Wednesday, October 01, 2003

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

REGENT SQUARE: Car hits pedestrian

A 40-year-old teacher walking her dogs was struck by a car while trying to cross South Braddock Avenue at Guthrie Street around 10:23 a.m. yesterday, city police said.

	City police work at the scene of an accident yesterday morning near the intersection of Guthrie Street and South Braddock Avenue. (Darrell Sapp, Post-Gazette)

The car struck the woman and swerved to avoid hitting her again before coming to rest in front of a home at 701 S. Braddock Ave., according to city police spokeswoman Tammy Ewin.

The woman had no identification on her at the time, but Ewin said someone recognized the dogs and led police to a house where they were able to confirm her identity and contact her family.

The woman, whom police would not identify, was taken to UPMC Presbyterian, where she was in critical condition last night.

No charges had been filed against the driver.

HAZELWOOD: Boy found on bus

A 5-year-old boy who had been missing since 6 last night was found 4 1/2 hours later on a school bus parked on Second Avenue in Hazelwood.

Police said Jordan Tenn was picked up by a driver for TC Unlimited bus company to be taken to a relative’s house on Bedford Avenue in the Hill District after leaving an after-school program at Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church.

But he never arrived. He was found around 10:30 p.m. on the bus, which was parked at the company’s garage.

Police said Jordan, a pupil at Miller Elementary School, appeared to be in good shape.

LARIMER: Man seriously wounded

An unidentified man was in serious condition at UPMC Presbyterian after he was shot three times in Larimer last night.

Pittsburgh police said the man, believed to be in his early 20s, was shot after purchasing a soft drink from the Victoria Beverage store on Paulson Avenue near Mayflower Street.

Police said the victim was returning to his car when an unidentified man came from behind the store on Polk Way and shot the victim in the abdomen, arm and leg. The suspect fled the area in an unidentified vehicle.

CITY SCHOOLS: INPUT SOUGHT ON REPORT

The Community Learning Outreach Hub is sponsoring three meetings where Pittsburgh residents can present observations and responses to the mayoral task force report on Pittsburgh Public Schools that was released last week.

One-hour sessions will be at noon tomorrow and 1 p.m. Friday at the school district's parent education resource center at Langley High School, 2940 Sheraden Blvd., Sheraden. The last session will be noon Sunday at the office of South Side activist Mark Rauterkus, 108 S. 12th St., South Side.

Rauterkus said the informal community group is sponsoring the sessions not for residents to debate the report by the Mayor's Commission on Public Education but so their ideas and comments can be collected and organized for release at a news conference that will be scheduled later.

Online registrations are being taken at www.idealist.org/orgs/85955:78#events. For directions to the resource center, call 412-778-2160, and to Rauterkus' office, call 412-298-3432.

Magnet schools info

Pittsburgh Public Schools will hold their annual Magnet Information Fair from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Frick International Studies Academy, Fifth Avenue and Thackeray Street, Oakland.

Representatives from nearly all of the district's magnet programs will have displays, provide printed information and respond to questions. Magnet programs specialize in particular areas like foreign languages, technology and performing arts.

The fair marks the official opening of the annual registration process for the programs, Superintendent John Thompson said.

Preferred registration for pupils who have sibling, program or geographic preference will be Tuesday through Oct. 11. General registration will be Nov. 4 to 15. Lotteries, if needed, will be conducted Dec. 16.

For additional information, call 412-622-3724.

PUBLIC WORKS: Bulk trash pickups halved

As part of city budget cuts, the Public Works Department will cut its bulk garbage collection to once monthly starting Oct. 13.

Collection of large items, including mattresses, furniture, boxes and the like, had been biweekly. With the city facing budget shortfalls of $40 million this year and $81 million in 2004, it is cutting back on household garbage collection and other services.

Collection schedules for regular refuse and recycling will stay the same. Details have been mailed to city homeowners, and collection schedules are also available at 412-255-2773 or the city's official Web site, www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us.

OAKLAND: Feedback on park design

More than 100 people filled the Carnegie Museum of Art Theater last night to learn more about and comment on a design that would convert Schenley Plaza from a parking lot to an amenity-filled park by landscape architect Alistair McIntosh of Sasaki Associates, Boston.

The audience seemed to be evenly divided between supporters and opponents.

Those who favored the plan praised its use of the plaza for people rather than cars.

"I think this design is exceptional," said Ethel Hansen of Fox Chapel. "I would be much more attracted to come into the Oakland area."

Among those who spoke out against the proposal, the primary concerns were traffic-related, including the net loss of 143 parking spaces.

Landscape architect Suzie Meyer, a member of the city Art Commission, told the group the commission last week voted against the plaza's design because they thought "it lacked clarity and vision."

The design will be reviewed at 3 p.m. today by the city Historic Review Commission in the John P. Robin Civic Building, 200 Ross St., Downtown.

CARNEGIE LIBRARY: $10 fee for computer class

Beginning today, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will begin charging $10 for some computer classes at its main library in Oakland.

While many of the classes will remain free -- including Introduction to Computers and Introduction to Windows -- the new fees are needed to maintain the quality of the instruction offered and help defray costs for the service, officials said.

All computer classes at the East Liberty branch will remain free, because they are fully funded through 2007 with federal Library Services and Technology Act funds administered by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries. Free computer training will also remain available at various neighborhood locations through the Carnegie's Mobile Classroom through December.

Payments will be accepted on site at class time. Visa, MasterCard, cash or a personal check with proper identification will be accepted.

SHADYSIDE: Hospital tower dedication

The UPMC Health System will dedicate UPMC Shadyside's newly renovated main building, now known as Posner Tower, in ceremonies this afternoon.

The $20 million renovation project was made possible in part by a donation from Henry Posner Jr. and his wife, Helen, in memory of their youngest son, Robert Bruce Posner, who died in 2000 while waiting for a liver transplant. The amount of the donation has not been disclosed, but is the largest in UPMC history and has been estimated at $12 million.

The project included renovated patient rooms, a new lobby, five operating rooms equipped for minimally invasive and robotically aided surgery and a new inpatient center for relief of pain.

Posner is chairman of Hawthorne Group, a Green Tree investment and management firm.

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