February 13, 2019 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
McKeesport Area Ministerium will hold Lenten Luncheon services at area churches beginning March 13.
A spokeswoman said all services are non-denominational and begin at 12 noon. Each will include a light lunch following each service.
A free will offering will be taken to help defray the cost of the meal.
For Christians, Lent is the observance of the 40 days leading to Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday, March 6.
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February 13, 2019 |
By Charlotte Hopkins | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Above: The crowd overflowed city council chambers at Clairton's municipal building on Feb. 7 during a hearing on air quality problems following a fire at U.S. Steel's Clairton Plant. (Charlotte Hopkins photo, special to Tube City Almanac)
Workers at U.S. Steel's Clairton Plant said they want to have an open discussion about the air quality around the facility --- but they also want to preserve thousands of jobs in the Mon Valley.
"Simply put, if U.S. Steel ends up idling batteries, our members will lose their jobs," said Don Furko, president of United Steelworkers Local Union 1557. "This will begin a chain of events that will have a devastating impact on them, their families and our communities across the Mon Valley."
Following a standing-room-only meeting last week at the Clairton Municipal Building, state lawmakers are hoping to bring the company, employees, residents and environmental advocates to the table to work together. State Sen. Jim Brewster said U.S. Steel has agreed to open quarterly meetings to lawmakers, health groups and concerned residents.
“The purpose of the meeting wasn't to find blame but to find a process to keep U.S. Steel open and producing coke, and also pay attention to our air quality," Brewster said. "I want closer discussions, and invite them to the meetings, not to argue or debate but create partnerships in communication.”
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February 07, 2019 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Announcements
McKeesport will begin picking up its own trash again in 2020.
City council on Wednesday unanimously approved a $1.24 million, five-year, lease-purchase agreement with A&H Equipment of Hempfield Twp., Westmoreland County, for six vehicles --- three large trucks, two smaller trucks, and one truck equipped to handle large roll-off dumpsters.
Although called a "lease," McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said the city will own the vehicles outright at the end of 2024. All of the vehicles will be built new, to the city's specifications, he said.
McKeesport once used its own employees to collect refuse, but has been contracting with private haulers since 1982. Cherepko and other city officials have been talking about bringing the service back in-house since 2017.
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February 07, 2019 |
By Charlotte Hopkins | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner listens Monday to testimony during a meeting at Carnegie Library of McKeesport. (Charlotte Hopkins photo special to Tube City Almanac)
Customers are concerned about what will happen when a consent decree between UPMC Health System and Highmark, the area's largest Blue Cross Blue Shield provider, ends on July 1.
At the first of a series of community meetings organized by Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner, held Monday night at Carnegie Library of McKeesport, Highmark subscribers said they were angry about some of UPMC's practices.
Wagner is holding another meeting at 6:30 tonight (Feb. 7) in room B-434 of CCAC South Campus, 1750 Clairton Road, West Mifflin.
Some of the people who spoke Monday asked that their names be withheld. One woman said she has a brain tumor and has been treated by a UPMC doctor even though her insurance is with Highmark. That arrangement will end June 30, when UPMC is no longer required to accept certain Highmark patients.
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February 05, 2019 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements, North Versailles Twp. News
State Sen. Jim Brewster greets residents of McKeesport's Steelview Manor during a holiday party in December 2018. (Photo courtesy state Sen. Jim Brewster)
Brewster announced partnerships with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and the Westmoreland County Food Bank as he also announced office hours for additional communities in the 45th Senatorial District.
The district stretches from Baldwin and Brentwood in Pittsburgh's South Hills to New Kensington in Westmoreland County.
“We’ve joined with area food banks to expand information availability and develop greater access to food for those in need,” Brewster said. “Information about the food banks and locations of their services in our district are on our website and staff at my permanent and satellite offices will help facilitate contact.”
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February 05, 2019 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A McKeesport resident faces formal arraignment in Allegheny County Court on March 4 in connection with a suspected home invasion during which she was shot in the leg by the homeowner.
Police said both people have a previous relationship and that the incident stemmed from an earlier argument.
Tanya M. Johnson, 34, was ordered held for court on charges of burglary, criminal trespass, simple assault (domestic violence) and making terroristic threats following a preliminary arraignment before Magisterial District Judge Eugene Riazzi. She is currently free on bond.
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February 05, 2019 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
Five juveniles were arrested after McKeesport police believe they broke into a Jenny Lind Street man's home at least twice, vandalizing his bedroom and stealing items.
The teen-agers --- two 17-year-old males, a 16-year-old male, and two females, ages 13 and 16 --- were charged by police with burglary, criminal trespass and criminal mischief and their parents were notified.
At least three of the youths were residents of a group home on Olive Street, police said.
McKeesport police said the first incident occurred overnight on Jan. 13. Police said a 55-year-old resident of the 700 block of Jenny Lind returned home from work early Jan. 14 and found the front door of his home had been damaged.
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February 05, 2019 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Duquesne News
A $30,000 grant from the National Fitness Campaign will be used to create and implement an outdoor fitness court in Duquesne.
The facility, which is expected to be constructed by the end of the 2019 calendar year, will be free to use for community residents and visitors, Mayor Nickole Nesby announced.
At January's regular meeting, council approved a motion to hold a workshop and planning session on the second Tuesday of each month, with a voting meeting on a fourth Tuesday of each month. Both meetings will continue to be open to the public.
In other business:
Council has repealed a previous ordinance that would have increased the mayor's salary to $65,000 per year following the next mayoral election.
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January 29, 2019 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
(Cha già José photo via Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons BY-SA 2.0.)
With temperatures predicted to drop below 0 in the Mon-Yough area this week, the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County has issued tips for keeping water pipes from freezing:
Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses, so freeze conditions don't burst the faucet or pipe to which the hose is connected
Insulate pipes or faucets in unheated areas (garages, attics, crawl spaces) before freezing temperatures arrive
Consider installing "heat tape" or "heat cable" on all exposed water lines. Heat tape can be found at hardware and home improvement stores.
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January 29, 2019 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Announcements
(The Ohio River froze at Point State Park, Pittsburgh, in January 2014. Photo by Matt Niemi via Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0.)
(This story will be updated with new information as it becomes available)
Local school districts are canceling classes and McKeesport is opening a warming shelter as a so-called "polar vortex" swoops into the Mon-Yough area this week.
McKeesport Area, Clairton, East Allegheny and South Allegheny school districts have canceled all classes and school-related activities for students on Wednesday and Thursday, according to spokespersons, while Norwin School District will be closed Wednesday.
Penn State Greater Allegheny also will be closed Wednesday.
The National Weather Service in Moon Twp. has issued a wind-chill advisory from 5 a.m. Wednesday through 5 p.m. Thursday. Forecasters said that with air temperatures dropping to near 0 degrees on Wednesday afternoon, and winds reaching 30 mph, the temperatures will feel like 20 below 0.
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