Worthy of All Yohogania 2008-07-03T15:11:09-04:00 admin http://www.tubecityonline.com/almanac/index.html tubecity-blog@skymagik.net tag:tubecityalmanac,2008:TubeCityAlmanac Pivot Copyright (c) 2008, Authors of Tube City Almanac 2008-07-03T11:10:00-04:00 2008-07-03T07:34:00-04:00 tag:tubecityalmanac,2008:TubeCityAlmanac.1033

City Administrator Dennis Pittman wrote a name on a slip of paper last night --- "Harvey" --- and passed it to Mayor Jim Brewster. As in the giant rabbit from the Pulitzer-winning play and the movie of the same name starring Jimmy Stewart. As in the "super rabbit" that City Controller Ray Malinchak says that Brewster will have to "pull out of his hat" to keep the city in the black this year. But if a six-foot-tall talking rabbit like "Harvey" was standing by, ready to help, he wasn't speaking up at last night's city council meeting. . . . A combination of rapidly rising fuel costs, unexpected expenses and revenue shortfalls has the city staring into a half-million-dollar hole this summer. As a result, Brewster said he has asked every department head to conserve resources and money. Police cars, for instance, are no longer to be left idling while not in motion. "We can't even pave some streets right now, because paving a street which used to cost four to five thousand dollars now costs $20,000," he said. "As employees leave, we're not replacing them, which is not a good thing." Besides escalating oil prices, the biggest unbudgeted expense this year is an unprecedented 83 percent increase in the health insurance premiums paid for about 80 city employees to Highmark, the region's Blue Cross/Blue Shield affiliate. The additional charge amounts to $620,000. Although the city is negotiating with another health insurance carrier, Brewster said premiums are still likely to go up as much as $300,000. . . . Revenues are off by $150,000 --- the amount the city expected to be paid by a cellular telephone company that wants to erect a tower at the old Union Avenue reservoir. The proposal was tabled when residents of the Seventh Ward expressed concerns about increased RF radiation the tower might generate; the mayor said last night he and council have asked for a report on the health effects of cell towers, and will have another meeting with residents to discuss the report before taking any action. Other unexpected expenses have included emergency repairs to a collapsed sewer main on Palm Street and to the roof of the former municipal building at 201 Lysle Blvd., now used by police and firefighters. . . . Brewster said last night he's "working" on several things in hopes of balancing the budget. City officials say they're very close to signing several tenants for the empty offices at 201 Lysle. And it's still possible that the cell phone tower will be erected on Union Avenue. "But if it phases in late enough in the year, we'll get maybe $10,000," Pittman said, "and the rest will be a receivable. That $140,000 a year from now won't pay any bills in December." The state's decision to allow the annual $52 occupation, or "emergency services," tax to be paid quarterly, rather than as a lump sum, will also hurt the city's cash flow in the fourth quarter, he said. . . . In Other Business: Plans to build a new regional courthouse in the Third Ward continue to progress, Brewster said. Last week, city and county public works employees cleared weeds and debris from the so-called Capco property along Walnut Street, where the courthouse is likely to be built. The lot holds a half-finished warehouse that was going to be used by the now-defunct Capco Construction Co. Capco was seized by federal investigators after authorities discovered its founder, Thomas Cousar, was diverting funds and material from U.S. government projects to his own businesses. The property on Walnut Street is now owned by the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County, which had underwritten a $400,000 loan to Capco. Brewster said he's been in steady contact with Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato and District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. "Once it's completed, 35 different communities will be coming to your city to our courthouse, which I think is a tremendous thing for McKeesport," he said. The mayor said he could not comment further on reports that the parent company of the Tribune-Review and Daily News was considering the city for the site of a $75 million printing plant. "I'm not at liberty to discuss it, but as we get more permission, we will disclose more details," Brewster said. "It's got great possibilities."

As in the giant rabbit from the Pulitzer-winning play and the movie of the same name starring Jimmy Stewart.

As in the "super rabbit" that City Controller Ray Malinchak says that Brewster will have to "pull out of his hat" to keep the city in the black this year.

But if a six-foot-tall talking rabbit like "Harvey" was standing by, ready to help, he wasn't speaking up at last night's city council meeting.

. . .

A combination of rapidly rising fuel costs, unexpected expenses and revenue shortfalls has the city staring into a half-million-dollar hole this summer.

As a result, Brewster said he has asked every department head to conserve resources and money. Police cars, for instance, are no longer to be left idling while not in motion.

"We can't even pave some streets right now, because paving a street which used to cost four to five thousand dollars now costs $20,000," he said. "As employees leave, we're not replacing them, which is not a good thing."

Besides escalating oil prices, the biggest unbudgeted expense this year is an unprecedented 83 percent increase in the health insurance premiums paid for about 80 city employees to Highmark, the region's Blue Cross/Blue Shield affiliate. The additional charge amounts to $620,000.

Although the city is negotiating with another health insurance carrier, Brewster said premiums are still likely to go up as much as $300,000.

. . .

Revenues are off by $150,000 --- the amount the city expected to be paid by a cellular telephone company that wants to erect a tower at the old Union Avenue reservoir.

The proposal was tabled when residents of the Seventh Ward expressed concerns about increased RF radiation the tower might generate; the mayor said last night he and council have asked for a report on the health effects of cell towers, and will have another meeting with residents to discuss the report before taking any action.

Other unexpected expenses have included emergency repairs to a collapsed sewer main on Palm Street and to the roof of the former municipal building at 201 Lysle Blvd., now used by police and firefighters.

. . .

Brewster said last night he's "working" on several things in hopes of balancing the budget. City officials say they're very close to signing several tenants for the empty offices at 201 Lysle.

And it's still possible that the cell phone tower will be erected on Union Avenue.

"But if it phases in late enough in the year, we'll get maybe $10,000," Pittman said, "and the rest will be a receivable. That $140,000 a year from now won't pay any bills in December."

The state's decision to allow the annual $52 occupation, or "emergency services," tax to be paid quarterly, rather than as a lump sum, will also hurt the city's cash flow in the fourth quarter, he said.

. . .

In Other Business: Plans to build a new regional courthouse in the Third Ward continue to progress, Brewster said.

Last week, city and county public works employees cleared weeds and debris from the so-called Capco property along Walnut Street, where the courthouse is likely to be built.

The lot holds a half-finished warehouse that was going to be used by the now-defunct Capco Construction Co.

Capco was seized by federal investigators after authorities discovered its founder, Thomas Cousar, was diverting funds and material from U.S. government projects to his own businesses.

The property on Walnut Street is now owned by the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County, which had underwritten a $400,000 loan to Capco.

Brewster said he's been in steady contact with Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato and District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr.

"Once it's completed, 35 different communities will be coming to your city to our courthouse, which I think is a tremendous thing for McKeesport," he said.

The mayor said he could not comment further on reports that the parent company of the Tribune-Review and Daily News was considering the city for the site of a $75 million printing plant.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss it, but as we get more permission, we will disclose more details," Brewster said. "It's got great possibilities." ]]> Jason 2008-07-02T15:12:00-04:00 2008-07-02T07:00:00-04:00 tag:tubecityalmanac,2008:TubeCityAlmanac.1030

That's not my "economic stimulus" check. It's worse. Much worse. It's the second year in a row that I've received a $1 check from the gubmint for overpaying my taxes. I may be the last person in the world who still does his own 1040 form, by hand, without help from a computer program. And for the third consecutive year, I've screwed it up. Three years ago, I got a cream-colored "FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY" envelope from the IRS and nearly soiled myself. I looked like Ralph Kramden. Did they find out about the statue with the clock in its stomach that I won at the Raccoon Lodge Christmas party? No, but I was being asked to submit a check for $6 to the IRS, because I had underpaid my taxes. Then, last year and this year, I got back $1 for overpaying. God is trying to tell me to have someone else do my income taxes next year. But look at it this way. H&R Block this year charged the average consumer more than $172 to prepare their taxes. TurboTax costs $45. Between the $6 extra I owed in 2006, and the $2 I got back this year and last year, I'm only down $4, instead of $45 or maybe $172. Maybe the money I'm saving should go into some remedial math classes, because clearly I need them. . . . Speaking of remedial math, state Rep. Jim Casorio, Democrat from Irwin, doesn't need any math help. Casorio can figure out that the $3.2 million that North Huntingdon's taxpayers cough up for police protection is a lot more than the $0 that neighboring Hempfield Township pays. In case you didn't realize it, Hempfield --- which has more residents than both North Huntingdon and McKeesport, more than Monroeville and White Oak combined --- doesn't have its own local police and doesn't spend a nickel for protection, except what all state residents pay in Pennsylvania taxes. According to the Penn State Data Center, there are only 20 communities in Pennsylvania that have a larger population than Hempfield. As for municipalities with more than 10,000 residents, only four occupy more square miles (76.6) than Hempfield. (It's even larger, by area, than Pittsburgh.) Yes, assuming you live in a community with a police department, you pay for the police needs of Hempfield's 41,000, mostly white, middle-class residents. That's why Casorio and state Rep. John Pallone of New Kensington have introduced legislation that would obligate communities with more than 10,000 residents to create their own local police forces, or pony up $100 per person to pay for state police protection. . . . Of course, Hempfield and Unity township officials can also do remedial math. And they're complaining that Casorio's proposal would put an unfair burden on their residents. "If the state finds a need that they need to increase the state police complement, then the state should of itself fairly find a way of supporting that, not penalizing some residents of the state of Pennsylvania or some municipalities of the state of Pennsylvania, and not others," Hempfield Supervisor Doug Weimer told the Tribune-Review. "Penalizing" them! Wow! These same officials attracted many of their new residents to their townships over the past 20 years by "keeping their taxes low." Well, sure, it's easy to keep taxes low when everyone else is subsidizing your costs. I found it interesting to learn that about 56 percent of Hempfield residents are registered Republicans. That means many of them also write letters to the Trib complaining loudly about welfare and Medicaid recipients who are "sponging" off the government. . . . I'd like to propose a compromise. Hempfield and Unity township can continue to get free police protection, but all cars registered in Hempfield and Unity will have to carry a bumper sticker that says "WELFARE RECIPIENT." And signs will be erected at the township borders that read, "HOME OF THE PARASITES." "Political analysts" are already predicting this bill won't go anywhere, because legislators who represent welfare capitals like Hempfield will be afraid to vote for it. But good for Casorio and Pallone for putting their cards on the table. As for Unity and Hempfield: What a bunch of whiny deadbeats. If you're so broke, I'll send you my $1 tax rebate. It's the least I can do ... and it's about all I'm willing to do.

That's not my "economic stimulus" check. It's worse. Much worse.

It's the second year in a row that I've received a $1 check from the gubmint for overpaying my taxes.

I may be the last person in the world who still does his own 1040 form, by hand, without help from a computer program.

And for the third consecutive year, I've screwed it up. Three years ago, I got a cream-colored "FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY" envelope from the IRS and nearly soiled myself. I looked like Ralph Kramden. Did they find out about the statue with the clock in its stomach that I won at the Raccoon Lodge Christmas party?

No, but I was being asked to submit a check for $6 to the IRS, because I had underpaid my taxes.

Then, last year and this year, I got back $1 for overpaying.

God is trying to tell me to have someone else do my income taxes next year.

But look at it this way. H&R Block this year charged the average consumer more than $172 to prepare their taxes. TurboTax costs $45.

Between the $6 extra I owed in 2006, and the $2 I got back this year and last year, I'm only down $4, instead of $45 or maybe $172.

Maybe the money I'm saving should go into some remedial math classes, because clearly I need them.

. . .

Speaking of remedial math, state Rep. Jim Casorio, Democrat from Irwin, doesn't need any math help.

Casorio can figure out that the $3.2 million that North Huntingdon's taxpayers cough up for police protection is a lot more than the $0 that neighboring Hempfield Township pays.

In case you didn't realize it, Hempfield --- which has more residents than both North Huntingdon and McKeesport, more than Monroeville and White Oak combined --- doesn't have its own local police and doesn't spend a nickel for protection, except what all state residents pay in Pennsylvania taxes.

According to the Penn State Data Center, there are only 20 communities in Pennsylvania that have a larger population than Hempfield.

As for municipalities with more than 10,000 residents, only four occupy more square miles (76.6) than Hempfield. (It's even larger, by area, than Pittsburgh.)

Yes, assuming you live in a community with a police department, you pay for the police needs of Hempfield's 41,000, mostly white, middle-class residents.

That's why Casorio and state Rep. John Pallone of New Kensington have introduced legislation that would obligate communities with more than 10,000 residents to create their own local police forces, or pony up $100 per person to pay for state police protection.

. . .

Of course, Hempfield and Unity township officials can also do remedial math. And they're complaining that Casorio's proposal would put an unfair burden on their residents.

"If the state finds a need that they need to increase the state police complement, then the state should of itself fairly find a way of supporting that, not penalizing some residents of the state of Pennsylvania or some municipalities of the state of Pennsylvania, and not others," Hempfield Supervisor Doug Weimer told the Tribune-Review.

"Penalizing" them! Wow!

These same officials attracted many of their new residents to their townships over the past 20 years by "keeping their taxes low."

Well, sure, it's easy to keep taxes low when everyone else is subsidizing your costs.

I found it interesting to learn that about 56 percent of Hempfield residents are registered Republicans.

That means many of them also write letters to the Trib complaining loudly about welfare and Medicaid recipients who are "sponging" off the government.

. . .

I'd like to propose a compromise. Hempfield and Unity township can continue to get free police protection, but all cars registered in Hempfield and Unity will have to carry a bumper sticker that says "WELFARE RECIPIENT."

And signs will be erected at the township borders that read, "HOME OF THE PARASITES."

"Political analysts" are already predicting this bill won't go anywhere, because legislators who represent welfare capitals like Hempfield will be afraid to vote for it.

But good for Casorio and Pallone for putting their cards on the table.

As for Unity and Hempfield: What a bunch of whiny deadbeats.

If you're so broke, I'll send you my $1 tax rebate. It's the least I can do ... and it's about all I'm willing to do. ]]> Jason 2008-07-01T12:40:00-04:00 2008-07-01T07:17:00-04:00 tag:tubecityalmanac,2008:TubeCityAlmanac.1032

If a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, maybe too much knowledge is even more dangerous, at least when it comes to the weather. Specifically, if you're talking about those computer-generated 3-D storm-tracking weather graphics that the three big Pittsburgh TV stations use. As some of you know, I work part-time in local radio at two different stations. Sunday afternoons usually find me "riding the board" in North Versailles. This past Sunday, I was working the day watch when the Emergency Alert System box squawked to life, printing out a little receipt that looked something like this: My reaction, needless to say, looked something like this: . . . Our station is better equipped than most, but we don't have a news department, so we don't have an AP wire machine, and Internet access is limited. My connections to the outside world on Sundays are confined to the telephone, a police scanner and an RCA ColorTrak TV that's 30 years old, if it's a day. Also, we run a fair amount of pre-recorded programming, which means I had to find a point to interrupt the ongoing show that wouldn't be too disruptive, and issue a warning that made some sense to the listener. So I broke into the program, issued the tornado warning, and turned on the police radio and the TV to see if I could get more information. Although the police radio was mercifully quiet, the coverage on the tube strongly suggested that I should get my affairs in order, particularly the reports on KDKA-TV, which offers something called "VIPIR" weather. . . . VIPIR weather systems, according to the company that sells them, "automatically (track) the most dangerous storms at neighborhood-level" and offer images detailed down to two feet. That enabled KDKA to start tracking the path of the "tornado cell," which (according to the station's full-color digital map) passed through the intersection of Richland Avenue, Pittsburgh-McKeesport Boulevard and Bettis Road. Since my house is on the hill next to Bettis Lab, this was a bit of unpleasant news. Continuing east, KDKA reported with an alarming level of precision, the "cell" (painted in an angry purple color, like a bruise) would arrive in North Versailles at 5:50 p.m. "In fact," the meteorologist said, "VIPIR shows it passing directly over the Pittsburgh Plaza East Shopping Center." . . . Pittsburgh Plaza East is the shopping center that's home to the Destinta Theater, and the radio station is close enough to see the shopping carts in the parking lot of the Giant Eagle next door. Except that the radio station is higher than the shopping center. So, if there really was a tornado on the way, and KDKA's pinpoint VIPIR weather was correct, I had picked exactly the wrong places to 1.) buy a house, and 2.) work. At the bottom of the hour, I interrupted the current programming again to repeat the tornado warning. Luckily, the quiver in my voice drowned out the sound of my knees knocking. . . . Well, the wind howled, and the rain came down in sheets, but we survived otherwise unscathed. Twenty minutes later, the rain had stopped, and I went down the hill for a cup of coffee. A group of tornado-chasers was pulling out of the parking lot --- they told the clerk that they heard a tornado had hit McKeesport, and they were disappointed because they hadn't seen anything. I almost felt sorry that they had wasted a trip. Hey, maybe we'll do better next time. . . . When you take basic math and statistics classes in high school and college, you're warned against "false precision." "False precision" practically defines TV weather, which now offers "neighborhood forecasts" that confidently report the high temperature tomorrow in Library will be 78, while the high in Glassport will be 79. Really? What if it's 78 in Glassport and 79 in Library? Do we get a refund? Isn't it enough to say --- like the National Weather Service does --- that highs will be "in the upper 70s"? . . . I'm guessing no one at KDKA-TV took math and statistics, or else they skipped those courses in favor of "Introduction to Teeth-Whitening," because they love false precision. At several times on Sunday, they also issued VIPIR weather warnings for the McKeesport-area communities of "Otto" and "Port Perry." You surely know where Otto and Port Perry are, right? No? Well, "Otto" is a tiny borough near the present-day Mansfield Bridge that merged into Glassport in 1902, while "Port Perry" is an abandoned section of North Versailles. . . . No, I'm not making that up: KDKA was calmly reporting that the "storm cell" would pass through "Otto" and "Port Perry." I'm betting that no one lives in Port Perry except raccoons and squirrels, and that no one who lives in Otto knows that they live in Otto. Apparently, VIPIR's data is a bit old, or else it doesn't distinguish between mere points on the map and actual incorporated communities. It's too much to hope that some human at KDKA would look at VIPIR's output and say, "Hmm. I never heard of 'Otto' and 'Port Perry,' might as well leave those out." . . . As for me, I think I'll go back to getting my weather from the Old Farmer's Almanac. Their weather maps aren't in color, they don't come with flashing alarms and warnings, and best of all, they're a lot less precise. Besides, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the moon is favorable in McKeesport this week for planting turnips and broccoli, and I'll bet VIPIR doesn't know that. Unfortunately, I'm not sure about planting conditions in Otto and Port Perry. You'll have to work those out on your own.

Specifically, if you're talking about those computer-generated 3-D storm-tracking weather graphics that the three big Pittsburgh TV stations use.

As some of you know, I work part-time in local radio at two different stations. Sunday afternoons usually find me "riding the board" in North Versailles.

This past Sunday, I was working the day watch when the Emergency Alert System box squawked to life, printing out a little receipt that looked something like this:

My reaction, needless to say, looked something like this:

. . .

Our station is better equipped than most, but we don't have a news department, so we don't have an AP wire machine, and Internet access is limited. My connections to the outside world on Sundays are confined to the telephone, a police scanner and an RCA ColorTrak TV that's 30 years old, if it's a day.

Also, we run a fair amount of pre-recorded programming, which means I had to find a point to interrupt the ongoing show that wouldn't be too disruptive, and issue a warning that made some sense to the listener.

So I broke into the program, issued the tornado warning, and turned on the police radio and the TV to see if I could get more information.

Although the police radio was mercifully quiet, the coverage on the tube strongly suggested that I should get my affairs in order, particularly the reports on KDKA-TV, which offers something called "VIPIR" weather.

. . .

VIPIR weather systems, according to the company that sells them, "automatically (track) the most dangerous storms at neighborhood-level" and offer images detailed down to two feet.

That enabled KDKA to start tracking the path of the "tornado cell," which (according to the station's full-color digital map) passed through the intersection of Richland Avenue, Pittsburgh-McKeesport Boulevard and Bettis Road.

Since my house is on the hill next to Bettis Lab, this was a bit of unpleasant news.

Continuing east, KDKA reported with an alarming level of precision, the "cell" (painted in an angry purple color, like a bruise) would arrive in North Versailles at 5:50 p.m.

"In fact," the meteorologist said, "VIPIR shows it passing directly over the Pittsburgh Plaza East Shopping Center."

. . .

Pittsburgh Plaza East is the shopping center that's home to the Destinta Theater, and the radio station is close enough to see the shopping carts in the parking lot of the Giant Eagle next door.

Except that the radio station is higher than the shopping center.

So, if there really was a tornado on the way, and KDKA's pinpoint VIPIR weather was correct, I had picked exactly the wrong places to 1.) buy a house, and 2.) work.

At the bottom of the hour, I interrupted the current programming again to repeat the tornado warning. Luckily, the quiver in my voice drowned out the sound of my knees knocking.

. . .

Well, the wind howled, and the rain came down in sheets, but we survived otherwise unscathed. Twenty minutes later, the rain had stopped, and I went down the hill for a cup of coffee.

A group of tornado-chasers was pulling out of the parking lot --- they told the clerk that they heard a tornado had hit McKeesport, and they were disappointed because they hadn't seen anything.

I almost felt sorry that they had wasted a trip. Hey, maybe we'll do better next time.

. . .

When you take basic math and statistics classes in high school and college, you're warned against "false precision."

"False precision" practically defines TV weather, which now offers "neighborhood forecasts" that confidently report the high temperature tomorrow in Library will be 78, while the high in Glassport will be 79.

Really? What if it's 78 in Glassport and 79 in Library? Do we get a refund? Isn't it enough to say --- like the National Weather Service does --- that highs will be "in the upper 70s"?

. . .

I'm guessing no one at KDKA-TV took math and statistics, or else they skipped those courses in favor of "Introduction to Teeth-Whitening," because they love false precision.

At several times on Sunday, they also issued VIPIR weather warnings for the McKeesport-area communities of "Otto" and "Port Perry."

You surely know where Otto and Port Perry are, right? No?

Well, "Otto" is a tiny borough near the present-day Mansfield Bridge that merged into Glassport in 1902, while "Port Perry" is an abandoned section of North Versailles.

. . .

No, I'm not making that up: KDKA was calmly reporting that the "storm cell" would pass through "Otto" and "Port Perry." I'm betting that no one lives in Port Perry except raccoons and squirrels, and that no one who lives in Otto knows that they live in Otto.

Apparently, VIPIR's data is a bit old, or else it doesn't distinguish between mere points on the map and actual incorporated communities.

It's too much to hope that some human at KDKA would look at VIPIR's output and say, "Hmm. I never heard of 'Otto' and 'Port Perry,' might as well leave those out."

. . .

As for me, I think I'll go back to getting my weather from the Old Farmer's Almanac.

Their weather maps aren't in color, they don't come with flashing alarms and warnings, and best of all, they're a lot less precise.

Besides, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the moon is favorable in McKeesport this week for planting turnips and broccoli, and I'll bet VIPIR doesn't know that.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure about planting conditions in Otto and Port Perry. You'll have to work those out on your own. ]]> Jason 2008-07-01T09:59:00-04:00 2008-06-29T22:31:00-04:00 tag:tubecityalmanac,2008:TubeCityAlmanac.1031

]]> Jason 2008-06-27T14:20:00-04:00 2008-06-27T07:07:00-04:00 tag:tubecityalmanac,2008:TubeCityAlmanac.1028

I wasn't able to attend this week's hearing on the city's proposal to demolish several buildings --- including the Penn-McKee Hotel and the old Eagles lodge --- but from talking to witnesses, it sounds like things were pretty contentious regarding the latter building. My sources tell the Almanac that Henry Russell Jr. of MHI Inc., the listed owner of the Eagles since 1991, and city solicitor Jason Elash exchanged sharp words over the building's condition. Maryann Huk of the McKeesport Preservation Society reportedly testified that she has nominated both structures for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, but no property owner testified on behalf of the Penn-McKee. Meanwhile, someone recently accused me of being "unsympathetic" to preservation efforts in the city. If you've been reading the Almanac for a while, you know that I am absolutely unsympathetic to anyone who wants to preserve McKeesport history. I also foreclose on orphanages and tie widows to train tracks while twirling the ends of my mustache and cackling. No, gentle reader, I am not unsympathetic, but I'm also not an idiot. Everyone wants to preserve the Hitzrot house and the Penn-McKee, but none of the responsible parties have made any tangible moves. City council still has to vote on whether to demolish these buildings, possibly at its meeting next Wednesday. Then the contracts will have to go to bid. That means that the clock is running, but time hasn't run out. If the people who want to save these structures are serious, they will immediately start raising money, hire engineering and legal help, and apply for the appropriate permits. Or, they will turn the buildings over to someone who can afford to save them, and who is willing to jump through the proper legal hoops. But if they fail to act, and the buildings fall down or are demolished, they will have no one to blame but themselves. . . . Meanwhile: The Italian millionaire who owns St. Stephen's Hungarian Church on Beacon Street is in jail. As the Almanac reported last July, St. Stephen's and several other Catholic churches in the Diocese of Pittsburgh were sold to a company controlled by Raffaello Follieri, a playboy whose family has close ties to the Vatican. Well, federal officials in New York arrested Follieri on Tuesday and charged him with fraud and money laundering. In other words, another historic building in McKeesport is apparently owned by someone with no means of repairing or marketing it. That's just swell. How long before St. Stephen's falls into disrepair, and the city starts making plans to demolish it? I say two years. . . . To Do This Weekend: Amateur radio operators from around the world will participating in annual "Field Day" exercises, including members of the city's Two Rivers Amateur Radio Club. They'll be up along Carpenter Lane in White Oak Park, near the water tower. McKees Point Marina, Water Street at Fifth Avenue, will host a free concert by the classic rock/country group Steeltown from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday. All ages are welcome; organizers recommend bringing a blanket or lawn chair. Call (412) 678-6979 for more information. Chuck Blasko's Vogues will perform at the Renziehausen Park bandshell at 7 p.m. Sunday as part of the city's free summer concert series. Call (412) 675-5068. Finally, Animal Friends hosts a rabies clinic for dogs and cats three months of age and older at city Fire Station No. 2, Eden Park Boulevard, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday. Cost is $10; all dogs must be on leashes, and cats in carriers. Call (412) 847-7076.

My sources tell the Almanac that Henry Russell Jr. of MHI Inc., the listed owner of the Eagles since 1991, and city solicitor Jason Elash exchanged sharp words over the building's condition.

Maryann Huk of the McKeesport Preservation Society reportedly testified that she has nominated both structures for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, but no property owner testified on behalf of the Penn-McKee.

Meanwhile, someone recently accused me of being "unsympathetic" to preservation efforts in the city.

If you've been reading the Almanac for a while, you know that I am absolutely unsympathetic to anyone who wants to preserve McKeesport history. I also foreclose on orphanages and tie widows to train tracks while twirling the ends of my mustache and cackling.

No, gentle reader, I am not unsympathetic, but I'm also not an idiot. Everyone wants to preserve the Hitzrot house and the Penn-McKee, but none of the responsible parties have made any tangible moves.

City council still has to vote on whether to demolish these buildings, possibly at its meeting next Wednesday. Then the contracts will have to go to bid.

That means that the clock is running, but time hasn't run out.

If the people who want to save these structures are serious, they will immediately start raising money, hire engineering and legal help, and apply for the appropriate permits.

Or, they will turn the buildings over to someone who can afford to save them, and who is willing to jump through the proper legal hoops.

But if they fail to act, and the buildings fall down or are demolished, they will have no one to blame but themselves.

. . .

Meanwhile: The Italian millionaire who owns St. Stephen's Hungarian Church on Beacon Street is in jail.

As the Almanac reported last July, St. Stephen's and several other Catholic churches in the Diocese of Pittsburgh were sold to a company controlled by Raffaello Follieri, a playboy whose family has close ties to the Vatican.

Well, federal officials in New York arrested Follieri on Tuesday and charged him with fraud and money laundering.

In other words, another historic building in McKeesport is apparently owned by someone with no means of repairing or marketing it.

That's just swell.

How long before St. Stephen's falls into disrepair, and the city starts making plans to demolish it? I say two years.

. . .

To Do This Weekend: Amateur radio operators from around the world will participating in annual "Field Day" exercises, including members of the city's Two Rivers Amateur Radio Club. They'll be up along Carpenter Lane in White Oak Park, near the water tower.

McKees Point Marina, Water Street at Fifth Avenue, will host a free concert by the classic rock/country group Steeltown from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday. All ages are welcome; organizers recommend bringing a blanket or lawn chair. Call (412) 678-6979 for more information.

Chuck Blasko's Vogues will perform at the Renziehausen Park bandshell at 7 p.m. Sunday as part of the city's free summer concert series. Call (412) 675-5068.

Finally, Animal Friends hosts a rabies clinic for dogs and cats three months of age and older at city Fire Station No. 2, Eden Park Boulevard, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday. Cost is $10; all dogs must be on leashes, and cats in carriers. Call (412) 847-7076. ]]> Jason 2008-06-26T16:06:00-04:00 2008-06-26T00:00:00-04:00 tag:tubecityalmanac,2008:TubeCityAlmanac.1027

When you read a non-fiction book, do you ever wonder who has to compile the index? I sure wondered. It turns out that it's usually the author, and he has about a week to do it. And there may be easier ways to do it, but a scratch pad and pencils worked for me. (Yawn.) I need a nap.

When you read a non-fiction book, do you ever wonder who has to compile the index?

I sure wondered. It turns out that it's usually the author, and he has about a week to do it.

And there may be easier ways to do it, but a scratch pad and pencils worked for me.

(Yawn.) I need a nap. ]]> Jason 2008-06-25T09:36:00-04:00 2008-06-25T07:49:00-04:00 tag:tubecityalmanac,2008:TubeCityAlmanac.1026

A New York City couple making their first venture into commercial real estate has purchased one of the city's best-known landmarks. Lin and Lily Lum of Brooklyn have purchased the former People's Union Bank Building, Downtown, from the mortgage company that foreclosed on the property earlier this year. Terms of the sale were not disclosed, though the 102-year-old skyscraper now known as The People's Building was expected to sell for more than $400,000. The Lums, who both hold engineering degrees from SUNY-Stony Brook, also own two brownstone townhouses in Brooklyn, according to New York City deed records. But this is the couple's first foray into owning a commercial property, and their first purchase outside of New York. Naturalized U.S. citizens, the Lums are natives of Guangdong (formerly Canton) province, China. Lily Lum works for New York City's Health & Hospitals Corporation, while Lin Lum is a computer programmer for a major investment bank. Reached by phone at her New York office this week, Lily Lum told the Almanac she and her husband were looking for an investment opportunity when they saw the People's Building listed on the Internet. "We didn't know anything about the building," she said. "It was a surprise. It had a wonderful history. We liked the history of it." For most of its history, the building's upper floors were home to doctors, lawyers and other professionals. The Lums would like to attract the same kind of tenants; Lily Lum said she doesn't want to rent the building to just anyone. The local property manager hired by the mortgage company has been retained and will stay on-site, Lum said. It's not the first building Downtown to be sold to an East Coast investor. The building at 224 Fifth Ave. that once housed Byer's Children's Shop and Gala Jewelers was purchased several years ago by a Connecticut man. Lum said the couple's first tasks will be to repair the damaged sidewalk along Walnut Street, wash the exterior of the first and second floors, repair the hot and cold water systems inside, and improve air circulation in the mezzanine and old banking hall. "We are also looking to see if the city can help us --- if there's any way we can cooperate" to find tenants, she said. "Some of the people have already come to talk to us." --- Potential tenants interested in renting space in the People's Building should contact Lily Lum at (646) 296-5347, or lum.lily@nychhc.org.

A New York City couple making their first venture into commercial real estate has purchased one of the city's best-known landmarks.

Lin and Lily Lum of Brooklyn have purchased the former People's Union Bank Building, Downtown, from the mortgage company that foreclosed on the property earlier this year.

Terms of the sale were not disclosed, though the 102-year-old skyscraper now known as The People's Building was expected to sell for more than $400,000.

The Lums, who both hold engineering degrees from SUNY-Stony Brook, also own two brownstone townhouses in Brooklyn, according to New York City deed records.

But this is the couple's first foray into owning a commercial property, and their first purchase outside of New York.

Naturalized U.S. citizens, the Lums are natives of Guangdong (formerly Canton) province, China. Lily Lum works for New York City's Health & Hospitals Corporation, while Lin Lum is a computer programmer for a major investment bank.

Reached by phone at her New York office this week, Lily Lum told the Almanac she and her husband were looking for an investment opportunity when they saw the People's Building listed on the Internet.

"We didn't know anything about the building," she said. "It was a surprise. It had a wonderful history. We liked the history of it."

For most of its history, the building's upper floors were home to doctors, lawyers and other professionals. The Lums would like to attract the same kind of tenants; Lily Lum said she doesn't want to rent the building to just anyone.

The local property manager hired by the mortgage company has been retained and will stay on-site, Lum said.

It's not the first building Downtown to be sold to an East Coast investor. The building at 224 Fifth Ave. that once housed Byer's Children's Shop and Gala Jewelers was purchased several years ago by a Connecticut man.

Lum said the couple's first tasks will be to repair the damaged sidewalk along Walnut Street, wash the exterior of the first and second floors, repair the hot and cold water systems inside, and improve air circulation in the mezzanine and old banking hall.

"We are also looking to see if the city can help us --- if there's any way we can cooperate" to find tenants, she said. "Some of the people have already come to talk to us."

---
Potential tenants interested in renting space in the People's Building should contact Lily Lum at (646) 296-5347, or lum.lily@nychhc.org. ]]> Jason 2008-06-24T13:39:00-04:00 2008-06-24T07:10:00-04:00 tag:tubecityalmanac,2008:TubeCityAlmanac.1025

It's about time that Downtown finally got its own lighthouse. Too many ocean liners have foundered on the shoals of the Youghiogheny. Next, someone needs to stop those sirens in Dravosburg from luring sailors to their deaths. I keed, I keed. Actually, the lighthouse, funded by private donations, was erected at the McKees Point Marina on Water Street in memory of the late city councilman and Mayor Joe Bendel. Bendel was among the people who had the vision and foresight to push for the marina's construction, over strenuous objections from some residents and political rivals. The lighthouse is a little bit incongruous, to be sure --- what's next, lobster traps? --- but it sure does look neat. It's odd to think that the marina was a controversial idea. There were many people who objected on principle --- they thought any recreational opportunities should be handled by the private sector. That's true enough, except that no one in the private sector was doing anything to develop the city's riverfront. There was a bigger group of people who objected on the grounds that it was a waste of time. "McKeesport's dead," they said. "Who would want to come to here?" It was the same group of bellyachers who sits around complaining because there's no place to shop Downtown, but who never shopped Downtown when stores were open, or who complain about corruption, crime and taxes, but haven't lived in the Mon Valley since the Jakomas administration. Marina Manager Ray Dougherty told city council in May that just about everyone who had a slip in McKeesport last year has returned this year. (Although someone jokingly said to me the other day that even if they put their boat in the water, they might just have to sit at the dock, because they can't afford fuel.) The answer to the question, "Who wants to come to McKeesport?" turns out to be "a lot of people," if you give them something worth coming for, if you behave professionally, and if you promote the city. In general, the Mon Valley could use more "do'ers" who are planning for the future, and fewer "complainers" who talk about all of the things we've lost, but never try anything new. I don't have a boat myself, but ain't that a pretty sight? If you sort of squint and block out the abandoned Penn-McKee Hotel, you could imagine you're up in the Allegheny National Forest, not in Downtown McKeesport. And now for the ugly. Here comes the sun on Fifth Avenue, and the pigeons of McKeesport and winos drinking MD 20/20 out of paper bags both need a new place to sit. So, farewell, then, to the remnants of one of the Mon Valley's worst-ever public works projects ... and that's saying a lot. The concrete arches of the old Midtown Plaza Mall parking garage are finally down, and Fifth Avenue will be restored to two-way traffic later this year. Now, it's up to developer Barry Stein to rehabilitate the remaining section of the mall, rechristened the "Boulevard Shops," as in "Lysle." There's been little progress since Subway, Jackson Hewitt, Pizza Hut and Dollar Bank relocated, but I'm told the ugly arches discouraged potential tenants, and I'm taking Stein at his word that everything else will get a makeover soon, too. If it inspires some other property owners Downtown to remodel and market their buildings, it's all for the better. It doesn't help, by the way, that every reporter who comes to the city feels it's necessary to mention that the Downtown area is "economically devastated" and "mostly abandoned." (Gee, thanks, Moriah Balingit. We hadn't noticed. By the way, you left out "hardscrabble.") No, we don't need a lighthouse as a warning beacon for boaters. We need it to attract more "do'ers" and fewer doubters. "Yes, we can," isn't just the motto of a political candidate, after all.

It's about time that Downtown finally got its own lighthouse. Too many ocean liners have foundered on the shoals of the Youghiogheny.

Next, someone needs to stop those sirens in Dravosburg from luring sailors to their deaths.

I keed, I keed. Actually, the lighthouse, funded by private donations, was erected at the McKees Point Marina on Water Street in memory of the late city councilman and Mayor Joe Bendel.

Bendel was among the people who had the vision and foresight to push for the marina's construction, over strenuous objections from some residents and political rivals.

The lighthouse is a little bit incongruous, to be sure --- what's next, lobster traps? --- but it sure does look neat.

It's odd to think that the marina was a controversial idea. There were many people who objected on principle --- they thought any recreational opportunities should be handled by the private sector.

That's true enough, except that no one in the private sector was doing anything to develop the city's riverfront.

There was a bigger group of people who objected on the grounds that it was a waste of time.

"McKeesport's dead," they said. "Who would want to come to here?"

It was the same group of bellyachers who sits around complaining because there's no place to shop Downtown, but who never shopped Downtown when stores were open, or who complain about corruption, crime and taxes, but haven't lived in the Mon Valley since the Jakomas administration.

Marina Manager Ray Dougherty told city council in May that just about everyone who had a slip in McKeesport last year has returned this year. (Although someone jokingly said to me the other day that even if they put their boat in the water, they might just have to sit at the dock, because they can't afford fuel.)

The answer to the question, "Who wants to come to McKeesport?" turns out to be "a lot of people," if you give them something worth coming for, if you behave professionally, and if you promote the city.

In general, the Mon Valley could use more "do'ers" who are planning for the future, and fewer "complainers" who talk about all of the things we've lost, but never try anything new.

I don't have a boat myself, but ain't that a pretty sight?

If you sort of squint and block out the abandoned Penn-McKee Hotel, you could imagine you're up in the Allegheny National Forest, not in Downtown McKeesport.

And now for the ugly.

Here comes the sun on Fifth Avenue, and the pigeons of McKeesport and winos drinking MD 20/20 out of paper bags both need a new place to sit.

So, farewell, then, to the remnants of one of the Mon Valley's worst-ever public works projects ... and that's saying a lot.

The concrete arches of the old Midtown Plaza Mall parking garage are finally down, and Fifth Avenue will be restored to two-way traffic later this year.

Now, it's up to developer Barry Stein to rehabilitate the remaining section of the mall, rechristened the "Boulevard Shops," as in "Lysle."

There's been little progress since Subway, Jackson Hewitt, Pizza Hut and Dollar Bank relocated, but I'm told the ugly arches discouraged potential tenants, and I'm taking Stein at his word that everything else will get a makeover soon, too.

If it inspires some other property owners Downtown to remodel and market their buildings, it's all for the better.

It doesn't help, by the way, that every reporter who comes to the city feels it's necessary to mention that the Downtown area is "economically devastated" and "mostly abandoned."

(Gee, thanks, Moriah Balingit. We hadn't noticed. By the way, you left out "hardscrabble.")

No, we don't need a lighthouse as a warning beacon for boaters.

We need it to attract more "do'ers" and fewer doubters.

"Yes, we can," isn't just the motto of a political candidate, after all. ]]> Jason