October 17, 2022 |
By Jason A. Mignanelli | Posted in: Sports
Serra Catholic’s Eagles are flying high after another regular season football victory.
On Friday, Serra defeated Ligonier Valley 27–18 on the road to run their record to 7–1 overall and 5–0 in the WPIAL AA Allegheny Conference.
On Oct. 7, Yough surprised Serra, and although the Eagles won that matchup 28–14, untimely penalties and poor field position seemed to haunt the team the entire game.
Serra players said they knew they had to come out firing on all cylinders against Ligonier Valley.
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October 17, 2022 |
By Adam Reinherz | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
CORRECTION: This article has been corrected. The wrong figure was given for the number of teachers in the district.
Inside Dr. Tia Wanzo’s office are plants, a few photos and a mounted placard with a quote once uttered by the late basketball hall of famer Kobe Bryant.
The nearby windows in Wanzo’s office allow a fair amount of natural light to enter. The sunshine illuminates a desk, conference table and plenty of places to sit, but McKeesport Area School District’s newest superintendent doesn’t love using the roomy space.
“It's really hard for me to just sit in here and be behind my desk,” Wanzo said. “I am not an office person by any way, shape, stretch or form.”
The self-described “visible leader” would rather be inside a classroom, joining others in a hallway or walking the track.
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October 17, 2022 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A Jefferson Hills woman faces formal arraignment Nov. 3 in connection with a three-car accident that sent three people to area hospitals.
Nicole A. Diggs, 22, is charged by McKeesport police with causing an accident involving death or injury and driving without a license. She is free on her own recognizance pending her appearance in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court.
McKeesport police said Diggs was the driver of a 2004 Mercury sedan that collided with two other vehicles just after 2:30 p.m. March 23 on East Fifth Avenue, near McKeesport & Versailles Cemetery.
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October 17, 2022 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A 14-year-old has been charged with aggravated assault after McKeesport police allege he fired multiple shots into a crowd, sending another teen-ager to the hospital with a neck wound that fortunately missed all vital arteries.
Police said the victim was inside his parent’s apartment at the time of the shooting. A parked car also was struck three times, according to a report.
Both the victim and the alleged shooter live in Harrison Village, police said.
The suspect is charged with recklessly endangering other persons, possession of a firearm by a minor, carrying a firearm without a license, criminal mischief and possession of instruments of crime.
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October 13, 2022 |
By Danielle M. Smith - Public News Service | Posted in: State & Region
The latest research on the “State of Working Pennsylvania” says a tight labor market and new levels of union organizing are offering new opportunities for workers.
Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate in August was the lowest since June 2000, at 4.2% — and more than six million Pennsylvanians are either working or looking for jobs.
Stephen Herzenberg – executive director of Keystone Research Center and co-author of the report – said with smart and worker-friendly policies, the next several years should see a sense of possibility for those workers.
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October 13, 2022 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Board members and employees of McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center watch as McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko, Heritage Center board chair Matt Gergely and state Sen. Jim Brewster ceremonially break ground on a new annex to the facility in Renziehausen Park. (Tube City Almanac photo)
Local officials and representatives of McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center broke ground Wednesday evening on an annex that will roughly double the amount of exhibit space available at the Renziehausen Park museum and archive.
Construction of the 3,500-square-foot wing is expected to begin within a few weeks and, weather-permitting, will be complete in late spring or early summer 2023, said Branden Kucich, owner of Kucich Construction, general contractor on the project.
The expansion is a reflection that the heritage center has increasingly become a regional asset that serves not just the McKeesport Area School District, but surrounding communities as well, said state Sen. Jim Brewster.
“There is an abundance of items that have been stored that people haven’t been able to see” on display, Brewster said. “The heritage center really has become a destination point, along with the rose garden, here in McKeesport. People come here from all over the country, including people who grew up in McKeesport as well as the surrounding areas.”
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October 06, 2022 |
By Jason A. Mignanelli | Posted in: Sports
It’s all in the family with the Serra Catholic football team. Last week’s Homecoming game was celebrated with a huge victory over Derry as the Serra Catholic Eagles defeated the Trojans of Derry 49–7.
The leaders of the (5-1) Serra Catholic football team credit their season-long success to the “family-like” environment developed by Head Coach Jose Regus.
“We have a really good bond with the coaches. They speak to us about football and even just life in general,” said senior quarterback Elijah “Tiger” Ward. “They are role models, and they make it like we are a family.”
Up next for the Eagles is a game tonight versus the 2-4 Yough Cougars. The Eagles will look to build on their 5-1 overall record and 3-0 record within their conference.
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October 06, 2022 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne Fire Chief Frank Cobb told city council Tuesday night that the department has received a nearly $50,000 federal grant for a new compressor that will help keep firefighters' air tanks full.
Cobb explained that when a firefighter is on a call and the air tank on their back is depleted of oxygen, the department gets them filled at the nearby Duquesne Annex station in West Mifflin. With this grant, the department will be more efficient. Out of three bids, the department will spend $48,157.42 to purchase the compressor.
“We’ve been trying to get this for 30 years,” Cobb told council. “Multiple times we have been denied.” He said that the investment is important to stave off bigger expenditures down the road.
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October 06, 2022 |
By Tom Leturgey | Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne City Council has ratified the return of police officer William Spangler to the full-time active roster.
At this week’s meeting, by a 4-0 vote (with Councilman Tim Caldwell absent), council also approved a motion to interview, test if applicable, and hire part-time police officers.
Recently, Spangler had resigned to take a new position, but he has returned, Duquesne officials said.
Mayor Scott Adams noted that the next round of testing for potential officers is Friday. Act 47 Coordinator George Dougherty also told council that there are police grants available for potential police officers to attend the police academy through Robert Morris University.
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September 30, 2022 |
By Jason A. Mignanelli | Posted in: Sports
An explosive second quarter led by Serra quarterbacks Quadir Stribling and Elijah Ward pushed (4-1) Serra Catholic past (2-3) Imani Christian Academy last Friday night.
The 4-1 Eagles normally like to keep a quick tempo. In the matchup with Imani, the Eagles scored early but didn’t really start soaring until the second quarter. Once they got rolling, however, they were able to secure a 47-12 victory and keep their four-game winning streak alive.
Stribling and Ward will be showing off their talents tonight as the (4-1) Eagles welcome an (0-5) Derry team at home in McKeesport at 7 p.m.
“We are always trying to play fast as a no-huddle offense. Imani did a great job after our first drive settling down and playing good defense. We found some plays that worked in the second quarter and continued to run them as they had great success,” said Michael Betler, Serra Catholic assistant head coach.
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