Editorial Cartoon: This Time For Sure!

October 16, 2024 |

By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Editorial Cartoons

School Board Seeks Input on New Superintendent

October 14, 2024 |

By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

McKeesport Area School Board is asking for the public to provide input as it searches for a new superintendent.

At last week’s agenda meeting, resident Louis Patil suggested that although the last two superintendents were graduates of McKeesport Area schools and longtime employees, the district’s next leader should not have any connection to the district.

“You’re looking for input about the new superintendent,” Patile said. “I honestly think the next superintendent should not have any connection to McKeesport from before. When businesses get in trouble, they don’t promote from within. They go out and find someone from outside who has no pre-conceived notions.”

District Solicitor Gary Matta said he welcomed those kinds of comments. “We are trying to get public input on expectations for a superintendent,” he said. “Then we can give it to the consultant” and talk to the people that truly want the job.

Penn Hills Man Held in NVT Robbery

October 11, 2024 |

By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, North Versailles Twp. News

(Photos courtesy North Versailles Police Department via Facebook)

A Penn Hills man is being held in the Allegheny County Jail following the robbery of a convenience store in North Versailles Twp.

Anthony D. Leone, 44, is charged by North Versailles police in connection with an Oct. 3 holdup of the Speedway on Route 30, according to a criminal complaint. Police said Leone was identified in part by witnesses after township police posted surveillance photos on social media.

He faces a preliminary hearing Nov. 7 before Magisterial District Judge Roxanne Sakoian Eichler.

According to the complaint, a man armed with what appeared to be a handgun held up the store just after 9 p.m. Oct. 3 and fled in a dark gray Ford SUV.

Family Honors Late Drummer With Gift of Music

October 10, 2024 |

By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News, McKeesport and Region News

Sue and Steve Braunfield, who donated musical instruments to Duquesne and McKeesport schools, posed with members of Rachel Shively’s music class in Duquesne. (Photo courtesy Jeremy Tepper, Allegheny Intermediate Unit)

Music is transformative. That’s one of the primary reasons why Western Pennsylvania natives Sue and Steve Braunfield returned to the Mon Valley last week to donate brand new musical instruments to students in need.

The retired First Energy employees visited both the McKeesport Area and Duquesne City school districts to deliver clarinets, saxophones and trumpets.

The gesture comes in memory of Sue’s brother, Frank Sprentz Jr. of McKeesport, a passionate drummer, singer, songwriter and band member — he played with Sudden Grace, Harmony, and Glenn Pavone & The Cyclones — who died Feb. 13 at age 73.

When Sprentz passed, the couple decided they wanted to cement his legacy in a way that would make him happy. And while the Braunfields now live in Painesville, Ohio, they hadn’t forgotten their roots.

City Will Remember Legendary 1974 Concert

October 10, 2024 |

By Kristen Keleschenyi | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

The view from the bandshell stage at Renziehausen Park on Oct. 27, 1974:  “It was just like any other Sunday in the park,” McKeesport Mayor Jack Pribanic later said, “except it was the day of the big Rock Concert.” (Courtesy Tom Rosso)

If you were in Renziehausen Park on Oct. 27, 1974, you know why that day was special.

It was the day — 50 years ago this month — when a crowd estimated at more than 50,000 people from all over the Pittsburgh area descended on Renzie to see three of the biggest rock groups of the year — the headliner, Brownsville Station, the opening act, a Pittsburgh band called Diamond Reo, and a new band that was on one of its first U.S. tours: Aerosmith.

On Saturday afternoon, the city, McKeesport Lions Club and McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center will pay tribute to that memorable weekend and host a 50th anniversary concert featuring Aerosmith cover band Ledsmith and opening act Three Sides, a local acoustic band.

“It was a defining kind of moment for that generation,” said Jen Vertullo, vice-president of the McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center. “For small town people to be able to see something as big as Aerosmith — and at that point, they were not even as big as they would come to be.”

TAAG, WHE Encourage Lead Safety Awareness

October 09, 2024 |

By Staff Reports | Posted in: Announcements

Tiffany Carter Siar of Take Action Advocacy Group and Women for a Healthy Environment accepts a proclamation from McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko at the October council meeting. (Tube City Almanac photo)

City officials have joined Take Action Advocacy Group and Women for a Healthy Environment to remind residents to get their homes checked for lead exposure.

Mayor Michael Cherepko and city council last week issued a proclamation recognizing Oct. 20-26 as National Lead Poisoning Week in McKeesport and October as Children’s Health Month.

Tiffany Carter Siar, a community health worker with WHE and TAAG, accepted the proclamation on behalf of both groups.

TAAG and WHE, based in Pittsburgh, have teamed up for a series of events in the McKeesport area designed to raise awareness of lead poisoining, especially in infants, children and pregnant mothers.

Meeting to Get Input on Former St. Hedwig

October 08, 2024 |

By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News

The owner of the former St. Hedwig’s Roman Catholic Church in Duquesne wants public input on what to do with the building.

A meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 10 at the church, corner of Fifth Street and Kennedy Avenue, to discuss the possible reuses of the building.

The church, built in 1928, was closed following the merger in 2020 of several area Catholic churches into the new St. Thomas the Apostle Parish.

Duquesne OK’s No-Parking Ordinance

October 08, 2024 |

By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News

Duquesne City Council has passed an ordinance to restrict parking on two streets where residents and emergency personnel have identified problems.

At the October meeting, council by 4-0 vote adopted an ordinance establishing “No Parking Anytime Zones” on Crawford Avenue  between South Fifth Street and Mifflin Street, and on Overland Avenue between Richford Street and Clearview Avenue. Councilman Aaron Adams was absent on business.

Council also passed a new Property Maintenance Code by a 4-0 vote.

During Mayor R. Scott Adams’ Public Safety report, council discussed the possibility of public vehicle charging stations for electric vehicles. Officials are currently in talks with the school district, which owns the property adjacent to City Hall, about creating a charging station. Currently, council is talking about having two or three electric connections available for public use.

In her Public Works Department report, Councilperson Elaine Washington noted that the city has received a final cost quote for an excavator. The cost is set at $185,722. “It would help with demolition of houses destroyed by fire,” she said. The money for the equipment would come from the city’s liquid fuel tax funds.

Event Raises $271K for Auberle Programs

October 08, 2024 |

By Yousuf Lachhab Ibrahim | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

(Photo courtesy Auberle, via Facebook)

Two private performances by Scott Blasey sold for $6,000 each during the live auction at Auberle’s 20th Annual Voices Carry event.

Initially, the offer was for just one performance, and the bidding began below $1,000, but Blasey agreed to a second performance for the second bidder in the spur of the moment.

The event brought in 324 attendees, all of whom witnessed performances of 1960s classics by Ashley Marina, Kelsey Friday, Jeff Schmutz, Blazey and a dozen others.

The Western Pennsylvania-based human resources agency raised over $271,000 in unrestricted funds at this event, surpassing last year’s event by just under $50,000.

Duquesne Seeks Write-Ins for Home Rule Board

October 04, 2024 |

By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News

(File photo)

Duquesne needs additional people to serve on a committee to study a home-rule charter and city officials are urging interested residents to run as write-ins in the November election.

Mayor R. Scott Adams said four residents are running to serve on the commission in the Nov. 5 election but additional people will be needed to fill the remaining three seats on the seven-member board.

The committee would serve for a year and would recommend whether or not the city should scrap its current form of government for a new, more flexible home-rule charter.

Currently, the city is governed by the state’s third-class city code, which can only be altered by the state legislature. A home-rule charter can be changed and amended by residents and city council.