Harry Funk stories, Page 21
Bethel Park Boy Scout troop celebrates centennial
Boy Scouts of America Troop 215 still is going strong after 100 years, with Bethel Presbyterian Church serving as its charter organization since 1922. On Sept. 24, the church served as the site of a centennial celebration attended by many of the current 41 members and 30 or so adult...
Sculpture exhibition graces Bridgeville Public Library
Through the end of October, Bridgeville Public Library is serving as home to an intriguing collection of artwork. On the patio outside, patrons will find pieces with titles such as “Achromatic Modules On Polished Aluminum Platform” and the ironic, given its location, “Interior Reflections I.” And positioned atop bookcases are...
‘A community event’: Monroeville, Pitcairn residents enjoy Gateway’s Homecoming festivities
Combine favorable weather with success on the football field, and Gateway High School’s Homecoming weekend was a winner. A pep rally at Antimarino Stadium the day before the Gators’ 21-10 victory over Penn-Trafford set the pace, as did the immediately following Community Homecoming Carnival, hosted by the Student Government Association....
Wednesday is Kindness Day at University Park Elementary School in Monroeville
If cinematic bully Scut Farkus had attended University Park Elementary School, he may not have been so inclined to pick on Ralphie and his classmates in “A Christmas Story.” The midpoint of each week is Kindness Wednesday at the Gateway School District building, serving as a reminder for students —...
No change in Plum fireworks rules in wake of new state law
The lighting of what Pennsylvania law deems as consumer fireworks will continue to be permitted in Plum. During their Oct. 3 work session, members of borough council agreed to maintain existing local regulations in the wake of a new state law that became effective in September. “The changes aren’t so...
Parade takes new route to Bethel Park Community Day
The route may have changed for 2022, but the parade preceding the annual Bethel Park Community Day drew the same spirit of enthusiasm as ever. Instead of proceeding from the municipal building to Highland Avenue and Bethel Church Road, the parade took a more direct approach to Bethel Park High...
Heroes to Heroes: Event in Mt. Washington honors human services professionals, clients
Among the people in myriad professions who have worked toward mitigating the devastating effects of the covid-19 are “unsung heroes that, in our opinion, went unnoticed.” “These are the men and women of human service agencies who selflessly and tirelessly, under the limitations of pandemic conditions, somehow found a way...
Monroeville’s Divine Mercy Academy hits stride
In 2018, families with children attending the pair of Catholic elementary schools in Monroeville, St. Bernadette and North American Martyrs, learned of their impending merger. Principal Nikole Laubham thinks the combination of the two, Divine Mercy Academy, is hitting its stride with the start of another school year. “With any...
Retired Steeler visits Hampton restaurant to receive donation
What appears to be a routine football play has the potential to change a life drastically. Ask Ryan Shazier. On a Monday night in 2017, the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker collapsed after making a tackle, having suffered an injury that necessitated spinal stabilization surgery and had doctors wondering if he ever...
South Arts Pittsburgh members’ work shines at Bethel Park show
If it qualifies as an art medium, Sue Denner probably has tackled it. Whether she produces graphics or paints using acrylics, oils or watercolors, the past president of South Arts Pittsburgh continues to cultivate her creativity. “I’ve been sketching since I was in grade school, really, and have taken a...
Steelers players deliver air purifiers to Carnegie Boys & Girls Club
A visit from some real, live Pittsburgh Steelers certainly provided a sense of excitement. So did the prospect of eating hot slices of delicious pizza. But for youngsters who frequent the Carnegie Boys & Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania, the most enduring aspect of an afternoon of special activities was...
‘Dedicated to service’: Bridgeville event honors first responders, memorializes 9/11 lives lost
From the shock, uncertainty, sadness and dread surrounding the events of Sept. 11, 2001, rose certain signs of positivity. Lt. Col. Ronald Gaudelli recalls the overwhelming benevolence. “In the days that followed, people from across the country donated their time, resources and efforts to organize and assist those in need,”...
Collier resident works toward digital equity
For anyone with a tendency to take internet connectivity for granted, consider what happened in certain circumstances when covid-19 forced education into a virtual environment. “During the pandemic, you were hearing stories about how kids couldn’t do their homework and how that had to go to McDonald’s to get online,”...
Bethel Park family hosts Strides for CJD in honor of father
Perhaps the most widely recognized wedding tradition is the bride’s father accompanying her to the altar. When Shannon Golden married Dominick Zandona in the spring, she had to come up with a different idea. “After she walked down the aisle, the deejay played my dad’s voicemail that he had left...
Double bubbles: Plum artist’s work featured on cans from pair of breweries
Move over, Andy Warhol. You’re familiar with his Campbell’s Soup Cans, the paintings that rocked the art world when he unveiled them — wow! — 60 years ago. Today, quite a few artists are rocking a different type of can, one that may be even more popular than soup: Beer....
Mutt Strut: Pittsburgh event benefits group that provides service dogs to veterans
After a two-year hiatus, Pittsburgh’s Community Mutt Strut returned for an in-person day of fun for four-legged friends and their people pals, all for a good cause. The event, held virtually during the covid-19 pandemic, benefits Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Inc., a Florida-based nonprofit that rescues, raises and trains...
Auto correct: Weather cooperates for Hampton Presbyterian Church car show
With regard to his unprecedentedly popular Model T, Henry Ford once said: “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants, so long as it’s black.” Fast-forward to 1993, and Chevrolet was offering something similar with its 40th-anniversary Corvette, only in a dark reddish hue. Hampton resident...
Shaler-based Blessing Board offers free durable medical equipment
An array of wheelchairs, walkers, shower seats and related items greeted visitors to the Blessing Board in Shaler for a Sept. 8 announcement. “We’re collecting durable medical equipment, and then we’re giving it out to the people in need in Allegheny and surrounding counties,” Richard Garland, the nonprofit’s executive director,...
Fire Ops 101: State lawmakers learn firefighting firsthand during program in McCandless
Technically, they’re piston-rod hydraulic tools used for prying. But mostly everyone knows them as the Jaws of Life. Whatever you want to call the devices, numerous Pennsylvania lawmakers and their associates had the opportunity to give them a try on what remained of some old cars in a simulation of...
South Fayette Community Day resumes successfully
Volunteers in place: check. Weather forecast: optimal. South Fayette residents ready to enjoy a Saturday in the park, even though it wasn’t the Fourth of July: You bet. Besides the date, the scenario at Fairview Park resembled in spirit what composer Robert Lamm describes in Chicago’s 1972 hit, with about...
Hygiene Day: Hampton’s Depreciation Lands Museum explores Colonial cleanliness
For early settlers of what now is Western Pennsylvania, “cleanliness is next to godliness” represented far more than a catchy expression. The cemetery at Hampton’s Depreciation Lands Museum contains some stark reminders of why that was the case, including the markers for several members of a single family who died...
Fun with fungi: Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club plans North Park foray
When it comes to identifying mushrooms, some folks get about as far as distinguishing between the little ones you slice to put on pizza and the big ones that fit nicely inside of a burger bun. Then there are the mycologists within the Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club. “In general, a...
Love Your Library: Annual campaign supports Allegheny County lending institutions
You don’t need to know the Dewey Decimal System to enjoy today’s libraries. “There’s so much more going on than just books,” Allegheny County Library Association chief executive officer Amy Anderson said. “That’s an important part of what we do. It’s never going to go away.” But people who remember...
Love Your Library campaign launches in Hampton, throughout Allegheny County
Some patrons of Hampton Community Library circle a certain month on the calendar. “They will say to me, ‘Are we going to do Love Your Library in September?’” library director Suzanna Krispli said. “And they will wait until Sept. 1 and write me a check and say, ‘All right, here...
Love Your Library campaign launches in Monroeville, throughout Allegheny County
Leading up to September, Monroeville Public Library hosts an event for which the title says it all: FunFest! “It’s a really good way to raise awareness of what we have, but also just to build community,” director Nicole Henline said. “People who maybe think of libraries as that place where...
