March 13, 2020 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Serra Catholic High School was closed Friday for sanitization, the Diocese of Pittsburgh announced, but students were working remotely. All Catholic schools in the diocese will be closed Monday as teachers prepare for an possible extended period of online instruction. (Photo courtesy Serra Catholic High School)
Although no confirmed cases of COVID-19 had been reported in Allegheny County on Friday morning, local schools and agencies said they are taking precautionary measures.
A spokesperson for the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh said that three local schools — Serra Catholic High School in the city and two elementary schools, St. Therese in Munhall and East Catholic in Forest Hills, were closed for cleaning.
A few students and adults from St. Therese, East Catholic and St. Bede elementary in Pittsburgh’s Point Breeze neighborhood may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and are being kept out of school for 14 days, the diocese said.
Students at Serra Catholic were receiving online instruction on Friday, the diocese said.
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March 13, 2020 |
By Richard Finch Jr. | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
State Senate Majority Jay Costa of Forest Hills spoke at a public forum Thursday night organized by Allegheny Intermediate Unit. (Richard Finch Jr. photo for Tube City Almanac)
Allegheny Intermediate Unit scheduled a legislative forum on public education Thursday night in Homestead.
But the forum, attended by local school board members and district superintendents, quickly turned into a discussion of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Pennsylvania, and what legislators in Harrisburg are doing to protect residents.
The event at the AIU central office was moderated by Jon Delano, KDKA-TV (2) money and politics editor.
State Sen. Jim Brewster, D-McKeesport, Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills and state Rep. Dan Miller participated in the panel. Joseph Shaulis, AIU general counsel, said all Allegheny County lawmakers were invited to attend.
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March 12, 2020 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Liberty Borough News, McKeesport and Region News
(Photo special to Tube City Almanac)
The former St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Port Vue will close permanently this month.
In a decree dated Feb. 21, Bishop David Zubik said the decision was made at the request of parishioners who were concerned that the condition of the building and the cost of necessary repairs represented “a grave threat” and presented “critical financial difficulties.”
St. Joseph merged with the former St. Eugene Church in Liberty Borough in 1993 to become St. Mark Parish. St. Mark is now part of a regional grouping of churches that also includes St. Michael in Elizabeth Twp. and Queen of the Rosary in Glassport.
The final Mass at the St. Joseph site will be celebrated at 6:30 p.m. March 19, the parish and diocese announced, and the building will be turned over for non-sacred “but not sordid” uses, Zubik said.
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March 11, 2020 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
Carnegie Library of McKeesport will host “Mister Rogers and Philosophy: Wondering Through the Neighborhood” at 6 p.m. Friday (March 13), a spokeswoman said.
Panelists will include Holly Mohr, director of religious education, St. Mary of the Mount Catholic Church; Eric Mohr, philosophy professor at St. Vincent College; Sara Lindley, English professor at St. Vincent College; and Matthew Ussia, English professor at Duquesne University.
The panel will discuss the recent book “Mister Rogers and Philosophy,” edited by the Mohrs, which compares well-known elements in Rogers’ TV show with philosophical concepts presented by Plato, Socrates, Aristotle and Karl Marx.
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March 11, 2020 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements, West Newton News
West Newton Center for Active Adults will hold a volunteer recognition event from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 7, a spokesperson said.
The event is designed to celebrate current volunteers and recruit new ones and will be held at the senior center, 103 E. Main St., and across the street at Simeral Square, corner of East Main Street and North Water Street in West Newton.
Events begin at 9:30 a.m. at the senior center with “What’s Cooking,” a class on cooking rotisserie chicken stir-fry led by Michelle Marker of Nutrition Inc.
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March 11, 2020 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, North Versailles Twp. News
Sheriff's deputies have apprehended a second suspect wanted in connection with a Oct. 27 shooting in North Versailles Twp.
That incident left one man dead and caused a three-car accident on Route 30 that injured several people.
Erik Desean Addison, 24, of Homestead was arrested Wednesday morning in Mount Oliver, said Tony Griffith, spokesman for Allegheny County Sheriff William Mullen.
Addison was wanted by Allegheny County police on charges of homicide, criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault, receiving stolen property, unlawful possession of a firearm, recklessly endangering other persons and carrying a firearm without a license.
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March 11, 2020 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
LifeSpan will hold a St. Patrick’s Day Party for older adults from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 17 at its Mon Valley Community Resource Center in Olympia Shopping Center, 4313 Walnut St., Versailles, a spokeswoman said.
Admission is $10 includes lunch, treat bags and entertainment by Steel Clover. For more information, call (412) 664-5434.
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March 11, 2020 |
By Bonnijean Cooney Adams | Posted in: Entertainment
Elaine Wheeler (Cindy Swanson), and her visiting friend and nurse Blanche Cooke (Chelsea Forbes), are paid a visit by outgoing neighbor Curtis Appleby (Ron Clawson). (Bonnijean Cooney Adams photo for Tube City Almanac)
If you go...
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McKeesport Little Theater presents “Night Watch”
Where: 1614 Coursin St. www.mckeesportlittletheater.com
When: March 13 to 22, with Friday and Saturday shows at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
Tickets: $15 for adults, $10 for students.
Reservations: (412) 673-1100 or through the website.
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McKeesport Little Theater audiences will get to experience a suspense thriller set in the 1970s, with lots of turns and twists in its plot, when “Night Watch” begins its run Friday (March 13).
Written by Lucille Fletcher, it was made into a 1973 movie starring Elizabeth Taylor.
Sean Butler returns in his second major directing role, after appearing in numerous MLT productions and serving on its board of directors.
“I was formerly on the committee to select the shows, and this one left a really good button to land on,” he said. “It was a lot of fun to help the actors develop their characters in depth.”
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March 10, 2020 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A 29-year-old man is critical condition following a shooting Tuesday morning on Evans Avenue in the city.
Allegheny County police Lt. Venerando Costa said in a prepared statement that the motive for the shooting is unknown.
McKeesport police were dispatched just after 2 a.m. to the 600 block of Evans for a report of “shots fired.”
At almost the same time, police were notified that a gunshot victim had just walked into the emergency room at UPMC McKeesport hospital.
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March 06, 2020 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Crime and Police News, McKeesport and Region News
A technician works in ShotSpotter’s incident review center. McKeesport officials are investigating whether or not the technology can be brought to the city with the help of a federal grant. (Submitted photo)
City officials are seeking a federal grant to bring gunshot detection technology to McKeesport in an effort to respond more quickly to incidents.
At Wednesday’s meeting, city council authorized Mayor Michael Cherepko’s administration to apply for a grant through the U.S. Justice Department’s Community Policing Development program to acquire “ShotSpotter” technology.
ShotSpotter, based in Newark, Calif., uses an network of electronic sensors to detect gunfire, pinpoint its exact location, and then alert police. The company says that its system depends on artificial intelligence to analyze the sounds of loud noises and that it ignores things like thunder, fireworks and trucks backfiring.
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