Mary Ann Thomas stories, Page 56
North Apollo firefighters plan more fundraisers to make up for loss of fire tax
North Apollo Volunteer Fire Department will need to hold more fundraisers and look for ways to reduce expenses after borough council eliminated a controversial fire fee this month. “We saw it coming, and we are doing what we can with more fundraisers and to keep costs down,” fire Chief Chris...
Sandy Hook mother to speak at Burrell High School
Scarlett Lewis, the mother of one of the 26 people killed by a gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in 2012, will speak to students at Burrell High School on Friday. Lewis will share her story of losing her 6-year-old son Jesse and the impact she believes...
Kiski Area students documenting the lives of local veteransVideo
Merle Sober climbed Mt. Fuji while waiting for battle during the Korean War, and James Thomas Simko helped liberate a Nazi concentration camp during World War II when SS soldiers began shooting and burning its prisoners just before the arrival of Simko’s “Fighting 69th” infantry. The stories of Sober of...
Burrell School District proposes 2.9% property tax hike
Burrell School District’s $32.5 million preliminary budget for next school year calls for a 2.9% increase in property taxes. If the school board approved the proposed 2.8 mill increase, the owner of a home assessed at $22,500 who currently pays $2,159 in taxes would see their annual bill go up...
Bear stops by Franklin Park home
A black bear stopped by a Franklin Park home near the intersection of Rochester Road and Route 910 on May 15. A motion activated camera documented the bear, about 150 pounds, casually walking about at 12:45 a.m. The bruin did no damage and hasn’t been seen since, according to Sara...
Pittsburgh native Becca Droz is back on CBS’ ‘Amazing Race’
Pittsburgh native Becca Droz will be featured on CBS’ “Amazing Race” airing at 8 p.m. Wednesday. She and her teammate Floyd Pierce are competing for a $1 million prize on a 25,000-plus mile journey around the world. The duo known as “Team Fun” competed on the show in 2017. They...
Steamfitters Union accepting apprentices June 3-22
The Steamfitters union 449, Pittsburgh, will be accepting apprentice applications June 3 through 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays at the union’s Technology Center in Harmony, Butler County. Applicants need to allow 30 minutes to fill out the application on site....
No license required: Sunday is Fish-For-Free Day in Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will offer its first of two Fish-For-Free Days on Sunday, when anyone can fish, even without a state fishing license. The second free fishing day will be July 4. The commission is offering the free days to open up fishing opportunities for the public,...
Close Lower Burrell council race sees 1 incumbent dumped, mayor loses bid as well
Attorney Steve Yakopec Jr. squeaked by in the 11th hour — literally — of election night Tuesday to win a Democratic nomination for one of two city council seats up for grabs in November. Yakopec edged out incumbent Democrat Christopher Koziarski by just five votes, but only after absentee ballots...
Apollo-Ridge and Burrell school districts awarded nearly $50,000 for security equipment
The Pennsylvania Department of Education awarded a $25,000 Safe Schools Targeted Grant to the Apollo-Ridge School District and nearly $25,000 to the Burrell School District for security equipment. Apollo-Ridge was among 39 school districts that did not receive other competitive grants from the Department of Education last fall. Information on...
Army Corps to cut hours at Lock 4 in Harrison
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is cutting service at lock and dam No. 4 in Harrison by nearly a full work shift per day because of dwindling barge traffic and federal dollars to operate the locks and dams on the Allegheny River. Beginning Friday, the lock in Harrison’s Natrona...
Kiski Area students looking for vets/families to include on veterans web site
During the festivities this Saturday honoring the late Sgt. Jason M. McClary at the Allegheny Township War Memorial, Kiski Area students will be signing up area veterans and the families of late veterans for inclusion on the Kiski Area Veterans Website. Kiski Area School District students have amassed the histories...
Students spruce up Lower Burrell’s Veterans Central ParkVideo
When a trip to New York City fell through, Burrell High School students decided to donate $1,000 they raised for the outing — along with their free labor — for a much-needed sprucing up of Lower Burrell’s Veterans Central Park on Monday. “When we were younger, we used to play...
Writers to collaborate with musicians at Hampton’s Steamworks Creative
Six writers and musicians will take the stage Friday at Steamworks Creative in Hampton to perform works based on each other’s work. “Words and Music – An evening of writers collaborating with musicians,” will be held from 8 to 10:30 p.m. at Steamworks, 4967 Route 8, Suite 6. Tickets are...
PA Hero Walk to honor the late Army Sgt. Jason McClary
The PA Hero Walk will hold a memorial ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday for Army Sgt. Jason McClary at 21 Towne Center Drive in Allegheny Township. McClary, 24, a native of the Export area, died in late 2018 at an Army base in Germany from injuries he suffered five days...
Some Washington Township residents could get hit with stormwater fees
Washington Township supervisors expanded the powers of the Municipal Authority of Washington Township to handle stormwater projects. While the authority has jurisdiction over sewage issues, supervisors voted unanimously last week to allow the authority to also deal with stormwater projects. The township is making the change as part of an...
Lower Burrell’s former solicitor challenging 2 city councilmen for seat
Lower Burrell’s former solicitor is going up against two incumbent councilmen for one of their seats on the Democratic ticket in Tuesday’s primary. There was a show of support on Facebook for Lower Burrell resident and longtime city solicitor Stephen Yakopec Jr. when his contract with the city was in...
In Lower Burrell mayor’s race, attracting business is key issue
A newcomer without political experience is challenging the Lower Burrell’s incumbent mayor for the Democratic nomination in Tuesday’s primary. When John Andrejcik, 60, worked as an official court reporter for Allegheny County Court, he was prohibited from seeking public office. He retired in October, so he is running for mayor....
Good weather jump starts multi-million dollar Lower Burrell City Hall project
The sunny skies on Thursday brought out the bulldozers and more to Lower Burrell’s city hall where contractors started work on a new public works building. The work is part of a $3.1 million project including the expansion of the police department, moving the tax office back to city hall...
Condor cam goes live with parents tending to one egg at Aviary
The National Aviary’s Andean condor webcam is activated and the watch is on as an egg is expected to hatch within the next month. Andean condors are the world’s largest flying bird with a 10-foot wingspan. They are threatened throughout much of their range and critically endangered in Ecuador. The...
Multi-million dollar Lower Burrell City Hall renovation starts next week
Contractors will break ground next week for the $3.1 million Lower Burrell City Hall renovation project. Years in the making, the project entails creating more space for police and the public works department and moving the tax office back into city hall. City services won’t be impacted by the project....
Lower Burrell awards summer paving contract
Lower Burrell Council recently awarded a $110,895 contract to A. Folino Construction for this year’s summer paving projects in the city. City Administrator Amy Rockwell said streets slated for paving include Wachter and Oregon drives and Craigdell Road from Carl Avenue to the rear of Giant Eagle....
Annual Burrell Lake Park Kids’ Fishing Derby planned for June
The annual Burrell Lake Park Kids’ Fishing Derby is scheduled for June 8. The event, which runs from 9 to 11:30 a.m., will feature free fishing, free lunch and a grab bag, and prizes for the biggest fish caught. Registration will be from 7:30 to 9 a.m. All activities are...
Massachusetts man accused of killing hiker with machete on Appalachian Trail
A Massachusetts man is accused of assaulting two hikers with a machete, killing one of them, over the weekend on the Appalachian Trial in Virginia, federal prosecutors said. James L. Jordan, 30, was arrested early Saturday and charged with one count of murder and one count of assault with the...
Lower Burrell faces expensive fix for sewer line serving half of city
City officials will have to decide how and when it will fix a high-pressure sewage line serving half of Lower Burrell, potentially costing between $1.25 million and $1.75 million. The milelong, high-pressure line pumps sewage from the Chartiers pump station at the bottom of Edgecliff Road up to Leechburg Road....
