Pittsburg, PA
Literacy Pittsburgh helps those coming to America learn English, culture, and more | KD Sunday Spotlight
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Victor Ponce lives in Pittsburgh now, to pursue the American dream.
“To improve my life, to grow up, to be a better person, professional, to be independent,” said Ponce.
He came here, just three months ago from Cuba.
“The situation in Cuba is difficult right now,” he said.
Making such a big life change comes with challenges. Ponce said, “The new country, sometimes it’s difficult.”
From understanding English to the American culture, it’s a learning curve, but he said it’s getting easier with the help of the non-profit Literacy Pittsburgh. It’s an adult education organization serving people in Beaver County and Allegheny County.
KDKA’s Megan Shinn asked, “(to be) the next civil engineer?”
Ponce laughed and said, “I hope so.” This type of ambition drives about thirty-five-hundred adults, who receive Literacy Pittsburgh’s help every year.
About 22 paid teachers instruct free classes for students who were left behind and just arrived.
“To be alongside the journey of somebody like Victor and the thousands of students like him, that we serve, it is an honor,” Carey Harris, the non-profit’s CEO, said.
We’re talking about anyone who didn’t graduate from high school and wants to get their GED or brush up on skills for college or job training and those who immigrated here and are determined to learn English.
“There’s something wonderful happening in Pittsburgh right now,” Harris said. “We have so many new people coming and settling here, and so many people looking for that second chance.”
She said their instructors bridge the gap so students can succeed and find careers in Pittsburgh or get post-secondary education. It’s better lives through learning and it’s opening doors to current and new Americans.
“They’re the most resilient, tenacious people. They’re exactly the kind of people you want to live next door to. They’re the kind of people you want to hire,” said Harris.
Non-English-speaking students get placed in a class for their level or with a tutor whichever they prefer. Ponce is in at least one class, two times a week and it’s more than just A-B-C’s of English.
It’s opening opportunities and filling in the gap to help everyone in Pittsburgh live the American dream.
“I would like to say thank you too, I’m really grateful and glad to know this place, to know these people,” Ponce said.
They’ve added new programs recently. One is a digital skills program, to help with computer skills. The other is career-oriented programming. That includes lessons to connect students with their future careers, like a math class, for trade programs.
Literacy Pittsburgh is always looking for volunteer tutors and if you’re interested in getting involved with Literacy Pittsburgh you can find a link to the non-profit right here!
If you would like to see an organization highlighted in KDKA’s Sunday Spotlight segment, send Megan Shinn an email at mshinn@kdka.com!
Pittsburg, PA
About 5 pounds of bees removed from Acrisure Stadium scaffolding ahead of Morgan Wallen concerts
Acrisure Stadium is buzzing with excitement ahead of the back-to-back Morgan Wallen concerts. Except it’s not the fans generating all the excitement — it’s about 5 pounds of honeybees.
The Fine Family Apiary in Monongahela said it was contacted on Wednesday about a swarm of bees clustered on the stage scaffolding. The apiary put the swarm in a “nuc box” and took them home before moving the bees into full-size equipment.
Owner Al Fine estimates the swarm weighed about 4 to 5 pounds and consisted of 12,000 to 15,000 bees. All said, it took less than two hours to get the job done.
Why do bees swarm?
Swarming is how honeybees propagate, Fine explained. According to Penn State Extension, during swarming, the queen and about half the workers leave their home to establish a new nest. The bees will form a temporary cluster, hanging out while scouts search the surrounding area for a more permanent home in hollow spaces like tree cavities or, occasionally, the walls of a home.
Swarms can stick around for several hours or days until they’re ready to move, Penn State Extension says. Meanwhile, the colony left behind is temporarily without a leader until a new queen is established.
With the swarm at Acrisure Stadium removed, Morgan Wallen’s show is ready to go on. The country music megastar will bring his I’m The Problem Tour to Pittsburgh on June 5 and June 6, along with multiple acts like Brooks & Dunn and Ella Langley.
On Sept. 17, multi-platinum country music star Luke Bryan will bring his Farm Tour to 1846 Farms near Latrobe.
Westmoreland County is no stranger to large outdoor concerts. Some may remember the Rolling Rock Town Fair in the early 2000s, while others may recall Luke Bryan’s stop at a farm in South Huntingdon Township just two years ago. Now the country music superstar is returning to the area.
The Unity Township farm’s general manager, Aleisha Stas, gave KDKA a tour of the family farm, which dates back to before the Civil War. She says Bryan’s team first reached out after finding the farm on social media, but she says at first, she and her family thought it was too good to be true.
“This was around April Fools, so we thought it was an April Fools prank,” Stas said. “My whole family, we were like, there’s no way this is about to happen. But this has been incredible.”
Stas says Bryan’s team is handling everything logistically from parking and bathrooms to deciding exactly where the concert will be staged.
“If we have it on this side of the property, we can hold 12,000 people,” Stas said. “And if we have it on (the other side) of the property, it can be up to 20,000. But we have not determined that yet.”
Many of those decisions will be made as September gets closer. In the meantime, however, the farm is holding off on planting in certain fields until the final concert location is selected.
And while hosting thousands of people may sound a little intimidating, Stas says her family is excited to welcome fans to the farm for what they hope will be a memorable night.
“Obviously, we’ve never had this many people here before, so it will be a new thing for all of us, but we are not worried,” said Stas. “Luke Bryan’s team are experts with this, and I think it will go great.”
Tickets for this concert are currently on sale, and they will run you about $77 per person, plus tax for general admission.
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