Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 17
Sharpsburg chili cook-off welcomes new competitors
Sharpsburg Community Library’s Robert “Snakeguy” Habegger Chili Cook-off has a new champ. Ben Maffei of Shaler and his sweet and spicy smoked brisket barbeque chili delighted the taste buds of about 30 taste testers and three judges at the food-themed fundraiser on Feb. 22. The competition took place at the...
Sharpsburg public works department has a new foreman
Sharpsburg officials have hired a Freeport resident and former country club superintendent as their new public works foreman. Council unanimously voted Feb. 27 to ratify the employment of Mark Marshall as the department head. “I was looking for a new adventure in life,” Marshall said after the meeting. He had...
Amazon to install automated vehicle inspection device at Aleppo Township Industrial Park
Amazon wants to add an automated vehicle inspection facility on its property in Aleppo Township Industrial Park. Company spokesman Sam Fisher on Feb. 26 said he did not have any township-specific information but shared a report with an overall look at the devices. The machine uses a series of plates...
Townhouses proposed at former Methodist church property in Aspinwall
A Fox Chapel developer wants to knock down a former Aspinwall Methodist church and its school to make room for five high-end townhouses. Tony Pompeo Jr., founder of Amena Properties, made his introductory pitch to the borough’s planning commission on Feb. 26 for the future of the old sanctuary and...
Pittsburgh Regional Transit driver and passenger face assault charges in Sharpsburg incident
A Pittsburgh Regional Transit driver is on paid leave while he faces criminal charges for allegedly dragging a passenger stuck to the moving bus and then nearly running her over in Sharpsburg. Port Authority police have charged driver Jesse White, 55, of Pittsburgh with aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another...
Quaker Valley’s Black Student Union teaches valuable lessons to elementary students
Quaker Valley High School senior Olivia Jordan said maintaining traditions is important to her. An older brother, Malcolm, founded the school’s Black Student Union in 2019. Another brother, Noah, later became president of the group designed to empower Black students and create a comfortable environment to share stories, experiences and...
Holiday Park VFD life member remembered as loving volunteer
Holiday Park Volunteer Fire Department is mourning the loss of life member and staple at its Plum social hall. Annabell Ratner was someone firefighters could count on while recovering from a big emergency call. “Ann was always the person who was here when we came back from a fire and...
Holiday Park VFD starts fish fry season with Ash Wednesday lunch
The Holiday Park Volunteer Fire Department kicked off its fish fry season with lunch on Ash Wednesday. About 20 volunteers operated multiple stations and served more than 200 pieces of fish at the start of the Lent fundraiser at the Tuttle Social Hall off Old Abers Creek Road. Josh Scalamogna,...
The faithful receive ashes at Blawnox church on Ash Wednesday
Families throughout Blawnox and nearby communities flocked to St. Edward Church to receive ashes on Ash Wednesday. Pews were packed at the Catholic church along Walnut Street that evening as the Rev. Bill Siple delivered a message of repentance and how ashes show a person’s identity and commitment to their...
Police say Pittsburgh interior designer bilked clients out of nearly $500K
A Pittsburgh interior designer is facing multiple charges after being accused of bilking clients of nearly half a million dollars. Lauren Piasecki, 44, of Morningside has been charged with various counts of theft by unlawful taking, home improvement fraud, receiving stolen property and deceptive business practices, the Allegheny County District...
Sharpsburg to launch new community police program with pizza
Sharpsburg Mayor Kayla Portis and the borough police department hope to foster friendly relationships with residents one slice at a time. They have partnered to present the inaugural Pizza with the Police & Mayor Portis on March 4 at Ketchup City Creative. Food and drink will be provided by Gino...
12 native Sewickley pastors to be honored March 8
A Sewickley-based nonprofit is planning a celebration to honor Sewickley born African American pastors. Daniel B. Matthews Historical Society officials will recognize a dozen religious leaders at the Sewickley United Methodist Church next month. The ceremony will include guest speakers, musical performances and testimonials. The event is free and open...
Quaker Valley School Board approves new courses, curriculum changes
A new music pathway for students who prefer not to perform, as well as focus on business and entrepreneurship, are among the new courses being developed at Quaker Valley School District. School directors voted 7-0 on Feb. 18 to approve amended program of studies for the middle and high school....
Fox Chapel police seek to ID package thieves
The use of new cameras and license plate readers in Fox Chapel may have led to theft suspects being identified in Greensburg. Police Chief Michael Stevens said officers received a report of packages being stolen from a home along North Drive on Feb. 13. Borough cameras caught images and a...
Aspinwall parking study findings, recommendations revealed
A national consulting firm is proposing a number of recommendations to help mitigate parking issues in Aspinwall. Among the suggestions offered on Feb. 20 by Walker Consultants were: • Charge for residential parking permits and place limitations on them; • Increase signage and communication of parking policies; • Use new...
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy to assist with tree plantings at Fox Chapel’s McCahill Park
An ongoing renovation project at Fox Chapel’s McCahill Park will get a lot greener this summer. Council this month authorized spending up to $14,000 to contract with Western Pennsylvania Conservancy to plant about 1,500 trees, shrubs and other perennials at the recreation site off Hemlock Hollow Road. Conservancy leaders would...
Aspinwall safety talk rescheduled
A safety discussion at St. Scholastica Pastoral Center in Aspinwall has been rescheduled. The Allegheny County Police had partnered with Aspinwall police and AAA to lead a talk about careless and distracted driving at 309 Brilliant Ave. on Feb. 27. Mayor Joe Noro said plans have changed due to a...
Lawsuit filed against Aliquippa VFW owners on behalf of man ‘brutally’ attacked inside lodge
The owners of an Aliquippa VFW club are accused of negligence after an employee allegedly failed to protect one of its members from being brutally beaten inside the club earlier this year. Personal injury and civil rights attorney Todd Hollis recently filed a civil lawsuit on behalf of Aliquippa resident...
Sewickley Community Library renovation to create bigger, modern storytime space
Renovations are underway to restore a storytime room turned storage space to its former glory. Allison Park-based Landau Building Co. crews have been working since January replacing the ceiling, lighting, flooring, furniture and more in the second-floor children’s department of the Sewickley Community Library. The work is part of a...
Fox Families Care partners with Sharpsburg library for family literacy
Sharpsburg toddler Asa Reinthaler reared her head back in delight after having a few tiny bites of fresh fruit with her family. Accompanied by her parents Kelsey Squelch and Nick Reinthaler, they were among the participants of a children’s literacy program called Story Supper. “I like the concept — encouragement...
Quaker Valley grad and retired Ambridge police officer gets new job at alma mater
Quaker Valley grad Glen Sovich was recently hired to protect and serve students and staff at his alma mater. School board members unanimously voted Feb. 10 to hire the retired Ambridge police sergeant. His acquisition restores the district police department to four full-time officers — one in every school. Sovich,...
Kwik Fill in Oakmont burglarized
Oakmont and Allegheny County Police are investigating a burglary at the Kwik Fill gas station along Allegheny River Boulevard. A cashier at the convenience store said someone broke through a door, stole a register and attempted to access the safe around 4 a.m. Friday. Both the door and the register...
National Aviary to take over Shady Side Academy middle school
A Shady Side Academy alumnus is helping the National Aviary find a nest for its next breeding and conservation center, teaching hospital and educational space. S. Kent Rockwell, a Fox Chapel resident and 1962 academy graduate, is in the process of acquiring his alma mater’s 35-acre middle school campus. The...
Pedestrian upgrades planned for War Memorial Park in Sewickley
Sewickley officials plan to make one of their parks more pedestrian friendly. War Memorial Park’s old wooden bridges may be removed this summer and replaced with steel ones. The 20-acre park’s walking trail, including the access point from the woods by the Sewickley Valley YMCA parking lot along Blackburn Road,...
Aspinwall police using multiple tools to address aggressive driving, speeding in the borough
Anna Hartle of Aspinwall holds out hope that one day people will slow down when driving past her Fourth Street home. The longtime resident and some of her neighbors have let motorists know how they feel about going over the 15 mph limit. “We yell at speeders all the time,...
