Joyce Hanz stories, Page 10
Sewickley teen completes Russian immersion language program in Kazakhstan
A Sewickley Academy student traveled far and wide to further her Russian language education this summer. Global Studies student Maren Webb was selected for the U.S. Department of State’s National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NLSI-Y) program. The fully-funded scholarship provided Webb with a seven-week study abroad opportunity in Kazakhstan,...
Pickleball Club serves up campus camaraderie at Fox Chapel Area High SchoolVideo
If you thought pickleball was only for the older set, guess again. Young whippersnappers have taken up the sport and are loving it, too. Just ask Fox Chapel Area senior Peter Mascilli, 17. The O’Hara resident started an on-campus pickleball club at the high school to deflect boredom and promote...
Western Pennsylvania restaurants adding more exotic appetizers to menus
Move over wings and mozzarella sticks — not-your-average appetizers are showing up on menus across Western Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh’s Ritual House chef Ed Smith said restaurants are looking to provide unique appetizer options for their clientele. “They’re paying more attention and elevating appetizer offerings as they set the tone for the...
Young chef fulfills lifelong dream, opens Italian bistro in former CC’s Cafe in Sharpsburg
Old is new again at a staple Italian restaurant in Sharpsburg. Ranucci’s Trattoria is the newest restaurant in the borough, but customers who frequent the former CC’s Cafe Italian Cuisine can expect to enjoy the same neighborhood hospitality they’ve enjoyed since CC’s opened in 1995. Owner/chef Robert Volpe of the...
Daycation Destination: The Haunted House Restaurant in Cleveland Heights
Horror aficionados have a restaurant dedicated to a year-round Halloween-themed dining experience in Cleveland. Take a daycation to The Haunted House Restaurant in Cleveland Heights, where costumed staff serve up frightfully fun food and drinks along with spooky vibes. It opened in 2021 and is packed with ghoulish decor, offering...
Student-led TEDx club sparks collaborative conversations at Sewickley Academy
Let’s talk. That’s the message from high school students involved in the TEDxYouth Club at Sewickley Academy. The club was made possible last year by alumnus Anjali Shah and the school has partnered with TEDx to host an official conference annually. Shah was determined to create a local club that...
Sewickley Academy fundraiser celebrates 70 years
An apparel-themed fundraiser on campus celebrated its 70th anniversary at Sewickley Academy. The Annual Clothesline Sale is a week-long event held on campus that sells clothing and accessories to the public. It’s organized and sponsored by The Home and School Association of Sewickley Academy to support the education of the...
Coffee-loving couple rolling along with mobile bus business
Erica and Cameron Lewis had been married a mere week when they decided to “hop on the bus.” The Winfield Township couple bought a used school bus at auction in Butler for $6,000 with plans to transform it into a mobile coffee business. The Bus Stop Coffee Co. celebrates its...
2024 Medallion Ball candidates mingle with Bishop David Zubik at tea social in Fox Chapel
Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik was the guest of honor during a recent annual tea social in Fox Chapel. The Medallion Tea, benefiting St. Lucy’s Auxilary to the Blind, was held Sept. 22 at the Pittsburgh Field Club. Guests and Medallion Ball candidates enjoyed desserts, tea and fellowship...
Murdoch Farms ‘Blinker House’ on the market in Squirrel Hill
A stately stone home is on the market in the Murdoch Farms neighborhood of Squirrel Hill. Known as the “Blinker House,” the limestone residence is listed for $2.6 million by Realtor David Onufer of Hanna Luxury Real Estate, Onufer Team of Squirrel Hill. “Homes like this come along once in...
Reel in fish sandwiches year-round at these Western Pa. eateries
Pittsburgh is no stranger to the fish sandwich scene. When Lenten season rolls around each year, fish sandwiches are abundant and sold at just about every VFD, church hall and restaurant in Western Pennsylvania. But what if you’re craving fish-on-bun-fun the rest of the year? These regional fish-friendly restaurants serve...
Salim’s Middle Eastern Foods to close after 45 years in North Oakland
A staple of the Middle Eastern food community is closing in North Oakland. Co-owners Rosemarie and Salim El-Tahch opened Salim’s Middle Eastern Foods a year after they married in 1978. Forty-five years later, they’re still operating from their original location at 4705 Centre Ave. But the end looms as the...
Braddock Public House opens in former historic car dealership space
There’s a new place to party in Braddock. Braddock Public House is a casual brewpub and distillery located at 1211 Braddock Ave., across the street from the historic Edgar Thomson Steel Mill, in operation since 1875. The official ribbon-cutting grand opening celebration is Saturday, with a lineup of beer, beverages,...
McClellan Elementary students, staff celebrate kindergartener’s cancer victoryVideo
A 5-year-old boy with a penchant for Spiderman is swinging back to school after a 16-month fight with cancer, and he’s got the support of an entire school district and community behind him. To help celebrate the news of Mason Desiderio’s recent cancer-free diagnosis from his medical team at Children’s...
Fox Chapel Area High School crowns 2024 Homecoming king and queen
Homecoming happenings were in full swing Sept. 13 as the annual Fox Chapel Area Community Carnival kicked off an evening of festivities in the district. The carnival was held on the front lawn and parking lot of Fox Chapel Area High School’s campus. Activities included a petting zoo, live music...
Franklin Park lakefront estate is on the market for $4.2M
A lake estate offering privacy, nature and abundant water-themed activities is on the market in Franklin Park. The luxurious sprawling brick and stone home located at 1635 Pegher Lane is tucked away down a private paved driveway and nestled next to a six-acre lake. It’s listed for $4.2 million with...
Western Pa. overflowing with Oktoberfest celebrations
Cheers to beers, bratwurst and celebrating Bavarian German culture as Oktoberfest celebrations are brewing throughout Western Pennsylvania. Inspired by Munich’s iconic Oktoberfest beer festival, most Americans are surprised to learn that Oktoberfest kicks off in September, not October, and the 2024 Oktoberfest in Munich runs from Sept. 21 to Oct....
New restaurant fuses authentic Mexican fare with flair in O’Hara
Luis Gil-Chacon is only 22 and already owns his first restaurant. The O’Hara resident is on a mission to reinvent how Pittsburgh patrons enjoy authentic Mexican food. Gil-Chacon, formerly of Robinson, partnered with his mother, Belsy Chacon, also now of O’Hara, to open Viva La Vida (which means “live your...
Japanese-inspired Golden Gai restaurant opening in Bakery Square
Diners will soon be able to experience authentic Japanese-inspired cuisine in Bakery Square. But without the jetlag. Golden Gai, the 11th and newest eatery in the Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group, is set to open on Oct. 15 in Pittsburgh’s East End neighborhood and reservations are now available via Open Table....
Oakmont Bakery adds 3rd ‘candidate’ to election-themed sweets
Care to crunch on your favorite presidential candidate? It’s happening at Oakmont Bakery with a recent rollout of the traditional election candidate cookies, embossed with iced edible images of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. The cookies are made with edible rice paper embossed on an iced...
Lawrenceville Distilling Co. expanding to Verona in old bank building
Brothers Joe and Jeremy DeGroot are banking on their decision to open a second location for their Lawrenceville-based distillery business. They opened Lawrenceville Distilling Co. in 2018, producing small batch vodka, bourbon, absinthe, gin and craft cocktails, with a tasting room and event space. The second location in a former...
Western Pennsylvanians embrace tradition, innovation with canning
It’s canning season in Western Pennsylvania. “You can ‘can’ just about everything,” said Denise Relihan, 55, of Harrison. “Tomatoes, peppers, garlic, rice, fruit, jellies, beans, juices, vegetables and meat too. The list goes on.” Relihan has a designated canning room in her home and learned the art of canning from...
Blind, hearing-impaired Zach Grabowski shines with Three Rivers Rowing
Zach Grabowski doesn’t let his lifelong disabilities define him. Instead, the 32-year-old avid competitive rower works a part-time job at a pizza shop in West Deer, earning money to support his rowing endeavors with the adaptive team of Three Rivers Rowing Association in Pittsburgh. Grabowski was born blind, hearing impaired...
DelGrosso’s Amusement Park serves up Italian-themed family funVideo
An Italian-themed amusement park entertaining families since 1946 has blended the perfect ingredients for fun in Tipton, Pa. DelGrosso’s Park and Laguna Splash is a seasonal destination boasting more than 30 rides, an expansive Italian-themed waterpark and famous food, all made possible because two Italian immigrants met and fell in...
Mt. Washington home has sweeping views of Pittsburgh
Homeowners Jody and Lynn Bunting are prepping to say goodbye to their showcase home atop Pittsburgh’s Mt. Washington neighborhood — and the sweeping views that come with their property overlooking the Ohio, Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. “It’s the best view in Pittsburgh,” said Jody Bunting. “It’s right over the fountain.”...
