Kellen Stepler stories, Page 33
Acmetonia students honor Patriot Day with service
Mila Bock wants her school to have a Patriot Day observance every year from now on. “It’s important to honor people that died during the tragedy,” said the sixth grader at Acmetonia Elementary School in Harmar. The school held its first Patriot Day event Wednesday, the 23th anniversary of 9/11,...
Lower Burrell signs contract to fix ‘greener than grass’ algae problem at lake
Lower Burrell is moving forward to remediate the algae situation in Burrell Lake Park. City Council on Monday approved a contract of nearly $5,900 with Solitude Lake Management for water quality restoration at Burrell Lake this fall. “We had to get started to take care of the lake,” Councilman Mike...
Aspiring Education program at Burrell gives head start to students who want to be teachers
At some point this school year, Laney Kaczor will be in a Burrell High School classroom, but not in her role as a student. Kaczor, a junior at Burrell, is one of nine Northern Westmoreland Career & Technology Center students in a new Aspiring Education program with a satellite location...
The River Community Church merges with Church of God, sets new digs in Lower Burrell
The River Community Church has a new location but the same emphasis on community. The River moved to 273 Chester Drive in Lower Burrell from New Kensington as part of a merger with the Church of God in Lower Burrell. The River had been located at 200 Freeport Road for...
Scott police to get mobile command center
A mobile command center will help Scott Township police enhance the force’s ability to manage critical incidents and large-scale events. Scott officials Aug. 29 hosted U.S. Congressman Chris Deluzio, D-Aspinwall, to announce $700,000 in federal funding for the township to purchase a mobile command center. “Answering the call to protect...
Upper Burrell officials planning to appraise, sell 3 acres off Milligantown Road
Vacant property owned by Upper Burrell off Milligantown Road soon will be up for sale. On Wednesday, the township supervisors directed Jim Collodi, a Lower Burrell real estate agent, to appraise the property of just under 3 acres. It’s across the road from Jack’s Backyard Bar and Grill. “It’s a...
Collier mulls $8M ballfield project
Citing growth and young families moving into the township, Collier officials moved forward with an initial plan to build three ballfields at Collier Park with a target cost of $8 million. George Macino, township manager, said the motion approved by commissioners Aug. 26 directs the township’s engineering firm, Gibson-Thomas, to...
Nearly $30K in state funding to promote healthy fruits, vegetables at Carnegie Elementary
Carnegie Elementary students have access to fresh food and vegetables, in part, because of state funding. The state’s Department of Education awarded Carlynton School District $29,238 in August for the fresh fruit and vegetable program in the elementary school. The program aims to familiarize students with a variety of fresh...
New program to help Springdale students in career studies
Springdale Jr.-Sr. High School officials hope a new career-readiness framework for eighth grade students will get them more prepared for and exposed to future careers. High school staff debuted the “World of Work” program when students returned to classes last week. Principal Andrew Leviski said it aims to provide early...
Hearing set for renewal of East Deer noise exemption Wednesday
East Deer is requesting a renewal of its noise exemption from the state’s Liquor Control Board. The meeting, at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, is to allow public comment on the township’s exemption from the state’s Liquor Control Board rules on noise, said Shawn Kelly, LCB spokesman. The request, if approved, would...
Burrell High School community engagement, learning initiatives garner global recognition
Burrell High School’s efforts to improve students’ well-being has earned international attention. The school’s “learner profiles,” community engagement initiatives and re-imagined high school experience landed them recognition from HundrED, a Finland-based education organization spotlighting well-being in schools. Burrell’s projects makes them one of 34 initiatives from 71 countries earning the...
Thousands crowd Pittsburgh Brewing in Creighton for Cole Swindell concert
Creighton isn’t mentioned in country star Cole Swindell’s hit “She Had Me At Heads Carolina,” but with the excitement from concertgoers at Pittsburgh Brewing Co.’s Iron City Stage on Sunday, one might think otherwise. “This is the kind of crowd you dream of,” he said to about 7,000 concertgoers on...
Penn Hills to implement new security measures at home football games
The Penn Hills School District has implemented new site entry standards and an “increased security presence” at its home football games this season. The changes come after a shooting Friday in the vicinity of the Woodland Hills-Penn Hills football game in Turtle Creek. Penn Hills Superintendent John Mozzocio detailed the...
Faces of the Valley: Volunteering and firefighting is family affair for Lower Burrell woman
Nicole Hereda’s family quite literally is immersed in the Kinloch Volunteer Fire Department in Lower Burrell. Hereda, 39, of Lower Burrell is a safety officer and fundraising chair at the station, located off New York Avenue in the city. Her husband, Ted, is chief, and their sons, T.J. and Josh,...
Pittsburgh police: 1 dead, 2 seriously hurt in shooting near The Bluff and Crawford-Roberts neighborhoods
Pittsburgh police are looking for a suspect who shot three people Saturday night along the Crawford-Roberts and Bluff neighborhood border, killing one person and seriously injuring two others. Police said officers and an ambulance crew were sent to the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Marion Street just before 8 p.m....
Pittsburgh man arrested in connection with attack on Jewish Pitt students
Two Jewish students who attend the University of Pittsburgh were attacked Friday night in what authorities are investigating as a possible hate crime. Jarrett Buba, 52, of Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood is charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault and two misdemeanor counts of simple assault and reckless endangerment. He...
State police say 2 jailed after stealing car, leading troopers on wild cross-county pursuit
State troopers Saturday arrested a man and a woman accused of stealing a car at an Indiana County Walmart, leading troopers on a cross-county pursuit that required numerous attempts to immobilize the vehicle. At 5:44 p.m. Friday, troopers were called to investigate a reported stolen vehicle at the Walmart at...
Allegheny Valley Hospital union paves way for strike; AHN confident agreement can be reached
Allegheny Valley Hospital union members have authorized a strike, becoming the second Allegheny Health Network hospital to announce a potential work stoppage in as many weeks. The union, represented by SEIU (Service Employees International Union) Healthcare PA, voted 99% in favor Friday of authorizing its negotiating committee to send a...
Rain doesn’t damper kids’ enjoyment at Alle-Kiski Inclusion Games
Storms called off Saturday’s Alle-Kiski Inclusion Games earlier than anticipated, but 16-year-old Logan Sanchez didn’t seem to mind the rain. “I like all of it,” said Sanchez, a student at Burrell High School. “I like hanging out with friends, even in the rain.” The third-annual Inclusion Games was held Saturday...
Underwater drone to assist crews in the Allegheny Valley during river emergencies
Emergency response crews in the Allegheny Valley have a new tool to scout the water during river incidents. An underwater drone will assist crews in the Allegheny Valley Regional Emergency Management Agency, said Bruno Moretti, agency coordinator. “It’s interesting,” Moretti said. “It’s a nice piece of equipment to have. It...
Lower Burrell unveils pickleball courts at Veterans Central Park
Lower Burrell has caught the pickleball bug. Officials unveiled six new pickleball courts Wednesday at the old tennis courts of Veterans Central Park near City Hall. “For all ages, this is great — even from kids 5 to 95,” said Councilman Mike Stanoski, who oversees the city’s parks department. “This...
Playhouse unveiled at Sharpsburg’s 16th Street Park
Children in Sharpsburg have a new spot in 16th Street Park to let their imaginations soar. Borough officials held a ceremony Aug. 22 to dedicate a playhouse. Other amenities at the park include a pavilion with picnic tables, water sprinklers, playground equipment, a swing set, basketball court and benches. The...
Allegheny Valley Regional Police, Frazer in talks for possible merger
The Allegheny Valley Regional Police Department could have a fourth member if talks between its board and Frazer officials work out. Frazer Secretary/Treasurer Lori Ziencik said her township was approached by the police commission, which serves East Deer, Cheswick and Springdale Township, to consider joining the regional department. “We have...
Demolition of trestle bridge in Springdale on hold
How a trestle bridge over Pittsburgh Street in Springdale, near the former power plant, will be demolished now is uncertain. Borough officials originally scheduled a town hall meeting for next week to discuss the structure’s demolition, but that was canceled, leaving unknown exactly how or when the iconic trestle will...
Pittsburgh Brewing making traffic adjustments for Cole Swindell concert
Traffic headaches from a recent car cruise at Pittsburgh Brewing in East Deer have officials there making adjustments for the facility’s biggest concert of the summer. The brewery on Sunday night will host country music artist Cole Swindell — the headliner of the venue’s inaugural concert series. The event comes...
