Joyce Hanz stories, Page 40

Missy Rowan lives next door to her childhood home in Leechburg and says she has no plans of leaving the borough she once vowed to escape. “My mother always said I’d be the one to move away, and here I am, living in Leechburg,” Rowan said. “When I was preparing...

Two structurally deficient and crumbling fire escapes dating to the 1930s have been replaced at Vandergrift’s historic Casino Theatre. Janice Oberdorf, treasurer of the nonprofit Casino Theatre Restoration and Management, said the project took about a year to complete and was long overdue. “It was literally held on to the...

Vandergrift’s only in-house brewery snagged two national awards this week for their marketing efforts in the beer industry. Allusion Brewing Co. won “Best Tap Handle” and “Best Flight Display” at the Craft Beer Marketing Awards, held in Minneapolis on May 4. More than 600 judges voted, with Allusion earning the...

Move over, chips and dip: the charcuterie craze continues to dominate cocktail parties, picnics and gatherings. Charcuterie (pronounced shar-koo-tur-ree) is a French term that goes way back — think 15th century — for using prepared and cooked meat products. Typically arranged on wooden boards, charcuterie combines food and art, resulting...

An Old Glory American flag disposal bin is coming to O’Hara. Not everyone knows how to properly and respectfully retire an unserviceable American flag, but scouts from Cub Pack 678 at Christ the Divine Teacher in Aspinwall are here to help. The Etna American Legion Post 597 has partnered with...

Kiski Area South Primary School kindergarteners raised more than $600 for animals at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium in honor of Earth Day. About 60 kindergarteners recently participated in the annual fundraiser that earns money for the zoo’s Adopt-An-Animal program. To date, the school has “adopted” 10 endangered animals....

A new metal gate designed to thwart vandals and prohibit vehicle access at night has been installed in Finnin Park in Allegheny Township. Township Supervisor James Morabito donated $2,500 for the project, acting on a campaign promise he made last year to numerous constituents. Morabito wrote a personal check for...

It’s “Baby on Board” for some Kiski Area High School students. A semester-long elective course offers students an interactive learning environment teaching baby care basics, childcare development and more. They experience firsthand the demands of parenthood, thanks to animatronic “babies” dubbed manikins, said Kiski Area child development teacher Jamie McCluske....

Diners can expect a new menu at a waterside cafe located in Aspinwall at Allegheny RiverTrail Park. Farmer x Baker, a repurposed shipping container cafe, reopened this month, introducing a vegan and vegetarian menu. Owner and baker/chef Jennifer Urich said the switch to a meat-free menu at the casual eatery...

More than 100 Key Club students from Kiski Area High School fanned out across communities in the district Friday to volunteer on National Youth Day of Caring. Kiski Area Key Club advisers Terra Shreffler and Nicole Wadsworth organized the annual event. This year, about 117 students provided helping hands at...

A new free community garden is coming to Aspinwall. A vacant lot located at 215 Delafield Road, across from UPMC St. Margaret Hospital, is slated to become the Aspinwall Community Garden. Project organizer and Aspinwall resident Amy Lima said use of the lot has been donated by owner Marshall Barbour,...

East Vandergrift officials are moving forward with plans to revitalize Kiskiminetas River Park. The public park, constructed in 1990, is along the banks of the Kiski River at the end of Elm and Kennedy streets. Several years ago, vandals spray-painted over existing security cameras and painted graffiti on the cement...

Volunteers are needed for Vandergrift’s annual Spring Cleanup, scheduled for Saturday, April 30. The boroughwide community cleanup returns after a two-year hiatus caused by the covid-19 pandemic, said co-organizer and Vandergrift Councilwoman Marilee Kessler. Co-organizers include Vandergrift Police officer Joe Gray, the Vandergrift Improvement Program, Vandergrift Neighborhood Watch, borough officials...

The popular Vandergrift Pool in Allegheny Township will open this season with new leadership. Michelle Terry of Vandergrift has taken over from longtime pool manager Daisha Clayton, who stepped down after being appointed to Vandergrift Council in December. Clayton described Terry as a “great fit” for the pool. “I’ve spent...

Vandergrift officials and volunteers are seeking public input as they work to create a new outdoor community initiative for the borough. The Vandergrift Community Improvement Project (VCIP) is a new group formed this year specifically to finalize and produce a survey for the public to weigh in on what’s important...

A new home and design business has opened in Aspinwall. Located at 347 Freeport Road, carteBlanche Home & Design offers decor and home furnishings curated by owner and creative director Rachel Schaffer. Schaffer, 44, was raised in Brookline in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. She earned degrees in French and...

A charitable closet inside Kiski Area High School offers more than just clothes. Staffed by 10 students from the high school’s Life Skills Program, the Cavalier Closet is a free student store offering donated clothing, accessories, shoes and toiletries to any student in need. The closet concept was created in...

The Gilpin Township supervisors have awarded a contract to Mackin Engineering to overhaul the township’s decades-old zoning ordinances. The supervisors voted 4-0, with Supervisor Linda Alworth absent, to hire the firm April 12 for just under $39,000 for the project. Gilpin has zoning laws, which only allow certain types in...

A fitness-themed fundraiser offering fun and fellowship returns to Allegheny RiverTrail Park in Aspinwall April 23. Spin Your Wheels was created in 2015 by Aspinwall resident and attorney Jennifer Evashavik. She bills it as the “fitness party of the year” and hundreds attend. The family-friendly event offers classes for everyone,...

Kiski Area High School junior Grace Wilferd put her knowledge of welding on display to win big at a competition last weekend in Hershey. Wilferd, 16, of Allegheny Township took first place in the welding demonstration competition at the SkillsUSA State and Leadership Conference, held April 6-8. Additionally, she received...

A Kiski Area High School student started an online petition this month calling for all the school’s bathrooms to be open, all of the time. As the petition gathered more signatures, Principal Chad Roland called in the student this week to explain why the school began rotating bathroom closures, starting...

With the playgrounds in Vandergrift’s two parks yet to open this year, some residents are petitioning borough officials to take off the padlocks and let people in. Vandergrift resident and business owner Chloe Kruse created an online petition on Change.org about a month ago, asking borough officials to open the...