(News)

Do you have treasure hiding in your attic? Bring your antiques and collectibles to the McKeesport Heritage Center this Saturday for a professional appraisal of their potential value.

For $5 per item, appraiser Jeff Poole will appraise all types of antiques, from furniture to photos and everything in between. Michelle Wardle-Eggers, executive director of the center, says items will be assessed on a first-come, first-served basis. Appraisals begin at 11 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m.

The fee is per item, she says --- a complete set of baseball cards, for instance, would count as one item, but three cards from different sets or eras would be appraised as three separate items. Likewise, a table and matching chairs would count as one item, but two dissimilar chairs count as different items.

All proceeds benefit McKeesport Heritage Center and the fundraiser is being organized by center volunteers. The center is located at 1832 Arboretum Drive, Renziehausen Park. Call (412) 678-1832 or visit the website for more information.

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'Run and Fun' Saturday: The American Cancer Society will hold its 10th annual Renziehausen Park five-kilometer run and one-mile walk on Saturday. (The run may cause some traffic delays for patrons attending the antiques appraisal at the Heritage Center, but we are informed that Arboretum Drive will be re-opened before 11.)

Registration begins at 7:45 a.m. at the "blue top" Jakomas Pavilion and the race begins at 9 a.m. Race day registration is $18, and T-shirts will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for race day registrants. Checks should be made payable to "American Cancer Society."

Awards will be given to the top three runners (male and female) in each age bracket and the first walkers (male and female) to complete the 5K. All fun-mile participants will receive ribbons for completing the course.

For more information, call Janice Boyko at (412) 885-2537.

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Routes 148, 837 Work Planned: Work will begin this summer on a $2.5 million project to improve Route 148 (East Fifth Avenue) between Hartman Street and Route 30. The project will includes milling and resurfacing, bridge repairs, guide rail and drainage upgrades and other improvements, says Jim Struzzi, district spokesman for the state Department of Transportation. The project will continue through late fall. Lane closures will occur.

McKeesport Mayor Regis McLaughlin says the city had hoped that PennDOT would also resurface Lysle Boulevard this year, but that won't happen as part of this project. Lysle carries Route 148 through the Downtown area.

In addition, PennDOT this year plans to upgrade traffic signals along Eighth Avenue (Route 837) near the Waterfront shopping complex in Whitaker, Munhall, Homestead and West Homestead, Struzzi says. The work includes the intersections between Neel Street in West Homestead and Whitaker Way in Whitaker. Periodic lane closures will occur.

The $220,000 project will continue through fall 2012.