Joyce Hanz stories, Page 11
Hankering for a hoagie? These hoagie havens are on a roll
How do you hoagie? The beloved nickname bestowed upon specialty hot and cold specialty sandwiches served up throughout the Northeast, featuring various combinations of meat, veggies, cheese and toppings, is found on many a menu in Pittsburgh. There’s even a day dedicated to all things hoagie — May 5 is...
Inaugural Newsapalooza festival to host CBS journalist Robert Costa as keynote speaker
An upcoming three-day festival is the latest effort by Point Park University’s Center for Media Innovation to spotlight the importance of celebrating and supporting journalism. The inaugural Newsapalooza event is scheduled for Sept. 26 to 28 at Point Park and its Pittsburgh Playhouse. The interactive program invites the public into...
Family and friends of Roxanne Bonnoni, 11, gather to honor her at vigil in Natrona
Heather Bonnoni is doing her best to remain strong amid family tragedy. Bonnoni helped to organize a family-hosted public vigil Friday night honoring her late niece, Roxanne Alexis Bonnoni. Roxanne was killed Tuesday evening when she was struck by a vehicle traveling on North Canal Street in Harrison’s Natrona neighborhood....
Vigil to honor Natrona girl rescheduled for tonight
A public vigil to honor the life of Roxanne Alexis Bonnoni is rescheduled for tonight. The vigil is scheduled for 9 p.m. at the grassy field along North Canal Street in Harrison’s Natrona neighborhood. Bonnoni, 11, was killed while crossing the road near her home Tuesday evening. Bonnoni was hearing...
2024 fall foliage forecast impacted by record heat in Western Pennsylvania
Fall foliage enthusiasts can expect a less vibrant leaf-peeping season this year in Western Pennsylvania, according to experts. Certified arborist Eric Countryman of Swissvale has studied trees for 15 years. He said this year’s record-breaking heat and lack of rain across Western Pennsylvania will likely result in trees turning colors...
What’s the most expensive car one can buy in Western Pennsylvania?
What kind of person seeks to buy the most expensive car in the Pittsburgh region? The sales team at Bentley Pittsburgh knows. The Marshall Township dealership, located between Lexus and Tesla showrooms on Perry Highway, has the distinction of selling the priciest ride in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The British luxury vehicles...
Castle-themed estate for sale in Indiana County
All that’s missing is the moat. Chateau de Lions is a castle-themed estate nestled among 58 acres in rural Indiana County, listed last week for $1.2 million with Elaine Shetler-Libent of Keller Williams Realty. “This listing is priced lower than the appraisal,” Shetler-Libent said. The English-inspired stone residence is from...
Longtime Buffalo Township movie theater set to close, reopen under local ownership
One of the few remaining movie theaters in the Alle-Kiski Valley is set to close, but only for a few weeks as new ownership takes over. The AMC Classic South Pike 10 cinema complex is scheduled to shutter its doors Thursday, according to Buffalo Township Supervisor Mike Oehling Jr. and...
Turtle noodler: Irwin man continues family legacy of catching turtles with bare handsVideo
Joe Clemens of Irwin has a dangerous hands-on hobby. Clemens is a fourth-generation turtle noodler, a pursuit where one catches snapping turtles with their bare hands from underwater holes in the banks of freshwater rivers, creeks and ponds. “I’m pretty much one of the last ones left around here in...
Meet Thelma Tambellini, Wholey’s longest-tenured employeeVideo
She doesn’t eat seafood, but that hasn’t stopped a longtime employee from making a career out of crustaceans and fish at Wholey’s in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. Thelma Tambellini, 65, the longest-employed staff member at Wholey’s, is easy to spot in her standard uniform featuring a bright-blue Wholey shirt and name...
La Vigneta Winery expanding operations in Buffalo Township
A Buffalo Township winemaker is pouring her entrepreneurial energy into expanding the family winery. Francesca Howden is the petite Italian force behind the 12-year success of La Vigneta Winery in Buffalo Township. “My parents always made wine when I was growing up. Dad always made it in the basement,” Howden...
Former Catholic church, 10-bedroom rectory on the market in Duquesne
A former church and rectory previously owned by the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh is for sale in Duquesne. The former Holy Name Church, located at 32 S. First St., is listed by Nicholas Haller of Agresti Real Estate, based in Erie, for $349,900. The current asking price has been slashed...
Beefed up: Western Pa.’s burger scene gets bigger and bolder
Look out Pittsburgh — restaurant burgers are getting bigger and more creative. The classic burger that once graced most menus has evolved into beefy specialty creations at most eateries. “Gone are the days of your traditional burger,” said Cicero’s Bar & Grill co-owner Olivia Rapone. “They’re not as simple anymore.”...
Tropical Storm Debby impacts vacationers from Western Pa.
Some Western Pennsylvanians hoping for picture-perfect vacation weather this week in the coastal Southeast are experiencing a Debby downer. Debby was downgraded to a tropical storm Tuesday but was a Category 1 hurricane when it slammed onshore Monday in Florida. Candi Stewart of Leechburg had the flight of her life...
West Leechburg native pens trilogy of books about his international aerospace career
Most jobs don’t result in your car being destroyed by debris from an exploding rocket. But for Daniel Kovalchik, formerly of Allegheny Township, Leechburg and West Leechburg, a workday in 1997 turned tragic at Cape Canaveral, Fla., when the launch of an unmanned Delta II rocket experienced a failure, sending...
Daycation: Visit the celebrated home of Punxsutawney PhilVideo
It’s not necessary to wait until February to take a rural rodent-themed road trip to Punxsutawney in Jefferson County to see the world’s most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil. Avoid the wave of Groundhog Day’s 35,000-plus tourists that descend upon Punxsutawney every Feb. 2 with an off-season visit to the small-town...
Rogue BBQ opens in Homestead
Barbecue is back in Homestead. Rogue BBQ opened Wednesday at 601 Amity St. in the space of the former Blue Dust Gastropub across from The Waterfront. The full-service eatery is owned and operated by married couple Amanda and Zachary Steiner. They said there are really no good barbecue options in...
Etna community honors late Mayor Tom Rengers with formal proclamation
The late Etna Mayor Thomas J. Rengers may be gone, but Etna officials are making sure he’s not forgotten, by proclaiming July 29, 2024, as “Mayor Tom Rengers Day.” Rengers served as mayor since 2004 and died while in office last December after a prolonged illness with cancer. He was...
Inaugural Community Day event celebrates Lower Burrell
The inaugural Lower Burrell Community Day event was a hit with residents Saturday at K-9 Officer Derek Kotecki Memorial Park. The event, from 1 p.m. to dusk, benefits the Lower Burrell City Parks. More than 45 vendors lined the shaded park as attendees enjoyed live music, food trucks, artisans, a...
Benedum estate listed for $2.9M near Ligonier
The Benedum family no longer has any heirs to carry on the family name, or to own and operate the family residence near Ligonier. Butterfly Farm, owned by the late philanthropist Paul G. Benedum, known by most as “Benny,” died from a heart attack while visiting Florida in May 2023....
Grace Life Church says it plans to purchase former DoubleTree in Monroeville
A former hotel may be transformed into a house of worship in Monroeville. The shuttered DoubleTree hotel near the mall in Monroeville abruptly closed on Feb. 28 on the heels of the news of the closure of the Monroeville Convention Center. The hotel has remained closed, and a video was...
New hair salon combines cocktails with luxury cuts in Aspinwall
A luxury family-friendly hair salon is now open in Aspinwall. Tonic Salon hosted a soft-opening celebration Sunday, July 21, at 339 First St., off Brilliant Avenue. The event drew a packed house, and guests enjoyed champagne and Italian spirits. “We do hair differently here. It’s the total experience, and we...
Western Pennsylvania female chefs find success in male-dominated industry
The old adage that says a woman’s place is in the kitchen doesn’t necessarily translate to the modern American chef world. In the U.S., out of the more than 147,400 chefs, only about 22% of chefs working in industrial kitchens are female, according to 2022 statistics from Datausa. Reasons for...
Buffalo Township man killed at Trump rally died while protecting his familyVideo
Flags across Pennsylvania will fly at half-staff to honor the Buffalo Township man killed Saturday when shots rang out at former President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Butler County. Corey Comperatore, who recently turned 50, was remembered by family members, friends and elected officials as a dedicated family man and...
Pittsburgh Zoo helps mammals stay cool during heatwave
Western Pennsylvanians are experiencing a sweltering hot summer. And so are most of the animals at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium. But thanks to beat-the-heat animal enrichment items that include frozen ice treats, air-conditioned habitats, sprinklers and water pools, mammals at the zoo are managing to keep their cool despite...
