Munhall, SV to resolve vandalism issues

Munhall officials will work with Steel Valley School District administrators to address vandalism and safety issues brought forth by middle and high school students.

Resident Larry Rettger spoke on behalf of borough residents along Perry Street and other locations at Wednesday's council meeting.

He said students leave the high school and travel down Charles Street, down Guy Street, then to Perry Street, to Vondera Street and to Main Street leaving a path of fighting and destruction in their wake.

"You don't want to be outside between 2:30 (p.m.) and 4 o'clock," Rettger said. "A lot of them come down Perry Street, but you have a problem even on Main Street, by (the) cemetery."

He said most students walk along the street, not on sidewalks, and it's been an issue for a long time.

"I've been here 11 years, and every three or four years this happens," Councilman Bernie Shields said.

Councilman Harvy Inglis suggested having guards posted at various streets, and force students to use the sidewalks of Main Street.

Borough officials said the district previously tried to mandate where the children walk, but the police cannot enforce it because that could interfere with the students' Constitutional rights.

School Director Mike Terrick said there's a list of students permitted to leave school via the streets Rettger referenced and it will be checked this week for possible violators.

Rettger said there are traffic laws that govern pedestrians, and the police should cite everyone for those violations.

Police Chief Pat Campbell said officers have been citing students frequently, and all of those citations are referred to district officials via a student resource officer for possible disciplinary action.

Terick suggested that if an incident occurs along a borough road to report it to the police.

Rettger said most residents have given up calling the police because they don't believe enough is being done about it.

After further discussion between attendees and borough officials, council President Joe Ballas said he will contact Superintendent Dr. William Kinavey to see what can be done to address the issue. Campbell said he also will talk with district administrators.

In other matters, council unanimously appointed Ed Pastirnik to the borough planning commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2013.

Council appointed Vince Natale t the Steel Valley Authority for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2014.

Council authorized a $4,555 payment to Hruska Plumbing for the installation of a boiler at Franklin volunteer Fire Co. No. 3

Council authorized officials to enter into an agreement with UPMC Health Network Inc. for police hospitalization coverage.

The borough saved roughly $170,000 by moving police health coverage to UPMC from MEIT.

Myor Raymond Bodnar lauded the public works department, firefighters and many others for their assistance with snow removal and other efforts during last month's storms.

By Michael DiVittorio
Daily News Staff Writer
March 19, 2010

Pens Players Signing Autographs At Century III Mall

Two Pittsburgh Penguins will be signing autographs for fans at 1st & Goal Sports Collectibles next Friday in Century III Mall.

Pittsburgh Penguins Alex Goligoski and Mike Rupp will be on site on Friday, March 26th from 6 - 8 p.m. Defender Goligoski was on the championship team in 2009 and Rupp, a center forward, signed with the Penguins in late 2009.

1st & Goal Sports is located on the main level near the fountain.

For pricing information, call Mark at 1st & Goal Sports Collectibles at (412) 653-8731.

WPXI
March 19, 2010

Update - Munhall Borough Council Meeting 3/17/10

I can honestly say the Council meeting went very well. Council gave me more than 3 minutes to speak during the public comment section, approximately 20-25 minutes.

Mike Terrick, Steel Valley School Board member was also at the meeting. Mike Terrick, Joseph Ballas, President of Council, Police Chief Pat Campbell and Council stated they would address the issue with the School and School Board. Pat Campbell stated he would speak with Dr. Kinavey.

Chief Campbell stated the crossing guard at Dell's will always be stationed there.

After the meeting the Council members and Chief Campbell also met with me and stated they would do all they can to help.

Chief Campbell stated that in the last year the police have only received 2 calls from Perry Street with problems with the students. Chief Campbell and Council wants the public to call for any problems. They all thought the problem went away since no one was calling the police. I gave up calling. I assured them the police will be called for any problems.

Next is the Steel Valley School Board Meeting; Tuesday March 23, 2010 at 7pm at the Senior High School.

To speak at the Board Meeting you must be registered by the end of the day Friday March 19, 2010.


Request to speak to SV School Board

http://www.svsd.k12.pa.us/home/Folder/Request.html

Second SV bomb threat suspect nabbed

A mother of a student at Barrett Elementary in the Steel Valley School District has been charged in connection with one of two bomb threats to the district.

Steel Valley High School/Middle School received the threats via telephone Feb. 23 and 24.

A middle school student has been expelled and faces multiple charges through Juvenile Court in connection with the Feb. 23 threat.

Munhall police Chief Pat Campbell said Wednesday that the mother of an elementary student in Homestead faces charges for the Feb. 24 call.

The mother's name and date of arrest were not available at presstime. Campbell said a warrant was obtained after officers researched phone records, and the woman has obtained a lawyer.

Officers still are trying to determine a motive for the threat.

"She has not admitted to it," Campbell said. "So we can't speculate at this point why she would do it. Three people live in the house. One is the student, who was in school. One is the husband. One is the (suspect), and it clearly was a female voice that was the caller."

The woman is being charged with terroristic threats, harassment, causing or risking a catastrophe, disorderly conduct, and threatening to use weapons of mass destruction, among other charges.

No further information about the arrest was available at presstime.

District officials said the middle school received the first bomb threat on Feb. 23 around 11:08 a.m.

The second was at the high school on Feb. 24 at 10:28 a.m.

In both instances, Munhall police searched the building, but found no explosive devices.

No injuries were reported.

Students were able to return to classes and activities at 11:37 a.m. on Feb. 23, and at 10:54 on Feb. 24.

Superintendent Dr. William Kinavey issued a statement Feb. 26 that said the school district's "procedure is always to ensure the safety of our students first and foremost.

"When we received the threat(s), we immediately moved all students out of the building to safety."

The district received four similar bomb threats in May 2008.

On each of those occasions, officers found nothing suspicious, and no students were harmed.

A Duquesne man later was charged with making those threats.

Police said he made the calls so that his girlfriend, a Steel Valley student, could get out of school early.

By Michael DiVittorio, MCKEESPORT DAILY NEWS
Thursday, March 18, 2010

Group looking for nonsteel landmark in Steel Valley

For more than 100 years, the Steel Valley region of Allegheny County was the epicenter of this country's steel and heavy industry enterprise.

Now, more than a quarter century after the mills closed their doors for good, a local historical and preservation society is working feverishly to show that this part of the Mon Valley is more than steel.

The Society for Pennsylvania and Surrounding Area History is asking current and former residents of the region for their help as part of the organization's call for a new Historic Landmark in the Steel Valley.

The only prerequisite is that the landmark should not be related to the steel industry that reigned in the municipalities of Homestead, West Homestead, Munhall and Whitaker.

"Between six and nine decades, the steel industry here in the area reigned supreme," Albert Ana, the society's president for initiatives said. "The towns of Homestead, Munhall, Whitaker and West Homestead have existed for about 200 years. We want to show the pre-steel years and the post-steel years are just as important historically to this region."

The society is dedicated to conserving and preserving certain ideas and their related impact on communities throughout the region by giving historic landmark status to places or things.

The organization's board members are involved in urban planning and design, technology, psychology, architecture, religion, transportation, fundraising and community development.

Mr. Ana said the society, with help from the public, would select and dedicate a person, place or thing as a historical landmark within the Steel Valley.

"It could be a shop, restaurant, a building, a business owner or even just a resident who can tell a good story about the region. That is what makes this endeavor so important and so interesting."

The devastation left when the steel industry collapsed is prevalent, he noted. But retaining and boosting the region's identity can show that the area is not dead and still has a lot to offer.

"The Steel Valley is rich in history, and not all of it has to do with steel," Mr. Ana said. "The era in which steel was produced here was a very important time. This was the backbone of the country at one time. However, we have a wonderful story to tell outside of that era. And it begins with the people."

From now until April 30, current and former Steel Valley residents can nominate a person, place or thing to be that historic landmark.

Those wishing to be nominators may do so by visiting the organization's website at www.historyofpa.com or by calling 412-894-0655.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

By David Whipkey
Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Communication bogs sewer repair in Munhall

The Munhall Municipal Sanitary Sewer Authority would like to award a contract for work to repair its aging sewer lines, but a lack of communication between the authority and its engineer is slowing down the project.

State Pipe Services Inc., of Cranberry, provided a low bid of $4.4 million for work to rehabilitate the sanitary sewer lines, but authority officials said communication issues with Chester Engineers has slowed the project to a crawl.

"The engineer did not instruct us to award it," authority manager Michael Terrick said following a meeting Thursday. "That is what we are waiting on."

The engineering firm was not represented at the meeting.

"There have been some paperwork issues and some confusion over other items," Mr. Terrick said. "Some deadlines regarding the project have been missed. We're just trying to move forward."

The borough is under a consent order from the state Department of Environmental Resources to repair the 15.25 miles of sanitary sewer lines. The project includes line repairs, installation of manholes and the televising and cleaning of the lines.

In July, the authority received a $7.1 million loan from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure and Investment Authority for the needed repairs.

"That will cover about 75 percent of the work," Mr. Terrick said.

After the contract is awarded, work is expected to begin in June, he said.

"It should take between 180 and 240 days to finish the project," he said

But before the digging begins, matters between the authority and its engineering firm need to be hashed out.

"A lot of our questions have not been answered in a timely fashion," Mr. Terrick said.

"We understand that when a project like this gets started, there are going to be delays. But we are too far along now to have these issues keep coming up."

Thursday, March 18, 2010

By David Whipkey

Steel Valley wins youth project grant

Projects to build a children's library in Millvale, renovate homes in the Mon Valley and do community service all won as much as $15,000 each in an online voting contest.

Seven finalists competed in the Youth Creating Change competition sponsored by the Pittsburgh and Grable foundations. Voters chose these winners.

The Millvale Children's Library will be the first library in Millvale.

About 120 students from the Steel Valley School District will renovate homes in Homestead, Munhall and West Homestead as part of a project called Extreme Home Makeover, Steel Valley Edition.

Students in the Academy Charter School will participate in the Get Ur Good on Academy Charter School Day of Service. The school educates students from Pittsburgh Public Schools who are on probation from the Allegheny County Juvenile Courts.

The public can monitor the progress of these projects at www.pghvoicesofyouth.com. The two foundations are planning another online grant competition in April

By Bill Zlatos
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Three people charged at Waterfront GetGo

Pittsburgh residents Joseph Mitchell, 26, Clyde Whitehead, 26, and Aljarreau Harris, 25, are charged with disorderly conduct in connection with an incident Saturday at 10:30am at GetGo in the Waterfront, police said.

Police said officers were dispatched for an armed robbery in progress.

They arrived to find a Pittsburgh detective holding a man at gunpoint.

Police said they later learned that Mitchell had yelled "Everyone on the groundn" but did not rob the store, and he and his companions were cited.

Daily News
March 16, 2010
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” Day 2010

Celebrate Won't You Be My Neighbor? Day Saturday March 20, 2010.

Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Day is an annual event to celebrate Fred Rogers and his legacy of Neighborliness on his birthday. Neighbors everywhere are encouraged to wear his or her favorite sweater and promote neighborliness in their neighborhood.

“Imagine what our real neighborhoods would be like, if each of us offered as a matter of course, just one kind word to another person... One kind word has a wonderful way of turning into many.” - Fred Rogers.

We’re glad to be your neighbor!

‘Warning’ letter stirs controversy at WMA

Some employees in the West Mifflin Area School District have been warned they should not attempt to hinder a private investigation being conducted by an investigative firm hired by the school board in January.

The warning came in the form of a letter signed by school board President Michael Price. It told employees that they should contact an attorney hired by the school district in the event a co-worker or school official asked them not to cooperate with the investigation.

"It was precautionary," Price said of the letter, dated Feb. 22 and written on district letterhead.

The letter was sent to a select group of employees that included school principals, custodians and maintenance employees and department heads, he said, noting that not everyone who received a letter would necessarily be contacted by investigators.

Price said he took the initiative to send the letter, which he had district Solicitor Jack Cambest draft for him, because, "I would worry that some people would be dissuaded from cooperating" with the investigation.

At its January meeting, a divided school board hired the Monaca-based professional investigations and security firm Gentile-Meinert and Associates Inc. to investigate personnel issues and district operations.

Gentile-Meinert, which did not return phone calls seeking comment on the status of the investigation, is receiving $5,500 for its services.

The letter said Gentile-Meinert is conducting a study to "assess the effectiveness and efficiency of employees and personnel" and that part of the study includes fact-finding interviews.

"If you are asked by a fellow employee or any other official of the West Mifflin Area School District not to cooperate with the District's Consultant, you are to report this immediately to Mr. Matthew Racunas, Esquire, of the Law Offices of Patricia McGrail, LLC," the letter says.

McGrail's law firm was hired the same night the board hired Gentile-Meinert. Board officials said at the time McGrail's firm would serve as counsel on matters that present a conflict of interest to Cambest, such as student discipline and labor issues.

The letter states that information provided to Racunas will be kept in strict confidence and only shared with a proper representative of the school board. It goes on to say that any district employee or official who is found to be interfering with the Gentile-Meinert study may be subject to discipline by the school board.

Price said that discipline probably would be "some type of reprimand or warning."

Racunas said Monday he hasn't gotten any calls about the investigation nor was he aware of any issues arising related to it. As far as overall involvement with the matter goes, Racunas said, "My role is limited."

Cambest said he assumes no employees have had any problems if none have contacted Racunas.

When asked why he shouldn't have been named in the letter as the contact person for employees, considering he is the district solicitor, Cambest said, "I don't know."

"I don't know what the big issue is," Cambest said.

Cambest noted that he hasn't received any calls about the investigation either.

Other school board members indicated they weren't aware that Price was sending a letter to employees.

Director Phil Shar, who voted for the hiring of Gentile-Meinert, said he couldn't comment on the letter because he had no knowledge of it.

Director Kathleen Bracco, who voted against hiring the firm, said she heard about the letter over the weekend from a school employee who received one.

"They were concerned because they didn't understand what was going on," Bracco said. "They were just very upset."

Bracco said the board should have known about the letter.

"He in no way presented that to the board or asked for board approval," said Bracco, who added that she doesn't understand why Racunas, rather than Cambest, was named as the employee contact in the letter. Referring to the letter, she asked, "Why is he implying somebody is interfering with the study?"

It's unclear when the study will be completed.

By Eric Slagle, MCKEESPORT DAILY NEWS
Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Messina takes it nice and easy

Country star Jo Dee Messina on Saturday gave what many fans would call her best performance ever: an acoustic concert in an intimate venue where audience members talked with her and directed the show.

For Messina's Music Room Series Tour, which she brought to the Carnegie Library Music Hall in Munhall, the stage was decorated just like a living room, with a big sofa, mock windows and curtains. Her band played simple strings and piano in the background, while Messina alternated between singing her best hits and answering questions from the audience. The atmosphere was fun, laid-back and informal, where people simply piped up with their questions and requested songs. Messina says the purpose of her tour was to let her fans get to know her as a person, and not just know the music. It felt as though we were all old friends.

"If you love me, then why did you get here so late?" Messina joked with an audience member.

Messina answered the questions with her trademark sass and off-the-cuff wit. She opened the concert with a stanza from the Christmas song "Let It Snow."

"As you can see, this is not going to be a serious show," she said, laughing.

By Kellie B. Gormly, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, March 15, 2010

The Kingpin of Munhall SpotCrime

Colin Drane recalls a crime spree that unfolded near his home in Baltimore a few years ago just as scrap metal prices were on the rise: Copper downspouts were disappearing. He reasoned that if his neighbors could see a heat map denoting where the gutter bandits were operating, preventive action could be taken. Drane awoke one morning with the idea of using his car's global positioning system as a model--until he discovered that it, too, had been stolen.

Since then Drane, an infomercial marketer and inventor of products like the Trunkanizer (organizes groceries in your trunk) and the Invisilift (enhances a woman's bustline), is pitching a data-serving invention: SpotCrime.

The venture, which he launched with $800,000 of his own money, feeds crime data to the Web sites of 90 television news stations in the U.S., Canada and U.K. The digital streams originate from Drane's Baltimore office, where 5 full-time staffers and another 25 freelancers pull the information together. They get their crime intelligence by reading news accounts and police blotters and by monitoring police scanner traffic.

When a crime report comes in, the scene is assigned a longitude and latitude. It's then plotted on a virtual pushpin map. The information is distributed in real time to news sites and via RSS feeds to SpotCrime Twitter and Facebook pages. The data can also be viewed on iPhone apps Drane has created for the cities of New York, London, San Francisco and Baltimore.

SpotCrime staffers plot the locations of 400,000 crimes a month, overlaying street maps with an assortment of eight icons. Handcuffs mean criminal mischief; a little blue man is a theft; a clenched fist is an assault. In Manhattan recently a clenched fist in the Flatiron district meant that "three men were charged with beating a man who spent too long in the men's room of a bagel shop." A blue man on a corner indicated that "a Playboy model's $1,800 bunny outfit was stolen as she shopped in a trendy Greenwich Village store."

Getting an early fix on where robberies and shootings occur may let people discover crime hot spots before they boil over, says Drane. When a crime happens close to home, SpotCrime will send you an e-mail alert. "If you shorten the feedback loop between the moment a crime occurs and the point you become aware of it, you make communities safer," he says.

Police departments have been digitally mapping crime for 20 years. What's different now is that more departments are releasing their data for free. That, in turn, has set off a race among companies like SpotCrime to turn crime data into mash-ups of maps and analytics, producing charts and graphs in Web-friendly formats.

Two other players in this game: CrimeReports.com, now working with 500 police departments nationwide, and the Omega Group's Crimemapping.com, which partners with about 50 law enforcement agencies. Drane's rivals charge police departments for repackaging and transmitting data. Crimemapping makes $100 to $300 a month per customer. It's also scoring venture capital. CrimeReports recently raised $7 million from Austin Ventures.

SpotCrime splits sales revenues from advertisers like Alarmco and Advance Security Concepts, which buy space near the SpotCrime widget. John Conway, creative services director at WRAL in Raleigh, N.C., signed with SpotCrime in July to track local mayhem with the station's Web site. The links give the station a "nice bounce in traffic," he says; some 2,000 WRAL users have signed up for e-mail alerts on crime in their neighborhoods. The bulletins are sponsored by BackgroundChecks.com. An ad at the bottom of the message asks: "Does your date have a criminal past?"

Since January SpotCrime has added 40 stations and signed deals with Newport Television, owner of stations in 22 markets, and Fisher Communications ( FSCI - news - people ), with 28 television and radio stations. Drane won't reveal revenues but says he expects SpotCrime to edge into the black next year.

Drane just rolled out a national iPhone app that will pick up crime feeds in any city. He'll be competing with local governments. Some police departments are running crime maps on their home pages. Dozens funnel crime news into Twitter feeds. Law enforcement agencies have even launched their own online crime channel: Blutube.com.

Data-Mapping Crime
Dirk Smillie, 03.11.10, 03:20 PM EST
Forbes Magazine dated March 29, 2010

www.spotcrime.com/pa/munhall

Community Message has been issued by the Pittsburgh Police Department Headquarters

SOBRIETY CHECKPOINTS / DUI PATROLS / ARRESTS

PITTSBURGH: The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police participates in PennDOT’s Western Alliance/Team DUI program. Western Alliance/Team DUI consists of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Pennsylvania State Police and numerous local departments that conduct sobriety checkpoints and roving DUI patrols across Western Pennsylvania.

The City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted roving DUI patrols the weekend of March 13, 2010. These activities will occur between the hours of 1800 and 0400 through out the city of Pittsburgh in conjunction with the St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Members of the Pittsburgh DUI Task Force took the following enforcement action during these patrols:

Traffic Stops: 77
Traffic Citations issued: 44
Traffic warnings issued: 29
Standardized Field Sobriety Tests Administered: 14
DUI Arrests: 8
Other Arrests: 6
Vehicles towed: 3

Officers also responded to 18 fight calls on the South Side, 3 motor vehicle crashes and 1 jumper on the Liberty Bridge to assist the Zone officers.

The Checkpoints and Roving Patrols are effective tools to help remove impaired drivers from our highways. It is the City of Pittsburgh’s DUI Task Force goal to reduce the number of DUI related incidents and make the highways a safer place for all the residents of Pittsburgh and anyone who visits the area.

For additional information contact Sgt. Donnelly at Zone 6 / SDD at 412-937-3051.

For full details, go to http://local.nixle.com/alert/1494978/

Sunday March 14, 2010 09:52 AM EDT

Replace Alarm Batteries This Sunday for Daylight Saving Time

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is recommending consumers replace their smoke alarm and carbon monoxide (CO) alarm batteries this Sunday as clocks are turned ahead for Daylight Saving Time.

"Smoke and CO alarms need fresh batteries every year in order to do the job of protecting your family," said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "Working smoke and CO alarms can save your life by alerting you to a fire or poisonous carbon monoxide in your home and give you valuable escape time."

An estimated annual average of 384,100 fires, 2,590 deaths, 12,740 injuries and $5.94 billion in property losses associated with residential fires was reported by fire departments from 2004 through 2006.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, poisonous gas that consumers cannot see or smell. On average, there were an estimated 181 unintentional non-fire CO poisoning deaths annually associated with consumer products from 2004 through 2006.

CPSC recommends consumers replace the batteries in their smoke and CO alarms every year and test the alarms monthly. Smoke alarms should be on every level of the home, outside sleeping areas and inside each bedroom. CO alarms should be installed on each level of the home and outside sleeping areas. CO alarms should not be installed in attics or basements unless they include a sleeping area. Combination smoke and CO alarms are available to consumers.

CPSC recommends consumers follow these safety tips to prevent fires and CO poisonings from occurring in the home:

FIRES

• Never leave cooking equipment unattended.

• Use caution with candles, lighters, matches, and smoking materials near upholstered furniture, mattresses, and bedding. Keep matches and lighters out of reach of young children.

• Have a fire escape plan and practice it so family members know what to do and where to meet if there's a fire in the home. Children and the elderly may sleep through or not react to the sound of a smoke alarm, so parents and caregivers should adjust their fire escape plan to help them escape the house in the event of a fire.

CO POISONING

• Have a professional inspect home heating, cooling and water heating appliances annually. Improperly operating appliances can product fatal CO concentrations in the home.
• Never ignore an alarming CO alarm. It is warning you of a potentially deadly hazard. If the alarm signal sounds do not try to find the source of the CO. Immediately move outside to fresh air. Call your emergency services, fire department, or 911.
• Never use a portable generator indoors – including garages, basements, crawlspaces, and sheds. Opening doors and windows or using fans will not prevent CO buildup in the home.
• During use, keep portable generators outdoors and far away from open doors, windows and vents, which can allow toxic levels of CO to build up indoors.
• If you start to feel sick, dizzy or weak while using a generator, get to fresh air right away. The CO from generators can readily lead to full incapacitation and death.
• Never use charcoal indoors. Burning charcoal in an enclosed space can produce lethal levels of carbon monoxide.

For more information, visit www.FireSafety.gov, for fire safety information from CPSC and other federal agencies.

WASHINGTON, March 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/

Braszo happy coaching West Mifflin again

Returning to the Titans is an invigorating prospect for the once and future West Mifflin Area High School football coach, Ray Braszo.

A Homestead native, Braszo has spent his entire coaching career at two neighboring Mon Valley schools: Steel Valley and West Mifflin. So he didn't have to ask for directions when he was hired last month to be the Titans' new football coach.

Braszo was an assistant to George Novak, now the head coach and athletic director at Woodland Hills, for eight years with the Ironmen before he became West Mifflin's head coach in 1988, a job he held for 17 years.

He spent the past four seasons with the Ironmen before seizing the opportunity to coach the Titans yet again when three-year coach Tim Brennan decided to return to his home state of Idaho where he will continue to coach high school football.

Braszo has had much success at both schools.

He went 26-14 at Steel Valley, qualifying for the WPIAL playoffs three times and finishing 10-1 in 2007. In his first tenure at West Mifflin that ended in '05, Braszo was 100-76-3, and his Titans played in two WPIAL Class AAA championship games.

The schools are less than 3 miles apart, but they do not usually play each other in football. West Mifflin competes in Class AAA; Steel Valley is a Class AA school.

Braszo relishes the opportunity to coach at West Mifflin, but he said his decision to leave Steel Valley wasn't an easy one. "I was given the opportunity to go back [to West Mifflin]," said Braszo, who coached Steel Valley to a 6-4 season last fall.

His 2007 Ironmen team won 10 in a row before falling to Beaver Falls, 30-3, in the WPIAL quarterfinals

"West Mifflin showed interest in me, and it's a bigger program with a good feeder system," said Braszo, who also was hired to teach physical education at West Mifflin. "Leaving a school is never an easy decision, and I've had to do it twice. But I thought this would be the best decision for me."

Braszo, 56, has lifelong roots in the Steel Valley area, graduating from the last class at Homestead High (which became part of the Steel Valley merger) in 1971 before attending Rhode Island, where he played football and earned an education degree in '75.

About 40 athletes were in West Mifflin's weight room recently as offseason conditioning has started. Braszo believes that getting to know his team won't take long. And it won't take him very long to put a staff together, he said. He'll rely on them to help him assess the players' skills.

"Some of my [assistant] coaches played for me [at West Mifflin], and I'm getting a lot of help from them," he said. "They're able to tell me what these guys can do and where they can play."

Because some of his athletes will participate in spring sports, the numbers in the weight room could drop off. But he's satisfied that a sound base has been established.

Braszo doesn't believe he'll have to spend much time talking about his football philosophy with his coaching staff before he and his assistants pass the information along to the players.

"A lot of these guys played for me, and they know what's expected," he said. "We'll be able to put forth the effort to help the players."

The Titans will use a mix of power football and the option on offense, while Braszo's base defense is a 4-4.

"We haven't used the shotgun much," he said about the popular spread offense that lines the quarterback up 5 to 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage with a multitude of wide receivers.

"I'd have to see what kind of centers I have before we'd think about that."

Braszo, who has lived in Latrobe for the past 11 years, appreciates the facilities his team enjoys at West Mifflin.

"It's probably the nicest stadium in the WPIAL," he said. "A lot of playoff games are held there."

Braszo said he's ready for whatever challenge faces him.

"I'm sure there will be pressure going in," he said. "Coaches put a lot of pressure on themselves to do well. We're going to do the best that we can."

Friday, March 12, 2010

By Joe Koch, Tri-State Sports & News Service

The Financial Management Committee Meeting

The Financial Management Committee of the Steel Valley School District Board of Directors will hold a meeting on Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at 6:00 p.m. in the high school conference room located at 3113 Main Street, Munhall, PA 15120.

The worksession meeting will follow as previously scheduled.

Jo Dee Messina ready to get down and intimate

Jo Dee Messina

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday

Admission: $35-$45

Where: Carnegie Library Music Hall,

510 E. 10th Ave., Munhall

Details: 412-368-5225 or Web site

A woman once told country star Jo Dee Messina about a hurtful act someone had done, and Messina replied: "That would have hurt my feelings."

"Really?" the woman replied, going by Messina's trademark sassiness. "You get your feelings hurt?"

That anecdote, Messina says, illustrates the reason for her intimate Music Room Series Tour, which she is bringing to Munhall on Saturday. With a smaller audience, Messina will sing on a simple stage with just a piano and a few backing musicians. She will talk to the audience in between songs, take requests, answer questions and share stories about her life and music.

"People know the music, but they don't know me," she says. "I wanted to go with this cut-down version. The stage was like the music room with my house. When the audience comes out, it's pretty much like they're coming to my house to hang out for the night.

"It allows intimacy. It allows me to give the stage to them ... and open it up to the audience," Messina says. "Every night, it becomes about the fans, not me. The audience dictates wherever the show goes."

Messina's biggest hits in the past -- including "Bye Bye," "My Give a Damn's Busted" and "Lesson in Leavin' " -- have shown the fiery, outspoken side of Messina's personality. Rather than sappy love songs, the Boston native is known for "you go, girl" songs about standing up for oneself, not tolerating disrespect, and ending bad relationships. Yet Messina has been through many life changes since her last album, "Delicious Surprise," five years ago. She got married to Chris Deffenbaugh, and had their son, Noah Roger.

Her new and unexpected path in life has taken her by surprise, Messina says.

"When I met my husband, I wasn't looking," she says. "I sat there and had a conversation with him and barely saw his face. Then I saw his eyes and I'm like, 'Dude, you have great eyes. Icy-blue eyes.'

"They are always the biggest blessings: the ones that just pop out of nowhere," she says.

Motherhood has been a thrill, but a learning experience in progress, Messina says.

"To say that I'm a mom, that usually applies to my mother; that applies to the people who took care of me," she says. "Mothers have to be perfect, and I'm far from that."

In Messina's upcoming album -- "Unmistakable," which is set for release on April 13 -- fans will hear her usual style, but Messina also has added a softer side with some of the song topics, as a reflection of the changes in her life. The title track, a sensual waltz, is about the joys of being certain about love, for instance.

But Messina fans needn't worry, she's still her usual bold self.

"I've still got the sass in there, sister," she says, laughing. Messina's music is "still pretty rocking."

"The first three songs, they rock pretty hard. Then we sauce it up with a couple slower songs," Messina says, describing "Unmistakable." "It's full of energy. It's just really neat to see all these songs, and how they fit together."

Buzz up!

By Kellie B. Gormly, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, March 11, 2010

Bridge over the Parkway East (I-376) at the Squirrel Hill Interchange will be closed this weekend

PennDOT District 11 is announcing the bridge over the Parkway East (I-376) that carries on-and-off ramp traffic at the Squirrel Hill Interchange (Exit 74, old Exit 5) in Allegheny County will be closed this weekend, March 12-15.

The inbound (westbound) off-ramp and access to the inbound on-ramp from Beechwood Boulevard will be closed (see attached map).

Crews will be conducting concrete and guide rail connection work on the bridge approaches.

The closure will occur from 8 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday, March 15.

Signs will be posted to guide motorists. Inbound (westbound) off-ramp at Squirrel Hill• Continue inbound to the Bates Street Interchange (Exit 73A, old Exit 3A)• Exit and take the on-ramp to the outbound (eastbound) Parkway East• Follow the outbound Parkway East to the off-ramp to Squirrel Hill/Homestead• End detour Inbound on-ramp from Beechwood Boulevard• Take the on-ramp to the outbound Parkway East• Follow outbound to the Edgewood/Swissvale Interchange (Exit 77, old Exit 7)• Exit and continue toward Swissvale• Bear left onto Monongahela Avenue• Travel under Parkway East on Braddock Avenue • Take the on-ramp to the inbound Parkway East• End detour

Motorists are advised to use caution, allow extra time, and be prepared for changing traffic patterns.

Please slow down and be safe in the work zone.

The $24.7 million project is the fourth phase of District 11's efforts to improve the Parkway East. The current project includes work in the inbound (westbound) direction including milling and resurfacing all lanes and ramps, bridge repairs and painting, and other improvements. The prime contractors for the project are the Trumbull Corporation of Pittsburgh in a joint venture with Lindy Paving Inc. of New Castle. The project will conclude in late fall 2010.

Visit penndot11.com for more info on the project.

Phase V will occur in 2010 on the outbound lanes.PennDOT advises motorists to use caution, slow down, and expect changing traffic patterns when traveling through the area. Motorists are also reminded they can log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on major roadways before heading out.

Media contact: Jim Struzzi, Press Officer, (412) 429-5010 (Office), (412) 292-9357 (Cell Phone) Source:Engineering District 1145 Thoms Run Road Bridgeville PA 15017
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Plum to close police dispatch center Aug. 1

Plum officials Monday night voted to move the closing date for the borough's police dispatch center to Aug. 1.

Last month officials said they would try to find a way to continue funding the center until the end of the year, at which point the borough would switch over to the Allegheny County 911 center in Point Breeze.

Council members last night said they would have to consider a 1.5 mill tax increase to keep the center open through the end of the year.

Officials said it costs about $40,000 a month to operate the Plum dispatch center.

Council voted 4-2 to close the center Aug. 1, with Councilman Keith Nowalk abstaining.

Tuesday, March 09, 2010 By Ken McCarthy. Pittsburgh Post Gazette
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Only On 4: Mom Charged In Fire Says She Was 'Trying To Keep Family Warm'

WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. -- A West Mifflin mom arrested after she and her four children were forced to jump from their burning home said she was just trying to keep her family warm on a bitter cold night.

"It was just a total shock to go from jumping out the window two stories and rescuing my children to jail. I just still don't understand," said 30-year-old Autumn Sanders.

Sanders recalled the night of the fire exclusively with Channel 4 Action News' Tara Edwards on Monday evening.

"I could hear my kids screaming. I got a breath. I went back to the door -- there was a wall of fire, a wall of smoke. I just rushed through the fire and the smoke and I got to my children. We got them to the window and I said, 'Keep your head out the window,' and the smoke was pouring behind," said Sanders.

Sanders and her children jumped from the second story of their home on Midway Drive in the Mon View Heights housing development into the arms of security guard Roderick Lavalle.

"She said, 'Mom, I'm scared.' I said, 'Honey, just jump. Mommy will catch you, mommy will catch you,'" said Sanders.

Sanders told Edwards that an appliance issue inside her home caused the gas company to shut off service.

Sanders said that she had planned to have it restored the following day, but cold temperatures the night of the fire prompted her to use charcoal to heat the home.

n the wake of the fire, an Equitable Gas representative told Channel 4 Action News reporter Ari Hait that Sanders' service had to be turned off because she called to report a smell of gas, but she was at work when gas crews arrived at her home, so a note was left for her to call and have them come out to turn her gas back on.

Sanders said pride stopped her from staying with friends.

"I'm a mother, a concerned mother.

I'm not a monster or some crazy woman. I was just trying to keep my family warm," said Sanders.

A fund has been established at Sanders' church, the Lamb of God Christian Ministries in Homestead.

Police have charged Sanders with reckless burning, recklessly endangering another person and risking a catastrophe.

WTAE
MARCH 8, 2010

Steel Valley School District Referendum Exception

The Steel Valley School District Board of Directors at a special meeting on Tuesday, February 16, 2010, approved the 2010-2011 Preliminary Budget as presented and intends to file a petition with the Court of Common Pleas in the judicial district of the Administration Office located at 220 East Oliver Road, Munhall, PA, to request approval from the Department of Education for a referendum exception, per Section 330 (i) (1), (j), (2) Act 1 of the Taxpayer Relief Act 1 of 2006.

From Steel Valley School District Web Site

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Pennsylvania_Act_1_%282006%29

Act 1, Taxpayer Relief Act of 2006 allocates a portion of revenues from casino gambling in Pennsylvania to offset reliance on local property taxes to pay for public school education.^[1] Act 1 was designed to be revenue-neutral. This means that any gaming revenue received by a local school district can only be used to offset existing property tax revenues, not as an addition to a district's budget.

From a Pennsylvania school district perspective, the most important feature of Act 1 is that it established a ceiling on board-approved property tax increases. Any proposed increase in property taxes above percentage based on a state-mandated formula must be approved by a district's voters in a backend referendum. A back-end referendum is one in which the outcome of the vote applies retroactively to the issue being voted upon.

Prior to passage of Act 1 school boards typically approved preliminary budgets in May and final budgets by June 30. Under Act 1, however, Pennsylvania school districts must either approve their preliminary budgets in December or early January or else adopt a resolution stating that the following year's budget will not require a tax rate increase greater than the allowable index limit determined by the state.

[edit] Act 1 Tax Index Formula

The Act 1 ceiling is based on the average of the state average weekly wage and the federal cost index for elementary and secondary schools, adjusted for a district's local tax base as measured by an indicator called the market value/personal income aid ratio (MV/PI AR).^[1]

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) summarizes the index calculation as follows:

The base index is calculated by averaging the percent increases in the Pennsylvania statewide average weekly wage and the Federal employment cost index for elementary/secondary schools.

Additionally, for school districts with a market value/personal income aid ratio (MV/PI AR) greater than 0.4000, the value of their index is adjusted upward by multiplying the base index by the sum of 0.75 and their MV/PI AR. For example, if the base index is 4.1% and the school district's MV/PI AR is 0.6000, the school district's adjusted index is 4.1% x (0.75 + 0.6000) = 5.5%.

For the years 2009-2010 the adjusted index for Pennsylvania districts ranges from 4.1% to 6.7%

Homestead police are searching for two men in an attempted child abduction

Homestead police are searching for two suspects in an attempted child abduction in the borough this morning, police said.

The incident occurred between 7:30 and 8 a.m. at the corner of West 12th and Sarah streets.

The men involved in the incident were in a white Cadillac Escalade pickup truck with tinted windows and black rims.

The driver is a white male with a dark brown goatee. He was wearing a white shirt and a white New York Yankees baseball cap.

The other suspect is a thin black male, about 6 feet, 2 inches tall. He was wearing a short sleeve black T-shirt with the character Stewie from the animated TV show "Family Guy." He also was wearing blue jeans, white Nike sneakers and had a diamond earring in his left ear.

Anyone with information about the vehicle or suspects are asked to call Homestead police at 412-461-7736.

Pittsburgh Tribune Review
March 5, 2010
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The Toyota Start Something Event

The Toyota Start Something! event will come to The Waterfront on March 6-7,
2010 from 10:00am to 6:00pm.

This event will take place in front of Best Buy, giving guests an exclusive opportunity to drive the Prius, Yaris,
Matrix and Corolla on a custom designed street drive route.

A $10 Best Buy gift card will be given to all consumers (over 18) who participate.

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Hays Flood Preparation Meeting

Upcoming weekend flood preparation meetings for citizens in the Overbrook and Hays areas: Saturday 3/6/10 at 2:00PM at the Overbrook Rec Center (2406 Saw Mill Run Blvd), and Sunday 3/7/10 at the Holy Angels Church Hall (408 Baldwin Road) after the 5:30PM mass

Pittsburgh Emergency Management
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Notice to Residents of Munhall Borough

Take notice that a special meeting of Munhall Borough Council will be held on March 10, 2010 at 6:30pm in the Municipal Building, 1900 West Street, Munhall, PA.

The purpose of the meeting will be to approve a Tax Anticipation Loan for 2010 and any other items that may come before Council.

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Munhall police seek robbery suspects

Munhall police are seeking suspects in connection with an armed robbery of a 45-year-old West Homestead man.

Police Captain Scott Snyder said the victim told police three black men, one carrying a firearm, approached him Tuesday at approximately 10:23 pm along the 500 block of E Ninth Ave.

The alleged victim was unharmed, and a cell phone was stolen, Snyder reported.

Anyone with information regarding this incident should contact Munhall police at 412-464-7300.

The Daily News
March 4, 2010
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Pier 1 Sale

Entire Store On Sale

Everything MUST GO!

Entire Store

20%-50% off original ticketed price

All Furniture, Home Accents & Décor,
Rugs, Pillows, Window Treatments,
Dinnerware, Glassware, Table Linens,
Candles, Fragrances and so much more!

Selling to the Bare Walls!

Pier 1 Imports
This Location Only: 240 E WATERFRONT DR, HOMESTEAD.
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Student charged in Steel Valley bomb threats

One suspect has been arrested and another arrest is pending in connection with recent bomb threats at Steel Valley School High School/Middle School.

The threats were made via telephone Feb. 23 and 24.

Munhall police Chief Pat Campbell announced Tuesday that a juvenile is being charged in the Feb. 23 incident.

The boy, a Steel Valley student who does not attend classes at the high school, admitted to making the calls when he was questioned the following day with his mother present, Campbell said.

Campbell said officers identified the boy by checking phone records.

"Because (the suspect) is a juvenile, I can't really say much," the chief said.

The case is being processed through Juvenile Court.

Campbell said officers also have identified a suspect in the Feb. 24 bomb threat. That suspect is not a student in the Steel Valley School District.

"We believe we know who did it," Campbell said. "We have all the information, but (the suspect) is not admitting it so far."

Campbell said officers are awaiting more information from the telephone company before making a formal arrest.

District officials said the middle school received the first bomb threat on Feb. 23 around 11:08 a.m.

The second was at the high school on Feb. 24 at 10:28 a.m.

In both instances, Munhall police searched the building, but found no explosive devices.

No injuries were reported.

Students were able to return to classes and activities at 11:37 a.m. on Feb. 23, and at 10:54 on Feb. 24.

Superintendent Dr. William Kinavey issued a statement last Friday that said the school district's "procedure is always to ensure the safety of our students first and foremost.

"When we received the threat(s), we immediately moved all students out of the building to safety."

The district received four similar bomb threats in May 2008.

On each of those occasions, officers found nothing suspicious, and no students were harmed.

A Duquesne man later was charged with making those threats.

Police said he made the calls so that his girlfriend, a Steel Valley student, could get out of school early.

By Michael DiVittorio, MCKEESPORT DAILY NEWS
Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Steel Valley bus service cuts to affect students

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."

Mr. Terrick said district-provided school buses for the students would be cost prohibitive.

"I do think if we can create a public/private partnership, we could make something available," he added. "Why can't we coordinate with another entity for something like this?"

Many of the district's middle and high school students walk to school from their homes, Dr. Kinavey said.

Port Authority's systemwide revision is the result of two-plus years of planning and public feedback. The agency said the changes implemented were aimed at providing improved service and better choices for their riders.

According to the agency's website, riders that used the soon-to-be discontinued 55D and 61F routes can use the 53F Homestead Lincoln Place or the 55M Century III Mall buses as alternative routes.

"The 53F will still serve the high school and middle school," Port Authority public relations director Jim Ritchie said. "We've been getting a lot of questions from those in other school districts that are facing similar situations."

Public workshops were hosted throughout the region by the agency regarding the pending transit changes in the summer of 2008, including one at CCAC South campus in June of that year. The workshops were geared toward giving residents of the region a chance to voice their opinion on how the new routes should be configured.

The first round of these changes will be in place in early April. Additional changes will take place in the summer.

Thursday, March 04, 2010

By David Whipkey

Mom Charged in Connection with West Mifflin Fire

The mother of four children who had to jump from the second floor of their burning West Mifflin home has been charged in connection with the blaze.

Police said the mother, Autumn Sanders, has been charged with reckless endangerment among other charges after a fire started at about 1:55 a.m. along Midway Drive in the Monview Heights housing complex.

Police said Sanders' gas service was terminated because she didn't pay her bill.

According to police, she tried to keep the apartment warm by lighting charcoal in a ceramic pot using ignitable liquid.

Firefighters said security guard Rob LaVelle, who was working the night shift, caught the children one by one as they jumped from the second-story window of their apartment.

"I heard someone hollering, 'Help me,'" said LaVelle.

"Came out the booth and I see a lady and kids in the window with smoke coming all out."

LaVelle, 53, said he didn't think twice about rescuing the family, who were trapped inside their burning apartment.

"They were all screaming and scared," said LaVelle. "I told them (to) jump one at a time." Once all were safely away from the building, LaVelle took the family to his warm security booth.

"The kids were calm," Lavelle said. "The mom was hyped up. They all thanked and hugged me." "Thank God for the booth," said resident Paula Berry.

"They complain about it, but if he wasn't there, what would have happened?"

No residents were hurt, but a firefighter sustained a minor injury when he was hit by a piece of debris.

The American Red Cross provided food, clothing and shelter to four children and one adult.
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Man Rescues 4 People From Burning Home

West Mifflin (KDKA) - An early Wednesday morning blaze in West Mifflin prompted an act of heroism as four people are alive to tell about it.

There are common heroes amongst us at all times, but in this case one man sprung into action as flames tore through a townhouse at 13 Midway Drive around 2 a.m.

A woman was heard screaming from the second floor. The stairwell was on fire and she had no way out.

Security guard Roderick Lavalle heard her and went over to save four lives.

"I just reacted. I just [saw] them hanging out the window. The fire, smoke was coming all out the roof, so I just ran up there and told them, you know, 'just one at a time, jump.,'" Lavalle said. "I told them I'd catch them and I got them all."

Lavalle caught two small children, a 17-year-old teenager and the woman.

He said he took a pretty good beating, but it was all worth it for four people to survive.

A firefighter also suffered minor injuries when the stairwell collapsed on him as he continued to fight the fire.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.

KDKA
March 3, 2010

West Mifflin Police Probe Copper Thefts

West Mifflin Police are investigating the theft of hundreds of feet of copper wire, and pipes, from the old Sam's Warehouse building on Camp Hollow Road near the Allegheny County Airport

One source says the theft may total thousands, if not "tens of thousands" of dollars.

The missing cables and pipes were noticed last week when a real estate agent was showing the building to a potential buyer.

Even Duquesne Light Company has been made aware of the burglary since some of their equipment may have been tampered with outside the warehouse near a rear door where police think burglars gained entrance to the building.

A police source says this not a lightening strike burglary. It may have taken hours or days to steal the materials.

Copper is especially attractive to thieves because of the high prices it brings in. Copper is now selling for $3.25 a pound, down from a high of just over $4 a pound two years ago.

KDKA
March 2, 2010

A Dog for Emily

We started fundraising for 4 Paws for Ability back in October and it has been overwhelming for our family to see how generous everyone has been. We wanted to bring everyone up to date on our goal!!!

Total Raised for Emily was $25924.15

$7850.65 was raised by Steel Valley School District and is still in their account for Emily $5000.00 is yet to be donated by Bill Campbell Foundation and was set to be given to a Veterinary Hospital for the continued care of Emily’s dog. That donation has not been received but is in the works as we speak.

4 Paws for Ability has in Emily’s account $13073.50, this is from various fundraisers that were held for our family. Steel Valley School District Representative Ryan Dunmire is setting up the final payment for Emily’s dog and any excess funds will be held by the School District and donated to a Veterinary Hospital when the time comes.

The amount raised was way more than we ever expected and we want to thank everyone who helped in any way. The dog will be trained by 4 Paws for Ability and that takes about 9 months, from that we will take a trip to Ohio for 2 weeks and Emily will be trained with her dog. When we come home with her dog we would like to invite everyone to a special get together (yet to be determined) to meet Emily’s dog and see what his or her hard work has done for us.

We would like to thank everyone sooooo very much for changing our daughter’s life and making her smile and be happy. She has so enjoyed being the center of attention lately and seeing how much everyone cares about her. She lost her best friend (her great grandmother) last April and she has been very sad, but when she goes to these fundraisers and sees that everyone is there for her, she is so happy and the sadness melts away. So from the Hyland family, we would like to extend our deepest and most sincere thank you to everyone who has helped make her smile again!!!

Megan Kearns Hyland

SV threats: Safety was top priority

Steel Valley Superintendent Dr. William Kinavey said the school district's policy of "students' safety first" prompted the evacuation of the middle/high school building after bomb threats were received on successive days this week.

The threats were made via telephone on Tuesday and again on Wednesday.

"Our procedure is always to ensure the safety of our students first and foremost," Kinavey said in a statement issued Friday. "When we received the threat(s), we immediately moved all students out of the building to safety.

"At the same time, local police were notified. They arrived on site and conducted an extensive search of the building. Once complete, they gave us the go-ahead to move children back into the facility. Police are now investigating this matter further to determine who made the threatening phone calls."

District officials said the middle school received the first bomb threat on Tuesday around 11:08 a.m., and the second was at the high school on Wednesday at 10:28 a.m.

In both instances, Munhall police searched the building, but found no explosive devices. No injuries were reported.

Students were able to return to classes and activities at 11:37 a.m. Tuesday, and at 10:54 on Wednesday.

Munhall police Chief Pat Campbell said the incidents are under investigation, but declined further comment.

The district is expected to issue a formal statement regarding the incidents today. Letters have been sent to parents alerting them of the threats.

The district went through a similar situation in May 2008 when bomb threats were called in to the middle/high school building on May 15, 19, 20 and 21.

Officers found nothing suspicious, and no students were harmed on any of those occasions.

By Michael DiVittorio, MCKEESPORT DAILY NEWS
Saturday, February 27, 2010

Homestead Chase Ends in Crash in Oakland

PITTSBURGH -- Two people were arrested Sunday morning after a police chase in Pittsburgh, emergency dispatch workers said.

The chase started at about 3 a.m. in Homestead after a report of a stolen vehicle.

The suspects crashed on Bigelow Boulevard in Oakland, near the intersection with O'Hara Street.

One person was taken to University of Pittsburgh Medical Center with non-critical injuries.

The suspects' names were not available.

WPXI

February 28, 2010