Joyce Hanz stories, Page 29
Leechburg Area alumnus juggles college and service as youngest member of school board
Andrew Pallus didn’t let failure deter him as a teenager while vying for a director’s seat on the Leechburg Area School Board. Pallus was 19 and a recent honors graduate of Leechburg Area High School when he ran for the school board in 2021. “I didn’t get it in January,...
Annual Blue White Ball raises more than $30K for pediatric cancer
A charity ball benefiting childhood cancer research combined dancing with doing good Saturday at The Priory in Pittsburgh. The 2023 Blue White Ball was held at Pittsburgh’s Grand Hall at The Priory. Blue White Ball’s Pittsburgh chapter is a nonprofit that raises funds year-round to support Penn State University’s THON...
Another long-term Route 356 closure to start March 20
A busy stretch of state Route 356 in Allegheny Township is closing for more construction — again. The closing is scheduled to begin March 20 and last until the end of November. “This will be the exact same closure as last year with the closure at the 356/56 split and...
Kiski Area unveils state-of-the-art fitness facility
It’s out with the old and in with the new at Kiski Area High School. A state-of-the-art fitness facility was unveiled to the public during a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The equipment cost just over $202,000. The project was made possible by a hefty donation from the Kiski Area Education Foundation, which...
Scouts experience district court in Allegheny Township
Some Scouts traded class time for courtroom time Wednesday in Allegheny Township. About 15 co-ed Scouts from Troops 501, 501G, 111 and 121 spent three hours observing civil and criminal hearings conducted in District Judge Cheryl Peck Yakopec’s courtroom. “This is my first time in a courtroom,” said Eli Booth,...
Vandergrift residents implore officials to unlock borough playgrounds
Taegen Caudle stood at the podium in front of Vandergrift officials during Monday’s council meeting to plead for playtime options in the borough’s still-locked parks. Taegen, 9, was one of about 20 residents in attendance in support of the playgrounds being unlocked April 1. “We really want some time outside...
Leechburg looks to crack down on speeding in borough
Speeders beware. Leechburg Mayor Tony Roppolo has a message for motorists using Market Street as their personal speedway. “Slow down,” he said. “I don’t want anyone injured or maimed. I don’t want any motorist/pedestrian accidents in our town. The speeding happens every day, and the police can’t be everywhere at...
Leechburg fire chief hopes to improve safety rating by replacing old equipment
Sometimes less is more. Especially when it comes to ISO fire safety ratings. Leechburg Volunteer Fire Company Chief John Foster hopes to reduce the company’s Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating from a 6 to a lower number, after receiving a one-point increase during the last ISO inspection in 2020. The...
Aspinwall teen selected prince of Slovenian festival in Cleveland
An Aspinwall teen royally ruled the day during a celebration honoring his Slovenian heritage in Cleveland. Blaz Alexander Vavpetic, of Aspinwall, was selected as the Prince of the 11th Annual Cleveland Kurentovanje, a week-long Slovenian cultural celebration that is similar to Mardi Gras and celebrates the coming of Spring. Pronounced...
Daycation: Bedford offers bounty of history, heritage and hospitality
History and heritage collide for an educational travel destination in rural Bedford County. A daycation to the town of Bedford offers a variety of activities drenched in American history dating to the 1700s. Bedford is positioned near the crossroads of two ancient Native American trading routes and served as a...
Vandergrift takes another step in its efforts to fight blight in the borough
When dealing with blighted properties, the answer is almost always addition by subtraction. That scene is playing out in Vandergrift, where officials are making progress in the fight against blight. Two dilapidated and long-abandoned buildings, at 109 and 111 Washington Ave., were reduced to piles of debris after demolition crews...
O’Hara officials peck away at proposed chicken ordinance
O’Hara resident Nadya Ustinova has never raised chickens, but she hopes to soon have a feathered flock in her backyard if a proposed chicken ordinance is passed in the coming months. Ustinova, a township resident for five years, has attended several virtual township meetings in support of backyard chickens and...
Kiski Area to stage campy cult-classic ‘Little Shop of Horrors’Video
A murderous plant stars in one of the most-produced high school musicals across the country. That dark element appealed to Kiski Area High School musical director Robert Capanna. “We chose ‘Little Shop (of Horrors)’ this year because it was a big departure from last year’s ‘Shrek: The Musical,’ and the...
Surveillance video solves case of missing Gilpin signs
The mystery surrounding missing signs in Gilpin has been solved. This month, Gilpin officials and the Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department reported multiple business signs missing from properties throughout the township. Supervisor Charles Stull took to social media Feb. 17, posting about what he described as a “strange” crime on...
Free Lenten lunches offer fellowship for the faithful
Christians gathered Friday to share a free Lenten lunch at Cross Roads Community Presbyterian Church in Leechburg and Vandergrift Presbyterian Church in Vandergrift. The meals were sponsored by the churches’ respective ministerial programs. “We served more than 30 at the luncheon. Everyone seemed to enjoy it,” volunteer Gwenn...
Kiski Area celebrates Friendship Week with focus on mental health
Friendship and mental health matter. That was the message spread by Kiski Area High School volunteer mentors Thursday at Kiski Area Upper Elementary in Washington Township. Friendship Week is a five-day themed event held annually in the district. This year, high school students from the SLAM (Support, Learn, Accept and...
Leechburg officials seek meeting to discuss possible park transfer
Leechburg officials want more information before they decide on taking partial ownership of another park. Council members want an in-person meeting with officials from Gilpin, the Gilpin- Leechburg Joint Recreation Authority and Armstrong County Commissioners to talk about transferring the ownership of Gilpin/Leechburg Park from the county to the two communities....
Fox Chapel Area teens volunteer their tech skills helping others
A tech-savvy team of teens are on a mission to help close the digital divide — one person at a time. Technology Trained by Teens is a nonprofit created last year by Fox Chapel Area High School junior David Feder of Indiana Township. Students from Fox Chapel Area High School...
Gilpin officials investigating reports of stolen business yard signs
Gilpin officials are investigating recent reports of sign thefts in the township. Supervisor Charles Stull took to social media Friday to ask for the public’s help regarding multiple reports of what he described as a “strange” crime throughout the township. “Yard signs for various businesses throughout Gilpin Township have gone...
Armstrong County commissioners explore park transfer offer to Gilpin and Leechburg officials
The Gilpin/Leechburg Park in Gilpin might soon be under new ownership. On Jan. 26, the Armstrong County commissioners sent letters to Gilpin and Leechburg officials to gauge interest on the municipalities taking ownership of the park property. The Gilpin supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday, Feb. 14 to accept the park’s transfer....
After treating pain with medical marijuana, Ryan Shazier launches new line of products
When former Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier suffered a terrifying injury during a 2017 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, he didn’t know that trying to walk again would lead to even more battles during his recovery. As his journey progressed from paralysis to relearning how to walk, Shazier not only had...
Spaghetti dinner fundraiser returns after long hiatus at St. Gertrude’s in Vandergrift
A big fundraiser with big flavor is back in Vandergrift. The monthly spaghetti dinner, long held in person at St. Gertrude Roman Catholic Church in Vandergrift, has returned. “I’m glad it’s back,” the Rev. James Loew said. “It’s a fundraiser, but it’s an event that brings the parish and the...
North Apollo, Parks Township join Leechburg police regionalization study; more participation sought
Leechburg officials are hoping to add more nearby municipalities to an upcoming police regionalization feasibility study. In addition to Leechburg, North Apollo and Parks Township officials have agreed to participate in a state-run study to explore whether regionalization would reduce costs and pave the way for 24/7 police coverage. Leechburg...
Valley Dairy Restaurant slated for former Kings restaurant in Allegheny Township
A new family-style restaurant is coming to Allegheny Township. Valley Dairy Restaurant plans to set up shop in the former Kings Family Restaurant at 315 Hyde Park Road. Kings permanently closed at 2 p.m. Feb. 5 without advance notice to staff and customers. Known for its “You Never Had It...
Vandergrift officials amend ordinance allowing recreational play in streets
Kids can finally be kids again in Vandergrift. At its meeting last month, council unanimously amended a decades-old ordinance that prohibited the “throwing, kicking or knocking of any ball,” including snowballs, on borough streets, alleys and sidewalks. Borough solicitor Larry Loperfito said Monday the ordinance was changed to prohibit such...
