November 17, 2006

Beginning To Look a Lot Like Demolition

There appears to be demolition work going on right now at Eastland Mall in North Versailles. A check over the weekend revealed roll-away trash bins and a big pile of debris (much of it looked like it was from old flea market stalls) outside the old mall entrance between what had been Baker Shoes and Gimbels.

There's a possibility that someone is renting space for storage and that remodeling is underway, but given the terrible condition of the mall over the past few years, I strongly doubt it. Instead, I suspect that preparations are underway to finally knock the old white elephant (not that White Elephant!) down.

One sign that Eastland has an imminent date with a wrecking ball would be the start of asbestos abatement --- early '60s commercial buildings are often lousy with asbestos, which was widely used as a fireproofing material in floor and ceiling tile and insulation.

If I can sniff out any other information, I'll let you know.

. . .

Speaking of North Versailles: Here's some useless but interesting trivia that I don't think anyone in the local media has picked up on. (In any event, a search of the Internet tubes hasn't turned up anything, but maybe it was in the News --- in which case a certain reporter who covers radio and TV is sure to email me.)

Anyway: Apparently, one of the characters in the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds is supposed to be a graduate of East Allegheny High School in North Versailles.

It's true --- I couldn't make this up. A.J. Cook plays FBI agent Jennifer Jareau, who's supposed to be a graduate of EA, where she captained the soccer team and won an athletic scholarship to Pitt.

I've been trying to figure out the Mon-Yough connection to the show, without any luck so far. I'm assuming that someone has a relative from this area, or attended Carnegie Mellon.

I found this out the other night when I caught a few minutes of Criminal Minds and noticed that the guy from Dharma & Greg is one of the stars. Since I was pretty sure he had a name (Thomas Gibson, as it turns out) I looked up the show on Wikipedia.

If you watch the show and start seeing references to Wilmerding and Monroeville Mall, you'll know why.

. . .

More Turtle Creek Valley News: Alert Reader Dave says: "Jason, please write something about Marty Griffin from KDKA and the preacher from Pitcairn who encouraged kind-hearted, generous local people to donate over $10,000 to buy Thanksgiving turkeys for our less fortunate folk. This is a great story."

Indeed --- you may have seen Pat Cloonan's story (subscribers only) in the News last night.

You can also read about it in the Pitcairn Times-Express. As Michael Cristiano reports, for the past two years, Rev. David Martin, pastor of the Pitcairn Assembly of God Church on Wall Avenue, has climbed onto the roof to collect money to donate turkeys to local food banks.

This year, Griffin, who hosts a morning talk show on KDKA radio, got involved and his listeners pledged $10,000 --- the equivalent of 1,000 turkeys, according to Cloonan --- enabling Martin to wrap up his vigil early. You can listen to the podcast (MP3 file) of the program at the KDKA website.

. . .

City Councilman Paul Shelly Jr. kicked off his run for the District 9 seat on Allegheny County Council last Saturday. Shelly is seeking the Democratic nomination for the seat currently held by Bob Macey of West Mifflin. Macey was appointed to the seat back in May after Jay Jabbour resigned to run for state representative.

Saying he will "not badmouth any fellow Democrats," Shelly is also pledging to do his best to "serve the entire valley," though he adds "any candidate that tells you that they wonât look out for their home town first may just come back and try to sell you the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge!"

Shelly has posted his "Platform For a Better Mon Valley" to his website at paulshelly.com.

Besides Our Fair City, District 9 includes Duquesne, Dravosburg, Elizabeth and Elizabeth Township, Forward, Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln, Port Vue, South Versailles (Coulter), Versailles Borough, West Mifflin and White Oak.

. . .

One aside from your humble editor about Shelly's platform: The candidate who attacked "fellow Democrats" the most this year --- at least in the Mon-Yough area --- was George Matta II, who Shelly endorsed. Matta ran a brutal campaign against state Rep. Marc Gergely (another occasional reader of the Almanac).

But Shelly offered a pretty good commentary on the situation back in May. A few choice morsels:

I donât agree with many of the tactics used in this race. It seemed a campaign of making the other guy look worse than yourself rather than giving compelling reasons as to why you are the better candidate. I detest negativity and am disturbed that those sort of tactics were employed. I thought we had turned a corner and got past that stuff. I guess I was wrong. Negativity still works or politicians wouldnât employ it. I believe that it hurts the candidates, the voters and the process. It keeps good folks from seeking public office as they choose not to subject their families to such craziness. ...

I must agree with Mayor Brewster who said that this was a divisive election and that we need to rebuild relationships within our own Democratic Party. We tend to spend too much time and energy fighting each other rather than rallying behind the common cause of fighting for our city.

Unfortunately, elections can and do bring out the worst in some people. I know that in the past, in the heat of battle, that I have done and said things that I later regretted and even apologized for. I am conscious of this and try to do better at it. Iâm not condoning anyoneâs actions. I saw a lot of things said and done in this race that I would never do. My family and I have chosen to stay here and it is just not worth it.

. . .

To Do This Weekend: Geez, is it that time again? Yes, it is. And here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down Fifth Avenue, starting at the Palisades and continuing to Coursin Street. The Downtown McKeesport Association's 42nd annual "Salute to Santa" parade begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, and Santa will also be taking children's letters on the spot ... McKeesport Little Theater, Bailey and Coursin near Carnegie Free Library, presents Neil Simon's The Last of the Red Hot Lovers tonight and tomorrow at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Call (412) 673-1100.

Posted by jt3y at November 17, 2006 07:32 AM
Comments

Speaking of North Versailles, indeed. This almost turned into a case on "Criminal Minds":
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06321/739094-56.stm

Allegheny County police charged a North Versailles commissioner yesterday with kidnapping, punching and shooting at a woman he met at a bar earlier in the day.

Kash Snyder, the 36-year-old Democrat who won as a write-in candidate for commissioner in 2005, was arrested last night on kidnapping, aggravated assault and unlawful restraint charges.

Posted by: Webmaster at November 17, 2006 01:30 PM

Thanks for the mention on your web-site! I will pledge right here, right now, not to initiate any negative comments about anyone who should seek the County Council seat for District 9. In any election, in my humble opinion, the talk should be about the issues.

I believe that often we forget that most candidates are good people. They care about their communities and their families and try to do what is right in their minds. It is fair game to discuss anyone's voting record or their stand on issues. Families, personalities and badmouthing for the sake of political gain have no place in the process.

I wish I had a nickel for every bad things that was said about me, rather murmered, in secret when I ran for COuncil last. There were outright lies spread about me and my family that got back to my then 8 year old daughter in school. I wanted to go to the offender's house, drag them out in the street and pummel them like they deserved. Instead, cooler heads around me prevailed and I just knocked 50 more doors that night than I planned. In May and again in November we beat that opponent at the polls. Handily. I guess we made the right choice.

I hear that negativity works. I disagree. If I have to badmouth another person, especially a fellow Democrat to get elected, the price is too high.

I must disagree a little with your assessment of the Matta-Gergely race. I will give you that some of the Matta marketing pieces stretched the truth a little. A mistake that George paid dearly for at the polls. I really don't think Marc Gergely beat him. I think a few poor choices of facts and figures, a bashing in the Post-Gazette and a full frontal assault out of Harrisburg, from the State Democratic committee, over the ENDORSED Allegheny County cnadidate turned the tide. (Why do we have local endrosements if the State won't honor them?)

For two weeks, the state committee and the Gergely campaign bashed George so badly with signs, a web-site and mailings that I had to spend 15 minutes convincing my own Mother to vote for George. George should have watched his literature a little better. Mr. Gergely's campaign team and the State Committee that funded this luncay should be embarassed. They did a disservice to us all and made a mockery of the process.

That's my opinion and I'm sure their are folks that like Marc who will disagree. Hey, I like Marc as a person and respect himn as a father. I'd like him more a public servant if he ever returned an email or phone call. Folks elected him to serve. I hope he takes advantage of the opportunity that has been granted him. I guess we'll have to wait and see. The greatness and wisdom of our founding fathers is clearly evident in the two year house terms they mandated. If a Rep, be it State or Federal is a bum or a hoodlum, we get a chance every two years to correct our mistake. I hear people saying that Marc is unbeatable now that he has got past George once. I think that is laughable. If he provides quality service for his constiuents, they are probably right. If he takes liberties with our money and our confidence, he will be thrown out by the voters. Just ask Mike Veon. Just ask Rick Santorum. Our records do catch up with us eventuially. Sometimes it takes a little while.

Anyway, enough ranting from me. I am here to serve and humbly ask that you folks all give me consideration this May. I will work for you and the whole Valley if you give me a chace.

Respectfully,

Paul

Paul Shelly
McKeesport City COuncilman
Democratic Candidate, Allegheny County Council, District 9
Proud Father and Democrat for Life

office: 412.678.0511
url: www.paulshelly.com

"Serving Mon Valley Families."

Posted by: Paul Shelly at November 19, 2006 05:51 PM
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