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Pittsburg, PA

East Bay city to bring back downtown community center

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East Bay city to bring back downtown community center


Residents in downtown Pittsburg will quickly as soon as once more have an area for leisure actions corresponding to basketball, karate, health lessons and indoor pickleball.

The previous Marina Neighborhood Heart – for many years used as a sheriffs’ coaching heart – is now being refurbished for all to get pleasure from. The Metropolis Council on Monday unanimously accredited the mission’s preliminary $750,000 finances utilizing surplus Measure M half-cent gross sales tax funds to deliver the previous heart at 340 Marina Blvd. again to its glory days.

Work first started on constructing a downtown group heart in 1972, and over the following 30 years, the constructing was used for quite a lot of issues, corresponding to senior providers, summer season applications, afterschool applications, lessons, a preschool, and metropolis and county workplaces. It was the town’s solely such heart.

“This grew to become that one-stop store or hub for group info and applications,” stated Kolette Simonton, Pittsburg director of recreation.

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However in 2002, the town leased the 13,300-square-foot property to Contra Costa County to function the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Academy, which introduced a police presence to the realm, which was experiencing crime points and was present process a giant redevelopment effort on the time, in keeping with Simonton.

The lease got here to an finish in December. Months earlier, Pittsburg notified the county it could not prolong the lease after the council had determined it was time to deliver the location again for leisure and academic functions. Residents had been asking for a group heart for some years.

In finances classes final Could, the council earmarked as much as $1.5 million for the refurbishing mission, noting it’s being completed in phases and employees may need to return to request extra funds for all of the renovations.

Among the enhancements embody repairing the gymnasium ground, HVAC repairs, making the constructing ADA accessible, and including new furnishings, safety and know-how, in keeping with the employees report.

As at present configured, the Marina Neighborhood Heart accommodates two massive lecture rooms, which might be used for something from dance and health to coaching and workshop area, together with a full gymnasium, which Simonton stated might be used for basketball, volleyball and pickleball.

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“There can be three courts of indoor pickleball, which can be preferrred for this space, as a result of we don’t have outside or indoor pickleball courts,” Simonton stated. “And what now we have heard from the pickleball group is that indoor courts are very a lot in want.”

Simonton additionally stated there can be area for youth camps, and the employees plans to have open gymnasium nights for anybody to return and use the gymnasium. Particulars on hours and days are nonetheless being labored out.

The gymnasium ground of the outdated Marina Neighborhood Heart in downtown Pittsburg is being refurbished in order that it may be used once more when the constructing reopens within the spring of 2023. 

Restore of the gymnasium ground is underway, she stated, noting it will likely be cheaper to refurbish than first thought as it’s nonetheless in comparatively good situation regardless of its age.

Simonton stated the estimated value to refurbish the gymnasium flooring can be $63,572.

When “we initially appeared on the flooring, we anticipated we have been going to spend fairly a bit of cash on these flooring,” Simonton stated. “We thought we might truly should tear them out and put down a brand new flooring.”

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Mayor Shanelle Scales-Preston stated she was pleased the gymnasium ground got here in underneath finances so a number of the cash may go towards different enhancements on the heart.

“I’m so excited in regards to the Marina Heart opening,” she stated. “I can’t wait till it opens up, simply to offer our youth area within the downtown space … to return and use this facility.”

Councilman Jelani Killings agreed.

“I share the thrill. I feel the entire group is sharing this pleasure proper now,” he stated wanting on the images of the middle’s early days and groups that performed there. “Whilst you present the photographs in your presentation, I keep in mind sporting these shirts, these jerseys; there’s nostalgia there.”

Simonton stated the mission ought to be accomplished in about 45 days and the constructing opened by April 1 “on the newest.”

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“We’re hoping it will likely be sooner,” she stated.



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Pittsburg, PA

Texans Release Former Steelers WR

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Texans Release Former Steelers WR


Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Steven Sims is searching for a new NFL home after the Houston Texans cut ties with the 27-year-old WR and kick returner. The Texans announced the move following the elevation of another receiver to their 53-man roster for their Week 16 matchup.

This was the former Steelers receiver’s second season in Houston. In seven games as the team’s returner, he returned seven kick-offs for 195 yards but failed to find the end zone. He wasn’t factoring into then offense at all, with just one carry and three receptions through his seven weeks of action.

The Steelers are quite familiar with Sims. During the 2022 season, he became the team’s primary kick and punt returner. He also became a fixture in the offense as a slot receiver. As a receiver, he hauled in 14 receptions on 23 targets for 104 yards and zero touchdowns. He also added on 13 rushing attempts for 70 yards.

He was much more productive in the return game. The speedy receiver fielded 19 punts over 12 games with the Steelers, collecting 105 yards. On kick-offs, he had 17 attempts for 434 yards, including a season-long of 89 yards.

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In his career, Sims has made a name for himself on special teams. He broke into the league with the Washington Commanders and had a sensational rookie season in 2019 as a returner. That year he had 32 return attempts and collected 819 yards, including a 91-yard return for the sole return touchdown of his five-year career.

Sims went undrafted in the NFL following his collegiate career at Kansas. With the Jayhawks, he hauled in at least 50 catches in three straight seasons. His career best came as a sophomore, when he racked up 859 yards and seven touchdowns over 12 games.

It’s been a tough week for former Steelers receivers. Sims joins former star receiver Diontae Johnson in the free agent market. Johnson had recently been acquired by the rival Baltimore Ravens but lasted just a few weeks before being released.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI to get all your daily Pittsburgh Steelers news, interviews, breakdowns and more!



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Pittsburg, PA

Icy roads, snow across Pittsburgh area leads to several crashes

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Icy roads, snow across Pittsburgh area leads to several crashes


Icy roads, snow across Pittsburgh area leads to several crashes – CBS Pittsburgh

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Snow across the Pittsburgh area on Saturday morning made a mess of the roads. KDKA-TV’s Ricky Sayer was out tracking some crashes and shares some close calls.

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Pittsburg, PA

Steelers fall to Ravens, 34-17

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Steelers fall to Ravens, 34-17


The two miscues by Wilson spoiled an otherwise solid game for the Steelers quarterback. With the Steelers playing without top wide receiver George Pickens, Wilson threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns.

But it was the turnovers and Baltimore’s rushing attack that led to the Steelers (10-5) failing in their attempt to clinch the AFC North title.

Even with the loss, the Steelers remain in first place in the AFC North, tied with Baltimore (10-5) based on tiebreakers. The Steelers can still win the division title if they win their remaining final two games.

The Steelers host the Chiefs on Christmas Day, then finish the regular season at home against Cincinnati, while the Ravens travel to Houston on Christmas Day and host Cleveland.

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Lamar Jackson, who entered this game having thrown five touchdown passes and eight interceptions in his career against the Steelers, leading to a 1-4 record, threw three touchdown passes and one interception.

This game was more about Baltimore’s running game, however, as Derrick Henry gained 162 yards on 24 carries as Baltimore, which entered having lost eight of the past nine games against the Steelers, rushed for over 200 yards in the game.

The Ravens drove across midfield on their opening possession, but Alex Highsmith had a strip sack of Jackson. And though the Ravens recovered the loose ball, they were out of field goal range and forced to punt.

The punt, however, was downed at 3 and the Steelers failed to record a first down, punting the ball back to Baltimore.

Return man Desmond King fumbled, but the Ravens recovered that loose ball, as well, and after Henry carried the Ravens inside the 10, Jackson tossed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely for a 7-0 lead.

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The Steelers answered quickly, though, as Wilson completed all six of his passes on the ensuing possession to five different receivers, including a 1-yard TD pass to tight end Mycole Pruitt on the opening play of the second quarter to tie the game at 7-7.

The Steelers forced a punt on Baltimore’s ensuing possession, and it went just 14 yards, giving Pittsburgh the ball at its own 44.

Wilson again quickly moved the Steelers down the field. But at the end of a 20-yard scramble, he was hit by safety Ar’Darious Washington at the 4 and fumbled, with Baltimore recovering.

That would prove to be a big swing, as the Ravens drove the length of the field from there in eight plays, scoring on a 14-yard touchdown pass to Rashod Bateman from Jackson on third-and-8 to take a 14-7 lead.

It was only the third touchdown this season allowed by the Steelers following a turnover.

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The Steelers were forced to punt and Baltimore got into field goal range for a 51-yard Justin Tucker kick that increased its lead to 17-7 with just under two minutes remaining in the half.

But Wilson deftly maneuvered the Steelers into scoring range for Chris Boswell at the end of the half, a 51-yard field goal of his own, that cut the lead to 17-10.

The two teams traded punts to open the second half when the Steelers got the ball back at their own 12. Wilson connected with Calvin Austin III off of play-action down the sideline for a 44-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage and then finished off the drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Cordarrelle Patterson to tie the game at 17-17 with 5:14 remaining in the third quarter.

The completion to Patterson marked the ninth different Steelers player to make a catch at that point.

But working against a Pittsburgh pass defense that opened the game without safety DeShon Elliott and cornerback Donte Jackson and then lost corner Joey Porter Jr. to a calf injury in the first half, Jackson threw his third touchdown pass of the game, this one to tight end Mark Andrews from 7 yards out to put the Ravens back on top, 24-17.

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It was the first touchdown catch by Andrews – Baltimore’s all-time touchdowns leader – in 11 career games against the Steelers.

The Steelers drove across midfield on their next possession, and on fourth-and-6 from the 45, the Steelers kept the offense on the field. On the opening play of the fourth quarter, Wilson took the shotgun snap and scanned the field. Austin broke free over the middle and he attempted to hit him at the goal line. But safety Kyle Hamilton came in and broke up the pass and the Steelers turned the ball over on downs.

Henry broke free for a 44-yard run to the Pittsburgh 11. But on the next play, Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepted Jackson at the Pittsburgh 8 and returned it 24 yards to the 32 to turn the Ravens away.

But after a first-down run, Wilson threw a pass behind Pruitt that was intercepted by Marlon Humphrey and returned 37 yards for a touchdown that increased Baltimore’s lead to 31-17 with just over 13 minutes remaining in the game.

The Ravens added a 23-yard Tucker field goal with 3:10 remaining in the game to push their lead to 34-17.

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