October 01, 2024 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A Pittsburgh TV station reported Tuesday that investigators from the Allegheny County district attorney’s office are probing whether money has gone missing from the evidence room at the McKeesport police station.
In a report aired at 5 and 6 p.m., WPXI-TV reported that county investigators were notified by city police officials following an internal audit of the evidence room.
WPXI cited unnamed sources with knowledge of the investigation. A message left by Tube City Almanac for the Allegheny County district attorney’s office seeking to confirm or deny the report was not immediately returned.
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October 01, 2024 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
The McKeesport group of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will meet at 6 p.m. tomorrow (Oct. 2) in Room 122 of the Frable Building at Penn State Greater Allegheny, a spokeswoman said.
The meeting is open to families and friends of loved ones living with mental illness. A share-and-care session will be held offering understanding and support unique to those who are affected by mental health conditions of loved ones.
Members also will be discussing the upcoming NAMIWalks to be held Sunday (Oct. 6) at Monroeville Community Park West to fuel mental health awareness, raise funds for NAMI’s mission and let people know they are not alone.
For more information about the McKeesport meeting, call (412) 527-6600.
October 01, 2024 |
By Vickie Babyak | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Fawn Walker-Montgomery, chief executive officer and co-founder of Take Action Advocacy Group, shares information about the advocacy and programs that her organization provides. (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)
Take Action Advocacy Group marked a decade of advocacy with a celebration, a panel discussion and a vision for the future.
Founded in 2014 as Take Action Mon Valley, TAAG’s 10th anniversary celebration was held Sept. 22 in the Student Community Center’s Ostermayer Room at Penn State Greater Allegheny.
The group was sparked out of a discussion between then-McKeesport City Council Member Fawn Walker-Montgomery, community member Autumn Perkins, and Walker-Montgomery’s cousin, Mae Herriott Hudson.
Hudson had lost a son to violence, and Perkins noted that in Pittsburgh, community advocates were demanding justice for victims of homicide. We need justice, too, in the Mon Valley, Perkins said.
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October 01, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
In February, students at Francis McClure Elementary School learned about volcanoes and the culture of Chile with the help of Pittsburgh’s Latino Community Center and teacher Nevenka Kostley. The non-profit LCC is urging the McKeesport Area School District to do more to help the region’s small but growing Spanish-speaking population. (Photo courtesy Latino Community Center via Facebook)
An educator who works with the McKeesport area’s growing number of Spanish-speaking students said that more needs to be done to help them learn and succeed.
Last month, McKeesport Area school board approved the hiring of Kaelynn Hillegass for translation services at a rate of $35 per hour, not to exceed 10 hours per week, to be paid for by Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation.
Hillegass was already helping McKeesport Area High School students prepare for college or a career, through her work with Human Services Center Mon Valley, she said. The new role ensures that gaps will be “bridged” between the district and families.
Although Hillegass’s help is welcome, Monica Mendez, director of programs for the Latino Community Center, cautioned that the school district is going to need to do more.
“Adding one person, as amazing as she may be, is not going to be enough,” Mendez said. “The kids need super amounts of support in order for them to be able to advance.”
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September 27, 2024 |
By Danielle M. Smith - Public News Service | Posted in: State & Region
Elementary school pupils learn to use tablets in class. (Lexie Flickinger photo from www.schooltechnology.org, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 2.0)
A new report finds Pennsylvania schools are falling behind in teachers’ pay and have not kept up with inflation since the 1990s.
The report from the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the state’s largest teachers’ union, highlights data on the state’s public schools, educator compensation, school district staffing and funding, and student performance.
Chris Lilienthal, assistant director of communications for the PSEA, said the report aims to educate Pennsylvanians on the challenges and opportunities facing public schools, and educators’ salaries are a big one.
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September 26, 2024 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements, West Newton News
Community Revitalization of West Newton will sponsor a scarecrow-building and pumpkin-carving event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 12 at Cort Street Park. The event is free but registration is currently open at crown15089@yahoo.com.
At 2 p.m., registrants can participate in a pumpkin-rolling race. Entry fee is $5 per person and prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place.
September 26, 2024 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements, West Newton News
The West Newton Public Library will host Stan Gordon at 11 a.m. Oct. 6 for a free presentation in the West Newton Lions Fieldhouse on Pittsburgh Street, a spokesperson said.
Gordon is a historian and researcher of reports of paranormal and unexplained phenomena throughout the Western Pennsylvania area, including the so-called 1965 Kecksburg UFO incident in Westmoreland County.
Gordon’s talk will discuss some of the classic UFO sightings, along with reports of strange creatures throughout the Greater Pittsburgh region. Gordon also will talk about a surge of unusual incidents that took place during 2023 along Chestnut Ridge and elsewhere.
The event is free, but registration is requested at (724) 633-0798. Donations to benefit West Newton Public Library will be accepted.
The spokesperson added that residents are encouraged to donate newer and gently-used paperback books to the library’s collection. Hours of operation are 12 noon to 5 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays, 12 noon to 7 p.m. Wednesdays, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. The library is located at 124 N. Water St.
September 26, 2024 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Duquesne News
Jennifer Marks, editor-in-chief of Home & Textiles Today, is shown here with American Textile’s Lance Ruttenberg, executive vice president, and Blake Ruttenberg, chief executive officer, at a Sept. 18 award ceremony in New York City. (Submitted photo)
A Duquesne-based manufacturing company with facilities in McKeesport has received the 2024 Home Excellence Leadership Award from the Home Fashions Product Association.
American Textile Company received the honor Sept. 18 in New York City. Lance Ruttenberg, American Textile president and chief executive officer, and Blake Ruttenberg, executive vice president, accepted on behalf of the company’s more than 1,000 employees.
The award comes as the company announced plans for significant investments in infrastructure and personnel to meet what it called rising demand for its products.
Founded in 1925 in Pittsburgh, American Textile makes pillows, mattress covers and other products sold in more than 40,000 stores, including Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target and Macy's, according to published reports, as well as through Amazon.com and Overstock.com.
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September 22, 2024 |
By Yousuf Lachhab Ibrahim | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Revelers take the dance floor at the 2022 Voices Carry. (Photo courtesy Auberle via Facebook)
For 20 years, some of Pittsburgh’s favorite musicians have been performing at Auberle’s Voices Carry event to fundraise for the nonprofit agency’s human services programs.
On Tuesday, Auberle will be holding its 20th annual Voices Carry at The Westin Pittsburgh hotel at 1000 Penn Ave., downtown Pittsburgh, with doors opening at 5:45 p.m.
Attendees can expect performances from DJ Bonics, Scott Blasey of the Clarks, Kelsey Friday, and over a dozen others. Pittsburgh musician Josh Verbanets will be the MC of the event.
Blasey, who just released a three-song EP in February, will be playing two Motown classics at the event: “Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch” by The Four Tops and “It’s Your Thing” by The Isley Brothers.
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September 20, 2024 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
Take Action Advocacy Group participated in a back-to-school event at the Clairton Education Center earlier this month. (Photo courtesy Take Action Advocacy Group via Facebook)
Take Action Advocacy Group will celebrate its 10th year of service to the Pittsburgh area with a public event from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday (Sept. 22) at the Student Community Center of Penn State Greater Allegheny, founder Fawn Walker Montgomery has announced.
Founded in 2014 and then known as Take Action Mon Valley, TAAG’s mission is to empower and equip individuals facing social injustices through grassroots community organizing and the promotion of Black liberation, Montgomery said.
“Our organization’s purpose is to provide communities with the essential knowledge to leverage local grassroots efforts, enabling them to gain power and influence over decisions that impact their lives directly,” she said.
The anniversary celebration will include time for members to “reflect on our journey, highlight our achievements, and honor our legacy while emphasizing the ongoing work we are dedicated to in the Mon Valley, Allegheny County, and beyond,” Montgomery said.
To RSVP, visit the TAAG website.
