November 07, 2017 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Sentencing for a former state representative caught in an investigation of video poker and illegal gambling has been rescheduled.
Former state Rep. Marc Gergely was to be sentenced on Monday by Allegheny County Judge Ed Borkowski, but court officials said a continuance was granted, and sentencing is now scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Dec. 11.
Last week, Gergely resigned from his 35th Legislative District seat, effective Monday.
In August, Gergely, 48, a Democrat from White Oak, pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy and violating state election laws by accepting cash contributions in excess of $100.
Both charges are first-degree misdemeanors carrying penalties of not more than $10,000 in fines or five years' prison or probation.
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November 06, 2017 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Above: Areas in red are affected by Monday's boil-water advisory. (Source: Pennsylvania-American Water Co.)
About 100,000 customers of Pennsylvania-American Water Co. in the Mon Valley, South Hills and Washington County were told Monday evening to boil their water before drinking or cooking with it.
Melissa Walters, a spokeswoman for the water company, said that technicians had noticed during routine testing that the water was unusually "turbid" --- cloudy or hazy-looking --- and were concerned that harmful bacteria might be present.
Turbidity is a key measurement of water safety, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
In a prepared release, Jefferson Hills police said Monday afternoon the cloudiness was related to "a serious (water) main break in Jefferson Hills late last week" causing a loss of water pressure in the system, but PAWC did not confirm that detail.
Jefferson Hills was one of the communities affected, along with Clairton, Dravosburg, Elizabeth, Elizabeth Twp., Forward Twp., Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln, and West Elizabeth, and much of Washington County.
South Allegheny School District has cancelled classes for Tuesday due to the water problem, a spokesperson said Monday night, though "12 month employees" should report for work as usual.
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November 06, 2017 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
TW: Domestic violence
A McKeesport man is charged by city police with attempted homicide in connection with a violent domestic dispute.
Andre Taylor, 44, faces a preliminary hearing Nov. 20 before Magisterial District Judge Eugene Riazzi on charges of attempted homicide, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, unlawful restraint and simple assault.
Court officials said Taylor is being held in Allegheny County Jail in lieu of $7,000 cash bond.
McKeesport police said officers were dispatched to a home on Baldwin Avenue early on the morning of Sept. 26 when callers reported a domestic dispute in progress.
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November 06, 2017 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
- Arrest records published here were provided by the McKeesport Police Department.
- Not all arrest records are published.
- A report of an arrest does not mean the person identified has been convicted of a crime.
- All people arrested are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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November 03, 2017 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: History
This year, the 30th anniversary of the closing of U.S. Steel's National Works, I'm continuing to look through items that we collected in 1997 at the McKeesport Daily News on the 10th anniversary --- but for, whatever reason, were never published.
William J. Copper was born in 1914 in McKeesport and was a third-generation National Tube employee --- both his grandfather and father came to McKeesport from West Bromwich, England, to work in the mill.
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November 03, 2017 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
Kane McKeesport will present a session on caring for people with dementia on Nov. 15, a spokeswoman said.
Presented by Kane McKeesport Family Council, the event will include a discussion led by Nancy Ehrman, chief nursing officer at Allegheny County's four Kane regional centers.
Ehrman will discuss the signs of "normal aging" versus "not-normal aging," symptoms of decline in sensory and processing systems, and physical techniques for helping dementia patients.
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November 03, 2017 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
A Croatian club in Westmoreland County is bringing Eastern European style dance lessons to young people ages 7 to 16.
A spokeswoman says the classes will be offered on six consecutive Wednesdays, beginning Nov. 8, at the Croatian Fraternal Union Lodge 432, 109 Union St., Yukon. Adults are welcome to participate, though instruction will be directed to the youth, says Caroline Kalich, recording secretary.
"The instruction is in dancing like a 'Tamburitzan,' also known as kolo or circle dancing, which has not been locally available until now," she says.
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November 03, 2017 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
The McKeesport Lions Club will hold a "Toys for Tots" Collection Drive from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 26, a spokeswoman said.
The drive will be at the McKee's Point Cafe, first floor of the Palisades Ballroom, corner Fifth Avenue and Water Street, Downtown.
The breakfast buffet will be open at a cost of $8. Anyone bringing a new, unwrapped toy for donation will receive free cookies.
All proceeds raised from the breakfast will benefit Toys for Tots, the spokeswoman said.
November 02, 2017 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: History
In 1997, while working at the McKeesport Daily News, I realized that it had been exactly 10 years since U.S. Steel's National Works had closed --- actually, I think I noticed an item under "This Day in History."
Business editor Sue Simkovic, photographer John Barna and I decided to do something we called "The National Works Project," and we asked readers to send us their memories of working in the mill.
For a variety of reasons, none of which I remember (probably lack of space), we didn't use everything we collected. One item I particularly regretted not using was a poem that came to us from a retiree named Ed Brush.
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November 02, 2017 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Photo by Jeff Tomovcsik via Municipal Authority of the City of McKeesport website.)
Details:
- Pennsylvania-American to pay McKeesport $159 million for the assets of its sewer system
- All existing McKeesport authority employees will be offered comparable jobs at PAWC
- Rates will be frozen for one year
- PAWC will begin $62.7 million worth of improvements to the McKeesport system
- State will require PAWC to do "ongoing, targeted outreach" to low-income customers about utility bill assistance
The state Public Utility Commission has voted unanimously to approve the sale of McKeesport's sewerage system to Pennsylvania-American Water Company.
The transaction, valued at $159 million in PUC documents, will affect nearly 13,000 customers in McKeesport, Duquesne, Dravosburg, and Port Vue, as well as thousands of additional customers in Elizabeth Twp., North Versailles Twp., Liberty, Lincoln, Glassport, Versailles, White Oak and East McKeesport whose wastewater is treated by McKeesport's sewage treatment plant, located in lower 10th Ward.
About 64,000 people are affected by the switch.
At their regular meeting Wednesday, McKeesport council voted 7-0 to authorize city officals to formally dissolve the Municipal Authority of the City of McKeesport, which was created in 1949 to build and operate the sewer system.
Mayor Michael Cherepko said Wednesday the city hopes to close the sale by Nov. 30.
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