Joyce Hanz stories, Page 26
O’Hara and Fox Chapel officials plan public meeting to discuss long-term plan survey results
Two communities are working together to create a long-range plan in Allegheny County. More than 1,300 residents of Fox Chapel and O’Hara Township completed online and paper questionnaires last year to assess community needs and determine how well officials were meeting them. Survey results will help to shape decisions concerning...
Fox Chapel Area High School prom pic roundup
Fox Chapel Area High School students and dates, decked out in formal finery for prom, had pre-prom photo sessions Saturday, May 6 around the Fox Chapel area. The prom was held that evening at the Sheraton Hotel in Station Square. Fox Chapel Area High School senior Sophie River...
Former Vandergrift church transformed into new public venue
A former church sanctuary has been transformed into a public event center in Vandergrift. After years of sitting dormant, the worship area of the former Trinity United Presbyterian Church has been transformed by owner Chloe Kruse into a multipurpose rental venue. “There hasn’t been a congregation here in more than...
Daycation: Blaze a trail with family-focused fun near Clear Creek State Park
A rural roaming adventure awaits with a daycation to Clear Creek State Park in Sigel. Family-friendly activities abound amid the scenic park that encompasses more than 1,900 acres in Jefferson County. “It’s pronounced Sig-ul,” said local Seth Crate. “This area has a classic, old-fashioned charm.” Nature enthusiasts come from far...
East Vandergrift officials launch new Food Truck Friday event
A new food truck event is rolling into East Vandergrift. Food Truck Friday is the latest community event sponsored by the East Vandergrift Community Foundation. The monthly gathering encompasses eating, drinking and socializing with a street-fair vibe. It will take place the second Friday of each month, May through October....
Prom Grand March dazzles in Leechburg
Leechburg Area High School students sparkled onstage Saturday as they kicked off festivities for the 2023 “Crystal Gala” Junior/Senior Prom. More than 80 students were introduced onstage at 2 p.m. before a packed audience as they walked between a giant “2023.” Prom-goers boarded a bus after the grand march for...
Preschool program set to expand this fall at Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy in Aspinwall
The preschool program at Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy in Aspinwall is set to expand this fall, offering a full-day option for ages 4 and 5. “We decided to take it full-time because we noticed that seems to be the trend these days. There’s a lot more working parents,”...
Former bank transformed into event venue in Leechburg
A busy couple is banking on making their latest business venture a success in Leechburg. Sarah and Shawn McGonagle, both 35, hold down steady jobs, Sarah as a Realtor and Shawn working in finance, and juggle the demands of raising four young children. They relocated from O’Hara to Leechburg last...
Bishop Larry Kulick returns to hometown to emcee Hall of Fame ceremony in Leechburg
Organizers of the Leechburg Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony are set to honor three people for their outstanding contributions to the community. In its 18th year, the awards dinner is hosted by the Leechburg Area Community Association. This year’s inductees are Ian Coyle, Robin Patton and the Rev....
East Vandergrift officials plan town hall meeting to gather input on projects
East Vandergrift officials are extending an invitation to residents for a town hall-style community gathering Tuesday evening. The inaugural East Vandergrift Community Planning Session kicks off at 6:30 p.m. at the borough office, 254 Kennedy Ave. The event is co-sponsored by the East Vandergrift Community Foundation and East Vandergrift Council....
Leechburg Council approves new police contract
Leechburg’s two full-time police officers are getting a raise. Leechburg Council approved a new, four-year contract for the borough’s two full-timers, Chief Jason Schaeffer and officer Mark Pollick, during its April meeting. Councilman D.J. Zelczak served as lead negotiator with Allegheny Valley Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 39. “Both...
Bereaved Mother’s Day event first of its kind in Fox Chapel
Marcy Henry of East Palestine, Ohio, experienced firsthand the heartbreak and grief that accompanies the loss of a child. Henry lost her daughter, Madeline, at 40 weeks and five days gestation on Oct. 26. “Losing my daughter has absolutely destroyed me,” Henry said. “But I know that she would want...
Tredway Trail, dubbed ‘gem’ of Allegheny Township, nears completion
A woodsy recreational asset is nearing completion in Allegheny Township. The Wynn and Clara Tredway River Trail, which formerly stretched from the Braeburn section of Lower Burrell to the Freeport Bridge, now extends nearly 2 miles farther north to Kiski Junction. The latest $1.2 million expansion project was made possible...
5 Democrats vying for 3 nominations for seats on Aspinwall Council
Five Democrats will compete in the May primary for three Democratic Party nominations for seats on Aspinwall Council. Challengers Louis Curcio Jr., David C. Brown and Mark Chimel II will vie against incumbents Heth R. Turnquist and Patti McCaffrey. Barring any unexpected write-in campaigns, the winning Democrats could face Republicans...
Do not pass: Police crack down on school bus scofflaws in Freeport, Leechburg districts
Jennifer Pirhalla grinds her teeth with worry every time she accompanies her two children to their bus stop in rural Gilpin . Pirhalla is concerned about student safety after witnessing numerous motorists disregarding the lighted stop sign arm on the school bus that picks them up along Johnetta Road. “I...
Duplex fire displaces senior citizen in Allegheny TownshipVideo
A senior citizen is displaced after a Monday morning fire at a duplex in Allegheny Township. A fire broke out about 8:49 a.m. in the kitchen area of a patio home in the 600 block of Cedar Ridge Drive, Allegheny Township police Chief Duane Fisher said. Fisher said a neighbor...
Valley Dairy Restaurant’s opening date set in Allegheny Township
Calling all ice cream lovers. Promising the “best banana split of your life,” Valley Dairy Restaurant training manager Joe Wyant took a few minutes out of his increasingly busy schedule Thursday to provide details on the upcoming May 1 grand opening in Allegheny Township. “It’s original strawberry and vanilla hand-dipped...
Calling all volunteers: Leechburg Recycling Center needs help to meet demand
A dedicated group of senior citizens is doing more with less in Leechburg. The volunteers at the Leechburg Recycling Center have experienced a 20% increase in recyclables compared with last year — and fewer helpers to collect, sort and process the trash. “I was the only one here the other...
Faces of the Valley: Emergency disaster volunteer from Parks Township logs more than 30 Salvation Army deployments
The long, faded scar across Joel Brown’s forehead and scalp is a reminder of one of the most harrowing volunteer days of his life. Brown, 57, of Parks Township was driving home from a fire call with the Parks Township Volunteer Fire Department in 2020 when he swerved while driving...
Leechburg church kicks off fundraiser in hopes of reviving silent bell tower
The Rev. James Arter climbed a narrow ladder several stories Wednesday to reach the bell tower at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Leechburg. As he manually rang one of the 28 bells, the melodic tone produced by the nearly 3,500-pound bell brought a smile to his face — and sent...
Brush fire snarls morning commute on Route 28 near RIDC Park
Southbound Route 28 traffic was slowed to a crawl Friday morning when a brush fire broke out on the wooded hillside near the RIDC Park exit in O’Hara. Haze from the fire covered the highway and traffic was reduced to a single lane headed toward Pittsburgh during the morning rush...
Former Pittsburgh City Council candidate charged with rape
A man who previously ran for Pittsburgh City Council is charged with sexually assaulting a woman, according to Pittsburgh police. According to court documents, Kierran Cole Young, 30, is facing multiple felony charges including rape, harassment, unlawful restraint and indecent assault stemming from an alleged sexual assault on a female...
Morning Roundup: Elevated risk of wildfire spread Friday as cold front moves into Pittsburgh region
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, April 21, 2023: Dry conditions create elevated fire risk as cold front moves in Friday The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh issued a special weather statement Friday for an elevated risk of wildfire for the western Pennsylvania and...
Morning Roundup: Sunshine and temps into the 80s expected today
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, April 20, 2023: Sunshine and warm temps return Sunny conditions will dominate Thursday, with temperatures soaring into the 80s. National Weather Service meteorologist Lee Hendricks said the heat wave will remain through Friday, with overnight temps in the...
River recreation opportunities expand along the Kiski River in Leechburg
It just got a lot easier to float your boat in Leechburg. A public recreational project several years in the making was completed Saturday. The Leechburg primitive gravel boat launch in Riverfront Park is a packed-gravel road with an adjacent parking lot designed for nonmotorized boats, specifically kayaks and canoes....
