Joyce Hanz stories, Page 42
One Song Show Choir Festival offers chance for some Alle-Kiski choirs to show their stuff
Highlands High School hosted musical theater students from four Alle-Kiski Valley school districts April 27 for the annual One Song Show Choir Festival. Highlands, Freeport Area, Springdale and Kiski Area choirs participated. Song performances included “Cruisin for a Bruisin’,” “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” “The Greatest Show,” “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine...
Vandergrift No. 1 VFD plans parade and community celebration for its 125th anniversary
Vandergrift No. 1 Volunteer Fire Department turns 125 years old this year and organizers plan to host a daylong community celebration. Alexandra Berger, company member and fundraising committee chairperson, said she was motivated to organize a birthday bash for the firefighters of the borough when she did the math and...
Faces of the Valley: Leechburg Area mother’s volunteer work sets shining example
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...
Casino Theatre in Vandergrift gets new and improved fire escapes
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 brewery Allusion wins national awards for clever beer-themed marketing
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...
Western Pa. experts weigh in on how to make and where to buy charcuterie
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...
Pet duck becomes Aspinwall celebrityVideo
An unexpected friendship between a boy and his pet duck is causing a splash in Aspinwall. Steven Hu, 11, is raising a 1-month-old call duckling he named Aspinwall. “I was considering Joe for a name,” Steven said. Aspinwall doesn’t wear a leash and follows Steven around everywhere. The family said...
O’Hara to get flag disposal bin
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...
Annual Earth Day fundraiser at Kiski Area South supports endangered animals
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....
Gate installed at Allegheny Township’s Finnin Park to deter vandals and nighttime use
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...
Kiski Area students learn baby basics with simulator infants
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....
Runners, spectators return to city streets for 2022 Pittsburgh MarathonVideo
Marathon mania was unleashed in Pittsburgh this weekend. The full 26.2-mile race and 13.1-mile half-marathon kicked off about 7 a.m. Sunday under cloudy skies that turned to rainy, soggy conditions about an hour into the race. But that didn’t dampen the spirit of runners. Many said they were thrilled the...
Veggies and vegan dominate new menu at Farmer x Baker in Aspinwall
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...
Nearly 120 Kiski Area students spruce up communities on Day of Caring
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...
Free community garden set to bloom in Aspinwall
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 working to revitalize long-neglected Kiskiminetas River Park
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...
Vandergrift residents sought for Spring Cleanup on Saturday
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...
Vandergrift Pool to open this season with new manager
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...
Survey gives Vandergrift residents opportunity to weigh in on borough issues, set priorities
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...
New business carteBlanche Home & Design opens in Aspinwall
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...
ATI Vandergrift expansion on schedule; more jobs expectedVideo
Construction on the multimillion-dollar expansion project at ATI’s Vandergrift mill is on schedule. Last year, ATI announced plans to invest more than $65 million to shift operations from standard stainless steel to produce specialty steel for a global market, primarily for energy, defense and aerospace. A new bright anneal external...
Student-run ‘Cavalier Closet’ at Kiski Area High School offers free clothing and more
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...
Gilpin supervisors vote to overhaul decades-old zoning rules to promote new business
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...
Fitness fundraiser Spin Your Wheels returns to Allegheny RiverTrail Park in Aspinwall
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,...
Northern Westmoreland student wins state welding competition, moves on to national
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...
