Filed Under: News || By Jason Togyer
Category: News || By Jason Togyer
One of the most confusing and dangerous sections of the hiking-biking trail between Pittsburgh and Cumberland, Md., is expected to get a lot better this summer.
Volunteers from the McKeesport Trail Commission are working with city officials and the Regional Trail Corp. to re-route a section of the trail between Locust and Water streets to avoid a congested, narrow sidewalk along Lysle Boulevard.
"Lysle Boulevard is not a good trail alignment," said Jack Paulik, project manager for the Regional Trail Corp., during a trail commission meeting last night. "It's probably the worst alignment anywhere on the trail. People tell us all the time, this is where they get lost."
The proposed new alignment would take bikes and hikers onto Fourth Avenue --- behind the Lysle Boulevard parking garage, the Daily News Building and the old McKeesport Municipal Building. Parking would be banned along Fourth Avenue, which would be dedicated for the trail and emergency vehicles only.
Mayor Mike Cherepko and Councilman Dan Carr, who was recently appointed to the city trail commission, are working with the trail corporation on the project, Paulik said.
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Category: Announcements, News || By Submitted Report
The chief executive officer of the Auberle home and foundation will be the keynote speaker at Penn State's spring commencement May 5.
Thirty-three graduates will receive bachelor's and associate degrees from Greater Allegheny Chancellor Curtiss Porter during the 11 a.m. ceremony at Wunderely Gymnasium on the McKeesport campus.
The keynote speaker will be John Lydon, chief executive officer at Auberle and the Pauline Auberle Foundation since 2004. Auberle is a nonprofit social agency serving more than 2,000 at-risk children and their families in eight southwestern Pennsylvania counties. Lydon has been involved with the nonprofit for more than 20 years as a volunteer, board member and board chair.
Prior to working at Auberle, Lydon practiced law in the Pittsburgh area and was founder and president of Lydon & Schubert, a law firm. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Law.
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Category: Announcements, News || By Submitted Report
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Category: News || By Kris Rhoades
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Category: Hardscrabble Mon Valley Watch || By Jason Togyer
With the Pennsylvania primary less than a week away, it's about time to check on the nation's most inexhaustible natural resource --- the hot air generated by political pundits --- to see what Rust Belt cliches they've managed to unearth.
Frankly, there haven't been as many stories for Hardscrabble Mon Valley Watch as there were four years ago. Chalk that up to an uncontested Democratic primary --- there's no reason to come to the Mon Valley (yet), but I would expect the Hardscrabble Mon Valley Watch to heat up in the fall, when the nation's political reporters descend on the coffee shops and taverns to soak up "local color" and figure out if (in the words of perpetual gaffe machine Ed Rendell) "white working-class voters" will vote for Obama.
. . .
Rick Santorum may be out of the Republican presidential race, but as long as Google searches are around, Santorum will continue to provide pungency to the nation's politics. From the Politicker blog of the New York Observer:
Western Pennsylvania, land of coal, sharp-rising hills, shuttered mines. It is a part of the country that Rick Santorum isn't so much from; it is a part of the country that Rick Santorum is ...
In speeches, Mr. Santorum rhapsodizes about the area, calling it the perfect place to grow up, telling voters, "I don't have Wall Street experience, but I have experience growing up in a small town in western Pennsylvania, growing up in a steel town."
He learned everything, he says, "growing up with folks who worked in the mills and the mines in western Pennsylvania."
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Category: News || By Jennifer Sopko
McKeesport Area School Board is working on its 2012-13 budget and will have a preliminary spending plan available at next week's meeting, School Director Tom Maglicco said.
The budget is being prepared by Business Manager David Seropian, Maglicco said at March's board meeting.
Also at the board's March meeting, school directors approved by 8-1 vote a motion to advertise for architecture services for future projects, specifically the replacement of the high school roof. School Director Steven Kondrosky was the sole vote against the motion.
The board also voted to transfer $1 million from the district’s general fund to the capital reserve fund and to authorize the advertisement of bids for the new roof.
Maglicco pointed out that although the board is transferring $1 million the total cost of the roof may not be that much. At the board’s February meeting, Maglicco said that several expenditure increases and state funding cuts would make 2012-13 a challenging budget year and cautioned the board to monitor its spending considering future construction plans.
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Category: Events, News || By Denise L. Ritter
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Category: Announcements || By Submitted Report
McKeesport Art Group will host local watercolorist Marci Mason at its monthly meeting tonight at 7:30. Mason will talk about several of her paintings and demonstrate her painting technique. Light refreshments will be served.
An instructor whose own paintings of local landscapes and wildlife have been exhibited in several area galleries, Mason lives in Turtle Creek. The meeting is in the art room of McKeesport Area High School, 1960 Eden Park Blvd., and is free and open to the public.
In addition, the Art Group has released details and an entry form (PDF download) for its annual spring art show.
The art group's 54th annual art show and sale will be held at Jacob Woll Pavilion, Renziehausen Park from May 18 to 20. Members whose dues are current can enter up to six works and non-members can enter up to six works.
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Category: News || By Jennifer Sopko
Parents and students have questions and concerns about a new dress code proposed for the 2012-2013 school year in McKeesport Area School District.
A first reading of the revised policy appeared on the school board's agenda at its March 29 regular meeting. School Director Trisha Gadson asked members of the dress code subcommittee present at the meeting to clarify some points within the policy and answer questions raised by the community at a previous open agenda meeting.
Committee members MAHS Principal Mark Holtzman Jr. and George Washington Elementary Principal Paul Sweda both gave their feedback from recent discussions with other building-level administrators.
A second reading of the new dress code is planned for the board's next regular meeting on April 25.
Addressing concerns that the proposed new dress code infringes upon students' ability to express their individuality, Holtzman differentiated the dress code from a uniform code. He argued that with fewer restrictions than a uniform code, the dress code thereby gives students more choices in attire while allowing them to make better decisions by presenting themselves more appropriately.
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Category: News || By Submitted Report
An urgent care center will be coming to Braddock as the result of a collaboration between Highmark and MedExpress. The facility could open as early as Summer 2013 on the site of the former Braddock Hospital.
The project is part of a $20.3 million redevelopment plan which will include 30,000 square feet of flexible office and retail space, 24 units of rental housing, 11 single-family homes and a 20,000 square foot community park. Construction will be funded through a combination of government and private dollars.
The multi-year agreement for an urgent care center in the facility will provide an anchor tenant as soon as the building is open.
"This is exciting news for the residents of Braddock and surrounding areas," County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said. "The county and this community has been working on providing more medical care facilities to this area since the Braddock Hospital closed. With this partnership between Highmark and MedExpress, and the financial commitments already made by the county, we can assure our residents that care will be there."
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Category: Announcements || By An Editor
Tube City Almanac has been on a short hiatus while I took care of some other minor things, such as earning money, sleeping, bathing, eating, etc.
Regular posting will resume shortly -- we have a report waiting, for instance, from Jen Sopko on the school board.
I would offer refunds, but very few people ever donate anything to The Almanac on a regular basis. For the rest of you cheap bastards frugal consumers who never chip in a nickel, refunds for this week will be handled by Tube City Omnimedia's Director of Customer Service, Mrs. Helen Waite. If you need a refund, go to Helen Waite.
I keed! I keed! This is a friendly reminder that we do take donations via PayPal, and that you can advertise on Tube City Almanac for as little as 50 cents per day. You can place an ad directly with me, or by going to Google AdWords.)
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Category: News || By Submitted Report
One jackpot-winning Cash 5 ticket worth nearly $539,000 from Saturday's drawing was sold at a Port Vue convenience store, a Pennsylvania Lottery spokeswoman announced today.
The ticket, which correctly matched all five numbers (3-6-9-15-16), was sold at the Uni-Mart on Romine Avenue, Lauren Piccolo said in a prepared statement. The ticket is worth a $538,650 jackpot, less 25 percent federal tax.
The retailer will receive a $5,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Lottery officials cannot confirm the identity of the winner until the prize is claimed and the ticket is validated. Cash 5 winners have one year from the drawing date to claim prizes.
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Category: Announcements || By Submitted Report
McKeesport city offices will be closed tomorrow for the Good Friday holiday, a spokesperson announced.
In addition, some county offices and departments also will be closed, according to a county spokesperson. This includes the Court of Common Pleas, the District Attorney's Office and the Department of Court Records. The Real Estate and Civil Division of the Sheriff's Office will be open, with all other divisions closed. Offices and departments reporting to the County Executive will be open.
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Category: News || By Jason Togyer
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Category: News || By Jason Togyer
City, county and state officials are still interested in building a regional courthouse in McKeesport, if they can find funding.
"It's not dead yet," said state Sen. Jim Brewster, McKeesport Democrat.
He and Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. said last week that the volume of court cases in the Mon Valley justifies construction of a facility for family and criminal court offices in the city.
"The Court of Common Pleas just opened an office for Family Division out in the South Hills, and the number of cases there is nowhere near what we have here in the Mon Valley," Zappala told the Almanac Thursday, following a press conference about an ongoing "crime suppression" effort in the city.
Located at 250 Mt. Lebanon Blvd., that Family Division branch office allows parties from communities such as Mt. Lebanon, Dormont, Upper St. Clair, Castle Shannon and neighboring municipalities to file certain complaints, attend hearings and conferences, and make payments.
In 2008, Zappala proposed creation of what he called the "McKeesport Regional Justice Center," a $35 million complex housing courtrooms and county offices. City officials also hoped to include a new public-safety building in the complex that would replace present police and fire facilities located in the former municipal building on Lysle Boulevard.
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Category: Announcements || By Submitted Reports
White Oak EMS, UPMC Health System and Team Educators for Child Safety will hold a free child safety seat inspection from 2 to 6 p.m. April 12 at White Oak EMS, corner of Lincoln Way and State Street in White Oak.
Pre-registration is necessary. Call (412) 885-0266.
. . .
Road Work on Route 837: A $1.1 million project to improve state Route 837 in Duquesne begins next Monday, weather permitting.
The city of Duquesne and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County are planning to widen the highway to add a northbound turning lane at Wylie Avenue. The drainage system and traffic signals also will be improved on a stretch of road between Camp Avenue and Center Street. Part of the road also will be repaved, a state spokesman said.
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Category: Announcements || By Submitted Report
Additional town-hall meetings are scheduled in Moon Township and Munhall to discuss the court-ordered tax reassessments of all properties in Allegheny County.
Today is the deadline for property owners to file formal appeals of their 2013, county spokesman Kevin Evanto said. Forms must be postmarked today April 2, or they may be taken to one of several collection points on Monday, including the Kane Regional Center at the corner of Ninth Avenue and Water Street, Downtown McKeesport, until 6 p.m.
County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and county Councilwoman Barbara Daly-Danko, Democrat of Regent Square, will host a town hall meeting at the Carnegie Library of Homestead, 510 E. 10th Ave., at 7 p.m. April 11 to assist property owners who have questions about their new property tax assessments.
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Category: Commentary/Editorial || By Jason Togyer
Today's sermon is by the Rev. S.S. Kresge, pastor of the Discount Temple of Troy, the church with the blue lights on the steeple, where all of your tithing is 25 percent off:
On Palm Sunday, Christians commemorate the day when, according to the Gospels, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, got up, and went into the temple to teach and pray.
Less than a week later, Jesus had been crucified, died and was buried, but the Bible tells us that on the third day, He rose again.
All of Western Civilization has its roots in these events of 2,000 years ago. But it only occurred after Jesus rode into Jerusalem on His donkey.
Let this be a lesson to each of us:
Whether you're in Jerusalem or McKeesport, nothing happens until you get up off of your ass.
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