Kellen Stepler stories, Page 30
Allegheny Valley’s new anti-bullying program aims to bolster school climate, culture
Allegheny Valley school administrators say a new anti-bullying program will build relationships among students and foster a greater sense of belonging at the district’s two schools. Fifth and sixth grade students at Acmetonia Elementary and seventh through 12th graders at Springdale Junior-Senior High School will participate in the Rachel’s Challenge...
Plans for improvements at Veterans Memorial Field, Springdale soccer field advance
Plans for renovations at two Springdale fields — one owned by the borough and the other by the Allegheny Valley School District — are moving forward. Springdale Council awarded a contract of about $580,000 to Harmar-based Panza Landscaping for installation of a retaining wall and sidewalks at Veterans Memorial Field,...
Abatement, demolition planned for former Colfax Upper Elementary School in Springdale
Another Springdale landmark will soon be demolished — but it’s not a former power plant. Allegheny Valley School District officials set an April 10 demolition deadline for the former Colfax Upper Elementary School. The 64,000-square-foot building served students in the Allegheny Valley School District for more than 90 years before...
Republican Natalie Mihalek, Democrat Peter Kohnke vie for 40th state House seat
Voters in Pennsylvania’s 40th District, which includes parts of the South Hills in Allegheny and Washington counties, will choose between incumbent Republican Natalie Mihalek and Democrat Peter Kohnke for representation in Harrisburg. Mihalek was first elected in 2019. Kohnke won a write-in nomination for the Democrats. The district covers Bethel...
Proposed 2025 Upper Burrell budget holds the line on taxes, hikes fire hydrant fee for nearly all properties
Upper Burrell plans to raise its fire hydrant fee by one hundredth of a mill next year, which will result in an increase of a few dollars for property owners who pay the fee. All but 182 properties in the township pay the hydrant fee, which is charged to properties...
Democrat Arvind Venkat, Republican Nathan Wolfe square off for 30th state House seat
Incumbent Democrat Arvind Venkat is being challenged by Republican Nathan Wolfe for a seat in the state’s House of Representatives, covering parts of Allegheny County’s North Hills. The district includes Kilbuck, McCandless and Ohio townships, part of Hampton Township, and Ben Avon, Ben Avon Heights, Emsworth and Franklin Park boroughs....
Chartiers Valley Primary School’s Kids of Steel included in Western PA sports history museum
A piece of Chartiers Valley Primary School is featured in a new exhibit at the Heinz History Center’s Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum. Memorabilia from the Kids of Steel program at the school will be displayed at the Sports Museum’s locker room-style exhibit. Student William Coperich’s running gear is highlighted. The...
Sustainability focus of spruced-up courtyard at middle school in Lower Burrell
Elizabeth Hartman gave her eighth grade students at Charles A. Huston Middle School a task at the beginning of this school year: create a sustainable space in a neglected courtyard at the Lower Burrell school. “We wanted to engineer the space to be more sustainable,” she said. “I wanted there...
Chartiers Valley Middle School hires new assistant principal
Chartiers Valley Middle School has a new assistant principal. Regina Kim, 38, of Bethel Park, was hired by the school board Oct. 8. Kim has worked in Pittsburgh Public Schools for 16 years, where she taught English Language Arts, middle school mathematics and social studies at Pittsburgh Sunnyside. She also...
Slide stabilization, retaining wall slated for Bluff Street Extension in Bridgeville
Bridgeville is eyeing a fix to a borough road damaged by a landslide this spring. Council on Oct. 14 authorized the public bid of a slope stabilization and retaining wall improvements project on Bluff Street Extension. A tentative bid opening is scheduled for Nov. 6. Borough Manager Joe Kauer said...
Alle-Kiski towns to upgrade water, sewer facilities thanks to state funding
Low-interest loans from the state will pay for repairs to deteriorating sewage and water facilities in Lower Burrell, New Kensington and Allegheny Township. The Municipal Authority of Lower Burrell was awarded $9.55 million through PennVEST funding for the Chartiers Pump Station Project, state officials announced this week. The loan fully...
Springdale teen creating a ‘scene of our community’ for mural outside library
At first, Ariana Caltagarone wasn’t sure if she wanted to take on painting a 459-square-foot mural on the wall leading up to the Springdale Free Public Library. The library had requested proposals for a mural, and her mom, Melissa, encouraged her to apply. But the 16-year-old from Springdale Township had...
Burrell schools contend with whether to keep 5th grade at the middle school after next year
Burrell School District officials are grappling with one of the oldest questions in public education. For decades, schools generally have used the same format for organizing grade levels: the oldest students attend high school and the youngest students attend elementary or primary school. But what about those students in the...
Burrell to close Stewart Elementary School; will move 5th grade to the middle school for 2025-26 year
After almost 100 years of serving students in the Burrell School District, Stewart Elementary in Lower Burrell will close its doors next year. The Leechburg Road school, which currently houses about 260 fourth- and fifth-grade students, will cease operations beginning with the 2025-26 school year. The school board made the...
Skunk situation in Harrison stinks, neighbors say
Jeff Pennington moved to Harrison in April and started seeing skunks almost immediately. In the roughly half-year of living in the Campton section of the township, his dog has been sprayed by skunks twice. While Pennington has lived in rural areas before, he said he was surprised by the number...
Faces of the Valley: Deer Lakes’ Carrson Vioral lives by the motto ‘never give up’
Carrson Vioral likes to keep himself busy. The 18-year-old Deer Lakes senior has found himself immersed in the school’s basketball and bocce teams and plans to join the swim team this winter. He also is involved in the school’s coffee shop and Best Buddies, a club fostering mentorship and leadership...
Lower Burrell eyes stormwater drainage improvements to Reed Street
Lower Burrell officials are looking to address what they call “inadequate stormwater management” on Reed Street. Existing infrastructure on the roadway leads to poor drainage and erosion of the ditch line along the road. Those issues, according to the city, not only compromise the integrity of surrounding infrastructure, but also...
Firefighters encourage clean furnaces, air ducts as colder weather approaches
With October being Fire Prevention Month and as colder weather moves in, Upper Burrell firefighters are urging homeowners to clean their furnaces and chimneys — and make sure their smoke detectors are in working order. Firefighters put out a blaze earlier this week in the Lincoln Beach section of the...
Morning Roundup: Landslide, water main break shuts down road in Polish Hill; hit-and-run in Richland
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning: Friday, Oct. 11: Landslide in Polish Hill A landslide impacted parts of Brereton Street, just past Haran Street, in Pittsburgh’s Polish Hill, early Friday morning. Pittsburgh Police responded to the landslide just before 3 a.m., where officers saw a...
Morning Roundup: $5M lottery scratch-off sold at Washington County casino
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning: Thursday, Oct. 10: $5M scratch-off sold in Washington County A $5 million winning scratch-off ticket was sold at The Meadows Racetrack and Casino in North Strabane Township. The ticket, “MONOPOLY Own It All,” is a $50 game with prizes...
Everything you need to know before the Stewart Elementary vote
The time is finally near for the Burrell School Board to make a decision on Stewart Elementary School’s fate. The board will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to consider closing the building, which serves fourth and fifth graders, effective next school year. Superintendent Shannon Wagner recommends the board close Stewart...
Man used toddler as ‘human shield’ during SWAT situation, police say
A man used his toddler as a shield from police during a standoff Tuesday, according to authorities. Manuel Antonio Turcios-Perez, 23, faces charges of endangering the welfare of children, reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, unlawful restraint and disarming a police officer in connection to the five-hour standoff that occurred in his...
Death penalty dropped against Allegheny Township man in Blawnox workplace slaying
An Allegheny Township man won’t be facing a possible death penalty when he goes to trial on charges of killing his ex-girlfriend at their Blawnox workplace in March. The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office rescinded its intention to seek the death penalty against Sean Black, 43, because of opposition from...
Morning Roundup: Ambridge hostage situation ends with man in custody
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning: Wednesday, Oct. 9: Ambridge standoff involving 2-year-old ends peacefully A roughly five-hour standoff in Ambridge on Tuesday afternoon ended peacefully, according to authorities. A large police presence was seen in the area of 6th Street in Ambridge at around...
Roundup: Man arrested outside Kennywood after fight with police; $1M lottery ticket in Findlay
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Oct. 8: Man arrested outside Kennywood amid fight with police A 25-year-old man was arrested by Allegheny County Police in connection to a fight over the weekend outside of Kennywood Park. Jabari Ata Wilson Jr., who in court...
