Film Notes: Labor movie series kicks off with factory fire doc

Two films about the deadly 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire will be shown Thursday 4/28/11 to mark Workers Memorial Day, honoring those killed on the job.

The Battle of Homestead Foundation will open its annual movie series with a documentary about the March 25, 1911, catastrophe that killed 146. A fire broke out in the upper floors of a New York garment factory where workers, mostly young Jewish and Italian women, were unable to escape due to locked and blocked doors.

Some tried to jump to safety but found certain death on the sidewalk below. Firemen's nets were broken by the force of bodies, ladders proved to be too short to reach those trapped, fire escapes were missing or overrun, and many women burned to death as shocked onlookers stood helplessly nearby.

The series at the Pump House of the old Homestead Works will show "Triangle Fire," an hour-long "American Experience" documentary produced to mark the anniversary of the tragedy, along with a 9-minute short, "Triangle Returns: Young Women Continue to Die in Locked Sweatshops."

The program is free and starts at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at 880 E. Waterfront Drive in Munhall.Also scheduled as part of the series, all free (although donations accepted):

• "Coal Country" -- Documentary exploring the impact, benefits and costs of mountaintop removal in contemporary West Virginia. Screens at 7:30 p.m. May 26.

• "One Day Longer: The Story of the Frontier Strike" -- This film examines one of the longest strikes in American history, as workers at the Frontier Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas went on strike in 1991 after the company slashed wages and benefits. The strikers held a 24-hour picket line for more than six years, and none of the union members ever crossed it. 7:30 p.m. June 30.

• "Struggles in Steel: A Story of African-American Steelworkers" -- A photography exhibit will accompany this documentary by filmmaker Tony Buba and activist and one-time steelworker Ray Henderson. They tell the forgotten story of the struggle for equality in Pittsburgh's steel industry and the labor movement through archival footage and eloquent recollections. 7:30 p.m. July 28.

• "People and Power, The Struggle Continues: A History of Steelworkers, 1880-1980" -- An overview of Pittsburghers with special attention paid to the Homestead plant, the 1892 lockout and strike, 1919 strike, organization of the United Steelworkers, post-World War II era developments, and fight against plant closings in recent decades. 7:30 p.m. Aug. 25.

• "The Coca-Cola Case" -- Documentary investigating charges of union busting and far more serious offenses at bottling plants in Colombia, Guatemala and Turkey. 7:30 p.m. Sept. 29.

• "Newspaper of Record: The Pittsburgh Courier, 1907-1965" -- Pittsburgh filmmaker Kenneth Love or an associate will introduce this new documentary tracing the Courier's rise to a national paper with 14 editions. It served as a record of African-American life and a vanguard of the civil rights movement. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27

For more information, see www.battleofhomesteadfoundation.org or call 412-831-3871.

Friday, April 22, 2011

By Barbara Vancheri, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11112/1141012-60-0.stm#ixzz1KancDCbs

Carrie Furnace Hard Hat Public Tours Kick off 2011 With “Rankin Deer Head” Artist Tim Kaulen

The 2011 season of the Carrie Furnace Hard Hat Tours will be kicked off at noon on Saturday, April 30 with guest tour guide Tim Kaulen (www.timkaulen.com) who was instrumental in creating the well known “Rankin Deer Head” sculpture on the property. Kaulen will offer an artist’s perspective of Carrie Furnace and the popular sculpture he helped create with other members of the Industrial Arts Co-Op more than a decade ago. A regional public artist, Kaulen is well-known for his use of recycled materials in projects seen at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and Southside Riverfront Park, to name a few.

The Carrie Furnace complex, now managed by the Steel Industry Heritage Corporation as of 2010, used to be part of the US Steel Homestead Works. At one time, the site was key to preparing the country to enter World War II and providing the iron to create armor plating for ships and tanks. The pair of furnaces operated from 1907 to 1978 and the site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006. Future plans for the site include its development into a heritage park with an interpretive center.

Public tours of the century old iron-making complex will also be held at 9 AM, 10 AM and 11 AM April 30, followed by Kaulen’s special presentation at noon.

Other public tours will be held 9 AM, 10 AM and 11 AM May 21, June 18, August 20, September 17 and October 15. On June 17, another special tour guide, Landscape Ethicist Rick Darke (www.rickdarke.com) will speak at the Historic Pump House on the topic of “Carrie Furnace in Global Context: New Parks and Gardens Forged from Industrial Landscapes.” He will also guest tour guide at noon June 18 at the Carrie Furnace complex. His work has been featured on NPR, the New York Times and Garden Design Magazine. The author and photographer of many books, he was also featured in: “Fallingwater” and “The New American Landscape: Leading Voices on the Future of Sustainable Gardening”, both to be published later this year.

For more information or tickets, contact Stacy Drane at 412.464.4020, ext. 32 or sdrane@riversofsteel.com

Spring Heritage Market at Historic Pump House in The Waterfront

Held 10 AM to 3 PM April 23

(Munhall, Pa) – Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is sponsoring a Spring Heritage Market 10 AM to 3 PM April 23 at the Historic Pump House, 880 E. Waterfront Drive, located in The Waterfront - a popular Pittsburgh area shopping district. The ethnic artisan market is a means for the national heritage area to support and promote the diversity and cultural history of the Pittsburgh region.

Free and open to the public, the event will include authentic, ethnic heritage art, such as Bulgarian-Macedonian pottery, Moroccan purses, Native American beadwork and Irish collectibles. Crafts representing the Pittsburgh region’s more recent green heritage include pop industrial art, handcrafted jewelry and baubles made from recycled materials, among others.

The event will also include a taste exploration of our region’s diverse culture with foods representing Cuba, Bulgaria-Macedonia, England and Hungary, among others. Sample soups, teas and chocolate and purchase other foods, such as homemade cookies and breads from The Rise Above Bakery and Cafe or Easter treats from Dorothy’s Candies.

Music will be provided by Mostefa Hnadi,owner of Global Market Retail, on the doumbeck drums in the morning and in the afternoon by Joe Grkman, Jr., - of the award-winning Slovenian Polka band Grkmania, who play regularly at Hofbrauhaus in Pittsburgh’s Southside. Visitors can also take part in a Pick-a-Prize Auction, with chances to win items such as Bulgarian pottery and tickets to the Pittsburgh Irish Festival.

The Historic Pump House is also on a trailhead of the Great Allegheny Passage via the Steel Valley Trail, and Golden Triangle Bike Rentals will be offering free bicycle rentals for brief path explorations. The market location is the historic site of the 1892 Lock and Strike. The structure was barely a year old when it took its place in history as the site of the infamous “Battle of Homestead.” On July 6, 1892 the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers and the Pinkerton Guards hired by the Carnegie Steel Company clashed on the banks of the Monongahela River beneath the Pump House – now considered one of the most dramatic conflicts in American Labor history. Today the Pump House is the only brick structure that remains of United States Steel’s Homestead Works. Now under the auspices of Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area, the Pump House can be rented for private events.

For more information, please contact Sherris Moreira at 412.464.4060, ext. 46 or smoreira@riversofsteel.com.

The Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is managed by the non-profit Steel Industry Heritage Corporation (SIHC) in partnership with the National Park Service and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. SIHC works with communities throughout the region to identify, conserve, promote, and interpret the cultural, historic, recreational and other resources associated with steel and steel-related industries. The goal of the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is to use these resources to encourage community revitalization through cultural tourism, historic preservation, natural and recreational resource conservation, cultural and educational programs and related economic development. Rivers of Steel National Heritage area encompasses Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties. For more information, visit www.riversofsteel.com

Steve Pellegrino’s latest one-man show: ACCORDION STORIES

Story telling at its best interspersed with music and song.
Benefits Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank

April 28, 29, 30, 2011 8pm

Greybox Theatre, 3595
Butler St Lawrenceville PA 15201

Tickets: Adults: $15 plus food item(s)
Student/Youth: $12 plus food item(s) (Group rates available)

For tickets: www.QMproductionsinc.com, call 412-576-0898 or purchase at the door

The endlessly entertaining Steve Pellegrino grew up in the Mon Valley, the son of an immigrant Italian family, whose lives were affected by the great depression, union organizing and WWII. “The accordion and songs I heard growing up are used as connective tissue to share a family history as it reveals moments in our social and cultural past in America since the 1920’s. It is as much a reminiscence of growing up in these times as a history lesson in the saga of one of America’s great industrial valleys.”

QM Productions, Inc. is a non-profit production company in Pittsburgh producing quality music and theater events to raise money for local charities. Our audiences have the pleasure of seeing great shows and the satisfaction of helping those in need simply by attending our shows.

For further information:
www.QMproductionsinc.com
Nancy Gordon Galluzzo, President and founder - 412 576 0898

Spring Heritage Market at the Pump House

Saturday, April 23 · 10:00am - 3:00pm

Ethnic foods and crafts; button box music; free bike rides on the Great Allegheny Passage; Pick-a-Prize Auction and other surprises!

The Historic Pump House

880 E. Waterfront Drive

Munhall, PA

Just past Lowe's and across from U.S. Steel Building.

www.riversofsteel.com

St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish Fish Fry

Every Friday
11am to 7pm.

HUGE Fish Sandwich, Jumbo Shrimp Dinner with Steak Fries and Cole Slaw, Crab Cakes, Mac & Cheese, Pierogies, Potato Pancakes & homemade baked goods.

Eat in or take out (412) 462-1743

St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish
363 W. 11th Avenue Extension
Homestead, PA 15120

www.facebook.com/stmaxparish

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

COMCAST

Day of Caring!

at

The Carnegie Library of Homestead

10^th Ave in Munhall

Minor repairs, painting, landscaping, etc.

COMCAST will donate

$20.00 per volunteer to the Library

Saturday, April 30, 2011

8:00 AM – 12:00 noon

For more information, please call 412-292-4066

‘Mercy and the Firefly’ inspired by life in Homestead

Point Park’s REP theater company combines themes of crime, forgiveness in ‘dark comedy’

Even though Cassidi Parker was not cast in the Pittsburgh Playhouse premiere of "Mercy and the Firefly," she had developed such a connection with the play that she stuck around as assistant director in case something opened during production.

Parker's intuition proved correct when she was cast as an added character, Aisha, a week before tech rehearsal, placing her at the right place at the right time during the play about a nun saving a student from the violence of gang warfare.

"It's an uncomfortable play because the show is not hiding anything," Parker, a sophomore musical theater major at Point Park, said in a telephone interview last Wednesday. "The audience should go in with a clean slate, willing to accept something that is not like what they have seen before."

Parker will join The REP, Point Park's professional theater company, in performing the play, written by Amy Hartman and directed by Melissa Martin, at the Pittsburgh Playhouse throughout the month of April.

"Students should go see the play because they need to be aware of what is going on around us outside of Point Park's walls," Parker said. "The issues in the play are not even that far away from us."

The play tells the story of a nun named Lucy who teaches at an East Los Angeles Catholic school, an area plagued by gang warfare. Lucy witnesses and prevents a student's attempt to murder a fellow student, Aisha. After getting arrested for going into hiding with Aisha, Lucy learns the following day that Aisha has been murdered. In desperation, Lucy kidnaps Mercy, the murderer, and they flee to Homestead, Pa. in order to extract Mercy from becoming a gang's soldier within the violence.

"The audience will see the characters struggle to do what's right even when it is the hardest thing to do," Parker said.

Hartman wrote the play during the Bricolage Urban Scrawl, a theater event which challenges artists to write and stage a new play within 24 hours. After several rewrites, Hartman asked Ronald Allan-Lindblom, the artistic director of the Conservatory of Performing Arts (COPA) at Point Park University, to attend a reading of the play in Pittsburgh a little over a year ago. Lindblom liked it so much he announced at the reading that the Playhouse would produce it.

The story plays off of Homestead's economic and societal climates.

"I think the poverty in Homestead inspired me," Hartman said. "It used to be this working class town, and then the steel mills moved and all these generations lost their jobs, homes and neighborhoods. The factories were bulldozed, and now you see stores like J. Crew and L.L. Bean there. That dichotomy is alarming to me."

The set, designed by COPA's Head of Design Stephanie Mayer-Staley, will depict Homestead's depressed state.

"The entire set is floating so that it appears not real," said Penelope Lindblom, associate professor of theater arts, who plays Vivian Clark, Lucy's mother who takes in Lucy and Mercy when they move to Homestead. "It is a little bubble in time, and as the play progresses the set recedes so that ultimately there is only trash and an empty backyard, and the house the cast lives in disappears."

Staley traveled straight to the setting for inspiration.

"[Staley] went to Homestead and took all these interesting pictures, and one was of this house that was repaired with doors, which made up all of the walls," Lindblom said. "The house on the set is made up of all these mismatched doors, which symbolically might represent every door as an opportunity. Which way will the characters go?"

The play tackles a number of tragic problems within the characters' lives.

"There are some huge issues in the play," Lindblom said. "We are talking about suicide, rape and murder, but it is still funny at the same time."

Lindblom describes the play as a dark yet poignant modern tragedy.

"The main characters are sad, damaged people who live on the fringe of society," Lindbolm said in an interview last Tuesday in the COPA office. "Lucy is in the heights of spiritual enlightenment as a nun and falls out of God's arms because she cannot force herself to forgive Mercy for who she is and what she has done."

According to COPA Marketing Director Chris Hays, the audience will witness an emotionally charged production.

"The audience will leave feeling troubled and emotionally invested in a chilling tale and tasking journey," Hays said. "It is a dark comedy that will make you laugh until you cry."

And yet, theme of forgiveness is depicted in the play.

"One of my lines says it all: to forgive the unforgiveable is as close to God as you're ever going to get," Lindblom said. "Everybody in this play has issues with forgiveness. It shows the only way you can heal yourself is to forgive others. It does not have to be religious or spiritual; it can be moral and ethical. That is my interpretation."

Sharon McCune, who plays Mercy and has been involved with the play since its conception, thinks students should see the show because of that theme.

"There are adults, a student, a mother and a daughter all asking for forgiveness," McCune said in an interview at the Playhouse last Tuesday. "There's some stuff about drug abuse, and that is periphery to how people relate to one another and how it affects how you grow up and the choices you make. The play shows it is never too late to be forgiven or ask for forgiveness."

pointparkglobe.com

By Nicole Chynoweth

Published: Tuesday, March 29, 2011

West Mifflin Senior Center

The new West Mifflin Senior Center, operated by Life Span will have a ribbon cutting on Monday April 4th @ 9:00 AM at the West Mifflin municipal building 3000 Lebanon Church Road, West Mifflin, PA 15122

Steel Valley: A memoir in stories and poems

Michael Adams will read from his book Steel Valley and lead a discussion afterwards of life in the Steel Valley during the heyday and decline of the steel industry. He will be joined by Charlee Brodsky, a professor of photography at Carnegie Mellon University, for Thursday’s presentation at the Homestead Library.

Where: Carnegie Library of Homestead
510 E 10th Ave
Munhall PA 15120
http://www.homesteadlibrary.org/

When: Thursday, April 14 5 to 6:30PM

This event is free.

Michael Adams grew up in West Mifflin, PA. He has a Master’s degree in planning from the University of Pittsburgh and worked as a planner for the Allegheny County Planning Department in the 1970s. His latest book is Steel Valley (2010 Lummox Press http://www.lummoxpress.com/lummoxpress/indexlp.htm ) . He is the author of five other books and winner of the 2007 Mark Fischer Poetry Prize. He now lives in Lafayette, CO with his wife, Claire.

Charlee Brodsky, a professor of photography at Carnegie Mellon University, has photographed the steel valley from when the mills were standing in the 1980s until they were razed and the Waterfront built. She produced two books, one with Judith Modell Schacter entitled Homestead, A Town Without Steel; and From Mill Town to Mall Town with writers Jane McCafferty and Jim Daniels.



Emily Salsberry

Library Services Coordinator/Youth Services Librarian

Carnegie Library of Homestead

510 E 10th Ave

Munhall PA 15120

p 412-462-3444

f 412-462-4669

Check out our blog! www.homesteadlibrary.blogspot.com

West Homestead tourist attraction needs room to grow

Some call it a national treasure. Others see it as a local gem.

Whatever it's called, it is a one-of-a-kind tourist attraction in West Homestead: the Bulgarian Macedonian National Educational and Cultural Center.

More than 23,000 visitors to the Pittsburgh region last year visited the facility, including 18 tours of 40 people apiece, conducted from September through May.

"Those visitors represented 48 states and 25 nations," said Patricia French, the center's president.

But its popularity has created a slight problem: lack of parking for visitors and the need to expand the museum for a new kitchen, gift shop and cafe, she said.

"We currently have two kitchens, but would like to have one new, modern kitchen," she said.

The Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County recently approved a grant of up to $150,000, under the county's Community Infrastructure & Tourism Fund, toward the center's $1.3 million expansion.

French is hoping the state approves a $250,000 Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant previously authorized for the center.

The money will help to buy two buildings and three contiguous lots, adjacent to the center on West Eighth Avenue, needed for the expansion. The buildings will be demolished.

"We hope to establish between 35 and 40 off-street parking spaces," French said. "Right now, visitors park on a dirt road."

Founded 80 years ago as the Bulgaro-Macedonian Beneficial Association, a group to service 850 families of Bulgarian and Macedonian heritage who resided in the region, the center's membership today is a mixture of various nationalities. And it is no longer a beneficial society.

"The center helps instill tradition and customs that forge a strong sense of community, regardless of one's ancestry," said French, whose parents were co-founders of the center.

The center houses a museum, library, archives, performing dance ensembles and a learning area.

The museum and library are in the building's bottom floor and feature paintings, sketches, musical instruments, journals and audio and video recordings, plus graphics and academic manuscripts.

While these attractions draw visitors to the center, there's another ingredient that brings people to the site -- or call for it to be sent to them: the soups.

About 12 years ago, the organization embarked on its Soup Saga, a venture to sell the many ethnic soups commonly made by its members and volunteers, French said. Soup sales now pay for about 60 percent of the facility's operating costs.

This includes 14 soups, such as chicken soup with farina dumplings (the most popular), Balkan bean and spiced wheat.

"It's the only place locally which doesn't serve pierogies, haluski or fried fish," she said. "We currently are awaiting a report from Ireland, where we sent our soup recipes, on how the soup sales went."

By Sam Spatter
FOR THE PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, March 17, 2011

Read more: West Homestead tourist attraction needs room to grow - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_727501.html#ixzz1HfdhwA6D

May opening set in historic site for Homestead Flea Market

A veteran antiques dealer is launching the Homestead Flea Market near Pittsburgh with a grand opening planned for May 21. Iris Ramos, who owned an antiques business in California, has been searching for the right location since she moved to Homestead, Pa., three years ago. She finally found an 800-square-foot storefront for her swap meet in a historic building at 812 McClure St. “I was looking for a larger location, but the building is so beautiful, and the rent is very fair,” she says. “I live in the community, and I hope to make this a place that will serve the neighborhood.”

The location features 15-foot-high pressed tin ceilings and fine wood floors. The building has been a martial arts studio and a grocery store. It has room to fit just 20 vendors. “It’s a micro-mini flea market serving Pittsburgh and the local community,” says Ramos.

Space rental starts at $15 for both Saturday and Sunday; the market will be open on those days from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. However, Ramos says she will not charge vendors rent during May. “The first two weekends are free,” she says, “I want to get the buzz out that ‘Wow, there’s a new flea market.’ ’ The grand opening will also feature free antique appraisals. Ramos is advertising on Craigslist to spread the word. For more information, call Iris Ramos at (412) 537-9336.

fleamarketzone.com

March 24, 2011 by Michael Alterio

Developers predict 'renaissance' in Homestead

Daniel and Ellie Valentine have seen a lot of changes in Homestead since they opened their restaurant, the Tin Front Cafe, on East Eighth Avenue on Sept. 15, 2009.

"There have been a number of businesses that have opened just in our block," Mrs. Valentine said.

New stores that have opened nearby include Mostly Mod, which sells vintage home furnishings and art, Swagger World, which sells urban contemporary clothing and Emil's Modern Furniture, which offers custom built-in cabinets.

In addition to new businesses opening in Homestead, Mrs. Valentine said the Tin Front itself has experienced increased traffic because of new neighbors.

A new restaurant, Smoke Barbeque and Taqueria, is expected to open at 225 E. Eighth Ave. this month, in a building owned by developer Joe Ranii of Cityscape Construction, Homestead.

The takeout restaurant, featuring traditional Latin food for breakfast and lunch, will be run and managed by partners Jeff Petruso and Nelda Carranco.

Mr. Ranii said Homestead is poised to make a transformation such as the one that occurred on the South Side. He believes Homestead's metamorphosis will take place more quickly than did the South Side transformation, which happened over two decades.

During the South Side renaissance, Mr. Ranii first worked on the former Brady Street Bridge Café building, which now houses Mallorca. After continuing to work through that renaissance, and was invited to take part in the restoration of Homestead by urban designer David Lewis, Daniel Valentine's stepfather.

Mr. Ranii said Homestead's unique location makes it a prime spot for redevelopment.

"I think the potential of Homestead is unlimited," Mr. Ranii said.

Mr. Lewis, Mr. Valentine, Mr. Ranii and architect Walter Haglund are part of a loose-knit group of independent developers called the Downstreet Consortium, dedicated to improving Homestead's historic district.

Mr. Ranii said his apartments in the 225 E. Eighth Ave. building rent from $800 to more than $1,600 per month.

Both Mr. Ranii and the Lewis-Valentine family rent to young professionals, rather than students, he said. One of his tenants runs a boutique bakery, and another owns an art gallery.

Mr. Valentine said the goal of the Downstreet Consortium has been to create "a critical mass" of new businesses on the 200 block of Eighth Avenue and for them to spread into the community.

Buildings are undergoing transformations in other areas of Homestead as well, Mr. Valentine said.

Steelers backup quarterback Charlie Batch, a Homestead native, is renovating a former bakery and warehouse building between Sixth and Seventh streets into apartments.

Three recent additions to Amity Street include the Blue Dust restaurant and bar, Posh nail salon and Katie's Candy, which opened last year.

Mr. Valentine's mother, Judi Tener-Lewis, and stepfather, David Lewis, own seven buildings in Homestead. Their first, the former Moose building, was the site of Judi's store, the Annex Cookery, for six years.

Now the Cookery is located next to the Tin Front at 218 E. Eighth Ave.

The Tener-Lewis-Valentine family has created four 1,700-square-foot loft apartments in their buildings at 213 and 215 E. Eighth Ave. across the street from the Tin Front.

They started the loft apartment renovations in late 2005 and finished them in 2007.

Daniel Valentine said his family also put in a four-bedroom, 21/2-bath apartment above the restaurant, doing the renovations in 2008 and 2009.

When asked about the income from the Tin Front, Mr. Valentine said: "I think it continues to grow and improve."

Mr. Valentine said all three men obtained National Historic tax credits through the National Trust, which helped primarily with interior renovations.

They also obtained façade easements through the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County's Streetscape program, and obtained loans through the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency for interior apartment renovations through that agency's mixed use financing program.

Steel Valley Enterprise Zone also helped fund renovations of each building developed by the consortium.

The Three Rivers Wet Weather program helped pay for installation of a "green" roof on the Tener-Lewis-Valentine family's building at 215 E. Eighth Ave.

The financing made the renovations and restorations feasible, and a lot more development can be done in Homestead, he said.

"There's an amazing stock of municipal buildings and churches that could be easily turned into penthouses, condos and loft apartments," he said.

He said buildings that could be transformed include the former Strand Theater, old Post Office and municipal buildings and the historic churches on Tenth Street.

Thom Betz, Homestead code enforcement officer, said most renovations recently have been done in The Waterfront development, though some have been along Eighth Avenue. Mr. Betz said six new businesses were created in 2010 by rehabbing existing properties in The Waterfront.

Ten houses in Homestead were demolished last year, but seven new ones are being built along Mifflin and East 14th streets, funded with public money through the Mon Valley Initiative, he said.

Anne Cloonan, freelance writer: suburbanliving@post-gazette.com

Thursday, March 03, 2011

By Anne Cloonan
Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11062/1129239-55.stm#ixzz1FallDdN3

Steel Valley Drama Club to Present “Seussical” March 10‐13

Munhall, PA – The public is invited to attend Steel Valley Drama Club’s production of “Seussical,” by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens March 10 – 13 at the High School Auditorium.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. March 10‐12 and 2 p.m. on March 13.

Admission is $1 for children in kindergarten – grade five; $7 for grades 6 to adult.

Now one of the most performed shows in America, "Seussical" is a fantastical, magical, musical extravaganza!

Tony winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty ("Ragtime," "Once On This Island") have lovingly brought to life all of our favorite Dr. Seuss characters, including Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuzz, lazy Mayzie and a little boy with a big imagination‐‐Jojo. "Oh, the Thinks You Will Think" as the spirit of imagination transports the colorful characters from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus to the invisible world of the Whos.

The story centers around Horton the Elephant, who finds himself faced with a double challenge‐not only must he protect his tiny friend Jojo (and all the invisible Whos) from a world of naysayers and dangers, but he must guard an abandoned egg, left to his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird. Although Horton faces ridicule, danger, kidnapping and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him, the only one who recognizes "his kind and his powerful heart." Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family, and community are challenged and emerge triumphant, in a story that makes you laugh and cry.

The main cast includes:
Cat in the Hat ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Ben Bobick (Junior)
Horton ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Aaron Faux (Junior)
Jojo ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Rachel Dudash (Senior)
Sour Kangaroo ‐‐‐‐‐‐ Kelly Bennett (Senior)
Mayzie ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Krystal Waller (Junior)
Gertrude‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Kaylee Rush (Sophomore)
Bird Girls ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Shannon McShane (Junior), Jen Gerhold (Senior), Nikki Kwolek (Senior)
Wickersham Brothers Sean Collins (Senior), Zach Edelmann (Junior), Kenny Baurle (Junior)
Mr. Mayor ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Sean Collins (Senior)
Mrs. Mayor ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Nicole Salapa (Junior)
Yertle the Turtle ‐‐‐‐‐ Zach Edelman (Junior)


Chorus:
Sandy Alhaj
Keona Blakney
Samantha Brown
Samantha Bruener
Sarah Csider
Jacquelyn DiGiannurio
Lauren Drane
Sara Fallon
Jada Griffin
Jordan Hammell
Korey Hammell
Emily Jones
Natalie Konish
Ilyssa Nera
Rachel Pittik
Taylor Stevens
Taylor Wellman
Meghan Wolf
Production Staff:

Director Jonathan Edwards, English teacher Steel Valley Middle School
Costumes Toni Besh, French teacher Steel Valley High School
Choreography Fran Savolskis, owner Fran’s School of Dance in Munhall
Art director Susan Wright, Art teacher Steel Valley High School
Set Design Bob Barko, Steel Valley alumnus
Music Director Lisa Harrier, Stage Right Productions, Greensburg
Choral assistant Sally Altman, Adjunct Spanish Professor, Penn St. Greater Allegheny
Stage manager Earl Pearson
Stage manager Katy Ruffing
Producer Michael Altman, English teacher Steel Valley High School

Tickets are available presale at Steel Valley Activities Office or at the door; for more information, please contact the following:
Steel Valley Activities Office 412‐464‐3600 x2400
Drama Club website: svdrama.com
Email: maltman@svsd.k12.pa.us (Michael Altman, producer)

Biography of Jester Hairston

Early life

Hairston was born in Belews Creek, a rural community on the border of Stokes, Forsyth, Rockingham and Guilford counties in North Carolina. His grandparents had been slaves. At an early age he and his family moved to Homestead, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh, where he graduated from high school in 1919. Hairston, who gave up studies at Massachusetts Agriculture College in the 1920s, went on to graduate cum laude from Tufts University in 1928 and studied music at the Juilliard School. He worked as a choir conductor in the early stages of his career. His work with choirs on Broadway eventually led to his singing and acting in plays, films, radio programs, and television shows. And, in 1937 was a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild.

Career

Hairston wrote the song "Mary's Boy Child" in 1956. He also wrote the song "Amen", which he dubbed for the Sidney Poitier film Lilies of the Field (1963). He arranged traditional "Negro spirituals". Most of Hairston's film work was in the field of composing, arranging, and choral conducting. Hairston also acted in over twenty films, mostly in small parts, some of which were not credited to him. Among the films he appeared in were bit parts in some of the early Tarzan movies, St. Louis Blues (1958), The Alamo (1960), To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), In the Heat of the Night (1967), Lady Sings the Blues (1972), I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) and Being John Malkovich (1999).

Hairston appeared on The Amos 'n' Andy Show. He had been in the radio program that was the basis for the TV show. He also played the role of Wildcat (1974-1975) on the show That's My Mama. In his senior years he appeared in the show Amen as Rolly Forbes (1986-1991). His last television appearance was in 1993 on an episode of Family Matters, a sitcom.

In his later years, Hairston served as a cultural ambassador for American music, traveling to numerous countries with choral groups that he had assembled. In 1985 he took the Jester Hairston Chorale, a multi-racial group, to sing in the People's Republic of China, at a time when foreign visitors were still quite rare in that country.

Death

Hairston died in Los Angeles from natural causes in 2000. For his contribution to the television industry, Hairston has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6201 Hollywood Blvd. He is interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood California.

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Mayor Betty In Black and White

Female mayors making their mark, serving their communities

Betty Esper ran for mayor of Homestead 17 years ago because she wanted to be able to walk her dog in the park near her home.

"There were gangs in there smoking marijuana," she said. "I told the police, and they said, 'Walk somewhere else.' "

She took her complaints to council and got a similar response.

"My philosophy is, if you want something done, get involved," said Esper, 77, who won her first term as mayor in 1990. After losing re-election in 1994, she returned in 1998 and has been mayor since.

Eileen Miller said she ran for mayor of Springdale on a dare.

When someone told her she "would never win," she took that as a challenge. She wound up beating a long-term Democrat after getting on the ballot as a Republican write-in. She is the first woman to occupy the Springdale mayor's office.

Miller and Esper are among a half-dozen female mayors in Allegheny County.

Voters in smaller towns are more likely to elect a woman as mayor, said Susan Hansen, a professor of political science at the University of Pittsburgh. Of the 1,156 mayors of U.S. cities with populations of more than 30,000 as of August, 202 were women, or 17.5 percent, according to the Center for American Women in Politics.

"I love my job. I wouldn't be in it this long if I didn't," said Esper, who bucked the traditional old boys' network to win her job. She plans to continue in office as long as her health is good.

Like many Mon Valley mill towns, Homestead went through a painful transformation during Esper's terms.

When she began working at U.S. Steel's Homestead Works in 1951, Homestead was "a vibrant town with people on the avenue. It was busy all the time."

By the time she left her job in January 1987, "there was nobody left to say good-bye to." The massive mill where she spent three decades -- the foundation of the borough's tax base -- had closed.

Within three years of her election, the borough was placed under state oversight through the Municipalities Financial Recovery Act program, called Act 47. It left the program 14 years later, because of the booming commercial, business and residential development at The Waterfront.

Miller, 59, is used to breaking gender barriers.

She was the first woman inducted into the Cheswick-Springdale Lions Club in 2001 and was president of the local chapter from 2007-09.

A Democrat, she lost the primary vote but won enough Republican write-in votes to get on the GOP ballot in the November election -- and won. Now, she said, party lines don't matter. She just wants to do a good job for the borough.

"It's been a whirlwind," Miller said. Within days of her swearing-in last year, she had to declare a state of emergency because of the Feb. 6 snowstorm that buried Western Pennsylvania in almost 2 feet of snowfall.

She has a wish list of items the borough needs but can't afford. She's seeking donations to try to raise the $1,300 needed to buy two computers for the police cruisers.

She's not ready yet to sign on for another term.

"I'll let you know at the end of the four years," Miller said.

Dorothy "Dee" Quinn decided to run for mayor to try to make a difference in the borough of Emsworth.

"I felt that the borough in which I live needed a little bit of fresh blood," said Quinn, 71.

The incumbent she beat was 78 years old, she said.

The political atmosphere changed since she served on borough council in the early part of the decade.

"People are so angry about everything that is going on, they lash out at everybody," Quinn said. "I can't understand the anger."

Although she likes the job, she isn't ready to commit to a second term.

"It's a learning experience. It's a shame younger people aren't getting interested in it," she said.

Being the mother of two daughters helped Swissvale Mayor Deneen Swartzwelder's political career, she said.

"The mother instinct helps. ... When you deal with kids, it's always compromise," she said. "You're always in the middle. I'm a good moderator."

Swartzwelder, 46, is in the second year of her second term.

"I love it. It is very fulfilling," she said. "I feel like I'm helping the community."

She, too, bucked traditional political circles to get elected.

"The old boys' network is not as strong as it used to be," she said. "There's also an old girls' network. It was definitely a challenge to over come that."

Ina Jean Marton, mayor of White Oak since 2004, got her first taste of politics at age 16 when someone asked her to help out at a polling place.

"I thought that was the greatest thing I could do for my country. I was just so proud," said Marton, a Republican who spent 11 years on borough council but did not expect to become mayor.

Marton knocked on most doors in the borough when she decided to seek the mayor's post seven years ago, and will do it all again in 2014.

"I'll put on my walking shoes and go out again," she said.

Over the past 14 years, Pennsbury Village Mayor Lucy Harper performed 33 weddings.

"A lot of times, the bride likes having a woman officiate instead of a man," said Harper, 63, who spent a term on council before running for mayor.

The unique borough -- which consists of 700 residents in 500 condominiums -- seceded from Robinson 35 years ago.

Although there was one murder during the past 14 years, Harper said enforcing the borough's leash laws and getting dog owners to clean up after their pets is among the borough's chief concerns.

"Pets are our biggest problem," Harper said.

By Craig Smith, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, February 10, 2011

Read more: Female mayors making their mark, serving their communities - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/valleynewsdispatch/s_721911.html#ixzz1DX12lYLy

Carrie Furnace site can help local communities

Carrie Furnace's 165 acres may bolster the future for a dozen communities.

There may be new homes, office buildings, light industry and highway links, as well as a section set aside to mark its steelmaking history. All that will depend on how much private investment Carrie Furnace can draw and how much taxpayer support it gets amid tightening budgets in Harrisburg and Washington.

"It is very important to invest heavily in the communities that surround the Carrie Furnace site," Allegheny County director of economic development Dennis Davin said last week. "It is not going to be walled off from these communities. It is going to be a part of these communities."

Davin said it is something he and retiring county Executive Dan Onorato believed from the start of redevelopment of this former U.S. Steel millsite along both sides of the Monongahela River from Pittsburgh's Swisshelm Park neighborhood to the Rankin Bridge. "If we continue to put the public investment into the communities while we're doing the remediation and infrastructure work," Davin said, "the communities can benefit."

Carrie Furnace reaches into Pittsburgh, Swissvale, Rankin, Munhall and Whitaker and borders on Braddock. Any action may affect Woodland Hills, West Mifflin Area, Steel Valley and Pittsburgh school districts. While part of the former U.S. Steel property is included in the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area managed by Homestead-based Steel Industry Heritage Corp., the county owns most of the development.

It will be multi-use but not meant to rival the adjacent Waterfront on the former U.S. Steel's Homestead District Works property. "We don't think the market can justify another Waterfront there," Davin said.

The rest of the planning "is up in the air" but the county development director has a vision of light industrial and office buildings on that acreage. Retail does not appear to be in the mix. Most of the infrastructure work is done inside the acreage, including sewer updates. Both the county and SIHC are working on environmental assessments.

"We're meeting and working on environmentals with the state Department of Environmental Protection," SIHC president August R. Carlino said.

SIHC manages the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area, which last July acquired rights to Carrie blast furnaces No. 6 and 7 and some surrounding acreage.

Once SIHC gets environmental clearance, Carlino said, "and we get final signoff and absent any major issues ... we'll be prepared to move forward with stabilization of the Blowing Engine House roof." Carlino expects work to begin on a new roof in the spring or early summer.

The county also is focused on two other pieces of infrastructure: Another flyover ramp, from the Rankin end of the Rankin Bridge, and a hot metal bridge across the Monongahela.

"That hot metal bridge goes into Munhall," said that borough's Mayor Raymond Bodnar. "It would lead right to Waterfront Drive, so it would parallel the Rankin Bridge."

Waterfront Drive links up with Route 837 over a flyover ramp whose expansion has been championed by the mayor for a decade.

"Every time I see Mayor Bodnar he tells me about that in no uncertain terms," Davin said. "He really sees a need and we see a need."

The county director expects a link to the Munhall flyover ramp will be part of the overall construction and rehabilitation of the hot metal bridge, something that could happen after a traffic study expected within 18 months.

First, however, the county will move with its proposal for a Rankin flyover ramp.

"It is critical for us to have another access point into the site, by means of a flyover," Davin said. "We have that designed already. This is a construction-ready project."

Davin said "a number of developers" have said they want to see a flyover from the Rankin Bridge.

"That is the one project we have to have," Davin said. "Then we think we can get a lot of good strong responses to a request for proposals." The county is talking to its congressional delegation in Washington, but was unable to get a share of Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grants handed out as part of President Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus funding.

A month before Gov. Tom Corbett makes his first budget address to the General Assembly, Davin is hopeful support will come from Harrisburg. "This administration is all about jobs," Davin said. "This is the kind of investment that creates jobs."

Former Gov. Ed Rendell provided Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grants that included $6 million in August 2004 for brownfield redevelopment and $5 million in December for the hot metal bridge. Tax Increment Financing that helped build the Waterfront may be employed in Carrie Furnace, but it would be a different sort of TIF. "A TIF for entertainment, retail, those generate a lot more tax revenue than for residential and light industry," Davin said. He said "a couple of speculative TIFs" have been done in the Pittsburgh International Airport corridor "and we are probably going to do a few more."

An organization watching out for RFPs is West-to-West Coalition, best known for brownfield reclamation from West Homestead to West Elizabeth. "We're looking to assist in the Carrie Furnace site," West-to-West chairman George Matta II said.

"West-to-West Coalition has contributed $135,000 to the current site assessment," coalition executive director Steve Pholar said. "We continue to believe that the Carrie Furnace site could be a showcase site in terms of new housing development and a planned urban site." "There is a potential there to build townhouses and patio-style homes," Matta said.

Pholar said West-to-West "stands ready to coordinate with a development partnership presenting a sequential plan of renewal." There also is the effort to promote the site's history by the SIHC, based in the Bost Building in Homestead.

Carlino spent last week in Washington, D.C., talking to staffs in the offices of U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Forest Hills, and Sen. Bob Casey Jr., D-Scranton, as well as House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over national heritage areas.

Doyle introduced a bill last summer to designate a Steel Industry National Historic Site in Allegheny County that includes Carrie Furnace. It died along with a companion Senate bill.

"It has to start all over again," Carlino said. "Doyle's office is looking at reintroducing the bill."

Casey co-sponsored the companion bill introduced by then-U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Philadelphia.

"Since (Specter) is no longer a senator, we've asked Sen. Casey's office to consider introducing the bill," Carlino said.

While Carrie Furnace extends into Munhall and Whitaker, there isn't much to develop on that side of the river. Davin hopes "to maximize as much activity as possible" between the railroad tracks and the river. Housing there is unlikely.

Still, Davin said, the county was able with that purchase to bridge a gap in the Great Allegheny Passage between Duquesne and the Waterfront, including construction of a new pedestrian bridge. "A part of what we are doing now is taking down two other pedestrian bridges across the tracks," he said.

By Patrick Cloonan, MCKEESPORT DAILY NEWS
Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Read more: Carrie Furnace site can help local communities - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/dailynewsmckeesport/s_721903.html#ixzz1DQcQAE7B

2011 Chess Tournament at the Carnegie Library of Homestead!

February 19th at 10am

For children up to grade 8.

You must register for the tournament! Call 412-462-3444 option 3 or email Miss Emily at salsberrye@homesteadlibrary.org to sign up!

West Homestead Engineering & Machine Company - West Homestead, PA

Miranda Cosgrove has a blast with her young fans

Remember Summer Hathaway?

She was the adorable little fifth-grader who sang so atrociously, they made her the band manager in "School of Rock."

It was the screen debut for Miranda Cosgrove, which makes it ironic that she packed the Carnegie Music Hall Library of Homestead Wednesday night on her maiden "Dancing Crazy Tour."

Like Miley Cyrus or the Monkees, she has a TV theme song to play live, so sure enough, she came bounding out with "Leave it all to Me," from her hit Nick show "iCarly."

The crowded stayed seated, oddly enough, which was a good thing given that it was made up of big moms and dads and little grade-schools who would have had little chance of seeing her in her white jacket and dazzling mirrored silver skirt.

Miranda sings better than Summer, thankfully, but she won't be confused with Christina Aguilera or Beyonce any time soon. She has a small, cute, peppy voice that got a lift from a second singer on stage, especially on the bright choruses.

There's no question she was a lively performer, bounding around the stage, with wavy black hair flying, and flirting with her two male dancers. Backed by a six-piece band unafraid to rock out a little, she mixed bubblegum pop from her debut album, like "Kissin' U," "BAM" and "Disgusting" (all unrelated), with a few covers: No Doubt's "Just a Girl," "About You Now" (a Sugababes song she did on the "iCarly" soundtrack) and a breezy medley from her iPod of "Dynamite"/"Bulletproof"/"I Gotta Feeling."

It was a short-and-sweet hour set that saved the best for last ??? a new single, "Sayonara," that had the electropop feel of a Britney hit and the catchy "Dancing Crazy," which had the kiddies rushing the stage.

For the 17-year-old Cosgrove, it's all a low-stakes gamble. She has a hit TV show that was just renewed and charisma to spare on screen. She doesn't need to be the next big teen-pop star, and the odds are, she won't.

Thursday, February 03, 2011

By Scott Mervis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11034/1122718-388.stm#ixzz1CuxJ1m00

Cultural Heritage Workshops offered by Rivers of Steel

(Homestead, Pa) – Explore the heritage of Southwestern Pennsylvania during the Rivers of Steel Cultural Heritage Workshops. Each two-hour workshop will provide a view into the cultural history of the region, as well as potentially your own personal heritage. Workshops will be held Saturdays, beginning Feb. 19 and will go through May 16. Each two-hour workshop includes light refreshments. Bring a friend or family member and make a morning of it! Limited seating so reserve your space now. All workshops, except the Digital Camera Safari workshop, will be held at The Bost Building, 623. E. 8th Ave., Homestead. The Digital Camera Safari workshop will be held at The Pump House, 880 E. Waterfront Drive, Munhall. For more information, call 412.464.4060, ext. 46 or smoreira@riversofsteel.com

Telling Your Story: Oral Histories Step-by-Step 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 19 at The Bost Building, Homestead; Cost $40.

Oral histories are stories told by living people about the past. Grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, all have valuable information to share about their family's history. Learn more about how to spark a memory, ask the right questions, and organize the information. Workshop led by Rivers of Steel Archival Staff. http://www.riversofsteel.com/shop/product/telling-your-story/

Genealogy: How do I Start? 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 26 at The Bost Building, Homestead; Cost $40.

A beginner's guide to genealogy with the basic information you need to get started discovering your ancestry. Students will be guided through the first steps of creating a family tree, learn about the latest genealogy software and sort through resources. Instructor: Nancy Dean. http://www.riversofsteel.com/shop/product/genealogy-how-do-i-start/

Beautiful Writing: History and Hands-on Calligraphy 10 a.m. to noon March 5 at The Bost Building, Homestead; Cost $40.

Learn about the history of calligraphy and the difference between Eastern Asian and Western Calligraphy, then learn the basics of doing it yourself. Some supplies included. Instructor: Adam Smith. http://www.riversofsteel.com/shop/product/beautiful-writing-history-and-hands-on-calligraphy/

Photo Detective: Deciphering Pictures to Uncover History 10 a.m. to noon March 12 at The Bost Building, Homestead; Cost $40.

Visual literacy is the key to uncovering many hidden details of historic photographs. Learn the techniques historians use when examining images to unravel mysteries and find clues to the past. We will look at images from the Library of Congress from the early 1900s and examine the story they tell of our past as well as use collaborative efforts to decipher your own family photographs. Instructor: Sylvia Ehler. http://www.riversofsteel.com/shop/product/photo-detective/

Heritage Scrapbooking: Preserving Family Photographs 10 a.m. to noon March 19 at The Bost Building, Homestead; Cost $40.

This workshop will help to inspire beautiful, fun, and creative ideas for scrapbooking your family history and preserving your old family photos. Our expert will give you the 411 on preservation techniques, how to make your photo history fresh, and help with putting it all together. Some supplies included. Bring your own scrapbooking materials as well. Instructor: Anne Neikirk. http://www.riversofsteel.com/shop/product/heritage-scrapbooking/

Pittsburgh Food Treasures or How we got the Pierogi 10 a.m. to noon March 26 at The Bost Building, Homestead; Cost $40.

Traditional Pittsburgh foods reflect the city's multicultural heritage, especially that of the European immigrants of the early 20th century. While these immigrant populations introduced dishes such as pierogi and haluski to the city, they are now enjoyed by Pittsburgh in general. Join us to learn more about the history of these delicious cultural delicacies. Samples included. Instructor: Sylvia McCoy. http://www.riversofsteel.com/shop/product/pittsburghs-food-treasures/

Repurposing your Handheld Heirlooms 10 a.m. to noon April 2 at The Bost Building, Homestead; Cost $40

In this class, you will learn how to creatively repurpose your small heirlooms, keeping them fresh and relevant for future generations. Bring your handheld heirlooms or old jewelry and learn how to revision them into a new masterpiece. Instructor: Laura Stuart-Smith. http://www.riversofsteel.com/shop/product/upcycling-your-handheld-heirlooms/

Here Comes the Bride: Pittsburgh Wedding Rituals 10 a.m. to noon April 9 at The Bost Building, Homestead; Cost $40

What is a Dollar Dance? Who started the cookie table? What is the difference between a Vybava and a Veno? Learn the answers to these and many more questions about the treasured traditions that came to this country from Europe in the late 19th century. We will examine artifacts and listen to stories that will bring these rituals to life. Instructor: Sylvia Ehler. http://www.riversofsteel.com/shop/product/here-comes-the-bride/

Beginning Digital Photography 10 a.m. to noon May 7 at The Bost Building, Homestead; Cost $40

Are those little icons on your digital camera driving you crazy? Are you having trouble making sense of your camera's manual? What is White Balance anyway? Join us for this beginning class designed to help you get to know your camera better. This class will cover white balance, shutter speed, manual settings, and more. Instructor: Sally Bozzuto. http://www.riversofsteel.com/shop/product/beginning-digital-photography/

Digital Photo Safari 10 a.m. to noon May 14 at The Pump House, Munhall; Cost $50

The site where the Pinkertons landed during the famous Homestead Steel Strike will be the destination for this unique opportunity to see inside and photograph the historic Pump House on the Mon River. Spend a morning with fellow photographers capturing this amazing piece of Pittsburgh history, the riverside, and the frequent train traffic on the bridge. Instructor: Sylvia Ehler. http://www.riversofsteel.com/shop/product/digital-photo-safari/

The Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is managed by the non-profit Steel Industry Heritage Corporation (SIHC) in partnership with the National Park Service and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. SIHC works with communities throughout the region to identify, conserve, promote, and interpret the cultural, historic, recreational and other resources associated with steel and steel-related industries. The goal of the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is to use these resources to encourage community revitalization through cultural tourism, historic preservation, natural and recreational resource conservation, cultural and educational programs and related economic development. Rivers of Steel National Heritage area encompasses Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties. For more information, visit www.riversofsteel.com

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--

Sherris Moreira

Director of Marketing and Tourism Development for Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area

The Bost Building

623 E. 8th Ave., Homestead, Pa

412.464.4020, ext. 46

Cell: 412.423.TOUR (8687)

Fax: 412.464.4417

www.riversofsteel.com

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The 54 th annual Homestead District Reunion

The 54 th annual Homestead District Reunion will be held on March 5, 2011 at the Elks Club, Englewood, Florida.

Current and former residents of Homestead, Munhall, West Homestead, Whitaker, West Mifflin, and Lincoln Place will be attending.

For registration information contact : Darrell Hess at 412-580-1157 or by Email at darrellhess@Gmail.com.

Half off your second entrée from TGI Friday's

There’s always a warm welcome for you at T.G.I. Friday’s and we are cranking up the heat.

Half off your second entrée goes well with a generous helping of Friday’s fun!

Use this coupon often and send it to your friends, too.

It’s like starting your very own heat wave.

Go here to print this coupon from T.G.I. Friday’s, valid through February 8: http://fridays.qrs1.net/greatdealsapp/16d7qs1m_print.html?CMP=30415