Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 7
Allegheny County Fire Marshal still investigating Brackenridge fire
The Allegheny County Fire Marshal continues to investigate a fire that engulfed the upper floors of a Brackenridge home on Saturday. No injuries were reported in the blaze, which broke out about 11:30 p.m. at 1080 McIntire Way, said Kasey Reigner, public information officer for the Allegheny County Department of...
Tour to highlight local ties to Civil War with stops at Burtner House, Penn Salt, other sites
Civil War buff Ruth McCartan believes some of the best history lessons lie close to home. “You don’t have to go to a battlefield to learn,” the McCandless resident said. McCartan will host a tour Sept. 13 of prominent Alle-Kiski Valley locations with significant ties to the Civil War, which...
From diagnosis to dumbbells: How weightlifting is helping cancer patients
Breast cancer couldn’t stop Dianne Miller from becoming the strongest she has ever been. In fact, the devastating disease is what drove her to pump some iron. After a lumpectomy for Stage 1 cancer in 2023, the 68-year-old from Ligonier didn’t require chemotherapy but opted into a weightlifting study offered...
Tarentum rail crossing to close for 2 days
Work by Norfolk Southern will close a Tarentum rail crossing for two days next week. Paving and repairs will be made to the crossing at Center Street, which turns into W. Fourth Avenue near the tracks. A member of the Norfolk Southern media relations team said work will begin Thursday...
Coat collection helps Highlands students be winter-ready
Highlands School District is collecting coats to help keep students warm this winter. The sixth annual Winter Ready Rams program kicked off this week and will run through Oct. 24. New or gently used warm clothes can be donated at home football games or at one of four locations: 200...
A food desert no more: Second Tarentum grocery store opens
Three months ago, Tarentum was considered a food desert. Now, the borough has a second grocery store along East Sixth Avenue, just three blocks from another that opened in May. MacKay’s Market, owned by Harrison resident Linda Gromley, will celebrate a soft launch from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday,...
Section of Burtner Road in Fawn to close for 3 weeks
A portion of Burtner Road in Fawn is scheduled to close for about three weeks. Work is expected to start Sept. 8 on the stretch of road roughly between Pittsburgh Paws Pet Resort and the Route 28 on-ramp. “Our crews will be installing a jumbo block wall and conducting shoulder...
Fox Chapel author details ‘The Rebirth and Rise of Duquesne University Football’
It was 1969 when a group of college-aged boys gathered in St. Martin’s Hall at Duquesne University to ignite a grassroots effort to return football to the Bluff. Fox Chapel resident Sam Costanzo helped draw up the game plan – and said it was sheer industriousness and passion that led...
Jersey Mike’s eyes Harrison spot
A sub above the rest is coming to Harrison. Jersey Mike’s has submitted a building permit application to fill a vacancy at Highlands Mall on Freeport Road, township officials said. “The space is the former Game Stop,” Township Manager Amy Rockwell said. The application is under review, she said. The...
Sweet revival: Iconic Clark Candies gets a refresh in Tarentum
Brett Luedde says he’s in the business of happiness. The Highland Park native and his wife, Tera, have taken the reins at Clark Candies, a Tarentum institution churning out chocolates since 1937. The East First Avenue factory was founded by Tera’s grandfather and great- uncles, and run for many years by...
Harrison seeking $1.4 million for sewer upgrades, township projects
Harrison Commissioners are seeking $1.4 million in funding through Allegheny County for sewer upgrades and other township projects. The board approved four grant applications. They include: • About $330,000 for the Oak Manor sanitary sewer realignment. • About $314,400 for the Olive Avenue storm sewer upgrade. • About $499, 700...
Apollo-Ridge student dies after falling in Kiski River Saturday; community rallying to help family
Colton Bureau, the 14-year-old Apollo-Ridge High School student who fell into the Kiski River on Saturday, died Monday morning at UPMC Children’s Hospital, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office announced Monday evening. Colton suffered an unspecified medical emergency before falling into the river. First responders were called about 2:45 p.m....
Wealth management firm breathes life into prominent Aspinwall building
Fox Chapel financial adviser Mike Dukovich is breathing life into a longtime Aspinwall office building, opening a branch of YTS Wealth Management in the former Bradford building that sits prominently at the town’s entrance. A leading independent wealth management firm, YTS opened at 133 Freeport Road. “The partnership bought the...
Highlands exposes students to real-life careers at mock town, ‘Ramsville’
Highlands Elementary School students no longer have to wonder what it’s like to be a police officer, barista or a veterinarian. They’ll get exposure to plenty of real-life careers with hands-on lessons through a mini town called “Ramsville,” which was constructed over the summer at the East Ninth Avenue school....
Solar panels at Highlands greenhouse could save district $70K
Highlands School District will all but eliminate an electric bill for its greenhouse with the installation of solar panels. The move could mean savings of up to $70,000 over the next 25 years, according to experts at PA Solar Center, a Pittsburgh-based advisory group that facilitated the initiative. “Electricity rates...
Nearly 700 without power in Harrison after car crash
Portions of Harrison are without power after two utility poles were hit in a single-vehicle crash Friday morning. Harrison police posted to its social media, saying a large truck knocked over two poles and several wires on Saxonburg Road between Olive Avenue and Village Green apartments. Saxonburg Road is temporarily...
Jim Bonner to retire as head of Audubon Society of Western Pa.
When Jim Bonner retires next month as executive director of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, he plans to steal away to the massive woodshop in the basement of his 1885 Victorian home in Tarentum. “That’s probably where you’ll find me,” said Bonner, who is stepping down after 21 years....
Road restrictions to be in effect during Tarentum paving program
Motorists who drive through Tarentum can expect temporary restrictions on some streets in September, when the borough kicks off its paving program. Milling and paving is scheduled for the following roads: • Summit Street from 10th Avenue to 8th Avenue • Fentzell Alley from Roup Street to 8th Avenue •...
Harrison to select new commissioner from among 5 applicants
Five residents have applied to fill the vacant Harrison Commissioners position, officials said. The board is expected to narrow the field and nominate a new member during a meeting at 6 p.m. Monday. The open seat was created earlier this summer when longtime member Chuck Dizard resigned. There are about...
New name, new vibe on tap for Harrison’s Anchor Inn
A pair of well-known restaurateurs are setting their sights on Harrison, seeking to revive the popular Anchor Inn that closed in May. Corey Pistininzi and Sean Watson, owners of BotL in New Kensington and National Public House in Leechburg, purchased the building and are wading through details for a new...
Highlands hires new high school principal
Highlands High School has a new principal. Patrick Baughman started his new role Tuesday. He will be paid $130,000. He replaces Mike Toole, who led the high school since May 2023. Toole left the district for a role as principal at Logan Elementary in the East Allegheny School District. “We...
Highlands School Board appoints new member in Region 1
The Highlands School Board has a new member. Fawn resident Kelly Powell will fill the vacancy created by the Aug. 1 resignation of Justin Kipp. The school board appointed her Monday. “I’m looking forward to building trust with the community,” said Powell, former administrative director of the PA Association for...
‘We didn’t get justice’: Questions surround charges filed in Natrona girl’s death
For almost a year, Heather Bonnoni has known the name of the man she feels is responsible for her niece’s death. She kept it secret on the advice of legal experts as they sought “full justice” for 11-year-old Roxanne Bonnoni, who died after being run over by a vehicle on...
Faces of the Valley: Brackenridge’s Marlene Haggerty, 90, ‘keeps on going’ at work, church, volunteering
Marlene Haggerty doesn’t believe in sitting still. The 90-year-old Brackenridge resident works full time as a medical biller, teaches Sunday school and serves as an Allegheny County judge of elections. “I wish I knew my secret, but the truth is: I’m just active,” Haggerty said. “It keeps you going.” Born...
Tarentum police enjoy Olive Garden lunch served by Highlands Golden Rams
Tarentum police Chief Bill Vakulick said building relationships with the community’s youth is one of his officers’ most important roles. On Thursday, the department connected with members of the Highlands High School football team during a special lunch. The goal was to foster positive connections between students and law enforcement....
