May 17, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Adam Reinherz photo)
In a move that officials said is designed to cut down on distractions and improve student safety, McKeesport Area School District is restricting student access to cell phones.
This week the school board approved purchase of approximately 2,200 Yondr pouches at a cost of $60,100. The pouches will be distributed to students at Founders’ Hall Middle School and McKeesport Area High School.
Popular in districts nationwide, the small neoprene sacks ensure students cannot employ various smart devices during the school day.
“These are going to be purchased by us. They are provided to each student. The students will be responsible for them on a daily basis. They stay on their person. It is strictly the students’ responsibility,” school board member Matthew Keller said.
Each student will be asked to put cell phones, smart watches, ear buds and similar devices into a personal Yondr patch when they enter school. The pouch then is magnetically sealed. Keller said the student can take the pouch with them during the day, but can only re-open it with an electronic unlocking device.
The goal is to “reduce distractions — any bullying or anything — during the school day,” he said.
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May 10, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Adam Reinherz photo)
The chief executive officer of Take Action Advocacy Group is questioning the legal authority of school police officers on McKeesport Area School District campuses.
During the district’s open agenda meeting Fawn Walker-Montgomery, CEO and co-founder of Take Action, probed the MASD board about what policies determine when students are cited or arrested.
“My organization gets calls all the time in regards to complaints, with people saying that their children have been arrested here and taken to McKeesport police station,” she said during the citizen comment portion of the meeting. “Some of these kids are in fifth grade or younger. Some of them are high school age.”
“First and foremost, their role is to protect our citizens,” replied board member and safe schools committee member Dan Goughnour. “They’re here to protect students. Now do kids get arrested? Absolutely. That happens. People make mistakes. But they are first and foremost here to protect our students.”
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May 03, 2024 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
An architect’s rendering shows what the 100 block of Fifth Avenue, Downtown, could look like once the former Penn-McKee Hotel is demolished and replaced with a new structure. (Courtesy Stromberg/Garrigan & Associates, Inc.)
Related story: City Foresees Redevelopment of Hotel Site
A community advocate who works with local residents re-entering the workforce cautioned McKeesport city officials not to repeat the mistakes made in Pittsburgh neighborhoods such as East Liberty and Point Breeze.
Keenon Mikell, executive director of First Step Recovery Homes and founder of BuildNBlock Community Advocacy, told council that plans to redevelop the area around the former Penn-McKee Hotel must be careful not to leave current McKeesport residents behind.
“I don’t want to minimize the effort,” Mikell said. “McKeesport needs that boost to the economy ... But what I’m hearing from the presentation petrifies me, because what I’m seeing is what we’ve seen in East Liberty, which is gentrification.”
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May 03, 2024 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Dom Anselmo of KU Resources holds a conceptual drawing of the redeveloped 100 block of Fifth Avenue — showing a new Penn-McKee Hotel — as McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko watches a presentation by Anna Withrow Leisher, an associate project planner from Stromberg/Garrigan & Associates, Inc. (Tube City Almanac photo)
• Related story: Advocate urges city to avoid gentrification
A group of community planners hired by the city have unveiled an ambitious plan to redevelop a block of Fifth Avenue near the McKees Point Marina for entertainment, retail and restaurants in a program designed to create a destination point along the Great Allegheny Passage biking trail.
The proposal, unfortunately, includes demolition of the historic former Penn-McKee Hotel — a decision that McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko called “heartbreaking” but necessary to move the city forward.
“That’s the bad side of it,” Cherepko said. “The good side of it is that we have some very exciting plans that we believe can come to fruition on that site.”
The plans, presented Wednesday night to McKeesport city council and residents, envision redeveloping two Civil War-era houses, a former flower shop and a former Moose lodge that was later used as a Veterans of Foreign Wars post.
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April 17, 2024 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
City residents Regis Mellinger and Cheryl Cotter discuss a transportation map with Carla Lukehart, a landscape architect at Environmental Planning & Design LLC. (Tube City Almanac photo)
A plan that envisions safer, smoother pedestrian corridors throughout the city is being unveiled for public comment this month.
City residents and property owners can see the proposal — and ask questions — at 6 p.m. April 22 during a meeting at the Calvary-First United Methodist Church campus at the corner of Versailles and Cornell avenues.
Prepared by Environmental Planning & Design LLC, the plan is the product of nearly two years of research, including surveys of city residents. It calls for replacing sidewalks and wheelchair ramps along two main throughfares between the Youghiogheny River waterfront and Renziehausen Park.
It also recommends improved signage and pavement markings for bicycle lanes, as well as replacing street trees in many areas.
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April 17, 2024 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, McKeesport and Region News
(Tube City Almanac photo)
McKeesport police and the Allegheny County fire marshal’s office are investigating a blaze that caused extensive damage Tuesday afternoon to a vacant house in the 500 block of Olive Street.
Emergency personnel were dispatched at 5:40 p.m. when passersby reported smoke coming from the two-story wood frame structure. McKeesport fire Chief Jeff Tomovcsik said the call was raised to a second alarm, bringing in additional volunteer firefighters from Dravosburg, Glassport, Liberty, Munhall No. 4, Port Vue and White Oak No. 1 as well as a crew from Allegheny County Airport.
The Salvation Army also assisted.
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April 15, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
After a historic run, members of the McKeesport Area High School girls basketball team were honored at Thursday’s school board meeting. Several senior players were presented certificates and basketballs in recognition of their achievements.
“This team has accomplished many historical moments and it has been exciting to be a spectator of their journey over the last four years,” MASD Superintendent Tia Wanzo said.
Board member Jason Pavlecic agreed: “This is a special group of young athletes.”
During the past four years the Lady Tigers have amassed an 86-22 record, gone 37-8 in sectional games, and finished 18-7 in the playoffs.
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April 12, 2024 |
By Bonnijean Cooney Adams | Posted in: Entertainment, McKeesport and Region News
During a rehearsal, Anastasia Bakaturski as Pharoah has a heart-to-heart talk with Lucas Sotereanos as Joseph about the importance of correctly interpreting certain dreams. (Bonnijean Cooney Adams photo for Tube City Almanac)
If you go...
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“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”
Where: McKeesport Area High School Auditorium, 1960 Eden Park Blvd.
When: Friday, April 12, and Saturday, April 13 at 7 p.m., with a matinee at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 13
Tickets: $10 for adults, $5 for students and senior citizens. Available at https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/80225
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McKeesport Area High School’s spring musical is a story about jealousy, betrayal, revenge, and forgiveness — with plenty of lighter moments, too — all in a setting “way, way back many centuries ago.”
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” opened Thursday night with a stellar cast of high school and younger students singing and dancing their way through a show with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice.
It is based on the story of Jacob and his 12 sons, including his favorite, Joseph.
What makes this musical so different and challenging is the story is told almost exclusively through song from beginning to end.
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April 05, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Adam Reinherz photo)
McKeesport Area School District will vote to adopt a preliminary budget for 2024-25 during next week’s school board meeting. Business manager Joseph Villella presented the report at the district’s open agenda meeting Thursday.
MASD’s budget for the 2024-25 is projected to be $82.8 million, a $3.28 million decrease from the 2023-24 budget.
Total revenue is expected to be $82.47 million, a decrease of $9.9 million from the 2023-24 budget.
Revenue decline is due to the end of funding from the American Rescue Plan’s Elementary and Secondary School Relief program, Villella said.
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April 04, 2024 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Editor’s Note: The writer of this story sits on the board of directors of the McKees Point Development Group, a non-profit corporation that has been coordinating demolition and remediation efforts in the Downtown area. This is a conflict of interest. See previous explanations of this issue.
(Tube City Almanac file photo)
The fate of the long-vacant Penn-McKee Hotel could become clearer after next month’s city council meeting.
McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said the city has been meeting with potential developers and they will present proposals for the site of the historic — but severely deteriorated — building near the McKees’ Point Marina and the Great Allegheny Passage bike trail.
In 2022, engineers concluded that much of the hotel was probably too far gone to save.
“We are looking for things that can make us a destination point,” Cherepko told council Wednesday. “There are all kinds of things we can capitalize on, and we are most certainly are doing everything we can to make sure we don’t miss the boat.”
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