Category: Events, News || By Staff and Wire Reports

'Merit Badge' Days at Penn State: Mon-Yough area Boy Scouts who need to earn several crucial merit badges can enroll in a one-day "Merit Badge University" at McKeesport's Penn State campus.

On two Saturdays --- Nov. 6 and Dec. 11 --- Greater Allegheny Campus will offer either half-day or all-day classes for scouts to earn 13 different merit badges in art, citizenship, crime prevention, emergency preparedness, engineering, fire safety, first aid, public speaking or other subjects.

Pre-registration and a $10 fee are required. The sessions are sponsored by Boy Scout Troop 338 of Whitehall and the Penn State Greater Allegheny's student-alumni "Lion Ambassadors."

For more information, call Rod Asberry at (412) 675-9010.

. . .

Route 51 Session Slated: State and federal officials will discuss plans to reconstruct a major access route for Mon Valley motorists.

The open house to explain the proposed reconstruction of the intersection of Route 51 and Route 88 is slated for 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at St. Norbert Church in Pittsburgh's Carrick neighborhood.

The state Department of Transportation has proposed a $10 million to $15 million reconstruction of the busy, congested intersection that would include realigning the streets and addition of a new bridge. The work, if approved, would begin in late 2012 and take two years to complete.

Plans, maps and details will be on display at Monday's meeting, a PennDOT spokesman says, and highway officials will be available to answer questions from the public.

According to PennDOT statistics, 32,000 to 52,000 vehicles use that section of Route 51 every day, and another 16,000 use that section of Route 88.

. . .

Consortium, Food Bank Seek Support: Two local charities are asking donors to support them during an upcoming "Day of Giving" sponsored by The Pittsburgh Foundation.

On Oct. 13, up to $500,000 in donations made through the website PittsburghGives.org will be equally matched by the foundation. Both the city-based Consortium for Public Education and Duquesne-based Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank are asking supporters to donate on those days.

The Pittsburgh Foundation's guaranteed match will be good for 24 hours. To make a donation, users will need a valid credit card, and will need to select the charity or charities they're supporting from a pull-down menu on the Day of Giving website.

Other local charities which can receive funding during the event include Auberle, the Carnegie Library of McKeesport and the McKeesport Symphony Society. Donations are tax-deductible for charitable purposes.

. . .

Urban Gardens Wanted: For the second year, Allegheny County is accepting applications from groups that need help creating community gardens on blighted or abandoned properties.

Through a program called "Allegheny Grows," the county last year offered start-up materials and technical and educational assistance to develop urban gardens in Elizabeth, Swissvale and three other boroughs, along with urban farms in McKees Rocks and Millvale.

The Millvale farm, which is tended by 15 volunteers and a group of Boy Scouts, is providing produce for a local farmers' market and the borough plans to expand to adjacent lots and develop an orchard. The McKees Rocks farm is donating produce to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

A county spokesman says the gardens are intended to offer community development and job training opportunities while reusing vacant lots. To participate, municipalities must be eligible to receive Community Development Block Grant funds.

Applications are due Nov. 18. For more information, call (412) 350-1198 or visit the county's website.

You are previewing your comment. Be sure to click on 'Post Comment' to store it.