Mary Ann Thomas stories, Page 36
Much-needed new Giant Eagle-backed Community Market opens in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood
It has been at least 40 years that Gregory Utz of Lawrenceville has been shopping for groceries at 4401 Liberty Ave. He remembers back decades ago when it was a Kroger’s and other grocers, but most recently it was a Shursave IGA. Shursave closed last month after the Liberty Avenue...
Pandemic quashed Plum girl’s dream trip, so Make-A-Wish built her backyard pool, firefighters filled itVideo
Call Haley Delo pool happy. The Plum youth who suffers from a severe form of epilepsy was one of the rare beneficiaries of Make-A-Wish Foundation at a time when many wishes don’t come true. The covid-19 pandemic has complicated everything in life, even delivering wishes to critically ill children. Since...
With demand surging, schools wait on Chromebooks
Looking for a Chromebook? You might wait a while. Nationally, there is a backlog of Chromebook orders because of high demand for them during the coronavirus pandemic. At least two local school districts and the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit are still waiting on ones they ordered, and they’re not sure if...
Dollar General proposal not well received in Upper Burrell
In a township that protects its rural character and quietness, some Upper Burrell residents are railing against a proposal for the development of a Dollar General store along Route 780 near Dewey Drive. A discussion of the proposal came up during a township supervisors meeting earlier this month. “We live...
Horses welcome — but not people, really — to horse show at North Park
Horses are encouraged — people, not so much — to attend the North Allegheny Horsemen’s Association Horse Show at North Park this Sunday. It’s one of the rare public events that Allegheny County Parks has approved during covid-19 pandemic regulations. The Allegheny County Health Department’s limit of 50 people to...
Former Apollo nuclear site up for sale, againVideo
Apollo Borough is seeking, again, to sell its largest commercial site along Warren Avenue, 22 acres that includes about 4.5 acres off-limits for development where a former nuclear fuels plant once stood. The parcels include land owned by Metals Services and cleaned up by Armstrong County Department of Economic Development,...
Allegheny Valley School Board approves all virtual first month of school
After Allegheny Valley School District parents and school board members questioned a proposal for a phased reopening last week, the board approved a revised plan Thursday night for an all-virtual first month of school. Allegheny Valley School District students are scheduled to start Aug. 24 via virtual learning for a...
Rare blazing star wildflowers in bloom in Butler County prairieVideo
The sea of tall, purple wildflowers known as blazing stars at Jennings Environmental Education Center are a rarity for Western Pennsylvania, and they won’t last much longer than this weekend. The flower is as exotic as its habitat: a prairie that was first preserved by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and...
Shaw memorial motorcycle run rides again; scholarship awarded to Lower Burrell man
The coronavirus pandemic hasn’t hampered interest in a fundraiser that preserves the legacy of a New Kensington police officer who was killed in the line of duty. The third Officer Brian Shaw Memorial Scholarship Ride and Event, set for Aug. 16, is sold out, with ride slots still open for...
Upper Burrell drops proposal to allow ATVs on township roads
Upper Burrell Supervisors are no longer considering allowing all-terrain vehicles on township roads. Supervisors floated the idea recently after seeing the interest in Gilpin Township, which recently opened some township roads to ATVs. Both Gilpin and Upper Burrell are rural municipalities where many residents own ATVs. Westmoreland County as a...
Contrary to appearances, barge not really stuck on Allegheny River dam in Natrona
Earlier this week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Pittsburgh received calls about a runaway barge hung up on the Allegheny River’s Lock and Dam No. 4 in Harrison. Sure enough, a 195-foot-long barge was on the dam, but it was strategically placed there for an important mission: to...
Upper Burrell Supervisors shelve proposal for a fire tax
Upper Burrell Supervisors on Wednesday shelved a proposal to impose a fire tax to support the township’s volunteer department in response to concerns from residents. “The time for a tax increase is not now,” said resident Dan Myers. Others attending Wednesday’s meeting echoed Myers, saying many residents and businesses are...
Burrell parents to decide between in-school or virtual instruction
As Burrell School District parents decide whether their children will learn at home online or attend classes in person, the school board is hoping not too many will choose a cyber school outside of the district. That could potentially cost the district several hundred thousand dollars. During a special meeting...
Army Corps to spend $12.9M to install new gates at Beaver County locks-and-dam facility
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Pittsburgh District plans to spend $12.9 million to install two new dam lift gates and a new control system at the Montgomery Locks and Dam along the Ohio River in Beaver County. The Montgomery facility is third-busiest navigation facility in the region with 17...
Steel Valley School District ready to reopen, waiting for parents’ choice on hybrid or remote learning
Friday was the deadline for parents of students in the Steel Valley School District to decide if they will attend school in-person for two days a week or go the remote learning route. “Parents have been receptive to the plan we’ve have created for students to go back to school,”...
Allegheny Valley School District investigating Zoom bombing of public meeting
District officials are investigating the “Zoom-bombing” of a recent Allegheny Valley School Board meeting via the Zoom internet platform. During the coronavirus pandemic, video conferencing platforms such as Zoom have gained popularity with everyone — including hackers. Known as Zoom-bombing, people with fake identities enter virtual public meetings to disrupt...
Allegheny Valley SB approves safety plan but not phased-in or full return to school
Allegheny Valley School Board on Tuesday approved its Health Safety Plan for the upcoming school year, but is still debating how students will return to school. The district is considering whether to open school buildings to its more than 900 students at the same time or to have a portion...
Upper Burrell considers safety tax to help fire department
The Upper Burrell Township supervisors plan to discuss a 3-mill tax increase for a new safety tax primarily benefiting the township’s sole fire department during their meeting on Wednesday. If the 3-mill tax is approved, the average homeowner with a home assessed at about $21,000 would pay $63 a year...
Burrell School District to vote on plan to reopen schools with virtual option
The Burrell School Board plans to vote Tuesday to reopen all schools when classes resume next month while providing an option for students to attend classes online from home. “It’s the closest thing to being there,” board President Tricia Shank said of the virtual option. Students can switch up between...
Bell Township man’s race car, hearse make memorial victory lap at Lernerville SpeedwayVideo
The crowd of about 150 people at Lernerville Speedway on Wednesday afternoon was quiet until the roar of the sprint car owned by the late “B-Dog” Hawkins brought applause and tears. A popular local race car driver, Brandon D. “B-Dog” Hawkins, 26, of Bell Township was a union laborer who...
Sprint car in funeral home, with final lap at Lernerville, honor Bell Township man
As Brandon D. “B-Dog” Hawkins lived life full throttle, expect nothing less for his funeral home viewing and services. Hawkins’ family is celebrating the memory of the underwater welder and laborer who died July 20 on the job in Johnstown. Hawkins, of Bell Township, was 26. He was a 2012...
Upper Burrell to discuss allowing ATVs on some township roads
Upper Burrell Supervisors are considering allowing all-terrain vehicles to use locally owned roads. The Gilpin Township Supervisors approved a measure earlier this month to designate certain township roads as “joint use” for motor vehicles and ATVs, and that appeared to inspire Upper Burrell to explore enacting a similar measure. Both...
Bar sponsors free event for Springdale Township residents to dispose of large household items
Springdale Township will hold a free event Sunday in which people can dispose of large household items in a dumpster at the township building on Plate Drive. The special disposal event, scheduled from noon to 3 p.m., is sponsored by the Bear’s Inn on Hite Road. “It’s easier for residents...
Hartwood Acres wildflowers aren’t just easy on the eyes; they’re reducing maintenance costs, floodingVideo
A 5-acre patch of Hartwood Acres has been transformed into a meadow with a blazing sea of yellow black-eyed and brown-eyed Susans. The wildflowers, known as Rudbeckia, weren’t planted at the park just for their visual appeal. “The idea was to reduce the amount of grass in the parks,” said...
Allegheny Valley school board sets meeting to discuss reopening plan
Allegheny Valley School Board will hold a special meeting Tuesday to discuss the district’s health and safety plan for reopening schools. The meeting is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at Acmetonia Elementary School in Harmar. Residents can attend the meeting in person, listen in on their phone or watch...
