When one thinks of veterans, they think about those individuals in combat on the frontlines, but often forget about those behind the scenes. For three years Stanley Rideout, retired chief of police for the Pittsburgh Public School District, worked behind the scenes for one of the world’s most deadly conflicts, World War II, before working in front of them keeping order. FAMILY MAN—Veteran Stanley Rideout with his wife, Vina, in front of their wall of family portraits. It was his senior year at South Hills High School, when Rideout, 85, now of Sewickley, learned he was going to be drafted into the armed forces. “I did not want to go. I requested deference, but was denied,” he said. So after his graduation from high school, the then- Beltzhoover resident, entered the U.S. Navy in September of 1943, and was stationed in the Great Lakes area, where he went to school to be a radioman in the service. Radiomen specialized in communication and were responsible for decoding messages and getting them to their commanding officer or the appropriate chain of command.
Like other schools in the Pittsburgh Public School District, achievement at Brashear High School in Beechview has declined significantly over the past two years. Although perhaps not as drastic, the same can be said for the King Accelerated Learning Academy K-8 in the North Side. MARK ROOSEVELT and JERRI LIPPERT But a new set of recommendations by superintendent Mark Roosevelt hopes to turn these numbers around and eventually have a rippling effect on the whole district. On July 19, Roosevelt presented his proposal for the Teacher Academy to the School Board. The proposal is part of the district’s Empowering Effective Teachers Plan funded in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Grant.
With a projected $52 million 2011 budget deficit looming for the Port Authority of Allegheny County, Executive Director Steve Bland says fare increases and large service cuts are unavoidable unless new state funding is authorized. “We need something, anything that is a broad-based source that follows the economy,” he said. On source of funding was to have been revenue from turning I-80 into a toll road. State budgets were approved with these monies allocated for PAT even though the Federal Highway Administration indicated it would not approve the change. In April it denied the state’s tolling application.
A law has been passed allowing table games in Pennsylvania to be added at the Rivers Casino. So we asked Pittsburghers their opinion. Here’s what you said. “I think it will bring a better crowd to the casino. I would come check it out, though I am not a gambler but I guess it will do something for the city.”Shane PhillipsNorth SideRoofer Shane Phillips, Shane Phillips, Curtis Ford
Resource fair JULY 22—NeighborWorks Western Pennsylvania and the Martin Luther King Reading and Cultural Center will host a Community Resource Fair from 1-7 p.m. at 636 Herron Ave., Hill District. This event is free and open to the public and will include food, entertainment, kids activities and more. For more information, call Ann Callen at 412-281-1100, ext. 124.
Two dead in suburban shootout east of Pittsburgh AP—Police say two men have been killed in a shootout in Penn Hills, but it’s unclear whether that is related to recent violence in eastern Pittsburgh neighborhoods near the suburb. Allegheny County police have yet to identify the men who were shot about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday. The driver of a sport-utility vehicle was found dead in the vehicle, while another man found wounded just outside of it died a short time later at a Pittsburgh hospital.
Politicians, dignitaries and other high profile people, as well as the common folks came out to pay their respects to one of the most prominent and respected men in Pittsburgh history. Robert R. Lavelle, 94, a resident of the Hill District, passed away peacefully on July 4. Lavelle’s homegoing service was held at Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church in the Hill District, July 9. Lavelle was laid to rest at Allegheny Cemetery in Lawrenceville. FAMILY FAREWELL—Sons Robert M. Lavelle and John W. Lavelle, with their mother, widow Adah Moore Lavelle, at Allegheny Cemetery. He will always be remembered for his faithful devotion to God’s word and for his many years as an elder, a Sunday School teacher, and Wednesday night Bible study and worship service leader at Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church; as a Realtor who founded his own business in 1951 and in 1969 incorporated it as Lavelle Real Estate; and as a banker who served as a director of Dwelling House Savings and Loan Association, a minority-controlled institution, for more than 50 years.
At a Pittsburgh Board of Education public hearing where testimony was overwhelmingly directed at the restructuring of Westinghouse High School, few African-Americans participated. Those who did testify at the July 12 meeting did not have children who would be affected by the changes and their voices were lost behind a group of White women who have deemed the proposed single-gender academies as a practice of sexual apartheid. LONE SUPPORTER—Arita Gilliam stands alone with the only testimony in favor of single-gender academies at Westinghouse High School. “It is difficult to see this proposal as anything other than a ‘Hail Mary’ play, to try something—anything—to fix the problems of low achievement and low enrollment in the Pittsburgh Public Schools. But this is a very harmful proposal that will solve neither,” said Jeanne Clark, president of the Squirrel Hill Chapter of the National Organization for Women. “Since no data has been publicly revealed to justify the reasoning, one can only guess about that reasoning.”
Coming up on an off-year election, with no contested municipal elections, Ed Gainey has his work cut out for him, but he is unfazed. “Yes there are obstacles, but we have two important races with two strong candidates,” he said. “My job is to get out the vote. Joe Sestak has name recognition after his win over Arlen Specter and Dan (Onorato) has a successful story to tell. So, to me, it’s actually an advantage to be able to concentrate on the two races that will have the biggest impact.” ED GAINEY Getting the Democratic vote for the Senate and gubernatorial races is Gainey’s job because on June 29, he was elected to head Pittsburgh’s Democratic Committee.
With state budget decisions looming, many are worried what effect the ever present recession will have on education funding. In May, President Barack Obama’s administration began struggling to push through legislation that would provide $23 billion in emergency support to preserve education jobs. The bill is aimed at helping more than 100,000 teachers who have been laid off across the country. GRADUATING CLASS OF OLIVER HIGH SCHOOL—As teachers are laid off across the country, who will be left to lead tomorrow’s graduates? “It is crucial that we keep our teachers in the classroom,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Our teachers are vital to our students’ success, our economy’s success and our nation’s success. We must act now to prevent teachers from being laid off and ensure that America’s students have the knowledge and skills to succeed in the 21st century.”
