Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 38
Pink Day breast cancer fundraiser in Leechburg draws thousands with food, fun, bubbles
Pink was the color of the day Saturday in Leechburg, but the finale of the breast cancer fundraiser — a foam party filled with white bubbles — appeared to be a hit. Omar Holyfield, 8, and his brother Asante, 7, were still dressed in their Kiski Valley Youth Football uniforms...
Assault reported near University of Pittsburgh campus
Pittsburgh police are investigating an aggravated assault early Saturday near the University of Pittsburgh campus. Police responded at about 2:10 a.m. to the 100 block of Oakland Avenue for reports of a robbery and assault. The victim was punched in the head, according to an alert issued by Pitt police....
Boil water advisory lifted for Leechburg, neighboring municipalities
A boil water advisory has been lifted for people in Leechburg, West Leechburg, Hyde Park and parts of Allegheny Township. The Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County issued an alert early Saturday that relieved a five-day boil advisory for the authority’s nearly 3,890 customers. “We are pleased to report that the...
Dwindling donations, personnel leave Tarentum fire chiefs welcoming state talks about future
It wasn’t too many years ago that firefighters bristled at the mention of consolidation. “There’s a difference now,” said Brad James, assistant chief at Eureka Fire and Rescue in Tarentum. He’s been in the emergency service business for 40 years. “It doesn’t matter much anymore whether you’re for it or...
Tarentum boaters start dismantling docks ahead of deadline
Tom Kish sat on his Tarentum boat dock Wednesday and watched 20 years of work, dreams, money and family memories go up in smoke. Friends helped him dismantle a wooden roof from his 28-by-24-foot deck and toss it into a fire along the Allegheny River shoreline. “This was a happy...
Stations of the Cross removed from St. Ladislaus in preparation for building demolition
Fourteen timeworn cherubs and crucifixes were carted off from St. Ladislaus Church in Harrison as the building continues to be stripped of religious artifacts. The items, part of the wall-mounted Stations of the Cross for 120 years, were saved by an anonymous donor who is paying to have them restored...
Flags flood Freeport Road in Harrison to commemorate 9/11
Honking horns and chants of “USA” flooded Freeport Road in Harrison on Monday, while dozens of volunteers carried American flags along the stretch for 16 hours. “People blowing their horns and waving is so nice,” said Kristin Molyneaux, who participated for the ninth time in the annual 9/11 Moving Flag...
New Kensington-Arnold Catholic youth form global Zoom friendship with Ukrainian teens
A video about St. Vladimir compiled by Ukrainian teens was the start of a unique online friendship with Catholic school students in Arnold and New Kensington. “The kids watched the video and thought it was really cool and interesting to connect with kids across the world,” said Heather Hensley, regional...
Vacant land off Bakerstown Road in Tarentum sought for vehicle storage
Borough-owned property near Route 28 in Tarentum could be used as a vehicle impound if zoning and leasing issues are negotiated. Council will discuss a proposal that would turn a portion of the empty land off Bakerstown Road into space for vehicle storage. “I’ve been here 45 years, and nothing...
Magnet fishing couple pulls piece of Harrison history from Allegheny River in Lawrenceville
You never know what you might pluck from the Allegheny River. Magnet fishing enthusiasts George and Suzanne Murphy Haught have pulled up boat parts, locks and even a gun. “I pulled out a washer from a barge that was the size of a dinner plate,” said George, who began the...
Tarentum boaters say borough deadline to retrieve docks is ‘impossible’
People who have dock space along the Allegheny River in Tarentum are asking for added time to pull their items from the water and shoreline after council eliminated leases until further notice. Council in August said leases will not be approved until the borough has a finalized riverfront development plan,...
Tarentum could have another digital billboard, this one seen by Route 28 motorists
Another electronic billboard could be coming to Tarentum. Representatives from Weleski Transfer in Tarentum are asking borough council to approve construction of a digital billboard that would rise 70 feet above the company’s West Fourth Avenue offices and, hopefully, catch the attention of drivers along Route 28. Lights would be...
Languages, woodworking, history and opera all topics in fall semester at Fox Chapel Area Adult Education
Exercise enthusiasts, language lovers and people with a passion for plants have a bevy of programs to choose from during the new semester of Fox Chapel Area Adult Education. Classes have varying start dates but registration is open now. “It’s back to school time for adults too,” Executive Director Sue...
Jennifer Kaniecki MacNeil appointed president of St. Joseph High School
Jennifer Kaniecki MacNeil attended St. Joseph High School in the 1980s, when Steve Jobs first introduced the desktop computer to the masses. “We had an Apple IIe at school and that actually launched my passion for technology,” MacNeil said. “It was while at St. Joe’s that I found an enthusiasm...
The Depot Wi-Fi cafe and laundromat in Tarentum still in the works
A community resource center in Tarentum that was expected to open in 2021 is slowly rebounding from what organizers say was a covid-induced stall. The Depot, in the 300 block of Fifth Avenue, was hailed as a first-of-its-kind co-working space with a Wi-Fi cafe and laundromat. Backed by nonprofit Faith...
Summit Hose Fall Festival gearing up for 3 days of food, fun, bingo and bands
It’s three weeks until the official start of autumn, but that’s close enough for Summit Hose Company to stage its popular Fall Festival in Tarentum’s Riverview Memorial Park. The carnival, scheduled for Sept. 7-9, is expected to draw thousands of people of all ages. “There will be rides and games,...
Harrison police Chief Brian Turack will ‘meet and greet’ residents in Natrona
New Harrison police Chief Brian Turack will host a meet-and-greet with residents to introduce himself and outline plans to help the township thrive. “It will be very informal,” he said. “I just want to talk about some of the plans we have coming up.” The event is Tuesday at the...
Highlands partners with Ronald McDonald Care Mobile to offer free medical services
Highlands School District students will have access to limited medical care on-site through a partnership with the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. The roving 40-foot truck will visit the district once each quarter to offer immunizations, physicals for sports, work permits and driver’s licenses. “This will be available to all children...
Fox Chapel Area teens prove vital to Harvest Fair preparation
Recent Fox Chapel Area graduate Siheng Chao spent the last few weeks of summer – before starting classes at the University of Pittsburgh – picking up and packing thousands of donations for one of the area’s most anticipated fall events, the Harvest Fair at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church. “We literally...
Community invited to ‘Worship by the Water’ at Allegheny RiverTrail Park
So long as Danny English is Director of Music Ministries at Aspinwall Presbyterian Church, worshippers can expect something special. From original scores at Sunday services to his efforts to maintain a choir despite changing demographics at the Center Avenue church, English has poured his heart into the job since 2016....
Dog-lovers can bring pups to Camp Guyasuta for 5th annual Hound Hike
Camp Guyasuta will host a day of dog-gone fun in September when people and their four-legged friends are invited to enjoy the scenic grounds. The 5th annual Hound Hike provides dogs and owners a day of pet-friendly vendors, demonstrations and of course, hiking on the tree-lined trails. The event is...
Large commercial trucks to be restricted on Argonne Drive in Harrison
Some large commercial trucks will be restricted from portions of Argonne Drive in Harrison after multiple calls to police in recent years for trucks stuck on the railroad tracks and others unable to handle turns. The weight limit will be 10 tons. “Trucks with trailers were unable to navigate the...
Highlands Family Center to offer free food distribution in Tarentum
Fresh fruits and veggies will fill the parking lot near Highlands Family Center in Tarentum on Aug. 30, and the goodies are all up for grabs. No income requirement is necessary to participate in the free food distribution hosted by the Family Center and the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank....
Police: Vandergrift man flees traffic stop, crashes into Allegheny Township home
A Vandergrift man faces charges after police said he passed a loading school bus, fled a traffic stop and crashed into a home along Melwood Road in Allegheny Township. Nico Hawley, 20, was arraigned Thursday in District Judge Cheryl Peck Yakopec’s office, hours after he caused a high-speed chase and...
Braeburn Alloy Steel workers ratify new contract
Braeburn Alloy Steel workers in Lower Burrell ratified a new contract, capping off unusual negotiations during which the plant owner didn’t recognize or bargain with the labor union until ordered to do so by the National Labor Relations Board. Union employees ratified a three-year agreement Tuesday, with leaders saying the...
