April 30, 2025 |
By Bonnijean Cooney Adams | Posted in: Entertainment
Students from Founders' Middle School will present Moana Jr. as their annual spring musical. (Submitted photo)
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Founders’ Hall Middle School presents “Moana Jr.”
Based on the 2016 Disney film “Moana”
Where: Francis McClure Auditorium, 500 Longvue Drive, White Oak
When: Thursday through Saturday, May 1-3 at 7 p.m.
Tickets: $10 for adults, $5 for school-aged children. Available at the door or online at our.show/fhmoanajr
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Founders’ Hall Middle School students Tori Thomas and Skylar Crenshaw have been friends for years, a relationship they agree has helped them bring their well-known characters to life for the spring musical “Moana Jr.”
Thomas plays Moana, who is on a quest to restore the heart of goddess Te Fiti, stolen many years ago by demigod Maui (Crenshaw).
The show is based on the 2016 Disney movie “Moana,” whose storyline and songs already were familiar to the cast of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders when auditions were announced.
It opens at 7 p.m. Thursday (May 1) with all shows performed in the Francis McClure auditorium in White Oak.
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April 29, 2025 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Adam Reinherz photo for Tube City Almanac)
Two months after taking the helm of McKeesport Area School District, Superintendent Don MacFann has routinely employed a practice he’s long preached: communication.
“The one thing I've always believed in is that communication is key,” he said. “Not to sound redundant, but that's the truth.”
MacFann signed a five year contract with MASD in January; his first day was March 3. During the 30 years prior — whether at Bethlehem-Center, East Allegheny or Clairton City — the school leader has advocated horizontal and vertical communication.
The former, he said, includes everyone in the school “from the part-time bus driver all the way up to the president of the school board and everybody in between.” When it's effectuated properly, “everyone’s on board,” he continued. “They’re fully aware of what’s going on in the district and that’s half the battle.”
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April 28, 2025 |
By T.J. Martin | Posted in: White Oak News
White Oak Mayor Ina Jean Marton (right) swears in new White Oak Police Officer Jeremy Zuber. (T.J. Martin photo for Tube City Almanac)
White Oak Borough Council welcomed a new police officer at its April meeting and announced that it will begin interviewing candidates for its Chief of Police position.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Mayor Ina Jean Marton began the meeting by swearing-in newly hired police officer Jeremy Zuber. With the addition of Zuber, the department now has 12 officers.
Later in the meeting, Public Safety Committee Chair Loree Scharritter said the borough has completed the month-long period of accepting applications for its vacant Chief of Police position and will now begin conducting interviews with the qualified applicants. Scharritter declined to disclose how many applications the borough received.
In March, Chief of Police Mark Sargent resigned. He joined the department in January 1994 as an officer and was promoted to Chief of Police in February 2018.
April 28, 2025 |
By T.J. Martin | Posted in: Wilmerding News
Patton Street Bridge (T.J. Martin photo for Tube City Almanac)
After more than a month in darkness, the lights are back on along the Patton Street Bridge in Wilmerding.
An electrical issue caused the lights which illuminate the bridge to fail in early March, according to Assistant Deputy Director of the Allegheny County Department of Public Works Mike Burdelsky. Repairs were completed earlier this month.
Burdelsky said the outage and repairs won’t affect a rehabilitation project for the bridge scheduled to begin in 2026. That project will completely close the bridge for an estimated one year beginning in 2027.
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April 28, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements, McKeesport and Region News
Nine candidates for McKeesport Area School District’s school board will debate Tuesday night in the high school auditorium, a district spokeswoman announced.
The debate, at 7 p.m. April 29, is being organized by political science teacher Gerald McGrew and his honors political science class. The public is welcome to attend and the debate also will be streamed on the district’s YouTube channel, the spokeswoman said.
“The class has been working on preparing questions and candidate bios from the information received in class,” McGrew said in a release. “The debate will be run very professionally by the students most of whom are juniors, but we do have a couple of seniors in the class as well.”
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April 28, 2025 |
By Advertising | Posted in: Paid Advertisement
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April 25, 2025 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: State & Region
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and State Sen. Nick Pisciotanno greet Mary Esther Van Shura of AARP during an event last week at Penn State Greater Allegheny. Officials have kicked off a statewide tour to promote “age-friendly” communities for senior citizens. (Submitted photo)
Pennsylvania officials are traveling across the state to encourage communities to expand and improve services for senior citizens to make them more “age-friendly.”
Last week, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis joined Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich and local elected officials at Penn State Greater Allegheny in McKeesport to kick off the first in the series of events designed to highlight programs to keep older adults in their homes and connected to their communities.
Pennsylvania is the fifth-oldest state in the nation by population. State officials said that one in four Pennsylvanians is over the age of 60, and that number is expected to rise to one in three by 2030.
“Older adults in Allegheny County and here in my hometown of McKeesport are the backbone of our communities,” Davis said in a release. “They are our family, friends and neighbors who have made great contributions in our lives that benefit all of us.
“The organizers of age-friendly communities here in southwest Pennsylvania are making a positive impact, and I applaud their work and dedication as we welcome new faces to the table to expand these initiatives,” he said.
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April 25, 2025 |
By Yousuf Lachhab Ibrahim | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
New museum manager Tim Kunes has moved from the classroom to the exhibit area at McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center. (Yousuf Ibrahim photo for Tube City Almanac)
Former social studies teacher Tim Kunes has left the classroom, but he hasn’t left education. In March, McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center hired Kunes as the new manager of its museum in Renziehausen Park.
According to board member Jennifer Vertullo, the center has been fully-board and volunteer-operated for several months, having been without staff since September 2024.
The center, which also provides genealogy and history resources for researchers, including a complete archive of the McKeesport Daily News on microfilm, is restaffing as it prepares for the grand opening of a newly constructed addition.
Kunes retired from education after 30 years of teaching in the McKeesport Area School District before applying to the open position. “I really did love teaching,” said the Geneva College graduate, “and I feel like I tried to make a lot of my classroom instruction dynamic and interactive.”
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April 23, 2025 |
By Danielle M. Smith - Public News Service | Posted in: State & Region
The state branch of the AARP is voicing concerns about plans by the Trump Administration to cut 7,000 jobs from the U.S. Social Security Administration.
The move is being spearheaded by the temporary office known as the “Department of Government Efficiency” as part of the White House’s efforts to trim what it calls “waste and fraud.”
According to AARP, more than one in five Pennsylvanians — or about 3 million residents — get monthly Social Security payments.
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April 23, 2025 |
By Bonnijean Cooney Adams | Posted in: Entertainment, McKeesport and Region News
The cast strikes a pose during rehearsals for one of the dance numbers in Serra Catholic High School’s production of “Peter Pan” musical. (Submitted photo courtesy Jesse Bush, Serra Catholic High School)
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“Peter Pan”
Where: Serra Catholic High School, 200 Hershey Drive
When: 7 p.m. Friday (April 25), 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday (April 26), and 2 p.m. Sunday (April 27)
Tickets: $10 for adults, $5 for students (and anyone under 18). Tickets are good for one performance. Available from any cast member and at the door for each performance, or visit the school website.
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Tasked with selecting the annual spring musical at Serra Catholic, director Jesse Bush said he wanted to do something different to give the students a new experience.
“I try to pick a variety of styles of musicals. Last year was the ‘Addams Family,’ year before was ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ and I thought it was time to do something a little more lighthearted,” he said.
The result is “Peter Pan,” based on the 1954 Broadway version starring Mary Martin as the boy who won’t grow up, which opens Friday (April 25) at 7 p.m.
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April 17, 2025 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
McKeesport Area School Board unanimously approved a preliminary budget for the 2025-26 school year.
At Thursday’s meeting, school directors by 8-0 vote approved a budget of $86,579,617, which represents a 5 percent increase in expenses at McKeesport Area School District.
Property tax millage remains the same, at 20.96 mills. A homeowner whose house has an assessed value of $100,000 would pay $2,096 in school property taxes annually.
Among those expenses is a $50,000 line item for salaries for a “bus matron/monitors.”
The item, as School Director David Seropian explained, was inserted “per the request” of School Director Diane Elias. Elias’ request comes on the heels of comments made about student safety last month by Sidney Walker and Stephanie Pollock.
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April 17, 2025 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
McKeesport Area School Board is seeking applications from residents of the community to replace School Director Dan Goughnour, who has resigned.
Goughnor’s resignation was accepted by the board at last week’s meeting. He won the special election to the state General Assembly and was sworn into office on April 7.
During the April 10 meeting, school district Solicitor Gary Matta said the school board has 30 days to appoint a replacement for Goughnour.
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April 11, 2025 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
* Correction: Due to an editing error, this story was corrected after publication.
(City of McKeesport photo)
McKeesport Area school board members expressed surprise on Thursday that the district is being charged a permit fee for the use of athletic fields at Renziehausen Park.
At this week’s board meeting, School Director Jason Pavlecic reported the district “recently received a bill from the city charging us a few thousand dollars to rent the fields.”
The bill, according to Pavlecic, included a $500 cost to use Jimmy Long Field, a $500 cost to use Filotei Field and a $1,000 fee to use Helen Richey Field.
“And that is to increase next year,” Pavlecic said. “To my knowledge, as well as [MASD Athletic Director] Charley Kiss’ knowledge, this has never occurred previously.”
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April 10, 2025 |
By Stacy Alderman | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Fitness trainer Jessica McCauley demonstrates equipment at her new facility, Flash Fitness, located in the city’s 10th Ward. (Stacy Alderman photo for Tube City Almanac)
Since becoming a certified trainer in 2016, Jessica McCauley has worked at multiple gyms throughout the area. Along the way, she met clients who followed her from place to place, even if it was to a temporary gym in her garage.
Now, those dedicated customers, along with new ones, have the opportunity to see her in action as the owner of her own facility, Flash Fitness, at 524 West 5th Ave. in the city’s 10th Ward.
The facility will host its first public event on May 31st, a spring “VIP dance” where kids can bring their “VIP” to hang out, dance, and enjoy snacks and a photo booth. “There’s are always father-daughter dances,” McCauley says. “But this is an event where kids of any age, whether you’re 5 or 15, can bring a grandparent, aunt, sibling, or mentor to enjoy an evening of fun.”
Tickets are $25 per couple.
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April 09, 2025 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: State & Region
Michael B. Carroll, state secretary of transportation, delivered the keynote address at the annual legislative luncheon sponsored by the Mon Yough Area Chamber of Commerce. (Tom Leturgey photo for Tube City Almanac)
Pennsylvania is serious about the need to replace, repair and upgrade the commonwealth’s many bridges, the state’s transportation secretary told Mon-Yough area business leaders last week.
But Secretary Michael B. Carroll cautioned: “The price tag is pretty steep.”
Carroll delivered the keynote address at the Mon Yough Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual legislative luncheon, held at the Georgetown Centre banquet hall in Pleasant Hills.
Guests at the luncheon included members of local borough and city councils as well as state Sen. Jay Costa.
Several candidates for Allegheny County Council also attended. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Chamber presented lifetime achievement awards to McKeesport real estate executive Robert “Bob” Baum and retiring District 9 Allegheny County Councilman Bob Macey.
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April 07, 2025 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
McKeesport Hall, the dormitory at Penn State Greater Allegheny Campus. (File photo by Ryan Kegel via Wikimedia Commons, used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license)
A five-minute McKeesport Area School District meeting, which featured zero comments during a hearing of citizens and only a brief overview of items set for vote at next week’s school board gathering, included one small ask seeking sizable change.
School Director Matthew Keller called for a resolution offsetting efforts to shutter Penn State University’s Greater Allegheny campus.
Located steps from McKeesport Area High School, the 59-acre campus is one of 12 Penn State campuses slated for potential closure following the 2026-2027 academic year — the university maintains 24 campuses across the commonwealth.
University-wide downsizing stems from declining student enrollment, financial pressures and demographic changes, Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi said in February.
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April 07, 2025 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: State & Region
Members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly applaud newly sworn-in State Rep. Dan Goughnour, his wife, Lauren, and their children, Gavin, Gannon and Gracelynn. (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania photo)
Dan Goughnour took the oath of office at the state Capitol on Monday to become the new representative for Pennsylvania’s 35th Legislative District.
Goughnour was joined by his wife Lauren and their children, Gavin, Gannon and Gracelynn, along with McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko, City Administrator Tom Maglicco and other guests and Mon-Yough area officials.
“Swearing in a new member is always a special occasion in the state House of Representatives,” Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton said.
“I know that Rep. Goughnour will leverage his 16 years of experience as a public servant and local elected official to work on policies that will help his Mon Valley neighbors and communities across the state thrive,” she said.
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April 03, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
(Courtesy Western Pennsylvania Conservancy)
TreeVitalize Pittsburgh is looking for volunteers to help plant 30 trees in McKeesport this Saturday, a spokeswoman said.
Volunteers will help plant 10 trees in Renziehausen Park, six along Sixth Avenue and 14 along Market Street.
Trees are selected that are slower-growing, native to Pennsylvania, compatible with an urban environment and safe around sidewalks and overhead utility lines, according to TreeVitalize’s website.
TreeVitalize Pittsburgh is a project of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Allegheny County Parks, the City of Pittsburgh, Tree Pittsburgh and the state Department of Conservation & Natural Resources.
Volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. Saturday at 500 Market St.
To register, contact Alicia Wehrle at awehrle@paconserve.org or 412-586-2386, or visit the Water Land Life website.
April 03, 2025 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
• RELATED STORY: Crowd Presses City on Man’s Arrest, Reform
A city man injured March 8 during an arrest by McKeesport police was trying to hit another man with a brick, a criminal complaint alleges.
Callie Stinson Sr., 72, is charged by McKeesport police with two counts of simple assault and one count of resisting arrest in connection with the incident. He faces a preliminary hearing April 28 before Magisterial District Justice Eugene Riazzi.
Stinson’s family has alleged that police used excessive force in arresting Stinson, causing broken ribs and contusions on his face and neck. Stinson has a tracheotomy tube to assist his breathing, they said. A video of Stinson’s arrest, recorded by a bystander, was widely shared on social media last month.
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April 02, 2025 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
• RELATED STORY: Police say man tried to hit victim with brick
A large group of residents and visitors from surrounding communities crowded McKeesport City Council chambers Wednesday night to address concerns about the arrest of a 72-year-old man that resulted in his hospitalization.
A video of police officers arresting Callie Stinson Sr. on March 8 was widely shared on social media. Police allege that Stinson threatened a neighbor with a brick and had to be restrained after he threw a punch.
“My brother right now has four broken ribs in his chest, and another broken rib in his back,” Kay Stinson of McKeesport told city council, adding that Black residents of McKeesport are “still treated like it’s the 1950s and ’60s. Enough is enough.”
All McKeesport police officers are required to wear so-called body cams — body-worn video cameras — while on duty. McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko told the audience that the city has joined community groups to ask for body cam footage of the arrest to be released to the public.
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April 02, 2025 |
By Stacy Alderman | Posted in: Announcements, White Oak News
Correction: All children age 10 and under are allowed to participate in the Easter egg hunt. This story was corrected after publication. We apologize for the error.
(File Photo, “Tulips Jubilee,” by Cam Miller, via Flickr. Licensed under Creative Commons By-NC-ND.)
The White Oak community is gearing up for warmer weather with events and activities that will appeal to everyone from kids and craft enthusiasts to athletes and animal lovers.
White Oak Athletic Association
WOAA will host its first youth basketball tournaments starting April 17-19 and again from April 24-27. Softball and baseball are ongoing, and the association’s calendar has several fundraisers, cash bashes, and bingos listed well into May. Their calendar can be found online.
Easter Egg Hunt
For children 10 and under, the borough will host an Easter Egg hunt on April 19 starting at 10 a.m. at Heritage Hill Park.
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April 02, 2025 |
By Danielle M. Smith - Public News Service | Posted in: State & Region
Pennsylvania school support staff and their allies met with lawmakers last week at the State Capitol, asking for their support of a bill to raise their wages to at least $20 an hour. They estimate House Bill 777 would benefit more than 41,000 workers. (Photo courtesy PSEA)
Amid a severe teacher and staff shortage, school support workers and their union allies rallied last week in Harrisburg for what they called a living wage.
More than 100 people gathered on the Capitol steps and met with lawmakers to gauge their support for House Bill 777, which they said would raise wages for more than 41,000 school staff members.
The bill was introduced by State Rep. Dan Miller, Mt. Lebanon Democrat, and currently has 24 co-sponsors, including two from the Mon Valley, State Rep. John Inglis of West Mifflin and State Rep. Brandon Markosek of Monroeville.
Aaron Chapin, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, said that if enacted, the law would raise the pay for support staff in public schools to a living wage of at least $20 per hour.
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April 01, 2025 |
By Bonnijean Cooney Adams | Posted in: Entertainment, McKeesport and Region News
Director/choreographer Erin Seaberg, in green shirt at left, gives pointers and makes adjustments during a recent rehearsal for the spring musical at McKeesport Area High School. (Bonnijean Cooney Adams photo for Tube City Almanac)
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“Titanic the Musical – Ensemble Version”
Where: McKeesport Area High School Auditorium, 1960 Eden Park Blvd.
When: Thursday, April 3, Friday, April 4, and Saturday, April 5 at 7 p.m., with a matinee at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 5.
Tickets: $12 for adults, $7 for students and senior citizens. Available at https://cur8.com/26133/project/127398 for best selection. Some tickets also will be available at the door.
More information: mckmusical@gmail.com.
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When the creative staff was considering what show to select for this year’s McKeesport Area High School musical, they agreed on one thing.
“We were looking for an ensemble show,” Producer/Pit Director Sarah Persin said. “We have a lot of talent.”
They decided on “Titanic the Musical,” based on the true story of the RMS Titanic, which sank after hitting an iceberg on its maiden voyage in April 1912. More than 1,000 people died in the disaster.
Some students said they were surprised when they found out what the musical was going to be. Some had heard of it, while others initially thought it was going to be the Jack-and-Rose story like the 1997 movie.
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April 01, 2025 |
By Kristen Keleschenyi | Posted in: North Versailles Twp. News
Will Wilson, Jacob Ankney and Chris Cornelius are knights searching for the Holy Grail. (Submitted photo via EAHS_Musical on Instagram)
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“Spamalot”
Where: East Allegheny High School, 1150 Jacks Run Road, North Versailles Twp.
When: Thursday, April 3 and Friday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m., and two shows on Saturday, April 5, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Tickets: $12 for adult general admission. Senior citizens and students are $10. VIP seating is available for $15. Tickets are available at easd.booktix.com and at the door. There is a processing fee if tickets are purchased online.
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The search for the Holy Grail takes a goofy turn as the curtain rises on East Allegheny High School’s production of Spamalot.
The musical is an adaptation of Monty Python’s 1975 movie “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” parodying the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The cast at EA is slightly smaller than in years past, but Musical Director Amanda Rosco says they have been one of the staff’s favorites to work with.
“They have so much heart and it’s something that the audience isn’t necessarily going to know and see how much they have taken care of each other behind the scenes — the way they have cheered each other on,” Rosco says.
Senior Reily Fenters took the musical plunge this year and is making his stage debut. He plays multiple roles, including the Knight Who Says “Ni,” and says he regrets not getting involved sooner, but his afterschool job took up a lot of his time. “I cut my schedule back this year and threw all hands in and was like, ‘I’m just going to do it!’”
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April 01, 2025 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A fatal shooting on Abraham Street in the city has been ruled a homicide.
Kurtis Shaw, 37, died Saturday night at UPMC McKeesport Hospital of gunshot wounds to the head and neck, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said.
In a press release, Allegheny County police said emergency personnel were notified of a shooting inside a house in the 1700 block of Abraham Street just before 10 p.m. and found Shaw suffering from his wounds. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead about an hour later, county officials said.
The county homicide unit is investigating. No other information has been released. Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call the county police tip line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous.
