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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January 28, 2019 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: White Oak News
(Allegheny County real estate photo)
White Oak council has given its approval for the transfer of a vacant house on Ohio Avenue to the Tri-COG Land Bank.
The one-story home at 1808 Ohio will only be transferred if McKeesport Area School District and Allegheny County consent, said Dave Pasternak, White Oak council president.
Pasternak said he's hopeful that the transfer, if approved, will result in the house being refurbished and sold to a new owner. According to county tax records, the house has been tax-delinquent for several years.
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January 28, 2019 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Announcements
Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner will hold a public meeting at Carnegie Library of McKeesport to find out how residents are being affected by the upcoming split between UPMC Health System and Highmark.
The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 4 at the library, 1507 Library Ave.
Advance registration is suggested by calling (412) 672-0625.
A spokesman for Wagner said people who cannot attend are invited to submit their stories via the county controller's website.
UPMC has been feuding with Highmark for years. UPMC operates its own health insurance plan in competition with Highmark's Blue Cross and Blue Shield programs, while Highmark is the parent company of the Allegheny Health Network, which includes doctors and hospitals that compete with UPMC's.
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January 28, 2019 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
U.S. Steel: Repairs to pollution equipment expected to take four months
(U.S. Steel photo)
Four state legislators will hold a town-hall style public hearing in Clairton to discuss a Dec. 24 fire at U.S. Steel's Clairton Plant, and the aftermath.
State Sen. Jim Brewster said that joint Senate-House Democratic Policy Committee hearing will begin at 12 noon Feb. 7 at the Clairton Municipal Building, 551 Ravensburg Blvd.
Also scheduled to attend, along with officials from the Allegheny County Health Department, are state Sen. Jay Costa and state Reps. Austin Davis and Bill Kortz.
Meanwhile, U.S. Steel said that the pollution control equipment damaged in the fire could be out of service for up to four months, but that the company is working "around the clock to make the necessary repairs."
The company has set up a special website at www.clairton.uss.com to provide updates directly to the public.
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