February 27, 2025 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News, State & Region
(Penn State University photo)
Local leaders are expressing concern and support for Penn State University’s campus in McKeesport following an announcement that 12 of the regional or “Commonwealth” branches could be shuttered.
On Tuesday, University President Neeli Bendapudi said that declining enrollment, increasing costs and demographic trends — including the declining population in the western part of Pennsylvania — are forcing the state-related institution to consider the future of its smaller campuses.
In addition to its main campus in Centre County, Penn State has 19 regional or Commonwealth campuses around the state. Campuses in Western Pennsylvania include McKeesport (Greater Allegheny), as well as New Kensington, Beaver County and Fayette County.
“We cannot continue with business as usual,” Bendapudi said. “The challenges we face — declining enrollments, demographic shifts and financial pressures — are not unique to Penn State, but they require us to make difficult choices. Across higher education, institutions are grappling with similar headwinds, and we have reached a moment where doing nothing is no longer an option.”
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February 27, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
McKeesport Area Family Support Group of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will host a discussion by Dr. Amira Wolfson at its next monthly meeting, a spokeswoman said.
Wolfson will discuss PACE schools and providing individualized education with mental health, behavioral and autism support services. There will be a question-and-answer period afterward if time allows.
NAMI McKeesport meets at 6 p.m. March 5 at Penn State Greater Allegheny, 4000 University Drive, Frable Building, Room 122. Regular meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month and are open to the public.
February 26, 2025 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A city man is dead following a shooting Wednesday afternoon in a Downtown tavern and Allegheny County police are searching for a suspect.
The Allegheny County medical examiner’s office said Darnell Ross, 37, died at UPMC McKeesport hospital just after 12:19 p.m. Wednesday.
Police said that Ross was shot by an unknown assailant following an argument at Tube City Cafe in the 900 block of Fifth Avenue.
According to county homicide detectives, Ross was inside the bar just before 12 noon when another man entered and began a verbal altercation with him.
The suspect then produced a weapon and shot Ross multiple times before fleeing the scene, county police said.
No name or description of the suspect was released Wednesday 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.
February 20, 2025 |
By Yousuf Lachhab Ibrahim | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Auberle will host the second of two meetings this week to discuss disbursements from a health and welfare fund created in the wake of a 2018 air-pollution incident.
A public hearing will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. today (Feb. 20) at 1101 Hartman St., McKeesport (register now) to hear community input into the Mon Valley Public Health and Welfare Fund.
The fund was created as part of the settlement from the 2018 fire at the U.S. Steel Clairton Plant.
On Tuesday, Allegheny County held a virtual town hall meeting regarding the fund. Six projects have been awarded money so far, officials said.
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February 19, 2025 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Politics & Elections
State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, vice chair of the Democratic National Committee; Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin; state legislative candidate Dan Goughnour; and Sam Hens-Greco, Allegheny County Democratic Committee chair during a Tuesday event in McKeesport. (Kyle Nelson photo, submitted by McKeesport Democratic Committee)
The national chair of the Democratic Party visited the city on Tuesday afternoon to rally local candidates and urge them to compete at every level.
Ken Martin, a longtime political activist in his home state of Minnesota, visited with Dan Goughnour and other local Democrats during a visit to a new campaign headquarters in the Executive Building, Downtown.
“It was almost overwhelming,” Goughnour said. “He told us they don’t want to take any election for granted. We need to work hard, knock on doors, win the little races before we take on the large races.”
Goughnour, a McKeesport police officer and member of the McKeesport Area School Board, is the Democratic candidate to replace the late state Rep. Matt Gergely in a special election March 25. Goughnour is being challenged by Republican candidate Chuck Davis, a White Oak council member and volunteer firefighter.
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February 18, 2025 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
Allegheny County police are investigating the death of a man whose body was discovered inside McKeesport & Versailles Cemetery on Monday morning.
County emergency personnel said the victim, whose name has not yet been released, was discovered just after 10:30 a.m. not far from the Pirl Street side of the cemetery.
Investigators said they believe the victim may have been killed elsewhere and his body left in the cemetery. The man was suffering from a gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said
Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call the county police tip line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous.
February 17, 2025 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Smoothies are popular among students at McKeesport Area School District.
Sushi, less so. Dietary preferences were among the highlights presented to MASD school directors by Kelly Patterson, regional director of Nutrition Inc., MASD’s food services management company, during Thursday’s school board meeting.
Aided by photos and an informational packet, Patterson shared highlights from the district's food program.
In December, MASD featured a breakfast with Santa. The district also offered a Bluey Day, which students at Francis McClure Elementary and Twin Rivers Elementary “absolutely loved,” Patterson said.
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February 17, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
U.S. Steel Clairton Plant in a file photo. (Mark Dixon, Blue Lens, LLC, via Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons)
Grants totalling $250,000 will be distributed to local health and welfare groups from a fund created as part of a settlement between Allegheny County and U.S. Steel Corp., officials announced.
And the public is being invited to weigh in on future rounds of funding at two meetings being held this week on Tuesday and Thursday.
The awards are being made from the Mon Valley Public Health & Welfare Grant Program, which was established as part of the settlement from the 2018 fire at the U.S. Steel Clairton Plant, said a spokesperson for Allegheny County Economic Development.
“ACED’s investment in these programs is a direct response to the voices of the Mon Valley community. By actively listening to constituents as we developed the application system, sought applications, reviewed submissions, and awarded funds, we are able to support projects that not only improve the environment but also protect the health and well-being of Mon Valley residents,” said Lauren Connelly, ACED director.
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February 17, 2025 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Announcements
Arlene Harvey and JoAnne Rodgers will be honored Saturday during a Black History Month celebration at McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center. (Submitted photos)
McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center and a group of alumni from historically Black colleges and universities will celebrate Black History Month with a program this Saturday honoring two local pioneers.
“Dare to Be the First” will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Heritage Center, 1832 Arboretum Drive, Renziehausen Park. The event is free and open to the public.
The guests of honor will be Arlene Harvey, who retired after a career at Carnegie Library of McKeesport, and JoAnne Rodgers, the first Black school nurse in the McKeesport Area School District, said Denise Sinker of McKeesport HBCU Vision.
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February 12, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Politics & Elections
The Allegheny County Elections Division today announced that nomination petitions are available online and in the office for candidates seeking to run in the May 20 municipal primary elections.
Voters throughout the county will go to the polls this fall to elect offices — depending on the communities — such as mayors, city and borough council members, Allegheny County council members, school directors, township commissioners, judges, and district justices.
Petitions, along with instructions, are available online. The nomination petitions must be printed or copied as duplex (double-sided, front-to-back, head-to-head) on plain white 8.5” x 11” (letter size) paper.
This requirement cannot be satisfied by printing each side of the nomination petition on a separate sheet of paper and affixing the sheets together.
Candidates for any of the court offices (Common Pleas, Commonwealth, Superior and Supreme) may obtain nomination petitions by contacting the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Commissions, Elections & Legislation via phone at 1-877-868-3772, or online at the state’s Running for Office webpage.
Candidates may begin to circulate petitions and file nomination papers on Feb. 18. The last day to file these nomination petitions is March 11.
