B l o g - L e b o

Trib: Mt. Lebanon student charged with rape, indecent assault

2012-02-02T00:54:00.001-05:00

Police said today they arrested a Mt. Lebanon High School student in connection with three incidents involving rape, indecent assault, terroristic threats and harassment that occurred over the course of two years.

The 17-year-old suspect, whose identity police are not releasing because they charged him as a minor, was initially investigated in late January in connection with an alleged rape that took place in his car in September, said Mt. Lebanon police spokesman Lt. Aaron Lauth.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_779477.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon grad Chad Cable helps develop Disney's 'Where's My Water?'

2012-02-01T23:10:00.002-05:00

When Chad Cable was a toddler, his older brother, Clay, liked to mess with him by unplugging the controller from their video game console.

"From the moment he saw his older brother playing, he would sit and want to play, too," said their mother, Kim.

If the best revenge is living well, then mission accomplished.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/12032/1207191-51.stm (Pitsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: Transfer Anyang is helping Mt. Lebanon maintain Class AAAA potency

2012-02-01T00:54:00.003-05:00

Mt. Lebanon boys basketball coach Joe David isn't surprised by his team's 13-4 record or its current nine-game winning streak.

And, with a player such as 6-foot-4 senior Kamic Anyang, why should he be?

The transfer from Grand Rapids, Mich., has been one of the WPIAL's biggest surprises this winter. He averages 14.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, numbers that only seem to get bigger the more comfortable Anyang gets in the Class AAAA No. 2 Blue Devils' system.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/highschool/s_779171.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon commission names liaison

2012-01-26T23:58:00.002-05:00

To maintain a direct line of communication between governing bodies, Mt. Lebanon municipal leaders have appointed one of their own as school board liaison and will soon name two representatives to follow.

New Commissioner Kristen Linfante will serve as the liaison to the school district and will be responsible for staying informed on its actions, including attending meetings whenever possible.

"I personally think it's something that should have happened a long, long time ago," she said.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/12026/1205979-55-0.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: Grocery store gets tentative OK in Mt. Lebanon

2012-01-26T23:29:00.002-05:00

Developers hope to break ground on a grocery store in Mt. Lebanon by early next year after the municipal planning commission granted preliminary approval for redeveloping the former Roth Carpet store.

Developers would demolish the vacant carpet store and replace it with a 19,000-square-foot Fresh Market specialty grocery near the intersection of Washington and Connor roads. Four driveways off Connor Road would be condensed into two, which would be shifted farther away from the intersection to improve visibility and would be shared with the existing Jos. A. Bank clothing store next door.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_778344.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon topples No. 1 Chartiers Valley

2012-01-25T22:53:00.001-05:00

A mix of new and old helped the Mt. Lebanon boys basketball team knock off the top team in WPIAL Class AAAA.

Kamic Anyang and Luke Hagy combined for 36 points -- including 14 in the fourth quarter -- to lead No. 4 Mt. Lebanon to a 51-42 victory Tuesday night at No. 1 Chartiers Valley in Section 4.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/12025/1205794-361.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The Almanac: Mt. Lebanon's Ford the fastest around in 50-yard freestyle

2012-01-25T22:49:00.002-05:00

Cerebral often describes swimmers. With a 4.0 GPA, no doubt, Katie Ford is smart. However, the Mt. Lebanon sophomore doesn't put much thought into her races. That is, if she anticipates being successful.

"I don't like to think about anything when I swim," she said.

Hence, the 50-yard freestyle is not just her favorite event. To date, it's her best race.

Read the full article:

www.thealmanac.net/alm/sportstory11/01-25-2012-Katie-Ford-w-pic (The Almanac)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon revs up after slow start

2012-01-25T01:12:00.001-05:00

If Joe David is going to keep complimenting Luke Hagy, he might need an updated thesaurus.

"Maybe there are some superlatives out there I haven't used yet," the Mt. Lebanon coach said Saturday, after Hagy's 13-point second half sparked the slow-starting Blue Devils in a 53-41 win over Canada's Regional Elite Development Academy at the Shaler-hosted Planet Athlete Pitt National Showcase.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/highschool/s_777879.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Laurels and Lances

2012-01-25T00:53:00.002-05:00

An observation: Legally unenforceable prohibitions against using any information from the taxpayer-funded websites of the Mt. Lebanon School District and the municipality of Mt. Lebanon (other than for "personal use") will lead to far wider non-personal use -- and decidedly non-flattering -- than either entity could ever have imagined.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/s_777471.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

PBT: Columbia Gas to invest $10.6M on upgrade

2012-01-24T23:06:00.001-05:00

Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania will spend $10.6 million to upgrade natural-gas pipelines in the Pittsburgh region, the company said Tuesday.

Regions that will see upgrades are portions of Upper St. Clair, the Overbrook area of Pittsburgh, Mount Lebanon and the Brighton Heights part of Pittsburgh.

Read the full article:

www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2012/01/17/columbia-gas-to-invest-106m-on-upgrade.html (Pittsburgh Business Times)

P-G: Ex-pizza shop worker in Mt. Lebanon faces child porn charges

2012-01-24T00:58:00.002-05:00

A former pizza delivery man was arrested today on charges that he secretly photographed two young boys while they were using the bathroom in a Mt. Lebanon pizza shop.

Police said Andrew Dahmen, 22, of Mt. Lebanon, was working as a delivery man at Mineo's Pizza House on Washington Road on Jan. 2 when officers received a call from a man who said he walked into the shop's restroom and found Mr. Dahmen using a cell phone to photograph his 5-year-old son, who was using a urinal.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/12020/1205011-100.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon magazine goes online to offer more news, more often

2012-01-20T02:12:00.004-05:00

Mt. Lebanon is moving its municipal magazine into the 21st century, with a new website hosting an online edition and breaking news updates to its 10-times-a-year print publication.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_776902.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Claim against Mt. Lebanon cops, paramedics settled

2012-01-20T02:07:00.003-05:00

Mt. Lebanon and the Medical Rescue Team South Authority paid $70,000 to settle a federal lawsuit by a Western Pennsylvania woman who claimed a police officer and paramedics used unnecessary force and filed false charges against her when they responded to a 911 call.

The municipality released the settlement agreement in response to a Tribune-Review Right to Know request.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_776932.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

The Almanac: Lebo's visit to USC thrilling

2012-01-20T02:05:00.001-05:00

Kamic Anyang's putback with 24.1 seconds remaining propelled Mt. Lebanon to a thrilling victory, 57-56, over host Upper St. Clair in Section 4-AAAA boys' basketball action.

Anyang, who finished with a game-high 27 points, and the Blue Devils though had to hold their breath as the Panthers pushed the ball up the court for a final shot, which rimmed out of the basket with 5.2 seconds remaining thus sealing the decision.

Read the full article:

www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/01-17-2012-Lebo-USC-hoops (The Almanac)

P-G: Ceremony to mark start of Mt. Lebanon High School renovation project

2012-01-20T01:52:00.001-05:00

A long-awaited groundbreaking ceremony for the Mt. Lebanon High School renovation project is set for 4 p.m. next Thursday.

The event, which will be held on the lawn next to the Fine Arts Theatre on Horsman Drive, will feature the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devil Marching Band and the Triple Trio voice ensemble and high school choir.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/12019/1204362-55.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon High School to close student parking

2012-01-20T01:49:00.004-05:00

Student parking on the Mt. Lebanon High School campus will be closed starting Wednesday as construction crews prepare for a major renovation and rebuilding of the school.

Students must park at either Mt. Lebanon United Lutheran Church on Washington Road or at Dixon Field parking lot on Cedar Boulevard. The lots will be open to students with valid parking passes on a first-come, first-served basis. A crossing guard and high school staff will help students navigate new walking routes to school.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_776931.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

The Almanac: Mt. Lebanon should be commended

2012-01-20T01:28:00.001-05:00

Often news agencies announce an elderly person has wandered or driven away, or a special needs child is missing and anxious parents or caregivers are frantic in their search.

More often than not, the missing child or person has left without needed medication, complicating the search. And, unfortunately, sometimes, the outcome is tragic when the person is found deceased in a ravine or another remote area.

But thanks to a new program in Mt. Lebanon known as EmFinders, tragic outcomes will more easily be avoided.

Read the full article:

www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/01-18-2012-editorial (The Almanac)

Patch: Drugs a Major Problem for Area Communities

2012-01-20T01:19:00.002-05:00

Drugs and alcohol are public enemies numbers one and two in the Upper St. Clair, Bethel Park and Mt. Lebanon communities, according to district Judges Robert Wyda and Blaise Larotonda.

The judges spoke to community members during an event Wednesday night called "Straight Talk: A Discussion With Our Local Magistrates," sponsored by the Upper St. Clair Youth Steering Committee. Deputy Chief of Police Douglas Burkholder came to the meeting to represent the Upper St. Clair Police Department.

Read the full article:

chartiersvalley.patch.com/articles/drugs-a-major-problem-for-area-communities (Chartiers Valley Patch)

The school district’s bold copyright policy

2012-01-17T18:17:00.000-05:00

The Lebo Citizens blog is reporting about the copyright policy advertised on the school district’s web site. In case you’re wondering what the fuss is about, here’s the policy, in full:

Copyright Notice

© 2012 Mt. Lebanon School District. You are welcome and encouraged to access and print material from the Mt. Lebanon School District website (“Website”) at http://www.mtlsd.org for personal use only. Any other copying, posting to another website, distribution, modification, transmission, or dissemination of any of the Website content is strictly prohibited without the prior written permission from the School District. Please see Terms of Use.

Careful readers will note that I have “violated” the policy by printing it here without the school district’s permission. Am I worried?

Nope.

As law professor and Blog-Lebo alum Mike Madison helpfully pointed out to Lebo Citizens’ editor, Ms. Gillen, this policy is impotent when it comes to preventing the public from discussing the school district and the things it publishes on its web site. He writes:

This is clearly overbroad and unenforceable. You’d think that the School District would have consulted an actual copyright or trademark lawyer before putting out something so obviously and legally obtuse. Nothing that the School District puts on its website or in its so-called “Terms of Use” can change your rights – or the rights of any other citizen – under the First Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Nothing that the School District puts on its website or in its so-called “Terms of Use” can change the way that copyright law actually works (remember things like the public domain and fair use) or the way that trademark law actually works (things like non-commercial use, nominative use, and fair use – and I’m sorry to lay some legal jargon on you here!).

(That’s only part of Mr. Madison’s response, by the way. You’ll want to read the whole thing; it’s informative and entertaining.)

So how did this policy come to be? My guesses:

Somebody tasked with keeping the school’s web site up to date just borrowed a policy from somewhere else without thinking too much about it.
The school district is about to offer some e-learning courses of its own and wanted to “protect its IP” with tough-sounding new language.
The policy has been this way for a long time, but nobody noticed until something on the page changed recently (perhaps the copyright date?) and Google flagged the page for review.

Any other hypotheses?

Other coverage:

Monkey See, Monkey Do (Lebo Citizens blog; originally broke story)
Times like these (James Fraasch’s blog “Politics, Policies, Government, and Economics”)

The Almanac: Mt. Lebanon mulls rebates on high school work

2012-01-17T17:23:00.001-05:00

Mt. Lebanon could get more than $1 million back from the Pennsylvania Department of Education at the end of its high school renovation project, if the project is funded as planned.

At the Jan. 9 discussion meeting, the school board decided it preferred a higher reimbursement rate over time to receiving about $625,000 as a lump sum.

In practical terms, however, both paths would probably lead to the same end result. Director of fiscal services Jan Klein explained that if the district simply invested $625,000 at forecasted rates it would probably generate a return equal to the installment payments within the same timeframe.

Read the full article:

www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/01-11-2012-ML-school-board (The Almanac)

Patch: Donate Your Bra to Aid Domestic Violence Victims

2012-01-15T17:04:00.000-05:00

Bras are the most needed and least donated clothing items.

This year, Soma Intimates in The Galleria of Mt. Lebanon has set the goal of collecting 500 bras to be donated to Womansplace to help make a difference in the lives of hundreds of women who seek their services.

Read the full article:

peters.patch.com/articles/help-domestic-violence-victims-by-donating-your-bra-1d4417dc (Peters Patch)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon Fire Department has bracelets to help locate missing people

2012-01-14T02:27:00.003-05:00

Mt. Lebanon Fire Department is accepting applications for a set of cellular-based tracking bracelets that help locate missing people almost anywhere in the country.

The $200 device made by Texas-based EmFinders is designed for people with Alzheimer's, dementia, autism and other conditions that can cause them to wander and make communicating their whereabouts difficult.

To gauge interest, the municipality has purchased 10 devices to start through a donation from the Mt. Lebanon Partnership.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/12012/1202926-55.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The Almanac: Lebo girls help one of their own

2012-01-14T02:08:00.003-05:00

Keith Mulvihill, 55, ran in the Chicago Marathon in 2006. Twenty-five years before that he completed the Marine Corps Marathon held in Washington D.C.

Since mid-December, however, he has been involved in yet another marathon; the race against leuke-mia.

Diagnosed 18 months ago with prostate cancer, Mulvihill had been hospitalized around Thanksgiving because of an allergic reaction to his chemotherapy. Scheduled for his second round of treatment in December, blood work and a bone marrow biopsy, however, revealed acute myeloid leukemia.

"That was a real punch in the gut," said Donna, Mulvihill's wife of 31 years. "Here we were dealing with the prostate cancer and then the doctors say 'you have leukemia.'"

Read the full article:

www.thealmanac.net/alm/sportstory11/01-11-2012-Lebo-coaches-for-cancer (The Almanac)

The Almanac: Mt. Lebanon tops BP in showdown

2012-01-14T02:06:00.001-05:00

In a showdown between undefeated Section 4-AAAA girls' basketball clubs, Mt. Lebanon breezed by Bethel Park, 64-36.

With the road win, Lebo improved to 10-1 overall. The Blue Devils are 4-0 in the division.

"This game was a great test for us," said Lebo skipper Dori Oldaker. "Bethel Park is a difficult gym to win in, so it was a great road win.

Read the full article:

www.thealmanac.net/alm/sportstory11/01-11-2012-Lebo-vs--BP-w-pic (The Almanac)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon groundbreaking set

2012-01-14T02:03:00.001-05:00

The Mt. Lebanon School District will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the high school renovation and reconstruction Jan. 26, and is inviting parents and students to attend.

The district accepted $87.99 million worth of contracts last month for the project to demolish several wings of the existing high school and build academic and athletic wings. Work is expected to last until July 2015.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_776301.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon man makes climb to benefit Kenyan orphans

2012-01-14T01:58:00.003-05:00

Climbing Africa's tallest mountain is just another way Jim Wolf has of helping others.

Beginning Saturday, Wolf, 65, of Mt. Lebanon, will begin his ascent through the Tanzanian forest and up Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak at 19,341 feet above sea level. The Concordia Lutheran Ministries board member is raising money to help provide clothing, food and shelter for 1001 Orphans, a mission project to help Kenyan children whose parents have died of AIDS.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_776134.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Patch: St. Clair Expanding its Cancer Center

2012-01-14T01:54:00.001-05:00

St. Clair Hospital broke ground this week on a expansion project that will increase the size of its cancer center by nearly 25 percent.

The hospital in Mt. Lebanon is building a new area for a “linear accelerator” that will be housed in a vault with 84-inch thick walls. The building will expand the existing 8,000-square-foot cancer center by an additional 1,885-square-feet.

Read the full article:

chartiersvalley.patch.com/articles/st-clair-hospital-expanding-cancer-center (Chartiers Valley Patch)

Trib: South Hills communities in recycling smackdown

2012-01-14T01:27:00.002-05:00

When Andrew Baram leaves his Mt. Lebanon home for work on curbside garbage and recycling pick-up days, he often peeks at his neighbors' garbage.

In doing so, he puts people into three categories: Those who recycle everything they can, those who recycle some things but not everything, and those who just don't care.

"So I thought, 'How can we get people more interested?' " said Baram, 41, a manager at PNC Bank Downtown and chairman of the Mt. Lebanon Waste Reduction Committee. "Well, I've been here 10 years, and I know Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair have a rivalry -- at least in football -- and I thought, that might be a way we can get people more involved: Start a competition."

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_776142.html"> (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Guilty plea expected for Mt. Lebanon man in pill mill

2012-01-14T01:17:00.002-05:00

The Mt. Lebanon man who admitted to passing himself off as a doctor and performing illegal abortions is scheduled to plead guilty next month in a federal court in Philadelphia to a charge of illegally prescribing painkillers in a thriving pill mill.

Steven Massof, 49, a graduate of St. George's Medical School in the West Indies who never obtained a medical license, is due in federal court on Feb. 8 to enter a plea. Federal prosecutors say he used clinic owner Kermit Gosnell's registration to prescribe controlled drugs to patients in 2006 and 2007.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_775983.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Municipalities find different ways to make ends meet

2012-01-11T00:31:00.003-05:00

Many municipalities have opted not to raise their property taxes this year or have reduced proposed tax increases, instead turning to fees, fund transfers and other taxes to help cover expenditures.

In Mt. Lebanon, 2012 will be the first full year of collecting an $8-per-house stormwater fee initially approved as part of the 2011 budget to pay for upgrades to storm sewers, gutters and curbs. The fee is expected to raise about $1.3 million this year, some of which will go toward services tangentially related to managing runoff, such as clearing debris from storm drains, street sweeping and reconstructing curbs as part of the municipality's road reconstruction plans.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_775017.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

P-G: Ex-realty agent pleads guilty in child sex case

2012-01-06T23:44:00.000-05:00

John A. Brownlee III, a longtime fixture in the Mt. Lebanon real estate world, pleaded guilty Thursday to attempting to coerce and entice a minor into sexual activity.

Mr. Brownlee, 62, who had moved to North Versailles prior to his arrest last year, could face a 20- to 24-year sentence, and is subject to a mandatory minimum of 10 years, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar. Mr. Brownlee's attorney, Leonard Sweeney, said he hopes to present mitigating information that would suggest a five-year sentence.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/12006/1201693-55.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon convict admits guilt in recent robberies

2012-01-06T23:42:00.000-05:00

A Mt. Lebanon man who was convicted of robbing nearly a dozen banks in Florida several years ago has pleaded guilty to a series of recent heists in Oakdale, West Virginia and Maryland, federal prosecutors announced on Thursday.

Jeremy T. Dugan, 32, who entered the pleas on Dec. 28 before a federal judge in Wheeling, was on supervised release for the Florida holdups when the latest robbery spree began. The pleas were for robberies that occurred Aug. 31 at First Commonwealth Bank in Oakdale; Sept. 2 at a federal credit union in Elm Grove, W.Va.; and Sept. 26 at a bank in Perryville, Md.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_775277.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon job offers prestige, top-scale pay

2012-01-04T20:56:00.000-05:00

When Chris Haering resigned Monday after 17 seasons at Mt. Lebanon, the head coaching position at one of the most prestigious programs in Western Pennsylvania prep football suddenly became available.

That's precisely how John Grogan intends to promote it.

Since Grogan became Mt. Lebanon's athletic director in 2000, the school has won 33 WPIAL team championships in 17 sports, including a football title. Grogan has a good track record, hitting home runs in hiring basketball coaches Joey David (boys) and Dori Oldaker (girls).

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/highschool/football/s_774908.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon, Thornburg get exemption to limit on increase in revenues

2012-01-03T02:05:00.002-05:00

At least two Allegheny County municipalities have received exemptions to the state's anti-windfall legislation, allowing them potentially to collect more than 5 percent of any increase in revenue generated by reassessments of properties.

Common Pleas Judge Terrence W. O'Brien last week approved the exemptions for Mt. Lebanon and Thornburg so each municipality can collect enough revenue to cover expenditures in their 2012 budgets. The amount of revenue is limited to what municipalities have budgeted for this year.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_774689.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

PG: Mt. Lebanon coach resigns to join Pitt

2012-01-03T01:59:00.001-05:00

Chris Haering has spent the past 18 seasons coaching football in the WPIAL. Next season, he will be on the Pitt sideline.

Haering has resigned as Mt. Lebanon High School's coach to become an assistant at Pitt under new coach Paul Chryst. Haering told Mt. Lebanon's players the news Monday and also gave the school his letter of resignation.

Haering coached Mt. Lebanon for 17 seasons and had a 111-71 record. He won the 2003 WPIAL Class AAAA championship and made the playoffs 13 times. He also coached at Hampton for one season (1994) and had an 8-3 record there.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/12003/1200963-365.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: Laurels and Lances

2012-01-03T01:56:00.001-05:00

Lance: To Mt. Lebanon. Still in denial that deer are out of control -- it says it "has an active deer population" -- the South Hills community is offering tips on how to best hit those deer while driving: Don't slam on the brakes; just run 'em over. We kid you not. Instead of telling you how to more safely bag a buck with your Beemer and fell a fawn with your Ferrari, Mt. Lebanon officials should be culling the herd.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/s_774203.html (Pittsburgh Tribune Review)

Essential Public Radio: Stormwater Utilities Might Become More Popular

2012-01-03T01:52:00.001-05:00

On days when the region sees heavy rain, many creeks and streams jump their banks and a slew of sewage systems overflow, pumping raw waste into the region’s rivers. The federal government is trying to eliminate those overflows and has entered into consent decrees with many of the region’s sewage utilities.

The repairs and upgrades required by the decrees will cost the region billions of dollars. Much of that will be born by the customers, but Mt. Lebanon has created a storm water utility that assesses a flat fee on every home and a fee on commercial property based on how much impermeable surface is on their land. The collections go into a special fund created to maintain some 75 miles of sewers, drains, curbs and gutters.

Read the full article:

www.essentialpublicradio.org/story/2011-12-27/stormwater-utilities-might-become-more-popular-9834 (Essential Public Radio)

The Almanac: Harmonica music a favorite of Mt. Lebanon woman

2012-01-03T01:34:00.001-05:00

Reed and cover-plates, the comb and blues harp, terms just recently familiar to me. Artists of the music world, both young and old, will recognize these being parts of a harmonica.

As I visited with residents of Baptist Homes in Mt. Lebanon a few weeks ago, my attention drifted to Christmas tunes being played on a harmonica in another area. The tone was wonderful and so was the smile on Mary Beth Flickinger, a long-time resident of Baptist Homes. Her familiar harmonica melodies filled the air.

At 89, Mary Beth has been making delightful music on a harmonica since her small hands held the instrument in the third grade.

Read the full article:

www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/12-28-2011-roamin-harmonica (The Almanac)

Municipality launches "myLebo" web site

2012-01-02T15:18:00.000-05:00

On December 30, the municipality announced its new myLebo web site, billed grandly as “the virtual gateway to your community.” You can see a screen-shot of the site below:

According an announcement on mtlebanon.org, you can now sign up for an account on myLebo. With an account, you can pay parking tickets, apply for permits, report problems, and do a variety of other things that used to require paper forms and the now-quaint practice of moving your body to and from municipal offices.

Check out myLebo and let your fellow Blog-Lebo readers know what you think. If anybody has actually used the site, please tell us how things worked out.

P-G: Improvement most important thing for Mount Lebanon girls basketball coach Oldaker

2011-12-27T00:09:00.000-05:00

When a three-time defending PIAA Class AAAA state champion gets stunned in an early-season game, it's crucial to put the game in the past and move ahead.

That's what Mt. Lebanon girls' basketball coach Dori Oldaker is teaching her team following a stunning 60-52 loss to defending WPIAL Class AA champion Seton-LaSalle on the Rebels' floor on Dec. 15.

"We talk about success being a stairway and not a doorway," said Oldaker, who is taking her 4-1 team to Miami for the Junior Orange Bowl Classic at Ronald Reagan High School in Doral, Fla., this week. "We're looking to improve each day."

Read the full article:

sportstown.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/mt-lebanon/28560-improvement-most-important-thing-for-mount-lebanon-girls-basketball-coach-oldaker (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The Almanac: Mt. Lebanon Veterans Memorial gets boost from Duquesne Light

2011-12-24T02:14:00.001-05:00

It was a bright occasion at the Dec. 13 Mt. Lebanon Commission meeting when Duquesne Light Company CEO Richard Riazzi presented former Pittsburgh Steeler and Mt. Lebanon Veterans Memorial Chairman Rocky Bleier a check for $220,000 to fund the lighting component of the Mt. Lebanon Veterans Memorial.

Also on hand to receive the donation were memorial chairman Dan Gigler and commission president Daniel Miller. Dubbed the "Power of Light," the donation will go to the installation of a lighted flag, flagpole and the installation of several hundred in-ground lights to pay tribute to Korean War, Vietnam War and World War II veterans from Mt. Lebanon.

Read the full article:

www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/12-21-2011-ML-vets-memorial (The Almanac)

P-G: New Mt. Lebanon budget includes tax increase

2011-12-24T02:12:00.003-05:00

Mt. Lebanon commissioners approved a $33.2 million operating budget Tuesday that increases the real estate tax rate.

The commission approved raising the rate by 0.67 mill, to a total of 5.43 mills. As the budget stands now, property owners will pay $543 next year for a home valued at $100,000, up from $476 in 2011.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11356/1198462-55.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: 9-year-old gets room of her own

2011-12-24T02:09:00.003-05:00

When the Fagan family asked their Allegheny Center Alliance Church community about reputable contractors for an addition to their home, they didn't know their fellow parishioners would end up serving as the builders.

David and Jennifer Fagan's 9-year-old daughter, Sierra, was born with multiple birth defects that have left her with significant physical and mental disabilities. The medical equipment and special furniture to accommodate Sierra's needs fit only in the family's dining room, which has longtime served as her makeshift room.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11356/1198459-55.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon to upgrade website soon

2011-12-24T02:07:00.001-05:00

Mt. Lebanon will debut two significant improvements to its website next year, changes that planners say will modernize and streamline its online offerings.

A services portal that will allow residents to submit requests and report concerns online will begin the first part of a two-phase launch late this month or in early January.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11356/1198458-55.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Grieving man urges forgiveness to wife's killer

2011-12-24T02:04:00.001-05:00

Brett Styles implored the young man who killed his wife and the mother of their three young children in a terrible accident last year to make something of his life.

"While difficult, I know that Ben Cope deserves my forgiveness," Mr. Styles said at the end of his lengthy victim-impact statement Friday. "After his punishment has concluded, he has his whole life in front of him, and I urge him to make the most of it."

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11351/1197617-55-0.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon driver get 1-2 years in jail for killing jogger

2011-12-22T22:19:00.002-05:00

The man who struck and killed a mother jogging with her two young children last year in Mt. Lebanon was ordered to the Allegheny County Jail this morning.

Benjamin T. Cope, 21, convicted of involuntary manslaughter, driving under the influence and recklessly endangering in September, was sentenced to serve from one year less one day to two years less two days incarceration.

The odd wording of the sentence allows Mr. Cope to serve the sentence at Allegheny County Jail.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11350/1197353-100.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Effort may be first here to use Twitter to help people in need

2011-12-19T01:51:00.001-05:00

To provide needy families with a meal during the holidays, St. Clair Hospital in Mt. Lebanon has launched a campaign to raise money for a local nonprofit's suburban poverty program via the popular social media program, Twitter.

Through its #Tweet2Help drive, which began Tuesday, St. Clair Hospital will donate 50 cents to the South Hills Interfaith Ministry for every retweet of the original message from its @StClairHospital Twitter account. The goal is to raise $1,000 for Interfaith and put food on the table for 50 local families this season.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11349/1196906-55.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

KDKA: Volunteers Come Together To Build ‘Sierra’s Room’

2011-12-15T12:02:00.004-05:00

The Fagan family’s yard in Mount Lebanon is filled with builders.

Dave Fagan, a volunteer fire fighter, is joined by dozens of colleagues, fellow church members, and people he’d never met before.

They’ve come to build an addition – a room for Dave and Jennifer Fagan’s little daughter, Sierra. Weighing just 37 pounds, she’s a 9-year-old with special needs.

Read the full article (with video):

pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2011/12/14/volunteers-come-together-to-build-sierras-room (KDKA)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon High School renovation bids within budget

2011-12-15T11:59:00.002-05:00

Mt. Lebanon School District officials were relieved Wednesday afternoon that the second round of bids for the high school renovation and reconstruction project seems to be within the $113.27 million budget.

"They looked good. There were a lot of people smiling this time," said Superintendent Timothy Steinhauer.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_772040.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Phony Mt. Lebanon doctor charged anew in 'pill mill' case

2011-12-15T09:52:00.002-05:00

Steven Massof, the Mt. Lebanon man who admitted to passing himself off as a doctor and performing illegal abortions, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday on charges of participating in a thriving "pill mill."

Massof, 49, who remains in jail awaiting sentencing on third-degree murder and conspiracy charges, is accused of writing 30 illegal prescriptions for painkillers and sedatives between December 2006 and July 2007 from the abortion clinic where he worked in Philadelphia.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_772090.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

P-G: Irish-style pub Molly Brannigans closes in Mt. Lebanon

2011-12-14T16:31:00.002-05:00

Molly Brannigans, the popular Irish-themed pub in Mt. Lebanon, has closed.

Employees received the word on Sunday, the day after the bar's final night of business. The space could soon be occupied by another restaurant, Walnut Grill, which bought the building and the business from Molly Brannigans, according to the pub's CEO, Colm McWilliams.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11348/1196759-100.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Police look for teen struck in Mt. Lebanon hit-and-run

2011-12-14T02:02:00.004-05:00

Mt. Lebanon police are asking the public to help them find a teenage girl who was hit by a car today and walked away from the scene of the crash.

Police said they want to make sure the girl did not suffer from serious injuries.

Police received a call at about 3:40 p.m. today for a report that a red Ford Escort LX struck a teenage girl at the intersection of Washington and Bower Hill roads, causing the girl to roll onto the hood of the car before falling to the ground.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11347/1196590-100.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Two hurt in fire in Mt. Lebanon

2011-12-14T01:59:00.001-05:00

Two people were injured in a fire that broke out late Saturday at an apartment/condominium complex in Mt. Lebanon. Officials believe the blaze was started by a cigarette.

Mt. Lebanon Deputy Fire Chief Chris Buttlar said a dozen people were displaced by the fire that started at about 11:30 p.m. at the Baywood Terrace complex.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11345/1196231-100.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: PIAA girls basketball champ Mt. Lebanon roll in opener

2011-12-14T01:56:00.001-05:00

Three-time PIAA Class AAAA champion Mt. Lebanon is expected to go through a rebuilding campaign this season.

But the Blue Devils picked up where they left off last season with a 79-33 rout Friday night of Fox Chapel in the Bethel Park round-robin tournament.

Read the full article:

www.postgazette.com/pg/11344/1195983-361.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon Hospital to help through Tweets

2011-12-14T01:53:00.002-05:00

St. Clair Hospital is asking Tweeters to help South Hills Interfaith Ministries provide holiday meals for needy people by participating in the hospital's upcoming #Tweet2Help drive.

SHIM, based in Bethel Park, is a nonprofit human services organization providing family and children services to the suburban poor and to refugee families living in the South Hills.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_770841.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon carries title torch without stars

2011-12-05T00:56:00.001-05:00

Kelly Johnson doesn't have a problem sharing. It was easy to defer an open shot when Madison Cable was on the court.

"When she was on, she was on," the Mt. Lebanon point guard said of the graduated All-American and current Notre Dame freshman. "You know it, and you don't want to take that shot."

But with Cable and high-energy point guard Anna Kestler beginning their collegiate careers this season — becoming the third and fourth Blue Devils to move on to Division I schools the past two years -- the onus of leadership falls to Johnson and Mt. Lebanon's other returning starters, Emma Pellicano and Liz Tommasi.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/highschool/s_769814.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon students learn catering from a classroom

2011-12-02T00:36:00.003-05:00

Mt. Lebanon High School student Alex Blue deftly wielded a pair of forks to lift a fresh pizzelle cookie from the steaming iron press, maneuvering the traditional Italian dessert to a cooling rack before dropping another two dollops of batter onto the iron and easing it shut.

Meanwhile, school staffer Gayle Hess swapped sheets of fresh-baked chocolate and chocolate-chip cookies in and out of a well-worn oven, and student Max Chaney packaged finished cookies for sale at 50 cents per baggie.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_769526.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Tray Talk: Pennsylvania Schools Put the Spotlight on Fresh Produce

2011-12-01T02:05:00.001-05:00

In Mt. Lebanon School cafeterias fresh fruits and vegetables are the main attraction. The Pennsylvania school district’s new elementary lunch program features unlimited fruit and vegetable choices, the middle schools are sporting new salad bars and the high school offers daily entrée salads and delicious specialty choices like Broccoli Salad, Three Bean Salad and Orange Fennel Salad.

Read the full article:

www.traytalk.org/school-nutrition-success-stories/ (Tray Talk)

The Almanac: Blood drive set to help youth hockey coach

2011-12-01T01:57:00.002-05:00

When Bob and Joanne Feyche learned Mt. Lebanon Hornets' coach Ken Mace was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) they, like the rest of the regional hockey community, were devastated.

"Ken coached my son for six years," said Mr. Feyche. "In fact, four boys, including Ken's son, Brett, and my son have played together continuously under Ken."

Now, Mace, while he awaits treatment, is getting a good dose of teamwork from his allies. The Hornets will sponsor a blood drive and bone marrow screening from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Mt. Lebanon Recreation Center, directly above the ice rink.

Read the full article:

www.thealmanac.net/alm/sportstory11/11-30-2011-Ken-Mace (The Almanac)

Commissioner Miller Updates Us On The Budget

2011-11-30T01:34:00.003-05:00

5th Ward Commissioner Dan Miller's latest blog posting gives us an update on the 2012 budget hearing:

Read the full article:

www.danmillerward5.com/2012-budget-hearing-update

Patch: Mt. Lebanon Native to Host Photography Exhibition Fundraiser for Clean Water

2011-11-29T21:17:00.001-05:00

The Samburu Project, a Santa Monica based nonprofit founded by Mt. Lebanon native Kristen Kosinski, will host a unique photography exhibition to raise funds to drill freshwater wells in Africa and to create awareness of the World Water Crisis. The event will be held in Carnegie on Thursday, Dec. 1 from 7-9 p.m. at the Papa J’s Garden Piazza.

Read the full article:

peters.patch.com/articles/mt-lebanon-native-to-host-photography-exhibition-fundraiser-for-clean-water (Peters Patch)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon Board rethinks deer culling program

2011-11-28T00:40:00.001-05:00

The days of deer peacefully grazing in Mt. Lebanon may end next year.

In discussions of the budget for 2012, the Mt. Lebanon Board of Commissioners has penciled in about $66,000 for deer: $16,000 for a study of their numbers and density in the municipality, and $50,000 for a culling -- or professional hunting -- program.

A similar program was conducted from 2007 to 2008, ending amid residents' concerns over sharpshooters from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services hunting the deer with night-vision equipment and high-powered rifles. The commissioners and residents resurrected the issue this month during the budget-making process.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_768805.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

The Almanac: Mt. Lebanon Scout provides comfort for autistic students

2011-11-22T21:26:00.001-05:00

Mt. Lebanon High School senior David Hudak knows first hand the specialized needs of those with autism. His younger brother, Stephen, is autistic.

So when David chose his project to become an Eagle Scout, the decision was easy.

David, along with 10 to 15 of his fellow members of Boy Scout Troop 65 who meet at the South Hills United Presbyterian Church, built and equipped 10 sensory boxes.

Read the full article:

www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/11-23-2011-Eagle-Scout-Hudak (The Almanac)

P-G: Early morning fire damages Mt. Lebanon home

2011-11-19T20:03:00.000-05:00

An early morning, one-alarm fire in Mt. Lebanon caused an estimated $60,000 damage to an unoccupied home at 361 Avon Drive.

Mt. Lebanon Fire Chief Nick Sohyda said the fire was reported at 5:30 a.m. at a home that is under renovation and had no contents in it. The family that owns the home was in Florida at the time of the blaze.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11323/1191227-100.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon again at odds over deer population

2011-11-18T02:08:00.001-05:00

The economics and efficacy of deer culling have once again divided Mt. Lebanon residents.

Some residents have told commissioners that something must be done because deer remain a menace on roads and in their backyards. Still others say that dropping $66,000 for a density study and subsequent culling would be an insult during the bad economy.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11321/1190406-55.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Your South Hills: Officials keeping watch on proposed park

2011-11-18T02:06:00.002-05:00

The concerns linger for Baldwin Township officials over a proposed Mt. Lebanon outdoor athletic area that borders many township homes and streets.

Commissioner and township officials at their November voting meeting continued to raise concerns about the proposed plans to construct McNeilly Park, despite Mt. Lebanon's failure to move forward with borrowing funds for the project.

Read the full article:

www.yoursouthhills.com/southhillsrecord/article/officials-keeping-watch-proposed-park (Your South Hills)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon shows scoring punch at start of season

2011-11-18T02:04:00.001-05:00

Only three PIHL Class AAA teams had a better goals-against average than Mt. Lebanon did last season -- but the Blue Devils merely just slipped into the postseason.

So much for the theory that defense wins championships: Mt. Lebanon was done in by an offense that was third from the bottom in the classification in scoring.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11321/1190278-364.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The Almanac: Hagy's fantastic grid career ends

2011-11-18T02:02:00.001-05:00

Pittsburgh Central Catholic defeated Mt. Lebanon, 31-14, at North Allegheny, knocking the Blue Devils out of the WPIAL Quad-A football playoffs in the second round.

Statistically it was a bit of a lopsided contest. Lebo mustered only 217 yards of total offense to Central's 344.

Read the full article:

www.thealmanac.net/alm/sportstory11/11-16-2011-Lebo-football-w-pic (The Almanac)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon woman's representation of Bulgaria now official

2011-11-18T01:59:00.002-05:00

As the new honorary consul of the Republic of Bulgaria to Western Pennsylvania, Patricia Penka French engages in activities not unlike those she has done for decades as a member and officer of the Bulgarian Macedonian National Educational and Cultural Center.

That work includes expediting visas and passport renewals, helping immigrants find apartments, showing visitors around the city and more.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11321/1190397-55.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon keeps three on school board

2011-11-18T01:56:00.001-05:00

Mt. Lebanon residents voted Tuesday to keep all three school board incumbents in office and added two new faces to the nine-member board for 2012.

Unofficial results show three of the five seats will be filled by current board members Elaine L. Cappucci, Lawrence Mark Lebowitz and Ed Kubit, who all ran on both the Democrat and Republican ballots. New to the board are Scott D. Goldman, who also ran on both tickets, and Democrat William L. Cooper.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11314/1188769-55-0.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The Almanac: Mt. Lebanon team explores HR savings

2011-11-18T01:53:00.001-05:00

Mt. Lebanon schools could save more than $5 million through radical reorganization, according to a presentation at the Nov. 14 meeting.

The presentation was made by the district's staffing review team, a committee co-chaired by director of human resources Steve Scheurer and assistant superintendent Dr. Deborah Allen. The team was tasked with examining human resources deployment across the district and coming up with suggestions for cost savings.

Read the full article:

www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/11-16-2011-ML-school-board (The Almanac)

Aldo Coffee sold, to continue under new owners (updated)

2011-11-13T19:36:00.001-05:00

Updated 2011-11-14 09:00: Edits to clarify that it’s more of a transition than a reboot. In particular, service at the shop is expected to continue largely uninterrupted.

Rich and Melanie Westerfield of Aldo Coffee Co. on Washington Road have announced on their blog that they have sold the coffee shop. According to the post, the shop will undergo a metamorphosis but remain open under new but familiar owners:

[C]come 6pm on Tuesday, the era of us owning Aldo Coffee Co. in Mt. Lebanon will come to a close. We think the new owners will open on Wednesday, keep things as is through the weekend and then close for a few days before Thanksgiving to give the place a facelift. They will be open for LightUp Night.

As those close to the story know, the buyer used to work for us. She's a two-time regional barista competition finalist and also competed in the US Barista Championship twice. She is wonderful and you do or will soon love her.

Check the original posting for full details.

Aldo Coffee Co. has been my favorite coffee shop since I learned of it in 2005. I'm sad to see Rich and Melanie move on, but I am grateful for all that they have done to improve the Pittsburgh coffee scene. From competing seriously in regional and national espresso championships to blogging regularly about coffee and where it comes from, they have helped raise Pittsburgh's coffee status nationally. And that we had a shop of Aldo's caliber here in Mt. Lebanon has been a blessing to all of us who love coffee.

From all of us at Blog-Lebo, we wish the best to Rich and Melanie, and to the new owners. We're looking forward to a continued tradition of great coffee on Washington Road.

Breaking down the 2011 election results for school board

2011-11-09T23:42:00.000-05:00

The most interesting race in Tuesday’s election was for school board. With James Cannon and the write-in challenge to the incumbents, who knew what was going to happen?

But, when the votes were counted, neither Cannon nor the write-ins had enough to take a seat from the incumbents and their running mates. Here’s how the votes broke down by ward:

                          Ward
            ------------------------------
  Candidate    2    1    3    5    4 (all)

1  Cappucci 1470 1287 1344 1138  997  6236  |
2  Lebowitz 1462 1247 1267 1090  962  6028  |
3     Kubit 1315 1168 1191 1018  935  5627  | WIN SEAT
4   Goldman 1231 1204 1087  972  871  5365  |
5    Cooper 1115  933  919  861  808  4636  |

6    Cannon  922  786  852  738  676  3974 
7  Write-In  677  631  596  459  559  2922

8     (all) 8192 7256 7256 6276 5808 34788

I’ve ordered both the candidates and the wards so that those with the most votes come first. This ordering makes it easier see where the votes came from and went. Ward 2 placed the most votes, and Ward 4 the least. Of the candidates, Cappucci and Lebowitz received the most votes.

The challenge to the incumbents made a good showing, but still placed last in all five wards. Cannon’s strongest showing was in Ward 3, where receiving just 1% more of the ward’s votes would have been enough for him to break into the top 5.

If we divide the wards into districts, we can see that Cannon did better in many districts. Take a look at the graph below. In it, I’ve marked with red where Cannon broke into the top 5. (If you click on the graph, you can see a larger PDF version that's not impossible to read.)

Votes by district for Mt. Lebanon School Board.
The candidates and wards are in most-votes-first order.
Red shows where Cannon received enough votes to break into the top 5.
(Click to see larger, downloadable version.)

If you look closely at the graph above, I’ll bet you can spot some interesting patterns. Take a look, and let me know what stands out.

Lebo Election Results

2011-11-09T01:21:00.001-05:00

From the Allegheny County Department of Elections web site:

School Director MT LEBANON
(Vote For  5)

James Edmund Cannon (REP) .  .  .  .  .     3,974   11.42
Scott D. Goldman (REP/DEM).  .  .  .  .     5,365   15.42
Ed Kubit (REP/DEM)  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     5,627   16.18
Elaine L. Cappucci (REP/DEM) .  .  .  .     6,236   17.93
Lawrence Mark Lebowitz (REP/DEM).  .  .     6,028   17.33
William L. Cooper (DEM).  .  .  .  .  .     4,636   13.33
WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     2,922    8.40

Commissioner MT LEBANON WARD 1
(Vote For  1)

Thomas Michael Brown (REP).  .  .  .  .       614   32.30
John Bendel (DEM).  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,278   67.23
WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .         9     .47

Commissioner MT LEBANON WARD 3
(Vote For  1)

Joseph J. DeIuliis (REP)  .  .  .  .  .       823   43.36
Kristen Linfante (DEM) .  .  .  .  .  .     1,063   56.01
WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        12     .63

Commissioner MT LEBANON WARD 5
(Vote For  1)

William L. Hoon (REP)  .  .  .  .  .  .       670   41.74
Kelly Fraasch (DEM) .  .  .  .  .  .  .       930   57.94
WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .         5     .31

Update on write-in candidates for school board (updated 3)

2011-11-06T17:03:00.000-05:00

Updated 2011-11-06 19:30: Added write-in candidate Charlotte Stephenson’s statement.
Updated 2011-11-07 00:20: Added candidate James Cannon’s statement.
Updated 2011-11-07 19:00: Added statements from write-in candidates Paula Bongiorno and Joseph Wertheim.

Recently, the James Cannon campaign announced four write-in candidates for the school board. The announcement alone isn’t much to go on, however; people understandably want to know more about these last-minute candidates and what they stand for. If you’re among them, here are three more sources of information.

First, over on the Lebo Citizen’s Blog, write-in candidate Rudy Bies has offered his answers to the questions the PTA asked other candidates.

Second, Matt Kluck wrote to us to let us know about a joint position statement from James Cannon and the four write-in candidates. This statement sets out the candidates’ views on government, in general, and the school district and high-school project, in particular. It also suggests that the candidates see reform at the state level as important for reducing inequities in our local tax burdens.

Third, write-in candidate Charlotte Stephenson has offered a personal statement outlining her goals and qualifications for serving on the school board.

Regardless of your views on the write-in challenge to the school-board incumbents, research all of the candidates and be sure to vote on November 8!

Update

James Cannon has also written in with a personal statement, in which he describes his background, qualifications, and views on local government. (Since many people seem to be looking at this post for the views of the Cannon campaign and the associated write-in candidates, this post seems the logical place to add his statement.)

Update

Now all four write-in candidates have made some kind of statement about their positions:

P-G: Mt. Lebanon's Hagy puts on a show in narrow victory

2011-11-06T14:54:00.001-05:00

Luke Hagy has spent the past three seasons making his mark as one of the most prolific running backs in WPIAL Class AAAA history.

Being a standout at one position never stopped Hagy from dreaming about excelling at another.

"He likes to think he's a quarterback sometimes," Mt. Lebanon coach Chris Haering said, laughing.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11309/1187820-365.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon counting on re-assessments to increase coffers

2011-11-04T01:27:00.002-04:00

Mt. Lebanon officials hope to see the assessed value of properties rise at least 20 percent in 2012, but its proposed budget unveiled this week still calls for a property tax increase just to keep services at the current level.

The $28.9 million operating budget released Tuesday keeps most municipal services -- such as police, fire protection and library hours -- at current levels, while increasing other budget areas, such as road reconstruction. It updates Mt. Lebanon's master plan for development, said Municipal Manager Steve Feller.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_765145.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

WTAE: Unlicensed Doctor From Mt. Lebanon Pleads In Abortion Case

2011-11-04T01:10:00.003-04:00

An unlicensed doctor pleaded guilty on Thursday to third-degree murder in the deaths of two late-term babies who were born alive and then killed with scissors at a filthy Philadelphia abortion clinic.

Steven Massof, 49, of Mt. Lebanon, pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree murder, murder conspiracy and other charges. Massof testified to a grand jury that he snipped the spines of more than 100 babies after seeing them breathe, move or show other signs of life.

Read the full article:

www.wtae.com/news/29677298/detail.html (WTAE)

P-G: Former physician charged with Castle Shannon pharmacy robberies

2011-11-04T00:37:00.002-04:00

A former physician was arrested today on charges that he stole Fentanyl, oxycontin and other drugs from a Castle Shannon pharmacy.

Patrick R. Sullivan, 37, of Mount Lebanon, told police he used to work at a West Virginia hospital and was either dismissed or suspended because of drug problems, county police Lt. Jeffrey Korczyk said.

Read the full article:

www.postgazette.com/pg/11307/1187292-100.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon budget plan has tax hike

2011-11-03T12:13:00.001-04:00

Mt. Lebanon property owners could see a 0.245-mill increase in the real estate tax rate next year if the recommended $42.3 million municipal budget is approved and property reassessments are finalized, municipal manager Stephen Feller said.

A 0.245-mill increase in real estate tax would mean an increase of $24.50 per year in the tax bill for a home valued at $100,000. For a $200,000 home, the increase would be $49 per year.

In recent years, Mt. Lebanon's millage rate has been reduced from 4.97 in 2008 to 4.76 this year. In 2010, it was 4.89.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11307/1187032-55-0.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon to borrow $4.25 million

2011-11-03T12:12:00.003-04:00

The Mt. Lebanon commissioners on Wednesday approved borrowing $4.25 million to refinance old debt, but couldn't reach an agreement over borrowing $7 million for pool and park improvements.

The board was unanimously in favor of refinancing the original $3.85 million in bonds from 2007, which with low interest rates should save the municipality $226,000 through 2027, finance director Marcia Taylor said.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_765284.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Patch: McNeilly Park Presents Flood Concerns

2011-11-03T12:11:00.000-04:00

At a Baldwin Township Board of Commissioners meeting in October, Baldwin Township officials expressed concerns over plans by Mt. Lebanon officials to build an outdoor athletics complex on the wooded property between Queensboro Avenue and McNeilly Road, which sits on the Mt. Lebanon-Baldwin Township border. The property would be known as McNeilly Park.

Baldwin Township officials’ concerns carried over into Tuesday night’s meeting, as well.

Read the full article:

baldwin-whitehall.patch.com/articles/proposed-athletics-complex-presents-flood-concerns-fire-department-needs-more-volunteers-and-more-nov-1-baldwin-township-meeting-notes (Baldwin-Whitehall Patch)

The Almanac: Mt. Lebanon leads list of qualifiers

2011-11-03T12:10:00.000-04:00

Mt. Lebanon led the charge of area runners during the WPIAL cross country championships held at Coopers Lake campground. The boys as well as the girls took home the runner-up trophies in the Class AAA division.

In Class AA, the South Fayette girls finished fourth and qualified for the PIAA championships set for Saturday, Nov. 6 in Hershey.

Despite rainy, muddy and cold conditions, which veteran coaches claimed to be the worst they had experienced, the Lebo ladies persevered.

Read the full article:

www.thealmanac.net/alm/sportstory11/11-02-2011-cross-country-w-pics (The Almanac)

WPXI: Girl, 16, Claims Mt. Lebo Man Assaulted Her After Homecoming Dance

2011-11-03T12:07:00.000-04:00

A 16-year-old girl claims that a Mount Lebanon man assaulted her after a homecoming dance at South Park High School.

The victim said she attended the dance with her 19-year-old boyfriend, Crowin Johnson. She told police that after the dance she and Johnson went to a friend's apartment on Bower Hill Road.

According to the criminal complaint, Brian Patello lives at the apartment with his girlfriend. The victim said Patello had told her "how sexy her fingernails looked" earlier in the night.

Read the full article:

www.wpxi.com/news/29666594/detail.html (WPXI)

P-G: Woodland Hills, Mt. Lebanon know each other all too well

2011-11-03T12:02:00.002-04:00

Despite competing in different football conferences, Mt. Lebanon and Woodland Hills have seen a lot of each of other in recent years.

The two got together for non-conference games in 2006 and 2007, have scrimmaged each other the past few preseasons, and played in one of the most entertaining games of last year's postseason.

"I'd say we know each other well," Woodland Hills coach George Novak said.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11307/1186883-365.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Cannon campaign takes on school-board incumbents with write-in challengers

2011-11-02T09:30:00.000-04:00

Here’s an interesting development in the race for school board. James Cannon’s campaign announced that, in addition to Mr. Cannon himself, they now have enough write-in candidates to run for every open seat on the school board. There are five seats up for election, and now there are five people running on Cannon’s platform of reform.

According to a letter that the campaign is distributing, here are the write-in candidates:

Paula Bongiorno. Has been a Mt. Lebanon Resident for 35 years and has served on numerous school district committees since she began attending school board meetings in 1994. These include Ad-hoc Budget Committees, Budget Process Committee, Educational Specifications Committee for high school project (DeJong), 2008 High School Design Advisory Committee and the 2005 Constituent-Driven Strategic Plan (lead community focus groups at the request of the Superintendent). She is the current president of Keynotes of Music for Mt. Lebanon with five years on that Board.

Rudy Bies. He believes that elected officials should only be permitted to serve one term and that government, at all levels, must live within its means. Rudy believes “school board members are guardians of children, have a duty to manage teachers, and always function with the knowledge that all money spent by the school district comes from the taxpayers.” Accordingly, expenditures must be challenged and justified and made based upon the will of the people and not the self-serving will of a school board.

Charlotte Stephenson. Has been a dedicated member of our community since 1985. She is currently a Board Director of Sojourner House, an Ordained Elder Serving on Session and the Moderator of Presbyterian Women of Southminster Church. She has served as President of the Mt. Lebanon Extended Day Program, PTA volunteer for twelve years, Jefferson Middle School Newsletter Editor and taught lunchtime enrichment in robotics to Washington Elementary School students. She holds an MBA and taught at the college level for eleven years.

Joseph Wertheim. Is a 25-year resident and recently retired as a Financial Advisor with A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. He is highly involved in the Mt. Lebanon Library having served as President and Treasurer of the Board of Trustees. Joe is currently President of the Friends of the Mt. Lebanon Public Library.

As I wrote after analyzing the results of the primary, Cannon has good odds of winning a seat. Some of his strong showing in the primary is probably because of dissatisfaction with the current school board, in general. Will that general sentiment be enough to make an old-fashioned write-in campaign successful? Only time will tell.

But one thing’s for sure: things are getting interesting.

PTA offers Q&A responses from candidates for school board 2011

2011-11-01T22:23:00.000-04:00

Sheryl Cohen wrote to let us know that, “as a non-partisan service to the community, Mt. Lebanon City Council PTA has submitted a questionnaire to each of the school board candidates and requested their responses.” The PTA has collected the responses, and you can see them here:

http://www.mtlsd.org/district/districtpta/schoolboardcandidatesqanda.asp

School district denies citizen’s request to review redesigned high-school drawings

2011-10-31T21:10:00.000-04:00

On September 26, 2011, Mt. Lebanon resident Bill Matthews made a request under Pennsylvania’s Right-To-Know law to review the plans for the high-school project. The project had recently been redesigned after bids for the original design came in too high. Mr. Matthews wanted to review the changes. His request was straightforward:

[T]o review, in the district administrative offices, current architectural or other drawings of the High School project reflecting changes incorporated or anticipated to be incorporated based on the recent project re-design efforts.

At different times in 2010, Mr. Matthews had made three virtually identical requests to review earlier versions of the plans and drawings. Blog-Lebo has obtained copies of these requests. They read as follows:

January 29: “HS Project Design Development plan and drawings. Request is to review in the District Administration or Facilities office.”
February 23: “Design development drawings and more recent drawings of the high school project. Request is to review the available drawings in the facilities office.”
November 24: “Request is to review, in the District administrative office, the current drawings and architectural plans for the high school project.”

All three requests were granted.

Mr. Matthews’s new request, however, the school district has denied. Why? Because, according to the school district, revealing the drawings would be too dangerous.

Seriously.

In a response to Mr. Matthews dated October 26, 2011, the school district claimed that it didn’t have to reveal the drawings because they were exempt from Right-to-Know law for safety and security reasons. Disclosing the drawings, according to the school district, “would be reasonably likely to result in a substantial and demonstrable risk of physical harm to or the personal security of an individual” or “[create] a reasonable likelihood of endangering the safety or physical security of a building...”

Still, even if all the drawings were exempt from Right-to-Know law (which I find hard to believe), that exemption would merely give the school district the option to deny Mr. Matthews’s request. The school district still could have allowed the review (as it had in the past), or it could have allowed a review of only the drawings it didn’t deem too sensitive to disclose. But the school district, for reasons I find hard to fathom, chose to deny a citizen – completely – the right to review something that it seems reasonable for a citizen to review.

Why? I have no idea. Does the school district believe that it’s genuinely dangerous to reveal the redesigned drawings? Even in its own offices? Even to a citizen it’s already shown earlier versions of those same drawings three times?

So why prevent a review of the drawings now? The school board and school administration have both claimed repeatedly that one of their foremost goals for the high-school project has been to be open and transparent with the community. What, then, does the school district hope to accomplish by denying, on grounds that seem specious, an in-office review of the redesigned high-school plans?

I have no idea, but I do find it concerning. If you find it concerning, too, you might want to ask the candidates for school board what they think about the incident before casting your votes on November 8. They all claim to support government transparency, but it’s cases like this that help us determine who actually lives up to the claims.

Kenmont Avenue: toilet-papered again

2011-10-31T01:39:00.000-04:00

Once again, Kenmont Avenue has been toilet-papered. This time, I managed to get my camera there just after it happened, shortly after midnight, I suspect. Click on the image below for a few more photos.

Kenmont Avenue at midnight on Sunday, October 30, 2011.

P-G: Mt. Lebanon swim coach will return after suspension

2011-10-31T00:54:00.003-04:00

Mt. Lebanon High School's swim coach will return to his position after charges of child endangerment that had forced his suspension were recently dropped, a school district spokeswoman said.

Cissy Bowman of the Mt. Lebanon school district, said David Schraven had been suspended during the court's investigation but will be reinstated starting Monday.

Principal Brian McFeeley Friday sent a letter to parents of all students at the high school, alerting them of the decision.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11302/1186154-100.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Upper St. Clair topples Mt. Lebanon for crown

2011-10-31T00:40:00.002-04:00

When it comes to winning games, no coach in WPIAL history has more memories to scroll through -- 351 -- than Upper St. Clair's Jim Render.

So when Render called the latest triumph one of the best he has ever been a part of, you know there was quite a bit of significance behind it.

Dakota Conwell rushed for 276 yards and three touchdowns to lead host Upper St. Clair to its first conference championship since 2006 after coasting to a 42-6 victory Friday night against archrival Mt. Lebanon.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11302/1186115-365.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon says it's a wrap: Papering a popular holiday tradition

2011-10-30T23:10:00.002-04:00

As revered holiday traditions go, few approach the majesty or the reliability of the Kenmont Avenue toilet-papering ritual.

Every Oct. 30 for the past 25 years, trees, shrubs and fences along the 400 block of the Mt. Lebanon street overnight have sprouted strands of brilliant white tissue among the falling leaves.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_763950.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon playing USC: Winner takes it all

2011-10-28T17:42:00.003-04:00

The details of the loss have mostly faded, but Dakota Conwell hasn't forgotten the heartache of losing to Mt. Lebanon.

"Not a day goes by in our locker room that we don't remember what happened last year," he said. "We've been talking about it for almost 365 days now."

It was this time last year when Conwell had Upper St. Clair ahead by 10 points in the fourth quarter -- minutes away from being Quad West champion -- before losing, 14-10. With the win, Mt. Lebanon took the conference title.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/highschool/football/s_763984.html

P-G: Upper St. Clair vs. Lebo: Simply put, it's a big deal

2011-10-28T17:32:00.001-04:00

In the pantheon of their ultimate goals for the season, a conference title would be -- both Upper St. Clair and Mt. Lebanon hope -- a mere footnote to what they accomplish this season.

The Blue Devils and Panthers entered the season with legitimate hopes of making it to Heinz Field for the WPIAL Class AAAA championship game, and even if one doesn't win the Great Southern crown, they'll happily trade that if they are playing at Heinz on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11300/1185031-365.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Patch: Mt. Lebanon Woman Featured on ABC's 'Everyday Health' Sunday

2011-10-27T01:04:00.001-04:00

This Sunday, Mt. Lebanon resident Ellese Meyer will be featured on ABC's "Everyday Health," which runs on WTAE at 12 p.m.

"Everyday Health" profiles people who are either facing a health crisis or are close to someone facing a life-altering health event. All of the people profiled have chosen to help people in similar situations. Each program addresses a medical condition, sometimes includes a celebrity guest and always provides a surprise reveal for the person profiled.

Read the full article:

dormont-brookline.patch.com/articles/mt-lebanon-woman-featured-on-abc-s-everyday-health-sunday (Dormont-Brookline Patch)

The Almanac: USC-Mt. Lebanon matchup tops rivalry week

2011-10-27T00:56:00.000-04:00

Since the start of the season, football teams have targeted Oct. 28. Nine weeks into the 2011 campaign, it all comes down to this...rivalry week. And Friday features plenty of showdowns in the South Hills

The best has Mt. Lebanon (4-0, 6-2) visiting Upper St. Clair (4-0, 7-1) for a 7:30 p.m. kick-off. The clash pits two undefeated squads in the Great Southern Conference.

As the defending champion, however, Lebo is the team to beat.

Read the full article:

www.thealmanac.net/alm/sportstory11/10-26-2011-football-round-up-w-pic (The Almanac)

Commissioner Miller's Resolution Regarding Our Parks and Fields

2011-10-24T22:16:00.004-04:00

UPDATE: The resolution was defeated during Monday night's meeting.

Dan Miller, the 5th Ward Commissioner, recently posted the following blog entry on his web site. It contains information about a resolution that he introduced at this evening's Commission meeting regarding the issuance of bonds to fund development of the McNeilly Road property as well as improvements to the pool, Main Park and Bird Park.

Read the full posting:

www.danmillerward5.com/pool-and-fields-resolution

P-G: Devices welcome: Schools welcome technology

2011-10-24T21:52:00.001-04:00

At Mt. Lebanon High School, it's BYOT -- as in, "Bring Your Own Technology."

The new initiative was launched this month by the school district to incorporate, rather than prohibit, the use of technology such as laptop computers, smartphones and iPads into the educational curriculum during the school day.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11293/1183337-55-0.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: A Walk Will Reveal Much

2011-10-24T21:40:00.001-04:00

The following is a letter to the editor written by Mt. Lebanon resident Joann Doran to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

For those who think that Mt. Lebanon is not changing, all they have to do is get out of their cars, remove their blinders and take a walk. Crumbling sidewalks, litter strewn areas, dog droppings left for others to clean up, slum landlords who allow their rentals to disintegrate and residents who no longer take pride in the appearance of their property are problems creeping into this once pristine community.

Read the full article:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/11293/1183288-55.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: It's official: Mt. Lebanon Parking authority to end

2011-10-21T01:25:00.002-04:00

By the end of the year, the Mt. Lebanon Parking Authority will be no more.

The board of commissioners has been absorbing the functions of the parking authority for the last four months. Most authority employees have been hired for positions within the police department, public works department and tax office.

Read the full article:

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_762701.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)