Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 22
Stewart Elementary aide Mary Esler resurrects A-K Valley’s past for Brackenridge ghost tour
Lower Burrell resident Mary Esler loves striking up a flashy costume this time of year, whether it’s a queen’s gown for the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival or a holiday character for the students at Stewart Elementary School. “I just have a blast,” the 62-year-old Burrell School District aide said. Next week,...
Pastor Susan Moudry a ‘fantastic fit’ for Fox Chapel’s Faith United Methodist Church
The Rev. Susan Moudry believes her diverse background helped her land the job as new lead pastor at Faith United Methodist Church in Fox Chapel. “I have a background of working with a variety of people that meant this might be a good place for me,” said Moudry, 41. “The...
Highlands senior hopes people ‘cut footloose’ as local need for warm clothing surges
The Salvation Army in New Kensington never declines donations, especially not at this time of year when temperatures begin to dip and need increases. “We have already accounted for our funding resources to buy children’s coats, and we have a wait list twice as long,” business manager Laurie Suprano said....
Central Presbyterian Church in Tarentum offers classical concerts to ‘build community’
Leaders at Central Presbyterian Church in Tarentum believe a new musical acquisition will hit a high note in creating community connections. A Yamaha baby grand piano will make its debut during Sunday’s kickoff of the 10th annual Academy Concert Series, which is free to the public. The concert will begin...
Harrison Realtor Cameron Yockey spearheading Helene relief mission
Cameron Yockey watched the devastation from Hurricane Helene unfold on TV and social media until he could no longer stomach it. He posted to Facebook on Wednesday that a one-day collection would happen at his Harrison real estate office before he and other volunteers hit the road to Black Mountain,...
2nd caretaker charged with neglect at Verona facility
For the second time in as as many weeks, Verona police charged a caretaker at the same assisted living facility with neglecting the care of a client. “It’s unnerving,” Officer Thomas Dessell said of the most recent charges. Myesha Pennix, 25, of Pittsburgh, was accused Sept. 26 of ignoring the...
Moondog’s concert to benefit North Hills Community Outreach’s winter utility program
Local bands will light up the stage Friday, Oct. 11, at Moondog’s in Blawnox to help ensure people in need can keep their utilities on this winter. Featured acts during the Got It Covered fundraiser will be three-piece surf-rock band The Turbosonics and plaidtastic rockabilly quartet Polkamaniacs 4. Compassion Fatigue,...
O’Hara, Blawnox get state money for soon-to-be merged force
O’Hara police are getting a bump from the state to accommodate its larger force come January. The township was awarded $42,000 to purchase a new vehicle as it is scheduled to absorb the Blawnox force Jan. 1. It means the addition of four full-time officers and a combined squad of...
Harrison police bring back DUI checkpoints to ‘protect community’
Harrison police Chief Brian Turack is bringing back DUI checkpoints to target sections of the township that have become “concerning.” “We want to show our community we are invested,” Turack said. His department, along with the Allegheny Valley DUI Enforcement Task Force, conducted a checkpoint Sept. 20 along River Avenue...
The Brinery offers a fast-casual, scratch-made, culinary adventure in Sharpsburg
In the first several weeks at his new Sharpsburg restaurant, The Brinery, Chef Joe Bardakos kept running out of food. Hungry customers were less than thrilled, but it signaled to Bardakos that his culinary creations were on target. “It was super humbling,” said Bardakos of Reserve. The Shaler native and...
Leaders hope local EMS authority could ensure service in Tarentum, neighboring towns
Small-scale donations are rolling in to help sustain operations at Eureka Community Ambulance Service in Tarentum, enough that Chief Brad James is feeling hopeful about the future of EMS. “They’re not going to keep the doors open, but it’s nice to have the support,” James said. His department this year...
Panera eyes larger space with drive-thru outside Pittsburgh Mills mall
A move by Panera Bread will leave yet another vacant storefront in the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer. The quick-serve restaurant, with more than 2,200 locations in 48 states, wants to fill the former Steak ’n Shake restaurant building in the Village at Pittsburgh Mills near Lowe’s. Frazer Supervisor Lori...
Sober game room in Sharpsburg to create safe haven for people in addiction recovery
A sober game room opening in Sharpsburg is expected to be a game changer for people in addiction recovery. “It’s designed for fellowship because people with addiction issues need support and camaraderie,” said Larry Wagner, a Fox Chapel resident and board member of the Addiction Recovery Ministry who is spearheading...
‘A Joyous Day’ as St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church reopens in Arnold after 2021 fire
George Honchar of Carnegie said it was like “coming home” to attend the reopening services Sunday at St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church in Arnold. “This is my Bubba’s church,” Honchar said. “We come every year for a reunion, and it’s only natural that we would celebrate this.” The city’s only...
Glass City Heritage Festival spotlights Jeannette’s past
Organizers of the Glass City Heritage Festival said it was fitting to showcase Jeannette’s rich history during the street fair that aims to move the city forward. “We wanted to bring back what made the city important,” said Dawn Wallhausen, from You Are Here gallery. She helped spearhead a glass-blowing...
Deer Lakes primary school named among ‘America’s Healthiest’
It’s not uncommon to see students at Curtisville Primary School dancing and stretching during class. The youngest students in the Deer Lakes School District have movement breaks, when they are encouraged to shake off “the blahs” and reenergize themselves to learn. Elsewhere in the school on Saxonburg Boulevard, tower gardens...
Garden Club at Mary Queen of Apostles nourishes minds and bodies
Students at Mary Queen of Apostles are rolling up their sleeves to do their part for the environment — and their bellies. Garden Club members are in their second year tending to a monarch butterfly sanctuary near the school’s front entrance on Elmtree Road in New Kensington. Plants such as...
Highlands School Board considering repairs to former Fawn Elementary building
The Highlands School Board might spend money on a facelift for the former Fawn Elementary School, but the larger question of what to do with the building still looms. The board on Monday heard a proposal from Chris Reiser, director of buildings and grounds, who urged action on a leaky...
Ulta Beauty coming to The Waterworks
Shoppers who love trying the latest skin care or cosmetic lines likely will be delighted with the newest addition to The Waterworks along Freeport Road near Aspinwall. Ulta Beauty is set to open by late fall in the space that formerly housed a state liquor store, which moved this year...
Deer Lakes’ Meghan Bright earns award for teaching ‘overall wellness’
Curtisville Primary students learn more than soccer and dodge ball in Meghan Bright’s class. She teaches them from the earliest age how to care for their bodies with proper fuel, sleep and emotional balance. “Starting in kindergarten, my students learn about the functions of their body systems and how to...
Highlands, St. Joe’s cross country co-op a ‘win-win’
Highlands sophomore Lillie Ryan is excited to have friends to run with on the high school’s cross country team this fall. The lone runner for the district, Ryan would have to forgo the sport if it weren’t for a co-op with neighboring St. Joseph High School. “I’m happy about it,”...
West Deer No. 3’s fire hall renovations include indoor training, decontamination room
This time next year, West Deer Volunteer Fire Company No. 3 firefighters will be able to practice rappelling and rescue techniques without leaving the fire hall on Gibsonia Road. An indoor training space is among the highlights of ongoing renovations at the hall, which is a transformed commercial building that...
Women’s Board fundraiser among most successful in group’s history, raising over $98,000 to benefit area children
The Women’s Board of Pittsburgh hosted one of its most successful fundraisers in the group’s 30-year history, netting more than $98,000 for children’s charities. Hosted in the spring at Fox Chapel Golf Club, the annual event was dubbed “Sunset Safari, Fashion Their Future: Support Pittsburgh’s Children.” This year’s beneficiaries are...
Allegheny Valley Hospital unveils $12 million imaging upgrade to cut patient wait times
Several times each week, a box truck arrives at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison to potentially save lives. A new mobile imaging pad outside the hospital on Carlisle Street allows rotating MRI and PET CT capabilities, opening 40 more appointments a week. The truck travels throughout the region, pulling up...
Gov. Josh Shapiro: Increased funding for public education ‘a giant lift’ for districts like Highlands
Highlands High School senior Gus Narang moved to the district from India in 2017 with dreams of an American education. “I left my family and everything I knew,” said Narang, a member of the school’s National Honor Society and the marching band’s drum major. “I knew nothing about this way...
