Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 16
Shady Side Academy computer science students prepare for multi-district competition
Two Shady Side Academy students, bonded by a common love of zeros and ones, are preparing to expand their multi-school district technology-based competition. Zeros and ones are the two digits used in binary code, often described as the fundamental language of computers. Juniors Thomas Wang of Fox Chapel and Vivan...
Aspinwall to form sustainability advisory committee
Aspinwall Council wants to partner with residents to explore ways to make a positive environmental impact on the community. Volunteers are needed for the newly created sustainability advisory committee led by Councilman Mark Chimel. Resumes and letters of interest can be submitted to the borough office, 217 Commercial Ave. About...
Former Fox Chapel Area Baseball Softball Association treasurer charged with theft
A former treasurer of a local youth organization is accused of stealing about $147,000 from the club. Carla O’Brien, 48, of Indiana Township is charged with theft, receiving stolen property, access device fraud and misapplication of trusted property. Charges stem from an investigation by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office,...
Fox Chapel council forms negotiation committee, police contract talks to start
Negotiations between Fox Chapel officials and their police department are set to begin this spring. The department’s three-person negotiating team was formed earlier this year. Council solidified its negotiating team on March 17 with Brad Harrison volunteering for its third spot (other council committee members are Frederick Leech and Betsy...
Multicultural Night celebrates Fox Chapel High School student diversity
Fox Chapel Area High School students showed how much of a melting pot the district is with the third annual Multicultural Night. The third annual installment of the inclusion celebration started by the DESI Club took place March 19. About 200 people participated in the event, including about a dozen...
Leetsdale renews DUI task force commitment
Leetsdale has renewed its commitment to the West Hills DUI Task Force, a state-funded collective of multiple police departments that engages in roving patrols, traditional stationary checkpoints and educational initiatives to help keep streets safe. Council unanimously voted March 13 to renew its municipal police cooperative agreement. Borough officials said...
Pro wrestling organization returning to Springdale — for 1 last time
Springdale Junior-Senior High School marching band members will likely be playing the swan song to one of its biggest fundraisers Friday. Keystone State Wrestling Alliance superstars return to the home of the Dynamos, the Donald C. McGhee Fieldhouse, for Springdale Slam 6. It will be the end of two eras....
Chadwick Street Park in Sewickley to become new home of pickleball courts
Quaker Valley area pickleball players can rejoice as a new place to play in Sewickley will soon be constructed. Four new pickleball courts are in the works for Chadwick Street Park. Other upgrades include a full-size tennis court, new fencing, restructuring of the basketball court and new landscaping by the...
Sewickley-born reverends return to their roots for a ‘Holy Homecoming’ celebration
The Rev. Harold Cottom III recalled a pivotal time in his childhood growing up in Sewickley and attending St Matthew’s AME Zion Church. He was involved in a Buds of Promise youth program at the church. Cottom said the women who ran the program were very focused on scripture, and...
Edgeworth Elementary students raise money for American Cancer Society through carnival
This year’s Carnival for a Cure event at Edgeworth Elementary School raised $3,600 for the American Cancer Society. Its 14th annual installment of the fifth grade, student-driven fundraiser with the Sewickley Valley Relay for Life committee took place on Feb. 27. Committee member and fifth grade teacher Jen Bradley said...
Retail, office space and residential units proposed at former Sewickley funeral home site
A three-story development with retail space, engineering offices and condominiums is expected to fill the site of a former funeral home in Sewickley. The R.D. Cole Funeral Home at 328 Beaver St. was demolished more than a month ago. It had ceased services in September and reopened late that month...
New Kensington daycare hosts ‘Dr. Seuss’ family night in celebration of Read Across America
Dozens of families throughout the Alle-Kiski Valley flocked to the All Kids Are Special Childcare and Learning Center in New Kensington for its annual Dr. Seuss Family Engagement Night. Part of this month’s Read Across America celebration, preschoolers and toddlers, accompanied by their parents, participated in a variety of games...
Christ the Divine Teacher Academy’s fish fry brings the community together
Principal Mark Grgurich knows it takes a lot of community support to make fish fry events at Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy in Aspinwall a success. Everyone does their part, from parent volunteers on the fryers and transporting hot trays, teachers moving desserts and students taking orders. “We’re creating...
Kennywood, Sandcastle, Idlewild set to be bought by Dollywood owners
Kennywood will soon be operating under new ownership whose other holdings include Dollywood and the Harlem Globetrotters. Atlanta-based Herschend will acquire Palace Entertainment’s U.S. attractions, which includes the iconic West Mifflin amusement park as well as Sandcastle in West Homestead and Idlewild & SoakZone in the Laurel Highlands. The deal...
PNC Park unveils new menu items for this baseball season
Aramark, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ food partner for the past 52 years, has several new menu offerings for this year’s baseball season. Additions include the fried almond torte, Polish cannonball and a chipped ham empanada. The torte is funnel cake batter dipped, fried and topped with raspberry sauce, icing and burnt...
Man charged with arson for fire that damaged 2 Millvale homes
A man has been charged with arson and other offenses in connection with a fire in Millvale. Stephen Ebner, 41, no address given, is accused of damaging two homes along the 1100 block of Evergreen Ave. by fire in the early morning of March 6. Allegheny County Police and the...
Leetsdale to install memorial benches for 2 helpful residents
Leetsdale officials plan to install benches at borough parks this spring in memory of two kind souls. A bench in memory of volunteer election worker Brian Tarasi will be placed at Kohlmeyer Park, and one in memory of avid gardener and beloved decorator Jennine DeGori will sit at Henle Park....
Blawnox teen proposes recycling service for residents
A Blawnox teen wants to bring back a service his residence has not had in about two years. Recycling was eliminated in the garbage contract that council approved in September 2023. Borough Manager Kathy Ulanowicz said the decision came down to economics. The new three-year contract with Waste Management came...
Quaker Valley students learn from local professionals
Quaker Valley High School students learned about business, finance and information technology from local professionals as part of the district’s Future Ready Academies’ Career Conversations program. On March 5, about 25 students in grades 9-12 learned from leaders like BNY Mellon investment strategist Matthew Keller, PNC Financial Services early career...
Aspinwall officials warn residents of a scam soliciting money for police via mail
Mailers soliciting money for the Aspinwall Police Department are a scam and should be thrown away, according to borough officials. Council President Jeff Harris said residents, including his family, recently received letters asking for money for police. There is also a mailer that reads, “Aspinwall City Council Members need to...
Indiana Township mayor inducted into state association Hall of Fame
Indiana Township Mayor Darrin Krally can add another accomplishment to his public service resume: Hall of Famer. Krally was recently inducted into the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors’ Hall of Fame for his 20 years of service on his town’s board of supervisors. The nonprofit, nonpartisan member service organization...
Fox Chapel sets gold standard of care for feathered friends with top Bird Town honors
Fox Chapel Parks Commission members are celebrating recognition being bestowed by a statewide environmental group. The borough has set the gold standard in environmental preservation and educating people about birds, according to Bird Town Pennsylvania. The borough recently received the highest municipal recognition level, Gold, from the nonprofit group just...
Edgeworth hires retired Ohio Township corporal as its newest police officer
Edgeworth officials have added new manpower and equipment to their police force. Council unanimously approved the hiring of full-time officer Russ Hartzell and the purchase of a new Ford Explorer Interceptor last month. Hartzell, 43, of Ohio Township was selected out of two candidates and had the highest scores out...
Fish fry tradition continues at Logans Ferry Heights VFD in Plum
Hundreds of folks packed the Logans Ferry Heights Volunteer Fire Department social hall for the start of fish fry season on March 7. Department treasurer Justin Irwin said they went through a surprise inspection by the Allegheny County Health Department shortly before the start of the event. Everything met department...
2 injured in train derailment in Somerset County after collision with coal truck
A truck collided with a train Monday afternoon in Somerset Township, causing the train to partially derail and injuring two people. State police said the incident occurred around 3 p.m. in Somerset Township. TribLive news partner WTAE reported the train derailed and a coal truck caught fire following the crash....
