Category: default || By jt3y

I haven't done this for a while, so let's peek into the ol' mailbag and see what crawls out. Alert Reader Nathan writes:

Jason, sir, I am at wit's end here. My friends and I look forward to going to the International Village every August, and have faithfully gorged ourselves on three days of ethnic foods straight for the past five years.

My question: When, when, when is it this year? I've found numerous dates online, all for past events. I cannot seem to find one news article about this year's Village, and am beginning to wonder if it's *gasp* discontinued? Please, tell me I'm not going mad.

Dear Nathan: I have no idea if you're going mad. (I do know where I'm going, but why am I in a handbasket?)

Anyway, International Village has not been canceled. I spent most of Friday morning at Renzie Park, and construction of the booths was already underway at Stephen Barry Field. The Village opens next Tuesday, Aug. 14, and runs through Thursday, Aug. 16.

And then the "CountryFest" food and country music festival runs Friday through Sunday; it benefits the American Cancer Society. The headlining act each night is the Dallas Marks Band; other performers include Lois Scott & Plum Loco, Girlz in Black Hats, T.J. Houston, Cranky Yankee, Southern Discomfort, and "many, many more," as they say on TV.

Incidentally, you can find information about upcoming events at the McKeesport Recreation Commission's website, which is at mckrecboard.freeservers.com.

Why isn't there a link on the city's website, you may ask? You crazy kids! That would make it easy. We only want people to come to the Mon Valley who really, really are willing to work for it!

It's part of a new tourism campaign called "The Mon Valley: It's So Crowded Nobody Goes There Any More." I think Yogi Berra is the honorary chairman.

. . .

While I'm on the subject: City controller Ray Malinchak had a letter to the editor in last night's McKeesport Daily News and Trib Total Media Joint that's well worth reading. Malinchak says the International Village Committee has refused to allow the city to audit the admission fees collected at the gate.

He also notes that according to the report provided to the city, last year's admissions at International Village totaled something like $33,000 and 78 cents.

Since admission to International Village is $1, where the hell did 78 cents come from? Either someone stiffed the Village for 22 cents, or someone's not keeping very good track of the money collected.

Personally, if I balance my checkbook three times, I get three different results. I see no harm in having the city controller's office look at the books; if someone from the Village committee wants to explain their reasoning, I'm happy to give them a platform here.

OK, off my soapbox.

. . .

Alert Reader Jack writes:

Being a constant reader of Tube City Almanac, I enjoy your work.

(Editor's note ... oh, you're the one!)

You really bring back old memories of the McKeesport area. I basically left the area about 55 years ago. I have not returned for about 10 years. My, what a change, unfortunately most of it for the worst.

I have a question and perhaps you would be kind enough to answer it for me. I noticed in one of your postings that former Mayor Joe Bendel had passed away. My question is, when did he pass away, and how?

Joe and I were good friends, we graduated from McKeesport High in 1949, and he was one of my groomsmen when I married in 1957. Happy to relate we just celebrated our 50th. We have lived all 50 years here in Florida.

Dear Jack: Joe Bendel was a one of a kind, even though he used to make fun of me for growing up in Liberty Borough. ("Oh, Liberty Borough, but you brag to everyone that you're from McKeesport!")

The former mayor died Oct. 24, 2003 of complications following heart surgery; Bill Heltzel had a fine obituary in the Post-Gazette. He was parochial in the best tradition of McKeesport mayors, but community-minded to a fault, and was gifted with an innate ability to cut through crap. I haven't yet met Jim Brewster, but he seems to carry on in that same tradition.

If you graduated with Joe, then you also must have graduated with Duane Michals, the photographer (in fact, I have a picture somewhere of the two of them together from one of the MHS yearbooks). There was a documentary made about Michals' life a few years ago.

There was quite a diverse lot of talent at McKeesport High in 1949! There still is, actually ... next time you come back, see if you can take a look at the projects some of the students at the "Voke" are working on, for instance.

. . .

An Alert Reader who shall remain nameless sent this comment about the Norwin Band license plate that the Almanac mentioned a few weeks ago:

Our (high school band) director always used to be sure to tell us about Norwin's robust team of choreographers, instructors for each instrument, etc. Whereas our guy had himself, an assistant, and one part-timer to coach the flags, majorettes and rifles.

It was actually pretty amazing how good Norwin's band was back in the day. Competing against them was like watching the Steel Valley Ironmen take on the Steelers. I'm sure they're still on top, although from what I understand a lot of other bands now come close. (Gateway's included.)

Dear Alert Reader: Are you trying to say other bands "come close" to the Norwin band?

You're on dangerous ice, my friend. That's why I haven't printed your name. If the Norwin band ninjas should learn your identity, neither God nor Kenny Ross could save you.

. . .

Finally, Alert Reader Mr. B. answers one of the editor's questions ... namely, did Ed Sigmund Moving have pink trucks?

We got into this discussion some four or five years ago on our forum. During the '50s I lived around the corner from their house where they parked the trucks on the lot facing Stewart and saw them almost every day. They certainly did have at least one pink truck.

God bless you, Mr. B., for confirming this. These are the kinds of questions that keep me awake at night. (I don't have much of a social life.)

. . .

P.S.: Don Morrow, who was the "Shell Answer Man" for seven years, has his own website (of course).