Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 101

An Allegheny County grant worth $85,000 will cover the gap in cost for a major storm sewer line project in Aspinwall. The borough was awarded the money through the county’s Community Infrastructure and Tourism Fund (CITF), Manager Melissa Lang said. Aspinwall previously earned $477,000 through ALCOSAN’s Green Revitalization of Our...

Aspinwall paving is finally set to begin, officials said Tuesday. A bid was awarded Aug. 14 that will target four borough roads, including Field Avenue, which has been a priority for council. Members approved $100,000 for the annual road improvement program with a paving list that includes 6th Street, Center...

The Fox Chapel varsity boys soccer team kicks off its regular season on Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. against Pine-Richland. The game is at Fox Chapel Area High School along Field Club Road. Next up, the Foxes will take on Shaler in an away game at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 5....

Good news for folks who like to get their early morning exercise on. Lauri Ann West Community Center is rolling back its hours so that doors open at 5:30 a.m. weekdays. New hours begin Sept. 3. “We heard the feedback, and we know that people like to come to the...

Blawnox council is keeping its promise to provide better communication with residents through a newly unveiled website. The site, blawnox.com, debuted this week and is designed to be more user-friendly, officials said. Residents can pay utility bills, report concerns and view council meeting minutes. “The borough had received a grant...

The employee giving campaign hosted by St. Margaret Foundation drew record-breaking results this year, topping $129,000 to help patients in need. President Mary Lee Gannon said the total reaffirms that UPMC St. Margaret employees are confident that the foundation makes a meaningful difference. “They see first-hand the tragedies our patients...

Gov. Tom Wolf is expected today to launch sweeping reforms that tackle gun violence in the wake of Wednesday’s melee in which a gunman wounded six Philadelphia police officers. Calling it a public health crisis, Wolf said he will sign an executive order to make broad changes to executive branch...

Pittsburgh police said gunfire Friday morning inside a Hill District apartment building struck a pipe and caused a water leak. No one was injured just before 2 a.m. at the apartment in the 2100 block of Centre Avenue, according to Cara Cruz, public safety spokeswoman. Officers responded to reports of...

One person is in critical condition after a motorcyclist was struck by a vehicle late Thursday night in Carrick, Pittsburgh police said. Officers responded at 10:15 p.m. to a collision on Brownsville Road at Copperfield Avenue. They found a male motorcyclist on the ground with serious head wounds, Public Safety...

More than $20,000 will be split among Aspinwall’s first responders, thanks to the most successful National Night Out in the borough’s 10-year event history. Hosted by Aspinwall Neighborhood Watch, the event on Aug. 6 drew 1,200 revelers to the community ball fields for a night of appreciation for emergency responders....

A water advisory issued earlier this week for two Pittsburgh neighborhoods has been lifted. People in Lincoln-Lemington and Homewood North no longer have to boil water before using it. Still, the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority advised running water from the tap for at least a minute before drinking or...

A 90-year-old woman was killed in a Chartiers Township fire Wednesday. The Washington County coroner identified the victim as Grace Thomas. Neighbors called 911 after seeing flames shooting from the home, and crews responded at 8:30 p.m. to the fire along Sprowls Avenue. Chartiers, Houston and North Strabane fire departments...

An overnight shooting in Pittsburgh’s Hill District left two people injured, police said. The incident happened just after 2 a.m. Thursday in Terrace Hill Village, near the border of West Oakland. Public safety spokeswoman Cara Cruz said officers responded to the 100 block of Oak Hill Drive and found two...

Sharpsburg and Etna celebrated their inaugural National Night Out on Aug. 6, drawing crowds to meet and greet with local first responders. Hosted at the Gateway Portal, along Bridge and North Main streets, the shared event was meant to boost relationships among neighbors and emergency personnel. “It was a fun...

Roots of Faith’s vacation bible school had children roaring with laughter, friendship and lessons on Christianity through themed activities at “God’s Wild Kingdom Camp.” The Rev. Scott Shaffer, pastor at Roots’ sister church Faith United Methodist, summed up the successful program by saying, “Life is Wild, God is Good.” About...

Pittsburgh police are searching for a man who they said tried to rob a South Side bank Tuesday before changing his mind and fleeing in a wheelchair. A bank teller said the man in a wheelchair entered the First National Bank at about 3:30 p.m and handed over a note...

There were flashing lights at Cruz Elliot’s birthday party, but not the kind you’d expect at a 7-year-old’s celebration. To mark his big day, the Kerr Elementary youngster requested to spend the day with his “best friends” — police officers from across the Lower Valley. “It was my best day!”...

Dole is recalling batches of baby spinach amid salmonella concerns. The company issued a voluntary recall for 6-ounce bags (Lot code W20308A) and 10-ounce clamshells (Lot code W203010), both with use-by dates of Aug. 5. No illnesses have been reported, but a sample of baby spinach tested positive for salmonella...

Pittsburgh police are investigating a shooting late Monday in the city’s Hill District. A man was grazed in the knee with a bullet, according to Cara Cruz, public information officer for the department. Officers responded to a ShotSpotter notification just after 11:15 p.m. in the 600 block of Elmore Street....

The tennis courts at Squaw Valley Park in O’Hara remain closed after a portion of the surface buckled, township officials announced. Manager Julie Jakubec said she expects repairs to be made within two weeks, weather permitting. “There is a roll towards the back left corner,” she said. “We are waiting...

A Wilkinsburg man was shot and killed early Monday in Penn Hills, according to authorities. Curtiss E. Meeks Jr., 48, was pronounced dead at the scene early Monday when police found him in the street with several gunshot wounds. The incident happened just after 2 a.m. in the 1200 block...

No one was injured Sunday night when an unoccupied Jeep rolled into a Moon Township home, hit a gas line and burst into flames, according to Moon Township police. Members of the Moon Township Volunteer Fire Company responded at about 10:30 p.m. to the 200 block of Scottsdale Drive where...

Allegheny County Deputy Sheriff Bart Hennessy is being remembered by colleagues as a skilled law enforcement officer and “an even better person.” District Attorney Stephen Zappala posted his sympathies online Friday to Hennessy’s family after the longtime sheriff passed away Tuesday at the age of 59. “He will be greatly...

Here are some of the news highlights from around the Lower Valley for the week of Aug. 4: • Blawnox cracks down on code violations. • Fox Chapel Area ready for new school year. • Fox Chapel pastor encourages unity in wake of recent shootings nationwide. • Rabies bait to...