Harry Funk stories, Page 4
Reserve considers 1-mill real estate tax increase
A potential 1-mill real estate tax increase in Reserve corresponds with the township’s negotiation this year of a new collective bargaining agreement. “The reason for that is they have to be competitive with other departments,” township manager Jan Kowalski explained. “If they are not earning a similar salary to other...
Ross proposes real estate tax increase for 1st time in 14 years
Real estate taxes in Ross could rise by 1 mill, according to the township’s 2025 draft budget as presented at the Nov. 6 board of commissioners committee meeting. “I believe that this budget sensibly appropriates the funds to which the township has available, while real estate reassessments, inflation and large...
Bethel Park resident leads effort to provide socks for people in need
With the approach of winter, plenty of feet will have added protection thanks to the Walk On with Walter Paul Foundation. After the unexpected passing of Walter Paul Miller II at age 44, his sister Mandi started an effort in his memory to collect socks for donation to those in...
Hampton Heroes: Vet brings message of ‘ordinary people doing extraordinary things’
While serving with the U.S. Army in the Middle East, Sgt. Maj. Colin Boley received orders to lead a raid on an enemy position. “They told me that we had a meeting place, simply two people, not a big deal,” he recalled. “So I decided to tell my young leaders,...
Hampton Heroes: Middle school teachers among 2024 inductees
Two Hampton Middle School faculty members, plus the father of a teacher at the high school, have been honored for their military service. Hampton Heroes, a school district program to honor local veterans, has inducted about 200 men and women since its formation in 2001. This year’s inductees include Mark...
Hampton Heroes: Interviews with veterans help students gain perspective
In 1969, the U.S. Army drafted 20-year-old David Augustine and eventually assigned him to a unit patrolling highways along the coast of South Vietnam. “One morning, he and his platoon could hear a battle going on in the distance,” Brooklyn Fitzsimmons, his granddaughter, reported. “They all got into their tanks...
Etna Center for Community project receives $2 million in grants
First came the announcement of a $500,000 grant. A couple of weeks later, another award was for triple that amount. All of which means that money available toward fulfilling the vision of the Etna Center for Community stands at just under $6 million. “That allows us to do the project...
Growingly popular head spa treatment makes way to South Hills salon
Beyond the basics of clippers and scissors is a specialty for the scalp. “We’ve seen really amazing results with people who are struggling with any type of dry skin on their scalp, or oil buildup or product buildup,” stylist Bekah Reeves said. She is trained in Japanese head spa treatment,...
Pine-Richland student advocates on behalf of peers with dyslexia
Think back to the ups and downs of your early years in school. Then consider how the experience must have been for students like Brenyn Caplan. “I remember sitting in class, and I just wanted to read, but I couldn’t, at all. It was really difficult for me because everybody...
History, community combine at Bradford Woods coffee shop
Imagine “The Sound of Music” with Julie Andrews’ voice supplanted by kazoos. Sure, cacophony may come to mind. But for the folks who raggedly buzzed the melody of “Do Re Mi” during Open Mic Night, the operative word was fun. And that’s what Christi Wilcox wants people to have when...
Hampton girls excel at riding waves, even on Allegheny RiverVideo
Once everyone and everything is ready to go, a motorboat surges forward, pulling a tow rope. As the speed increases, a person holding the rope rises from the water to stand atop a specially designed board. Eventually, he or she drops the line and starts riding the waves generated by...
Bethel Park Historical Society hosts open house for Schoolhouse Arts and History Center
Eight years ago, a recently returned Bethel Park native started contacting media outlets about a project he was promoting. Bill Haberthur, a 1978 Bethel Park High School graduate who moved back after a career primarily in New York City, wanted to spread the word about plans to renovate the building...
Hampton High School music program benefits from nonprofit’s 5K
Feet on the ground meant music to the ears. Since its second year of existence, the nonprofit Hampton Alliance for Educational Excellence has organized a combination 5-kilometer race and 1-mile walk as its main fundraiser. Prior to the start of this year’s 32nd annual event, held Oct. 13, participants and...
South Hills Interfaith Movement continues mission with renovated headquarters
The building may have a new look, especially on its South Park Road side. But the mission of South Hills Interfaith Movement — in its concise form, “neighbors helping neighbors” — remains the same. “You drive past here, and you don’t know who walks in the door. It could be...
Fire company in Shaler marks 115th anniversary with renovation, new pumper
Shaler’s Undercliff Volunteer Fire Company has more reason to celebrate its 115th anniversary than merely a number. This year, the company finally received a new pumper truck that was ordered back in 2021. And thanks to a home-improvement corporation’s generosity, Undercliff’s building on Mt. Royal Boulevard is undergoing its first...
Rock Against Cancer: Night of music in West Deer benefits supportive nonprofitVideo
From George Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh to four decades’ worth of Farm Aid shows, musicians have a long history of lending their talents to support worthy causes. Add Mike Fitzgerald and friends to the list. On Oct. 19, the fourth annual Fitzgerald-organized Rock Against Cancer event will take place, with...
Bradford Woods Conservancy celebrates 30th anniversary
When a commercial nursery in Bradford Woods closed in the 1980s, developers no doubt eyed up the 4½ acres as a potential site for pricey homes. Property owners Ted and Janet Eck had a different idea. “When they left, they wanted to have their property remain open space for the...
Pine survivor’s story promotes early checks for ovarian cancer
In September, she took a trip to Texas. In November, she’ll be in the Big Apple. “Last year, I went to Arizona,” Desolina Postreich said as she approached her 14th birthday. “That was my first time ever flying alone.” While she enjoys her opportunities to travel around the country at...
Ross record store meets demand for vinyl while continuing family tradition
Reports of vinyl’s death were greatly exaggerated. The mid-1980s advent of the compact disc prompted many a misguided music collector to dispense with scratch-susceptible records and replace them with the new medium. Eventually, the convenience of streaming services basically sent CDs the way of the dodo, while the products they...
In brief: Northern Allegheny area happenings, week of Oct. 7, 2024
Marshall Trunk-or-Treat Marshall Township’s Trunk-or-Treat event is scheduled for 1 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Elias Fry Barn in Knob Hill Community Park, 415 Knob Road. Registration is required. Visit secure.rec1.com/PA/marshall-township-pa/catalog. St. John’s Trunk-or-Treat A community Trunk-or-Treat is scheduled for 2 to 3 p.m. Oct. 27 at St. John’s Lutheran...
Hampton junior cheerleaders shine in 1st competitionVideo
There’s a first time for everything, and Hampton Junior Football Association cheerleaders made the most of theirs. During CheerFest, held in September at Deer Lakes High School, the Hampton girls scored numerous first-, second- and third-place finishes as determined by a panel of judges. “They had been working so hard,...
Dragon Boat Festival in North Park supports breast cancer survivorsVideo
While watercraft are common on the lake at North Park, ones with the heads of mythical creatures up front appear just once a year. The occasion is the annual Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival, during which participants engage in friendly racing competitions while celebrating and supporting the region’s breast cancer survivors....
North Hills celebration helps cultivate culture of peace
Sorry, they were told. The property no longer is for sale. Practitioners of Islam in the North Hills were seeking a location for a mosque and thought they’d found an ideal place, the home of a congregation that was embarking on building a bigger house of worship. Then came the...
Pine resident’s research at Carnegie Mellon earns him science association honor
Start a conversation with Pine resident Philip LeDuc, and you’re likely to discuss something like the Steelers’ quarterback situation. Then ask him about his work. As a professor in Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, LeDuc joins his students and colleagues in conducting research that has the potential to...
Confidence boost: Black belt pays it forward with Tang Soo Do school in Ross
If the story sounds painfully familiar, a mother and her child both lived it. “Growing up, I was poor. We didn’t know it. We just made do,” Christina Mrkonja recalled. “And I was very quiet, so I got made fun of. I was bullied.” Fast-forward a generation to a comparable...
