Category: News || By Staff and Wire Reports

Penn State's poet laureate will come to the city Sept. 29 for a poetry reading at the university's Greater Allegheny Campus.

Robin Becker, a professor of English and women's studies at the university, is a Philadelphia native who has published seven books of poetry, including most recently Domain of Perfect Affection (University of Pittsburgh Press), and her work has been featured on National Public Radio and in a variety of newspapers and literary magazines.

She is a contributing editor to Ploughshares magazine and The Women's Review of Books.

Her work has been honored by the Mary Bunting Institute of Radcliffe College, the Massachusetts Artists Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, and her collection All-American Girl in 1996 won the Lambda Literary Award for poetry exploring lesbian and gay themes.

A graduate of Boston University, Becker has cited her Ukrainian grandmother as a major influence on her early storytelling style, along with such poets and authors as Adrienne Rich, Audre Lorde, Maxine Kumin, Denise Levertov and Susan Griffin. Her poetry, Becker has said, is designed to engage listeners "in the deep pleasures of poetry -- language crafted and shaped from words, the 'ordinary' material we all use every day."

The event, which is free and open to the public, starts at 7 p.m. in the Ostermayer Room of the Student Community Center.

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MHS Class of '61 Reunion Committee to Meet: Members of the McKeesport High School Class of 1961 --- the last to graduate from the former "Tech High" on Cornell Street --- are looking for classmates interested in planning the 50th reunion.

The reunion is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 20, 2011 at Stratigos Banquet Centre in North Huntingdon Township.

People interested in helping should contact Judy Brennan Joyce at (412) 751-0268.

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Rankin Bridge Down to One Lane Friday Night: Rankin Bridge will be restricted to a single alternating lane of traffic beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, an Allegheny County spokesman announced.

The restrictions run through Saturday morning and are part of the ongoing reconstruction of the bridge deck.

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West Mifflin Honor Guard: The honor guard of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 914 "Intrepid" in West Mifflin carries the colors Saturday during the borough's parade near the Allegheny County Airport on Community Day.

From left are VFW 914 members David Luikart, a Vietnam veteran; Post Commander Charles Krebs, a Vietnam veteran; Jay Jabbour, a Korean War veteran; and Kenneth J. Curcio, Persian Gulf War veteran.

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Women, Minority Business Open House Slated: Women and minority business owners are invited to an open house next Wednesday night to learn about regional entrepreneurship opportunities.

The open house is set for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on the 31st floor of the Regional Enterprise Tower, 425 Sixth Ave., Pittsburgh and is hosted by the county's Department of Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise.

Discussion topics will include business opportunities in energy auditing and Marcellus shale gas drilling.

"We work to ensure that minority-owned, women-owned, and disadvantaged businesses have the best opportunity to obtain and perform contracts," said Ruth Byrd-Smith, the department's director. "Our open house is the perfect chance for these business owners and their employees to network with Allegheny County departments and other local businesses, as well as to learn about the newest business and contract opportunities."

Registration is requested. Call (412) 350-4309 or e-mail rsvp-mbe@alleghenycounty.us.

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