March 14, 2023 |
By Danielle M. Smith - Public News Service | Posted in: Politics & Elections
As the municipal primary election fast approaches, there is an urgent push for more voter education in Pennsylvania.
More than 8.7 million Pennsylvania voters could participate in the local municipal primaries on May 16.
Meghan Pierce, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania, said every ballot will look a little different, depending on where you live. LWV is encouraging people to do some research before casting their ballot, to determine how the races could affect their lives.
“Whether or not you have a kid in school, you probably care about how your public school education system is funded,” Pierce said. “If you have a lot of potholes in your street, and you want to know why that is, you know, maybe look into what's going on with your city council. In Philadelphia, for example, there's going to be a mayor’s rac — very active election, lots of candidates running.”
She said Pennsylvania does not have same-day voter registration. You have to register before the strict deadline of May 1 to vote in the primary. The last day to request a mail-in or absentee ballot is May 9.
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March 10, 2023 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
After months of consideration, Duquesne officials announced that they have chosen names for their portion of the Mon-Fayette Expressway.
The main stretch of expressway that is set to travel through the city will be dubbed, “The Duquesne Veterans Memorial Highway,” while the connector to Route 837 will be named in memory of longtime municipal leaders Carl and Rosemary Denne. “It’s a way to show appreciation and gratitude to our veterans,” said Mayor R. Scott Adams.
In related Mon-Fayette Expressway construction news, council discussed having a crossover on the roadway at Oakmont Street and Route 837. There’s expected to be a crosswalk there for a bus stop and Duquesne would be charged with painting and maintaining the walk way. Council voted 4-0 to accept those responsibilities.
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March 10, 2023 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne’s city manager has resigned after less than three months on the job.
At this week’s meeting, officials voted 4-0 to accept accept the resignation of Scott Crawford. Councilman Timothy Caldwell was absent.
Council approved the hiring of Mary Lou Bittner as the new Interim City Manager.
Crawford, 54, had started the job Dec. 19, after Kelly Robertson left the post. George Newsome served as interim city manager before changing jobs to administrative assistant. Since Crawford’s hiring, Newsome has left the city altogether.
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March 10, 2023 |
By Bonnijean Cooney Adams | Posted in: Entertainment
The cast of McKeesport Little Theater’s production of “Deathtrap,” from left in front, are Amy Melissen as Myra Bruhl and Andrew Lasswell as Sidney Bruhl. In back are Craig Soich as Porter Milgrim, Gavin Calgaro as Clifford Anderson, and Mandy Eckenrode as Helga ten Dorp. (Bonnijean Cooney Adams photo for Tube City Almanac.)
If you go...
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“Deathtrap”
Where: McKeesport Little Theater, 1614 Coursin St.
When: Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m., through March 19.
Tickets: Available through the MLT website, by calling the theater at 412-673-1100, or via onthestage.com.
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McKeesport Little Theater’s upcoming production of “Deathtrap” definitely is a show-within-a-show thriller, but has so many twists and turns that even the most astute audience member easily could go see it a second time just to enjoy all the nuances.
There are only five characters in the whole play. As cast, they are Andrew Lasswell as Sidney Bruhl, Amy Melissen as his wife Myra Bruhl, Gavin Calgaro as Sidney’s student, Clifford Anderson, Mandy Eckenrode as psychic Helga ten Dorp, and Craig Soich as Porter Milgrim, Sidney’s friend and attorney.
Here’s a mini-synopsis, but if you plan to attend, don’t go looking up an official full synopsis and spoil the experience.
The entire two-act play is set in the Connecticut home of Sidney, a successful playwright. While he’s not completely down on his luck, he is experiencing a bit of writer’s block, which he is eager to overcome and move on to his next hit following a string of flops.
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March 06, 2023 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Fifth-grade students from Francis McClure Elementary School delighted board members and school leaders when describing the process of creating a Black History Month gallery walk at a recent school board meeting. (Adam Reinherz photo for Tube City Almanac)
Participation in breakfast and lunch programs at McKeesport Area School District is up across the board, but so are expenses.
Ryan Grados, food services director, told the school board at its most recent meeting that the department is making a profit this year, to the tune of $278,198.
“The reimbursement rate that we received was $2.46 for breakfast, and $4.31 for lunch,” Grados said. “Everybody knows that inflation is hitting us pretty hard, so the state has been generous enough to offer us a higher reimbursement rate; therefore, this year we’re receiving $2.77 for breakfast and $4.51 for watch.”
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March 06, 2023 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
A local bus company that lost a contract to transport McKeesport Area School District students is suing the city, the district and several area officials, claiming its problems were caused by political manipulations.
Pennsylvania Coach Lines has filed suit in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court against the City of McKeesport, the school district, state Sen. Jim Brewster, Mayor Michael Cherepko, school director and mayoral candidate Joe Lopretto, former school Superintendent Mark Holtzman Jr., and city administrator Tom Maglicco.
The company, based on Rebecca Street in the city, was replaced prior to the 2022-23 school year by Krise Transportation after parents repeatedly complained that Pennsylvania Coach Lines was canceling buses without warning, stranding students and forcing them to miss classes.
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March 04, 2023 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
UPDATED with additional details
A brutal week in McKeesport now includes four homicides.
Few details have yet been released about a fatal shooting Friday evening that claimed the life of an unidentified man. Allegheny County police said 9-1-1 dispatchers were notified of a shooting in the 1200 block of Park Street just before 6 p.m. Officers arrived to find an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds.
The victim was identified by the Allegheny County medical examiner’s office as Robert Moore, 58, of the city. He was pronounced dead at the emergency room of UPMC McKeesport hospital, the office said.
No further details are being released by police.
Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call the county police tip line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous.
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March 04, 2023 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
One of the victims of a shooting Wednesday afternoon in which two people died has now been charged in connection with the case.
Davon Flewellen-Belton, 18, of McKeesport is charged by Allegheny County police with carrying a firearm without a license and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
Flewellen-Belton was one of three people shot in an apartment at Crawford Village on Wednesday afternoon, Allegheny County police said. He is being held in the Allegheny County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bond pending a preliminary hearing March 13.
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March 02, 2023 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A fist-fight between several people in Crawford Village on Wednesday afternoon led to a shooting that left two people dead and a third hospitalized, Allegheny County homicide investigators said.
Jerred M. Duncan, 22, of Turtle Creek was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident from a gunshot wound to the chest, the Allegheny County medical examiner’s office said.
Jordan Eubanks, 30, of the city was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital, Uptown, with gunshot wounds and died about 90 minutes later, the medical examiner said. An 18-year-old man was taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds to the leg, police said. His name has not been officially released.
The shootings happened at around 1 p.m. in Crawford Building 50, county police said in a prepared statement.
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March 02, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
McKeesport City Council opened its meeting Wednesday night with a moment of silence for slain police Officer Sean Sluganski and four people who were shot — three fatally — earlier in the day.
Two shootings less than an hour apart on Wednesday left residents and local officials again wondering what can be done to stem gun violence in the city.
Wednesday afternoon’s events were “horrific,” Mayor Michael Cherepko said.
“It has been an extremely difficult month for the City of McKeesport,” he said. “An absolute nightmare.”
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