August 23, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Tia Wanzo was sworn in as McKeesport Area School District’s superintendent in 2022 by Magisterial District Judge Eugene Riazzi. Wanzo has resigned effective Nov. 13, the district’s solicitor announced last night. (McKeesport Area School District photo)
After a contentious meeting marked by public frustration, McKeesport Area School District solicitor Gary Matta announced that the board had agreed to a separation agreement with Superintendent Tia Wanzo.
Matta, who delivered his comments after the meeting was adjourned, said that he and Wanzo’s attorney worked on the separation agreement for one week beginning the “day after the last meeting.”
During Thursday’s special board meeting neither Matta nor the board shared details regarding that separation agreement. During a hearing of citizens, several McKeesport residents voiced support of Wanzo. After that portion of the meeting concluded, the board approved agenda item “5.3 Resignation,” which called for a board action to accept the separation agreement for employee #2584. The action was approved.
Following the meeting’s adjournment, Matta confirmed that the employee was Wanzo.
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August 22, 2024 |
By Bonnijean Cooney Adams | Posted in: Entertainment
Nancy Caronia as Rivka Blumenthal and Alex Naglich as Michael Primmer rehearse ways they might be able to resolve a tricky situation in “They-Said, They-Said.” (Submitted photo courtesy McKeesport Little Theater)
If you go...
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McKeesport Little Theater’s Production of “They-Said, They-Said”
Written by Brenda Kenworthy
Part of the 33rd season of Pittsburgh New Works Festival
Where: Genesius Theater at Duquesne University, 1225 Seitz St., Pittsburgh (Uptown/The Bluff)
When: Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 22-25. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday shows at 8 p.m., with matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tickets: Advance discounted ticketsare $17 for adults, $15 for students. Tickets are $20 at the door.
Note: “They-Said, They-Said” is the middle one-act play presented during the three-play program each day. The other two are “Evie & Frannie Take a Detour,” produced by Stray Cat Theatre, and “I Do?”, produced by Glass Fox Productions.
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Fans of McKeesport Little Theater have another opportunity to show their support at the world premiere of an original one-act play as part of the 33rd season of Pittsburgh New Works Festival.
McKeesport Little Theater is producing “They-Said, They-Said,” by playwright Brenda Kenworthy of Garden Grove, Calif., as their entry to the festival.
For those not familiar with the process, PNWF annually solicits original, one-act plays, which are narrowed down by a panel of judges. The top 15 are selected to become full productions.
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August 19, 2024 |
By Danielle M. Smith - Public News Service | Posted in: State & Region
A state vehicle accesses a public charging station. Electric vehicle registrations increased 82 percent between 2021 and 2023. (Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection photo)
Pittsburgh is emerging as a leader in innovative solutions like electric vehicles and clean energy to combat the climate crisis, says the group Elected Officials to Protect America.
The bipartisan nonprofit, based in Rockland, Maine, is a network of elected officials who are concerned about the effects of climate change on the environment. It recently hosted a press conference in Pittsburgh to applaud the region for efforts to encourage motorists to switch to electric cars, and for projects such as Energize Pittsburgh, a pilot program designed to help low-to-moderate income homeowners to reduce their energy costs.
Statewide, in 2022, electric vehicle registrations increased by about 82 percent from the previous year, the group said. At the start of this year, more than 47,000 electric vehicles were registered in the state.
State Rep. Emily Kinkead, Democrat from Bellevue, envisions Pittsburgh as a future leader in the green economy, bolstered by strong labor unions and academic institutions.
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August 19, 2024 |
By Vickie Babyak | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
A group of friends pose for a portrait while playing a game of cards. Front left is Bill Hall from White Oak, sitting behind him is Rita Gallo from White Oak, on the opposite side of the table sitting in front, is Marlanna Steiner from West Mifflin, and behind her is Kathy Sloan from Elizabeth Twp. (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)
Judy Marcase of Greenock is an older adult who likes staying active and independent. She enjoys dancing, exercise and computer time. Like a number of senior citizens in the Mon Valley, she finds all three activities — and more — at her local LifeSpan resource center, located in Olympia Shopping Center.
“Growing older is challenging and I believe that being there for an older person can help change how they feel,” Marcic said.
The Mon Valley LifeSpan in Versailles is one of six resource centers in Allegheny County that also include Homestead, Bethel Park, North Fayette Twp., and the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Chartiers and Knoxville.
LifeSpan is a non-profit resource and service center for people aged 60 plus, and has been located in Olympia Shopping Center since 2015. Each month, the center has a calendar filled with activities, and every weekday a healthy lunch is served to older adults for a suggested donation.
Amy Marcic from McKeesport, Judy Marcase from Greenock, and Deb Kebles from McKeesport pose for a portrait in front of the Life Span bingo board.
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August 19, 2024 |
By T.J. Martin | Posted in: East McKeesport News
New police Chief Scott Lowden has been with the East McKeesport department for 27 years. (T.J. Martin photo for Tube City Almanac)
There’s a new top cop in East McKeesport and next month, the borough will welcome a new councilperson as well.
At the monthly borough council meeting, Scott Lowden was sworn in as the new borough police chief. Lowden has been with the East McKeesport Police Department for 27 years, the last 25 of those as a full-time officer. As chief, Lowden will oversee a department of three full-time officers, including himself, and seven part-time officers.
He replaces Chief Russell Stroschein who retired in June.
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August 16, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Tube City Almanac file photo by Adam Reinherz)
McKeesport Area School District’s superintendent is on leave at her own request, the district’s solicitor said Friday.
In response to questions from Tube City Almanac about the status of Superintendent Tia Wanzo, district solicitor Gary Matta said, “Dr. Wanzo has requested to take a leave of absence. She is on leave effective August 14, 2024.”
Wanzo asked for a three-month leave, according to the solicitor.
The board has not yet approved an acting superintendent, he said. “Mr. [Matthew] Mols is currently the assistant to the superintendent and is the next in line until the board appoints an acting superintendent.”
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August 16, 2024 |
By Danielle M. Smith - Public News Service | Posted in: State & Region
(Source: Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association; Keystone Research Center; Economic Policy Institute)
Pennsylvania's wage growth has rebounded from pre-pandemic lows and now exceeds the national average, according to the latest Pennsylvania Workforce Trends report from the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association.
The data show average hourly earnings for nonsupervisory workers grew almost 4 percent between 2019 and this year. Pay grew even faster among low-wage workers, at 9.2 percent in Pennsylvania, but not as much as the U.S. average of more than 13 percent.
Carrie Amann, executive director of the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association, said despite the wage increases, Pennsylvanians are well aware the cost of living has also been on the uptick.
“Employers are, in fact, paying their workers more in certain occupations and certain percentiles of workers,” Amann said. ‘We’ve seen significant increases — I think, almost 10 percent wage increases — in what we would typically call low-wage workers.”
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August 16, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Editor’s Note: This is a developing story and is subject to change.
Who is McKeesport Area School District’s superintendent? Days after community members demonstrated support for MASD Superintendent Tia Wanzo at a school board meeting, rumors swirled regarding the educator’s continued employment with the district.
The school district advertised a special meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday to discuss “personnel” matters, but parents who tried to attend the meeting were told it was canceled.
Calls and messages to board members about Wanzo’s status as superintendent have gone unanswered — as have attempts to reach Wanzo.
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August 15, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Joanne Dorazio and family from White Oak attend International Village all three nights “and eat our way through.” (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis said Wednesday he wished that every reporter in Pittsburgh was at Renziehausen Park in McKeesport to attend the city’s 64th International Village.
“I wish I could get every news camera in the Pittsburgh region here at International Village to cover this,” said Davis, a McKeesport resident and McKeesport Area High School alumnus. “Oftentimes they cover the bad things that happen in McKeesport, and there are so many more good people and good things that happen here. Oftentimes they don't tell that story and this is an example for people to see up close and personal what McKeesport is really about.”
Familiar faces came to a familiar place on Wednesday evening, as community members and elected officials descended on Renziehausen Park for the second day of the 2024 International Village. Founded in 1960, the annual ethnic festival — complete with food, music and dancing — draws thousands in search of summer fun.
Tube City Online is providing live coverage each night from 5:30 to 9 p.m. via YouTube.
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August 15, 2024 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
UPMC McKeesport is celebrating the grand opening of a new, state-of-the-art wound-care clinic in the Mansfield Building. The facility is double the size of the previous location in the Painter Building. (Submitted photo courtesy UPMC.)
UPMC McKeesport has doubled the size of its wound-care clinic and expects to be able to treat about twice as many patients with slow-to-heal injuries — including bone infections and people suffering complications from diabetes and poor circulation — than ever before.
The new clinic, located on the sixth floor of the hospital’s Mansfield Building, will hold an open house from 4 to 6 p.m. today (Aug. 15) to explain the facilities to visitors and offer free health screenings.
The first 50 attendees receive a free gift. Foot-health checks will be offered, along with cholesterol and glucose screenings, as well as tours of the clinic’s treatment areas.
“This has been a consistently growing program and a consistently growing clinic for us, but there are always opportunities for us to build greater awareness within the community,” said Joseph Vermilya, senior director of operations for UPMC McKeesport and UPMC East.
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