TAKE A FATHER TO SCHOOL—Frank Battles with daughter, Amaya Springs. (Photo by J.L. Martello)

More than 5,000 were expected to turn out for the Pittsburgh Public School District’s annual Take a Father to School Day this year. And at Weil PreK-5 in the Hill District, school staff said they saw the greatest participation they’ve ever had.

“We’ve never had a turn out like this,” said Princess Hughes, a parent organizer at Weil. “We always get a lot of moms but we’ve never had this many dads.”

Now in it’s 15th year, the nationally recognized event, which received the MAGNA Award from the American School Board Journal, the National School Boards Association and Sodexo last year, was held at schools around the district on May 17. At Weil many of the dads have been involved with the event since it’s inception.

Alpha Weekend 2013
    MAY 24—The Alpha Omicron Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. will host Alpha Weekend 2013. The four-day event will include a Happy Hour at James Street Gastropub; Alphas vs. NPHC at the Thelma Lovette YMCA; Church with the Alphas at Mulberry Community Church; the All Black Everything Party at 3 Lakes Golf Course; and the Alpha Cookout at the Westinghouse Lodge.

BILL PEDUTO

After one of the strangest Democratic Primary seasons on record, which saw a sitting mayor beset by scandal drop out, then seven candidates file petitions, three of them drop out, then one of the remaining four get arrested for public drunkenness, the voters of Pittsburgh have finally chosen Bill Peduto as their next mayor.

As of Courier press deadline, and with 78 percent of the precincts reporting Peduto had 53 percent of the vote to Jack Wagner’s 40 percent according to the county board of elections’ unofficial results. State Rep. Jake Wheatley came in third with 7 percent of the vote, and community activist A. J. Richardson finished last with less than 1 percent.
Peduto will face Republican Josh Wander in the November general election, which given that no Republican has held the seat in more than 80 years, would seem to be a formality.

There wil be no such formality in the District 6 city council race, as no Republican filed. Barring a November run from an independent, Councilman R. Daniel Lavelle will be sworn in again after winning 53 percent of the vote, more than twice that of his two rivals, former Councilwomen Tonya Payne and attorney Franco “Dok” Harris, combined.

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