January 25, 2018 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: History
The week of Jan. 21, 2008, from our archives:
State and federal environmental officials were investigating complaints about the Elizabeth Twp. Sanitary Authority. According to published reports, the township's sewage treatment plant had dumped raw, untreated wastewater into the Youghiogheny River on more than 70 occasions in 2006 and 2007.
During the most recent documented incident, state officials said, 6.3 million gallons were dumped into the river on Dec. 16, 2007. The township had contracted operation of the plant to Veolia Water, a French-owned conglomerate. The authority was closed in 2013 and wastewater is now treated at a plant in McKeesport.
McKeesport-based Blueroof Technologies was the subject of a feature story by Tonia Caruso on WQED-TV's "On Q" newsmagazine. The story spotlighted Blueroof's "model cottage," located on Spring Street just off of Walnut Street. The cottage was a "smart house" designed to showcase technologies that allow senior citizens and the disabled to live in their own homes and remain productive. Many of the devices were designed at Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh.
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January 24, 2018 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: White Oak News
(Cami DiBattista and Jason Togyer contributed to this report)
White Oak Council has proposed cutting the borough's property tax rate by 0.25 mills.
At January's meeting, Councilman George Dillinger, who chairs the finance committee, introduced a motion to re-advertise the 2018 budget and change the property tax rate from 6.66 mills to 6.41 mills.
Borough Manager John Palyo told Tube City Almanac that the new members of council who took office this month decided to re-open the $5.4 million budget and trim spending in a number of departments.
Council will vote on whether to adopt the new budget at 6:45 p.m. Feb. 5 at the borough building.
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January 24, 2018 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Duquesne News, McKeesport and Region News, Politics & Elections, White Oak News
Austin Davis won't get a break --- either from working or campaigning.
The 28-year-old McKeesport resident will be the next state representative for the 35th Legislative District after defeating 37-year-old Fawn Walker-Montgomery of McKeesport on Tuesday in a special election.
Davis expects to wrap up his current job as executive assistant to Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald next week, and be sworn in as a state legislator a few days later.
Then, Davis, a Democrat, will be running in the May 15 primary for a chance at a full term in office.
"I do like to keep a robust schedule, but no, there's not much downtime," Davis said Wednesday.
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January 23, 2018 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
State Sen. Jim Brewster has been re-elected as chair of the board of the McKeesport Housing Authority, a spokeswoman said.
The third-oldest housing authority in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, MHA was created before World War II and provides more than 1,000 units of low-cost rental housing to senior citizens, the disabled and low-income residents.
Brewster has served as the authority's chair for 27 years.
“It is an honor to be elected chair for another year,” Brewster said in a prepared statement. “The authority’s work in the City of McKeesport is vital. I am proud to serve on this board and for the community in this capacity.”
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January 23, 2018 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
(All photos by Sarah Reck, courtesy Senator John Heinz Regional History Center)
A traveling exhibit that examines life in the Pittsburgh region during World War II is coming to McKeesport this week.
"We Can Do It: WWII," created by the Senator John Heinz Regional History Center, will be on display at McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center beginning this Saturday.
Michelle Wardle-Eggers, who was recently named executive director of the McKeesport center after serving as its archivist, said the exhibit will be on display through March 20.
The center is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.
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January 23, 2018 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Politics & Elections
A Republican candidate for governor of Pennsylvania will meet with local residents during a reception Jan. 30 in Elizabeth Twp.
The event for Paul Mango is being sponsored by a group called Vets for Mango and will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Sunset Room, 95 Enterprise St., just off Route 48 near the Central Highlands section of the township, a spokeswoman said.
Although the event is free and open to the public, people planning to attend to should RSVP by calling Brandon Rumbaugh at (724) 812-9285 or emailing bcrusmc@gmail.com.
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January 23, 2018 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Announcements, Duquesne News
Bus rider Derek Gordon displays one of the postcards being distributed by Pittsburghers for Public Transit. (Submitted photo courtesy Pittsburghers for Public Transit.)
Two community groups will hold a rally Friday morning in Pittsburgh to protest possible cuts to buses serving McKeesport, Duquesne, Braddock and Swissvale.
The protest, being organized by Pittsburghers for Public Transit and Just Harvest, will urge the board of directors of Port Authority of Allegheny County to amend plans for its proposed Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, loop so that the project doesn't unfairly burden riders of the 61A, 61B and 61C buses, said Laura Wiens, director of the transit group.
The planned BRT loop would connect downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland with more frequent buses using dedicated bus lanes.
Under the proposal, 61-route buses that currently connect McKeesport, Braddock and Swissvale with downtown Pittsburgh would terminate in Oakland, where passengers would have to transfer to a BRT bus to continue their trip.
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January 22, 2018 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Politics & Elections
Voters in the 35th District will head to the polls Tuesday to elect a new state legislator.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Clairton, Duquesne, Lincoln, McKeesport, Munhall, South Versailles Twp., Versailles, Whitaker, White Oak and five neighborhoods of West Mifflin.
Democrat Austin Davis (above left) and Republican Fawn Walker-Montgomery (above right), both of McKeesport, are running in the special election to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of former state Rep. Marc Gergely. Gergely resigned after pleading guilty to criminal conspiracy and violating state election laws for his connection to a video-poker and gambling ring.
Walker-Montgomery is a former two-term McKeesport city councilor, while Davis is executive assistant to Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.
Click on either candidate's name to learn more:
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January 22, 2018 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News, Duquesne News
Three people were injured Sunday in shootings in Duquesne and Turtle Creek, Allegheny County police said.
The shootings were not fatal, though homicide detectives are investigating.
In the first incident, county police said two victims were sitting in a car in the 1000 block of Lincoln Avenue in Duquesne at 3:57 a.m. Sunday when another car pulled alongside of theirs. Someone inside the other car then opened fire on the first vehicle, county police said in a prepared statement.
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January 22, 2018 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Commentary-Editorial
I want to thank, publicly, the following people, organizations and businesses who contributed to our year-end fund drive. If I missed anyone, I apologize. (UPDATED: I realize I'd missed any donations made online. The list is now updated.)
- Paul E. Bekavac Funeral Home, Elizabeth
- Tom Carter
- E.R. Crawford Estate Trust Fund
- Robert Dacey
- Mary Ellen Driver
- E.C. Finney Funeral Home, Glassport
- I.M. Finney Funeral Home, Dravosburg
- S.M. Finney Funeral Home, Clairton
- Sharyn H. Fletcher
- Jo Ann Hartos
- Judith E. Hornfeck
- Vicki Johnston
- Janet Kulis
- Doris T. Lynch
- Joan A. Mayhue
- Harry R. Miller
- Ruth Ann Molloy
- Mortuary Society Inc., Clairton
- Rose M. Sakas
- John Stevens
- Young Funeral Home, Butler, Pa.
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