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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
February 12, 2024 |
By Yousuf Lachhab Ibrahim | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Zachary Beauchamp and Adam Blank have one last drink at The Elbow Room as part of the restaurant’s last day celebration. (Yousuf Lachhab Ibrahim photo for Tube City Almanac)
Sometime Sunday afternoon, the last bite of The Elbow Room's famous square pizza was eaten.
Frequent customer Adam Blank, who had been coming to the restaurant since childhood, had no shortage of compliments for the signature dish. “One of my favorite memories is just walking in and just… having that square pizza,” he said.
Now, the pizza will only be a memory for generations of McKeesporters, some of whom moved away and ordered it to be shipped across the country, sometimes multiple times per year.
The Elbow Room’s farewell celebration began at 3 p.m. with a considerably long line of people waiting for their tables upon opening. One customer said she waited for two hours, though it didn’t sound like she was complaining.
February 11, 2024 |
By T.J. Martin | Posted in: East McKeesport News
(T.J Martin photo for Tube City Almanac)
East McKeesport Borough has awarded a bid for a project to help alleviate a stormwater runoff issue and part of the project will utilize drainage pipes that the borough didn’t previously know existed.
The borough council voted unanimously to accept a bid of $249,633 from Cranberry Twp.-based State Pipe Services Inc. for the Ice Plant Hill Remediation Project. The project will be financed by three grants the borough has received.
Borough Engineer Laura Branthoover of Glenn Engineering & Associates said rainwater runs off the hillside bordering Ice Plant Hill and into the parking lot of the Wilmerding Community Center at the base of the hill.
