Bethel Park musician shows songwriting skills on debut release
Plenty of musicians do a fine job of entertaining audiences with takes on familiar songs. Then there are those who have the confidence to play their own compositions. Bethel Park resident Vince Russo — he goes professionally by Augustine, the middle name handed down to him by his father and...
Student-conceived Highlander Hub store opens at Baldwin High School
A room that once housed a school store had been locked and unused by the time Janeen Peretin attended Baldwin High in the 1990s. “I remember wondering what it must have been like when students actually used that store and how great it would have been to have that opportunity...
Pleasant Hills opens new borough building
The lobby of Pleasant Hills’ new borough building prominently displays the municipal seal, a welcoming visual of the sun rising over mountains, and the Latin phrase “pro bono publico,” meaning “for the public good.” For Jarrett Niecgorski, the statement summarizes the purpose of updating the local seat of government. “We...
Youngsters learn while helping others at MLK Day event in Bethel Park
Although they had the day off from school, youngsters who participated in South Hills Interfaith Movement’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day Family Volunteer Event received an education. “I’m trying to teach the kids how to be good citizens and good neighbors, and to find something you care about that you...
Jefferson Memorial bell celebrates 250 years of U.S.
For those who remember 1976, the name for next year’s celebration of American independence doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as easily as “bicentennial.” “Since my Latin was lacking, I had to go look up what a semiquincentennial celebration is,” Harry Neel, president of Jefferson Memorial Cemetery and Funeral Home...
Bethel Park constructing band shell in Millennium Park
Music enthusiasts are in for a treat at Bethel Park’s Millennium Park, where a band shell is set to be constructed. State officials notified the municipality of a $153,000 grant award toward the construction of a band shell, with the money coming from the Allegheny Gaming Economic Development Tourism Fund....
Bethel Park residents help collect 3,000 pounds of food for nonprofits
With what turned out to be a record-setting shutdown of the federal government delaying Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for millions of Americans, Bethel Park resident Tyann Neal decided to practice what she preaches. “I was looking at social media one day, and people were posting so many negative things....
Bethel Park residents to see small tax increase in 2026
Municipal taxes are rising in Bethel Park. Accompanying the 2026 budget, as adopted by council on Nov. 10, is a .6-mill increase in the real estate tax rate, from 3.19 to 3.79 mills. Including the .34 mills dedicated to fire protection, the total for next year is 4.13 mills. The...
Bethel Park’s William Penn ranks 9th among Pa. elementary schools
Bethel Park’s William Penn Elementary School is going out in style. A U.S. News World Report ranking of the best public elementary schools in Pennsylvania has Penn coming in at No. 9. Researchers with the media company compiled data from the U.S. Department of Education focusing on state assessments of...
3 incumbents retain Bethel Park School Board seats
Three incumbents won reelection to Bethel Park School Board, according to unofficial Allegheny County election results. Retaining their seats on Nov. 4 were Democrats Sharon Janosik (7,439 votes) and Buffie Faes (6,904), along with Christina Headley (7,538), who ran as a Republican and Democrat after winning both parties’ nominations in...
Bethel Park mayor reelected, 3 new members voted onto council
Bethel Park’s longtime mayor won reelection Nov. 4, according to unofficial Allegheny County results. Republican Jack Allen garnered 6,926 votes, representing just under 52% of the total cast, in defeating Democrat challenger Jon Lloyd (6,383 votes). Allen was first elected mayor in 2013 after serving on Bethel Park Council since...
Whitehall mayor reelected, 4 new members voted onto council
Whitehall’s longtime mayor won reelection on Nov. 4, according to unofficial Allegheny County general election results. Democrat Jim Nowalk received 3,434 votes, nearly 69% of the total cast, defeating Republican challenger Chris Mooney (1,521). The same candidates squared off for mayor in 2021. Nowalk has held the post since 1993....
Pleasant Hills Rotarians foster student leadership, volunteerism
Her father was a Rotarian, her husband is a Rotarian. And for a long time, Cindy Weiss assisted her hometown Pleasant Hills club with fundraisers and other activities, even before global service organization Rotary International’s 1980s decision to admit women. She recalled lending a hand at one of Pleasant Hills’...
Afflicted Baldwin native’s nonprofit fights rare spinal disease
When members of the Baldwin High School Class of 1983 held their 30-year reunion, Doug Strott declined to attend. “I was embarrassed because I had to use a cane,” he explained. “When I told my friends, they were kind of mad at me. But they said, ‘OK. We understand.’” As...
7 candidates vie for 4 Bethel Park School Board seats
Seven candidates are vying for four seats on the Bethel Park School Board in the general election. One of them, incumbent Christina Headley, won both the Democratic and Republication nominations in the primary. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order. Karleen Bileck Republican Age: 43 Education: BA Hons in elementary education...
Bethel Park honors residents over age 90
The mulitpurpose area at Bethel Park Community Center was reassuringly crowded, given the nature of the event. Oct. 3 marked the 21st annual gathering of the 90-Plus Club, with a room full of nonagenarian Bethel Park residents gathered for lunch and celebration. Many were new members, attending for the first...
Bethel Park council race has 4 contested wards
Races are contested in four wards for municipal council. Residents of Ward 7 and Ward 9 will have new representation on council, while incumbents are running in Ward 1 and Ward 5. Republican John Oakes, council president, is unopposed in Ward 3. Candidates in each of the wards for council...
Longtime Whitehall Mayor Jim Nowalk facing Chris Mooney in general election
In Whitehall, longtime Mayor Jim Nowalk is facing Republican challenger Chris Mooney in the November election. Here are their responses to questions posted by TribLive: Chris Mooney Republican Age: 67 Education: BS, BA, Robert Morris University Occupation: Retired after spending over 30 years at AAA working in emergency road service...
Bethel Park councilmen honor Joey Fabus with memorial bench
A short distance from the house in which Cindy Fabus grew up is a bench bearing the name of her late son. On Oct. 20, she unveiled a plaque in memory of Joey Fabus on the new seat at the entrance to Pine Tree Park, accessed from N Street in...
8 running for 4 seats on Whitehall borough council
Four Democrats and four Republicans are vying for four seats on borough council. Only one, Stone Sobieralski, is an incumbent. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order: Patrick Conners Democrat Age: 33 Education: Master’s in public administration with a concentration in public and nonprofit management, University of Pittsburgh; bachelor’s from Penn...
Jack Allen faces Jon Lloyd in Bethel Park mayoral race
Two candidates, including the incumbent, are squaring off for Bethel Park mayor Jack Allen Republican Age: 73 Education: BS, University of Pittsburgh Occupation: Retired Community involvement: Mayor, 12 years; council member, 16 years; past commander, American Legion Post 760; chairman, Veterans Memorial committee Years residing in municipality: 38 With state...
Bethel Park School District program promotes reading relatability
Many may remember receiving school reading assignments and not particularly enjoying them or being able to process the necessary content in time for the exam a few days later. Thanks to a program called Core Knowledge Language Arts, Bethel Park School District students have an opportunity to become more invested...
Pleasant Hills VFC presents inaugural citizens fire academy
Plenty of youngsters dream of donning helmets, flame-resistant suits and other necessities for battling blazes. Some adults apparently do, too. And Pleasant Hills Volunteer Fire Company is providing a hands-on opportunity for them to give the basics a try. “I am learning a lot,” Amber Kramer said. “I got to...
After 32-month renovation, Bethel Park rededicates Independence Middle School
Independence Middle School was in the early stages of a major renovation project when Racquel Sutton came aboard as principal at the start of 2022. Even though she took over at Bethel Park High School as lead administrator this July, she figured prominently during Independence’s Sept. 10 rededication ceremony. “I’d...
Piano Day Pittsburgh tickles the ivories, and listeners’ imaginations, with pair of 10th anniversary events
No, that was not your imagination. Plenty of Parkway East motorists, even through the Squirrel Hill Tunnel, were surprised to see a flatbed truck rolling by with someone playing a piano on top. “I probably won’t do that again, because I did not feel as safe as maybe I expected...
