By Michael DiVittorio,
McKeesport Daily News (via Trib)
Homestead police have identified a Steel Valley Midget Football Association coach who is facing gun and drug charges in connection with a raid of his borough home.
Police Chief Jeff DeSimone identified Terrence Waddell, 26, of 314 W. Twelfth Ave., Monday morning as the suspect who jumped from a second-story window and landed on his head in an attempt to elude officers executing a search warrant on Friday.
Waddell suffered wrist, head and back injuries as a result of that attempted escape. He was transported to UPMC Presbyterian, and was transferred over the weekend to Allegheny County Jail, where he is being held on $500,000 bond, DeSimone said.
Waddell faces charges of possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession with intent to deliver, felony weapons charges, two counts of receiving stolen property, and possibly other charges in connection with the Friday incident, police said.
DeSimone said a collaborative effort among Munhall police, Homestead police and informants led to the investigation that ended with Waddell’s arrest.
[Full story available at: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/dailynewsmckeesport/s_675108.html]
By Michael DiVittorio,
McKeesport Daily News (via Trib)
Steel Valley High School football players got the man they wanted as their new head coach.
The school board on Tuesday unanimously approved the hiring of West Homestead resident Rodney R. Steele II to replace Ray Braszo, who resigned as the Ironmen’s head coach after being hired as West Mifflin Area’s football coach last month.
Steel Valley players Delrece Williams, Jared Juristy and Nolan McGuire, all heading into their senior season, came to the February workshop meeting to lend their support for Steele before the new coaching position even had been posted.
Their request was honored Tuesday night, and Steele was welcomed with a round of applause.
“It’s good getting a fresh start here,” Steele said after the meeting. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to come back home and serve as a head football coach where you reside and where you’re employed. I’m familiar with the kids in the area. I look forward to working with the faculty and administration, and also helping these young men achieve their goals in football and in society as being well-rounded citizens.”
Steele coached many of the team’s current players when he served as Steel Valley Youth Football Organization’s offensive coordinator in 2003 and defensive coordinator in 2004.
[Full story available at: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/dailynewsmckeesport/s_673148.html]
By David Whipkey
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Some parents of children attending Steel Valley middle and high schools will be seeking alternative methods of getting the students to class later this spring.
Beginning April 4, the Port Authority will discontinue the 55D West Run-Brierly Lane and 61F Homestead Park bus routes as part of the agency’s Transit Development Plan. According to Steel Valley Superintendent William Kinavey, about 60 students from both the middle and high school use Port Authority service to get to and from school.
Resident Gerry Hawkins asked the school board last week if anything can be done to help those students affected make it to school in a safe manner should no bus service be available.
“This has been reported all through the media,” Ms. Hawkins said of the service changes in Homestead, Munhall and West Homestead. “I know we do not have school buses in the district.”
Board officials said they planned to contact Port Authority to explore possible alternative transit options for affected students.
“I think that we should definitely have a meeting with the Port Authority to see what we can do,” school director Michael Terrick said. “We need to give the parents tools that can help secure some kind of transit to school for their children.”
[Full story available at: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10063/1040014-55.stm]
By David Whipkey
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Residents of the Steel Valley School District may be digging deeper into their pockets when paying their school taxes next year.
The board passed a preliminary budget last week that included a three-mill increase for the 2010-11 school year, which translates to a 14 percent boost from this school year’s budget.
Mark Cherpak, director of operational services for the district, explained following Tuesday night’s regular board meeting that increased costs in staff salary, retirement plans and health benefit payments led to the tax increase.
“Those three factors were the main factors in the increase,” Mr. Cherpak said.
Teachers’ salaries and benefits account for nearly $18 million of the preliminary budget. A little more than $1 million of the budget will be consumed by retirement benefits.
[Full story available at: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10056/1038357-55.stm ]
Two administrators in the Steel Valley School District learned a lesson last week about social media and the eyes it can provide to the public.
On Feb. 9, someone took photos of Steel Valley director of facilities Dennis Keesecker supervising the plowing – with the use of a school district truck – of the driveway at the Munhall home of Mark Cherpak, director of operational services for the district.
The event was captured several days after a major snowstorm dumped about 2 feet of snow on the area and at a time when many homeowners in the district were still digging themselves out.
The photos, nine in all, were taken from a vantage point across from and above Mr. Cherpak’s home. Some appear to have been shot through a screen.
They were posted on the Facebook page that is linked to the Munhall News Watch website. The website is maintained by Munhall resident Larry Rettger and is not affiliated with the municipality.
No one is sure who posted the photos; the posting name could not be verified.
[ Full story available at: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10049/1036526-55.stm?cmpid=neighborhoods.xml ]
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A collection of news articles focused on the communities of Pittsburgh’s Steel Valley.
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