Kellen Stepler stories, Page 15

Joy Gezo has been walking at the Pittsburgh Mills mall since it opened 20 years ago. Over the years, she and her husband, Larry, have developed friendships and relationships with other mall walkers who otherwise might be complete strangers. The group has grown to about 25 retirees in their 60s,...

Girls in the Burrell School District could have two additional athletic opportunities if plans are approved by the school board on Tuesday. The school directors will consider adding high school girls flag football as a sport this spring and a middle school girls wrestling team this winter. The PIAA adopted...

After three months and more than a dozen meetings, the plans to reconfigure Burrell School District buildings are final. “They actually listened to the public, the stakeholders and the staff,” said school board President Rick Kaczor. “There was nobody in the room that had anything negative to say about the...

A roughly $2 million multiuse field in the Allegheny Valley School District could be ready this fall, if plans are approved by the school board next week. School directors Tuesday will consider an agreement with FieldTurf USA Inc. for the artificial turf project of the soccer/football field at Springdale Jr.-Sr....

A gas main line issue that left 40 customers in the Upper Burrell area without service has been resolved, but White Cloud Road remains closed, according to authorities. Peoples Gas crews responded to the outage, which ran Sunday evening into Monday afternoon, said spokesman Nick Paradise. The Upper Burrell Volunteer...

Caelyn Murray’s goal when coordinating this year’s Women of Pittsburgh event at Chartiers Valley High School was to encourage her peers to dream big with their future plans. “I hope they take in a different experience and broaden their ideas in what they want to do as a career,” said...

An 84-year-old woman died Tuesday in a fire in Penn Hills that officials say was set off by a propane gas leak. Allegheny County medical examiner personnel were called to the scene of a fire and explosion in the 300 block of College Street. The victim will be identified by...

A Burrell alumna is passing the baton of coordinating a 5K race to six high school students. Grace Nesko, now a freshman at Shippensburg University, managed the 5K wellness run and walk the past two years at K-9 Officer Derek Kotecki Park in Lower Burrell. The race raises awareness and...

Alle-Kiski Valley lawmakers are hoping the combination of political pressure — and even legislation — can help keep Penn State New Kensington off the chopping block when the university considers the closure of branch campuses. “I am in the process of putting out a letter to the university president in...

The Pittsburgh Brewing Co. is getting ready to paint East Deer green for the second year in a row. The brewery’s Irish City St. Patrick’s Day Celebration will take place Saturday, March 15 at Pittsburgh Brewing, 150 Ferry St. in the township’s Creighton neighborhood. The event is for people 21...

Thirty-five weapons were intercepted before they could be used to commit acts of violence in Pennsylvania schools last school year, as officials credited the anonymous safety reporting system Safe2Say Something for preventing catastrophes. Since the program’s inception six years ago, at least 123 weapons — including guns and knives —...

What’s hopefully the last attempt at pulling down the boiler house at the former power plant in Springdale is scheduled for Saturday morning. The demolition — which was about 70% successful last weekend — is anticipated to occur between 9 and 11 a.m. Saturday, according to the Allegheny County Police....

While one Springdale structure is having some trouble coming down, another — the former Colfax Upper Elementary School building — should be demolished this month. “The demolition of the original building has already begun,” said Jan Zastawniak, spokeswoman for the Allegheny Valley School District. “The contractor anticipates the entire original...

People who attend events at Lower Burrell city parks may be able to enjoy an alcoholic beverage under a proposal from city council. Mayor Chris Fabry said the city will draft a proposal that would allow alcohol in city parks during events only. He intends for the proposed rules to...

Chartiers Valley’s high and middle school campus will be staffed with security personnel. According to Superintendent Daniel Castagna, once students enter the buildings for normal morning arrival, the security booth’s arm — located on the driveway to the schools from Thoms Run Road — will be lowered, and all visitors...

Two new hotels soon will be added to Harmar’s landscape after approvals from township officials this week. Plans call for razing the Days Inn hotel, off Landings Drive, to make way for a Home2Suites and a Fairfield Inn at the site. The township supervisors approved the land development plans for...

Lorraine Parks of Springdale was quick to answer when asked her thoughts about the upcoming demolition of the boiler house across the street from her house. “I just want it over,” said the Porter Street resident. After plans and legal back-and-forths spanning about a year-and-a-half, the demolition of the boiler...

Three months of planning and reviews of reconfigured buildings at Burrell’s Bon Air Elementary and Huston Middle schools for next school year has come to a close. Superintendent Shannon Wagner said schedules at Bon Air Elementary School were approved by the task force “by a majority vote.” Since the school...

Burrell High School guidance counselor Sandra Oskin thinks Penn State New Kensington is still a good option for prospective students, despite the Upper Burrell campus potentially closing in two years. “I’m hoping it remains a viable option — especially for Burrell,” she said. “It’s been a great resource. It’s convenient...

Lower Burrell residents who use Shank Waste Service for garbage collection will have to make sure all of their trash fits into the new cans they’re getting — and they won’t be alone. The Lower Burrell-based waste hauler is moving to automated collection, with garbage trucks that use a mechanical...

Faced with a looming $9 million budget deficit next school year, the Chartiers Valley School Board voted to slash jobs districtwide. Directors voted 6-3 at a contentious meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 25, during which they approved two measures that eliminate 30 teaching positions and a handful of secretaries and support...

The boiler house at the former power plant in Springdale will have to wait one more day to meet its fate. Springdale announced the boiler house demolition, originally slated for Saturday, now is planned for Sunday at a time yet to be announced. The delay is because inclement weather is...

A focus group charged with recommending proposals to a reconfigured Charles A. Huston Middle School next year landed on a schedule administrators say prioritizes academic time and maintains integrity for each grade level. The middle school task force — a group of parents and teachers that have met over the...

Burrell’s Unified Bocce team got a fine sendoff from first responders and Bon Air Elementary youngsters while en route to a playoff match Monday at North Allegheny High School. Their bus was escorted between Lower Burrell and Upper Burrell fire departments, and Lower Burrell police, as it made its way...

New principals are taking the reins at Carlynton School District’s Carnegie and Crafton elementary schools. Tyler Roberto, 41, of Emsworth was named principal of Crafton Elementary. She started Feb. 11. “What brought me to Crafton was a desire to work closer to home and to return to elementary education,” Roberto...