate to the former White Oak Elementary School on California Avenue, which closed in 2014. (Tube City Almanac photo)
In 2019, Kelly and Mike Doyle began providing food delivery services to neighbors they knew needed aid. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, demand from food insecure community members skyrocketed. Thus, the McKeesport Agape Center was born.
As the center’s services continue to grow, so does their need for a large enough space to operate out of. One building that the Doyles are looking to purchase is the former White Oak Elementary School, which the McKeesport Area School District has confirmed is a possibility.
“The important thing to get across is that people that need food the most often don’t have vehicles to get to food banks. It’s important to have people to drive food to them,” said Kelly Doyle, who along with her husband, Mike, owns “Doyle Mails It,” the White Oak contract post office. “We really want to help our neighbors in need, and eradicate the food desert in the McKeesport area.”
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February 11, 2021 |
By Sarah Turnbull | Posted in: White Oak News
Improvements at White Oak Athletic Association are complete, pending the receipt of certain documents.
At Monday’s council work session, borough engineer Ken Hillman said White Oak’s next big project is tackling repairs to the municipal building on Lincoln Way.
“We’ve completed specification plans for the roof, electrical and HVAC systems at the borough building. Our street paving project has been sent out to bid, and those bids are due Feb. 23,” Hillman said.
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February 10, 2021 |
By Jason A. Mignanelli | Posted in: History, Sports
The 1930-31 Homestead Grays, considered by baseball experts the best Negro Leagues team of all time. Five of the people in this photo — owner Cumberland Posey, pitcher “Smokey” Joe Williams, catcher Josh Gibson, center fielder Oscar Charleston and infielder Jud Wilson — are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)
Hank Aaron’s death on Feb. 5, during Black History Month, resonated with many baseball fans — especially those who remember the Negro major leagues, where Aaron began his professional career in 1951.
Other than Kansas City, perhaps no city has a stronger connection than Pittsburgh to baseball’s Negro major leagues, where Black athletes competed in the days before Major League Baseball was integrated.
The Homestead Grays and the Pittsburgh Crawfords — named after the Crawford Bath House in Pittsburgh’s Hill District — were cornerstones of the Negro National League, which was created in 1933 and lasted until 1948.
“Some of the greatest players to ever play in the Negro Leagues and the Major Leagues once played right here in Pittsburgh,” said Dave Moore, museum director at the McKeesport Regional History and Heritage Center.
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February 10, 2021 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Announcements
I’ve gotten a number of inquiries about the “Tube City Writers” program being advertised on Facebook and Twitter.
“Tube City Writers” is a program of Point Park University and is not affiliated with Tube City Community Media Inc. When the program was created, our board asked them to consider changing their name, because we felt it would be confusing. They declined.
If you are interested in “Tube City Writers,” you will need to contact them at the address listed in their advertisements.
Along the same lines, we are not “McKeesport Community Newsroom,” which is also a Point Park University program.
We do accept opinion pieces and commentary submitted by local authors, and we pay, upon publication, for news stories of interest to McKeesport, Duquesne, North Versailles Twp., White Oak and the surrounding area.
We are especially interested in recruiting people to help us cover Duquesne. If you are interested, let me know.
Thanks!
Jason Togyer
Executive Director
Tube City Community Media Inc.
February 09, 2021 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A McKeesport woman was found dead of a gunshot wound following a car crash in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood.
Pittsburgh police believe Katara L. Bray, 22, was targeted and that her shooting was not random, said Maurice Matthews II, assistant public information officer, but the investigation is still ongoing.
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February 09, 2021 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Duquesne News
No one was injured during a fire Monday night at Grant Towers Apartments in Duquesne.
City fire Chief Frank Cobb said an automatic fire alarm was activated just before 9 p.m. When crews arrived, smoke was showing from a seventh-story window on the front of the building at 100 Grant Ave.
A deputy fire chief turned in a second alarm and crews began battling the blaze using the standpipe system in the building, Cobb said.
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February 08, 2021 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Politics & Elections
Voters in local communities will be electing mayors, council members and school directors in 2021.
On Monday, the Allegheny County Elections Division announced that nominating petitions for the 2021 primary election are now available.
The first day to circulate nominating petitions is Feb. 16 and the last day to file nominating petitions is March 9.
Among those communities voting for mayors will be Duquesne and White Oak. Three McKeesport city council seats and four White Oak borough council seats are up for election, as are commissioners’ seats in Wards 2, 4 and 6 of North Versailles Twp.
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February 05, 2021 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
The Allegheny County Health Department is reminding fish fry sponsors that they must have a valid health permit to operate.
A spokesman said churches, fire departments or other organizations that do not already have a valid health permit will need to complete a temporary permit application and provide the permit fee to the Health Department.
All fish fries allowing in-person dining must follow COVID-19 safety requirements and guidance for restaurants from the state.
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February 01, 2021 |
By Siana Emery | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Gratitude was the theme of the McKeesport Area School District Board’s January meeting.
Joseph Lopretto, board president, commended the work of students, teachers and administrators during the 2020-21 school year, saying the “school year has been a challenge for everybody. I compliment our administrators for doing what they do to keep it going, and we can only hope and pray we get through the school year.”
Mark Holtzman, superintendent, then praised the ways in which the district has been able to succeed during the pandemic, as well as thanking the all-volunteer school board.
“We’re giving [the students] the best possible education that we can under our current circumstances, and we are trying our best to think of new, creative ways to engage our students online,” said Holtzman. “We are very lucky to be leaders in the McKeesport Area School District and will remain as long as they have us. We truly believe in our school system.”
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February 01, 2021 |
By Denise L. Ritter | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
For the first time in history, the air quality at all eight of the Allegheny County Health Department’s monitors has met federal standards.
Officials last week announced that the county has met federal air-quality standards for carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, ozone and small particles of soot and other contaminants.
“This achievement comes after years of hard work by the health department, federal and state agencies and local industry to clean up the air in Allegheny County,” said Dr. Debra Bogen, health department director. “But we have more work to do, and the health department is committed to ensuring everyone in Allegheny County has clean air to breathe.”
The health department has eight air-quality monitors, including three in the Mon-Yough area at Liberty Borough, Clairton and North Braddock, as well as locations in Avalon, Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood, South Fayette and Harrison townships and along the Parkway East.
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