January 19, 2025 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
This is a developing story and will be updated.
(Courtesy photo)
State Rep. Matthew R. Gergely died Sunday at a Monroeville hospital, several weeks after suffering what had been described as a medical emergency. He was 45.
A former McKeesport city administrator and chief revenue officer, Gergely only two months ago was celebrating his election to his first full term as state legislator for the 35th District.
In addition to extended family, Gergely leaves a wife, Holly, and two children, Mason and Jarrett.
His death was announced by his former state house colleague, now state senator, Nick Pisciottano.
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January 17, 2025 |
By Yousuf Lachhab Ibrahim | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Donald MacFann addresses the audience Thursday after being hired as McKeesport Area School District’s new superintendent. Board President Mark Holtzman looks on. (McKeesport Area School District via YouTube)
The McKeesport Area School District hired Donald MacFann as its new superintendent on Thursday by unanimous decision. He was approved for a five-year contract at the salary yet to be determined.
MacFann replaces acting superintendent William Pettigrew, who was himself the replacement of Superintendent Tia Wanzo. Wanzo resigned amid significant controversy in August.
“He’s a Mon Valley guy,” said district solicitor Gary Matta on the new hire. “That’s what we need. We need one of our own to help lead the charge here.”
MacFann, an alumnus of California University of Pennsylvania, is expected to start within the next 60 days, but he hopes to start in 20 days.
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January 10, 2025 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
McKeesport Area School District has potentially found a new superintendent. School directors will announce the candidate during next Thursday's regular meeting.
Though the announcement was slated to be made during the Jan. 9 open agenda meeting, a requisite letter to school directors regarding the upcoming vote was delayed, according to solicitor Gary Matta.
“The school code says you have to give notice to the board,” Matta said. “The registered letter didn’t go out on time because of the school being closed on Monday, so we just wanted to make sure we followed the regulations.”
Next week’s agenda will include an item to hire the new superintendent. Should that individual be hired, they will replace acting superintendent William Pettigrew, who replaced former superintendent Tia Wanzo. Pettigrew, who was absent from the Jan. 9 meeting, has assisted Albert Educational Consulting with conducting the superintendent search.
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January 07, 2025 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Keenon Mikell, chief operating officer, and Keith Giles, chief executive officer, relax in the new community room at First Step Recovery Homes’ Olive Street facility. (Tube City Almanac photo)
A new housing facility in a former Downtown elementary school will provide safe, temporary homes to up to 40 men who are in the process of re-entering the workforce after drug or alcohol treatment.
Last month, First Step Recovery Homes held an open house inside its new facility at 416 Olive St. The building, constructed in the 1950s as St. Mary German Catholic School, was most recently used by FamilyLinks.
Keith Giles, chief executive officer of First Step, said the facility — which had been set up for the needs of children and young adults — needed extensive remodeling before it could begin accepting its first residents. Nine people were staying at Olive Street in December.
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January 07, 2025 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
• Download a copy of McKeesport’s 2025 Budget
• Download Mayor Michael Cherepko’s 2025 Budget Message
McKeesport’s financial story remains a tale of “doing more with less,” Mayor Michael Cherepko said in his 2025 budget message.
In December, city council passed a $25 million spending plan with no tax increase — but with a $100 annual increase in the municipal service fee that is largely allocated toward the cost of trash collection.
Residents took to social media to complain about the increase.
“The 33 percent increase in user fees is directly related to a more than 100 percent increase in the city’s cost of garbage collection,” Cherepko said in his budget message. “Our budget has eaten that cost over the last few years, and yet we are only going after 33 percent. In all honesty, I didn’t feel comfortable pursuing this increase until our service was satisfactory.”
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January 03, 2025 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News, State & Region
(Tube City Almanac file photo)
State Rep. Matt Gergely has been hospitalized for what was described as a “medical emergency” by a spokesperson for the state House Democratic Caucus. Few other details were released.
The McKeesport Democrat won a special election in 2023 to fill the 35th District seat, which was left vacant when former state Rep. Austin Davis of McKeesport was elected lieutenant governor.
In November, Gergely was elected to a full two-year term. His illness was first reported Friday by Pittsburgh public radio station WESA-FM.
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January 03, 2025 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Download printable version)
McKeesport’s 2025 recycling calendar was published incorrectly in this quarter’s edition of “In McKeesport Area” magazine, the mayor’s office has announced.
The correct calendar is attached and available on the city’s website.
McKeesport participates in single-stream recycling, which means residents can dispose of paper, cardboard, plastics Number 1 through 7, and aluminum or bi-metal cans by placing everything in a single bin, the city said.
The holiday scheduling for trash and recycling pickup affects customers whose service falls on a holiday. The entire week will be one day behind when a holiday falls on a Monday. When the holiday falls on any other day, the only days that will be affected are those following the holiday within the holiday week. If the holiday falls on a weekend, there will be no delay.
December 20, 2024 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Pam Irizarry of Irwin gives last-minute instructions Thursday morning to helpers before parents of needy children begin “shopping” at Mission: Agape in McKeesport. (Tube City Almanac photo)
Volunteers from Mission: Agape this week distributed 2,000 toys and gifts for almost 400 children in the Mon-Yough area.
At a makeshift toy store set up inside the former Wesley United Methodist Church on Prescott Street, volunteers guided parents and guardians through a series of shopping stations grouped by ages ranging from birth to 18 year olds. “Shoppers” entered in groups of 10 at a time.
No children were permitted so that all gifts will remain a surprise until unwrapped, said Lori Smith-Sakalousky of Latrobe, who was helping organize this week’s giveaways along with Pam Irizarry of Irwin.
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December 16, 2024 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Illustration based on “Republic Services Trash Truck” by Jon Cutrer, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 2.0)
Many McKeesport residents reacted with anger after city council this month voted to increase the annual Municipal Service Fee from $300 to $400.
The fee, payable in quarterly installments, has not been raised for several years. But Mayor Michael Cherepko told council that the cost of trash collection has more than doubled.
“We’ve eaten that cost the last two years,” Cherepko said. “I didn’t think it was right to increase that fee when our garbage collection was poor at times. I didn’t feel comfortable pursuing this increase until our service was satisfactory.”
Following three years during which residents alleged that the previous contractor was skipping houses, missing entire streets or leaving trash in the road, McKeesport returned in 2023 to Big’s Sanitation of Forward Twp. Cherepko said that complaints have dramatically decreased since the switch.
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December 16, 2024 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
School Board President Mark Holtzman Sr. congratulates Sen. James Brewster. (Adam Reinherz photo for Tube City Almanac)
Two longtime public servants were honored by McKeesport Area School District during Thursday’s meeting. Retiring state Sen. James Brewster and school director David Donato were recognized for decades of service to the district.
Brewster, a 1966 graduate of McKeesport Area High School, praised his alma mater, its educators, coaches and the city at-large for providing a surplus of edifying and meaningful experiences.
“I always talked about it in the senate. Jay Costa will tell you I talked about it ad nauseam,” Brewster said. “McKeesport has had four NFL players and a number of good athletes, attorneys, judges, you name it. We’ve had a lieutenant governor, senators — and that's a tribute to the city and the school district.”
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