Friday, December 31, 2010

P-G: Mt. Lebanon High School offers online courses

Mt. Lebanon High School sent letters to parents and students last week announcing that students could sign up for online courses in subjects such as Chinese, screen writing, interactive game design and history of jazz for the spring semester.

The day after the letter was e-mailed to students, the district had already received one application, for the SAT prep class. High school principal Ron Davis said he expected many students to take advantage of the online offerings.

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Trib: Grant will offset cost of Mt. Lebanon fire engines

A $585,000 federal grant will help the Mt. Lebanon Fire Department replace two aging vehicles — one that is due to be retired next year, and one that had to be auctioned off earlier this year.

The grant will allow the department to cover most of the cost of one new engine that will combine the functions of Mt. Lebanon's 20-year-old ladder truck and the 28-year-old pumper truck that failed inspection and had to be auctioned, said Fire Chief Nicholas Sohyda.

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P-G: Missing Mt. Lebanon man found in Strip District

Mt. Lebanon police announced today that a man who had been missing since Wednesday was located in the city's Strip District this morning.

Edward K. Devlin, 73, was unharmed. He had been staying at a hotel near the Strip District.

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Trib: Police searching for missing Mt. Lebanon man

Mt. Lebanon police are searching for a man who failed to return to the nursing home where he lived.

Police say Edward K. Devlin, 73, took a shuttle bus around 8 a.m. Wednesday to a medical appointment at the H. J. Heinz Progressive Care Center along Delafield Road in Aspinwall.

He has not been seen since completing the appointment around 9:30 a.m., and there is no record of him taking the shuttle back to his home at the Golden Living Center nursing home on Old Gilkeson Road in Mt. Lebanon.

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Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Trib: Mt. Lebanon envisions development above light rail tracks

With most of the space in Mt. Lebanon's Uptown business district developed, the township's next project is up in the air. Literally.

This fall, the municipality received a $150,000 grant from Allegheny County to do the preliminary engineering for a "lid" that could support development projects over the Port Authority light rail tracks behind the Washington Road business district, said Commercial Districts Manager Eric Milliron.

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Thursday, December 23, 2010

Casey, Specter Announce $585,000 Going to Mt. Lebanon Fire Department

WASHINGTON, DC -U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Arlen Specter (D-PA) today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded $585,000 to the Mt. Lebanon Fire Department for vehicle acquisition.

“Firefighters are invaluable members of our community and they work tirelessly to ensure our safety. It is critical that we do everything in our power to provide them with the necessary tools and resources to perform their jobs,” said Senator Casey. “This money will provide valuable assistance to the Mt. Lebanon Fire Department.”

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KDKA: Mt. Lebanon HS Drum Line To Perform At Winter Classic

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Trib: Mt. Lebanon wins section showdown with Chartiers Valley

On this night, Mt. Lebanon was the best defending WPIAL champion in Section 4-AAAA.

"We can't make an assumption that it's still ours," said Mt. Lebanon's Paul Lang, who scored 21 points Wednesday night in a 54-50 win over Chartiers Valley, a section-opening meeting between two of last season's WPIAL winners. "We have to earn it ourselves."

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PG: Cwalina, Hagy and Lang Named to "Fabulous 22"

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has named Tim Cwalina, Luke Hagy and Paul Lang to their "Fabulous 22" list of football players in the south hills.

Note: The following article is in PDF format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it.

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NYT: As Bullies Go Digital, Parents Play Catch-Up

Interesting and provocative story from the New York Times on an issue of interest to any parent of an adolescent: cyber-bullying.

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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

P-G: Mt. Lebanon hockey player chosen for World Junior play

Patrick Wey, a defenseman from Mt. Lebanon who plays for Boston College, has made the United States 22-man roster for the World Junior Championships that will begin Sunday in Buffalo.

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Library to Re-Open Sundays, starting January 9, 2011

The Mt. Lebanon Board of Trustees announced at its December 13 board meeting that the library will reopen on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. beginning January 9, 2011, at which time the library will return to its full 68-hours per week operation.

The restoration of Sunday hours is due to an increase in the library’s appropriation from the Municipality of Mt. Lebanon. The Mt. Lebanon Commission approved an increase of $38,400 specifically for Sunday operation during the school year.

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  • (Library In The News Blog)

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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Trib: Test scores inch upward in Mt. Lebanon schools

Mt. Lebanon students improved slightly on state tests during the 2009-10 school year, and consistently exceeded the state average, officials reported last night.

Scores on the Pennsylvania System of Standardized Assessment tests in reading, writing, math and science held steady or improved, according to the "student outcomes report" the district's curriculum supervisors delivered to the school board.

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Saturday, December 18, 2010

P-G: What's Brewing: Aldo Coffee takes ambitious steps in roasting coffee

Six years ago, when Rich and Melanie Westerfield opened Aldo Coffee on Washington Road in Mt. Lebanon, Pittsburgh's progressive coffee scene was in its infancy. Pittsburgh had some good coffee, but there was no real drive to discuss or improve quality.

"No one else was talking about coffee," said Mr. Westerfield. He built the cafe website on a blog format (because they "couldn't afford a website") and, surprisingly, a conversation began about everything from whether Mt. Lebanon would ever accept a stand-up espresso bar (it wouldn't) to what it meant for a coffee to be ethically sourced.

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Trib: Laurels & Lances

Laurel: To Mt. Lebanon commissioners. At a time when most taxpayers are happy if taxes just don't go up and officials crow about merely holding that line, a tax decrease is worth celebrating. So kudos to Mt. Lebanon, where officials found ways to save enough on debt payments and health insurance to turn a proposed 0.48-mill tax hike into a 0.13-mill tax cut for 2011. Mt. Lebanon property owners' savings won't be big -- $26 on a house assessed at $200,000 -- but will be enough to make folks living elsewhere envious.

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Trib: Mt. Lebanon senior Nappi never weary of swimming

Many competitive swimmers tire of practicing — especially early in the morning — but Mt. Lebanon senior John Nappi enjoys it.

"I like it because I know it's making me better," said Nappi, who trains year-round with the Mt. Lebanon Aqua Club, which is affiliated with USA Swimming. "I can feel myself improving."

A strong work ethic has propelled Nappi, 17, into the WPIAL swimming elite. He is the defending Class AAA champion in the boys 200 individual medley.

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The Almanac: Lebo's Batteer best of the boys

With two teams capturing WPIAL championships and a handful of individuals garnering all-state honors, 2010 marked another banner season for local soccer clubs. To the victors go the spoils as those successful players dominate this year's Almanac Elite Eleven all-star squad.

Zach Batteer headlines the list. For the second time, the Mt. Lebanon High School senior nabbed MVP honors. He led the area in scoring, registering 28 tallies for the Blue Devils, who reached the district semifinals after graduating 17 seniors from its championship club in 2009. Batteer also dished up 12 assists for Lebo, which finished as Section 4-AAA champions.

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Thursday, December 16, 2010

Trib: Mt. Lebanon planners recommend approving high school

The Mt. Lebanon Planning Board recommended final approvals for the school district’s $113.3 million high school renovation proposal, leaving the controversial project’s final go-ahead up to the municipal commissioners.

The board Tuesday night recommended that the commissioners give final approval to the school district’s land development plan; grant the district a “conditional use” to keep the school in an area zoned for residential development; and move forward with a shared-parking agreement for 40 spaces in a municipal lot that gives the school enough spaces to meet the zoning code’s parking requirement.

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James Fraasch Resigns from School Board (Updated 4)

Yesterday, James Fraasch announced his resignation from the Mt. Lebanon School Board. Writing on his new blog, Politics, Policies, Government, and Economics, he elaborated:
It's been a good run, but it is time for me to move on from the Mt. Lebanon School Board. In the past few months I have missed some meetings due mostly to travel out of the country. More often than not I find myself putting an emphasis more on my personal/work life than I am on the school board. For most of my 3 years on the Board the exact opposite was the case.
Mr. Fraasch wrote that he intends to “move on to different things,” starting with more extensive travel to South America and getting an MBA.

But also among his reasons for moving on is the sense that the school board is unwilling to consider concerns he has raised. One such concern was the solicitor’s contract, extended recently, despite the school district’s embarrassing loss of the recent zoning appeal. Mr. Fraasch wrote that he received no response when he emailed the other board members about not extending the contract.

Despite the difficulties, he was glad to have served:
One last thing. I have to say that being elected to serve on the Board was perhaps the most humbling experience in my life. I never took your votes for granted. In the end I hope those that voted for me will always be able to say that I followed through on every one of my campaign promises: fiscal responsibility, open and honest communication, and new ideas.
On a personal note, I’d like to thank James Fraasch for his service. He was willing to take difficult stands, to say things that were unpopular yet needed to be said, and to think critically about decisions and their long-term consequences. Doing these things was not easy and often earned him unkind words from those who disagreed with him. Yet James carried those burdens to serve us.

Thank you, James.

Update 2010-12-16 10:45
School Board President Josephine Posti has written briefly on her blog about Mr. Fraasch’s resignation: Board Member Resignation. She also writes that the school district is now seeking Mr. Fraasch’s replacement:
According to the school code, we must appoint someone to fill his position within 30 days. We have advertised the vacancy and ask for applicants to respond by December 24. We will then conduct interviews during a special public meeting on January 3. We will take action on an appointment at the January 10 Discussion Meeting.
Filling Mr. Fraasch’s shoes will be difficult. Let’s hope some good citizens step forward.

Update 2010-12-16 11:45, 12:20, and 16:45
Additional coverage:

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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

P-G: Mt. Lebanon approves tax decrease

Mt. Lebanon taxes will decrease slightly for residents after the commission passed a budget Monday night that lowers the real estate tax.

The commission voted 4-0 to pass the budget, which reduces the real estate tax rate from 4.89 mills to 4.76 mills. Commissioner Dan Miller was not present at the meeting.

The 2011 spending plan recommended by municipal Manager Steve Feller in November proposed increasing property taxes by 0.48 mills to fund the street reconstruction program.

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The Almanac: New additions give Lebo boys a fresh start

Because of the arrival of three additional football players to the basketball team, an Etch A Sketch replaced the conventional clipboard during tryouts.

"We certainly needed one," said Lebo head coach Joe David of the mechanical drawing toy manufactured by the Ohio Art Company. "They certainly changed things. What we can do and what strategies we want to employ. It's just like an Etch A Sketch. Shake it up a bit and start all over."

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Monday, December 13, 2010

Trib: Retirement community residents settle with B'nai B'rith

Lawyers for current and former residents of the Covenant at South Hills and B'nai B'rith International have agreed on the monetary terms in a proposed class-action settlement and hope to file the proposed settlement soon, according to a status report filed in federal court Wednesday.

Residents of the Mt. Lebanon retirement community sued to recover their entrance fee deposits after Concordia Lutheran Ministries bought the bankrupt Covenant without assuming the obligation for repaying those deposits.

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Sunday, December 12, 2010

Today Show Interviews Andrew Mason, CEO of Groupon

Matt Lauer interviewed Andrew Mason, Mt. Lebanon native and CEO of Groupon, this week on the Today Show. It was a basic interview until Matt asked Andrew about Google's rumored $6 billion offer for his company. Instead of answering the question, Andrew went into a story about his time at Foster Elementary and mentions fellow classmates Josh Wilson and Cristin Flaherty as well as recently retired teacher Kathy Pattak.

Thanks to Elaine Gillen for the heads up on this interview!

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Saturday, December 11, 2010

WPXI: Christmas Decorations May Have Caused Fire In Mt. Lebanon

Firefighters say Christmas candles may have played a role in a house fire on Lavina Avenue in Mt. Lebanon on Friday.

There was extensive damage done to the siding and porch of the home, as intense flames melted an exterior wall.

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Friday, December 10, 2010

The Almanac: New additions give Lebo boys a fresh start

Because of the arrival of three additional football players to the basketball team, an Etch A Sketch replaced the conventional clipboard during tryouts.

"We certainly needed one," said Lebo head coach Joe David of the mechanical drawing toy manufactured by the Ohio Art Company. "They certainly changed things. What we can do and what strategies we want to employ. It's just like an Etch A Sketch. Shake it up a bit and start all over."

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Thursday, December 09, 2010

P-G: Marcellus Shale talk in Mt. Lebanon draws 100

One of the goals of the Mt. Lebanon Public Library is to provide information so people can make up their own minds about issues, and no topic is hotter in the region than Marcellus Shale gas drilling, said library director Cynthia Richey.

One evening last week, 100 people crowded into a basement room and overflowed into another room to hear a panel discussion about Marcellus Shale gas drilling.

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Tuesday, December 07, 2010

We Won't Be Getting A Trader's Joe's...

...but Upper St. Clair is trying to! From the Pittsburgh Business Times:

More than four years after first landing in East Liberty, specialty grocer Trader Joe’s is preparing its second store in the Pittsburgh region on Washington Road in Upper St. Clair.

A proposal for the new store was presented on Monday evening before Upper St. Clair’s board of commissioners, who chose to table the requests until its January meeting for further review.

A company called 1600 Washington Road Associates, led by local developer Tony Ross, sought a conditional use approval for a 12,000-square-foot Trader Joe’s at 1630 Washington Road. The location currently operates as a Pier One Imports store.

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P-G: Mt. Lebanon School Board names Posti its new president

The Mt. Lebanon School Board elected Josephine Posti as president and Dale Ostergaard as vice president Monday night at its annual re-organization meeting.

Both were elected by a vote of 8-0. School director James Fraasch was absent.

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Sunday, December 05, 2010

The Almanac: Video to raise awareness for vets memorial

In an effort to raise money for the proposed Mt. Lebanon memorial for veterans and their families, the committee decided to take a different approach.

The group made a 9-minute video that does not beg the watcher for money.

Susan Morgans, public information officer for Mt. Lebanon, is the liaison for the municipality and the group, which includes Vietnam veteran, Mt. Lebanon resident and former Steeler Rocky Bleier.

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The Alamanc: ML family collects for SHIM

The Thanksgiving tradition in the Henninger house in Mt. Lebanon is that no guest gets any turkey unless he or she brings a non-perishable food item to dinner. All of the collected items are donated to the South Hills Interfaith Ministries.

"We tell them they can't have any turkey if they don't bring a donation," said Becky Henninger.

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