January 20, 2023 |
By Dianne Ribecca | Posted in: North Versailles Twp. News
No dangerous levels of mold or other contaminants were detected after a water-line broke at East Allegheny Junior-Senior High School, the district’s superintendent told the school board this month.
Sub-zero temperatures over the winter break caused a pipe to break on the second floor, causing significant damage to the second-floor science wing.
School Superintendent Alan Johnson said that after consulting with the district’s environmental and disaster recovery experts, there were no reports of dangerous mold levels or other contaminants.
Environmental specialists were required to conduct additional testing for other toxins for another week, he said, before students could resume in-person classes.
Read More
January 20, 2023 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne’s new city manager realizes he has many challenges in his post, but he’s ready to take on the charge.
Scott Crawford, 54, started work Dec. 19; Kelly Robertson had left the job in August, and George Newsome had assumed the Interim duties ever since. Newsome moves over to administrative assistant with the addition of Crawford.
“I’ve been working a couple of different roles,” said Crawford in a telephone interview on Tuesday. He has worked in a variety of different financial roles throughout his career. A Mt Washington native, Crawford was with the city of Pittsburgh from 2015 to 2019.
In 2020 and 2021, he was with the Allegheny County Health Department’s financial offices. He tried the private sector with stops at the Rivers Casino and PNC Bank, before finding the vacancy in Duquesne.
Read More
January 17, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Politics & Elections
Allegheny County President Judge Kim Berkeley Clark administers the oath of office to new Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, with his wife, Blayre Holmes Davis, by his side. (Submitted photo courtesy Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)
Pennsylvania’s first Black lieutenant governor was sworn into office on Tuesday morning and credited his upbringing in McKeesport — and the support of his family — with his success.
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, 33, a lifelong resident of the city and a graduate of McKeesport Senior High School, took the oath of office in Harrisburg from Kim Berkeley Clark, Allegheny County president judge, with his wife, Blayre Holmes Davis, by his side.
One hour later, Davis’s running mate, former Attorney General Josh Shapiro, was sworn in as the commonwealth’s 48th governor, replacing Tom Wolf, who was limited to two terms by the state constitution. Both men are Democrats.
“Growing up my parents instilled in me the values of hard work, compassion and empathy,” Davis said. “The very values that we hope are instilled in all of our leaders. I wouldn’t be the man I am today without my parents Kathy and Ankarie Davis. Thank you for all the life lessons you’ve taught me.”
Read More
January 13, 2023 |
By Bonnijean Cooney Adams | Posted in: Entertainment
Madeline Sclichter as Juliet and Emma Perman as Romeo, seated at center, were surrounded by most of the cast of Youth Shakespeare Society of Pittsburgh's production of “Romeo and Juliet” on Jan. 7 as they wrapped up several months of rehearsals. They resumed tech week rehearsals at Carnegie Stage in Carnegie, where the production will be staged. (Submitted photo)
If you go...
|
|
Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
Presented by Youth Shakespeare Society of Pittsburgh
Where: Carnegie Stage, 25 W. Main St., Carnegie
When: Friday, Jan. 13 and Saturday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 15 at 2 p.m.
Tickets: $10, available through our.show/yssprnj and the group’s website, youthshakespearepgh.org/romeoandjuliet
|
Those who enjoyed an adaptation of Shakespeare’s work at McKeesport Little Theater last summer will have to travel a little bit farther to see another one of the group’s productions.
Youth Shakespeare Society of Pittsburgh, co-founded in 2019 by Ella Mizera and Theo Fantozzi to provide teens and young adults with performing, directing, and designing experience in Shakespeare productions, is in tech week rehearsals for its adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet.”
The show opens tonight, and runs through Sunday, with two evening and one matinee performance at Carnegie Stage.
Ella Craig, who portrayed Viola in YSSP’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” which was performed at the McKeesport theater in June, has stepped up to direct the classic tragedy.
Read More
January 12, 2023 |
By Amy George | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News, North Versailles Twp. News
The Westmoreland Heritage Trail connects Saltsburg to Trafford, via Monroeville. A proposal is underway to connect the trail to the Great Allegheny Passage via North Versailles Twp. and Turtle Creek. (Daveynin photo via Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)
Changes coming to the regional trail network could make it easier than ever for Mon-Yough area bicyclists to reach destinations in Monroeville and Westmoreland County.
Currently in the works are plans to extend the current Pittsburgh-to-Maryland trail — the Great Allegheny Passage, or GAP trail — deeper into local communities. One such plan — the Turtle Creek Connector project — would extend the Westmoreland Heritage Trail through Turtle Creek and North Versailles Twp. to meet the GAP, which serves McKeesport, Duquesne and Homestead.
Once a bustling network of railways akin to the region’s industrial history, these converted trails have seen new life in the past few decades and continue to develop with innovative community visions.
Read More
January 12, 2023 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne City Councilwoman Elaine Washington ironed out a few street department “goals” for 2023 at the governing body’s first meeting of the year.
“New street signs,” she noted. Some need to be installed, while others need to be replaced, she told council.
Washington said the post office gave the city a warning about subpar signage “a few years ago,” and she thinks it’s time that street signs should be a priority.
“We also need to look at overgrowth, especially on Route 837,” she said. “It is our [Duquesne’s] responsibility.” She hopes crews will tackle that project in the late spring.
Read More
January 11, 2023 |
By Jason A. Mignanelli | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
The parishioners who attended the final weekly Mass at Corpus Christi Church on Versailles Avenue looked on with sadness Saturday afternoon at the beautifully decorated altar, still adorned with a manger scene and Christmas trees.
The final communion hymn touched everyone deeply as the choir from above sang, “Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.” As the organ fell silent, the entire church erupted with applause. Many of the parishioners continue to send letters to the bishop hoping for a miracle.
Parishioners at Corpus Christi Church, the former St. Mary Czestochowa, are afraid that they’ll have to die or get married to ever come back into the building.
In accordance with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh’s “On Mission for the Church Alive” campaign many parishes in and around Pittsburgh have merged into regional clusters. Corpus Christi is now part of Mary, Mother of God Parish, which also includes churches in Christy Park, White Oak and East McKeesport.
Read More
January 06, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Announcements
The Mon Yough Chorale, a community chorus, will begin rehearsals for its Spring session at 7 p.m. Jan. 22, a spokeswoman said.
Rehearsals are held at Sampson's Mills Presbyterian Church, 1665 Lincoln Way, White Oak. Chorale president Donna Dineen said all sections are open, with a great need of tenors and basses.
“If you’ve sung in your high school, college or church choir in the past and are looking to get back to singing, this is a great opportunity,” she said. “There are no auditions. Just sit in on a rehearsal and then decide if you want to join. For more information, visit our website, monyoughchorale.org.”
January 06, 2023 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Crime and Police News, Duquesne News
For months, Tom Shaw has been Duquesne Police Department’s “acting” police chief. That changed Tuesday night as the Mayor Scott Adams and city council removed the interim title from his resume.
By a 4-0 vote, council this week named Shaw the permanent police chief. Councilman Tim Caldwell was absent. Shaw also was unable to attend the meeting, because he was away on business, Adams said.
Council also named Duquesne police Lt. Karra Vance assistant police chief. Vance served as acting police chief after former police Chief Thomas Dunlevy was placed on leave in 2021. Dunlevy was fired by city council on Dec. 6.
Both appointments took effect Wednesday.
Read More
January 05, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Crime and Police News, McKeesport and Region News
A local business owner who is challenging McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko in this year’s election has been arrested by state drug enforcement agents and accused of being part of a cocaine trafficking ring allegedly led by his campaign manager.
Corry J. Sanders, 52, who obtained a pardon for a previous drug offense through the efforts of now-U.S. Sen. John Fetterman and other elected officials, is charged by the state attorney general’s office with two counts each of drug possession, possession with intent to deliver and delivery.
The arrest — originally reported by Pittsburgh’s KDKA-TV on New Year’s Eve — was confirmed Thursday afternoon by the attorney general’s office.
Investigators allege that Sanders sold cocaine to a confidential informant on two separate occasions, including at his Locust Street barbershop, Kool Kutz, in November 2022.
Read More
