Haley Daugherty stories, Page 17
Oakmont residents have new communication route
There’s a new way for Oakmont residents to contact elected leaders, borough departments, community groups and administration. On Tuesday, Dec. 3, council Vice President Amanda Pagnotta introduced an updated communication form on the borough’s website for resident use. Borough officials have been receiving a large number of messages from residents,...
1-mile Leechburg trail finished, open to public; other sections to come
A new trail is short but eventually will connect Leechburg to hundreds of miles of trails along the Allegheny and Kiski rivers. The Leechburg Area Community Development Corp. has officially kicked off its Tow Path Trail project, which has the potential to give Leechburg access to almost 600 miles of...
Proposed Leechburg budget has no tax increase
Leechburg’s proposed 2025 budget calls for no tax increase. The budget includes over $1.3 million in expenditures with just over $1.2 million in revenue according to the borough’s proposed budget. The gap will be filled by a projected $100,000 surplus from this year’s budget. “The proposal has no millage increase,”...
2 injured after head-on collision involving pickup, Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus
Two people were taken to a hospital Friday morning following a head-on crash involving a Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus and a pickup in Penn Hills. According to Adam Brandolph, deputy chief communications officer of Pittsburgh Regional Transit, the crash happened near the intersection of Frankstown Road and Coral Drive. He...
Tarentum Bridge reopens after icy shut down
The Tarentum Bridge was shut down for a brief period Friday morning because of icy conditions. Both sides of the bridge closed around 8 a.m. after a minor accident so city crews could salt the road, New Kensington police Chief Bob Deringer said. Eureka Fire Rescue confirmed there were reports...
Penn Hills School District renames media center as ‘thank you’ to Sen. Jay Costa
The Linton Middle School media center sports a new name. Penn Hills School Board members and district officials gathered in the media center Nov. 26 for a ceremony to formally rename the space as the Senator Jay Costa Media Center. Superintendent John Mozzocio called the dedication a way to express...
$500,000 grant secured for new ambulance in memory of fallen Penn Hills parametic
Nick Theofilis lived to serve others. “Nick was an incredible young man,” said Diane Fitzhenry, supervisor of Penn Hills EMS. “(He was) 23 years old, but as I’ve mentioned in other gatherings, he was quite accomplished. He had accomplished more milestones in his short life than many people more senior...
Gilpin would use reserves to close budget deficit, keep property taxes the same
Gilpin’s proposed 2025 budget calls for no tax increase, but the township would use more than half of its reserve money to close a projected $113,000 deficit. The proposed budget includes nearly $973,000 in spending but about $860,000 in revenue, according to the township. The township’s property tax rate would...
Oakmont proposed budget calls for 40% tax increase
Oakmont property owners could see a 40% tax hike, the first increase in 11 years, under the proposed 2025 budget. The budget proposal calls for a real estate tax increase of 1.5 mills, taking the rate from 3.73 mills to 5.23 mills. Officials say the increase is needed to cover...
Leechburg Area wins award for food service efforts outside school hours
Tess Diehl loves to feed people. She shows that love every day as Leechburg Area’s food service director. “I rather enjoy taking care of people through food and nutrition,” she said. During her second year at the district, Diehl has combined her creativity, passion and knowledge of nutrition to create...
Santa makes early appearance in Penn Hills, and Rosedale Food Pantry benefits
Santa made an early appearance Nov. 20 in Penn Hills with a special visit to the Berkshire Hathaway office on Frankstown Road. Staci Rullo of Penn Hills invited the public to her real estate office for free photos with Santa and cookies. “We have been doing this for many, many...
Kiski leaves police regionalization discussions; Leechburg forges ahead
Kiski Township has dropped out of discussions about forming a regional police force with nearby Leechburg, Parks, Apollo and North Apollo. Leechburg Councilman DJ Zelczak, a member of the steering committee exploring the merger, said he did not want to speak for Kiski officials in declining to say why that...
Faces of the Valley: Leechburg man makes history with volunteer fire service
Paul Wright has been a volunteer firefighter with the Leechburg Volunteer Fire Company for 34 years. Involved since he was14, Wright views his service as a way of helping his community. “When I was a kid, my preacher always asked us what we would do to make a difference,” he...
Riverview School Board member faces backlash after political post, a trend in local politics
The president of the Riverview School Board is the latest local official caught up in a presidential politics kerfuffle. A resident this week publicly called for Jennifer Chaparro to resign, citing a social media post expressing her personal views about the presidential election results. Chaparro posted a dark screen with...
Riverview hopes to add artificial turf at elementary school playgrounds
Riverview’s elementary students might soon be able to experience uninterrupted play. “For years and years our elementary school playgrounds have been like a dust bowl,” said Superintendent Neil English. “We’ve tried all sorts of different solutions to try to fix those issues and it continues to be a problem.” Agronomist...
Nonprofit serving adults with mental disabilities to hold open house at new job training center in Leechburg
The Progressive Workshop of Armstrong County wants to get to know the Leechburg community. The nonprofit is planning an open house at Thursday, at its new Adult Achievement Center on Market Street. Founded in 1968, the workshop provides services and programming for adults with mental disabilities. The company’s Adult Achievement...
Nonprofit serving adults with mental disabilities to hold open house at new job training center in Leechburg
The Progressive Workshop of Armstrong County wants to get to know the Leechburg community. The nonprofit is planning an open house at 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14 at its new Adult Achievement Center on Market Street. Founded in 1968, the workshop provides services and programming for adults with mental disabilities....
A lifetime of service: Longtime fireman, 98, recalls love and loss stretching decades
Frank Trujillo couldn’t wait to be a fireman and stuck with it for 78 years. “When I was a young fellow, they had a carnival one year and they took me on a ride in a fire truck, and that always stuck with me,” Trujillo said. “The first year I...
Oakmont police ask residents to lock vehicles after uptick in car burglaries, thefts
Oakmont police have put out yet another announcement for residents to lock their cars when they’re not in use. “Recently, we’ve had a rash of car burglaries and car thefts,” said Oakmont police officer Emory Stofferahn. “The main reason behind that is people aren’t locking their cars.” He said that...
Back to the drawing board for a solution to West Leechburg’s property tax inequity
Leechburg Area School District officials are back to square one in their search for a solution to rising property tax rates in West Leechburg. For almost eight months, district officials have been looking for a solution to the tax rates produced by a State Tax Equalization Board formula. The goal,...
Frazer supervisors to consider zoning change to encourage residential development
The Frazer supervisors want to make it easier to develop land near the Pittsburgh Mills mall and the Route 28 corridor through the township. With the mall building foundering, officials say, other development in the area is important. So they’re considering changes to allow for residential construction in the township’s...
Former ATI plant in West Leechburg under new ownership
The site of the former ATI plant in West Leechburg is under new ownership, but its future use remains unknown. The property was sold in September to West Leechburg Holdings LLC, said Kayla Visnovsky, borough secretary and treasurer of West Leechburg. West Leechburg Council members, in a joint statement, expressed...
Linton Middle School to undergo internal improvements
Linton Middle School will be seeing some internal changes starting in November. School board members voted Oct. 30 to approve phase one of the school’s HVAC upgrade project. When the project is finished, classrooms will have new unit ventilation systems and controls, allowing teachers to make temperature adjustments for heat...
West Leechburg woman cultivates Halloween, community spirit
Mary Zanotto is no stranger to hosting big events. From a Galentine’s Day event to a St. Patty’s Day block party, planning ways for everyone in her community to feel included has always been an integral part of Zanotto’s life. “It’s a no brainer,” Zanotto said. “You love people, love...
New security measure at Penn Hills Elementary also promotes school spirit
Penn Hills Elementary School is getting a window makeover. On Oct. 30, board members approved the purchase and use of security window film, a safety measure that will add school spirit and peace of mind to the school off Jefferson Road. According to Christopher Cence, the school’s principal, no specific...
