Vast Majority of Pittsburgh Municipalities Have Budget Deficits

About 80 percent of Pittsburgh's municipalities have had budget deficits at least once between 2000 and 2005, according to a study from the University of Pittsburgh. And nearly 60 percent had two or more deficits, according to the study from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

Among the findings of the report were that municipalities traditionally thought of as economically sturdy, such as Mount Lebanon and Fox Chapel, had multiple deficits. Fox Chapel had deficits in four years, while Mount Lebanon was six-for-six.

Link: www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2008/02/25/daily45.html

Link 2: www.pittsburghtoday.org

Link 3: www.alleghenyinstitute.org/blog/2008/02/predictable-wrong-prescription-for.php

Night Hockey Game Supports Cause

Mt. Lebanon and Bethel Park had their moment in the hockey spotlight Thursday night in the first outdoor game in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League.

In the Charity Outdoor Classic, Mt. Lebanon defeated Bethel Park, 2-0, in front of a crowded South Park Ice Rink.

Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/highschool/s_554867.html

Important Mt. Lebanon HS Notice

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Mt. Lebanon High School alerted parents and students today that it would increase security tomorrow after a possible threat was left in a bathroom.

Principal Ronald Davis sent a letter saying the message "I'm going to bring a gun to school on 2/29" was found on the wall of a fourth floor gym restroom.

"Upon inspection of the restroom wall, there was no statement written. In speaking with the custodial staff responsible for the area, he indicated that there was something written on the wall last evening that was scribbled out making it illegible, so he cleaned the wall. Given this information, we reported the incident to the Mt. Lebanon Police Department," Dr. Davis wrote.

Staff members are being asked to be vigilant and visible in the halls and other common areas.

Mt. Lebanon Police will increase presence around the school. And an officer will be stationed inside the school tomorrow.

Lebo / Bethel Park Winter Classic Tonight

The NHL has nothing on local high school ice hockey. Mt. Lebanon and Bethel Park will play their own Winter Classic outdoors tonight in South Park.

The game is at 8 p.m., at the South Park outdoor rink. This game will be the first of its kind for high school hockey, and it will serve as a fundraiser for the Juvenille Diabetes Research Foundation. Tickets are available at the event.

Bundle up!

If you take a camera to the game, upload your photos to a Flickr account and I'll link to it -- or just send one or two good ones directly to me.

And kudos to Dr. Ronald Davis, MHLS principal, for the regular email announcements of student accomplishment and noteworthy events around the school. The transparency is much appreciated. Keep the notes coming!

Devil's Advocate Covers School Board Issue

I heard twice today from Blog-Lebo readers wondering whether I have seen a story in the current issue of The Devil's Advocate, the student newspaper at Mt. Lebanon High School, regarding the financial disclosure forms filed or not filed by the current president of the School Board. The disclosure question was aired earlier on this blog. Here's the link.

The answer is -- no, I haven't seen the story, and so far as I know, the newspaper isn't online. If this is something in the student paper that the community should see and read, then shoot a copy my way.

Updated (still 2/26): I've now read the story, and I'm impressed by its thoroughness. It's a very nice piece of work by one of Lebo's student journalists, Sarah Mervosh. If you're interested in the topic, I recommend that you track down a copy of the paper.

Updated (now 2/27): I've learned that The Devil's Advocate also published an editorial that condemns the actions of the School Board president, in detail and by name. The editorial was signed by all nine members of the editorial board. In a community that has occasionally argued on this blog that only anonymity protects the right to express strong opinions about local issues, those students have spoken eloquently on their own behalf. I was a student newspaper editor myself, so I know from personal experience that 17-year-olds are capable of publishing a lot of righteous rubbish. I express no opinion on the merits of the editorial. But I do want to publicly commend the students for their courage in putting their names by their positions. Well done.

Update (2/28): The Post-Gazette has picked up the story.

Update (2/29): I've rejected several comments from readers who did not post their own names or provide a way for all readers to identify them. Follow the example set by the Devil's Advocate student editors (and follow the blog's policy, posted on the right column), and sign your name. For anyone wondering about the "righteous rubbish" comment above, I myself published the righteous rubbish -- 30 years ago, as a student journalist and editorial writer. The current DA editorial might be rubbish, or it might be Pulitzer-quality. The news article is quality work. I express no opinion on the merits of the editorial.

TRID Grant Assists With Planning Near T Station and CBD

With funding from a state-awarded Transit Revitalization Investment District (TRID) grant, Mt. Lebanon is completing a study of two development scenarios for sites surrounding its Washington Rd. T station. The $75,000 multi-municipality project also involves the Borough of Dormont.

“We’re taking advantage of an untapped asset we have in the T, and its proximity to our central business district. There’s a trend around the country of people moving back into urban centers,” says Mt. Lebanon’s commercial districts manager, Dan Woodske. “It calls for more high-density residential. It makes sense for people who work in Pittsburgh.

Link: www.popcitymedia.com/developmentnews/trid0227.aspx

A Block Party For The Planet

From the "Earth Day In Mt. Lebanon" web site:

Are you an “earth” mover or shaker? Do you care about what happens to the planet you live on? Do you want to know how you can make a difference? Then join us for the first annual Earth Day Celebration in Mt. Lebanon!

This event will take place on Saturday, April 26th 2008 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the South Hills, better known as Sunnyhill between the hours of 10 – 5. The atmosphere will be akin to a block party to honor the Earth; a chance for Mount Lebanon residents and their guests to learn, experience, and celebrate with us.

There will be healthy snacks, entertainment, and “green” art to make and enjoy. Attendees will learn how to support local farms, become familiar with Mount Lebanon’s numerous parks and recycling efforts, learn about environmentally safe and energy efficient living, and just have fun.

Thanks to Gina N. for the heads-up about the event.

Link: earthdayinmtlebanon.geswho.net

Lebo Golf Course Eliminates Its Pro

After managing to employ and retain only four golf professionals during its first 100 years of existence, Mt. Lebanon Golf Course begins its second century of existence without any.

That's because Mt. Lebanon, a tidy nine-hole municipal layout that celebrated its 100th anniversary last summer, hired Dave Boal, a non-PGA professional, to be the golf-course manager in charge of running the day-to-day operations of the facility.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08057/860471-136.stm

Lebo Hockey To Play In "Ice Bowl"

Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato and Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League Commissioner Ed Sam announced an outdoor hockey matchup between the Bethel Park Blackhawks and Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils on Thursday, Feb. 28, at the South Park Ice Rink. Faceoff is at 8:00 p.m. with Onorato dropping the puck.

"One of the major initiatives of my second term is transforming and enhancing recreational opportunities at Allegheny County's nine regional parks," said Onorato. "Our goal is to improve and maximize the use of park facilities and amenities, and the Charity Outdoor Classic is the perfect opportunity to highlight South Park's newly reconstructed ice rink, while also raising money for a worthy cause. I want to thank Bethel Park Varsity Hockey Coach Jim McVay and Mt. Lebanon Varsity Hockey Coach Paul Taibi for bringing this great idea to our attention."

Admission to the Charity Outdoor Classic is $5 with proceeds benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Children under the age of 12 can attend for free.

Link: www.wpxi.com/sports/15382306/detail.html

Corporate Sponsorship In Lebo?

Upper St. Clair is considering it. Baldwin has already done it. North Catholic will be doing it next year.

The question is -- should Mt. Lebanon consider getting corporate sponsorship for our school facilities, events, etc.? A good way to raise money for our district? Or a bad idea overall?

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08052/859032-55.stm

TQM At Washington Elementary School

The sparkly smiley-face stickers and pink crayons in first-grade teacher Carly Laurent's classroom at Mt. Lebanon's Washington Elementary School don't look as if they came from the world of Total Quality Management.

They are being used that way, however, as part of the same "continuous improvement" management model that made Toyota the world's top-selling automobile company and dramatically decreased injury rates at Alcoa.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08048/858153-298.stm

Fictional Accident Tries To Teach Facts

It was a horrific crash scene. There were four bloody teens in a Nissan Sentra that was wrapped around a telephone pole on a neighborhood street in Mt. Lebanon. The driver, who had been drinking before taking the wheel, stumbled out of the car and cried for help.

A short time later, police, firefighters and paramedics arrived and quickly got to work. Two of the teens were cut out of the car with equipment brought by the firefighters and loaded into ambulances.

A male passenger didn't survive and was zipped into a body bag loaded into an Allegheny County Medical Examiner's van and taken away. "This is the worst thing ever. It's exactly what we don't want to see," said Mt. Lebanon Crime Prevention Officer Michael Riemer.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08052/858995-55.stm

Link 2: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_553385.html

Lebo Art Galleries Participate In Conference

Three Mt. Lebanon Galleries--Art Loft, Planet Art and Create A Frame/Handworks--will participate in the 42nd Annual Conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts coming to Pittsburgh March 19-25. The Art Loft will feature the works of Philadelphia artist Jacquie Jrolf and California artist Una Mjurka.

Create A Frame/Handworks will host the exhibit "Teapots and Other Clay Stuff" with the works of Ron Korcynski, who will also be a speaker at the conference. "Echoes from the Rust Belt," featuring ceramic artists from Cleveland and Pittsburgh, will be at Planet Art Gallery.

All three Washington Road galleries will have their openings from 6 to 9 p.m. March 20. For more information, contact: Art Loft at 412-563-3003 or visit www.artloftpittsburgh.com; Create A Frame/Handworks at 412-341-1744 or visit www.CreateAFrameHandworks.com; or Planet Art Gallery at 412-343-3808 or visit www.planetartgallery.com.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08052/859029-55.stm

Washington Park Sales Office Opens Soon

A Coldwell Banker sales center for the proposed Washington Park Condominiums in Mt. Lebanon is scheduled to open shortly at the site. The sales center was approved earlier this month and is staffed from noon to 5, said John Butera, Coldwell Banker site agent.

Developer Zamagias Properties had the ceremonial groundbreaking on Nov. 2. Mr. Butera said plans are for construction on the eight-story luxury condominiums to begin in April, with occupancy by late summer 2009.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08052/859029-55.stm

MTLSD Opposes Graduation Exams

On Monday the Mt. Lebanon school board unanimously approved a resolution opposing the graduation exams that the state Board of Education approved last month.

In the coming weeks, a number of other school boards in the South Hills are expected to follow suit, according to officers of the South Hills Area School Districts Association, which last month decided that all 22 of its member districts would take the resolutions to their boards.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08052/859002-55.stm

Autism Center Comes To The South Hills

The doorway from Washington Road leads to an unassuming foyer, similar to any found in countless offices in countless older buildings. From the viewpoint of parents who struggle daily with the challenges of raising autistic children, however, the place might seem a godsend.

The Autism Center of Pittsburgh opened its third branch last month, with the Mt. Lebanon offices joining those in Moon and Ross.

"What happened was, we had opened a North Hills center and people in the South Hills were clamoring 'Please, please, we want one now,' " said Cindy Waeltermann, founder of the center and AutismLink, the area's largest support network for families dealing with autism.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08052/858997-55.stm

Mt. Lebanon Off Beef Recall List

The state Department of Agriculture has revised its list of school districts that received recalled beef and Mt. Lebanon School District is the only district in the region removed from it.

School officials said the district never received the beef and complained about being on the list.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08052/859184-55.stm

Champion Barista at Aldo

Congrats to Aldo Coffee's Belle Battista for bringing the hardware to Lebo from the 2008 Mid Atlantic Regional Barista Competition. Onward and upward!

Congrats also to Melanie and Rich and Aldo for their support of outstanding coffee, to the whole Aldo barista team, including high-ranking MARBC competitors Sonya and John, and to Pittsburgh's coffee community, which turned out in force at the competition.

Details at the Aldo blog.

Trail Of Hoboes Led Lebo Historian To Biography

Tuesday's phone call interrupted a morning of sled riding for Todd DePastino and his children. With Mt. Lebanon schools shut by the weather, the 41-year-old historian was enjoying the kind of free time his career as a writer brings him.

"You can call me an 'independent historian,' I guess," DePastino said. "I'm a full-time writer and that gives me freedom and time to work -- when my daughters are usually in school."

A Mt. Lebanon High School graduate, he and his family settled there after DePastino earned a doctorate in history from Yale University because "we really like it here." He also teaches part-time at Penn State University's Beaver campus and Waynesburg University.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08048/857554-74.stm

Commissioner Dan Miller Goes Online

New Mt. Lebanon Commissioner Dan Miller, who represents Ward 5, is live online with a new (but technically "unofficial") website and weblog. Check it out at www.danmillerward5.com.

Congrats to Dan on a nice looking site and on taking the online plunge. I hope that all of your constituents and all of the citizens of Mt. Lebanon appreciate it. And I hope that the other commissioners follow your lead. The weather may be cool, but the water is warm!

Pennies From The Heart Help Fund-Raising Drive

Loose change added up for the Washington Elementary School Penny War. In three weeks of competition, the Mt. Lebanon elementary raised $3,910.13 toward renovating its playground. "Right now the equipment is 12 years old and not ADA-accessible," said Kate Aracri, a parent volunteer who co-chaired the drive with Leigh Ann Petulla.

Each classroom had a milk jug where the pupils placed change daily. The goal was to collect the most pennies, but the room's collection could be "sabotaged" by donations of silver and paper money. Nonpenny amounts would be subtracted from the worth of the pennies, but would still benefit the overall fund. Samantha Bower's third-grade class was the room winner, with 21,823 pennies on the ledger.

The last week of competition alone, which ended Jan. 25, brought in 142,181 pennies, or 878 pounds. The playground committee's goal is to raise $80,000.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08045/857426-55.stm

Young Philanthropist Touches Kids' Hearts

Morgan Meer is only 6, but she has big ideas. Morgan and the Parkinson's Ferry Society of the Children of the American Revolution dropped off 126 Webkinz toys at Children's Hospital last week after months of soliciting friends and neighbors for donations. "She's such a sweet kid, and I'm not just saying that because she's my kid," said her mother, Susan Morgan, a chemistry teacher at Mt. Lebanon High School and municipal resident.

Ms. Morgan got the idea after hearing about "kid" philanthropy. Her 7-year-old neighbor had just suffered a stroke and she wanted to contribute something to Children's in her honor. The popular Webkinz are small, stuffed toys that come with a code that allows children to play online games at the company's Web site.

Morgan, who attends Jubilee Christian School in Mt. Lebanon, began handing out slips of paper at school and church, requesting funds to purchase the toys. She eventually collected $515, enough to buy Webkinz at a discounted price at Rolliers Hardware in Mt. Lebanon.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08045/857426-55.stm

MLHS Students To Simulate Fatal Crash

The flashing lights, mangled cars and scenes of destruction people might see on a Mt. Lebanon street tonight will be fake.

Mt. Lebanon High School students are simulating a fatal car crash scene from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. for a movie they are filming about the dangers of drunken driving, the school district announced.

Police officers, firefighters, paramedics and the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's office will participate in the shoot at the corner of Academy and Summer places.

Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_552752.html

Mt. Lebanon HS 2.0

The post title is a little play on "Web 2.0," which is jargon for the biggest Internet fad of recent years: many-to-many and related collaborative computing technologies such as weblogs and other RSS-enabled platforms, wikis, and podcasts. In due course Web 2.0 technologies will get absorbed into the fabric of the "ordinary" Internet, and the "fad" label will attach to something else. (It may already have attached elsewhere, if you follow the bread crumbs being left by interest in "cloud computing.")

Absorption of Web 2.0 technologies into existing information practices is time-consuming and expensive, but much of the time, the payoff is worth the investment. Case in point, and the reason for this post: Chris Stengel, technology director for the Mt. Lebanon School District, has been working to bring Web 2.0 techniques into Mt. Lebanon teaching. To learn more, take a look at this presentation that he helped to put together for PETEC (it's a wiki, natch) -- the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference, held earlier this week in Hershey. In that presentation, he describes "Administrator 2.0 Academy," a program that Chris put together last summer for Lebo administrators, designed to raise their knowledge baseline about Web 2.0 possibilities.

Chris also posts sometimes to FarFromBlöggin. Pop culture historians and Volkswagen enthusiasts will understand the reference to Fahrvergnügen. Très clever.

Special Oympians in Lebo

With strains of Rupert Holmes' "Escape: The Pina Colada Song" lifting in the cold afternoon air, the 10 skaters stepped onto the ice at the Mt. Lebanon Recreation Center.

On the same ice in 1983, U.S. ladies figure skating champion Rosalynn Sumners went through a practice session for the national championships at the then-Civic Arena, on her way to a silver medal in the 1984 Winter Olympics.

And so it was that last weekend, Olympians were there again.

The Allegheny County Special Olympics program runs 21 training sites in 14 sports, holding 18 competitions. Saturday, amid the glitz and sparkle normally associated with figure skating, there also were giggles and waves during the warm-up session for the county championship.

Link: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08045/857245-55.stm

Educating Lebo Families About Internet Dangers

The following email arrived in my In Box this morning. If for some reason you're an MTLSD parent and it didn't arrive in yours, here it is. It's a very important message.

Parents,

The regularly scheduled PTSA meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 2/13 at 1 p.m. in Conference Room B, here at the high school. Immediately following the business meeting, about 1:30 p.m. (until about 3 p.m.), there will be a presentation by Chris Stengel, Officer Mike Reimer, and FBI agent Corey Frankhauser on the dangers associated with the Internet. Parents are invited to attend this presentation and provide feedback as to whether this type of presentation would be appropriate to offer to the community as an evening program.

Ronald P. Davis, EdD
Principal

Wanted: Mt. Lebanon High School Memories

The past is going to become part of the future at Mt. Lebanon High School. Through a project called Glory Days, student council members at Mt. Lebanon High School hope to have a collection of high school memorabilia on display in the lobby of the auditorium by the end of the school year.

But their ultimate goal is to have an extensive collection of mementos to display at the district's new high school, which is expected to come within the next several years. "They want to be able to bring a sense of history to the new school," said district spokeswoman Cissy Bowman.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08038/855374-55.stm

MTLSD Updates Community On Web Site

Chris Stengel is director of technology for the Mt. Lebanon School District. But when he shows enthusiasm for what the district Web site can do now and what it will do in the future, he's also speaking as a dad.

"Anyone who has missed their kid's school program because they had to work" will appreciate the site's goal of archiving videotaped plays, programs and concerts, he said.

Clicking on a videotaped mock trial that recently linked students at two separate grade schools, Mr. Stengel and Cissy Bowman, district director of communications and its Webmaster, demonstrated how technology can bring Mt. Lebanon to the world, and vice versa.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08038/855245-55.stm

Teen Accused Of Mt. Lebanon Attack To Remain On House Arrest

A Mt. Lebanon teen accused of attacking his girlfriend with a hammer then jumping in front of the T, will remain on house arrest, an Allegheny County judge ruled this morning.

Common Pleas Judge Edward J. Borkowski ruled that Robertino DeAngelis, 16, will remain free until the case is resolved but must be moved to his grandmother's house in Westmoreland County to put more space between himself and his former high school girlfriend.

Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_551262.html

Link 2: wwww.postgazette.com/pg/08038/855598-100.stm

Link 3: www.kdka.com/local/Robert.DeAngelis.hearing.2.648126.html

Lipo in Lebo

"In surgically enhanced Los Angeles, where size 0 is the new size 4, it's not surprising that women spend their lunch hours having fat cells zapped.

But even in flab-friendly Pittsburgh, so-called lunchtime lipo is becoming popular.

Which is why Nancy Pariza traveled to Mt. Lebanon to spend $4,000 to shed about 1.5 pounds of fat from her size-4 body, ignoring her friends' protests that she was crazy.

"Everyone made fun of me. 'Yeah, you are so fat.' I didn't like the junk coming out of the side of my jeans," she said before going under local anesthesia for SmartLipo surgery at The Skin Center Medical Spa in Mt. Lebanon."

Link

Lebo and Climate Change

Posted by request:

The Mt. Lebanon ECAT (Environmental Community Action Team) will meet on Thursday, February 7, 2008, at 6:30-8:00 pm at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1066 Washington Road. The ECAT is planning an Open Forum for the community on local climate change issues on March 12, and is planning to petition the commissioners to adopt energy saving measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a local level. All are welcome to attend and share their ideas!

Lebo Native Star Among N.Y. Jewelry Designers

At the same time jewelry has become so bold, beautiful and beguiling that it often makes the clothes appear to be the accessories, the fashion industry has become more intentional about recognizing the often-marginalized genre. For every Zac Posen, they have come to learn, there is a Justin Giunta.

Posen, a young womenswear designer, has taken the U.S. fashion industry by storm over the past five years. And now Giunta, a Mt. Lebanon native and another 20-something designer, is attracting lots of attention with his five-year-old brand Subversive Jewelry.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08035/854544-51.stm

Lebo and No Child Left Behind

Suburbia Calling pulls off a superb post here, wondering out loud, and with the credibility that only being raised in Mt. Lebanon can supply, how the federal No Child Left Behind educational statute is affecting Mt. Lebanon schools -- especially elementary schools.

This is a topic where posters might prefer the understandable security of anonymity or pseudonymity. Post comments however you like over at SC, or email your thoughts to me and let me know if you're willing to have me share the content here, sans your name. I won't guarantee that I will or won't post notes, but if I get thoughtful comments, I may post a few.

Obituary: James L. Donoghue / Former Lebo Recreation Director

Sports were major factor in the life of James L. Donoghue, the director of recreation in Mt. Lebanon from 1979 to 1999. But first and foremost he was "a total family man" and his church and faith were also important factors in his life.

Mr. Donoghue, 73, died of esophageal cancer Tuesday at his Mt. Lebanon home, surrounded by family.

"He died in tune with his life as a total family man," said his son John, of Mt. Lebanon. "He lived a practical Christian life. He was not someone who just went to church on Sunday."

Link: www.postgazette.com/pg/08033/854257-122.stm

Volunteer to Serve

From the P-G:

"Mt. Lebanon commissioners are accepting resumes or letters of interest from residents who are interested in serving on a municipal volunteer board, which might include community relations, economic development, library, historic preservation, planning, traffic and zoning, among others.

A description of each board and meeting schedules and term lengths can be found at www.mtlebanon.org.

Those interested should submit a resume or letter explaining their background to assistant manager Marcia Taylor, 710 Washington Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15228 or at mtaylor@mtlebanon.org by Feb. 15."

Here's a list of Mt. Lebanon Boards and Authorities.