Filed Under: Sarcastic? Moi? || By Jason Togyer
Category: News || By Submitted Report
Allegheny County today announced its fourth-annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program will run from Jan. 3 to 22.
Residents may drop off trees daily between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the swimming pool parking lot in North, Settlers Cabin and South parks, as well as Boyce Park's model airplane field, which is located past the ski lodge. Signs will indicate the drop-off locations.
All lights, decorations, tinsel and stands must be removed from trees prior to drop-off. The trees will be mulched, and the mulch will be used in Allegheny County's nine regional parks.
. . .
MLT Seeks Lighting Crew: McKeesport Little Theater is looking for someone to run lights for its upcoming presentation of "Camp Rock." The crew member must be available for tech rehearsals this Sunday through Wednesday, as well as for performances scheduled Jan. 6, 7 and 8 and Jan. 13, 14 and 15.
Persons interested should contact the MLT via its Facebook page.
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Forward Twp. Road Work: Traffic will be restricted on Bunola River Road in Forward Township next week for brief periods during the day.
Crews from Pennsylvania Drilling are conducting geotechnical research for a future slope repair between Elkhorn Road and Route 136, says Jim Struzzi, PennDOT District 11 spokesman. Restrictions will occur as needed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
Motorists should use caution and be aware of changing traffic patterns when driving through the area. Flag crews will control traffic as needed.
Meanwhile, a new bridge on Route 136 in Forward Township is now complete. The $1.3 million project included replacement of the bridge over Becketts Run and improvements to the surrounding roadway, Struzzi says. The Velotta Company of Sharon Center, Ohio, was the prime contractor.
Traffic on the bridge just west of the intersection with Kelley Hollow Road was restricted to a single lane beginning in July 2010. About 5,737 vehicles use the bridge on an average day.
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Category: Announcements || By Submitted Report
River Road will be closed through June as the city's sewerage authority begins a construction project in the area. The closure was announced last week by state Transportation Department officials and the Municipal Authority of the City of McKeesport.* (Note: This story was edited after publication. See below.)
The work is being performed by Independence Excavating on behalf of the authority, says Jim Struzzi, district spokesman for PennDOT. PennDOT is not involved in the project.
A state-maintained route, River Road connects the city's lower 10th Ward with Port Vue and carries about 1,100 vehicles daily. Until June 1, the road is being closed to all through traffic between Rebecca Street and the railroad crossing under the 15th Avenue (Sen. Belan) Bridge. Residents who use the road to reach their homes will be able to continue using the road, along with trucks that need to reach the ELG Metals plant.
The posted detour uses Walnut Street and the Jerome Avenue and 15th Avenue bridges.
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Category: News || By Jason Togyer
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Category: History || By Jason Togyer
(This article originally appeared in Tube City Almanac on Dec. 28, 2008.)
It turns out that my grandfather may deserve some of the credit (some say blame) for the 1963 film "A Visit to Santa."
As discussed at the Almanac last week, the 11-minute feature by Pittsburgh-based Clem Williams Films was shot mainly in McKeesport and features shots of Market Street, Fifth Avenue, Olympia Shopping Center and (possibly) the interior of The Famous.
The film, which was shown on Turner Classic Movies over the holidays, has developed something of a cult following on the Internet, mostly among people who can't believe how bad it is.
It even has the dubious distinction of having been mocked by MIchael J. Nelson.
Yes, Mike Nelson from "Mystery Science Theater 3000." Take heart, McKeesporters: If you're going to be mocked, you might as well be mocked by the best.
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Category: History || By Jason Togyer
(This article originally appeared in Tube City Almanac on Dec. 22, 2008.)
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Category: News || By Jason Togyer
(Editor's Note: This writer has a conflict of interest. Details at the bottom of this story.)
. . .
After a year's delay, checks are finally being issued to more than two dozen local charities designated by former Mayor James Brewster to receive his back pay.
McKeesport officials confirmed Monday that the checks have been cut and signed after new contracts were executed between the charities and the city.
At least one charity with a religious affiliation is known to have declined the money after city officials told all of the organizations they could not use the funds for worship or evangelizing.
The release of nearly $41,000 comes almost two weeks after Brewster's wife, Linda, and representatives of those organizations complained to city council about the ongoing wait for the funding.
The money has been mired in controversy, in part because City Controller Ray Malinchak has argued that Brewster, now a state senator, was not entitled to deferred compensation.
Council threatened to go over Malinchak's head if he refused to sign the checks. The controller told the Almanac Monday that he had agreed to sign "under protest."
"I have never seen it so hard for someone to give away their own money," said Frank Francis of the McKeesport Past and Present Committee, which annually sponsors a community-wide reunion at Moran Field on Market Street. "We may not be hurting as bad as some of these other organizations, but every little bit helps."
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Category: News || By Jason Togyer
The city's 2012 budget cuts more than $1 million in spending while holding the line on taxes and fees.
At last week's meeting, council by 6-0 vote approved a $17.9 million budget. Councilman Darryl Segina was absent due to illness.
Last year's budget set spending at $19.5 million. The biggest decrease in the 2012 budget is the drop in the cost of the city's tax-anticipation note from $3.4 million to $1.9 million --- a savings of $1.5 million that practically cuts that expense in half.
This year's budget also anticipates a $275,000 increase in wage tax collections.
City Administrator Dennis Pittman has told council that the state-mandated switch to centralized wage tax collection --- authorized under Act 32 of 2008 --- should increase the city's receipts, provide a more reliable flow of wage tax income, and reduce the number of scofflaws.
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Category: News || By Jason Togyer
A holiday concert full of family favorites --- ranging from Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite" to the "Jingle Bell Rock" --- opens the McKeesport Symphony Orchestra's 53rd season on Saturday night.
The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at McKeesport Area High School, 1960 Eden Park Blvd. The concert will be recorded by Tube City Community Media Inc. for broadcast over Pittsburgh's WRCT-FM (88.3) at 3 p.m. Dec. 24.
This year's holiday concert comes as the McKeesport Symphony --- like other community orchestras --- are struggling to reach a wider audience. For the first time in recent memory, one of the MSO's regular slate of concerts this season will be played outside of McKeesport --- at Independence Middle School in Bethel Park.
"We're not at all trying to move out of McKeesport, but we are trying to expand into more of a regional orchestra, so that we can include more of the South Hills," says Bruce Lauffer, who is entering his eighth season as conductor and music director of the MSO. "We have to reach out and find new audiences and new areas."
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Category: News || By Submitted Report
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Category: Sarcastic? Moi? || By Jason Togyer
Employee Injury/Illness Report
Copies to:
When did the injury occur?
Answer: Dec. 8, 2011, 10 a.m.
What was the cause of the injury?
Answer: Employee fell down a flight of stairs, dislocating his arm.
What was the exact mechanism of the injury?
Answer: Employee's m-----r-f--ing arm came out of its m-----r-f--ing socket.
Were there any witnesses to the injury?
Answer: Two students, but they kept walking, those chickens.
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Category: Pointless Digressions || By Jason Togyer
The editor-in-chief of Tube City Online (namely me) was injured in a fall on Thursday morning, so posting at Tube City Almanac has been light. I'll post details of the city 2012 budget next week. Apologies for the delay, and thanks for your support.
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Category: Shameless Horn-Tooting || By An Editor
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Category: News || By Jason Togyer
An investment plan backed by the outgoing administration of Mayor Regis McLaughlin would not comply with state law governing city finances, according to a report from an attorney overseeing McKeesport's recent deal with the sewerage authority.
However, a memo from bond counsel Ron Brown does recommend that UBS Financial Services --- the firm suggested by McLaughlin and City Administrator Dennis Pittman --- should be allowed to compete for the chance to invest the money.
At last night's council workshop meeting, Pittman and incoming mayor Mike Cherepko again argued over plans to invest $14 million in proceeds from the sewerage authority's early payment of debts owed to the city. But the discussion was not heated, unlike the angry public dispute that Cherepko and Pittman had at a budget hearing last month.
The money is currently being held in an escrow account at M&T Bank of Buffalo, N.Y. It is not earning interest.
Councilman Dale McCall suggested that if a competitive bidding process is going to take several months, the money should be shifted into a short-term investment such as a savings account immediately.
"How long is it going to take?" McCall said. "I think we need to make this money work for us right now. Let's move it into an interest bearing account until the investment plan is in place."
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Category: Announcements || By Submitted Report
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Category: News || By Jason Togyer
McKeesport's 26th Annual Festival of Trees begins today at Jacob Woll Pavilion in Renziehausen Park. More than 60* decorated Christmas trees --- most with handmade ornaments --- are on display, representing student and school groups, church and civic organizations, local businesses, government agencies and emergency responders.
Admission is $2 for adults. Children age 12 and under are admitted free with one canned good for a needy family. The festival continues 12 noon to 9 p.m. through Monday.
Food concessions will be provided by McKeesport High School Alumni and Friends, while the Semper Fidelis Club will sponsor a bake sale.
From 12 to 4 p.m. and from 5:30 to 9 p.m., children may have their photos taken with Santa (parents or other adults should bring their own cameras) and the city's public works department will provide "sleigh-hay" rides through Renzie from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Monday and from 12 noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
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