Peaceful Protest Adults and kids, bikes and signs filled Washington Road on June 11 as a crowd convened in Dormont and Mt. Lebanon for a Black Lives Matter protest. Pennsylvania State Police estimated the crowd to be about 800 people. The procession began on West Liberty Avenue in Dormont and moved south to Washington Road’s intersection with Jefferson Drive, where participants took a knee for eight minutes and 46 seconds in memory of George Floyd, who was killed by Minneapolis police in May. The protest, which then turned north and walked back to the starting point, was peaceful; police reported no arrests. To ensure the safety of the protestors, police closed the Washington Road route, blocked off access from all side streets, prohibited on-street parking and maintained a constant, low-key presence to give marchers the ability to exercise their First Amendment rights.

Remember our “Look Up Lebo” traffic safety signs? We’ve kept the safety theme and transitioned the message to reflect what’s going on now. Masks are in. They’re going to be around for a while. Be safe. Keep up with the latest developments on Mt. Lebanon COVID-19 page on our website, mtlebanon.org/corona.

Citziens’ Fire Academy Many of Mt. Lebanon’s volunteer firefighters decided they want to join the company after participating in the Mt. Lebanon Citizens’ Fire Academy. It’s a perfect look into the job of a firefighter, including simulations, demonstrations and real-world scenarios. Now, the job of a first responder has been in the spotlight and many more of you have considered answering the call to help.

Consider this your invitation to see it firsthand: The fire department is forging ahead with the 2020 Citizens’ Fire Academy, infused, of course, with plenty of safety precautions. The free academy will run September 23 through November 13, with outdoor sessions and a smaller cohort to provide for appropriate social distancing. Most classes are on Wednesdays at the Public Safety Center, 555 Washington Road, with a special Saturday session at the Washington County Fire Academy. Registration is open to Mt. Lebanon residents.

Classes include such topics as: fire science, extinguishers, forcible entry search, thermal imaging, ladders, auto extrication and fire prevention. Because we don’t know the trajectory of the pandemic, the academy could be cancelled if the fire department believes it can’t be done safely. In the meantime, they are working to make it fun, informative and a great preview of what life is like on the front lines.

Get your spot while you can.

Green Groceries
• Shop local at farmers’ markets, by joining a food co-op or community supported agriculture program, or by checking labels at the grocery store to see if produce is locally grown.
• Don’t overbuy food when out fruit-picking or when visiting a farmers’ market. Purchase what you can consume before it spoils.
• Consider installing a compost bin in your yard for food scraps to reduce your waste accumulation and to convert spoiled produce into useful energy for your garden.
• Consider ways to get protein from locally produced non-meat options. Every pound of beef requires more than 25 pounds of feed and 1,800 gallons of water, and releases more than 25 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
• Always keep a few reuseable containers in your car for bulk food purchases, deli salads, and other ready-mades.
• Stop buying bottled water and encourage your family to carry reuseable water bottles.