Harry Funk stories, Page 2

This holiday season undoubtedly is a difficult one for the Kirsopp family of Hampton. For the first time, Robbie, Ray and Rachel are facing the challenge of trying to celebrate without their father, township police Sgt. Robert James Kirsopp, who died May 1 at age 52. But his children and...

The holiday tradition of model railroad displays helped get Ray Mueser hooked on the hobby. “My dad had two Lionels he put around the Christmas tree, and he had houses. One time they went out,” Mueser recalled about his parents, “and when they came home, I had all the houses...

A potential 1-mill real estate tax increase in Reserve corresponds with the township’s negotiation this year of a new collective bargaining agreement. “The reason for that is they have to be competitive with other departments,” township manager Jan Kowalski explained. “If they are not earning a similar salary to other...

Real estate taxes in Ross could rise by 1 mill, according to the township’s 2025 draft budget as presented at the Nov. 6 board of commissioners committee meeting. “I believe that this budget sensibly appropriates the funds to which the township has available, while real estate reassessments, inflation and large...

With the approach of winter, plenty of feet will have added protection thanks to the Walk On with Walter Paul Foundation. After the unexpected passing of Walter Paul Miller II at age 44, his sister Mandi started an effort in his memory to collect socks for donation to those in...

While serving with the U.S. Army in the Middle East, Sgt. Maj. Colin Boley received orders to lead a raid on an enemy position. “They told me that we had a meeting place, simply two people, not a big deal,” he recalled. “So I decided to tell my young leaders,...

Two Hampton Middle School faculty members, plus the father of a teacher at the high school, have been honored for their military service. Hampton Heroes, a school district program to honor local veterans, has inducted about 200 men and women since its formation in 2001. This year’s inductees include Mark...

In 1969, the U.S. Army drafted 20-year-old David Augustine and eventually assigned him to a unit patrolling highways along the coast of South Vietnam. “One morning, he and his platoon could hear a battle going on in the distance,” Brooklyn Fitzsimmons, his granddaughter, reported. “They all got into their tanks...

First came the announcement of a $500,00 grant. A couple of weeks later, another award was for triple that amount. All of which means that money available toward fulfilling the vision of the Etna Center for Community stands at just under $6 million. “That allows us to do the project...

Beyond the basics of clippers and scissors is a specialty for the scalp. “We’ve seen really amazing results with people who are struggling with any type of dry skin on their scalp, or oil buildup or product buildup,” stylist Bekah Reeves said. She is trained in Japanese head spa treatment,...

Think back to the ups and downs of your early years in school. Then consider how the experience must have been for students like Brenyn Caplan. “I remember sitting in class, and I just wanted to read, but I couldn’t, at all. It was really difficult for me because everybody...

Imagine “The Sound of Music” with Julie Andrews’ voice supplanted by kazoos. Sure, cacophony may come to mind. But for the folks who raggedly buzzed the melody of “Do Re Mi” during Open Mic Night, the operative word was fun. And that’s what Christi Wilcox wants people to have when...

Eight years ago, a recently returned Bethel Park native started contacting media outlets about a project he was promoting. Bill Haberthur, a 1978 Bethel Park High School graduate who moved back after a career primarily in New York City, wanted to spread the word about plans to renovate the building...

Feet on the ground meant music to the ears. Since its second year of existence, the nonprofit Hampton Alliance for Educational Excellence has organized a combination 5-kilometer race and 1-mile walk as its main fundraiser. Prior to the start of this year’s 32nd annual event, held Oct. 13, participants and...

The building may have a new look, especially on its South Park Road side. But the mission of South Hills Interfaith Movement — in its concise form, “neighbors helping neighbors” — remains the same. “You drive past here, and you don’t know who walks in the door. It could be...

Shaler’s Undercliff Volunteer Fire Company has more reason to celebrate its 115th anniversary than merely a number. This year, the company finally received a new pumper truck that was ordered back in 2021. And thanks to a home-improvement corporation’s generosity, Undercliff’s building on Mt. Royal Boulevard is undergoing its first...

When a commercial nursery in Bradford Woods closed in the 1980s, developers no doubt eyed up the 4½ acres as a potential site for pricey homes. Property owners Ted and Janet Eck had a different idea. “When they left, they wanted to have their property remain open space for the...

In September, she took a trip to Texas. In November, she’ll be in the Big Apple. “Last year, I went to Arizona,” Desolina Postreich said as she approached her 14th birthday. “That was my first time ever flying alone.” While she enjoys her opportunities to travel around the country at...

Reports of vinyl’s death were greatly exaggerated. The mid-1980s advent of the compact disc prompted many a misguided music collector to dispense with scratch-susceptible records and replace them with the new medium. Eventually, the convenience of streaming services basically sent CDs the way of the dodo, while the products they...

Marshall Trunk-or-Treat Marshall Township’s Trunk-or-Treat event is scheduled for 1 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Elias Fry Barn in Knob Hill Community Park, 415 Knob Road. Registration is required. Visit secure.rec1.com/PA/marshall-township-pa/catalog. St. John’s Trunk-or-Treat A community Trunk-or-Treat is scheduled for 2 to 3 p.m. Oct. 27 at St. John’s Lutheran...

Sorry, they were told. The property no longer is for sale. Practitioners of Islam in the North Hills were seeking a location for a mosque and thought they’d found an ideal place, the home of a congregation that was embarking on building a bigger house of worship. Then came the...