Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 12
Highlands voters will choose between 3 for 2 available seats in Region 2; other races decided
Nominees for Highlands School Board were solidified Tuesday, with two incumbents and three newcomers on the November ballot. There are four seats up for election. In Region 1, which covers Tarentum and Fawn, incumbent Bobbie Neese ran unopposed. In Region 2, which includes Brackenridge and parts of Harrison, incumbent Debra...
Tarentum spray park opening scheduled after minor delay
After a slight setback, the countdown is on for the opening of Tarentum’s popular spray park. The facility along First Avenue is scheduled to open May 30, a bit later than usual. Manager Dwight Boddorf said the section typically opens on or near Memorial Day but was pushed back after...
Harrison police urge residents to stay alert after recent vehicle vandalism
Residents in the Carlisle Street neighborhood of Harrison are urged by police to keep an eye out for suspicious activity. In recent weeks, more than one vehicle has been the target of vandalism. Police Chief Brian Turack said his officers have been called at least two or three times this...
No tax increase expected for Highlands residents
Despite a dip in real estate revenues and an increase in district salaries and benefit costs, Highlands School Board is proposing a 2025-26 budget that holds the property tax rate steady. The board on Monday approved a tentative $54.5 million spending plan that maintains the 25.13 millage rate. If approved,...
Highlands officials want at least $500,000 for former Fawn Elementary
Highlands officials are trying again to offload an unused former elementary school. The school board is accepting bids on the former Fawn Elementary, later known as the Highlands Support Center, on Ridge Road. Bids must be at least $500,000. Vacant for about six years, the 30,000-square-foot school sits on nearly...
Carjacking in Pittsburgh’s Friendship section ends with arrest in Pitcairn
A Monday morning carjacking in Pittsburgh’s Friendship neighborhood ended with a suspect apprehended in Pitcairn, about 12 miles away, authorities said. Pittsburgh police responded just after 11 a.m. to the 5100 block of Friendship Avenue for a ShotSpotter alert. A man at the scene told officers he was carjacked and...
Tarentum to reveal plans for Riverview Memorial Park renovation
Plans for the potential makeover of Riverview Memorial Park in Tarentum will be revealed Tuesday. Residents will get their first chance to view three concepts for the park, which stretches nearly the length of the borough along the Allegheny River. A public meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Alle-Kiski...
Fox Chapel-based Women’s Board hosts annual fundraiser
The Women’s Board of Pittsburgh on May 1 celebrated its annual fundraiser, “All You Need is Love.” Hosted at the Pittsburgh Field Club, the theme echoed the board’s long-standing commitment to show love for children and support their needs. The group has brought in more than $1.6 million over three...
Anchor Inn owners ready to retire, close Harrison favorite founded by their dad in 1953
Ask anyone from the Anchor Inn’s former “Wednesday Night Gang” what makes the Harrison restaurant and pub so special, and the answer is simple — good food, good people. “This town has been so supportive,” owner Joe Kolek said. “It’s been a great living and so much fun.” He and...
James Sharp Landing provides perfect spot for kayak, canoe safety class
People looking to bone up on water safety skills ahead of summer can check out an upcoming class in Sharpsburg by Friends of the Riverfront. The introductory level program will give an overview of kayak and canoe basics, foundational non-motorized safety and general approaches to launching and paddling the three...
New Brackenridge councilman has long history of borough service
Larry Chifulini was meant to serve on Brackenridge council. Newly appointed for a second stint, Chifulini follows in his family footsteps, continuing decades of service to the borough where he was born and raised. His father, grandfather and grandmother all served on council. “The first time I was around, my...
Tarentum working to resolve DEP water plant violations
Tarentum has been called out by the state Department of Environmental Protection for the second time in six months for violations at the borough’s water plant. Borough officials said the water is safe to drink. “If there were a serious health risk, DEP regulations would require us to take much...
Brackenridge will use $6 million combined grant, loan to overhaul water system
Brackenridge officials will get $6 million in help from the state to address problems at the borough’s water plant flagged by the Department of Environmental Protection. The borough’s water is safe to drink, according to DEP spokesman Brandon Glass. Concerns are for the lack of automatic shut-offs for low chlorine...
Vandal strikes vehicle parked at Vereb Funeral Home in Harrison
Contractor Brad Rowan parked his work van overnight at Vereb Funeral Home in Harrison this week in advance of a job at the building. He never dreamed, however, that it would be vandalized in the building’s parking lot along Freeport Road. “I understand everyone is upset about the situation,” said...
Tarentum staple, Asay’s News Stand, closes just shy of 100 years in borough
A small Tarentum mini-mart which drew generations of residents for cigarettes, milk and lottery tickets, has closed its doors. Asay’s News Stand, at 328 E. Sixth Ave., was sold May 1 — just four years shy of marking 100 years in the borough. “I will miss a lot of the...
Longtime PPG employee donates windshield to Tarentum museum
Ray Bowser still holds a grudge against PPG for closing its Creighton plant before he could reach seven decades at the glass manufacturing facility. “Don’t ever say I retired from there at 66 years and six days, because I didn’t,” said Bowser, 91. “I stayed until they closed the doors.”...
Woman pushes limits as arthritis walk shines light on rising cases of autoimmune disorder
Jeanine McGuire was diagnosed at 14 with rheumatoid arthritis, something she considered to be an old person’s disease. An athlete at North Catholic High School at the time, McGuire assumed her dreams of a collegiate soccer career were dashed. “I never thought I’d get better,” said McGuire, now 37, of...
Nature on Wheels roving classrooms coming to Alle-Kiski Valley
A nature-themed educational mobile will be rolling through the Alle-Kiski Valley by this time next year. Nature on Wheels, a partnership of Allegheny Land Trust and CannonDesign, is intended to meet people where they are — physically and educationally. “By bringing different interactive activities and types of programming, we hope...
3 new grocery stores expected to be ‘life-changing’ for Tarentum, New Kensington, Natrona
Mich Ankney is excited at the prospect of grocery shopping in his Natrona neighborhood. It’s something he’s never been able to do. “We’ve had a few little candy stores that sold basics, like eggs and diapers,” said Ankney, 21. “But it was more like what they’d have at a gas...
Highlands High School still without power, internet
Heavy storms that rolled through the area nearly a week ago still are impacting daily life in the Alle-Kiski Valley. Highlands High School remained closed Monday, with district officials blaming an ongoing power and internet outage. “This is all from last week’s storm,” Superintendent Monique Mawhinney said. “We are under...
Orange flags to support pedestrian safety in Aspinwall
Bright orange flags will be popping up on Aspinwall’s busiest streets. Funded by the advocacy group Aspinwall Neighbors, the initiative will see pedestrian flags in at least two spots along the Brilliant Avenue business corridor. “Pedestrians will be encouraged to carry a flag while crossing the street and deposit it...
Whistleblower says ‘excuses,’ lack of documentation led her to alert police to pet cremation scandal
Tiffany Mantzouridis had a hunch that something was off with her employer, Patrick Vereb, owner of Vereb Funeral Home and Eternity Pet Memorials. “He would throw away crematory tags and keep handwritten notes of where which pets should go, but he never could name the crematory he was using for...
ATI posts first quarter revenue of $1.1 billion
ATI leaders on Thursday credited strong revenue growth to a thriving aerospace and defense industry. The specialty metals company released its first-quarter results, with sales of $1.1 billion — up 10% from the same period last year. Growth was driven by a 23% increase in aerospace and defense, officials said....
Pet cremation scandal victims urged to honor pets on May 9
Tina Moore of Greensburg paid to have her cats — Pickle, Daisy and LaLa — cremated. She learned this week they may have been thrown into a landfill instead. “I’ve spent the past three days so angry and bitter,” Moore said. “I need to concentrate my energy on positivity rather...
Blawnox centennial book reveals tiny borough’s big history
A 52-page book to celebrate the Blawnox centennial might surprise readers with its eye-opening tidbits about the rivertown. The limited edition “Blawnox: 1925-2025,” authored by O’Hara historian Tom Powers, will reveal the clothing store millionaire who funded the community of Hoboken — the borough’s original name. It also will detail...
