Tube City Almanac

To Do This Weekend

2010-03-19T21:17:00-04:00

Soulful Saturday: The Boogie Hustlers play the Palisades at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Described by one correspondent as "modern R&B infused with Motown, Stax and Muscle Shoals flavors," the band formed in 2003 and is Pittsburgh based.

It features Sean Rig on vocals and lead guitar, Vince Wylie on vocals, Dave Jamison on drums, Ryan Meals on rhythm guitar, Scott Jamison on vocals and percussion, Kevin Barefoot on bass, Denny Karl on keyboards, Rick Matt on tenor sax and Reggie Watkins on trombone.

The opening act is Elizabeth's The Elevaters. Call (412) 678-3955 or visit the Boogie Hustlers' website.

. . .

MLT Holds Allen's 'Water': McKeesport Little Theater presents Woody Allen's "Don't Drink the Water" at 8 p.m. tonight and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

The 1966 play --- a Broadway hit later adapted for television and the screen --- tells the story of a family of hapless American tourists visiting a Communist country during the Cold War. When they accidentally wander into a restricted area, they're mistaken for spies and must flee to the American embassy.

Tickets are $15 or $7 for students. McKeesport Little Theater is located at the corner of Coursin and Bailie avenues, near Carnegie Library.

Call (412) 673-1100 or visit the website.

. . .

'Musical Postcard' Sunday: The McKeesport Symphony Pops presents "A Musical Postcard" at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the auditorium of McKeesport Area High School, 1960 Eden Park Blvd.

The concert will feature pianist Xiaoyuan Huang, winner of the Western Pennsylvania Steinway Society Competition, performing Beethoven's "Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 19 in Bb major," says Bruce Lauffer, music director and maestro. Also featured will be flutist Audrey Whartenby, winner of the McKeesport Symphony Young Artists Competition, who will perform the first movement of Mozart's "Flute Concerto in G Major."

Lauffer will conduct the program that also includes "London Suite" by Eric Coates, "Shepherd Song" (a traditional Chinese folk song) with viola soloist Warren Davidson, "The Moldau" by Smetana, and selections from the Broadway hit "Miss Saigon" and the film "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."

The concert will be recorded by Pittsburgh's WRCT-FM (88.3) for rebroadcast at a later date.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for senior citizens, and $8 for students, with children 6 and under free.

For more information, visit the website or call (412) 664-2854.

Cluttered Items from an Empty Mind

2010-03-19T20:51:00-04:00

(Or, "Letters from the Editor")

. . .

School Daze, School Daze: Visiting Propel McKeesport school this week, I was struck by what it doesn't have --- a fancy, ultra-modern building, for one thing. (Alert Reader Adam pointed out the same thing in the comments to that story.)

New buildings seem to be all the rage among Mon Valley school districts, yet Propel is getting by with what amounts to the old St. Mary Czestochowa elementary school, with an addition on one side.

Serra Catholic High School in Haler Heights is also getting by with a building largely the same as it's been since 1961.

You don't suppose that what goes on inside the building is more important?

. . .

And Another Thing: You know another thing Serra, Propel and other non-public schools don't have? School boards. And around here, the makeup of school boards seems to change every two years.

First, one faction gets a majority. Two years later, another faction comes into power. The first board appoints a superintendent; two years later, the new school directors fire him. Principals and assistant superintendents then get shuffled as well.

Now, it's true that Serra, Propel and other non-public schools are not a fair apples-to-apples comparison with public schools. Public school attendance is compulsory, meaning some children are there even though their parents don't care about their education.

In contrast, students who are at private schools have parents who at least are motivated enough about education to select a school.

But I have to wonder what effect the constant upheaval on Mon-Yough area public school boards has on leadership inside the schools.

. . .

And Finally: Serving on a school board in Pennsylvania requires no training whatsoever. Although dIstrict magistrates are also elected, they have to be certified through the state's Minor Judiciary Education Board.

In other words, Pennsylvania doesn't mandate standards for the people who are in charge of educating our children, but we do mandate training for the people who lock 'em up.

That's a good thing, because if Pennsylvania keeps turning out stupid kids, we're going to need a lot more magistrates.

. . .

The Silence was Deafening: Two weeks ago, McKeesport Mayor Jim Brewster offered what seems to me a pretty solid argument for revenue sharing of natural gas royalties.

The plan, written by Brewster with city Administrator Dennis Pittman and city Solicitor J. Jason Elash, is only a few pages. It's not complicated to understand.

Two state legislators are vowing to introduce it as a house bill. It could wind up being part of the 2010-11 budget negotiations, which would naturally lead to fireworks in Harrisburg.

Pat Cloonan of the Daily News covered it. The Almanac covered it.

And the Pittsburgh media ... ignored it. Wow. Color me shocked. Ditto for the Terry Lee event at the Palisades last month. If the Almanac and Cindy Shegan Keeley of the News hadn't been there, you'd have seen nothing.

But if someone had been shot on Jenny Lind Street that night, well, they'd have been all over that.

. . .

On the Other Hand: Or, it may just be that nobody cares about McKeesport, according to Mike Madison of Pittsblog. Ah, well, we can't all live in Caketown.

Next time the mayor wants to propose something like this, let's start a rumor that he's at Mardi Gras.

Then Virginia Montanez will write about it, which will enable Pittsburgh reporters to cover it, because let's face it, it ain't news unless they've read it someplace else first.

. . .

Tragedy Tomorrow, Comedy Tonight: The Daily News runs a lot of editorials from its parent newspaper, the Tribune-Review.

They're wonderful. Sometimes I enjoy reading them aloud in a voice like Pete Puma from the Warner Brothers cartoons. Other times, I read them in a voice like Mr. Potter's from It's a Wonderful Life.

Anyway, if you don't subscribe, I encourage you to get the Daily News, just for the editorial page.

They're running a survey right now to determine what comic strips to keep, and which ones to kill, but for my money, the real comedy's on page 6.

. . .

Come to Think of It: Say, you don't suppose those editorials are supposed to be taken seriously, do you?

Nation's Top Charter School? Survey Says It's in McKeesport

2010-03-17T21:42:00-04:00

The Propel McKeesport elementary charter school on Versailles Avenue has been named the best in the United States by a national rating organization, officials announced today.

The award from the group New Leaders for New Schools validates the philosophy of teachers and administrators, who stress a climate of mutual respect and "no excuses" for pupils and parents, says Tina Chekan, principal since 2005.

The facility, which started in the former St. Nicholas parochial school, Downtown, is offering kindergarten through eighth grade for the first time this year. It's now in the former St. Mary Czestochowa parochial school, which has been expanded.

Propel Superintendent Carol Wooten says the Pittsburgh-based non-profit is "absolutely thrilled" with the award.

"We have something truly valuable to contribute about how schools in struggling urban communities can do more for children," Wooten says. "We look forward to sharing our best practices with other schools in Western Pennsylvania and across the country."

. . .

Propel McKeesport was chosen the top school among 89 competing for the Effective Practice Incentive Community, or "EPIC," Gold Award from New Leaders, a New York City-based non-profit funded in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Last year, the city school was one of 21 receiving EPIC awards. The awards use the results of standardized reading and math tests to measure the impact of a school on students over a period of time.

During the most recent round of testing, 100 percent of Propel McKeesport fifth- and sixth-grade students scored "proficient" or "advanced" in math.

Propel McKeesport's fourth- through seventh-graders scored more than 71 percent "proficient" or "advanced" on standardized reading tests.

Nearly three-quarters are minority students and more than 85 percent are receiving free or reduced-cost student lunches because of their family income, says Anne D'Appolonia, Propel spokeswoman.

. . .

The charter school, which by state law is paid for by the local school boards whose students attend, draws about 55 percent of its pupils from McKeesport Area, 30 percent from Duquesne and the remainder from South Allegheny and other nearby school districts.

According to state Department of Education statistics, 73 percent of McKeesport Area School District fifth-graders, 77 percent of those at South Allegheny, and 19 percent at Duquesne scored "proficient" or "advanced" in math. The average across Pennsylvania is 73 percent.

Chekan, a graduate of Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., and the University of Pittsburgh, says Propel tries to instill a "climate of urgency" in its 385 pupils, constantly reinforcing the idea that academics are important --- and that only they and their parents can ensure that they get an education.

"Students are given ownership in many ways," she says, "it's first and foremost in their learning process. The fifth-graders have a saying: 'In order to be the best, they have to beat the best.'"

. . .

As a result, Chekan says, many students arrive for school more than a half-hour early in apparent eagerness to get started.

"I think when children enjoy coming to school, that makes a difference," she says. "I think we've truly established a positive culture in the building."

Although Propel McKeesport does offer extracurricular activities such as a musical, yearbook club and intramural sports teams, it stresses academics over athletics, she says.

Propel also demands that all parents or guardians meet with teachers regularly. If a parent misses two scheduled teacher conferences, Propel sends a school representative to the pupil's home instead.

. . .

Chekan acknowledges that at least some of Propel's success is due to the fact that parents have taken an active interest in the education process, and selected their children to attend. There is currently a 1,200-student waiting list for Propel McKeesport.

But Chekan argues that much of Propel's success comes from the ability of teachers to share best practices across all six of its schools in Allegheny County, which serve 1,700 students, mainly in the Mon Valley but also in the Coraopolis-McKees Rocks area.

The school year is slightly longer --- 190 days versus 180 days in most local districts --- and the day is slightly longer, too, running from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

"More important than the additional time is how you use the time," Chekan says. "I think Propel is proving that all children can achieve despite challenging circumstances."

Council Notes: Police Contract OK'd, Bridge Project Held Over

2010-03-16T13:51:00-04:00

City police will receive raises of three-and-a-half percent or better for the next five years under the terms of a new contract.

At this month's meeting, council by 7-0 vote ratified the deal with its unionized police officers, who are represented by Teamsters Local 205 in White Oak.

The contract, retroactive to Jan. 1, provides raises of 3.5 percent in each of the first three years, and 3.75 percent in the last two years, City Administrator Dennis Pittman said.

Those terms are identical to the agreement signed in December between the city and its unionized firefighters.

McKeesport police officers with at least three years' service make about $45,500 annually, according to the city's 2010 budget. New hires start at 80 percent of the base salary, or about $36,400.

. . .

Mansfield Bridge Talks Continue: The city, Glassport and Allegheny County remain at odds over the cost of rebuilding the W.D. Mansfield Memorial Bridge, one of 6,000 in Pennsylvania rated "structurally deficient" by state inspectors.

The 1,931-foot bridge over the Monongahela River connecting Dravosburg with Glassport and McKeesport is to be reconstructed at a cost of more than $30 million. Originally scheduled to begin last year, the work has now been moved to 2011, pending completion of work on the Rankin Bridge.

Although Allegheny County owns the Mansfield Bridge, a ruling from the state Public Utility Commission dating to its construction in the late 1940s calls on the city and Glassport to share the cost of reconstructing the ramps at the south end.

County and federal transportation officials have assessed the city's share at $141,576.

City officials argue that the ruling --- which concerned a series of railroad crossings that were eliminated during construction of the bridge and the widening of West Fifth Avenue --- is no longer enforceable.

The PUC has slated a meeting with local and county officials for March 24.

. . .

They Said It: A couple of public relations snafus involving Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl provided laughs for officials of the Tube City.

Ravenstahl was shellacked in the media for being at the Seven Springs ski resort during the snowstorm of Feb. 5 and 6.

A week later, Ravenstahl lashed out at reporters who questioned him about rumors that he secretly traveled to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, asking: "Do you want to know ... what kind of underwear I wear?"

At the council meeting on March 3, City Councilman Darryl Segina told Mayor Jim Brewster: "I'm glad to see you were in McKeesport during the snow storm, not at Seven Springs."

Replied Brewster: "Do you want to know what color underwear I had on?"

Valley Stays (Mainly) Dry as Rain Goes South

2010-03-14T09:53:00-04:00

Lighter than expected rain has apparently helped the Mon-Yough region dodge a major flood this weekend.

According to National Weather Service forecasters in Moon Township, a storm system predicted to dump heavy rain in West Virginia's Cheat River basin on Saturday tracked about 50 to 75 miles further south. The Cheat River is one of several tributaries that feed the Monongahela River.

At the same time, the Mon-Yough area --- which expected to receive up to two inches of rain Saturday --- received only a tenth of an inch in West Mifflin to a quarter of an inch in Westmoreland and Washington counties.

Other parts of Western Pennsylvania saw little or no rain.

The Youghiogheny River has put part of Gergely Riverfront Park, Downtown, and the adjoining McKees Point Marina under water, along with parts of the Boston Waterfront area in Elizabeth Township, officials say.

Flooding is also reported around Sutersville, where the Youghiogheny reached flood stage at about 2:30 a.m. today.

At 8 a.m., the Yough was at nearly 21 feet in Sutersville, or about a foot above flood stage. Water levels were expected to begin slowly falling this afternoon.

The Monongahela is expected to crest at Braddock at 2 p.m. today at 18.2 feet --- about four feet below flood stage, and about a foot below the point at which navigation on the river is suspended.

The Mon is a foot and a half below flood stage at Elizabeth, and two and a half feet below at Charleroi. Water levels continue rising at both locations, though forecasters predict they will begin going down in a few hours.

'Big Problems': Flooding Expected Tomorrow, Sunday

2010-03-12T18:57:00-04:00

A statement issued today by the National Weather Service is blunt.

If the region gets slammed with heavy rain over the next two days, it says, we've got "big problems."

The Mon-Yough area is eying its namesake rivers warily and preparing for either the usual spring floods --- or something much more dramatic.

Forecasters say the Youghiogheny and Monongahela will start overflowing their banks Saturday night, but the extent of the flooding will largely depend on the amount of rain received upstream.

. . .

Current predictions call for flooding that could force the evacuation of Harrison Village and Isbir Manor in the Third Ward, along with homes in nearby communities such as West Elizabeth and Sutersville.

Officials caution that things will get worse in a hurry if the region gets more rain than expected.

Snow representing between two and seven inches of rain has already melted and filled the creeks and streams that flow into the Yough and Mon, according to the NWS in Moon Township.

. . .

According to the NWS in Moon Township, Western Pennsylvania could get anywhere from a half-inch to two inches of rain tonight and tomorrow.

Severe thunderstorms are also possible Saturday.

That rain will swell rivers already running high as three to four feet of snow has melted this week. This morning, the Monongahela was at 16 feet in Elizabeth and 11 feet in Braddock. By this afternoon, it had gone up a foot.

Although the heaviest rain is expected to fall over central Pennsylvania, if it moves further west, forecasters say the effect could be catastrophic.

. . .

The Youghiogheny River is currently expected to crest at 1 a.m. Sunday in Connellsville and at 8 a.m. at Sutersville, which is 14 river miles from Downtown McKeesport.

At Sutersville, the river is expected to reach nearly three feet above flood stage --- which would reach some businesses and homes in the borough, along with the bike trail on the left bank of the Yough.

The Monongahela is expected to crest Sunday afternoon at four feet above flood stage in Charleroi, three feet above flood stage in Elizabeth, and two feet above flood stage at Braddock.

. . .

Those figures are just shy of what federal officials consider a "major flood."

When the Mon goes two feet above flood stage in Braddock, the Youghiogheny receives so-called "backwater" flooding, backing up into sewers along Market Street in Downtown McKeesport, and flowing into the community park and boat launch along the Yough under the Boston Bridge in Elizabeth Township.

At three feet above flood stage in Elizabeth, many homes in West Elizabeth along First and Water streets will start to take on water, federal officials said.

. . .

Local officials are worried about a repeat of the flood of January 1996, which came after warm temperatures and rain melted more than two feet of snow.

That flood put much of the lower Third Ward underwater, along with parts of Elizabeth and West Elizabeth, and Glenn Avenue in Port Vue. Route 837 was closed for several days between Clairton and Dravosburg.

Current conditions "are similar" to the conditions that created that flood, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which maintains the navigation channels and flood control dams on the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio rivers.

. . .

Meanwhile, the Army Corps last night released a statement to reassure residents that its flood control reservoirs are using only a fraction of their capacity.

The reservoirs have been steadily drained since February's heavy snows, officials said.

"We have an abundant amount of space to store water," said Werner Loehlein, water management chief for the Pittsburgh District. "We can adjust our operations as conditions dictate."

. . .

The Youghiogheny River reservoir currently has all of its flood storage capacity available, according to Army Corps data collected Friday morning. All other reservoirs in the Pittsburgh area were at less than a quarter of their flood storage capacity.

As a result, those reservoirs can capture more than 30 percent of both the stormwater runoff and melted snow, and release the water in a controlled manner after the threat of flooding has eased, Loehlein said.

That Mysterious Seer from the East (McKeesport)

2010-03-11T14:19:00-04:00

When state Rep. Bill Kortz, D-Dravosburg, withdrew his bid for the U.S. Senate, he acknowledged that a futile year-long statewide campaign could come back to haunt his campaign for a third state House term ...

Former West Mifflin and Allegheny County Councilman C.L. "Jay" Jabbour is ready to haunt him, filing along with Kortz for a third head-to-head battle for the Democratic nomination. (Patrick Cloonan, The Daily News)

"Even a child of four could discern that the filing had been hermetically sealed in a mayonnaise jar on Funk & Wagnalls' back porch since noon today ... "

Briefly Noted: Route 30 Closed Next Weekend

2010-03-12T17:00:00-04:00

(Update: PennDOT has rescheduled this work due to inclement weather. See below.)

North Versailles Township would be a good place to avoid next weekend --- at least in the vicinity of Wal-Mart and Great Valley Shopping Center.

A demolition project on U.S. Route 30 near East McKeesport will reroute that highway's traffic up Greensburg Pike and down Warren Drive, the short street that separates Wal-Mart from the shopping center.

About 22,000 vehicles use that stretch of Lincoln Highway during a typical weekday, according to state Department of Transportation statistics.

The detour begins at 8 p.m. Friday, March 19 and continues until 5 a.m. Monday, March 22, said Jim Struzzi, spokesman for PennDOT District 11. Signs will be posted to guide motorists through the detour:

Eastbound drivers will have to make a left turn at Wal-Mart onto Warren Drive, make a right turn onto Greensburg Pike, and then bear left onto the ramp to Route 30.

Westbound drivers will bear right onto the ramp for Greensburg Pike, make a left at Great Valley Shopping Center onto Warren Drive, and then make a right onto Route 30.

On March 19, crews will begin demolishing the aging steel bridge that connects Greensburg Pike to the eastbound lanes of Route 30. More construction work is set for the following weekend --- March 26 to 29 --- and the same detour will be in effect.

Highwood Avenue will remain open to local traffic.

PennDOT is replacing the old bridge at a cost of $4.5 million, Struzzi says. Other work will include new guide rails and drainage upgrades and will continue until this fall.

The general contractor is Gulisek Construction Co. of Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County.

. . .

Free Homebuying Workshop March 20: First-time homebuyers who need free advice on purchasing a house, shopping for a loan and other issues are invited to a workshop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 20.

The event will be held at the Mon Valley Initiative, 305 E. Eighth Ave. in Homestead, says Mike Mauer, MVI housing counselor. Free parking and a light breakfast and lunch are included.

Attendees can also get advice on budgeting to purchase a home, "closing" procedures and home maintenance, and learn how to qualify for mortgages that include down payment and closing cost assistance.

The event is targeted at people who have jobs and meet low-to-moderate income guidelines. To register, call Mauer at (412) 464-4000, ext. 4008.

Editor's Note: PennDOT announced March 12 that the closure of Route 30 scheduled for March 12 to 15 in the area of Greensburg Pike in North Versailles Township was canceled due to expected inclement weather. This story was updated March 12 to reflect the new information.