April 28, 2010

Briefly Noted: Rankin Bridge Closed, Bike Blessing Slated

(Events, News)

Rankin Bridge Closes Saturday: The Rankin Bridge will close this weekend while crews repair structural steel, a county spokesman said.

The bridge, which is part of the link between Route 837 the Parkway East's Swissvale exit, will close at 6 a.m. Saturday and reopen Monday morning.

In addition, an underpass carrying Kenmawr Avenue underneath the bridge will be restricted to a single alternating lane.

Traffic will be detoured over the Homestead Grays Bridge and the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge. A printable map of the detour route is available at the county's website.

When the bridge reopens on Monday, traffic will still be restricted to a single lane in each direction.

Because of the work and last weekend's rain, planned construction on the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge has now been rescheduled for May 7-10 and May 14-17, weather permitting.

. . .

Grandview Task Force Hosts Clean-Up: The newly formed resident task force in the city's Grandview section will hold a neighborhood-wide "cleanup" beginning at 8 a.m. May 15.

Spearheaded by young families, a spokesman said about 100 volunteers are expected. Local scouting groups and church groups will be joining the task force members.

Cleanup crews will meet in the parking lot of Beulah Park United Methodist Church, 1615 Grandview Ave., where supplies and assignments will be passed out.

Those supplies and refreshments have been donated by local businesses, a spokesman said.

The Grandview Task Force is one chapter of the "McKeesport Task Force," a network of volunteers and city officials organized to report and coordinate law enforcement, code enforcement and public works issues.

For more information, email grandviewtaskforce@gmail.com

. . .

Motorcycle Blessing Sunday: St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Walnut Street at Eighth Avenue, Downtown, will host its fifth-annual "Blessing of the Bikes" at 11:15 a.m. Sunday, following the 10 a.m. worship service.

Following the blessing, a caravan of bikes will head out for a Sunday afternoon bike ride.

Rev. Dr. Jay Geisler, rector of St. Stephen's and owner of a BMW 850 motorcycle, will preside over the ceremony.

The service is designed to pay tribute to the bikers and also raise awareness of motorcycle safety among the general public, says Geisler, of East Pittsburgh. For more information, call (412) 664-9379.

. . .

Local Leaders to Dedicate Bridge: State and local officials will dedicate a new bridge over Jacks Run to the memory of former White Oak Mayor Milton L. Lebowitz.

The ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday at the intersection of state Route 48 and McClintock Road, near the entrance to White Oak County Park, and is open to the public.

A longtime community leader and owner of a dry-cleaning business, Lebowitz served on borough council from 1976 to 1983 and as mayor from 1998 until his death in 2003.

"Milton selflessly served the White Oak community for more than 40 years," says state Rep. Marc Gergely, White Oak Democrat, who sponsored the legislation to name the bridge for Lebowitz. "He was a dedicated businessman, volunteer, veteran and public servant."

Scheduled to attend are former Allegheny County commissioner, state treasurer and auditor general Barbara Hafer; state Sen. Sean Logan, Monroeville Democrat; state Rep. David Levdansky, Elizabeth Democrat; Allegheny County Councilman Robert Macey, West Mifflin Democrat; former Allegheny County Coroner Cyril Wecht; Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge David Wecht; and Dan Cessna, executive director, state Department of Transportation District 11.

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 11:00 pm by Staff and Wire Reports
Filed Under: Events, News | No comments | Link To This Entry |

April 27, 2010

A Modest Proposal: Now, Let's Get to Work

(Commentary/Editorial)

It's surprising how many disconnected sections of four-lane highway exist in the Mon-Yough area. Some, like the four-lane section of Route 48 between White Oak and Eden Park, are legacies of bigger projects that were never completed, such as the fabled "Route 48 Expressway" extensively documented at the Gribble Nation website.

Others (such as the four-lane segment of Route 837 in Duquesne and West Mifflin, or Lysle Boulevard in the city) were apparently designed to serve localized problems, but were never linked to anything else.

These four-lane segments feed into two-lane roads, creating choke points. The two-lane portion of East Fifth Avenue (Route 148) is a notorious bottleneck during afternoon rush hours. The two-lane McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge between four-lane Lysle Boulevard and Route 837 is another mess. So is Lebanon Church Road, which goes down to two lanes east of Buttermilk Hollow Road.

Now, with the news that the state Turnpike Commission has discontinued work on the Mon-Fayette Expressway, it appears that the Mon-Yough area is getting another disconnected four-lane highway.

. . .

But what if those segments were connected and turned into a network of urban boulevards or highways? Bottlenecks such as East Fifth Avenue and Lebanon Church Road in Dravosburg would be mitigated.

And what if those disconnected segments of road received unified state route numbers? No longer would you have to give directions by telling people, "take Lysle Boulevard to West Fifth Avenue, cross the Mansfield Bridge, go up Richland Avenue, make a left at Lebanon Church Road."

Instead, you'd just say, "Take Route 937 south."

. . .

Here's a modest proposal for Mon-Yough officials who have been backing the Mon-Fayette Expressway. Let's try something like this instead:

• A Mon-Fayette Highway (extending Route 43) that connects the Mon-Fayette Expressway via West Mifflin, Hays and Glenwood, using reconstructed parts of Route 885, Mifflin Road and Second Avenue to enter Pittsburgh


• A Tri-Valley Highway ("Route 937") using Lebanon Church Road, Lysle Boulevard and Pittsburgh-McKeesport Boulevard to connect Route 51, Century III Mall and McKeesport with Business Route 22


• A Steel Valley Highway which realigns part of Route 837 and includes a new McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge, to connect McKeesport and Kennywood with the Mon-Fayette Highway

. . .

True, these highways wouldn't be limited access. Speeds would be typically 40 or 45 miles per hour, not 55 or 65.

But instead of bypassing communities such as McKeesport --- which the Mon-Fayette Expressway proposes --- these highways would take traffic directly through the heart of our communities. This would increase the value of commercial, retail and industrial properties.

Think about Ardmore Boulevard, and what an asset it provides to Forest Hills and Chalfant.

And because these surface highways would provide many access points, not just off-ramps, they could be used daily by local residents, not just people passing through on their way someplace else. Sidewalks and bike paths along the right-of-ways would encourage pedestrian use.

. . .

There are significant costs associated, of course. Some complicated and expensive construction would be needed. For example, a new four-lane bridge would need to replace the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge. (Of course, that 1927-vintage bridge is already rated "functionally obsolete" by the state Department of Transportation. So it's due for replacement anyway.)

A few of the construction projects would be very disruptive. Creating our "Mon-Fayette Highway" requires connecting Route 51 with the current Route 885 near Community College of Allegheny County's South Campus. That means replacing or reconstructing Lewis Run Road, which would displace or inconvenience homeowners and businesses.

Ditto for linking Turtle Creek with Business Route 22 via the Larimer Avenue corridor. Many homes and businesses would be uprooted.

But many of those same homes and businesses would also be uprooted by construction of the Mon-Fayette Expressway. Arguably, our proposal offers less disruption and more potential benefit to the surrounding neighborhoods.

. . .

Our proposal also suggests that changes in traffic patterns would accommodate many of the necessary improvements. Take the Mon-Fayette Highway's entrance into Pittsburgh.

What if we constructed a new street parallel to Second Avenue in Hazelwood? And what if we then made the new parallel street one-way headed south, and Second Avenue was one-way headed north? A minimum of properties would be demolished and Second Avenue could continue to accommodate a parking lane on one side.

A similar solution would carry our "Steel Valley Highway" through West Homestead, Homestead and Munhall. The northbound lanes of Route 837 would be moved to Seventh Avenue, and the southbound lanes moved to Eighth Avenue.

There are plenty of local precedents for such situations, including Route 906 in Monessen and along U.S. Route 30 between Youngstown and Ligonier.

. . .

How realistic are our proposals? While we're journalists, not engineers, we suspect that replacement of the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge might cost $80 million. Rebuilding portions of Second Avenue and constructing a new parallel street in Hazelwood would likely cost $20 million to $40 million. The connection between Turtle Creek and Business Route 22 would be expensive.

But extending the Mon-Fayette Expressway through the Mon-Yough area is estimated at $4 billion. Surely a network of improvements surface roads could be constructed at much less cost --- perhaps a tenth of the cost.

In addition, each of these improvements can be constructed independently, and the local benefits would accrue immediately.

. . .

All of these ideas seem in retrospect somewhat obvious, and you might rightly ask why no one has proposed these kinds of things before.

In fact, many of these ideas have been suggested. But no one was listening.

In 2008, one of the most vocal opponents of the Mon-Fayette Expressway --- Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future, or PennFuture --- launched a website called Mon Valley Land Use and Transportation.

Located at www.monvalleyhelp.com, the website shows many of the unbuilt infrastructure proposals of the past 20 years, and estimates their cost in 2008 dollars.

The Mon Valley "urban boulevards" on the website, for instance, incorporate things like a new connector near Lewis Run Road, and a replacement for the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge.

. . .

Those and other improvements were first proposed to the Allegheny County Commissioners back in 1987, but were never constructed, because state and local elected officials and business leaders --- including the Mon Valley Progress Council and the Regional Chamber Alliance --- instead spent their time pushing for construction of the Mon-Fayette Expressway.

Big projects can capture our imagination, even when they're not practical. With the Iraq War floundering, President Bush in 2004 tried to recapture some of the excitement surrounding the space program of the 1960s. He proposed returning astronauts to the moon by 2015.

This year, the Obama Administration announced that another moon landing was likely to be very expensive and provide little scientific benefit, and that it was scrapping the project.

. . .

Just like another moon landing, the Mon-Fayette Expressway is an expensive 1960s idea that we can't afford. It would provide very little benefit for the amount of money required.

For decades, our elected officials and business leaders have been blocking out objections and input from PennFuture and other opponents of the Mon-Fayette Expressway. Those opponents and their criticism of the toll road have proved to be accurate and prescient, to our shame and misfortune.

If the Mon-Fayette's boosters want to atone for their past shortsightedness, maybe they should visit www.monvalleyhelp.com and refresh their memories about some of the older, less-expensive proposals for improving our infrastructure.

Then, let's all brush off those old plans and get to work. The "Mo-Fo Excessway" is dead. Let's not waste any more time.

. . .

Opinions expressed in this commentary are those of Jason Togyer, executive director of Tube City Community Media Inc., and do not necessarily reflect those of the corporation, its board of directors, or its volunteers.

Responsible replies are welcome. Email them to j togyer at g mail dot com or write to Tube City Online, P.O. Box 94, McKeesport, PA 15134.

You may also post responses as a comment below this entry. Submissions become property of Tube City Online.

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 11:05 pm by Jason Togyer
Filed Under: Commentary/Editorial | three comments | Link To This Entry |

April 26, 2010

Now What, Mon-Fayette Boosters?

(Commentary/Editorial)

Backers of the Mon-Fayette Expressway --- including many elected officials, the city-based Regional Chamber Alliance and the Mon Valley Progress Council --- have spent the last 20 years presenting the toll road as the solution to all of the region's economic problems.

During those two decades, the "progress" council and the RCA did little to promote other infrastructure improvements, such as to mass transit or surface roads. Indeed, the RCA has spent the last several years complaining that public transportation is a waste of money.

Well, all of their efforts to promote the highway have turned out to be spectacularly ineffective.

Last week, the chief engineer of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission admitted the obvious --- the unbuilt section of the toll road will probably never be constructed.

. . .

In fact, the Mon-Fayette turns out to have been the boondoggle its critics always claimed it was --- and what's been wasted has been 20 years that the Mon Valley will never get back.

That's 20 years that local business and community "leaders" could have spent advocating:

• For improvements to important surface roads, such as Route 837, Route 48 and Lysle Boulevard.


• For a light rail or commuter rail system.


• For a transit merger between the three unrelated authorities that currently operate transit in the Mon Valley.

Instead, we spent all that time and $1.2 billion on an empty, useless toll road that costs millions to maintain while connecting nowhere with nowhere.

. . .

According to the Tribune-Review and Pittsburgh's WDUQ-FM radio, three private companies considered financing the section of the Mon-Fayette between Route 51 and the Parkway East, and couldn't or wouldn't raise the $4.5 billion to $5 billion necessary.

Since the state and federal governments are unable to fund the project that the Angry Drunk Bureaucrat calls "the Mo-Fo Excessway," work on the highway has come to a halt and seems unlikely to resume.

Heckuva job, Joe Kirk and J. Barry Stout. Thanks for absolutely nothing.

. . .

Back in January 2009, Tube City Almanac noted that even under the most optimistic scenarios, toll revenues would never cover the costs of building the MFX, let alone operations and maintenance.

We suggested that it would take more than 40 years just to pay off the construction bonds.

We also noted that construction of an interstate doesn't guarantee economic development for depressed urban areas.

The private sector has reached the same obvious conclusions --- the Mon-Fayette is unsustainable. And the economics of completing the highway are going to get worse, not better.

. . .

So, now what, highway advocates? Public financing failed. Private financing failed.

Do you intend to accept reality, or just double-down on your toll road gamble?

If they gamble, the losers will be all of us who live in the Mon-Yough area. And precious time that could be spent working on more productive efforts will be squandered again.

. . .

Opinions expressed in this commentary are those of Jason Togyer, executive director of Tube City Community Media Inc., and do not necessarily reflect those of the corporation, its board of directors, or its volunteers.

Responsible replies are welcome. Email them to j togyer at g mail dot com or write to Tube City Online, P.O. Box 94, McKeesport, PA 15134.

You may also post responses as a comment below this entry. Submissions become property of Tube City Online.

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 12:00 am by Jason Togyer
Filed Under: Commentary/Editorial | twelve comments | Link To This Entry |

April 23, 2010

To Do: Antiques Appraisals, Dr. Zoot, 'Sound of Music'

(News)

Because there's always something to do in and around Allegheny County's second city ...

. . .

'Sound of Music' at Serra: Serra Catholic High School presents "The Sound of Music" at 7:30 p.m. tonight and Saturday. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students.

The high school is located at 200 Hershey Drive in the city's Haler Heights neighborhood. Call (412) 751-2020.

. . .

Antiques Appraisals Saturday: Got treasures? Find out how much they're worth from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at McKeesport Heritage Center.

Professional appraisers will be on hand to examine collectibles and antiques. The cost is $5 per item and proceeds benefit the center's volunteer activities.

Refreshments, including hot dogs, cookies and chips, will be available for sale. The heritage center is located at 1832 Arboretum Drive in Renziehausen Park.

Call (412) 678-1832 or visit the website.

. . .

'Spring Fling' Dance: Saturday's "Spring Fling" will swing with the sound of local favorites Dr. Zoot and The Suits.

The dance at the Palisades, Fifth Avenue at Water Street, Downtown, gets underway at 8:30 p.m.

But beginning at 7 p.m., local instructor Chris Drum will offer cha-cha lessons to interested dancers.

Admission is $15 and attire is described as "dressy casual." Refreshments will be available but smoking in the hall is prohibited.

Call (412) 672-2001 or visit the website for details.

. . .

Director Interviews at MLT: McKeesport Little Theater will have open interviews for directors for its 2010-2011 season from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Those interested should bring a resume. The theater is located at 1614 Coursin St. in the library district. Call (412) 673-1100 or visit the website.

. . .

Submit your event listings to Tube City Almanac by emailing j togyer at g mail dot com, or write to Tube City Almanac, P.O. Box 94, McKeesport 15134.

Events should be submitted at least two weeks in advance. Please include your contact name and phone number in case there are any questions.

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 12:00 am by Jason Togyer
Filed Under: News | No comments | Link To This Entry |

April 22, 2010

Food Bank to Auction 'Sky Rocket' Pass

(News)

Some lucky donors to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank will be among the first people in Pittsburgh to ride Kennywood's new "Sky Rocket" roller coaster.

The first 200 tickets for the ride will be auctioned in mid-May, said Iris Valanti, director of communications for the Duquesne-based food bank.

Sky Rocket is being built on the former location of the turnpike ride, which closed last August after 43 years near the entrance of the West Mifflin amusement park.

. . .

The coaster will include acceleration to 50 mph in its first three seconds, along with a 95-foot vertical climb and two vertical "free falls," according to a park spokesman.

The auction, at a date yet to be determined, will be conducted as part of a joint promotion with KDKA-TV's "Pittsburgh Today Live," Valanti said.

Winners will choose their seats in order of the amount of money they bid, and their "Sky Rocket Launch Day" ticket will include an all-day pass to Kennywood, she said.

Additional details will be announced at a later date on the food bank's website, Valanti said.

. . .

Designed and built by Maryland-based Premier Rides, Sky Rocket is a so-called "launch coaster," meaning that the trains are propelled by a catapult or electrical mechanism, not a chain lift.

"Sky Rocket" will be propelled by linear electromagnetic motors, according to reports by the independent website Kennywood Connection.

The former "Laser Loop," which opened in 1980 and was replaced in 1991 by the Steel Phantom, was also a "launch coaster."

According to Kennywood, the two trains of "Sky Rocket" will each hold 12 riders and travel a 2,100-foot track. Rides will last just over one minute.

. . .

Meanwhile, the National Amusement Park Historical Association this week announced that Kennywood was again voted the "world's favorite traditional amusement park."

NAPHA says Kennywood has been ranked either first or second in its survey since 1996.

The same survey of NAPHA members ranked Kennywood's sister park in Westmoreland County, Idlewild, one of the top three amusement parks for families.

. . .

In addition, NAPHA says Kennywood's "Phantom's Revenge" --- a 2001 redesign of the "Steel Phantom" by Kennywood's former CEO, Harry Henninger --- has been voted by the group's members as one of the top three steel roller coasters in the world.

Based in Mt. Prospect, Ill., the NAPHA is a non-profit foundation of amusement park enthusiasts who work to preserve rides and attractions.

Kennywood opens for the season on May 8.

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 12:00 am by Staff Report
Filed Under: News | No comments | Link To This Entry |

April 21, 2010

By the Way

(Announcements, Pointless Digressions)

The editor-in-chief, managing director, directing manager or whatever the heck else I'm calling myself these days has been extremely busy this month, which accounts for a somewhat slow pace of updates at Tube City Almanac. Your patience is appreciated.

This is a good time to remind you that we still need writers, and that we will pay for assignments. (Um, as Adam and John will testify, sometimes those payments are made slowly. Like I said, it's been a busy month.)

Finally, a public thank you to Alert Reader Ruth Ann M., who donated $100 to Tube City Community Media recently.

Donations are not currently tax-deductible, and yes, my girlfriend recently gave me a verbal dope-slap for not completing the application for tax-exempt status and sending it to the Internal Revenue Service, so as soon as I get some free time (ha! ha!), I'll get back to work on that.

Anyway, if you'd like to make a contribution, you can use the PayPal links over there in the right column. And thanks again.

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 11:00 pm by Jason Togyer
Filed Under: Announcements, Pointless Digressions | two comments | Link To This Entry |

April 18, 2010

This Just In

(News)

Mon Valley native Terry Lee Trunzo returns to Pittsburgh radio at a sister station of the McKeesport-based frequency that made him famous.

Trunzo announced Saturday that he has signed a deal to do a Sunday night oldies show at WJAS (1320), beginning this weekend.

The show will air from 8 p.m. to midnight.

"I will be recreating the shows that I did in the '60s and '70s, with the last hour or so being 'Music for Young Lovers,'" Trunzo says. "Hopefully, I'll be expanding the show to 6 to midnight soon, and will do 'Music for Young Lovers' for the last two hours.

"Everyone has been commenting how much they miss the music I used to play, and they can't find it on the radio anymore," he says. "I'm looking forward to presenting the TL Sound again over nighttime Pittsburgh."

WJAS is owned by Renda Broadcasting, which also owns McKeesport-licensed WMNY (1360). The station, which now broadcasts a "business talk" format, was known as WMCK and WIXZ when Trunzo worked there from the 1960s through the early '80s.

Trunzo has also been heard recently on Scottdale-licensed WLSW-FM (103.9), where recordings of his syndicated oldies show from the 1990s have been broadcast.

The move to WJAS comes on the heels of a standing-room-only dance featuring Trunzo at the Palisades ballroom, Downtown, on Feb. 13.

It also returns an oldies show to WJAS for the first time since station management released former host Doug Hoerth on December 2007.

Now living in Ohio, Trunzo has slated two additional Mon Valley area dances for May --- one in Scottdale on May 1 and another at the Palisades on May 15.

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 11:00 pm by Jason Togyer
Filed Under: News | one comment | Link To This Entry |

April 16, 2010

Briefly Noted: Local Roads Close, VFD Scholarships Open

(News)

River Road Closure Slated Monday: River Road in Port Vue and Bettis Road in West Mifflin will close next week for repairs.

A spokesman for the state Department of Transportation says CSX Railroad will be reconstructing the River Road crossing under the 15th Avenue Bridge. The closure begins Monday morning and continues through Friday night.

The suggested detour takes motorists down Walnut Street.

Tube City Almanac complained to the state Public Utility Commission about the condition of the railroad crossing in 2006, prompting the railroad to make temporary repairs.

. . .

Bettis Road Shut Through October: Meanwhile, replacement of a dangerous bridge near West Mifflin Borough Park will close Bettis Road through much of the year.

Bettis Road will close Monday as PennDOT begins replacing a narrow span over the Union Railroad.

In addition, a PennDOT spokesman said several hundred feet of Bettis Road on each side of the bridge will be reconstructed to make the approaches safer and smoother. Cars must essentially come to a complete stop before crossing the current span, which is one of 6,000 statewide rated "structurally deficient."

General contractor on the $1.4 million project is Mingo Creek Construction Co. of Meadow Lands, Washington County.

Bettis Road is expected to be closed through mid-October, according to PennDOT. The recommended detour involves Pittsburgh-McKeesport Boulevard, Buttermilk Hollow Road, Thompson Run Road and Homestead-Duquesne Road.

About 4,100 cars daily use Bettis Road, while about 1,200 daily use River Road, according to PennDOT traffic volume maps.

. . .

Trail Dedication Slated: McKeesport Trail Commission, the city's Redevelopment Authority and elected officials will hold a formal dedication at 12 noon April 30 for the new sections of the hiking-biking trail along the Youghiogheny River.

The biking trail was recently realigned and resurfaced from Kane Regional Hospital through Gergely Riverfront Park to Lysle Boulevard.

In addition, the new "McKees Point Trail" now allows visitors to go all the way to the Youghiogheny's mouth at the Monongahela River for the first time since the 1960s.

In addition, the city also will hold a ceremonial groundbreaking for the relocation of the bike trail between Ninth and 15th avenues in the Third Ward. Part of the Great Allegheny Passage between Pittsburgh and Cumberland, Md., the trail is being moved to Market Street and away from the site of a planned regional courthouse and public-safety building along Walnut Street.

The combined events will be held near the McKees Point Marina at the foot of Fifth Avenue, and are open to the public.

. . .

Scholarship Aimed at VFD Members: Volunteer firefighters are encouraged to apply before May 15 for a scholarship that provides free training at Community College of Allegheny County.

Sponsored by the Allegheny County Fire Academy, CCAC and the county executive's office, the Allegheny County Fire Volunteer Education, Service & Training Scholarship Program, or FireVEST, provides 200 full scholarships for either associate's degrees or certificate programs.

Recipients must guarantee at least five years of service to a volunteer fire department in Allegheny County, with 150 of the scholarships earmarked for new recruits and 50 awarded to existing volunteers.

The scholarships also pay for training at the county Fire Academy.

Allegheny County has 203 volunteer fire departments, and county officials say their service saves taxpayers collectively more than $60 million.

"Volunteer fire departments have many positions that require a very specific sets of skills," says Allegheny County Councilman Nick Futules, a Verona Democrat. "If accepted to the program, volunteers can attend CCAC, basically for free, and receive a degree."

According to CCAC, past FireVEST recipients have earned degrees or certificates in criminal justice, business, nursing and other fields.

Some restrictions apply and recipients must maintain C-average grades or better. For more information, visit the CCAC website or call the county Fire Academy at (412) 931-3158, extension 5.

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 12:25 am by Staff Reports
Filed Under: News | one comment | Link To This Entry |

April 14, 2010

Wrecking Crews Target More Empty Houses

(News)

Another 10 abandoned houses are meeting the wrecking crew, and 44 more will likely be targeted following a hearing next week.

City council last week awarded a $167,300 contract to Lutterman Excavating of Unity Township, Westmoreland County, to demolish 16 condemned structures, which are located in several different neighborhoods.

Demolition was expected to begin immediately, according to city officials.

. . .

The latest targets of an aggressive effort to rid the city of blighted properties in residential neighborhoods, the houses will be torn down using $100,000 from a federal community development block grant.

Because there's less funding available than the amount of the contract, Mayor Jim Brewster says officials will try to select the 10 worst houses from the 16 put out for bid.

"We'll try to get the remainder down at some future date," Brewster says.

. . .

The $100,000 community development grant is being matched by another $100,000 from Pittsburgh's Allegheny Foundation.

Chaired by Richard Mellon Scaife, publisher of the Daily News and a chain of other newspapers, including the Tribune-Review, the foundation's mission includes civic development. It has given $350,000 toward demolition efforts in the city over the last three years.

Brewster says officials are currently awaiting the results of a multi-municipality bid for demolition that includes another 15 houses, mainly on Bailie Avenue between Cornell and Converse streets.

. . .

Meanwhile, on April 21, city Community Development Director Bethany Budd Bauer will chair a hearing on 44 additional houses that could be torn down as blighted structures.

The properties include six homes on Beaver Street; seven on Jenny Lind Street; four on Lawndale Avenue, three on Grandview Avenue and two each on Pirl, Evans and Hamilton.

Building Inspector Chris House and fire Chief Kevin Lust are expected to testify at the hearing, which is set for 10 a.m. in city council chambers at the Public Safety Building.

. . .

In Other Business: City police are tagging and towing abandoned, unlicensed or un-inspected vehicles left on municipal streets --- and that includes watercraft.

Police in March issued 52 warnings to non-running vehicles --- mainly cars and trucks --- giving their owners 48 hours to remove them, police Chief Bryan Washowich told city council. Their owners removed 41 of the vehicles, but 11 had to be towed, including one boat.

Residents who see abandoned or unlicensed vehicles parked on public streets or property should call city police and ask for a traffic officer to be sent, the chief said.

The non-emergency number for city police is (412) 675-5015.

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 12:00 am by Jason Togyer
Filed Under: News | No comments | Link To This Entry |

April 12, 2010

City Unveils 'Silent Complaint' Form

(News)

By Adam Spate
Special to Tube City Almanac

McKeesport's Weed and Seed Program has another way for city residents to speak up. The new Silent Complaint Form can be used to report criminal, suspicious or drug activity.

It also can be used to report on suspected code violations or public works issues.

A Weed and Seed spokeswoman said the group is partnering with city police, code enforcement officers, and the public works department to clean up neighborhoods through citizen involvement.

By using these forms, residents can anonymously pass information to appropriate authorities to report activities which can threaten the community.

The forms also have advice on what to look for if you suspect illegal activity and tips to keep yourself safe.

City police Chief Bryan Washowich says he's a huge proponent of this initiative. He hopes that police will now hear about problems before they result in a 911 call.

The forms (which can be downloaded from Tube City Almanac as a PDF) are available from the Community Policing Relations and Resource Center, 617 Sinclair Ave., Downtown.

. . .

In Other News: Some Grandview residents were surprised on Palm Sunday to see a three-block-long parade --- including a donkey named "Wyland" --- which began at the corner of Versailles and Grandview avenues.

Members of Beulah Park United Methodist Church took to the streets to recreate the story told of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem a few days before his crucifixion.

More than 100 people waved palms and shouted "Hosanna" as they walked down Grandview Avenue to Grover Street, and even those who couldn't walk the distance waited in front of the church to see the donkey.

Many local residents came out to watch, some local children joined in, and some drivers were caught a little by surprise.

For many Christian churches, Palm Sunday or "Passion Sunday" marks the beginning of Holy Week.

According to the four gospels of the New Testament, when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowds greeted him by covering his path with palm branches.

Wyland was a Sicilian donkey, a miniature breed standing only 28 to 38 inches tall. Legend says that Jesus rode a Sicilian donkey during his procession into Jerusalem, and that's why the breed has a cross-shaped marking along its back, beginning at the base of the neck.

. . .

Whatever Became of the Turnsisters?: Having been a collector of McKeesport memorabilia for some years, I have seen many different, interesting objects.

But one item in my collection that I cannot identify is this small ceramic bell celebrating the bicentennial of the United States.

Now, many trinkets were made at this time, but this one has an added twist. On the bottom it is engraved "McKeesport Turnsisters 92nd."

I have searched the archives of the Heinz History Center, the Internet, the Hillman Library at Pitt and asked around town, but I can't seem to find any organization called the Turnsisters.

Where did they go? Who were the members? If anyone has any information, please contact me at hemiadam@comcast.net.

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 07:18 am by Adam Spate
Filed Under: News | three comments | Link To This Entry |

April 09, 2010

To Do This Weekend

(Events)

Because there's always something to do in and around Allegheny County's second city ...

. . .

High School Musical: McKeesport Area High School presents "The Wizard of Oz" now through Saturday at the high school auditorium, 1960 Eden Park Blvd. Showtimes are 7:30 tonight and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.

This year's cast includes Carly Pollock (Thursday and Saturday matinee) and Larissa Gerber (Friday and Saturday nights) as Dorothy; Rahmel Neal and Zack Grant as the lion; David Kisan and Tim Tolbert as the tinman; Hasaan Allen and Chris Hurley as the scarecrow; Christina Mahan and Alaina Harvey as the wicked witch.

Tickets are $7 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens, except for the Saturday matinee, when all seats are $3. Visit the high school's website for more information.

. . .

Chili Cook-Off: Braddock Creative Arts Program hosts a chili cook-off from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Braddock Elks Lodge, 424 Library St. Taste a variety of chilis or submit your own for a chance to win a prize.

Admission is $5 for children, $8 for Braddock Carnegie Library members and $10 for non-members. Entering a chili into the contest costs $10. Each attendee receives a handmade ceramic bowl made in the studio at the Braddock library.

Call (412) 351-5356 for information or visit the program's website.

. . .

Pure Gold Saturday: The Palisades, Fifth Avenue at Water Street, Downtown, and HJD Productions present a "Spring Fling" concert by the Pittsburgh-based vocal harmony group Pure Gold at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Tickets are $20 at the door. For more information, call (412) 672-2001 or (412) 370-2971, or visit the Palisades' website.

. . .

Submit your event listings to Tube City Almanac by emailing j togyer at g mail dot com, or write to Tube City Almanac, P.O. Box 94, McKeesport 15134.

Events should be submitted at least two weeks in advance. Please include your contact name and phone number in case there are any questions.

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 01:27 am by Jason Togyer
Filed Under: Events | No comments | Link To This Entry |

April 09, 2010

Census Wants 'March to Mailbox' in City, Valley

(News)

Workers will be manning local streets this weekend, urging residents who haven't yet returned their 2010 U.S. Census forms to "march to the mailbox" before April 16.

Jim Tomasic, a local census worker, says canvassers will be posted at busy intersections in and around the city from 12 to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Filling out the form, which asks for the age, ethnicity and sex of each person who was living at a certain address on April 1, should take "three minutes" to complete for most residents, he says.

According to a spokesperson for the Census Bureau, the 2010 form is among the shortest in recent American history.

. . .

The every-10-years national population count is required by the U.S. Constitution and has been performed since 1790.

All citizens are required by federal law to participate under threat of a $5,000 fine, but a bureau spokesperson says seeking criminal penalties is "a last resort."

Addresses that fail to complete and return the form can expect a visit from a census enumerator beginning May 1, but census officials hope to avoid making too many such visits. The bureau estimates that each unnecessary visit costs the taxpayer up to $60.

. . .

Census numbers have a serious impact on a community's clout in both Harrisburg and Washington, affecting eligibility for grants, and representation in the state legislature and the U.S. House.

Since the Mon-Yough area has seen its population steadily decline since the late 1970s, local officials are urging full participation in the census in hopes that an accurate count will soften the hit they expect to take.

Citywide, about 64 percent of residents have returned their census forms already by mail. That's close to the national response rate of 65 percent.

. . .

But responses vary widely by neighborhood. Only 42 percent of residents of the Third Ward --- home to the Harrison Village public housing complex --- have returned their forms already.

Responses have been higher in better-off neighborhoods such as Eden Park and Haler Heights, where 79 percent of forms have already been returned.

Other response rates as of Thursday included 56 percent along Versailles Avenue, 62 percent in Grandview and 68 percent in Christy Park.

In neighboring municipalities, census response rates range from 54 percent in Duquesne to 81 percent in Liberty Borough.

. . .

Poorer residents often are reluctant to return their census forms, for fear their responses will be used to investigate them for crimes, including immigration or tax violations, or will be shown to their landlords.

But the census form does not ask about immigration status, and all answers are sealed by law for 72 years. According to the Census Bureau, no private citizen and no other government agency --- not even the Federal Bureau of Investigation --- may see someone's census form before then.

Census workers who release personal information from a census form are subject to a five-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine.

. . .

According to Tomasic, residents who lost or threw away their census form --- or who didn't receive one in the first place --- should call toll-free 1-888-872-6868.

Because the forms require a valid mailing address, no resident will be counted twice, according to the Census Bureau.

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 12:31 am by Jason Togyer
Filed Under: News | No comments | Link To This Entry |

April 08, 2010

Council OK's Animal Contract, But Flushes Sanitation Bid

(News)

By one vote, city council on Wednesday rehired an animal-control officer whose methods attracted both pickets and petitions a few years ago.

Despite "major concerns," Councilman Michael Cherepko cast the deciding vote in a 4-3 decision to name Ferree Kennels of the city's East End to corral vicious dogs and stray animals.

But Cherepko and other councilors also put owner Ken Ferree on notice that complaints from residents won't be tolerated.

"I hope that you surely will take this to heart," Cherepko said.

. . .

The $800 per month contract awarded to Ferree was not nearly as controversial as another agenda item that touched off a lengthy and sometimes graphic debate.

The heated topic? Portable toilets at city baseball and softball fields.

Council by 3-4 vote rejected a contract extension with Shipman's Sanitary Service of Waynesburg and asked City Clerk Patricia Williams to advertise for new bids.

. . .

Voting against the one-year, $26,742 extension to Shipman's were Councilors Richard Dellapenna, Darryl Segina, A.J. Tedesco and V. Fawn Walker.

"I am thoroughly disgusted with Shipman's level of service for us," Segina said. "I think they're shortchanging us. Let's open this up to bidding and get some competition."

That jeopardizes Public Works Director Nick Shermenti's plans to get the portable toilets in place before softball and baseball games get underway. Shermenti and City Administrator Dennis Pittman said they would expedite the process of inviting other vendors to bid on the contract.

. . .

"I do agree with (Segina), and I'm not happy with the service," Mayor Jim Brewster said, "but we went out to bid last year, and no one else bid. And I have bigger problems to worry about than outhouses."

Shermenti said that vandalism of Shipman's portable toilets was partly to blame for their condition last year.

"I personally talked to the owner, and he is aware of the problem," he said.

. . .

The animal-control contract was expected to face more opposition. Instead, only three councilors --- Segina, Walker and Tedesco --- voted against awarding the job to Ferree.

Ferree Kennels was the city's animal control service for 15 years before being replaced in 2006. Residents collected 1,000 signatures on a petition to remove Ferree, complaining about what they considered the owner's brusque manner and his practice of gassing cats and dogs with the exhaust from a gasoline engine.

Cherepko said Tuesday he was leaning against reappointing Ferree, but said the police department's desire for a quicker response time helped change his mind.

. . .

"I am not at all happy with the feedback we got the last time Mr. Ferree was in charge of this," Cherepko said. "Mr. Ferree needs to act in a respectful manner when he deals with our residents, because he is representing our city."

Ferree, who attended the meeting, has promised to use a fast-acting lethal injection to euthanize animals instead of the slower-acting carbon monoxide.

"I am most grateful for this resolution passing," Ferree told council. "Not only am I a small business owner in the city, I am also a homeowner, and I am concerned about the city."

. . .

Ferree offered to donate his first month's payment toward purchase of a bulletproof vest for the police department.

He said many of the objections to his methods amounted to a "difference of opinion" with some residents.

That brought a sharp, quick rebuke from Segina. "We're not looking at 'opinions,' we're looking at the number of complaints we get," he told Ferree. "I hope you will provide your services in a respectful, mannerly way."

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 12:00 am by Jason Togyer
Filed Under: News | one comment | Link To This Entry |

April 07, 2010

Animal Control Contract May Return to Controversial Kennel

(News)

A kennel in the East End that became controversial for its practice of gassing stray dogs and cats with a "lawnmower engine" could win back the city's animal control contract tonight.

Less than four years after public outcry led the city to cancel its contract with Ferree Kennels, council will consider reappointing the service for $800 per month on a month-by-month basis.

Several councilors are already vowing to vote against awarding the contract to Ferree.

"If we hire him, I think it reflects badly on the city," Councilman A.J. Tedesco said Tuesday.

. . .

Others at council's public work session, including Councilwoman Loretta Diggs, said they had bad personal experiences with owner Ken Ferree, who they described as impatient and rude.

"Quite frankly, I have some major concerns about this," Councilman Michael Cherepko said. "I don't like the way he handles people, and I don't like the fact that he doesn't return phone calls."

Ferree was not present at the work session to defend himself.

But officials say the city has two problems --- its current animal-control service is located far away, which can cause delayed response times, and Ferree Kennels was the only bidder on the contract.

"If you vote (this contract) down, you will have to re-bid it," Solicitor J. Jason Elash told council.

. . .

Stray dogs and cats are currently handled by Triangle Pet Control Services of McKees Rocks. Police officers have reported that Triangle Pet --- which provides the same services to many other Allegheny County municipalities --- can take 45 minutes or more to respond to certain calls.

Those delays can cause serious problems. Vicious dogs used as guard animals sometimes hamper the ability of police to serve warrants, Mayor Jim Brewster said.

"Go downstairs and talk to your police," Councilman Richard Dellapenna told his colleagues. "To a man, they want Ferree."

Yet Brewster, who vowed Tuesday night to remain neutral on the subject of rehiring Ferree, admitted that he and Ken Ferree "have had half-a-dozen clashes, and none of them were good."

. . .

Located on Fifth Avenue near the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge, Ferree Kennels was the city's animal-control contractor from 1991 until 2006, when public complaints led council to replace the company with Triangle Pet.

In part, residents were angry that Ferree used carbon monoxide --- reportedly from the exhaust pipe of a lawnmower-type engine --- to euthanize strays. More than 1,000 residents signed a petition urging council not to renew Ferree's contract.

In 2007, a spokeswoman for the Animal Rescue League told Pittsburgh City Paper that although carbon monoxide is a legal method for killing stray animals, it takes considerably longer and causes the animals to suffer. The preferred method of euthanasia is lethal injection of poison, though it costs more money.

. . .

Others complained that Ferree was killing cats within hours of picking them up. State law requires animal-control officers to hold dogs for 48 hours after catching them, but sets no such time requirement on cats.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture inspects Ferree Kennels four times per year and the facility has a current operating permit, according to files at the state Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement.

In an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 2006, Ferree called many of the allegations made against him "slanderous" and said he operated strictly within the law.

Ferree told City Paper that dogcatchers have been "demonized" by movies and cartoons, adding that if pet owners kept their animals on leashes or indoors, they wouldn't get caught.

. . .

Of stray animals, Ferree told City Paper, "this isn't Disney, they don't all have homes ... There is no magical pied piper who is going to come in and play his flute and lead the cats out of town."

The new contract would require Ferree to use lethal injection, not carbon monoxide, to euthanize strays, Elash says.

Council meets at 7 p.m. in the Public Safety Building, 201 Lysle Blvd. at Market Street, Downtown.

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 01:00 am by Jason Togyer
Filed Under: News | No comments | Link To This Entry |

April 07, 2010

Briefly Noted: TCA Editor on Blogging Panel

(Events, Shameless Horn-Tooting)

Communications students at Penn State's New Kensington Campus will host a panel discussion on new media this Thursday that explores the expanding trend of blogging by journalists and non-journalists.

Featured panelists will include Salena Zito of the Tribune-Review, Lindsay Patross of IheartPGH.com, Bram Reichbaum of The Pittsburgh Comet, and Jason Togyer of Tube City Almanac.

Coordinated by Penn State communications students Kayla Smail and Erika Watson and sponsored by the New Kensington campus' communications department, the discussion is the second in a three-part series called ""Communications Futures 2010" that explores trends in marketing, journalism and advertising.

A Penn State spokeswoman says the panel will examine how blogging has been incorporated into traditional news media and public relations practices.

The series is designed to provide aspiring and current communications professionals with insight into current trends in communications fields.

The one-hour discussion begins at 5 p.m. and will be followed by an informal reception. Both are free and open to the public.

For more information, call Smail at (724) 541-7568 or Watson at (724) 681-9858.

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 12:00 am by Wire Report
Filed Under: Events, Shameless Horn-Tooting | three comments | Link To This Entry |

April 06, 2010

Time to Remodel Our Chamber

(Commentary/Editorial)

Not so long ago, springtime meant the Mon-Yough Regional Science Fair --- showcasing the best science, technology and engineering experiments from elementary and high schools throughout McKeesport and the surrounding communities.

It was a wonderful tradition and an example of the McKeesport area's resilience and history of innovation.

It was, that is, until 2009, when the Regional Chamber Alliance pulled the plug.

. . .

The RCA, which began sponsoring the science fair back when it was known as the "Mon-Yough Chamber of Commerce," told the Daily News that it had become too hard to find underwriting, and besides, it was too busy to run the science fair any more.

They were busy? Really? Busy doing what? Holding wine and cheese parties?

Unfortunately, along with lobbying for the Mon-Fayette Expressway, wine-and-cheese parties and other social outings seem to be the RCA's main reason for existence these days.

While those sorts of "networking" events might be useful for the people who attend, they don't do much for the community at large.

. . .

Effective chambers of commerce promote their hometowns as good places to locate a business. They organize entrepreneurs and professionals to affect positive changes in the community.

The Norwin Chamber of Commerce, for instance, is a vital advocate for the Irwin and North Huntingdon areas, leading such efforts as the construction of the time capsule and veterans' monument in front of the North Huntingdon Town House.

The Steel Valley Chamber of Commerce also seems to play an important role in the civic life of its municipalities.

. . .

But the "Regional Chamber Alliance" hasn't played that kind of role for McKeesport and its neighboring communities for at least a decade.

Events such as the science fair have been allowed to die. Through the Downtown McKeesport Association, the chamber once ran the "Salute to Santa" Christmas parade; now that responsibility has been dumped onto an already stressed city government.

I was thinking about all of this when I read that Howard Carpenter was stepping down as the RCA's executive director.

. . .

Although I knew Carpenter's predecessors, I never met him. That's just as well. Based on his frequent editorializing in the Daily News and the RCA's own publications, I doubt we would have had much common ground.

For one thing, he had an Ayn Rand-esque hatred of anything done for the "public good." For another, he seemed to take a perverse pleasure in mocking the Mon-Yough area and its leaders.

That's exactly the wrong position for the so-called "voice of local business." More than one elected official has complained about it. Indeed, two years ago McKeesport Mayor Jim Brewster threatened to start a new "McKeesport Chamber of Commerce."

. . .

Frankly, dropping "Mon-Yough" from the organization's name seemed almost like a sign that the "Regional Chamber Alliance" was ashamed to be associated with McKeesport and the Mon Valley.

Nobody asked us, but The Almanac says Carpenter's departure is an opportunity for the RCA to shift its priorities.

A good start would be returning to its roots as a "chamber of commerce," not a "business alliance" or a "chamber alliance" or any other fancy combination of buzzwords.

. . .

And let's call it the "Mon-Yough" or "Mon Valley" or even "McKeesport Area Chamber of Commerce," please. "Regional Chamber Alliance" is an entirely useless name. (So it's "regional." Big deal. What "region" are we talking about?)

Restoring the appropriate name would provide us all with a sign that the "chamber of commerce" is going to fight for --- and not against --- the McKeesport area again.

. . .

More than most communities, McKeesport, Glassport, Clairton and their neighboring municipalities need an effective, professional organization for attracting and retaining businesses, promoting us to the outside world, and counteracting bad publicity.

A chamber of commerce can provide a powerful tool for tackling those issues --- but only if it's focused outward on the community, not inward on its own members.

. . .

It's time for the local chamber to step up and reclaim its rightful place boosting and building the McKeesport community, not tearing it down.

And if the Regional Chamber Alliance is unable to fill that role, then we need to resurrect Brewster's idea for a new chamber of commerce.

McKeesport needs local entrepreneurs involved more in civic activity and community leadership and economic development --- and sure, even science fairs --- and less in wine-and-cheese outings.

. . .

Opinions expressed in this commentary are those of Jason Togyer, executive director of Tube City Community Media Inc., and do not necessarily reflect those of the corporation, its board of directors, or its volunteers.

Responsible replies are welcome. Email them to j togyer at g mail dot com or write to Tube City Online, P.O. Box 94, McKeesport, PA 15134.

You may also post responses as a comment below this entry. Submissions become property of Tube City Online.

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 12:00 am by Jason Togyer
Filed Under: Commentary/Editorial | two comments | Link To This Entry |

April 05, 2010

Vietnamese University Sending Faculty Here for Training

(News)

More than two dozen faculty members from one of Vietnam's largest private universities will soon arrive in McKeesport to be trained in Western-style educational methods by Penn State's campus in the city.

It's part of a four-year partnership that Curtiss Porter, chancellor of Greater Allegheny Campus, says could pay off in both educational and economic benefits to the Mon-Yough area.

"We have 25 advanced learners from a developing nation coming into the heart of McKeesport and White Oak, and who knows what they will see?" says Porter, who calls it an example of the importation of much-needed "human capital" into the region.

"I think this is very, very significant in ways we don't even know yet," he says.

. . .

Business faculty from Duy Tan University in Da Nang, a city of nearly 890,000 in central Vietnam, will arrive in McKeesport in June, says Kurt Torell, director of academic affairs at Penn State Greater Allegheny.

They'll live in McKeesport Hall, the student residence building, for six weeks while they learn how to teach their colleagues in Duy Tan in Western-style education methods. Torell calls it a "train the trainer" program.

This summer, Penn State Greater Allegheny faculty also begin traveling to Vietnam for two weeks at a time to assist Duy Tan with revamping their business curriculum and setting up a training program in Da Nang.

About 100 members of Duy Tan's 350-person faculty will be trained in topics in management, human resources and accounting over the course of the agreement.

All of the Duy Tan faculty selected are fluent in English, Torell says, and their expenses are being paid by Duy Tan.

. . .

"This is very unique within the Penn State system, and we hope that other campuses might be able to replicate this program," Porter says. "It's a big step for us."

The 52-acre Greater Allegheny Campus, located near Renziehausen Park, has about 800 students. Duy Tan has more than 13,000 students on six campus in central Vietnam; the partnership with Penn State in McKeesport is one of 50 with other universities around the world.

The McKeesport-Da Nang linkup comes as the result of a February 2009 visit to Vietnam by a delegation from the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance.

While the trip was primarily intended to explore business partnerships, Torell participated to see what educational opportunites might be available.

. . .

During a visit to Da Nang, Torell met the vice provost of Duy Tan, Bao Le Nguyen, who expressed an interest in improving the university's business curriculum.

When Torell got back to McKeesport, he and Nguyen continued talking via email. In less than a year ("blazing speed" in academia, Porter jokes) both Penn State and Vietnamese officials had agreed on terms.

Porter and Torell went to Vietnam on Jan. 17 to sign the formal agreement.

. . .

The arrangement is the latest step in an ongoing program to broaden the McKeesport campus' international outreach. In 2005, Greater Allegheny became one of the first of Penn State's 19 commonwealth campuses designated to accept international students.

Each year, Greater Allegheny faculty have scheduled educational and cultural programs to highlight a certain global region --- this year, ironically, they're focused on Southeast Asia.

Now it seems, Southeast Asia will soon be focusing on Penn State Greater Allegheny. Duy Tan faculty will get to see some of the cultural attractions of Western Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh's museums, and will likely visit Penn State's University Park campus in State College, Torell says.

There's also a hope that Penn State students will get to interact with the Duy Tan faculty who visit, he says. Greater Allegheny Campus is reaching out to the Vietnamese-American community in Pittsburgh to see how they can help bridge the cultural gaps, Torell says.

. . .

Porter is hoping this outreach effort also blazes a path for further cooperation between the Mon-Yough area and Vietnam.

He'd like to see local business and elected leaders use this new connection as a bridge to other partnerships.

"This might be an opportunity for investment and trade on an international scale," Porter says. "We have great room for development in this region. I think that would be tremendous."

There may also be service-learning opportunities for Penn State students in McKeesport to travel to Da Nang for course credit and cultural enrichment, he says.

(Editor's Note: Additional photos follow the jump.)

(more)

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 12:00 am by Jason Togyer
Filed Under: News | two comments | Link To This Entry |

April 02, 2010

Briefly Noted: Kennywood Passes, Shopping Bags Available

(News)

Discounted Kennywood Passes Coming: The Consortium for Public Education, 410 Ninth St., Downtown, will be selling passes to Kennywood Park for $18, or about half the usual rate, a spokeswoman said.

The Consortium prefers that payments be made in cash, and asks buyers to pick up the passes at its office in the former YWCA building. An additional surcharge will be applied for weekend use in July or August.

Supplies are limited and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information, call (412) 678-9215.

. . .

Free 'Green' Shopping Bags: With Earth Day coming up on April 22, state Rep. Marc Gergely is offering constituents reusable, cloth shopping bags.

"Many of us will remember the old shopping bags from Balsamo's Market that people loved to reuse for other shopping trips, and these bags are similar," the White Oak Democrat says.

The chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus, Gergely says hunters and fishermen have a particular interest in reducing the use of plastic grocery bags.

"Plastic bags can pose an environmental risk because they take decades to break down in our landfills and some end up as litter in our rivers and streams," he says. "Using more cloth bags will help keep plastic bags out of our rivers and forests where the bags pose a risk to wildlife."

Gergely says he has 500 bags available at his office at 1540 Lincoln Way. Call (412) 664-0035.

. . .

Basketball Game Benefits Children's Hospital: Penn State's campus in McKeesport will host a charity basketball game to benefit the Children's Miracle Network.

The tilt between personalities from "Kiss FM" WKST-FM (96.1) and employees of Pittsburgh-area Best Buy stores will be held at 8 p.m. April 11 at the Wunderley Gymnasium, 4000 University Drive on the Greater Allegheny Campus.

Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $5 and will be sold on the night of the event.

The Children's Miracle Network raises funds for research and education at pediatric hospitals nationwide, including Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh in Lawrenceville.

More details can be found at the WKST website.

. . .

Child Abuse Prevention Effort Launched: Allegheny County has partnered with UPMC Mercy Hospital and Family Resources of Pennsylvania to raise awareness of child abuse.

County Executive Dan Onorato made the announcement Thursday at a press conference proclaiming April "Child Abuse Prevention Month."

Spokesman Kevin Evanto says the partnership between the county's Department of Human Services, Family Resources and A Child's Place at Mercy carries the slogan "Be a Difference in a Child's Life."

The campaign --- which will include announcements on radio and TV and posters on Port Authority buses --- suggests ways that residents can offer advice and understanding to parents and other guardians.

It also asks residents to report incidents of suspected abuse.

"We have all seen parents become overwhelmed or stressed by a child's behavior," says Walter Smith Jr., executive director of Family Resources. "Most of us want to help, but aren't sure how. Try connecting with the parent and offer some support. And when a child is unsafe, don't ignore the situation."

Family Resources has a free parenting hotline at 1-800-641-4546 where trained volunteers offer confidential advice, he says.

Suspected child abuse can be reported anonymously to the Department of Human Services at (412) 473-2000, a spokesman says.

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 12:00 am by Staff Report
Filed Under: News | five comments | Link To This Entry |

April 01, 2010

It's That Time Again

(Nwes)

(April Fool's has passed, and we're the biggest fools at last.)

(more)

Search Tube City Online

Posted at 12:00 am by Tbue City Alnamac
Filed Under: Nwes | one comment | Link To This Entry |