In brief: Plum, Oakmont area events, week of April 29, 2024

Plum High auditorium to get new lighting system

The Plum School Board approved paying Integrated Theatre Systems about $333,680 for a new lighting system for the high school auditorium.

Integrated’s cost, one of three considered by the district, was in the middle. Despite there being a lower cost, it was recommended as the most comprehensive job, and Integrated has been maintaining the auditorium since 2001.

According to the district, Integrated’s proposal can use the current wiring to avoid rewiring the entire stage, integrates relays into the current rack system to avoid replacing it and includes equipment the district would rent for productions.

The current lighting system is 21 years old and has not been updated since the auditorium was built in 2003. It operates on a 3.5-inch floppy disk and uses incandescent bulbs. With more than half of the stage lights not working and damaged beyond repair, the district has been renting equipment for its play and musical.

Plum School Board hires PR firm

The Plum School Board has approved an agreement with Carrie On Communications for public relations.

According to the agreement, the cost is $4,000 per month based on an estimated 40 hours of service per month. A one-time cost for developing and coding the framework for a monthly e-newsletter will apply but was not detailed. Graphic design fees will be hourly, as-needed, but not exceed $500 per month without written approval.

Established in 2010, Carrie On Communications describes itself as a boutique public relations and communications agency.

For the school district, Carrie On Communications’ services will include providing information to the In Plum quarterly magazine; a monthly digital newsletter for families and employees beginning in May; general communications support and consultation; and an annual report published in June.

Purchase of 2 buses approved by Plum School Board

The Plum School Board has approved buying two new school buses.

A 21-passenger bus cost the district $105,922, while a 30-passenger bus cost $93,806.

Both are 2025 models and will be delivered in July.

Plum Borough, school district accept Longwood agreement

Plum and the Plum School District have approved a revised eight-year tax payment agreement with Longwood at Oakmont.

Borough Council approved a revised version of the agreement to reflect the borough’s 38.7% property tax increase in its 2024 budget. Longwood’s payment to the borough increased from $105,380 to $146,165.

Under the previous agreement, payments could go up if any taxing body increased its property tax rate, but increases were capped at 3%. The new agreement has no limit on how much payments can increase.

Although the school district’s payment did not change, the school board voted to accept the agreement again at its April 16 meeting because of the change.

The agreement runs through 2031. The school district receives the largest share of tax payments on two Longwood parcels in Plum assessed at a combined $61.2 million.

Plum School Board approves hirings

The Plum School Board approved hiring several employees at its April 16 meeting.

Gerard Jamison was hired as a van driver effective April 17 at a pay rate of $18 per hour. Reno Corradini was hired as a full-time custodian at Plum Middle School at $18.35 per hour.

Hired as food service workers were Diana Roberts, effective April 17, and Courtney O’Connell, effective April 22, each at $15 per hour.

Emmanuel Beard was changed from a bus driver to a substitute bus driver effective April 1 at $20 per hour.

Retirements approved were Judy Grassi, paraprofessional at O’Block Elementary, effective May 31; bus aide Nancy May, effective June 7; and Cierra Lent, food service at Plum High School, effective April 19.

‘Bowl for the Cure’ scheduled

The 15th annual “Bowl for the Cure” will be held beginning at 9 a.m. May 18 at Nesbit’s Lanes, 3501 Leechburg Road in Plum.

The cost is $20 per person or $100 per lane and includes bowling, shoes, pizza, pop, random drawings, a 50/50 drawing, basket auction and door prizes.

Proceeds benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation, a nonprofit that raises money to help those diagnosed with breast cancer and survivors.

For more information, contact Seanna at 412-510-3876 or by email at bowlforthecure@comcast.net.

Vitalant schedules blood drive in Oakmont

Vitalant will hold a blood drive from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 26 in the parish hall at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 374 Delaware Ave. in Oakmont.

Vitalant is a nonprofit blood and biotherapies healthcare organization that provides blood to hospitals and patients across the U.S., specialized laboratory services, transfusion medicine expertise and research.

Appointments to donate can be made online at vitalant.org, by calling 877-258-4825 or with the Vitalant smartphone app.

Plum Class of ’74 reunion in works

The Plum High School Class of 1974 will celebrate its 50th reunion Sept. 13 at Veltre’s Wedding & Event Center, 324 Coxcomb Hill Road in Plum.

For more info, call 412-366-6689 or email plumalum74@gmail.com.

Pull tabs collected for charity

The Plum Recycling Committee is collecting aluminum can tabs as part of the “Million Tab Challenge” benefitting Pittsburgh’s Ronald McDonald House.

Collection containers are at 18 locations in Plum — borough building, community center, EMS building, Holiday Park firehall, Italian Club, John Anthony’s, Lelulo’s, Plum Library, Longwood at Oakmont, Nestbit’s, Oakmont Elks, public works building, recreation desk at the borough building, S&T Bank on Saltsburg Road, Shooti’s, Shop ‘n Save on Golden Mile Highway, Stanford and the Sampson YMCA.

Tabs are taken to a local scrap metal yard and weighed for cash, which is used to support the mission of the Ronald McDonald House. For information, contact Morgan Knox with the Pittsburgh Ronald McDonald House at 412-246-1103.

Oakmont library offers chess club

A free chess club for kids ages 8 to 19 is available at the Oakmont Carnegie Library.

The class meets from 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays. No experience is necessary, and no registration is required. Sessions will include introducing chess pieces and how they move, opening moves and setups, controlling the center and mid-game scenarios, checkmating and endgame, and chess etiquette.

The library is at 700 Alle¬gheny River Blvd. in Oakmont.For details, call 412-828-9532.

Group offers support for weight loss

The Oakmont TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) chapter, a support group to help those struggling with weight loss, meets Tuesday evenings at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1261 Pennsylvania Ave. in Oakmont. Meetings begin with a private weigh-in between 5:45 and 6:10 p.m.

Anyone interested in joining can attend a meeting and decide if TOPS is right for them. For details, call 412-828-3854 or email jmjkwj@gmail.com.