Munhall

By Mary Niederberger
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Allegheny County Council President Rich Fitzgerald came to the Carnegie Library of Homestead yesterday bearing a significant gift — a $150,000 check from the county Department of Economic Development.

The funds came from a Community Development Block Grant and will be used to begin infrastructure improvements in preparation for the installation of an elevator that will make all three floors of the library, built in 1898, accessible to the disabled, said Library Board President Dan Lloyd. The library is still seeking funding for the elevator.

The grant was the second major gift recently received by the historic library, which is actually located in Munhall. The library board plans to soon renovate and enlarge the children’s and teen area with a $50,000 grant from the Allegheny Foundation and a $10,000 gift from Janney Investments.

The project will enlarge the current 850-square-foot children’s library by about 50 percent, said Mr. Lloyd, who is also a Munhall councilman. He made the announcements at a late-day news conference yesterday at the library.

[ Full story available at: http://www.postgazette.com/pg/09050/950267-100.stm ]

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Two Homestead residences were destroyed and two others damaged in a pre-dawn fire today. One resident was treated for smoke inhalation.

The two buildings that were destroyed were a duplex at 344-346 E. 11th Ave. and the house behind it at 1106 McClure Ave.

A resident of 344 E. 11th Ave, identified as Patricia Hoston, was taken to UPMC Mercy for smoke inhalation. That was the only reported injury.

About eight people had to be evacuated from four houses after the fire started after 6 a.m. Initial indications from fire officials is that the fire was ignited by a candle.

[ Full story available at: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09046/949379-100.stm ]

By The Tribune-Review

The Carnegie Library of Homestead has received a $50,000 grant from the Allegheny Foundation for the renovation and expansion of the children’s library, Dan Lloyd, president of the library’s board of directors announced Wednesday.

The Allegheny Foundation, chaired by Tribune-Review owner Dick Scaife, has invested more than $800,000 in the Homestead Library over the past two decades. The library has served residents of Homestead, Munhall, West Homestead and Whitaker since 1898.

[ Full article available at: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_611345.html ]

Admitting to a foot fetish, a former Munhall policeman was sentenced to probation yesterday after pleading guilty to a slew of charges involving inappropriate contact with teenage girls.

Michael J. Curtin Jr., 37, was sentenced to five years of probation by Common Pleas Judge Donna Jo McDaniel as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.

In all, he pleaded guilty to counts of unlawful contact with a minor, indecent assault, corruption of minors, providing alcohol to minors and solicitation of prostitution. The charges involved five different teenagers at various times in 2006 and 2007.

The solicitation charges came from when Mr. Curtin, calling himself “Mick,” contacted a 17-year-old on MySpace. He offered her $1,000 if she would let him kiss her feet and suck her toes.

When interviewed by police, Mr. Curtin admitted that he is sexually aroused by feet.

[ Full story available at: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09041/948057-85.stm ]

By Mary Niederberger
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A Steel Valley school director has agreed to pay $10,313 in restitution for votes he took to award supplemental contracts to his brother, according to a consent agreement negotiated by the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission.

According to the agreement, school Director Edward McCallister of West Homestead was to make the payment in restitution for votes he took to appoint his brother Shawn McCallister to various extra duty positions within the school district and votes he took to approve payments to his brother for those positions.

The agreement was reached on Dec. 4 to Edward McCallister on Dec. 19. After a 30-day blackout period during which Edward McCallister could have asked for reconsideration, the document became public last week, said John Contino, the commission’s executive director.

Mr. Contino said Edward McCallister already has made his first payment of $5,000, which will be followed by a dozen smaller monthly payments. Edward McCallister could not be reached for comment.

[ Full story available at: http://www.postgazette.com/pg/09026/944593-100.stm ]