Teens try to carjack officer
AP—Pittsburgh police say an armed gang of teenagers tried to carjack an officer who was sitting in her personal vehicle while getting ready to go to work.
Officer Caytlin Wood had her engine running last Monday afternoon before heading for the 4 p.m. to midnight shift when she saw five teens behaving suspiciously in the Bloomfield neighborhood. She called for backup to investigate. Police say a 14-year-old boy demanded the car while pointing a gun at Wood, who was wearing a sweatshirt over her police uniform. They say the boy ran when Wood stepped out but she caught him a block away. They say backup officers caught the other teens, aged 14 to 17. The juveniles have been charged with robbery of a motor vehicle and criminal conspiracy. The 14-year-old boy has been charged with illegal possession of a firearm.
Farewell to Frazier reception
To say goodbye to Evan Frazier, president and CEO of the Hill House Association, there will be a public farewell reception Dec. 18 from 1-3 p.m. in the first floor lobby of the Hill House on Centre Avenue. Earlier this year, Frazier announced that after six years, he would be leaving the Hill House in January to join Highmark as the senior vice president of community affairs.
Frazier is also known for being instrumental in the Community Benefits Agreement between the Hill District and the city of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
For more information on the farewell reception, call Tiffanie Williams at 412-392-3149.
Increased support
The Community College of Allegheny County announced last week that they would receive an additional $438,000 from Allegheny County in the 2010 budget. The budget, which was signed last Thursday, gives the college $22.3 million in operating revenue. “These actions by the county executive and council are both courageous and forward-thinking,” Alex Johnson, Ph.D., CCAC president, said in a press release. “They have elected to invest in CCAC at a time when most local sponsors of the commonwealth’s two-year institutions are offering level or reduced funding.” Along with the increase, county council has also passed legislation stating that the college will receive a minimum increase of two percent each year. Besides the county, CCAC revenue’s comes from the state and tuition from students.
Libraries saved
The board of trustees of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh announced that the proposed closure of several library branches will be put on hold and the branches will remain open until at least January 2011.
In October the trustees proposed closing the West End, Beechview, Hazelwood and Lawrenceville branches due to financial issues. The change in decision comes after Pittsburgh city council approved $600,000 for the library system. Although the branches will remain open, there is also expected to be a reduction in staff positions.
Literary contest
The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh is now accepting submissions for their fourth annual Frank E. Bolden Literary Contest 2010, which is named after the highly noted African-American journalist. Middle and high school students must submit essays, poetry and fiction describing an example of faithfulness, courage or persistence in racial issues either in the past or the future by Jan. 30.
The winner will receive a $100 savings bond that will be presented at the Absalom Jones Day Celebration Feb. 6 at the Church of the Holy Cross in Homewood. The theme is “Faithfulness, Courage and Persistence, qualities amply demonstrated by Absalom Jones, who was the first African-American priest ordained in the Episcopal Church.”
Submissions must be a maximum of 200 words, typed double space or e-mailed. It must include the name, age, home address, phone and grade level of the submitter. They must be mailed to Rev. Kenneth Price, Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, 4099 William Penn Highway, Suite 502, Monroeville, Pa. 15146 or e-mailed to info@episopalpgh.org. For more information, call Al Mann at 412-661-5947 or Nancy Bolden at 412-683-8888.
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