Sunday, January 31, 2010

Mt. Lebanon Boys Lose First Game Of Season

The Mt. Lebanon boys' basketball team found themselves in national rankings in recent weeks, but the Blue Devils probably will disappear from those rankings this week.

Mt. Lebanon suffered its first loss of the season late Saturday night, dropping a 71-63 decision to Archbishop Carroll in The Prime Time Shootout at Villanova University.

Read more: community.post-gazette.com/blogs/varsityblog/archive/2010/01/31/mt-lebanon-boys-lose-first-game-of-season.aspx

Read more: Mt. Lebanon learns valuable lessons in first loss

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Fake Lebo – Mt. Lebanon’s Own “The Onion”

There are a lot of heavy topics being discussed in town right now. Somebody apparently is trying to look at the lighter side of Mt. Lebanon by launching a web site and Twitter feed called “Fake Lebo.” I received a notification a few days ago that “Fake Lebo” was following our Twitter feed for this site, so I decided to check it out.

I must admit, as a Mt. Lebanon native and long time resident, that there are some funny things being posted by this anonymous person (or persons) – especially those that reference the mythical founder of Mt. Lebanon, Colonel Thaddeus Lebanon III.

As you read some of the postings about our beloved “bubble” remember the following quote from Elsa Maxwell – “Laugh at yourself first, before anyone else can.”

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Archbishop Carroll Knocks Off Mt. Lebanon

Mt. Lebanon boys basketball coach Joe David wanted a barometer, an idea of where his team stands in reference to the eastern part of the state.

David and the Blue Devils got a good indication Saturday night at the Prime Time Shootout, facing defending PIAA Class AAA state champion Archbishop Carroll at Villanova's Pavilion.

David found out how tenacious his team can be when down by a large deficit.

But a strong second-half surge wasn't enough to dig out of an 18-point hole, as Carroll handed the Blue Devils their first loss this season, 71-63, dropping them to 16-1 overall.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/highschool/s_664965.html

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Saturday, January 30, 2010

WPIAL Basketball: Mt. Lebanon Plays Rating Game

The Mt. Lebanon boys' basketball team is ranked in the top 25 in two national polls. It's an unusual occurrence because the Blue Devils play in the WPIAL, which doesn't exactly have a reputation for producing teams that compare favorably with some of the best in the country.

But for something even more unusual, the Mt. Lebanon boys have to share the national spotlight with their female classmates.

In what is believed to be a first in WPIAL basketball, two teams from one school are in national rankings. The Mt. Lebanon girls (16-2) have been ranked in the top 25 of polls all season. The Mt. Lebanon boys (15-0) cracked the rankings in recent weeks.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10029/1031797-361.stm

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Friday, January 29, 2010

School District Makes Act 34 Booklet Available

This morning, the Mt. Lebanon School District made its Act 34 Project Description Booklet available to the public. The document is about 40 pages in length and declares a maximum project cost of $113 million. The document declares a corresponding total millage increase of 3.4 mills, of which 0.35 mill is expected to be returned in cost savings, for a net increase of 3.05 mills.

Updated 2010-01-29 11:16: $113 million is the declared maximum project cost, not building cost. Thanks to David Huston for pointing out the mistake. —Tom

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Thursday, January 28, 2010

Mt. Lebanon Burglar Evades Chopper Cops

Police in Mount Lebanon and state police in a helicopter were unable to find a burglar who was interrupted in the act of robbing a Shady Drive home last night and escaped by jumping off a second-story deck.

Officers don't know if the incident is connected to three other residential burglaries in Mount Lebanon last week.

In the latest one, police said a man came home to his apartment in the 700 block of Shady Drive East about 7:10 p.m. Wednesday and caught a glimpse of a man dressed in dark clothing when he opened his door.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10028/1031762-100.stm

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Teens Ready To Shovel For Mt. Lebo Seniors

When it snows in Mt. Lebanon, some residents, especially senior citizens, turn to neighbors and students to help remove snow from their sidewalks.

For about 10 years, Mt. Lebanon High School's community service office has run Chore Corps, a student volunteer group that shovels sidewalks for senior citizens.

"The program actually is to both help in the fall and the spring to rake leaves for our elderly in Mt. Lebanon community, and then in the wintertime to shovel snow ... for the elderly," said Judith Kolko, the community service coordinator for Mt. Lebanon School District.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10028/1031522-55.stm

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Burglaries 'Of Opportunity' Occur At Three Houses In Mt. Lebanon

Police have stepped up their regular patrols and urged residents to keep their doors and windows locked after three Mt. Lebanon homes were entered last week and items taken.

The three reported burglaries all occurred in the Sunset Hills neighborhood.

The first incident was reported Jan. 19, Lt. Aaron Lauth of the Mt. Lebanon Police Department said. Sometime between midnight and 5 a.m., the suspect or suspects entered a house in the 100 block of Sleepy Hollow Road and removed 13 DVDs and an Xbox video game system while the residents slept on the top level of the home.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10028/1031528-55.stm

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Mt. Lebanon School Board Hopes High School Work Will Cost Less Than $113 Million

The talk around Mt. Lebanon continues to be the high school renovation project, and school board President Ed Kubit has posted a letter on the school district's website that addresses some questions residents have about the project -- especially how much it will cost them.

More than 100 people attended a Jan. 18 meeting when the school board voted 6-3 to set a maximum total project cost of $113.3 million and schedule a public hearing on the project for Feb. 22.

Mr. Kubit, Mary D. Birks, Elaine Cappucci, Josephine Posti, Daniel Remely and Susan Rose voted in favor of the resolution. James Fraasch, Dale Ostergaard and Faith Ann Stipanovich dissented.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10028/1031520-55.stm

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Realtors: Mt. Lebanon High School Project A Turnoff

Real estate agents in Mt. Lebanon are warning that the projected cost of the high school renovation could mar the community's attractiveness to residents and home-buyers.

"Not only do we fear people moving out, but also we're afraid of people not coming into Mt. Lebanon," said David Bruckner, manager of the local Coldwell Banker office.

Bruckner said he will lead a group of eight to 12 Coldwell agents who plan to air their concerns at a public hearing Feb. 22.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_664324.html

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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Helicopter Called In To Search For Mt. Lebanon Burglar

After searching for more than two hours for a burglary suspect, Mt. Lebanon police enlisted the help of Pennsylvania State Police helicopter to search the community, county dispatchers said.

The helicopter, which took to the air around 9:30 p.m. and was seen flying low to the ground, was called off around 10 p.m.

Mt. Lebanon police would not confirm if the suspect had been caught and would not say why the helicopter had been called off, but advised people to keep their doors and windows locked and to stay inside

Read more: www.postgazette.com/pg/10027/1031661-100.stm

Read more: www.thepittsburghchannel.com/allegheny/22360704/detail.html

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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Boys Basketball Team Named To USA Today Top 25

Congratulations to the Mt. Lebanon High School boys basketball team who have been ranked as the number 21 team in the country in the USA Today Super 25. Let's Go Lebo!

Read more: www.usatoday.com/SPORTS/usaedition/2010-01-26-super2526_ST_U.htm?csp=34

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Guest Post: David Franklin on Talks of Censure

David Franklin, a frequent commenter on Blog-Lebo, sent us his thoughts on the rumors about censuring Mr. Fraasch for having shared his report with the community. Joe and I thought Mr. Franklin’s words deserved a spot on the front page. What follows, then, is Mr. Franklin’s essay. —Tom

I’ve heard that there have been letters submitted to the Board asking that Mr. Fraasch be removed from his Board seat or at least censured for circulating his thoughts about the high school project. Good grief, you’d think that he was arguing for something far worse than simply tighter controls on our school district’s wallet. Lest anyone contend that I am playing favorites here, I know Mr. Fraasch (I met him for the first time last month) but we’ve only talked in person once. We have exchanged emails (generally when he responds to mine to the School Board at large). I don’t agree with Mr. Fraasch on every issue, and I would concur that his comments to certain media outlets were perhaps poorly chosen and not well-suited to advance his ultimate position. I do, however, admire his courage for supporting what many believe to be an unpopular opinion. That’s a tough thing to do here in Camelot. So, please understand that I am not writing this post as his friend or even as an advocate for his position on the high school project.

Now that the disclaimers are out of the way, let’s look at what he’s really done and said. For all intents and purposes, all that Mr. Fraasch has done to earn the ire of so many is take the finance director’s 4-year budget projections and some other readily available publicly-generated data and distribute it among the community with a message that essentially says, “Hey, take a look at these projections and figures. Some are pretty scary when read in the context of the decision to build a new high school.” I repeat, these statistics were NOT generated by Mr. Fraasch. He did not concoct these figures in an attempt to defraud or deceive. Similarly, Mr. Fraasch has NOT said that the project should stop, nor has he advocated that the high school project is a waste at any price. In fact, Mr. Fraasch HAS gone on record as stating that he would firmly support a project in the $75 million price range. Interestingly, Mr. Fraasch’s “commitment” came shortly after others on the Board also advocated for spending considerably less than $113 million. Some of his colleagues even advocated for a project cost CLOSER to Mr. Fraasch’s number than the number they ultimately approved as the maximum spend. From where I sit, Mr. Fraasch may not be on the same page as his colleagues on the Board, but he’s at least in the same chapter.

So if it wasn’t the substance of his message that was “wrong”, let’s consider the means by which he delivered it. Many residents received his “white paper” via email. Others may have read it on his blog. And still others heard or saw his comments on KDKA radio and TV. I would be concerned if Mr. Fraasch had elected to remain quiet in all prior Board meetings and then resorted to this sort of “off the record activity”; but clearly this isn’t the case. Mr. Fraasch is on record, perhaps more so than any other Board member, with regard to his thoughts and opinions on this project. Further, unsolicited emails from board members are nothing new. I’ve received them from other Board members and even the spouses and parents of elected officials. Similarly, at least one other Board member and two Commissioners currently host personal blogs on which they post updates, position statements, etc. (Ironically, I previously argued on this site that allowing our elected officials to blog on the side is a potentially dangerous and slippery slope. At that time, I was told I was nuts and that the benefits of communication far outweigh any risk of miscommunication. Hmmm). And just yesterday, Mr. Kubit used the District’s own website to post some persuasive information to support the position of the Board majority. So again, it would appear that Mr. Fraasch’s methods are not unique and, in fact, they are utilized by others in Mt. Lebanon who hold elected office.

Lastly, while Mr. Fraasch’s opinions are certainly contrary to the majority of the Board, I’m not convinced that they aren’t shared by a majority of the residents in our community. School Board members don’t take an oath to represent the School Board. They take an oath to represent the residents of Mt. Lebanon. I think we would all agree that a referendum on a $113 million price tag for the high school would fail miserably. So, in reality, aren’t his concerns and opinions more in line with those of his constituents or at least a large percentage of them? And for that he should be censured?

I’m left to conclude that those who would censure or seek the removal of Mr. Fraasch are doing so simply because they disagree with him. I can think of no other reason. Many of you will remember that following Dr. Sable’s termination there was a cry for increased transparency on the Board. “No more hiding the ball,” we cried. “We’re entitled to know,” we shouted. The School Board campaigns that followed even focused on renewed openness and an increase in candid communication with the taxpayers. After all, this is the Great State of Mt. Lebanon! For heaven’s sake, we’re certainly educated and intelligent enough to hear the good AND the bad and decide for ourselves, right?

The irony of the current situation is not lost on me... how about you? I could go on and on regarding the representative form of government, free speech, the emperor wearing no clothes, totalitarianism and a bunch of other obvious things, but instead I’ll close by encouraging those Board members who have received such requests to do the right thing. Regardless of whether you agree with Mr. Fraasch or not, please respond to those residents and explain to them that here in Mt. Lebanon we ARE prepared to accept the good with the bad. Please let them know that you appreciate that others in the community (including other elected officials) may disagree with you, but we don’t need to bury their opinions, silence their voices, or run them out of office... or out of town. After all, the next elected official advocating an unpopular or difficult position might just be you.

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Monday, January 25, 2010

SB President Kubit Posts High School Renovation FAQ

School Board President Ed Kubit has posted a series of frequently asked questions today to the High School Renovation section of the school district web site. Please take the time to read them and then come back here to discuss.

Read more: www.mtlsd.org/highschoolrenovation/boardfaq.asp

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Sunday, January 24, 2010

Mt. Lebanon Investigates Three Burglaries

Three occupied Mt. Lebanon homes were entered last week while the residents slept, according to a news alert posted on the municipality's Web site.

Between Tuesday and Friday, the three homes, on the 100 block of Sleepy Hollow Road, the 300 block of Jonquil Place and the 100 block of Catalpa Place, were entered through unsecured windows or doors and items such as purses and electronics were stolen.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10024/1030828-100.stm

Read more: www.wpxi.com/news/22335408/detail.html

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Why We Censor Comments Only As A Last Resort

Some people may think that a few recent comments here on Blog-Lebo go too far and deserve to be “snipped.” I’d like to explain why Joe and I leave these comments alone, censoring only as a last resort.

Joe and I run Blog-Lebo in the hope that it will serve the public. We therefore feel obligated not to abuse our administrative powers to influence the direction of conversations that occur on our site. (If we have a view to advance, we’ll advance it with our words, just like everybody else.) Because administrative abuse can happen subtly, even subconsciously, the only sure way to prevent it is not to use our administrative powers.

Therefore, we resort to censorship only in extreme cases, lest we unfairly deny someone the opportunity to be heard. That means we must sometimes publish comments that offer more heat than light. When we do, we trust our readers to see those comments for what they are. We trust our readers to make up their own minds about what’s heat and what’s light.

Our readers, in turn, can trust us not to make up their minds for them.

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Mt. Lebanon Posts Shootout Victory On Road

Trailing by five at halftime, the Mt. Lebanon boys basketball team needed a dominant second half against Lake Clifton (Md.) to remain undefeated. The Blue Devils got just that, outscoring Lake Clifton, 32-19, in the second half en route to a 54-46 win at the Primetime Shootout.

The Blue Devils outscored Lake Clifton, 15-6, in the third quarter and took a 37-33 lead in the fourth — a lead they wouldn't give up. "This is a big win, because there's some naysayers up in Pittsburgh who don't think we can compete with these guys," said Mt. Lebanon coach Joe David. "We played a great team with a major player, and to come down here and fundamentally beat maybe a more talented team is great.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/highschool/s_663831.html

Read more: Highlights: Mt. Lebanon still perfect (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

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Special Olympians Preparing To Skate In Mt. Lebanon

Like the figure skaters she watches on television, Ellen Siciliano plans to dazzle the crowds as she glides across the ice next month in her red sequined dress. Ms. Siciliano, 46, will have plenty of fans to cheer her, including fellow residents at the Mainstay semi-independent living facility in Castle Shannon.

Another who plans to be on the ice is Bobby Walsh, 32, of Upper St. Clair, who, when asked what he likes best about the sport of figure skating, said: "I'm good at it."

Last week, Ms. Siciliano and Mr. Walsh and about 10 other Special Olympic athletes practiced at the Mt. Lebanon Recreation Center for the annual Special Olympics Allegheny County Figure Skating Tournament. It will be held at that site from 1 to 3 p.m. on Feb. 6. Admission is free.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10021/1029768-55.stm

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Magazines Battle In Some Communities

Clashes between some community magazines in the South Hills are beginning to rival those legendary Chicago newspaper wars. Longtime community magazines in Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair have some new competition from IN Community Magazines, a publishing firm in Peters whose owner is intent on shaking things up.

"We had been receiving calls from residents and businesses for years," IN Community publisher Wayne Dollard said about his company's decision last year to push into the territory that was exclusive to Mt. Lebanon Magazine.

Some callers, he said, "felt the magazine was cliquish and didn't represent everybody."

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10021/1029826-55.stm

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Fundraiser Planned To Help Purchase Mt. Lebanon's Denis Theatre

The Denis Theatre Foundation is embarking on a major push over the next month to raise enough money to purchase the Denis Theatre on Washington Road in Mt. Lebanon and reopen it by late 2011.

Purchasing the Denis means the foundation must raise $750,000 by Feb. 28, when the purchasing options expire, foundation executive director Anne Kemerer said.

Raja, president of the Mt. Lebanon commission, owns the building.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10021/1029815-55.stm

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Friday, January 22, 2010

School Board Gets "Lanced" By The Tribune-Review

The following "lance" was mentioned in today's Tribune-Review:

Lance: To the Mt. Lebanon School Board. In capping a contentious high school renovation project at $113.3 million, it beat the $115 million threshold that would have automatically triggered a public referendum. Given that this project could, according to one school director, see school taxes rise by more than 45 percent by 2014, the board firmly planted its thumb to its nose and waggled its fingers furiously at the public who will foot the bill.

Read more: Laurels and Lances - Friday, January 22, 2010

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Thursday, January 21, 2010

Lebo HS Students To Compete in Model UN

A team of students from Mt. Lebanon High School will be competing in a Model United Nations conference at Yale University from today through Sunday. MLHS alumni Rachel Fabi (c/o '07), a student currently enrolled at Yale, will serve as Director General of Operations. Good luck to our Lebo Model UN team!

Read more: ymun.yira.org

Read more: www.twitter.com/YaleModelUN

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Smith Introduces Pedestrian Safety Legislation To Give Local Control

Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, will soon introduce legislation that would allow municipalities to alter or set speed limits on local and state roads within their respective boundaries without the approval of the state.

"This is part of an ongoing effort to make our neighborhoods safer and pedestrian friendly," Smith said. "Giving local governments this authority would reduce accidents, permit local officials to make decisions impacting our area, and foster strong communities."

Rosie Pesacreta, a Mt. Lebanon parent whose children walk to school along Washington Road is in favor of municipalities having more authority on this issue.

Read more: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/01-20-2010-smith-pedestrian-bill

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What Kind Of Conversation Does Mt. Lebanon Need?

Does it need nothing beyond the “everything is great, only positive and forward-thinking news to report” style of conversation? Or does it need something more? Is there a place for honest conversation, that which informed and educated people expect in a town that holds itself to high standards? Is it so bad that sometimes this honesty shines a light on unpleasant truths about the town, its government, and its residents? If we are afraid to shine a light on these things, how can we expect to fix them?

At Blog-Lebo, we are trying to shine light on the good, the bad, and, yes, sometimes even the ugly about Mt. Lebanon. Can Mt. Lebanon handle the truth? We think that it can.

UPDATE: I agree with everything Joe has written here. —Tom

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Passing of Dale Colby

We received word this morning that former 4th Ward Commissioner Dale Colby passed away last evening after a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Dale had just recently ended his term as commissioner in December 2009.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time, but will be posted here as soon as they come available. Our thoughts and prayers are with Dale's family at this time.

UPDATE: 12:55 PM -- Preliminary information is that visitation will occur at Laughlin’s Memorial Chapel on Washington Road Thursday from 6-8pm and Friday from 2-4pm and 6-8pm with a service at Sunset Hills Presbyterian Church on Saturday at 11 am.

Read more: Mt. Lebanon veteran became integral part of community (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Richard Baumhammers' Death Warrant Signed

Gov. Ed Rendell signed a death warrant Tuesday for Richard Baumhammers, 44, of Mt. Lebanon, who killed five people during a racially motivated shooting spree in 2000.

Baumhammers is scheduled to die by lethal injection March 18. He's being held at State Correctional Institution-Greene.

Read more: www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/22277330/detail.html

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School Board approves Act 34 Document with $113-million renovation maximum

At the school board meeting of Monday, January 18, 2010, the Mt. Lebanon Board of School Directors voted 6 to 3 to approve the district's proposed Act-34 document, setting a maximum price on the high-school renovation: $113 million. Voting in favor were Directors Birks, Cappucci, Kubit, Posti, Remely, and Rose; against were Directors Fraasch, Ostergaard, and Stipanovich.

To accommodate the unusually large number of attendees, the meeting was held in the high school's Fine Arts Theater. At least two local-television news teams, KDKA and WPXI, attended the meeting and ran segments on the 11 o'clock news.

Many residents and taxpayers offered their comments and concerns. Most people stayed on topic, coming in for or against the $113-million price tag, stating their reasoning, sharing their stories. A few people made personal jabs, which didn't seem to help their cases much. For the most part, though, the comment period was surprisingly civil, given the tension that had built up in the days leading to the meeting.

All in all, both sides of the community got something. Those who supported the plan at its current price got to see it advance another step toward construction. Those who didn't, they got something, too. They finally got some indication that the board was listening. Instead of the 8-to-1 vote they expected, they got a 6-to-3 vote.

They got two more board members.

It's not a bad day when everybody gets something.

Read more:
Updated 2010-01-19 15:05 to add link to coverage on Real Lebo. —Tom
Updated 2010-01-19 23:26 to add link to coverage on Suburbia Calling. —Tom
Updated 2010-01-20 12:49 to add link to coverage on Pittsburgh Post-Gazette —Joe

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Monday, January 18, 2010

School Board Meeting Venue Changed

FYI -- tonight's school board meeting at 7:30 PM has been moved to the Fine Arts Theatre, instead of the high school library. Please try and come to the meeting to make sure your voice is heard!

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Improving School One Parent At A Time

The following was sent to me from a Blog-Lebo reader. Some good reading as we get ready for the meeting tonight:

If you think that you alone cannot do much to improve your school, you are probably right. You’re more likely to get what you want for your child if you work with other parents.

If you are in a school that is not parent-friendly, this is how you might be perceived.

1 person = A fruitcake
2 people = A fruitcake and a friend
3 people = Troublemakers
5 people = “Let’s have a meeting”
10 people = “We’d better listen”
25 people = “Our dear friends”
50 people = "A powerful organization”

If you collaborate with other parents and organizations, you can make a difference. There is strength and power in numbers.

Read more: www.wrightslaw.com/info/advo.fruitcake.power.htm

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Sunday, January 17, 2010

Broader Alcohol Policy Studied For Mt. Lebanon Schools

Mt. Lebanon school board continues to study a proposed policy to govern non school-related drug and alcohol violations.

The proposed policy, which the board is slated to vote on next Monday, addresses "use, possession, sale, distribution or procurement of any amount of alcohol, drugs, other controlled substances (other than legally prescribed medications) or drug paraphernalia or being under the influence of alcohol, drugs or other controlled substances."

Confirmation of the conduct would be gained through citation by law enforcement or through the student's parent or guardian, the proposed policy said.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10014/1028041-55.stm

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St. Clair To Gain Two Operating Rooms

St. Clair Hospital has broken ground for the construction of three new operating rooms at its primary campus in Mt. Lebanon.

The 7,429-square-foot addition is expected to open this summer and will help accommodate growing patient volume. The hospital performs more than 11,000 surgical cases a year in 11 main operating rooms. That volume is expected to increase.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10014/1027997-55.stm

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Friday, January 15, 2010

More on the Fraasch Report: It's Time to Do Something

[This is an op-ed piece. It represents my views, and not necessarily those of Joe or Blog-Lebo. —Tom Moertel]

To start, I want to thank James Fraasch for explaining to the public what's so troubling about the current renovation plan. His report represents a ton of work, and it's work that he did on our behalf. Thank you, Mr. Fraasch.

Now, on to the report.

First, read it. It's only a few pages, and you won't find a shorter, more informative summary of the renovation project's implications. If you can't find the time, here's a summary of Mr. Fraasch's findings:
  • Our school district is already on shaky financial ground and, post renovation, Mt. Lebanon would become the 15th most-indebted school district in Pennsylvania and earn the #2 spot for debt per student.
  • In the next few years, your school real-estate taxes are going to increase by nearly 50 percent to meet the school district's obligations.
  • To pay for the renovation, the cash-strapped district will probably have to make cuts elsewhere – reducing programs, reducing staff, closing schools possibly.
  • Because of the cuts, the project will have a "negative impact on the overall educational outcome for our students." In short, we're getting a better building, but trading a better education to get it.
  • It's possible to renovate our high school for less. Neighboring districts Baldwin, Upper St. Clair, and Bethel Park have each undertaken comparable projects for tens of millions less than our planned renovation.
  • The renovation's price tag appears to have been managed to remain just beneath the threshold that would trigger a voter referendum, denying residents their opportunity to accept or reject the plan at the voting booths.
Mr. Fraasch doesn't just assert these claims. He supports them with evidence: six pages of facts, figures, graphs, and tables. If you think the current renovation plan is going to be good for our community, you'll have a much harder time reaching that sanguine conclusion after considering Mr. Fraasch's evidence. And if you're a vocal supporter of the current plan, please consider the evidence.

To end his report, Mr. Fraasch pleads with readers, asking them to take this last, best opportunity to throw the brakes on what he likens to a runaway train. He asks readers to do something now: call, email, or write a letter to the school board. (Call or email if you want your voice heard before Monday's Act-34 vote.)

By releasing his report, Mr. Fraasch has offered our community a clear argument, supported by evidence, that we cannot afford a renovation project this expensive. I have argued that even if we could afford it, it would be a poor way to spend our educational dollars. A less-expensive renovation solves both of these problems.

Therefore, if you care about the financial health of our community or of our school district, or if you care about the standard of education we can offer to future students, you must do something now: ask for a less-expensive renovation. If you don't contact the school board now and tell them you want a less-expensive renovation, you are going to get the current plan – and its consequences.

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Thursday, January 14, 2010

Men Charged In Robbery

Two men were arrested last week and charged in a robbery that occurred on Lansdale Place near Cochran Road in Mt. Lebanon last month, police said.

Andrew Ashby, 25, of Sunbury, and Edwin Quinones-Garcia, 21, of South Park, were charged with robbery and criminal conspiracy to commit robbery. The men are charged with robbing a man at gunpoint on Dec. 21 at 7:52 p.m. and taking his guitar, amp, wallet and cell phone.

They are being held at the Allegheny County Jail and will have a hearing Jan. 14.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10014/1028043-55.stm

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Your School, Your Taxes, Your Community and Your Child's Education

The title of this blog post is also the title of a 7 page document that I received today from School Board member James Fraasch. In it, he discusses the high school renovation project and the upcoming Act 34 (which sets the maximum project cost) vote on Monday, January 18.

In his document, James discusses the projected real estate tax increase of up to 50% in the next five years if the project proceeds as it currently stands. He also reviews our millage rate and overall project costs to comparable schools in our area.

The full document can be viewed at: www.scribd.com/doc/25233272/MTLSDWhitePaperV3.

UPDATE 2010-01-14 18:30 (by Tom): For those readers who have trouble with Scribd-hosted documents, I have placed another copy of Mr. Fraasch's report on Google Documents: "Your School, Your Taxes, Your Community and Your Child's Education".

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Battle Of The Best BP, Lebo Ladies Challenge For Top Spot In Hoops

Before Bethel Park boards the bus for Mt. Lebanon this Thursday, Jan. 14, basketball coach Jonna Burke may have her girls visit their own locker room. In their safe haven, the Lady Hawks can contemplate the task that awaits them at 7:30 p.m.

"During the pre-season, back in November, we do the team building, the working together to find solutions, all those things that other teams do, but once the season starts, it's all about the X's and O's," said Burke.

Read more: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/01-13-2010-BP-Lebo-girls-hoops

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

School District's Preliminary Budget Reveals a Sobering Reality

At last night's school-board discussion meeting, the agenda was packed. But one topic stood out: the preliminary budget for the 2010–11 school year. In short, it's looking grim.

Property taxes for the district are projected to increase by about 14 percent, from 24.1 to 27.5 mills, this year alone, with similar increases expected for the next few years. The increase is nearly 40 percent larger than the school district's most-pessimistic forecast from last April.

What explains the unexpectedly large increase? Salaries are up by 2.5 percent; fringe benefits by 17 percent. A big part of the increase comes from the district's newly increased pension-funding requirements. With the state government paying less, our district's share must increase from 4.8 percent to 8.2 percent. (Our share is expected to increase again, climbing to 10.7 percent, the following year.) And there's the high-school renovation: it's in there, too. But part of the explanation is that we weren't pessimistic enough in our past projections.

How bad is it? Janice Klein, Director of Finance, ended her presentation of the preliminary budget soberly: "Unfortunately, balancing the budget [takes] a huge millage number... There's really nowhere else to get the money other than through real-estate taxes... I know that [the budget] wasn't very pretty, but that's where we are right now."

Okay, so our property taxes are going up again. What's the big deal? The big deal is that our school district can no longer afford its current spending habits. These tax increases, as large as they are, aren't going to be enough to pay for everything the district wants. Something has got to give.

Addressing the need to start cutting, Board President Ed Kubit said, "We are looking at very serious discussions ... on how we're going to be able to afford a lot of these things. We need to sit down and talk about programs, and understand the value of those programs. Staffing positions. Closing schools. We need to have those very difficult discussions to decide what we are going to be able to afford as a district... We are going to have to very carefully look at our budget not just this year but over the next four to five years, as well."

Indeed, something has got to give. And now the board knows it.

UPDATE: School-board director James Fraasch has posted a summary of the January 11th meeting.

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Friday, January 08, 2010

Rollier's Mentioned in Wall Street Journal

There's a great article in yesterday's Wall Street Journal about Rollier's Hardware and how the 4th generation of Satterfields -- brothers Brett and Derek -- are using technology to improve their family business. In 2008, they launched a web site -- www.hardtofinditems.com -- which has been successful since its inception.

It's wonderful to hear about a local business doing well and getting national exposure for their efforts to branch out their business. Congratulations guys!

Read the article: online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704842604574642862895014686.html

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Thursday, January 07, 2010

Hawks in Mt. Lebanon?

While walking to the Beverly Shops recently, I noticed something unusual on top of a telephone pole in the distance. It looked like a large bird, a hawk perhaps, but it was too far away to make out. Still, it was striking, the straight line of the pole, climbing up from the ground, into the grasp of a large, powerful bird.

I didn't think much of it at the time. Just something fascinating to see. I resumed my walk and forgot about it.

But then, a few mornings later, I was making coffee in the kitchen. I looked out the window and – surprise! – there was hawk perched on the garden fence. It was beautiful (and a little imposing). My camera was nearby, and I managed to get a photograph (see below).

I'd expect large birds like hawks in forests, parks, or maybe a large cemetery, but in my backyard? Has anybody else seen hawks in Mt. Lebanon? In their yards? Are they common here?

Surprise! Immature Cooper's Hawk?

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Mt. Lebanon Girls Basketball Staying On Top

Mt. Lebanon girls basketball coach Dori Oldaker doesn’t pay much attention to rankings or outside thoughts about her team. She can’t afford to.

That’s because those expectations are high, really high, and why won’t they be? The Blue Devils return many of the key players from a PIAA Class AAAA championship team that went 31-0 last season, and most of those players were also members of Mt. Lebanon’s PIAA runner-up squad in 2008. With all the returning players, Mt. Lebanon is ranked No. 1 in Pennsylvania, regardless of classification, by MaxPreps and No. 17 in the nation.

Link: www.maxpreps.com/news/L7h5qfsBEd6UswAcxJTdpg/pennsylvania--mt-lebanon-girls-basketball-staying-on-top.htm

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Sophomore Guard Fills A Major Role For Mt. Lebanon Boys

He was the smallest player on the court, and among those farthest away from the basket, but Luke Hagy did what he does best -- he made a play at a time when it mattered the most.

Hagy, Mt. Lebanon's 6-foot sophomore point guard, came away with the ball off a rebound of his own missed free throw with 46 seconds left in overtime of the Blue Devils' 38-32 victory against Hampton in the showdown of teams ranked No. 1 in their respective WPIAL classifications by the Post-Gazette this past Saturday at Ambridge.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10007/1026242-361.stm

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Lebo Grad Matt McCracken Becomes Fourth Consensus First Team All-America

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - Senior OL Matt McCracken headlined six Richmond Football players on the 2009 College Sporting News All-America Team, and was named to the 2009 Sports Network All-America squad to become the school's fourth-ever consensus First Team All-America selection.

By being named to both these squads, McCracken joins LB Eric Johnson (1992), DB Jeff Nixon (1978) and WR Walker Gillette (1969) as the school's only consensus First Team All-Americas. The senior was also honored by Walter Camp, the Associated Press and the American Football Coaches Association.

In addition, McCracken was tabbed the College Sporting News Offensive Lineman of the Year and was one of seven repeat selections on the CSN Fabulous 50 All-America squad.

Read more: www.richmondspiders.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/010510aae.html

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Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Mt Lebanon Hammer Attacker To Stay In Lockup

A Mt. Lebanon teenager accused of attacking his ex-girlfriend with a hammer in 2007 must remain at a juvenile detention facility for at least another three months, Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Kim Berkeley Clark ruled today.

Robertino DeAngelis, 18, is making progress in a treatment program at the juvenile facility in New Castle, but the nature of his crime requires a longer stay, the judge said during a hearing in family court.

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10005/1025918-100.stm

Read more: www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/22131357/detail.html

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Introducing Tom Moertel

I'd like to introduce Tom Moertel as the latest author and contributor to Blog-Lebo. As many of you know, Tom has been a regular reader and commenter here. His responses to postings have always been very level-headed and well thought out which will serve him well in his new role. I think he will be an excellent co-author and I'm looking forward to working with him as Blog-Lebo continues to grow and mature. Welcome aboard Tom!

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Coach 'A Hero' After His Actions On Plane

Mt. Lebanon coach Joe David received an ovation after leading his team to the championship of the Junior Orange Bowl Tournament in Miami, but it had nothing to do with basketball.

The applause came on the flight back to Pittsburgh on Thursday afternoon, long after the crowds had gone home. David, a licensed physical therapist, helped save the life of a woman passenger who had fainted, had a weak pulse and, briefly, stopped breathing.

"Everyone on the plane was clapping," said Mt. Lebanon player Evan Pierce, who along with his teammates watched in astonishment while the hectic events unfolded. "He was, like, a hero.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/s_660560.html

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Sunday, January 03, 2010

Mt. Lebanon Man Receives Sperber Prize

Dr. Todd DePastino of Mt. Lebanon, a graduate and professional studies facilitator at Waynesburg University, was recently awarded Fordham University's Ann M. Sperber Prize for his book "Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front," a biography of the two-time Pulitzer Prize winner.

"I'm gratified by the award and astonished by the enthusiastic reception the book has received from those who remember Bill Mauldin and appreciate the impact his work had on so many lives," DePastino said.

Read more: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/12-23-2009-Wayneburg-DePastino

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Mt. Lebanon Earns Close Victory In Overtime

The first big scholastic clash of the new year turned into a defensive struggle, as the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils needed overtime to post a 38-32 decision over the Hampton Talbots.

A near-sellout crowd at Ambridge High School watched the top team in Class AAAA square off against the No. 1 Class AAA team. The game was part of the Pittsburgh Basketball Club Holiday Festival.

The victory gave the Blue Devils a 9-0 mark on the season while the Talbots dropped to 7-1.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/highschool/s_660521.html

Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10003/1025481-361.stm

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