October 11, 2017 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
(Students of the Psychological Association of Greater Allegheny campus in McKeesport are raising money for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, now through the end of October. Penn State photo by Martin Rosenberg.)
When Penn State undergrad Livia Bodner set up a page to raise money for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, she put the goal at $100.
"I thought that was a stretch, but then I saw it hit $200, then almost $300," said Bodner, who's majoring in psychology at the university's Greater Allegheny campus in McKeesport. "We just want it to keep going."
Bodner serves as vice president of the campus' Psychological Association, or "Psych Club." This is the fourth five-kilometer NAMIWalk organized by McKeesport campus students.
Now through the end of October, donations toward the fundraiser can still be made via the NAMIWalks website.
Read More
October 11, 2017 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
(Above: An actor portrays pioneering woman airline pilot and McKeesport native Helen Richey during the 2015 cemetery tour. Photo courtesy McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center.)
From a Civil War hero to the victim of a tragic train accident, talented local actors will bring to life nine interesting McKeesport residents of the past during the third-annual Living History Tour of McKeesport & Versailles Cemetery.
The self-guided tour will be held from 12 to 4 p.m. Oct. 28 and 29, said Robyn Tedesco, executive director of the McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center.
The tour features some of the area's most intriguing, famous and infamous figures, she said, and also will feature a stop highlighting the interesting history of the cemetery as well as a food-truck round-up offering refreshments for visitors.
Read More
October 11, 2017 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Duquesne News, Crime and Police News
UPDATED Thursday with victim's name.
A teen-ager was pronounced dead at a local hospital following a shooting Wednesday evening in Duquesne.
Lezra Rice, 15, of North Braddock died at 6:26 p.m., the Allegheny County medical examiner's office said. His death has been ruled a homicide.
Allegheny County police have released few details. Emergency workers said 9-1-1 received a report at 5:06 p.m. that someone had been shot in the alley behind the 400 block of Williams Street. When they arrived, police found Rice suffering from what were described only as "multiple gunshot wounds."
Rice was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, a spokeswoman said.
Allegheny County police homicide detectives are investigating.
No further details have been released.
October 10, 2017 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A 22-year-old man was arrested in Carrick this morning in connection with a shooting in Braddock.
Dion Parker is charged by Allegheny County police with aggravated assault and violations of the uniform firearms act and is currently being held for questioning, police said.
Emergency personnel said a 19-year-old man was shot just before 3 a.m. in the 400 block of Verona Street in Braddock. The victim was taken to a local hospital and is in stable condition, police said. His name was not released by police.
Allegheny County police homicide detectives were asked to assist with the investigation.
Read More
October 09, 2017 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Above: McKeesport is seeking funds to build two new homes on this vacant lot along Cornell Street in conjunction with ACTION-Housing. (Tube City Almanac photo)
City officials are working with Pittsburgh-based ACTION-Housing to build at least two new homes near Twin Rivers Elementary School and renovate several others.
Last week, McKeesport city council voted 6-0 to apply to the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Fund for a grant to begin a program of new construction and renovations in the Cultural and Library District. Councilman Jim Barry was absent due to work.
The city will meet with the Concerned Citizens of the Library District on Oct. 17 to discuss the program, Mayor Mike Cherepko said.
"We have a lot of rental properties in the city, and there's nothing necessarily wrong with that, but as we continue to move forward, the true future of the city has got to be home ownership," Cherepko said.
Read More
October 08, 2017 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Nine local women were recognized for their efforts to better the communities in which they live during last week's Mon River Fleet Women of Achievement Awards Dinner.
Residents of Braddock, Clairton, Duquesne and McKeesport were represented at the annual dinner, held at Stratigos Banquet Center in North Huntingdon Twp., to celebrate outstanding contributions to community health, government and social services in the Mon Valley region.
“The Women of Achievement dinner recognizes great women who have done great things,” said Eliana Latterman, coordinator of the Mon River Fleet and Director of Development at McKeesport Hospital Foundation.
The 2017 Mon River Fleet Women of Achievement are Jacklyn Ahern, Courtney List, Joyce MacGregor, Fawn McDaniel, Sister Mary Parks, Alison Piccolino, Susan "Suz" Rosati, Terry Ruccio and Antonietta Stolic.
Proceeds from the event, which was sponsored by the Mon River Fleet Community PartnerSHIPs, will benefit SHIP initiatives in surrounding communities within the Mon Valley.
Read More
October 06, 2017 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
The trailer for Netflix's new TV series "Mindhunter" will include a few scenes that seem familiar to employees of the former McKeesport Daily News.
The series, shot during the summer of 2016 partially in McKeesport and other areas around Pittsburgh, used the newspaper's now-closed building as a stand-in for the Sacramento, Calif., police department.
At least one scene (above) clearly shows the former sports and features department on the second floor and other scenes appear to have been filmed in the former composing room on the third floor, and possibly in the press room.
The series is set to debut on Netflix Oct. 13. You can watch the trailer below.
According to one source, fake memos reading "Sacramento Police Department" are still taped to a pillar in the first floor area of the office that was formerly used as the Daily News' display and classified advertising departments, indicated that some scenes utilized the first floor area as well.
Read More
October 06, 2017 |
By Mary Shelly | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Almost 8 mills of what McKeesport Area School District collects in property taxes goes to the city's two charter schools, Propel McKeesport and Young Scholars of McKeesport, according to district officials.
At September's school board meeting, Board President Joe Lopretto said that charter school payments amounting to nearly $6 million are taking away needed revenue from McKeesport's public schools and forcing the district to make painful choices.
"Without that funding coming in it's either cut programs, get rid of teachers, or we've got to raise taxes just to keep the district going," Lopretto said. "With what we're putting out in charter school tuitions every year ... it's coming from our district and it's really hurting us."
Public school districts were once given a 30 percent reimbursement from the state Department of Education to offset payments to charters, Lopretto said, but that was cut in 2011 by former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, and has never been restored.
Read More
October 06, 2017 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Announcements
When it came to animal advocacy, Cindy McGraw-Davic believed in doing things in a big way. One Christmas, remembers her sister, Holly Turkovic, McGraw-Davic bought about $2,000 worth of dog bones and drove around the Pittsburgh area, delivering them to animal shelters.
"Every Saturday morning, sometimes before I was awake, she would come to my house and pick up my dogs, and then go to my mother's house and pick up her dogs, and then take them somewhere to go and play," Turkovic says. "She dedicated her life to animals."
It's only appropriate that the second-annual "Bark in the Park" fundraiser, to be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Romine Avenue Field in Port Vue in McGraw-Davic's memory, is three times as big as last year's event.
"We've tripled everything we did last year," Turkovic said. "We have 70 vendors, ranging from dog-related items and dog treats, to wreaths, perfumes, essential oils, all kinds of makers and artists, you name it."
The event, which is free and open to the public, is raising money to develop a 3.5-acre dog park at the end of Portsmouth Drive, off of Washington Boulevard near South Allegheny Elementary School.
Read More
October 04, 2017 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A suspect wanted in connection with a murder in Penn Hills was arrested this morning in McKeesport after firefighters helped police and sheriff's deputies break into an attic to reach him.
Steven L. Sparrow Jr., 20, of Verona is charged by Allegheny County police with homicide, robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with what Allegheny County Sheriff William Mullen described as the "execution-style murder" of Andre Williams, 26.
In a prepared statement, Mullen said that even after breaking into the crawlspace of a home on Bridge Street where Sparrow was hiding, it took pepper spray and 45 minutes of negotiations with McKeesport police and sheriff's deputies before Sparrow surrendered.
Mullen thanked city police and firefighters for what he called "their amazing support and teamwork."
Read More
