Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 19
Harvest Baptist and Walmart enable kids to ‘Shop with the Heroes’
Kourtney Hawkins and her daughter, Daisy, have struggled through extraordinary losses the past two years. Hawkins’ son, Ryder, died two years ago, and her husband, Scottie Joe, was killed in June in a motorcycle crash along Markle Road in Allegheny Township. “My daughter has been through it,” Hawkins, of Vandergrift,...
Friends recall West Deer’s Rev. James Legge as tireless advocate for less fortunate
The Rev. James Legge, longtime pastor at Bull Creek Presbyterian Church in West Deer, is being recalled by friends as a team player and ardent supporter of leveling the playing field for the less fortunate. Serving on the board at Allegheny Valley Association of Churches and the Alle-Kiski Area HOPE...
Brackenridge property tax to increase by 12%
Brackenridge residents will see a 12% tax increase next year. Council approved its $1.2 million general fund budget, which calls for a millage increase from 6.25 to 7 mills. The owner of a home at the borough’s median assessed value of $50,900 would pay about $38 more, or $356. “The...
See the light to combat seasonal blues
The Rev. Levi Hartle swears by red light therapy to boost his spirit. “When I’m feeling tired, I use the machine for 10 or 15 minutes and I’m ready to go,” said Hartle, 39, who recently was transferred to the Mon Valley from his post at Holy Family Parish in...
Then and Now: Longtime bank landmark now prominent retail/office space
A prominent building in the Aspinwall business section has been drawing people to the corner of First Street and Brilliant Avenue for nearly 100 years. The red-brick building is a well-recognized cornerstone, initially home to financial institutions before transforming into a retail hub. Known originally as the Bank of Aspinwall,...
Free veterinary clinic at Sharpsburg nonprofit helps pet owners in need
A newly launched pet clinic at Roots of Faith in Sharpsburg is working to boost the health of animals and their humans. In partnership with Allegheny Health Network and Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh, a semiregular event will tend to the health of furry friends and their owners — all...
Harrison seeking safety boost along Freeport Road
Harrison officials are seeking to boost safety along Freeport Road for vehicles and pedestrians. Police Chief Brian Turack said traffic signals along the business stretch are “pretty outdated.” “They were all added or designed at different times so none of them really work together,” he said. Commissioners have hired HRG...
Harrison business delivers Christmas locally and in hurricane-ravaged North Carolina
Harrison real estate agent Cameron Yockey wants to work some holiday magic at home and more than 400 miles away in communities ravaged by Hurricane Helene. Through his company, Realty One, Yockey is spearheading a toy collection to provide a joyful Christmas for children in North Carolina towns that are...
2nd station for West Deer EMS expected to shorten response times
West Deer EMS has landed a permanent substation in Indiana Township which is expected to reduce call times for emergency responses, officials said. Director Bill Humes said the move is a boon to his service, which responds to about 3,200 calls a year. That number is up 42% over last...
Faces of the Valley: Deer Lakes’ Bernie Donovan earns top prize in national poetry contest
Deer Lakes fifth grader Bernie Donovan loves her life — so much so that she wrote a poem to commemorate it. “Dear Future Self” speaks to how perfect the 10-year-old sees her existence as a girl who loves mac and cheese, soccer and her dog, Carter. “I like the way...
Fraud is a $10B business, according to FTC; Harrison workshop aims to safeguard people
Pennsylvanians lost more than $118 million in phone scams and other frauds last year, taking a particular hit during the holidays, according to the FBI. Across the country, older Americans appear especially prone to fake calls and emails soliciting money for charities, “family emergencies” or other schemes, the Federal Trade...
Camp Guyasuta features new showstopper with illuminated waterfall
Christmas in Guyasuta will have an extra special glow this year as organizers introduce the newest feature, an illuminated waterfall. The winter-themed extravaganza is scheduled Nov. 30 at the Scouting America-owned campgrounds and is a fan-favorite to kick off the holiday season. “There is no better way to get into...
Sharpsburg invites public to weigh in on 19th Street transformation
Sharpsburg Mayor Kayla Portis hopes a project to transform 19th Street will highlight inclusivity and accessibility for all. The borough is hosting a meeting Dec. 3 to gather input on a sweeping improvement plan expected next year. It will see the redevelopment of 19th Street as an access point to...
Harrison expects nearly 10% tax increase; no paving budgeted in 2025
It’s been a tough budget season, according to Harrison officials. Ongoing tax assessment appeals are expected to result in a 10% dip in real estate revenue while commissioners are tasked with crucial expenses next year that include new police hires and EMS funding. “This challenge is compounded by the fact...
Efforts underway to ensure bright holidays for troops overseas
St. Joseph High School teacher Megan Morrow leads her students not only in drawing and sculpting but in the art of community service. Teens at the Harrison school put their talents to use crafting Christmas cards to be shipped to troops deployed overseas. “I did a similar project when I...
Services for 700 families at Tarentum center in jeopardy under Allegheny County budget talks
Harrison’s Ashley Griffin said she will be devastated if the Highlands Family Center in Tarentum is forced to cut programs. The East Fourth Avenue facility is a one-stop shop for children and adults, providing services that include a diaper bank, food pantry, financial counseling, story times and employment assistance. The...
Second electronic billboard going up in Tarentum
More than a year after it was approved, Tarentum’s second megawatt billboard is finally expected to light up the borough’s western side. Weleski Transfer along West Fourth Avenue got the go-ahead from council to erect an electronic sign, 14 feet tall by 48 feet wide. “We’re excited it’s moving along,...
Then and Now: Beloved Boyd transformed into Lauri Ann West Community Center
The 1950s-era Boyd Elementary School was so beloved in the Fox Chapel Area that community members wouldn’t let it sit empty when it closed in 1983. Two residents spearheaded the opening of Boyd Community Center, which opened that same year in the brick building off Powers Run Road in O’Hara....
No tax increase planned in Fawn
Fawn residents haven’t incurred a property tax increase in 26 years, and they’re not likely to see one in 2025. Supervisors approved a tentative budget of nearly $1.8 million. The proposed tax rate would remain 3.04 mills. The owner of a home with the township’s median assessed value of $72,750...
Tarentum Lions Club charity event returns from pandemic hiatus; tickets selling fast
A longstanding Alle-Kiski Valley charity fundraiser is making an in-person return after being sidelined by the pandemic. The Tarentum Area Lions Club will host its Jack Marino Charity Dinner with the goal of raising money to help people in and out of the region. Proceeds benefit the Allegheny Valley Association...
Allegheny Shores moves forward with site prep, thanks to $1 million infusion from state
Sharpsburg Councilman Corey Ochai believes that the transformation of a 52-acre brownfield along the Allegheny River will grow the borough in the right direction for all. “I don’t think we’re outgrowing the town’s DNA but improving on it,” said Ochai, of the Allegheny Shores project that broke ground in 2022....
Frazer tax rate to hold steady but assessed values could go up, raising tax bills for some
Frazer officials don’t plan to raise property taxes next year, but some homeowners could pay more nonetheless. The township’s $1.3 million budget will maintain a tax rate of 3.5 mills, but Supervisor/Township Secretary Lori Ziencik said the board plans to reduce the Homestead Exclusion from $40,000 to $20,000. That means...
East Deer taxes to remain steady under proposed budget; garbage fees would increase more than 35%
East Deer property owners aren’t likely to see a tax increase next year under the township’s proposed $1.5 million general fund budget. But they would pay more for garbage pickup — more than 35% more. The township rebid its contract for the first time in eight years, resulting in the...
Ambulance authority inching forward to relieve Eureka, Citizens from financial burden
Local EMS funding issues could be on a path to health by early next year. A steering committee continues to inch forward with plans for an emergency medical services authority to serve East Deer, Brackenridge, Harrison and Tarentum. “All that has been approved at this point is the four communities...
Eccentric and comical, the Illustrious Order of Makesmiths opens in Blawnox
Part gallery, part toy shop is the best description for the Illustrious Order of Makesmiths, a quirky new addition to Blawnox. Opened by West Deer residents Chief and Steve O’Hearn, both artists, the storefront at 334 Freeport Road welcomes visitors to find joy in professional art as well as bizarre...
