December 05, 2024 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: State & Region
Craig White, an engineer working on the extension of the Mon-Fayette Expressway, points to construction areas on an aerial photo. (Photo courtesy Mon Yough Area Chamber of Commerce via Facebook)
The next portion of the Mon-Fayette Expressway, a roughly six-mile-long segment stretching from Route 51 to near the Allegheny County Airport in West Mifflin, could be open as soon as fall of 2026.
But the highway’s entrance into the Dravosburg and Duquesne areas will have to wait a little bit longer, representatives of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission told members of the Mon Yough Area Chamber of Commerce at a meeting on Wednesday morning. About 40 people attended.
The commission is still attempting to secure remaining pieces of right-of-way near Kennywood Park in West Mifflin, said Craig White, senior associate with Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson Inc., one of the engineering firms overseeing work on the project to extend the toll road otherwise known as Route 43.
One thing that won’t hold up further construction is a lack of funding. State Rep. Nick Pisciottano of West Mifflin said that a dedicated funding stream has been developed in Pennsylvania’s budget to complete the highway.
“There should never again be a point where the project just completely stops,” Pisciottano said.
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December 05, 2024 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Announcements
(Tube City Almanac file photo by Vickie Babyak)
McKeesport’s 39th annual Festival of Trees opened Thursday afternoon with more than 90 decorated holiday displays representing different groups and organizations in the Mon-Yough area.
Hours are 12 noon to 9 p.m. daily through Dec. 9. The festival is located in the newly renovated Jacob Woll Pavilion in Renziehausen Park.
Admission is $2. Children 12 and under who bring a canned good or non-perishable food for donation to a local food pantry are admitted for free.
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December 05, 2024 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
McKeesport’s police chief will retire at the end of the year to take a job in South Allegheny School District.
Chief Mark Steele’s departure was announced Wednesday night at McKeesport’s city council meeting. Mayor Michael Cherepko said Assistant Chief Josh Alfer, who was appointed last month, will serve as interim chief until a new police chief is chosen.
At a separate meeting on Wednesday, South Allegheny School Board hired Steele as a school police officer.
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December 03, 2024 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: White Oak News
A White Oak area resident $3 million richer after purchasing a winning scratch-off ticket from a local business, the Pennsylvania Lottery has announced.
The identity of the winner was not revealed.
A lottery spokesperson said the winning ticket was sold at Nic’s Tobacco, 1620 Lincoln Way. The store will receive a $10,000 bonus for selling the ticket.
The ticket sold was part of the $3 million Golden Ticket game and had a $30 face value. The game includes four $3 million prizes. According to the lottery’s posted odds, the chances of winning the top prize is 1 in 1.08 million.
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December 02, 2024 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
McKeesport police Chief Mark Steele and Mayor Michael Cherepko (right) congratulate new assistant chief Josh Alfer (center) following his promotion. (Tube City Almanac photo)
McKeesport’s new assistant police chief comes from a family with deep local roots, and helped create the department’s program to recruit and train new officers.
Josh Alfer, an 18-year veteran who previously served as the lieutenant in charge of patrol, was appointed second-in-command of the department in November. The position of assistant chief had been vacant since current police Chief Mark Steele was promoted from assistant chief more than a year ago.
Mayor Michael Cherepko said Alfer and other candidates were screened by the personnel committee following civil service testing.
“We had unbelievably qualified candidates, but obviously there comes a time to make a very difficult decision,” Cherepko said, adding that he was confident in Alfer’s abilities.
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December 02, 2024 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: State & Region
Children play at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s Family Services Center in Wilmerding. AIU officials said the center will be forced to close without continued funding from Allegheny County. (Photo courtesy Allegheny Intermediate Unit)
Mon-Yough area social services organizations are sounding the alarm over Allegheny County’s budget impasse, warning that programs that parents and seniors have come to rely upon could be eliminated.
Allegheny County Council is scheduled to meet Tuesday to consider a $1.2 billion budget proposal from County Executive Sara Innamorato that includes a 2.2-mill property tax increase.
Members of council have told reporters they consider her budget “dead on arrival” and that it lacks the necessary approval of 10 council members in order to pass. A council committee last week recommended a proposal that includes an increase of slightly more than half of what the executive has said is needed to avoid drastic and severe across-the-board cutbacks.
Council must approve a budget by Friday.
Wendy Smith, director of early childhood, family, and community services for the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, said that its 10 family centers — including in McKeesport, Duquesne, Wilmerding, Clairton and Homestead — will close without county funding.
“About half of the budget for these centers comes directly from Allegheny County, and the other half comes from the state through Allegheny County,” she said.
Without funding for the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, Smith said, “they will be gone.”
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November 30, 2024 |
By Vickie Babyak | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Photographer Vickie Babyak captured these views of last week’s 2024 Salute to Santa Parade in Downtown McKeesport. Members of the Better Block Foundation served as grand marshal for the Nov. 23 event, along with special guest Cooper the Emu.
Nie’Zhay Jefferson, representing McKeesport Little Theater, was crowned as the queen of the parade, while Gabrielle Poston, representing the McKeesport Little Tigers, was crowned as princess.
Other candidates included princess nominees Skylar Crenshaw (McKeesport Area Shared Ministry, Beulah Park Campus); Sydney Hrinda (McKeesport Little Theater), Dee’Asia Little (LaRosa Youth Club), Mariah Robinson (McKeesport Little Tigers), and Zariah Swindle (McKeesport Area High School Cheerleaders)
Queen nominees included Alaysia Brewton (MAHS Cheerleaders), Kaitlyn Brush (McKeesport Area High School Tiger Marching Band), Madison Martino, (McKeesport Area High School National Honor Society), Elizabeth Nemes (MAHS Choir), Saniya Rivers (LaRosa Youth Club), Riley Sheposh (MAHS Student Council) and Ashley Slagle (MAHS Colorguard)
To request a reprint of any photo, email vbabyak@yahoo.com.
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November 29, 2024 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Announcements
(Submitted photo courtesy McKeesport Model Railroad Club)
McKeesport Model Railroad Club begins its annual open house and holiday train show this weekend. Hours are 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 29.
Located at 2209 Walnut St. in Christy Park, the club's 2,200-square-foot model railroad depicts fictionalized scenes of Western Pennsylvania. The permanent layout is built in HO scale, about 1/87th of actual size or roughly half the size of larger Lionel-style trains.
The club, founded in 1950, also entered the parade for Irwin’s light-up night and McKeesport’s Salute to Santa Parade.
A donation of $7 for adults and $5 for children ages 5 to 17 is requested. Scouts, military personnel with ID and first responders with ID are admitted for free.
Santa Claus will visit with children on Dec. 14 and 15 and Dec. 21 and 22.
Parking is available in the lot of CP Industries, across the street. For more information, visit the club’s website or Facebook.
November 29, 2024 |
By Vickie Babyak | Posted in: White Oak News
(Vickie Babyak photo)
Mission: Agape is searching for a few angels to help make its annual toy drive a success and spread Christmas joy to children in need from the McKeesport Area School District.
“We believe in serving our communities with unconditional, selfless and sacrificial love,” said Kelly Doyle, co-founder. The charity is known for assisting local families that experience food insecurity and hardship, while providing self-sustaining solutions.
According to the state Department of Education, about 62.5 percent of school-age children in McKeesport Area School District are classified as “economically disadvantaged” and about 35 percent are below the poverty line.
Last year, Doyle said, Mission Agape distributed 5,000 gifts to 1,200 children.
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November 27, 2024 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Tube City Almanac photo)
Investigators are probing a fire that damaged an apartment building Tuesday morning on Versailles Avenue.
McKeesport firefighters said crews were dispatched to 3212 Versailles Ave. just before 7 a.m. after Allegheny County 9-1-1 reported receiving multiple calls about a fire in a second-floor apartment. The blaze at the corner of Versailles and Craig streets quickly went to two alarms.
The first floor of the building previously housed Omerta Ink, a tattoo parlor. According to a post on Facebook, Omerta Ink closed Sept. 26.
Firefighters said the upper floor of the building was not occupied as a residence at the present time and appeared to be a storage area.
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