October 04, 2023 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
Mary Louis Bittner joked with Duquesne Solicitor Myron Sainovich that this is her “fourth” swing at serving as “interim city manager” for the city.
At its Oct. 3 meeting, city council voted 4-0 (with Councilman Tim Caldwell absent) to appoint Bittner to the post after accepting Samuel Sulkosky’s resignation.
She will remain on the job until Oct. 23, when Douglas Sample is re-hired back with the city.
Currently the borough manager for Crafton, Sample worked as Duquesne City Manager just a few years ago. In 2020, Sample “wore two hats” for Duquesne, serving as city manager and part-time public works director. City Councilwoman Elaine Washington said she led the effort to get Sample back and worked to secure his services.
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October 03, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Announcements, McKeesport and Region News
The Boys & Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania will return to the city with a new facility called “The Club Teen Center” on Fifth Avenue, Downtown, a spokesman has announced.
A ribbon-cutting for the center — located at 1305 Fifth Ave., in a structure owned by UPMC McKeesport Hospital — is planned for 3 p.m. Wednesday.
BGCWPA officials also will outline the organization’s new priorities and approach to helping Kids in communities across western Pennsylvania, said David Tobiczyk, vice president of advancement, in an email announcement.
Elected officials, community leaders and representatives from UPMC are expected to attend.
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October 03, 2023 |
By Yousuf Lachhab Ibrahim | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
During the 2020 Living History Tour at McKeesport & Versailles Cemetery, Tony Belobrajdich portrayed LCpl. Thomas James “Jitters” Sweeney, a McKeesport native who was killed during the Vietnam War. (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)
If you go...
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9th Annual Living History Tour
Where: McKeesport & Versailles Cemetery
When: Saturday (Oct. 7) and Sunday (Oct. 8), tours every hour to 90 minutes. (Last tour group leaves at 3 p.m.)
Admission: $6 kids 12-under, $12 Heritage Center members, $15 non-members
Tickets: Visit the Heritage Center website
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Visitors will be able to learn about past residents of McKeesport and the Mon Valley (both notable and obscure) this weekend, when the McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center holds its ninth-annual Living History Tour at the McKeesport and Versailles Cemetery.
Actors will take on the roles of these historic figures from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 7 and 8). An indoor performance will also be held on Oct. 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Heritage Center, 1832 Arboretum Drive, Renziehausen Park.
Admission is $12 for Heritage Center members and $15 for non-members. Children 12 and under are admitted for $6.
Among the historic figures portrayed will be Carolyn Waters Young, the first black city council member in McKeesport’s history; Lida Sill Cannon, a Gilded Age socialite known as the Belle of the Monongahela Valley; and Robert Nelson Thomas, a Union soldier who died of illness after having fought in the Civil War. They will be played by Brandy Cogdell, Gina T. Rosso, and Joe Kosha respectively.
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October 03, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko (right) and members of city council thanked outgoing police Chief Adam Alfer (left) at the September council meeting. Alfer has retired from the city after nearly 27 years to become the police chief of South Allegheny School District. (Tube City Almanac photo)
City officials have bade farewell to Adam Alfer, who retired Sept. 22 as McKeesport’s police chief after a career that spanned nearly three decades.
Alfer has been named the police chief for South Allegheny School District. The district, which has four school buildings, currently has two security guards, but Alfer is its first sworn police officer.
He was hired by the school board in July after being recommended by a six-person search committee.
“I don’t want a break,” Alfer said before his last day with the city. “I want to go right into it. I’m very excited to have this new opportunity. But on the other hand, it’s a bittersweet moment, because I love the city of McKeesport. I was born and raised here and I’ve been working here since I was 19 years old. It’s going to be hard to walk away from.”
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September 28, 2023 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Related story: School Board Meeting Marked By Heated Rhetoric
A McKeesport Area School Director apologized on social media following an angry exchange with a member of the public at the end of Tuesday night’s board meeting.
During the meeting, School Director Jim Brown had referred to the lengthy, tense proceedings as “a sh-t show.”
Following the meeting, as Brown was speaking to a reporter from Tube City Almanac, a resident accosted Brown and told him, “You’re the cause of the sh-t show, just by the way you conduct yourselves. Tone it down, tone it down, tone it down.”
Brown responded with profanity and an offensive word, telling the resident, “Hey, you better get away from me. What’s wrong with this dude?”
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September 28, 2023 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Related story: School Director, Resident Exchange Angry Words
A lengthy McKeesport Area School Board meeting on Tuesday was marked by contentious remarks and explosive rhetoric that was lamented by several participants.
The meeting was rescheduled from Sept. 20 after an accident that morning claimed the life of a student from Serra Catholic High School. Board members opened the meeting with a moment of silence for Samantha Kalkbrenner, 15, of Dravosburg, who died in that collision, which also injured three other students and two adults.
During the citizen’s comments portion of the meeting, several community members raised concerns about student safety and district accountability.
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September 26, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Tube City Almanac file photo)
McKeesport officials are hoping that the replacement of the Versailles Avenue Viaduct can be expedited with help and funding from the state Department of Transportation.
Council this month authorized PennDOT to act on the city’s behalf to perform the necessary work begin the process of replacing the nearly 300-foot-long bridge, which was closed to all traffic in February 2022 after an inspection determined it was no longer safe.
City council also have asked PennDOT for $3 million in funding toward the project from the state’s Multimodal Transportation Fund.
McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said the city is hopeful that funding from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission and the federal government will help make up the remainder of the cost, estimated at approximately $10 million.
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September 26, 2023 |
By T.J. Martin | Posted in: White Oak News
White Oak Borough is making final preparations for this weekend’s Oktoberfest to celebrate the community’s 75th anniversary.
At this month’s council meeting, fun was on the agenda — in the short-term, with plans for this Friday’s event at the White Oak Athletic Association, and in the long term with a project designed to provide residents with new recreational opportunities.
Councilor Julie Opferman, who chairs the borough’s Parks and Recreation committee, said the Oktoberfest begins at 6 p.m. Sept. 29 at the WOAA, 1798 Lower Hickman Rd.
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September 26, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Tube City Almanac file photo)
Renovating the Lysle Boulevard parking garage is another important step toward turning around the decline of the Downtown business district, McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said.
City council this month awarded a $2.3 million contract to Kucich Construction Co. of McKeesport for work that will include new safety lighting, electrical upgrades, elevators, concrete deck repairs and other improvements.
The work will be paid for through a state Department of Transportation multi-modal grant awarded to the city in 2018.
“I think it’s a key component to attracting businesses, not just to the Daily News Building, but to the People’s Building and the Executive Building as well,” Cherepko said. “Barring any major setbacks due to obtaining material, I would expect the work to last approximately a year.”
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September 25, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Editorial Cartoons
For the family and friends of Samantha Kalkbrenner and the Serra Catholic High School community, and everyone impacted by Wednesday’s tragedy.
And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand
—hymn by the Rev. Michael Joncas
