Joyce Hanz stories, Page 7
Sewickley Academy educator celebrates 20 years of preschool instruction
Crista Pryor blends excitement with education in her preschool classroom at Sewickley Academy. A colorful faux cheeseburger seat and an ice cream cone stool are a few fun and functional features in her room. And there’s Sheldon the live turtle living in a large tank in the hallway, a hit...
Pittsburgh Youth Lacrosse extends scholarship applications for 2025 season
Pittsburgh Youth Lacrosse Association directors are urging Pittsburgh-area youth to register and apply for scholarships for the upcoming 2025 spring season. PYLAX is a nonprofit charitable organization committed to engagement in the community with a mission of providing an inclusive and positive sports program for all players. Online registration is...
Fox Chapel’s Chloe Yofan pursuing a career with the violin
Chloe Yofan of Fox Chapel can barely remember a time when a violin wasn’t a fixture in her life. The 24-year-old recalled her earliest violin memory: “I remember going to my first ever violin lesson when I was 5 and learning the names of the violin strings. I also remember...
Tupelo Honey reopens in Station Square after rectifying rodent issue
The biscuits are back. A Southern-themed comfort food bar and restaurant in Station Square has reopened after addressing pest management concerns discovered last year by the Allegheny Health Department. Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar first opened in January 2022. In October, the restaurant closed after receiving several pest citations....
Edgeworth woman embraces a myriad of volunteering opportunities in Sewickley
Karen Galbraith of Edgeworth exists in a volunteer vortex. “My interest is in sustainability volunteering, and I got my start with Sustainable Sewickley,” Galbraith said. From there, she now volunteers with the Village Garden Club of Sewickley (first vice president of membership), the Little Garden Club, Sewickley Civic Garden Council...
From Germany to Fox Chapel: A local attorney’s story
Oktoberfest is Arnie von Waldow’s favorite holiday — and for good reason. The Fox Chapel-based bilingual attorney was born in Germany and continues to embrace his German heritage professionally and personally. Traveling to participate in Oktoberfest in Munich is one of his favorite ways to dive into his German heritage...
Pittsburgh area chefs, eateries snag semifinal nominations for 35th annual James Beard Awards
Three Pittsburgh restaurants and their chefs are getting national attention after being named semifinalists in the 35th annual James Beard Awards. The chefs at vegan restaurant Apteka, located in Bloomfield, have been nominated for the fourth straight year for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic award, covering New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Maryland...
Union Aid Society continues legacy of helping neighbors in need in Sewickley area
Naomi Gilchrist doesn’t remember exactly when she moved into her apartment in Sewickley, but she does recall the assistance from the Union Aid Society that helped to make living there possible. “I have my own little apartment — it’s a nice apartment — and I’m very pleased to have it,”...
Shadyside entrepreneur heats up the local hot sauce scene
Artie Pitt is livin’ the spice life. After a successful 20-plus-year career in the cannabis trade and music industries, Pitt is pursuing a lifelong love of making spicy foods — particularly hand-crafted hot sauce. Pitt launched Artie’s Hot Sauce in October 2023 after cooking up batches of hot sauce and,...
Roku available for checkout at Sewickley Public Library
Get your Netflix or Amazon Prime fix for free with a Roku Express checkout kit from the Sewickley Public Library. “It’s great if you want to try it out or don’t have one or maybe just want to watch a movie,” said Richelle Klug, communications and social media librarian. The...
Pup pet service debuts in Sewickley
Michelle Cook has gone to the dogs, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I talk to dogs more than I talk to people,” said the pup walker, trainer and caretaker. Cook, 40, resides in Sewickley and opened Sky’s The Limit this month. Dog walking is the most requested...
Widow of Corey Comperatore, firefighter killed at Trump rally, to attend inauguration events
The widow of a Buffalo Township firefighter killed at President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Butler County over the summer plans to be in Washington for inauguration-related events. “It’s an honor to be invited. I am always so honored when the president invites us to spend time with him, and...
Mediterranean-themed restaurant slated for Aspinwall
An Indiana Township restaurateur is hoping to open a Turkish-themed bar and eatery in a former historic train station in Aspinwall. The former Luke & Mike’s Frontporch permanently closed on Dec. 28 and co-owner Sheri Rice confirmed Jan. 7 the business is under contract with Pittsburgh-based Finike LLC., registered to...
O’Hara resident settles into leadership at Southern Allegheny Valley Emergency Services
A third-generation volunteer firefighter is continuing a family legacy of public service in Sharpsburg and Aspinwall. Shaler native Mike Daniher is the inaugural chief of Southern Allegheny Valley Emergency Services, or SAVES. The communities of Sharpsburg and Aspinwall merged their fire departments into a new company in 2023 in an...
Mobile party staffing business a fixture for 35 years in Pittsburgh
Tami McQuaid never thought she’d make a career out of being a hostess with the “mostest.” But 35 years later, Great Gatherings, a mobile professional staffing business owned by McQuaid, provides professional servers, bartenders, cooks and event promoters for private and corporate events in the Pittsburgh region. “My parents, Robert...
Quaker Valley soccer players want to bring public chess to Sewickley
Two soccer-loving friends are kicking around a new fundraiser to provide public chess in Sewickley. Quaker Valley High School students and lifelong friends Charlie Pyle of Sewickley and Sutton Hoehl of Edgeworth began playing soccer together as preschoolers. Fast forward to 2025 and both play on the Quaker Valley High...
Nonprofit founded in 1928 looks to bolster membership, awareness among Fox Chapel-area municipalities
A community-based nonprofit is looking to boost membership and raise awareness throughout the Fox Chapel-area communities it has served for almost 100 years. The District Association of the Fox Chapel Area raises funds that are donated directly back into the communities in the Fox Chapel Area School District — Aspinwall,...
Historic Addison House, now 1st Street Cafe, debuts new look in Leechburg
An Upper Burrell retiree is close to fulfilling her dream of providing a historically influenced, coffee-themed dining destination, one room at a time. The 1st Street Cafe, housed in the former Addison House Restaurant & Lounge on First Street in Leechburg’s business district, has a fresh new look, thanks to...
Canonsburg man among those injured in New Orleans
A Canonsburg man was among those injured when a man drove a truck around a police blockade and into a crowd of revelers during New Year’s celebrations early Wednesday morning in New Orleans. A family member said Jeremi Sensky, 51, was hurt in what authorities termed a terrorist attack by...
1 injured in crash along Route 28 in Aspinwall
One person was injured in a single-vehicle crash Saturday morning along northbound Route 28 at Exit 7 in Aspinwall. The incident led to temporary closure of the exit as responders cleared the scene. Southern Allegheny Valley Emergency Services fire Chief Mike Daniher said the crash was reported at 6:53 a.m....
Councilwoman resigns in Freeport
Freeport Councilwoman Jeannie Mazurowski has resigned from her post. Appointed in January, Mazurowski confirmed her resignation to TribLive on Friday, citing prioritizing her family obligations as the primary reason for her decision to exit public service. “I don’t think I have the time to put into the borough that I...
Culinary couple embrace their restaurant roots in Point Breeze
A neighborhood eatery housed in a historic building that once hosted Sammy Davis Jr. is set to celebrate its 20th anniversary in Point Breeze. Point Brugge Cafe will celebrate 20 years in business in 2025 as its cousin restaurant, Park Bruges in Highland Park, is set to close its doors...
Body identified that was found in woods in Shaler the day after Christmas
Allegheny County detectives are treating the body found in Shaler on Thursday as a homicide because the victim had an apparent gunshot wound to the head. The victim was identified Saturday as 45-year-old Andre Wallace of Millvale by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. Few other details have surfaced since...
Sewickley man draws from Alaskan experiences for homemade salsa business
Living life below zero left a lasting impression on the Blizzards of Sewickley. Alan and Pam Blizzard lived in Eagle River, Alaska, for 19 years after fleeing the urban hustle of New York and San Francisco. Their Alaskan adventures spurred Alan into the kitchen, where he found a keen interest...
Sewickley Library has ghost-hunting kit
Paranormal investigators now have a free ghost-hunting kit at the ready at The Sewickley Public Library. The kit is available for lending for one week for teens and adults. For speculative purposes only, the kit is available on a first-come, first-served basis and includes a UV blacklight flashlight, spirit box,...

