July 17, 2023 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements
Food vouchers redeemable at local farmer’s markets will be distributed to local senior citizens beginning on July 25, the Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging has announced.
The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program helps eligible older adults supplement their diets with locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables by providing a set of four vouchers for a total of $50.
Vouchers will be distributed by the AAA senior center network on a first-come, first-served basis, a spokesman said. The vouchers may be used through Nov. 30 to purchase Pennsylvania grown produce from participating vendors at farmers’ markets throughout Allegheny County.
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July 17, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Announcements
Artist Duane Michals, a McKeesport native, clowns with Meagan Donnelly, community outreach coordinator and research specialist at McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center during an event Friday night. (Tube City Almanac photo)
Pittsburgh’s most famous 20th century artist wasn’t known for being articulate, one of his contemporaries told a crowd of McKeesporters on Friday night.
Talking to Andy Warhol — who was notoriously shy and tongue-tied — was “like talking to a phone off the hook,” Duane Michals said, imitating Warhol: “Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh.”
Michals, 91, a McKeesport native whose photography has appeared in galleries around the world and in magazines such as Life, Time, Mirabella and Vogue, returned to his hometown to lead a three-day photography and filmmaking safari in McKeesport, Rankin and Pittsburgh.
On Friday, more than 150 people were regaled with stories of Michals’ interactions with the rich and famous — his opinion of former President Donald Trump, who he photographed for a magazine feature story, is best described as “not family friendly” — and not-so-famous, like Arnold Varga, an illustrator for McKeesport’s Cox’s Department Store whose work went onto win national awards.
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July 13, 2023 |
By Danielle M. Smith - Public News Service | Posted in: State & Region
A new study sheds light on the urgent need for policies to reduce emissions from U.S. oil and gas production, showing the public health effects are costing billions of dollars.
The research estimated in 2016, in the U.S. alone, oil and gas-related pollution caused $77 billion in health damages, contributing to 7,500 early deaths and more than 400,000 asthma exacerbations.
Dr. Barbara W. Brandom, a retired professor of pediatric anesthesiology at the University of Pittsburgh and a member of the Concerned Health Professionals of Pennsylvania, said she saw firsthand the impact of poor air quality on children's health because asthmatic kids had complications with anesthesia.
“Basically, we need to stop burning fossil fuels,” she said.
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July 11, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
McKeesport police Chief Adam Alfer, left, and Mayor Michael Cherepko, at right, pose with newly hired police officers Dylan Culbertson, Rich Dell, Ca’leb Brevard and Dylan Vaniel. (Tube City Almanac photo)
Although many police departments nationwide have reported a shortage of applicants, McKeesport’s police chief said that targeted recruiting has paid off for his agency.
At this month’s meeting, city council approved hiring four additional full-time officers, bringing the department to 44 full-timers and two part-timers. In addition, council approved the promotion of Detective Dan Goughnour to lieutenant. Goughnour heads the department’s juvenile squad, McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said.
Police Chief Adam Alfer said that recruiters from McKeesport have worked with the Allegheny County and Indiana University of Pennsylvania police academies to identify candidates.
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July 07, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Tube City Almanac photo)
Workers at a Downtown supermarket were sanitizing shelves and throwing out merchandise Friday morning following a “Consumer Alert” from the Allegheny County Health Department.
Jeff Ross, owner of the Shop ’n Save on Fifth Avenue at Coursin Street, said the store has been battling mice ever since several buildings were torn down next to the supermarket.
“Please tell our customers we appreciate their business and we’re here in McKeesport to stay,” he said Friday. “Obviously, we want to correct the problem quickly, but it will be a little bit of a process. We hope they will work with us.”
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July 05, 2023 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Duane Michals, 91, shown here in a 2002 self-portrait taken in the ruins of his childhood home in McKeesport, will return to the city this month to mentor a group of aspiring local photographers. (Duane Michals photo © 2002)
Internationally known photographer and McKeesport native Duane Michals will return to his hometown this month to lead a three-day workshop for both aspiring and experienced local artists.
Michals, 91, a self-taught photojournalist whose works hang in galleries and museums around the world, will join with local artist and educator Richard Kelly on July 14, 15 and 16 to teach “Picture This: A Photo Experience” on location at several Mon Valley sites, including the former McKeesport Daily News Building and Carrie Furnaces in Rankin.
Although the three-day event is sold-out, the public also is invited to meet Michals, Kelly and other participants at 6:30 p.m. July 14 at the McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center in Renziehausen Park.
Kelly, an adjunct instructor at Point Park University who previously taught at Pittsburgh Filmmakers, says he’s hoping the Michals visit sparks more creative interest in McKeesport and the surrounding area.
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July 05, 2023 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, North Versailles Twp. News
A 1-year-old girl died Tuesday afternoon after being struck by a car in a parking lot in North Versailles Twp.
Arionna Porter was pronounced dead at the scene of blunt-force traumatic injuries, the Allegheny County medical examiner’s office said Wednesday. Allegheny County police are investigating.
In a prepared statement, homicide detectives said the accident occurred just before 4:30 p.m. at the Eastland Apartments on East Pittsburgh-McKeesport Boulevard.
The driver of the vehicle, whose name has not been released by police, remained on scene, detectives said. An investigation has been initiated. Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call the County Police Tip Line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous.
July 05, 2023 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
In another attempt to help beautify the community, Duquesne officials agreed to enter into a street-sweeping program with Steel Rivers Council of Governments.
From now until September or October, a sweep sweeper will patrol the streets at $95 per hour to pick up litter, city officials said.
City officials said they will work to let residents know that they must move their parked cars on street-sweeping days. If automobiles aren’t moved on the designated day, those streets will not be cleaned.
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July 05, 2023 |
By Elizabeth Laughlin | Posted in: White Oak News
White Oak is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, and there are several events commemorating the milestone.
“We’re hosting a 75th anniversary Hero Run on Saturday, July 29 at Heritage Park,” Councilwoman Julie Opferman, who chairs the Parks and Recreation Committee. Proceeds will benefit the family of McKeesport police Officer Sean Sluganski, who was slain Feb. 6, and Officer Chuck Thomas Jr., who was wounded.
Participants should register online by July 14 in order to receive a T-shirt. The walk costs $25 for adults and $15 for those under 18 years old.
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July 05, 2023 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Martha Rial leads the McKeesport Community Newsroom project of Point Park University. The group’s writing workshop will hold a reading at Carnegie Library of McKeesport on July 20. (Tube City Almanac file photo)
“You never know that you got the right shot, because you can’t see it,” said Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist Martha Rial. “The shutter snaps.”
That was one of the takeaways from a presentation from the Regent Square resident as she discussed the “challenges and joys” of her 40 years as professional and one of the most highly regarded photographers in Pittsburgh. The hour-long review of her career was held by the Women’s Press Club of Pittsburgh at Point Park University in June.
In addition to her own work as a photojournalist, Rial also teaches photography at local universities and is currently the program director for the McKeesport Community Newsroom, a citizen journalism initiative for high school students and adults, funded by Point Park.
The group Rial leads in McKeesport, Tube City Writers, will hold its next public reading at 6:30 p.m. July 20 at Carnegie Library of McKeesport, 1507 Library Ave.
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