February 26, 2024 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(McKeesport Area School District official photo)
McKeesport Area High School stadium is temporarily closed to the public after a fight last week and several acts of vandalism.
Weigle-Schaeffer Memorial Stadium is still available for official school activities but the walking track and grounds are off-limits for now, said Charley Kiss, district athletic director.
An announcement on the district’s Facebook page Sunday night caused concern for residents who were worried that some serious incident had taken place.
Read More
February 21, 2024 |
By Danielle M. Smith - Public News Service | Posted in: State & Region
(Source: Lumina Foundation)
Pennsylvania lags slightly behind national figures for the number of working-age adults who have earned college degrees or other professional certifications after high school.
New data from the Indianapolis-based Lumina Foundation tracks degree attainment, including professional training and university degrees. The foundation says that more than 54 percent of Americans have attained some kind of post-high school education. In Pennsylvania, the number is 53 percent.
The foundation’s research also said more can be done to close the equity gap, in the Keystone State and across the country. The report showed that although more than 50 percent of white Pennsylvanians have college degrees, the same is true of only 32 percent of Black residents and 30 percent of Hispanic residents.
Read More
February 21, 2024 |
By T.J. Martin | Posted in: White Oak News
White Oak Mayor Ina Jean Marton (center) is flanked by the borough’s newest police officers, Gerry Athans (left) and Matt Cerasuolo, after administering the oath of office to the pair at White Oak Borough Council’s February monthly meeting. Both had previously been police officers in McKeesport.
Including the chief of police, White Oak now has 14 full-time police officers.
February 21, 2024 |
By Vickie Babyak | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Students pose for a portrait in front of the mural they designed and constructed for the oncology department in UPMC McKeesport. Left to right, Tyler Reigh, 16, of White Oak; Victoria Fast, 17, of White Oak; Christina Wos, 17, of White Oak; Ryenn Thomas, 15, of McKeesport; and Matthew Miller, 17, of McKeesport. (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)
Students from McKeesport Area High School recently completed a 4-foot by 16-foot mural to beautify the hall in the Oncology Wing of UPMC McKeesport hospital.
Not only is the mural colorful, but it displays uplifting messages like “grow positive thoughts” and other encouraging phrases.
Mark Winowitch, director of facilities and environmental services for UPMC McKeesport, contacted art teacher Denise Bollman, and asked if her students would be interested in creating a mural; she accepted the offer.
The students’ mural project was under the direction of Bollman and commercial art teacher Lyndsay Brown. The students are taking classes in the MAHS Art Department and Technology Center Commercial & Advertising Shop.
Read More
February 16, 2024 |
By Vickie Babyak | Posted in: State & Region
ASWP community conservation coordinator Ben Kehoe at the Mon Valley Bird-Friendly Community Project Kickoff in June. (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)
Mon Valley residents of all ages and different birding experiences are invited to lend a hand Saturday during the annual Great Backyard Bird Count.
Ben Kehoe, community conservation coordinator for the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, will be leading a Great Backyard Bird Count Walk from 10 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday through Renziehausen Park. Participants will meet in the parking lot of the Renzie Park Senior Center, 100 Sycamore Drive.
This is the first year that Audubon is leading a Great Backyard Bird Count event at Renzie Park, said Rachel Handel, communications director of ASWP.
Registration in advance is requested.
Read More
February 15, 2024 |
By T.J. Martin | Posted in: North Versailles Twp. News
(File photo by NZDave via Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic)
Volunteer fire department members who are homeowners in the East Allegheny School District will have to wait a while longer to find out how much, if anything, they’ll receive as a tax break from the district to thank them for their service.
Last month, the school board voted 6-1 to give volunteer firefighters in the district who meet certain criteria an annual property tax break of up to $3,000.
The proposal was designed to help fire departments within the district — Crestas, Fire Department of North Versailles, Wilmerding, West Wilmerding and United, which serves East McKeesport and Wall — retain their members and attract new ones.
Only School Board President John Savinda voted against the measure, saying, “we are $5 million in the hole.” After the meeting, Savinda said his vote was not against the firefighters, but due to his concern about the cost of the proposal.
Read More
February 14, 2024 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
(Tube City Almanac photo)
Duquesne officials say that improving the city’s water infrastructure and billing are at the top of their to-do list for 2024.
At the Feb. 6 council meeting, City Councilman Aaron Adams said water-quality testing continued in January, and there was only one water main break during the month that was resolved “without incident.”
Adams said that pump station work continues, and that all updated installation had been completed. “We are now working on networking” the system with sensors and other monitoring equipment, he said.
Read More
February 14, 2024 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne City Council is again talking about cracking down on landlords whose rental properties have code or property maintenance violations.
At this month’s meeting, City Councilman Aaron Adams reiterated his desire to bill property owners for occupancy permits and create a line-item for collecting inspection fees in Duquesne’s budget moving forward.
Adams and City Solicitor Myron Sainovich said that a policy to enact the occupancy permit program had been discussed in the past year, but no formal action had been taken.
The plan would be to recognize all of the rental properties in the city and send letters to the property owners.
Read More
February 14, 2024 |
By T.J. Martin | Posted in: Wilmerding News
Wilmerding Borough has received a $50,000 grant to use to repair rainwater catch basins in the borough.
Borough Engineer Brad Branthoover of Glenn Engineering & Associates, Ltd. told the borough council at their monthly meeting that he has a list of 27 basins that could use repair.
Reached after the meeting, Branthoover said catch basin repairs typically cost between $2,500 and as much as $7,500 depending on several factors and so the grant should cover repairs to approximately 10 to 12 catch basins.
He said he developed the list of the basins needing repair in conjunction with the borough’s Public Works Department and it will be that department’s job to prioritize the basins on the list to determine which are most need of repair.
Read More
February 12, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Students from the arts enrichment class at Founders’ Hall Middle School show their work to school directors during Thursday’s meeting. (Adam Reinherz photo for Tube City Almanac)
After a nearly-seven month dispute between the McKeesport Area School District and the McKeesport Area Education Association, both sides have agreed to a new five-year contract.
District board members announced the agreement during Thursday’s meeting.
“Thank you to all those who were involved,” board president Mark Holtzman said. “I believe it was a pretty fair and equitable contract for the teachers and I’m very pleased to see that.”
Board member Dave Seropian, who previously served as the district’s business manager for more than 20 years, led MASD’s negotiating team.
Read More
