JoAnne Klimovich Harrop stories, Page 5
Heinz Chapel undergoes 2-year renovation of iconic spire
A face-lift of the Heinz Memorial Chapel’s iconic spire in Oakland is complete. The two-year project, originally estimated to cost $11.5 million, involved meticulously removing, repairing and replacing hundreds of copper panels, all while negotiating stories of scaffolding that surrounded the structure. “To see it finished and without the scaffolding...
Military honor: Pine-Richland teacher celebrates father’s 80th birthday, service to his country
It was May 1967. Navy E-5 Petty Officer Second Class Charles Elliott Mickey was aboard the USS Magoffin that left San Diego, transporting 500 Marines across the Pacific Ocean during the Vietnam War. As the vessel was pulling into the harbor in the middle of the night, Mickey recalled hearing...
AI opens new worlds for the blind
When Chris Donahue opens the door to let his dog out, he is unable to see where the animal runs. The Brighton Heights resident is blind, but he can find his dog outside via the Ray-Ban AI (artificial intelligence) Glasses he’s wearing. “Meta, I am blind,” says Donahue, 48. “Do...
Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium welcomes Humboldt penguins, brown pelicans
Humboldt penguins are considered vulnerable, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species. There are fewer than 30,000 of the warm-weather South American birds left in the wild. Thirteen of them are now living in Kids Kingdom at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium in...
Stretch Zone opens in Sewickley
Stretch Zone Sewickley, an assisted stretching brand, is now open. There, certified professional stretch practitioners help clients one-on-one to improve range of motion and mobility through a series of proprietary stretch protocols, relieving stiffness and soreness, as well as improving mobility. “It is different than massage because you are out...
Pittsburgh travelers react as TSA ditches shoe removal at security
Traveler Katie Wethli knew before anyone at the airport had to tell her. Word got out through social media that she no longer had to remove her footwear when going through Transportation Security Administration screening on Wednesday at the Pittsburgh International Airport. “It was on social media,” the Cranberry resident...
For the better: Belle Acres woman opens her home and heart to the community
The theme of this year’s Glen Oaks Girl Scout Day Camp was “Building a Better Tomorrow,” words that embody the spirit of the camp’s director, Bell Acres resident Barbara Cooley Thaw, who constantly looks to the future to make things better. “Most people will dedicate themselves for a program one...
The 99th Cinderella Ball recognizes 17 debutantes’ volunteerism
At a stylish event inside the Carnegie Museum of Art in Oakland, 17 young women were celebrated for hundreds of hours of volunteer service. Dressed in white ball gowns and coordinating long gloves, they were honored June 20 at the 99th Cinderella Ball, which is Pittsburgh’s oldest fundraiser and one...
What to know about the City of Pittsburgh’s Fourth of July celebration
Pittsburgh’s Fourth of July celebration will look a little different this year. Because of ongoing construction by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources at Point State Park, there won’t be any programming there, said Brandon D’Alimonte, the city’s Parks and Recreation program manager. Friday’s festivities will take place at...
Palm Palm restaurant the latest venture of Herky and Lisa Pollock
A trip to Palm Beach in South Florida and a relative from Palm Springs in California became the inspiration for Pittsburgh’s newest East End Restaurant, Palm Palm. Co-owners Herky and Lisa Pollock and chef Ed and Amanda Smith transformed the former Plum Asian Bistro on Centre Avenue to bring a...
Precious Pets Grooming Salon pampers Sewickley’s animals
As a barber, Janice Kushma did her first haircuts on people. Her clients these days are furry and four-legged. She transformed her scissoring skills to pets, where animals are treated like royalty — Kushma owns Precious Pets Grooming Salon in Sewickley. “I have always loved animals,” she said. “They are...
On the water: Riverlife launches Shore Thing in the heart of the Sister Bridges
Pittsburgh has a new floating barge river attraction. Shore Thing is a 4,800-square-foot modular floating barge platform that will be a space for art, play, food and community when it opens on Tuesday. It’s the brainchild of Riverlife, the nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating Pittsburgh’s riverfronts. The floating destination is...
Pittsburgh airport workers locate Sewickley woman’s lost diamond after Friday the 13th mishap
While most people consider Friday the 13th to be an unlucky date, that’s not the case for April Schmitt. The day, however, started with some bad luck. Returning from a business trip from Los Angeles on Friday, June 13, the Sewickley resident grabbed her luggage off the baggage carousel at...
Steelers neurosurgeon Dr. Joseph Maroon honored with prestigious award
As Dr. Joseph Maroon stood in Ellis Island’s Great Hall in New York City, his thoughts went to his grandparents, who walked the same location 125 years earlier when they ventured to America from Poland and Lebanon. Maroon, of Sewickley, along with other leaders in business, education, entertainment, public service,...
Tour a Downtown Pittsburgh condo on the market for $4.25 million
Floor-to-ceiling windows on the 19th floor of the Fairmont Pittsburgh hotel building provide panoramic, stunning scenes of Pittsburgh from a unique vantage point — but they belong to a condominium, not a hotel suite. “The views are unbelievable,” said Robyn Jones of Piatt Sotheby’s International Realty. “You can literally see...
Former Willow Restaurant on the market for $1.5M
Willow Restaurant was a dining staple for decades, but now, the spacious former restaurant property is on the market for $1.5 million. “This is a great location because it’s close to Interstate 279 and 79,” said Tim Fitzgerald of Keller Williams Commercial Real Estate. “And Sam’s Club and Target and...
Sewickley-based business group looking to grow its village
Every Thursday morning, members of BNI Village Connections gather at The Walter J. Brannon Community Activity Center in Sewickley to learn new things and connect with one another. “Networking is huge,” said Sewickley resident Chris Currier of CCM&A (Chris Currier Marketing and Advertising). “Especially for small businesses.” There are 12...
Jimmy Gregg, heart of Greenfield baseball, retires after 60 yearsVideo
After 60 years of dedicating his life to coaching and mentoring youths, Jimmy Gregg is not only synonymous with Greenfield Baseball Association but the neighborhood itself. “He is Greenfield baseball,” said Emily Pocratsky, whose children play in the league and who is the vice-president of the T-Ball league. “He loves...
Nazareth Prep in Emsworth hosts ground breaking for athletics and arts facility
Nazareth Prep doesn’t have any home basketball or volleyball games, nor can it hold school functions such as graduation. That will soon change. The private Catholic school in Emsworth announced an $8.5 million expansion that includes a state-of-the-art facility for athletics and the arts, which will be able to accommodate...
A free ride: USGA provides mobility scooters for spectators with disabilities at U.S. Open Championship
Mobility scooters – 176 of them — are lined up and ready to roll at the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club every morning. This mode of transportation is for spectators with a disability or hindrance such as an injured leg. Riding the scooters is complimentary, courtesy of the United...
Fashion on the green: Spectators show their golf-inspired style at Oakmont
Golfers weren’t the only ones dressed for success on the links at Oakmont Country Club on Friday. Spectators displayed their fashion sense while walking outside the ropes among the thousands of fans during the second round of the U.S. Open championship. Allison Apke of Chicago was wearing a sweater with...
Jeannette couple doesn’t let U.S. Open put a divot in their wedding plans
Helena and Dylan Jesse will certainly have a story to tell about their wedding day. The couple from Jeannette didn’t allow the craziness of the hundreds of cars and thousands of people traveling along Hulton Road in Oakmont to stall their plans. They went ahead with getting married at 2...
St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Croatian Church in Millvale marks 125 years with a full house
St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Croatian Church in Millvale celebrated its 125th anniversary on June 1. The day began with a Mass celebrated by Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik, along with other clergy. During his homily, Zubik recognized the ancestors who brought the strength and richness of the Croatian...
School for the Blind superintendent retires from education after more than 4 decades
A little free library sits outside Heidi Ondek’s home, and the symbolism of that little wooden box on a stand doesn’t go unnoticed by people who know Ondek, a Sewickley woman who has devoted her life to education. “My children gave me that little library as a Christmas gift,” said...
Betsy Wentz Interior Design expands to new trade showroom in Sewickley
Designer Betsy Wentz is her own newest client with a project that involves moving her business to an entirely new location that is much bigger. “We were running out of space,” said Wentz, surrounded by boxes of tiles and rug samples in her Walnut Street store in Sewickley. “We hired...
