In brief: Herald area events for the week of Nov. 4, 2024
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Applications sought for full-time officer
Fox Chapel is accepting applications for a full-time patrol officer until 4:30 p.m. Nov. 18.
An application form is available on the borough’s website at fox-chapel.pa.us.
Forms must be fully completed and mailed to the Fox Chapel Borough Building, 401 Fox Chapel Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238. Applications also can be dropped off during business hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Late or incomplete applications or those containing material errors will be rejected by the Civil Service Commission.
A physical agility test will be held at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 3 at the Allegheny County Police Academy, and successful candidates will be given the written exam immediately afterward.
Mandatory test components for all top-ranked candidates include an oral examination, background check, medical exam and psychological examination.
A copy of Fox Chapel’s hiring policy as outlined in its Civil Service Rules and Regulations is available for inspection during normal business hours at the borough building.
For questions, call police Chief Michael Stevens at 412-850-5024.
Sharpsburg’s 2025 budget available to review
Sharpsburg’s preliminary budget was expected to be available at the borough office starting this month.
On Oct. 24, council approved a 10-day public display of the proposed 2025 spending plan beginning Nov. 1.
The borough office is located at 1611 Main St.
Council’s next workshop meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 14.
Its next voting meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 21.
High school club plans Amazing Art Day fundraiser
Members of the National Art Honor Society at Fox Chapel Area High School are planning an Amazing Art Day fundraiser Nov. 16 for children in kindergarten through fifth grade.
There will be two morning sessions from 9 to 11 a.m. for K-2 and grades 3-5 and an afternoon session from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for both of those age groups. There are 20 spots for each session and age group, and spots fill up quickly.
The art sessions will take place at the high school, 611 Field Club Road.
The cost is $30, and all proceeds go toward art supplies and field trips for the club members.
The children will be taught by the high school students and will rotate through the various art rooms. Participants will paint on a canvas, with everyone doing the same theme; create a simple necklace using beads and a pendant; and create a simple animation on the computer.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/3ke5ntz7 to sign up. Parents and guardians will receive a confirmation email about enrollment if space is available.
Food, hygiene products sought for community fridge
Second Harvest is always in need of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, milk and cheese, canned goods, cereals and personal hygiene products for its Community Free Fridge in Sharpsburg.
The Community Free Fridge is an outdoor, full-size refrigerator, freezer and pantry area, stocked with perishable and nonperishable donated food items available to anyone who needs them. It is open 24/7 every day and is located in the parking lot area of Second Harvest, at 624 Clay St.
Lauri Ann West Community Center, as a proud sponsor of the initiative, serves as a drop-off location for goods. People can bring their donations to the center at 1220 Powers Run Road in O’Hara during normal operating hours, and staff members will deliver the items to Second Harvest.
Cookie tour, light-up night set in Blawnox
The Best of Blawnox is gearing up for the holidays with its Holiday Cookie Tour and Night of Lights, both on Dec. 7.
The cookie tour will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. in Blawnox’s business district. Participants will start at the Veterans Monument on Freeport Road and North Avenue, then stroll along the business district to sample cookies and holiday shopping.
The Night of Lights will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Blawnox Monument/Hoboken Presbyterian Church. There will be children’s activities and caroling. A lighting of the Christmas tree and a visit from Santa is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
Blawnox residents encouraged to share holiday spirit
Blawnox officials are inviting residents to “Deck Their Yard” for the holidays and share the magic by posting their photos by 4 p.m. Dec. 1 for the start of the borough’s holiday season.
Homeowners should tag #BestofBlawnoxHolidayLights.
Grants to fund water line, sidewalk, manhole projects
Several local communities will benefit from recent grants from the state’s Local Share Account program, made available from the Commonwealth Financing Authority.
• Aspinwall: The borough received $250,000 for its water system lead service line investigation project, which will determine the location of all private lead service lines in the borough’s distribution system.
• Blawnox: The borough secured about $47,700 for sidewalk/step repair along McKinley Avenue. Work will include aluminum railings and refacing the retaining wall.
• Deer Creek Drainage Basin Authority: About $118,800 was awarded to repair 23 manholes in West Deer and Indiana Township. The manholes cause infiltration issues. They will be repaired using trenchless technology.
AAUW meets monthly on second Tuesday
The Fox Chapel area branch of American Association of University Women meets at 9:30 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month from September through May at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church, 384 Fox Chapel Road.
The group advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, philanthropy, education and research.
Meetings are free and open to anyone interested in joining.
In addition to the monthly meetings, the branch offers members a variety of interest groups as well as numerous opportunities for community service involvement.
AAUW, founded in 1881, is open to all graduates who hold an associate or equivalent, baccalaureate or higher degree from a qualified college or university. Those enrolled in an associate or a bachelor’s degree program can join AAUW as Student Affiliate Members.
For details about the organization, including annual dues and grants, visit aauwfoxchapelareapa.wordpress.com.
Monthly council voting meetings set
• Aspinwall Council: 7 p.m. Nov. 13 at the borough building, 217 Commercial Ave.
• Blawnox Council: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 13 at the borough building, 376 Freeport Road.
• Fox Chapel Council: 6 p.m. Nov. 18 at the borough building, 401 Fox Chapel Road.
• Indiana Township supervisors: 7 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Town Hall, 3710 Saxonburg Blvd.
• O’Hara Council regular meeting: 7 p.m. Nov. 12 at the township building, 325 Fox Chapel Road.
• Sharpsburg Council: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 21 at the borough building, 1611 Main St.
Check each community’s respective municipal websites for updates about meetings and workshops.
Indiana Township to present budget Nov. 13
Indiana Township officials are expected to present their proposed 2025 budget at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Town Hall, 3710 Saxonburg Blvd.
Supervisors are expected to approve its advertisement later that evening.
Township Manager Dan Anderson said no real estate tax hike is included in the spending plan.
The budget will be available for review at the Town Hall and online at indianatownship.com.
The final budget is scheduled to be adopted Dec. 11.
Entries sought for gingerbread house contest
Registration for the 22nd annual City of Pittsburgh Gingerbread House Competition is now open at pittsburghpa.gov/gingerbread through 11:59 p.m. Nov. 10.
The CitiParks Office of Special Events welcomes entries from individuals, schools, communities, nonprofits and professionals from Allegheny County and beyond.
The competition started in 2002 with Downtown Pittsburgh hotels to benefit the Children’s Hospital Free Care Fund. It since has attracted thousands of entries and visitors to PPG Place before moving to the City-County Building in 2019.
The Office of Special Events also recently announced a new partnership with Clearview Federal Credit Union to present the city’s official holiday events, including the gingerbread contest and the 109th Tree Lighting Ceremony to illuminate the only live holiday tree in Downtown Pittsburgh.
This year’s gingerbread display at the City County Building will open with a ceremony Nov. 22, with the entries remaining on view for Light Up Night on Nov. 23 through early January. In addition to 19 categories, participants will be eligible for overall awards such as “Clearview Choice,” as voted on by Clearview representatives, and “Curator’s Choice,” which will be selected by Carnegie Museum of Art staff.
For details about the gingerbread contest, visit pittsburghpa.gov/gingerbread, email specialevents@pittsburghpa.gov or follow @pgheventsoffice on social media.
Coats available for anyone in need
For anyone in need of a warm coat, distribution from the fourth Winter Coat Drive organized by Fox Families Care will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 8 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Sharpsburg Family Worship Center, 610 Clay St.
New and gently used coats were collected at each school in the Fox Chapel Area School District.
Fox Families Care is a nonprofit organization that provides support and resources for students and families in need. Some of the group’s work involves providing scholarships, clothing and school supplies, food and groceries, and emergency grants.
For details about the organization, visit foxfamiliescare.org.
Sharpsburg apparel available for purchase
Artspiration is accepting preorders through Nov. 8 for Sharpsburg T-shirts and hoodies to benefit its mission of promoting the arts in the community.
The clothing features the red-and-white Sharpsburg and ketchup bottle logo from the Welcome to Sharpsburg mural at 701 Main St. by artists Emily Paige Armstrong and Phil Seth.
The initial run, printed by Revival Print Co., is available in adult sizes small through 3X.
Three options are available, each on navy blue apparel: short-sleeved T-shirt, $20; long-sleeved T-shirt, $25; hoodie, $40.
Customers will be notified by email when the apparel is available for pickup, which is expected around Dec. 8.
To place an order, visit artspirationpgh.org.
Artspiration is a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the arts to promote community, creativity and connection in the riverfront communities of Sharpsburg, Etna and Millvale.
Middle schoolers to stage ‘Seussical Jr.’
Dorseyville Middle School will present “Seussical Jr.” at 7 p.m. Nov. 21 and 22 and at 10 a.m. Nov. 23 in the middle school auditorium, 3732 Saxonburg Boulevard in Indiana Township.
Tickets, which are $12 plus an additional convenience fee, can be purchased online at https://our.show/dms-seussical-jr.
All seats are reserved. No tickets will be sold at the door.
O’Hara collecting old holiday lights to help Project Bundle-Up
O’Hara Township once again is partnering with Michael Brothers to be an official drop-off location to recycle holiday lights — all for a good cause.
Michael Brothers donates the funds generated by recycling the lights to WTAE-TV’s project Bundle-Up.
Project Bundle-Up, a joint program implemented by the Salvation Army Western PA Division and WTAE, provides new winter outerwear — including coats, hats, gloves and boots — for children and senior citizens from low-income households throughout Western Pennsylvania.
Since 1986, Project Bundle-Up has raised more than $17 million and provided winter gear for nearly 305,000 individuals.
Lights can be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays in the lobby of the township building, 325 Fox Chapel Road.
Any type of holidays lights is eligible.
For details, call the township at 412-782-1400.
Students to stage ‘Harvey’; free show for senior citizens is Nov. 6
Fox Chapel Area thespians will perform “Harvey” as their fall play at 7 p.m. Nov. 7-9 in the high school auditorium, 611 Field Club Road, O’Hara.
Tickets, which will be sold at the door, are $10 for adults and $5 for students.
Local director and producer Kristiann Josephs is in charge of the show. Teacher Joseph Gass is serving as the technical coordinator, and teacher Mary Beth Dixon is the costume/props coordinator.
The students will stage a free performance for the district’s senior citizens 60 and older at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 6. Refreshments will be served before the performance at 3 p.m. in the auditorium lobby. Reservations are required. To reserve a spot and for details about the free performance only, call 412-967-2410.
Ministry’s Trivia Night to include food, prizes
The Addiction Recovery Ministry is hosting a Trivia Night at 8 p.m. Nov. 27 at the John Paul I Center in Sharpsburg.
Join us for an evening of food and fun. Pizza and soft drinks will be available, and the top three teams will receive prizes.
The entrance fee is $10. Bring a team or join a team there.
All proceeds will be used to help support the ministry’s programs.
To reserve a seat, contact Rosemarie Haas at 412-378-9290 or rhaasarm@gmail.com.
AAUW to host speaker from Persad Center for ‘LGBTQ+ and Beyond’
The Fox Chapel Area affiliate of the American Association of University Women will present a talk on “What’s in a Name? LGBTQ+ and Beyond” at 10 a.m. Nov. 12 at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church, corner of Fox Chapel and Field Club roads.
Ted Hoover, an educator and trainer with the Persad Center, will be the guest speaker.
He will tackle each of the specific letters in the “alphabet soup” that’s associated with the LGBTQ+ community. The history and usage of each term will provide attendees with the vocabulary needed to better understand gender diversity and how it’s evolving.
At 52, the Persad Center is the nation’s second-oldest behavioral health and wellness center working with the LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS community. The organization aims to destigmatize established cultural systems that exclude or discriminate against gender diversity. Homelessness, family rejection and bullying are among the topics of discussion.
Hoover has worked with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Family Health on youth suicide prevention, adolescent sexual health, and creating safe work and education environments for individuals identifying as LGBTQ+. He also consults with law enforcement agencies and the Civil Rights Division of the FBI on issues of discrimination, hate crimes and human trafficking.
Fox Chapel planning for annual light-up celebration Dec. 4
Planning is underway for the annual Light Up Fox Chapel celebration from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 4.
The festivities will begin with the Holiday Tree and Menorah lighting at 5:15 p.m. with Grand Marshall Alex Scott, followed by Santa being escorted in by Sergeant Pepper, the 1970 Volzwagon Beetle. The evening will include crafts for children, letters to Santa, the Pittsburgh Crepe Food Truck and hot chocolate provided by the Fox Chapel Parks Conservancy.
The event is free, but please consider bringing a new, unwrapped toy for a child in need.
Sgt. Craig Sorg and the Fox Chapel Police Department have teamed up with the Western Pennsylvania Police Athletic League’s Stuff-a-Store to collect new, unwrapped toys for children the holiday season.
Toys will be accepted beginning Nov. 22 through Dec. 5. Drop-off boxes that look like giant wrapped presents will be set up at Beechwood Farms Nature Preserve, Fox Chapel Borough Building’s main lobby, B&Z Deli and Cooper-Siegel Community Library.
Children are invited to write letters to Santa; parents and guardians can scan the QR code in the fall 2024 newsletter on the borough’s website at fox-chapel.pa.us to download their Letter to Santa before the event. Youngsters can bring their letters to light-up night, or they can fill one out at the event. Please include a return address because Santa and his elves will send a reply letter.
Indiana Township to collect bagged leaves
Indiana Township is planning five weeks of leaf collection this fall, beginning Oct. 28 and ending the week of Nov. 25.
This program is for leaves only — no debris such as grass clippings or brush will be accepted. Leaves must be contained in biodegradable bags and placed curbside. Leaves in plastic bags will not be picked up.
To participate, residents can purchase brown biodegradable bags from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at Town Hall, 3710 Saxonburg Blvd.
A bundle of five bags costs $5, and quantities are limited. Each bag holds about one-third of a cubic yard.
Biodegradable bags also can be purchased elsewhere, including home improvement stores.
Once collected, the bags will be taken to a composting site in the North Hills.
In the spring, the Public Works Department will pick up the topsoil generated from the compost site for use throughout the township.
Residents do not need to call the township to participate. Crews will visit each public road sometime during each week, beginning on Mondays, to pick up the bagged leaves; Monday pickups are not guaranteed.
Leaf vacuuming underway, but pledge to ‘Leave the Leaves’ encouraged
Fox Chapel residents with wooded property are encouraged to compost, mulch and place leaves there, if possible.
Any help in removing leaves from the borough’s collection program is a sustainable solution, borough officials note.
To that end, the Fox Chapel Park Commission is running a pledge campaign to “Leave the Leaves” in an effort to help the environment.
By signing a pledge online at https://tinyurl.com/2j27324w, residents indicate that instead of raking leaves to the curb, they will leave them in place, rake them into the woods or mulch them. Borough crews still will come by but only will pick up leaves where they are piled.
The commission believes the environmental benefits and cost savings will be significant. As noted on the pledge page, it hopes to “give back” to the community with a celebration and recognition event if enough residents indicate their support.
Leaf collection via vacuuming is underway in the borough. The final collection will take place the week of Nov. 25.
The collection is for leaves only — brush and decorative grasses are not included.
All leaves should be deposited on the lawn behind the curb or road edge, not on the pavement or in the gutter.
Leaves placed on the roadway will not be collected because they can become wet from street runoff, which makes it difficult to vacuum and creates a safety hazard. Article III of the Borough Code lodges a penalty of $1,000 for anyone placing such materials on the roadway.
Once a complete pass has been made through the borough, crews will start over on the first street and continue throughout the borough. The Public Works Department maintains a daily log of streets collected. To track where crews already have vacuumed up leaves, residents can access the information on the borough’s website every Friday afternoon during the collection period.
Once crews have collected on a roadway on or after Nov. 25, they will not return. Residents should notify landscapers of the cutoff date and the need to keep leaves off the street.
Apparel, patches available to support SAVES
Southern Allegheny Valley Emergency Services now has merchandise available for purchase.
Supporter T-shirts and hoodies, both in navy, feature the SAVES emblem on the left chest and a large smoking skull decked out in firefighting gear on the back.
Short-sleeved tees are $12 for sizes x-small through x-large and $15 for 2xl-4xl; long-sleeved tees are $15 for xs-xl and $18 for 2xl-4xl; and hoodies are $22 for xs-xl and $25 for 2xl-4xl.
Patches also are available for $10 each; choose from two designs: Truck Co. 102 Sharpsburg Fire Dist. — Ketchup City Trucking Company, featuring a ketchup bottle decked out in firefighting gear and the phrase “Bringing Flavor to the Box”; or Aspinwall Fire Dist. Engine 102-2 — First and Center streets, featuring the road sign and a fire truck.
The deadline to place an order is noon Nov. 15. Arrangements for pickup will begin after Thanksgiving, An email from 102fundraising@gmail.com will be sent out to everyone who purchased with details to arrange pick up. Apparel will be picked up at the Aspinwall or Sharpsburg stations.
To place an order, visit the e-store at station102.org.
Help available for people grieving loved ones
Are you grieving the loss of a loved one or know someone who is?
Consider joining GriefShare for hope, healing and guidance.
GriefShare is a 13-week Christian faith-based support group that will be offered weekly from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Thursdays through Dec. 12, at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church, 384 Fox Chapel Road.
People can join at any time.
For details or questions, contact Kim Power at 412-965-8794 or kimfpower@gmail.com.
Visit griefshare.org/findagroup to register directly.
Pantry items wanted
Sharpsburg Community Library needs items for its Little Free Pantry at 1212 Main St.
Items needed include tomato sauce, pasta, tuna, cereal, mac and cheese, fruit snacks, peanut butter, snack packs and shelf-stable milk.
Items not needed include applesauce, pretzels, fruit cups, pudding, canned soup, canned beans and toiletry products.
Donations can be made during library hours from 1 to 7 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1 to 5 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
The pantry is stocked three times weekly and is completely supported through donations.
For details, call the library at 412-781-0783.
Sharpsburg seeks volunteers for bicentennial events
Sharpsburg will celebrate its 200th birthday in 2026.
Residents interested in planning or volunteering to help with any events are invited to sign up for the borough’s Bicentennial Committee.
To access the signup form, visit sharpsburgborough.com and scanning the QR code under the header “Want to help plan the bicentennial events?”
The borough anticipates having multiple events throughout the anniversary year and will need lots of help.
Group offers support for weight loss
All are welcome to join the men and women at Oakmont TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) who are learning how to lose weight.
With in-person meetings, rewards, support and encouragement, we gain knowledge of healthy eating and exercise.
You may visit with no obligation Tuesdays at 5:45 p.m. at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1261 Pennsylvania Ave. in Oakmont. Weigh-in is private followed by a brief business meeting, sharing time, and educational program all ending by 7:15.
There is well-lit parking, wheelchair accessibility and security. For details, call 412-828-3854 or e-mail jmjkwj@gmail.com.
To have your event or information listed in the Herald’s briefs section, email Marje Horvath at mhorvath@triblive.com.