Oakmont Council opens floor to residents on deer management strategies
There appears to be strong support for reducing the number of deer in Oakmont, a borough survey of residents shows. Councilwoman Deborah Ormay brought the issue forward months ago. She mentioned that residents approach her regularly to see “if there’s anything council can do about the deer,” she said. In...
Penn Hills High School musical ‘Once on This Island’ explores themes of storytelling and social class
Penn Hills High School is going to the Caribbean this weekend. The high school’s musical will present “Once on this Island” starting at 7 p.m. April 9. Co-directed by Briana York and Ashley Bodnar, the story follows a young Ti Moune, a peasant girl who falls in love with Daniel...
Gilpin moves for proactive data center regulationsVideo
With data centers in the works in several municipalities in the region, Gilpin officials are preparing regulations in the event a company proposes one for the township. While no such proposal has been submitted, the Gilpin supervisors are advertising an ordinance that would put forth clear regulations in case one...
Paving prep work to last a month on well-traveled West Leechburg road
Bell Avenue, a well traveled road in West Leechburg, will be going through a bit of a makeover later this month. According to a letter sent to residents who live on the street and posted to the borough’s Facebook page, crews will begin excavating sections of the road between South...
Penn Hills business transitions to 100% employee-owned operations
Paula Teacher has always been employee-oriented. She took the sentiment to the next level in December when she sold her company, Paula Teacher and Associates Inc., to her employees, successfully creating an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. “Moving into an ESOP made 100% sense to me,” Teacher said. Teacher founded her...
Leechburg police ask residents to lock their cars after spate of thefts
Leechburg police Chief Jason Schaffer is reminding residents to lock their cars. The department received reports of about seven cars that had been entered about 2 a.m. Tuesday, he said. “That’s just what was reported,” Schaffer said. The vehicles that were hit, Schaffer said, were unlocked. People reported finding their...
‘Hoist the cone’: Players, fans embrace Pirates’ viral dugout celebrationsVideo
When diehard Pirates fan Ricky Duncan saw the Pirates “hoist the cone” meme going viral, he knew he had to show up and show out for the Bucs’ home opener Friday. Duncan spent Friday afternoon tailgating and walking throughout PNC Park with a felt traffic cone on his head. “I...
Pittsburgh Brewing creates beer made with DNA from Immaculate Reception football
Ever wanted to drink in some football history? Some folks will be able to do just that — literally — in light of the NFL Draft coming to Pittsburgh this month. Partnering with Pittsburgh Brewing Co., Nemacolin Resort is offering a special pilsner, The Divinity Draft, which will be
available...
Almost 100 communities need new road salt supplier after vendor ends contract with council of governments
A lot of Allegheny County communities need a new road salt supplier. The South Hills Area Council of Governments (SHACOG), which runs a purchasing alliance for road salt, learned this month its salt vendor will not renew its contract with SHACOG for the coming winter. According to an April 1...
From South Side to Penn Hills: Vessel Studio Glass finds a new home
Jeannine Hine and her husband, Drew, will be wearing hard hats for the next fews months. The couple are the owners of Vessel Studio Glass, a glassblowing business that sells various handmade creations and offers classes. The couple opened Vessel Studio in 2007 in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood, where they...
Donation from Sri Venkateswara Temple in Penn Hills to enhance local emergency response efforts
Emergency service workers in Penn Hills will now be heading into calls equipped with thermal imaging technology. Penn Hills Volunteer Fire Company No. 7, Station 227 at 125 Universal Road, was able to purchase a thermal imaging drone for various departments to use during emergency calls. According to William Jeffcoat,...
Oakmont’s Riverside Park playground to close for accessibility upgrades
May won’t just be bringing flowers in Oakmont this year. It will also bring a refurbished children’s playground in Riverside Park. The park’s playground closed last week to undergo significant refurbishment, according to a post from borough officials. “Anticipated to reopen by the end of May, the new design will...
Leechburg natives, locals work to find town’s modern identity
Lou Phillips was born and raised in Leechburg. He attended Leechburg Area High School, where he played baseball, basketball and football. He sang in the chorus, dabbled as a thespian in the school’s theater program and participated in countless clubs the school had to offer. “You get to try everything...
Plum teen’s flawless NCAA bracket journey concludes after 48 correct picks
The last remaining perfect March Madness bracket is no more. Otto Schellhammer’s predictions held until the first game of the NCAA Women’s Sweet 16 on Friday, when Notre Dame defeated Vanderbilt, 67-64. “I’m not too sad about it,” Otto said Tuesday. “It would have been cool to have gone further.”...
Green Bay offers advice for NFL Draft in Pittsburgh
Kyle Cousineau created lasting memories in his hometown of Green Bay when it hosted the 2025 NFL Draft last April. Cousineau, a lifelong resident, is a die-hard Packers fan. He grew up watching the team and was eager for the country to experience the city he loves during the NFL...
Allegheny Valley Joint Sewage Treatment Plant’s odor problem persists despite efforts
With warm weather fast approaching, officials are trying to tackle the long notorious odor emanating from the Allegheny Valley Joint Sewage Authority treatment plant. Half a mile across the Allegheny River from the treatment plant in Harmar, Oakmont residents have long griped about the smell wafting from the plant. State...
Local governments step up to tax skill games in absence of state regulations
The lack of state taxes on so-called “skill games” is leaving regulation of the devices, and any tax revenue they could provide, up to municipalities. Pennsylvania currently provides no regulation on the games, even as they proliferate across the state in gas stations, convenience stores, bars and even grocery stores....
Friendship Donut Co. opens in Leechburg, fostering community spirit
Virginia Lindsay and Karen Heilman have been business partners for a long time. From gardening and antiquing to two successful local coffee shops, the women have long mastered the balance of friendship and business. “I always say, ‘Women in business: You either support each other or fail,’ ” said Heilman,...
1st responders help man stuck on Harrison Hills cliff return to safety
Chivalry isn’t dead. Thursday night’s rescue in Harrison Hills Park proves it. According to Citizens Hose Fire Chief TJ Bajack, a man and his girlfriend were walking along the Rachel Carson Trail, a 45-mile hiking trail that starts in Harrison, when the woman dropped her phone down the hillside. The...
Plum boy has perfect women’s March Madness bracket, the only person in ESPN’s nationwide contest
Otto Schellhammer isn’t just one in a million. He’s one in 41.2 million. The 14-year-old from Plum is the creator of the last perfect bracket standing after the opening weekend of the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments — from more than 40 million entries across all the major contests. The...
Pittsburgh Brewing to host NFL Draft watch party
Can’t make it to the 2026 NFL draft in person? Pittsburgh Brewing Co. is offering an alternative. On April 23, the East Deer brewery will be hosting a watch party for the draft in partnership with WTAE. The night will feature food, entertainment and a live broadcast of the NFL...
Pittsburgh Mills repair efforts lead to 2nd trial postponement
Owners of the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills have been making progress after years of inactivity on the campus. Monday morning, a status conference, or nonjury trial, to address the criminal charge against the owners of the Mills was continued for a second time. Last April, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s...
1 injured after Route 28 car rollover
Multiple emergency response agencies responded to a flipped car along Route 28 southbound about a mile from the Pittsburgh Mills Boulevard exit Monday. Lower Valley Ambulance Service Chief Terry Anzaldi said his crew was dispatched to the scene just after 10:30 a.m. They transported one person to UPMC St. Margaret...
Legal pressures mount on Namdar for Pittsburgh Mills mall maintenance
With spring weather could come accountability for Pittsburgh Mills mall owner Namdar Realty Group. At least that’s what Frazer Zoning Officer Bill Payne is hoping for. “Since all the roads and all the other code enforcement stuff were on the exterior of the property, and with all the weather and...
Council approval ushers in next phase of lighting project at Oakmont’s Riverside Park
It looks like ground will be broken by summer in Oakmont’s Riverside Park. A unanimous vote this week by Oakmont Council set in motion the next phase of adding lights to the Riverview Raiders’ home fields in the borough-owned park. The borough collects rent from the school district so it...
