Kellen Stepler stories, Page 4
Lower Burrell woman restarting efforts to help children who have been bullied
Growing up can be difficult, says 23-year-old Emma Kobelenske. About 10 years ago, a muscle disorder caused Kobelenske to walk with a crooked gait, leading her to walk sideways. During a class speech in 2020, she remembers standing up to her peers who had made fun of her sideways walk....
Lawmaker wants to give towns the ability to clamp down on irresponsible e-bike drivers
E-bikes have been nothing but a pain in Arnold, says Mayor Shannon Santucci. With e-bike riders zipping down the middle of the street, or not following road rules, Arnold is at a crossroads of what it can and can’t do to enforce rules for the motorized bikes. “There’s so many...
$30 million gift to bolster Pitt’s honors college
A $30 million gift from a University of Pittsburgh alumnus will help bolster a scholars program. Pitt officials announced Friday the donation, from 1997 graduate Michael Rees, will create an endowed fund that will expand the number of students who are part of the David C. Frederick Honors College receiving...
Burrell girls soccer playoff run ‘a core memory in the making’
McKenna Miller, a junior on Burrell High School’s soccer team, admits that this season had its share of ups and downs. Some of the downs included some mid-season losses and injuries. But the biggest up was Friday — for the first time in school history, the team is playing in...
Penn State schedules meeting on Commonwealth Campus progress
Penn State administration will hold a virtual meeting Dec. 9 to provide updates on the seven Commonwealth Campuses that will close in two years, and also the 13 campuses that will remain open. Fotis Sotiropoulos, Penn State’s executive vice president and provost, and Renata Engel, vice president for Commonwealth Campuses...
Arnold man arrested in connection to shooting
An Arnold man is in custody in connection to a shooting Monday night along Third Avenue. Nile Rodgers, 33, faces attempted homicide and two aggravated assault charges. Arnold police allege Rodgers shot a man in his 30s at around 9 p.m. Monday in the 1400 block of Third Avenue. When...
$5 million gift to Slippery Rock, largest in university history, names business school
A $5 million gift to Slippery Rock University — the largest in its 136-year-history — will fund scholarships, faculty research and add opportunities in Slippery Rock’s business program, officials say. Slippery Rock officials announced Thursday the university had received the donation from Rhonda and Elliott Haverlack, of Estero, Fla. Elliott...
Burrell fans to line Leechburg Road to support girls soccer team’s state championship bid
Burrell High School girls’ soccer fans can send the team off in style Friday morning as they head to play in the state championship game. “We are over the moon here,” said Chelsey McMahon, president of the Burrell Girls Soccer boosters. “We are trying to get as many people as...
Property taxes in Lower Burrell to hold but sewage, recycling hikes expected
Lower Burrell property owners won’t see an increase in their real estate taxes next year but they will likely have an increase in their recycling and sewage bills. Council this week approved a budget plan for 2026 that holds the millage rate at 24.75 mills. A home at Lower Burrell’s...
Arnold woman charged after 2 children injured falling from car’s hood
An Arnold woman faces charges after, police say, two 9-year-olds fell from her car’s hood as she was driving, injuring both children. New Kensington Police this week charged Kaitlin Ann Golding, 28, with aggravated assault by motor vehicle, simple assault, reckless endangerment, endangering the welfare of children and several traffic...
Car plunges over hillside in Lower Burrell
Lower Burrell emergency crews rescued a man after his car went over a hillside off Glenmore Street at around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. The white sedan went about 100 feet down the hillside. “I was working on my (Christmas ) lights and this car came down at a high rate of...
Apple TV series films in New Kensington
“Parallax,” an Apple TV+ series, filmed a scene Wednesday at Allegheny Terminal off Industrial Boulevard in New Kensington. Shelly Williams, Apple TV publicist, confirmed crews were “shooting in and around New Kensington” for “Parallax” on Wednesday but declined to disclose other information. Film equipment could also be seen Wednesday at...
No tax increase anticipated for Upper Burrell
Upper Burrell’s proposed budget for next year does not include a property tax increase. The proposed budget totals almost $1.3 million, according to Township Secretary Melissa Cortileso. “It’s great. There’s no increase in taxes,” said supervisors Chairman Ross G. Walker III. “Taxes remain low. We’re doing our fiscal responsibility.” The...
Colleges grapple with lukewarm perception of their importance
Joel Bauman has been involved in college admissions for 30 years, and he can’t remember a more challenging time than what he faces today. “It has become more cynical,” said Bauman, senior vice president for enrollment management at Duquesne University, “but you can’t blame families, given the financial situation.” Colleges...
New Kensington’s Wildflower Bakery to fill another Fifth Avenue storefront
Wildflower Bakery in Downtown New Kensington is celebrating its one-year anniversary with an expansion. The bakery will expand by 1,200 square feet and open a storefront along 940 Fifth Ave., New Kensington, in addition to its existing entrance at 940 Barnes St. Owner Hailey Sabot plans to open the new...
Sexton, Fiorilli, Trainor, Montani win Chartiers Valley board seats
Three current members and a newcomer were elected to the Chartiers Valley School Board. Incumbents Megan Sexton, Lisa Trainor and Mitch Montani, and newcomer Mark Fiorilli won seats to the school board, according to unofficial election results from Allegheny County. Sexton led the way with 6,992 votes, followed by Fiorilli...
2 newcomers, 2 incumbents win positions on Carlynton School Board
Voters in the Carlynton School District elected two newcomers and two incumbents to the school board. Brittany Bova was the leading vote-getter with 2,653 votes, according to unofficial results from the Allegheny County Elections Division. She ran solely as a Democrat. She was followed by Reece Smith with 2,088 votes,...
Weissert wins Allegheny Township Supervisor election
Republican Frank Weissert won election to Allegheny Township’s supervisors board. Weissert, 48, had collected 1,291 votes compared to Democratic challenger Dave Gatty’s 1,037, according to unofficial but complete results from the Westmoreland County Elections Bureau. Supervisor Mike Korns didn’t seek reelection. Supervisors serve six-year terms. Weissert works in sales for...
After more than a dozen years, Lower Burrell consignment shop expands
The idea of Tammy Eshbaugh owning a retail business was somewhat of a joke 13 years ago. The Lower Burrell woman and her husband, Brian, decided to buy a few items at an online auction of a closing country club. “We didn’t realize how much we bought until we picked...
Toney, DiCarolis victors in New Kensington Council election
Democrats Phillip Toney and Nicholas DiCarolis won two seats on New Kensington Council, according to unofficial results from the Westmoreland County Elections Bureau. In the three-candidate race for two seats, Toney had collected 1,800 votes, DiCarolis 1,534. Republican Chase Balla had 1,238. Toney, 70, and DiCarolis, 37, will take the...
Murphy, Cupples-Wisniowski, Downey win Collier commissioner seats
Julie Murphy, Mary Ann Cupples-Wisniowski and Tim Downey Jr. were elected to three seats on Collier’s board of commissioners. They were the top three vote-getters in a six-candidate race Tuesday, Nov. 4, according to unofficial but complete results from the Allegheny County Elections Division. Murphy had 1,828 votes, and Cupples-Wisniowski...
LaSota reelected as Heidelberg mayor; incumbents return to council
Heidelberg voters returned Kenneth LaSota to the mayoral seat for four more years. According to the results of the Nov. 4 election from the Allegheny County Elections Division, LaSota, a Democrat, had 249 votes collected compared to Republican challenger Arnold Falcioni’s 155 votes. LaSota, a geology and Earth sciences professor...
13 trees planted along Baldwin Street, McLaughlin Run Park in Bridgeville
Baldwin Street and McLaughlin Run Park in Bridgeville look a little greener. Volunteers, with the help of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s TreeVitalize program, planted 13 trees along Baldwin Street and at McLaughlin Run Park on Saturday, Nov. 1. TreeVitalize is an application-based, community tree planting program. It is a joint...
91-year-old Bridgeville Mayor Betty Copeland easily wins reelection bid
Betty L. Copeland, 91, won handily in her reelection bid for Bridgeville mayor. Copeland collected 1,061 votes compared to challenger Pasquale DeBlasio’s 525, according to unofficial but complete results posted by the Allegheny County Elections Division. Copeland, a Democrat, has been mayor for the past eight years. DeBlasio, 62, a...
New Kensington hikes skill game license fee 150%
Skill game vendors will pony up some more cash to license their devices in New Kensington. Council gave final approval to increase annual license fees for mechanical skill games to $750, up 150% from its current $300, said Clerk John Zavadak. The new fee becomes effective next year. Zavadak predicts...
