MASD Considers H.S., Stadium Improvements

December 10, 2025 |

By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

(Adam Reinherz photo for Tube City Almanac)

McKeesport Area School District is looking to improve conditions on campus by spending nearly $850,000 on high school and stadium repairs.

The school board is expected to vote on a proposal at a meeting Thursday (Dec. 11). School directors spent the Dec. 4 open agenda meeting describing the projects’ merits.

Costs, according to district materials, include a facilities assessment and turf replacement.

“We all kind of recognize that our high school needs some upgrades,” MASD President David Seropian said. “Doing the feasibility study is the first step.”

MLT Risks Naughty List With Criminal Caper

December 10, 2025 |

By Bonnijean Cooney Adams | Posted in: Entertainment

A small group of McKeesport Little Theater performers and members have joined forces for a different kind of fundraiser this holiday season.

“A Criminal Christmas Caper” is an adult dinner theater murder mystery presented for one night only on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m.

Tickets include the show and a three-course meal. Holiday-themed attire enters guests to win a door prize. Cost is $40, with a limit of 80 tickets being sold in advance. None will be sold at the door.

MLT veteran Gavin Calgaro wears two hats – as director and one of the characters – for the Christmas caper.

Auberle Partners With Giving Machines Program

December 09, 2025 |

By Yousuf Lachhab Ibrahim | Posted in: State & Region

(Submitted photo)

Holiday shoppers at a local outlet mall will get a chance to buy gifts for local families in need thanks to a partnership between McKeesport-based Auberle and the national Giving Machines initiative.

On Wednesday, two “vending machines” will be placed at Tanger Outlets near Washington, Pa., where shoppers can make a donation to purchase items such as clothes, diapers, menstrual kits and other necessary items. 

Items are not actually dispensed by the machines; instead, a donation of the item is made to the charity.

In 2024, Giving Machines raised $16.4 million and 490,000 items were donated.

W.O. Adds Two New Officers

December 09, 2025 |

By T.J. Martin | Posted in: White Oak News

New White Oak police officers Larry Bishop and Cody Stanoszek were introduced to the public at November’s monthly council meeting. (T.J. Martin photo for Tube City Almanac)

White Oak has added two new police officers who have roots in the area.

At November’s monthly council meeting, council introduced to the public Officers Cody Stanoszek and Larry Bishop.

Mayor Ina Jean Marton, who earlier had sworn in the officers, said Stanoszek has years of law enforcement experience, including a stint with the Irwin Borough Police Department.

Bishop has 28 years of experience in law enforcement. After retiring from the McKeesport Police Department in 2019, Bishop served for the last six years with the Penn State University Police, Marton said.

New Directors Join MASD School Board

December 05, 2025 |

By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

Magisterial District Judge Eugene Riazzi gives the oath of office to School Directors David Donato, Kevin Kovach, Matt Holtzman and Arla Payne. Donato and Holtzman are returning to the board, while Kovach and Payne are newly elected. (Adam Reinherz photo for Tube City Almanac)

Kevin Kovach and Arla Payne have been sworn in and taken their seats as McKeesport Area School Board members.

At a re-organization meeting on Thursday, the board elected School Director David Seropian as the school board’s new president.

Seropian was elected to the board in 2023 after serving more than 20 years as the district’s business manager. Among his first tasks was helping to negotiate a new contract with the teachers’ union.

“I'm the person that likes to work with everybody — get everybody to work together,” Seropian said, adding that when disagreements arise, “we’ve just got to come to a consensus and try to move the district forward the best way we feel we can.”

Duquesne Schedules January Meetings

December 05, 2025 |

By Staff Reports | Posted in: Announcements, Duquesne News

Duquesne City Council’s reorganizational meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 5.

The next Home Rule Government Study Commission meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 20.

For 2026, Duquesne Holds Line on Budget

December 05, 2025 |

By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News

Duquesne will hold the line on property taxes for 2026.

City council this week passed a budget that keeps tax levies at their current “blended” rate of 20 mills, of which 17 mills are designated for the general fund, two for debt service and one for fire service. Each mill represents $1 of tax on every $1,000 of a property’s value.

The millage is called “blended” because Duquesne is one of three municipalities in Allegheny County that levies separate rates on buildings and land.

However, city water rates will increase 10 percent, with 3.3 percent of the increase going to the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County, while the city’s municipal service fee also will increase 10 percent, with 7.5 percent going to Duquesne’s contracted trash hauler, County Hauling.

MLT Juniors Stage Lively ‘Shrek’ Adaptation

December 04, 2025 |

By Bonnijean Cooney Adams | Posted in: Entertainment

In the foreground, Leah Morgan as Gingy gets feisty with Nie’Zhay Jefferson as Lord Farquaad. (All photos by Bonnijean Cooney Adams for Tube City Almanac)

The musical version of the tale of an outcast ogre, his faithful friend, and their adventures with others along the way to rescue a princess soon will grace the stage at McKeesport Little Theater.

Opening Friday night, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. and running weekends through Dec. 14, “Shrek the Musical Jr.” is based on the DreamWorks Animation film and Broadway musical.

“Since Dorothy Fallows retired from the Juniors program, Lori (Stramaski) and I are now co-chairs of the committee, which automatically makes us involved,” said Amy Majewski, who produces “Shrek” with Stramaski.

“With it being our first musical without Dorothy, we decided to do a show we were both familiar with. Also, with the program growing every year, we needed a show with a lot of great characters. ‘Shrek’ seemed like a great option to cover both,” she said.

40th Festival of Trees Opens at Renzie Park

December 04, 2025 |

By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements

(Tube City Almanac file photo by Vickie Babyak)

McKeesport’s 40th Annual Festival of Trees opens at 12 noon today (Dec. 4) with more than 90 hand-decorated Christmas trees on display through Monday.

The annual holiday display, hosted at the Jacob Woll Pavilion in Renziehausen Park, continues daily from 12 to 9 p.m. Admission is $2, and children 12 and younger are admitted for free with donation of a canned good or nonperishable food.

The event includes a look-and-find scavenger hunt for children, with special activities, entertainment and visits with Santa throughout the day. Visitors also are invited to vote for their favorite trees in a variety of categories.

Train Club Still Rolling After 75 Years

November 28, 2025 |

By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

Editor’s Note: The author of this story had a conflict of interest. See editor’s note at the end.

Members of McKeesport Model Railroad Club touch up a section of the club’s layout. (Submitted photo courtesy McKeesport Model Railroad Club)

When McKeesport Model Railroad Club opens its doors on Saturday, it will mark the 75th year in a row — minus a few interruptions — that the public has been invited to view its miniature train empire representing Western Pennsylvania.

It also is likely to mark the 75th year in a row that someone asks, “How long does it take to put this up and take it down?”

“That is a question we get every year from at least a few attendees,” said George Sharp Jr. of Irwin, the club’s president. “It’s something we smile at because you can’t really fathom how long it would take to do all of that.”

The answer is “they don’t.” The club’s 2,200-square-foot train display in HO scale (representing objects at about 1/87th of actual size) is a permanent fixture inside the non-profit organization’s building on Walnut Street in Christy Park, across from CP Industries’ Christy Park Works.