Kellen Stepler stories, Page 51
No property tax increase in Frazer’s proposed budget for 2024
Frazer will hold the line on real estate taxes next year. The township’s proposed 2024 budget amounts to $1.13 million, about $148,000 less than this year , said Frazer Township Secretary and Supervisor Lori Ziencik. The millage rate remains at 3.5 mills. The average property tax assessment for a home...
Springdale power plant implosion ruling could come next month
A ruling on whether the former Cheswick Generating Station in Springdale can be demolished via implosion could come as early as the first week of December. Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge John T. McVay Jr., who is presiding over a court case seeking an injunction to stop the implosion, gave...
DEP fines companies involved in implosion of smokestacks at former Springdale power plant
Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection announced Thursday a civil penalty in connection to the June 2 implosion of two smokestacks at the former power plant property in Springdale. According to the DEP, Cheswick Plant Environmental Redevelopment Group, Controlled Demolition Inc. and Grant Mackay Co. violated the state’s Solid Waste Management...
Defense attorneys seek to dissolve injunction in Springdale power plant demolition case
Attorneys representing the demolition contractor in the Springdale power plant demolition case case filed a motion Wednesday to dissolve an injunction, filed by 16 borough residents in September to block an implosion of the boiler house. In court Wednesday, attorney Julie Brennan, who represents Grant Mackay Co., told Allegheny County...
Former Valley math teacher named assistant principal of Deer Lakes High School
A former Valley High School math teacher is now the assistant principal of Deer Lakes High School. Joshua Tysk started his new role today. The Deer Lakes School Board approved Tysk’s hiring at its October meeting. He will be paid $86,000. “My excitement to be a part of the Deer...
Toxicologist continues testimony in Springdale injunction proceedings
A Texas-based toxicologist testified Tuesday that health complaints reported by some Springdale residents following the June implosion of two towering smokestacks at the former power plant there are consistent to exposure of materials and fibers from the implosion. But the defense attorneys for the landowner and demolition company attempted to...
‘It’s not just everyday house dust’: Expert testifies as effort continues to halt implosion of boiler house in Springdale
A toxicologist and a safety consultant were the latest two individuals to testify in the injunction case where 16 Springdale residents are seeking to block an implosion of the boiler house at the former Cheswick Generating Station. S. Thomas Dydek, a Texas-based toxicologist, and Jon Pina, a consultant with Evergreen...
Upper Burrell eyes $1.25 million budget with no tax increase
Upper Burrell’s $1.25 million proposed budget for 2024 does not include a tax increase for residents. “We have a balanced budget,” Supervisor Mike Conley said. “There’s no tax increase. We’re holding the line.” The proposal is similar to this year’s budget, Supervisors Chairman Ross Walker said. An average township home...
Penn State and NFL standout LaVar Arrington, others honor veterans and highlight needs at Springdale ceremony
Penn State football and NFL great LaVar Arrington has a long list of accomplishments and accolades from the field. But what he wants to be remembered for is his advocacy for veterans and first responders. In front of a group of veterans Friday morning at the Springdale Veterans Association, Arrington,...
Former power plant and Springdale attorneys to meet over overlay proposal
A meeting among attorneys is in order before the Springdale Planning Commission can make a recommendation on a proposed zoning overlay in the borough. Planners met Wednesday to consider the overlay. The commission, which only serves in an advisory role to borough council, tabled the proposal in September. The idea...
Former St. Alphonsus Church in Springdale supplies Pittsburgh’s official Christmas tree — again
Pittsburgh’s 108th Christmas tree once again will hail from Springdale. While the approximately 40-foot blue spruce won’t be cut down until Saturday, crews from the city’s public works department were at the former St. Alphonsus Church on Thursday to cut down another tree on the property. Officials intend to use...
Brannock, Suchevits win Harmar supervisor seats
In a race where only 29 votes separated the four candidates, Erik Brannock and Robert Suchevits were able to claim two Harmar supervisor seats. According to unofficial but complete results from the Allegheny County Elections Division, Brannock, a Democrat, led all vote-getters with 437 votes, or 25.93%. Suchevits, a Republican,...
Frey, Hollibaugh, Wiegand win West Deer supervisor seats
An incumbent and two newcomers won four-year supervisor seats in West Deer. John Hollibaugh and Jo Resciniti were on the ballot for a seat representing District 3, and Josh Wiegand and David Harrison were on the ballot for a seat representing District 4. According to complete but unofficial results from...
Conley retains Upper Burrell supervisor seat
Mike Conley will serve another six years on Upper Burrell’s board of supervisors. Conley, 60, had 438 votes, or 62.48%, compared to 263 votes, or 37.52%, from challenger Cari Armstrong, 40, according to unofficial but complete vote tallies from the Westmoreland County Elections Department. “I certainly appreciated all the support,”...
Gigler, Stoneburner, Taliani win commissioner seats in East Deer
Two longtime incumbents and a 22-year-old newcomer were victorious Tuesday in the East Deer commissioners election. Anthony Taliani, 75, a 51-year incumbent, was the top vote-getter among the five candidates, notching 202 votes, or 23.68%, according to unofficial results from the Allegheny County Elections Department. Newcomer Jacob Leonard Gigler had...
Calvert, McCloskey, Neidig, Porco and Verdetto win Deer Lakes School Board seats
Deer Lakes School District voters selected three Democrats and two Republicans on Tuesday to fill five open seats on the school board. Incumbent Democrat Cristy McCloskey led the seven-person race with 2,714 votes, or 16.89%, according to unofficial election results from the Allegheny County Elections Department. Others who secured seats...
Public review of proposed English resources available for Burrell parents
Burrell School District is opening the book for interested parents and taxpayers who want to review proposed English resources for elementary and middle school students. Until Nov. 28, taxpayers in the district can review three sets of proposed English resources — two of which are for kindergarten through fifth grades...
5 incumbents, 2 newcomers find victory in Allegheny Valley School Board race
Voters in the Allegheny Valley School District appear to like how the district currently functions. Seven of the nine school board seats were up for grabs in Tuesday’s election, and five incumbents were able to hold on to board seats, according to unofficial yet complete results from the Allegheny County...
Cheryl Peck Yakopec hangs on in district judge race
The district judge seat in northwestern Westmoreland County will remain in the hands of Cheryl Peck Yakopec, unofficial election results from the Westmoreland County Election Bureau show. With all precincts reporting at 10 p.m. Tuesday, Yakopec had 4,299 votes, or 52.81% of the vote, and Leslie Uncapher Zellers had 3,837...
Fitzgerald, Copeland, Stephens win Springdale Council race
Two incumbents and a Democratic newcomer held off two challengers for the race in Springdale Council, unofficial vote tallies from the Allegheny County Department of Elections showed. With all votes tallied, Shawn Fitzgerald Jr. led all vote-getters with 599 votes, or 27.85%, Daniel P. Copeland had 487 votes or 22.64%...
Girardi narrowly defeats Karaica for Lower Valley magistrate, unofficial tally shows
In a back-and-forth race for the Lower Valley’s district judge seat, Michael Girardi defeated Mitchell Karaica by a 26-vote margin, according to unofficial election results from the Allegheny County Elections Department. Girardi had 1,853 votes, or just over 50.33%; and Karaica had 1,827 votes, or 49.62%; results showed. Both men...
East Deer boosts employees’ salaries while still cutting residents’ taxes
Some township employees in East Deer will get a boost to their salaries next year. Commissioners approved wage increases for the township secretary, Chrystal Carmen, at slightly more than $47,000 in 2024 and just under $49,700 in 2025. “She’s doing an excellent job,” Commissioners Chairman Tony Taliani said of Carmen,...
Building the Valley: Upper Burrell’s Union Barn event venue brings people together
As a former police officer, Mike Seefeld often saw people at their worst. Now, he’s seeing them at their best at his family’s new business, the Union Barn in Upper Burrell. “I wanted to do something totally different from what I’ve been doing,” he said. Seefield and his wife, Susie,...
East Deer revises draft of proposed billboard rules
Taking Allegheny County and township planners’ recommendations into consideration, East Deer officials have revised their draft of an ordinance targeting proposed billboards and signs. Following a June hearing where Butler-based America First Enterprises, which does business as Oliver Outdoor, sought to erect four electronic billboards in the township, the East...
Absorber tank pulled down at former Springdale power plant; injunction case to resume
An absorber tank at the former power plant in Springdale was knocked down Thursday afternoon. The action at the plant, formally called the Cheswick Generating Station, is part of the remediation efforts at the site, said Scott Reschly, vice president of Charah Solutions. Cheswick Plant Environmental Redevelopment Group, a subsidiary...
