Archive for November, 2008

By Mary Ann Thomas
FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW

When West Homestead Mayor John Dindak surveys the Waterfront complex, teeming with shops, movie theaters and waterslides, he remembers that this is where he lived, where he worked and where he lost almost everything.

Many of the landmarks of Dindak’s life mirror the town where he has been mayor for 37 years.

As visitors continue to flock to the Waterfront, which sprawls over hundreds of acres in parts of West Homestead, Homestead and Munhall, other intrepid souls are sampling the towns’ ethnic and industrial roots.

The Bulgarian Macedonian National Educational and Cultural Center on West Eighth Street in West Homestead and the Carnegie Library Music Hall of Homestead in nearby Munhall have survived amid shuttered mills and lost jobs.

[ Full story available at: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/focus/s_597859.html ]

By PATRICK CLOONAN
Daily News Staff Writer

When state Sen. Jay Costa Jr., D-Forest Hills, came to West Mifflin Area Middle School, he had a $12,000 gift for the science program.

That was in addition to his Friday appearance at a sixth-grade assembly dealing with the fall focus on elections in middle school classrooms.

Costa presented a check to school officials representing the state grant he procured for a weather station that occasionally is featured on the evening news.

[ Full story available at: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20193361&BRD=1282&PAG=461&dept_id=182121&rfi=6 ]

By Josh Rizzo
Rocket Sports Editor

Giving to the less fortunate and providing troubled kids with a sense of community is important, said the current back-up quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Charlie Batch, in front of sport management majors Monday, Oct. 27 at West Gym.

The Sport Facility and Event Management class raised $9,000 for the Best of the Batch Foundation by hosting a golf tournament.

Batch made the trip to SRU to thank all of the students for their hard work.

“I started my foundation because I wanted to give back,” Batch said. “I know that I have been blessed to have the fortune of playing pro football and winning a Super Bowl with my hometown team.”

[ Full story available at: http://media.www.theonlinerocket.com/media/storage/paper601/news/2008/11/07/Sports/Steelers.Quarterback.Thanks.Students.For.Generosity-3530767.shtml ]

By F.A. Krift
TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Even at the end, Albert Savolskis wanted to take his wife to the movies and vote on Election Day.

“He could barely walk, and he had no strength and obviously hadn’t been driving for six months,” said his son-in-law, Bill Glenn. “With conviction, he wanted to take his wife out to the movies.”

That was Savolskis, his family said, a lover of travel and a handyman typically on the move.

Albert J. Savolskis of Munhall, a funeral home owner for 43 years and director for six decades, died Monday, Nov. 3, 2008, at home. He was 91.

[ Full story available at: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_597023.html ]

The Port Authority will reduce service to Century III Mall in West Mifflin beginning Nov. 23 “at the insistence of mall management,” according to a news release issued today.

Buses on routes 35A Baldwin-Whitehall and 59A West Mifflin-North Versailles will no longer pick up or drop off riders at the mall. They’ll terminate service at the West Mifflin Wal-Mart.

In addition, the authority will operate fewer trips into the mall on routes 46G Elizabeth, 51C Carrick and 55M Century III Mall routes.

[ Full story available at: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08309/925246-100.stm ]