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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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."
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October 04, 2017 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Penn State Greater Allegheny Campus will open an outreach center in the heart of Downtown to offer computer literacy classes, homebuyer counseling and other services.
Jacqueline Edmundson, Greater Allegheny chancellor, said the university is preparing a space on the third floor of the former YWCA building on Ninth Avenue in an effort to re-connect with the Mon-Yough community.
The building is also home to the Ninth Street Clinic and a temporary office for medical cannabis company PurePenn. Those tenants are expected to remain.
The Ninth Avenue location is "an opportunity for us to engage the community in a number of different opportunties, and we'll have students involved in that outreach as well," Edmundson said in an interview.
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October 03, 2017 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Announcements
While Pittsburgh political leaders are encouraging Amazon.com to locate its new headquarters in the Steel City, a state senator representing the Steel Valley wants to make sure his constituents aren't left out.
State Sen. Jim Brewster said that he has suggested former industrial sites in Braddock, Clairton, Duquesne, East Pittsburgh and McKeesport as possible locations for an Amazon campus, as well as another former industrial site in New Kensington, Westmoreland County.
“We have to be collaborative and work cohesively so that Amazon gets a full understanding of the array of sites that are available in our region,” Brewster, a Democrat from McKeesport, said. “There are plenty of locations in Southwestern Pennsylvania that are excellent sites and I am certain that the region’s application will be inclusive and strong.”
Amazon.com, the world's largest Internet retailer, is based in Seattle. But in September the company announced that it was looking to create a second headquarters campus somewhere in North America, and that it was prepared to spend up to $5 billion to do so.
The company expects the second headquarters to include "as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs" and claims it will create "tens of thousands of additional jobs and tens of billions of dollars in additional investment" in the surrounding region.
Amazon, which reported nearly $136 billion in revenue last year and employs more than 268,000 people worldwide, contends that it contributed $38 billion to the economy of the Seattle region between 2010 and 2016.
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October 03, 2017 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
First United Methodist Church will hold a fall concert at 4 p.m. Oct. 22, a spokesperson said.
Scheduled performers include Angel Redwood of Zion Baptist Church and Gena Wells of Judah Ministries International Worship Center, as well as other local musicians.
The concert is free but "love offerings" will be accepted. Refreshments will be served following the concert.
For more information, call (412) 664-9349. The church is located at 1406 Cornell St., near Twin Rivers Elementary School and the Carnegie Library of McKeesport. The event is co-chaired by Della Meekins and Sandra Christian.
October 03, 2017 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
West Side United Methodist Church will hold a flea market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 7), a spokesperson said.
The kitchen will be open for refreshments and there will be a Chinese auction. The church is accessible to the handicapped.
West Side United Methodist is located at 307 Atlantic Ave. in lower 10th Ward. Call (412) 672-7755 for more information.
October 03, 2017 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
UPMC McKeesport will offer free flu vaccinations, cholesterol screenings, giveaways and more at "Fall Into Wellness" this Saturday (Oct. 7).
The health fair will be held from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on the ground floor of the hospital's Kelly Building, 1500 Fifth Ave. Parking in the hospital garage for the event will be free. Call (412) 664-2306.
A spokeswoman said that free screenings to be offered also will include blood pressure and blood sugar tests and lung function tests. Free giveaways will include "cold and flu survival kits," refreshments and other items. Health professionals will be available to answer questions.
The flu vaccinations will not be given to children under age 18, and a nine-hour fast is recommended for anyone who wants to get a cholesterol screening. No appointments are necessary and the event is open to the public.
