Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 60
Quaker Valley educator honored for her leadership, positive impacts
A Quaker Valley School District educator was recently honored for her leadership skills. Susan Gentile has been with the district for more than 25 years. She began her teaching career as a middle school English language arts teacher and worked as a high school English teacher. Gentile also served as...
Major Fox Chapel Garden Club fundraiser planned
An annual Fox Chapel Garden Club fundraiser will soon make its return to a familiar location. After a year outside in the cold due to covid-19 pandemic protocols, Glitter & Glow comes back to the Fox Chapel Golf Club on Wednesday, Dec. 7. The fundraiser was canceled in 2020 due...
Mandy Steele steps down as Fox Chapel councilwoman to take state House seat
Fox Chapel Council chose a former borough councilman who lost his bid for re-election in 2021 to fill the remaining 13 months of state Rep.-elect Mandy Steele’s council seat. Steele, 44, a Democrat in her first term on council, won the 33rd District state House seat in November’s general election...
Penn Hills School District receives boosted grant through state Department of Education
Penn Hills School District officials are working on a plan to use an estimated $1.1 million grant through the state Department of Education. The district was awarded a little more than $850,000 in a Ready to Learn Block Grant earlier this year. Officials announced in November they were able to...
Leetsdale’s 2023 preliminary budget contains no tax hike
Leetsdale property owners should not expect to pay more in real estate taxes next year. Council voted 4-1 Nov. 10 to pass and advertise the preliminary 2023 budget. The final budget is expected to pass Dec. 8. President Patricia Lee, vice president Maria Napolitano, Osman Awad and Jeffery Weatherby in...
Steel City Con returns to the Monroeville Convention Center
While it might be true that “dead men tell no tales,” pro wrestling legend The Undertaker should have some great stories to tell. And Pittsburghers might be able to hear a few as the pop culture icon will soon make his way to the Monroeville Convention Center for Steel City...
Fox Chapel’s 2023 proposed budget holds the line on real estate taxes
Strong earned income tax collection and a projected year-end surplus for 2022 has put Fox Chapel officials in a position to hold the line on real estate taxes next year, according to council Vice President Harrison Lauer. “The EIT was about $600,000 over budget, tremendous year,” he said at the...
Light Up the Wall in Aspinwall helps hundreds prepare for the holiday season
People packed the streets of Commercial and Brilliant avenues in Aspinwall to celebrate the borough’s annual Light Up the Wall holiday celebration. Festivities began with a live nativity musical with second graders from Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy under the direction of teacher Margaret Katocs shortly before 5 p.m....
Teen missing from Knoxville neighborhood found safe
A teenager missing from Pittsburgh’s Knoxville neighborhood was found safe. City police sought help from the public to find the 13-year-old boy who was last seen Thursday afternoon. He was found Friday, according to police....
Edgeworth officials plan to hold the line on real estate taxes in next year’s budget
Edgeworth officials hope to stave off a real estate tax hike despite rising costs. Council voted 6-0 on Nov. 15 to approve and advertise its preliminary 2023 budget. Councilman Dan Wilson was absent. The millage rate is projected to remain at 4.15 mills. Proposed revenues and expenses were listed at...
New Kensington residents mark 5th anniversary of police officer Brian Shaw’s death in line of duty
It has been five years since New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw was killed in the line of duty. For many, like police Chief Robert Deringer, it feels like yesterday. “They say time heals all wounds,” Deringer said, standing across the police station after a memorial service Thursday night. “It...
Fox Chapel Garden Club hosts Glitter and Glow on Dec. 7.
Fox Chapel Garden Club is hosting Glitter and Glow from 7-9 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Fox Chapel Golf Club, 436 Fox Chapel Road. The club will be selling festive fresh arrangements made by its members. Other activities include an auction and cash bar. Tickets are $35. More information is...
Leet officials hope to hold the line on taxes with next year’s budget
Leet property owners should not expect to have to pay more in real estate taxes as a result of the township’s 2023 budget. Commissioners voted 4-0 on Nov. 14 to approve and advertise next year’s preliminary spending plan. President Martin McDaniel was absent. The millage rate is projected to remain...
Audit: Quaker Valley School District financially strong
Quaker Valley School District is in strong financial shape, according to a newly released report from auditor Maher Duessel. Brian McCall, engagement partner at the financial firm, delivered the good news to district officials at a board meeting Nov. 15. “You’re really in a healthy financial position here where you’re...
Blawnox officials plan to raise real estate taxes about 10% as part of next year’s budget
Blawnox property owners might have to dig a little deeper in their wallets to pay real estate taxes as borough officials plan to hike rates about 10% next year. Council voted 5-0 to advertise its 2023 preliminary budget and tax ordinance Nov. 9. Councilwomen Meghan Kennedy and Katie Specht-Coban were...
Aspinwall’s Presents From Police toy drive underway
For the better part of a decade the Aspinwall Police Department has made it a point to help provide children with special needs and health issues have a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday. This year is no exception. The 11th annual Presents From Police toy drive has begun. “It’s...
Mural promoting love in Aspinwall revealed
A mural project designed to spread love and positivity in Aspinwall has been completed. Spearheaded by the advocacy group Aspinwall Neighbors, the mural called “Love, Aspinwall” at the Field Avenue playground pavilion was unveiled Nov. 12. A core group of 16 volunteers, under the direction of artist and resident Alison...
No tax hike planned in Aspinwall’s preliminary 2023 budget
Aspinwall officials plan no tax increases in 2023. Budget documents indicate the property tax rate will remain at 6.86 mills. Council unanimously voted Nov. 9 to advertise its 2023 preliminary budget. “Everything’s pretty much status quo this year,” borough Manager Melissa O’Maley said. She noted there were no significant challenges...
Route 28 ramp closure in Frazer planned for Wednesday
A ramp closure on northbound Route 28 in Frazer Township is planned for Wednesday, weather permitting. PennDOT officials said it is scheduled for 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. for concrete patching on the Pittsburgh Mills Boulevard on-ramp (Exit 12A). Ramp traffic will be detoured. The detour is as follows: •...
O’Hara’s 2023 preliminary budget contains no real estate, earned income tax hike
O’Hara officials plan to hold the line on real estate taxes with next year’s budget. Council voted 5-0 at a combined workshop and regular meeting on Nov. 9 to approve the first reading and advertise its preliminary 2023 budget. Council President Robert Smith and Councilman Richard Hughes were absent. The...
Sewickley officials pass preliminary budget without public input
Sewickley officials are attempting to hold the line on real estate taxes for another year. Council unanimously voted Nov. 8 to approve and advertise its preliminary 2023 budget. It maintains the tax rate at 6.25 mills. Projected revenues and expenses were listed at about $9.83 million. The borough has not...
Aspinwall to host shopping, light up events
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to correct that Jessica Rehling Vukmir is the owner of Dovecote and Nouveau Designer Consignment on Brilliant Avenue in Aspinwall. Two Aspinwall celebrations — Shop Aspinwall and Light up the Wall — designed to ring in the holiday season are set for this...
Charges dismissed against West Mifflin teen in connection with Kennywood shooting
Charges against a teen accused of being involved in a shooting in Kennywood Park in September were dismissed at a preliminary hearing Wednesday afternoon. Darryl Pirl, 15, of West Mifflin, one of three people injured during the shooting, went before District Judge James Hanley on charges of possession of a...
Court ruling on legal challenge to proposed Quaker Valley High School to come soon
Oral arguments were heard and an Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas judge may soon render his opinion on a legal challenge involving a proposed Quaker Valley High School. Senior Judge Joseph James listened to attorneys representing the district, Leet Township Zoning Hearing Board and opponents of the project on...
Model train groups, vendors roll through Monroeville Convention Center for fall show
Greenberg’s Great Train & Toy Show rolled through the Monroeville earlier this month. It is one of the largest gatherings of model train enthusiasts and sets up shop three times a year at the municipality’s convention center at 209 Mall Blvd. About 6,000 people were estimated to have walked through...
