December 20, 2019 |
By Emily Pidgeon | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News, White Oak News
Herb Spang and an employee prepare to bale a customer’s tree at the family’s lot on Hartman Street in McKeesport. The Spangs have been selling Christmas trees at the location for nearly 60 years. (Emily Pidgeon photo special to Tube City Almanac)
Selling Christmas trees during the holidays may seem like a fun and easy way to make a buck, but after talking to some local tree lot owners, you may think differently.
“We have to fight snakes, spiders, the sun, the weather — everything, you know,” said Don Spang, 88, of White Oak, owner of Spang’s Trees on Hartman Street in McKeesport.
Spang and his brother Herb, 79, along with other family members and employees, are celebrating 59 years of selling Christmas trees in the very same location.
Spang said he’s sold as many as 5,000 trees in one season. These days, the lot sells closer to 500 trees.
Read More
December 20, 2019 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, McKeesport and Region News
A Duquesne woman who says she was bitten by a McKeesport police canine officer that got loose from a police officer's yard is suing the department and the dog's handler.
Shanita Beatty, 42, is seeking damages for pain and suffering, hospital and medical bills and lost wages. The lawsuit was filed in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court on Dec. 3.
City officials declined comment.
The lawsuit alleges that Beatty was in the parking lot of an Eden Park Boulevard restaurant on Sept. 8, 2018, when the dog jumped on her, biting her on the neck and forearm.
Read More
December 18, 2019 |
By Christy Walters | Posted in: White Oak News
White Oak Mayor Ina Jean Marton gives a hug to outgoing Council President Dave Pasternak. (Christy Walters photo special to Tube City Almanac)
Monday night’s White Oak Council meeting was the last for two of its members.
Council President Dave Pasternak and councilman Steve Pholar expressed gratitude to their fellow board members, borough employees, residents, and family members for support during their time in local government.
Neither man was re-elected for a new term in the November elections.
Pasternak served on council for 24 years and said he was appreciative of all the opportunities it afforded him, and the people with whom he interacted on a daily basis.
Read More
December 18, 2019 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Announcements
This is a time of year when people give thanks --- and on behalf of our board, volunteers and contributors, I want to thank each of you.
Several months ago, Tube City Community Media's websites hit a milestone I never thought we'd reach --- we had 10 million hits in a single calendar year. It's undoubtedly higher now.
When we expanded the operation of Tube City Almanac and launched our obituary service a few days after the McKeesport Daily News closed, we promised never to turn away any family for lack of ability to pay for a death notice, and we promised to keep it free of charge for readers. We are keeping that promise.
But to keep Tube City Almanac online, we do need your financial support.
We try not to ask for money all the time --- and we run only two fund drives, one in the summer and this one at the end of the year.
Tube City Community Media Inc. is an IRS 501(c)(3) charity and is eligible for tax-deductible donations.
If you are financially able, and would like to make a gift, please consider doing so.
Donations may be made by check or money order to:
Tube City Community Media Inc.
P.O. Box 94
McKeesport PA 15134
Or via PayPal at: http://www.tubecityonline.com/contact/
We are grateful to the G.C. Murphy Co. Foundation and the E.R. Crawford Estate Trust Fund for their grants that have provided us with a stable base of operations for the past few years.
We are hoping we can grow again in 2020, and we look forward to continuing to provide you, and McKeesport-area residents, with this service.
Best wishes for a safe holiday and successful new year!
Sincerely,
Jason Togyer
Executive Director and Board Member
Tube City Community Media Inc.
Read More
December 18, 2019 |
By Richard Finch Jr. | Posted in: Duquesne News, McKeesport and Region News
(Submitted photo courtesy Oasis Intergenerational Tutoring)
Two local school districts are partnering with Literacy Pittsburgh to bring volunteers age 50 and older into kindergarten through fourth-grade classrooms to help students work on their reading and writing skills.
Oasis Intergenerational Tutoring is already working in the Wilkinsburg, Woodland Hills and Pittsburgh school districts, and is now expanding into Duquesne and McKeesport Area schools.
“We only go into places where the districts want us to be there, so I commend all these districts because we know there is a high correlation between low literacy and poverty and these are high poverty districts,” said Carey Harris, Literacy Pittsburgh's chief executive officer.
Harris commended McKeesport Area and Duquesne for being proactive about seeking partners to provide additional enrichment support.
Read More
December 17, 2019 |
By Christy Walters | Posted in: White Oak News
White Oak’s 2020 budget will be adopted at a special meeting on Dec. 23, according to Council President Dave Pasternak.
At this week’s meeting, Councilman George Dillinger said the budget to be presented does not include a tax increase.
The meeting on Dec. 23 will be open to the public and begins at 6:30 p.m. Council will hold a reorganization meeting at 7 p.m. Jan. 6 to install newly elected council members. That meeting is also open to the public.
Read More
December 17, 2019 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
Carnegie Library of McKeesport’s “Reading Social” book club will meet at 12 noon Wednesday to discuss the book “Cold Comfort Farm” by Stella Gibbons.
A spokeswoman said the group will meet at Luciano’s Restaurant, 1212 Long Run Road, White Oak. Registration is not necessary and the meeting is open to the public.
Read More
December 16, 2019 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, White Oak News
(Photo courtesy FBI Pittsburgh field office)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and White Oak police are looking for a suspect in connection with the robbery Saturday of the PNC Bank on Lincoln Way.
FBI spokeswoman Catherine Policicchio said a man entered the branch at 2:45 p.m., just before it was scheduled to close for the day, and demanded money. The suspect did not show a weapon and left the bank on foot, Policicchio said.
No one was injured, she said.
The FBI has not disclosed how much money, if any, was taken in the theft and did not say if any customers were in the bank at the time. A PNC Bank spokeswoman declined comment.
Read More
December 16, 2019 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Conflict of Interest Note: The author has a conflict of interest. He is a member of the McKees Point Development Group. See previous coverage of this issue and the note at the end of this story.
Dennis Davin, state secretary of community and economic development (fourth from left, first row) joins city and county officials, state Sen. Jim Brewster (seventh from left, first row), McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko (fifth from left, second row) and U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle (eighth from left, first row) announcing details of a six-year, $3 million development program. (Photo special to Tube City Almanac)
State officials approved a $3 million package of tax credits that will enable McKeesport to demolish blighted buildings in the Downtown business district and prepare the former Penn-McKee Hotel for possible reuse.
Through Pennsylvania's Neighborhood Assistance Program, or NAP, the six-year plan will be funded through investments by Duquesne Light, First Commonwealth Bank, the gas-drilling company Noble Energy and UPMC Health System.
"We really appreciate this major investment by these corporations that reflects their belief that McKeesport is a great place to do business, and its future is bright," said Dennis Davin, state secretary of community and economic development.
The city is targeting most of a block of Fifth Avenue between Lysle Boulevard, Sinclair Street and Sheridan Alley for demolition, and hoping to environmentally remediate the Penn-McKee to prepare it for redevelopment.
Read More
December 16, 2019 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
A recruiter from the U.S. Census Bureau will be at Carnegie Library of McKeesport from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today (Dec. 16) to talk about temporary jobs with the agency.
The bureau is recruiting workers to help collect results for the 2020 census.
The jobs offer paid training and flexible hours, a spokesperson said.
The library is located at 1507 Library Ave., McKeesport. For more information, call (412) 672-0625.
