JoAnne Klimovich Harrop stories

The location has changed for a group of avid bocce players, but the love of the game hasn’t. Creating a sporting atmosphere is what Fox Chapel resident Tony Folino and his sons, Frank and Dino Folino, envisioned for The Bocce House of Pittsburgh. The unique complex in RIDC Park in...

Two decades ago, Nancy Kury’s ex-husband saw images of multiple colorful entry ways from Ireland and New York that were photographed and stacked in rows on a poster. The Doors of Dublin and Doors of New York posters inspired the Dogs of Sewickley. “He said, ‘If there can be Doors...

For the first time, palatial mansions in Lake Macleod will welcome guests for an up-close look at these homes dressed for the holidays. Five one-of-a-kind residences in Pine are part of the Symphony Splendor 2025 Holiday House Tour North. Hosted by the Pittsburgh Symphony Association to benefit the Pittsburgh Symphony...

Nicki Saini saw a social media post that a women’s clothing and accessories boutique in Sewickley was closing and that mannequins, fixtures and jewelry stands were for sale. Little did she realize she’d purchase more than a mannequin and a clothes rack. Saini owns Koala Boutique, a women’s clothing and...

A couple of guys from New York named Frank met a James Beard Award-winning chef through a connection with late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. The rest is Mt. Lebanon history. The meeting ultimately led them to open F&F Pizzeria in the old Bado’s Pizza Grill & Ale House on...

The same week Scottish immigrant and industrialist Andrew Carnegie was inducted into the Pittsburgh Walk of Fame because of his philanthropy and commitment to learning through libraries, those libraries received a monetary gift. “As I was sitting at the Walk of Fame ceremony on Monday, I thought, every one of...

When Quaker Valley School Board member Stratton Nash saw children riding bikes without helmets, he was concerned for their safety. “I want the kids to be safe,” said Nash, a Sewickley resident who wanted to advocate for bicycle safety the same week as National Walk & Roll to School Day,...

As a youngster growing up in Hazelwood, Demeatria Boccella didn’t see Black women in arts and fashion. It has been her passion to create opportunities for young people. Now, she is co-producing the third annual Africanism Gala with Darnell McLaurin and Sandra Aristide Soteriou. It’s a love letter to Black...

The sound of children’s voices could be heard in unison praying as they sat outside of Ave Maria Academy in Bethel Park on Oct. 6 while a rosary made of balloons floated in the air. “This is a great opportunity for the students to pray together,” said Mark Grgurich, co-principal...

It all began with an email. Hampton High School Principal Marguerite Imbarlina sent an email to Carnegie Mellon University. “I thought of a computer science program because the students needed a better foundation of programming and coding,” Imbarlina said. “I needed support to build a framework, and who better to...

Some people retire to play golf or travel. Fritz Mitnick left her job because she was hooked on another pastime — literally. Mitnick does rug hooking, a craft where rugs are made by pulling loops of yarn or woven wool cut into strips through a backing or foundation cloth. “I...

When Nadia Sud places a pashmina shawl over her shoulder, she immediately feels comfort. The fine wool garment, similar to cashmere, is made from a specific breed of goats called Changthangi that live in Ladakh and Kashmir in the high altitudes of the Himalayas in India. Pashmina comes from the...

They are the Rosie the Riveters of today — strong women who, like the cultural female icon with the red-and-white bandana and arm flexed, are symbols of strength and resilience. Six women leaders in their fields took center stage at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh-Cranberry on Friday for the...

Alumni weekend at Sewickley Academy included a sports Hall of Fame induction honoring the late athletic director Win Palmer, Tom Droney, ’10; Tara Utchel, ’99; Katarina Lackner, ’05; and the 2003 Girls’ State Championship soccer team. The class of 1975 celebrated its 50th reunion with a dinner at Edgeworth Club....

When the Sewickley Public Library was partially flooded last month, patrons could be found sitting outside reading books on the new terrace. ”People gravitated out here,” said Carol Schurman. “That is community. It is about more than books.” Schurman, with her husband Gary Schurman, was honored at the library on...

For the first time, the velvet rope across the banister to the third level will be removed and guests will be allowed to climb the stairs for a look at the top two floors of Clayton, Henry Clay Frick’s Gilded Age mansion in Point Breeze. “The third and fourth floors...

When Kim Brooks opened an email in 2006 asking for sock donations for troops in Iraq, she didn’t hesitate. The request came from The Sock Brigade, a project launched by an Oregon alpaca farmer after her Army sergeant son told her his unit needed warm alpaca socks for the bitter...

During her job interview, Christina Cassotis made a bold statement to board members of the Alle­gheny County Airport Authority and the Allegheny County executive: “Hubs do not work in the Midwest.” The region will remember the 1992 Pittsburgh International Airport being designed to be a hub for US Airways. It...

When Rachael Wonderlin and Darla Whitlock need a babysitter they know where to look — their smartphones. The moms are taking part in a soft launch for an app that connects parents to the Sewickley Valley Sitters, which offers a network of childcare for local families. Ringlet was created by...

Parts of Somerset County are already reaching their peak fall colors, and with this week’s much-needed rain and temperatures dipping into the 40s, the rest of Western Pennsylvania won’t be far behind. Brian Wolyniak of the Penn State Extension in Allegheny County recommends checking the Department of Conservation and Natural...

Mark J. Christman doesn’t have the strength to hold his nearly 8-month-old grandson, William “Willie” Chavara. “I am weaker every year,” said Christman, who was diagnosed in 1977 with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), a genetic disorder that weakens skeletal muscles. “I can’t get in and out of bed myself or...

PPG Paints Arena is marking its 15th year hosting Pittsburgh Penguins hockey and the 20th on the ice for the big three – Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. The team is celebrating both milestones this season, too. Two of the giveaways include bobbleheads and a deck of cards...

Jonquil Place in Mt. Lebanon has been adorned with a large Pittsburgh Steelers logo for nearly three decades. An annual tradition is to refresh the paint every year during the neighborhood block party, where neighbors gather on the street for food, fun and fandom. “We are all sports fans,” said...

When you walk into Consign Sewickley on Beaver Street, you might find a chic Louis Vuitton handbag, a pair of Christian Louboutin heels with their signature red soles, a classic LelaRose dress or a sparkly gold necklace from Tiffany with the recognizable robin’s-egg blue packaging. The store gives a second...