Mary Ann Thomas stories, Page 58
9-year-old was bullied, attempted suicide, and now will be mayor for a dayVideo
In just a little more than a month, 9-year-old Nico Pampena endured the torments of bullying, a thwarted suicide attempt, a 28-day, in-hospital behavioral health program — and, then, gladly accepted an invitation to be mayor for a day in Lower Burrell. Pampena will be the featured star for Lower...
Ukrainian Orthodox church in Arnold celebrates Easter this week
After breaking a seven-week fast, the small but powerful congregation of the Holy Virgin Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Arnold celebrated Easter on Sunday in traditional style. The service paid homage to the high holiday in all of its pageantry. The Rev. Mark Swindle dressed in crisp, ivory robes, a spray...
Hays bald eagle chick fed fish snagged with hooks and fishing line
The problem of litter was exemplified Saturday when one of the Hays bald eagles brought a fish snagged with multiple hooks and fishing line and fed it to one of its two eaglets. It’s unclear if the one of the young birds swallowed a hook, according to Jim Bonner, executive...
Hundreds turn out for cleanup events in Harrison, VandergriftVideo
‘Tis the season to redd up, as we say in these parts, and an event Saturday in Harrison gave people in the region the chance to get rid of hard-to-dispose items like televisions, paint and household chemicals. It was a “Too Toxic To Trash” collection at the township building where...
Cathedral of Learning falcon again eats one of her young, other chicks doing well
Just when birdwatchers thought it might be a normal breeding season with two apparently healthy chicks at the Cathedral of Learning peregrine falcon nest in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood, the mother killed and ate the third chick emerging from its egg Thursday. It marks the fourth year in a row the...
Pittsburgh native Becca Droz in Laos for CBS ‘Amazing Race’
The self-described fun, bold and adventurous Becca Droz, a Pittsburgh native, will hit the ground running to Laos during Wednesday’s episode of CBS’ “Amazing Race” all-star season at 9 p.m. She is competing for a $1 million prize on a 25,000-plus mile journey around the world. Droz, a 2008 graduate...
Clarion River to be featured on postage stamp
The Postal Service will issue its Wild and Scenic Rivers stamps May 21 with the Clarion River as one of a dozen Forever stamps paying tribute to “the exceptional streams that run freely through America’s natural landscapes.” The Clarion River, a tributary of the Allegheny, was in the news last...
2-cent fee proposed for single-use plastic bags in Pennsylvania
Earlier this month, PennEnvironment joined forces with Pennsylvania House Democrats to announce its “Zero Waste PA” package of 13 bills looking to tackle a number of litter and pollution problems. According to PennLive, the proposals range from “creating a 5-cent beverage bottle and can deposit program and raising fines for...
Kiski Area students get real lessons from a real cop
The mood was sober during Allegheny Township police Officer Charity Butz’s presentation Tuesday on the dangers and penalties for driving under the influence for a freshman health class at Kiski Area High School. But the students perked up considerably when they wore goggles that simulate being drunk or under the...
Test that tick. East Stroudsburg University offering free tick testing for Lyme disease
East Stroudsburg University’s tick research lab is accepting ticks for free testing from Pennsylvania residents. The university lab, known as the Pennsylvania Tick Research Lab, will test ticks for Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, according to Brenda Friday, university spokeswoman. “Tests are ordered online, and residents can...
Hope, the Cathedral of Learning peregrine falcon, lets her first chick live
The first peregrine falcon chick of the season hatched at the Cathedral of Learning nest in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood Monday and appears to be doing well after three years of infanticide by the same mother, documented by a live webcam sponsored by the National Aviary. For the past three years,...
Bear caught snacking in Kittanning Township backyardVideo
Debbi Reefer of Kittanning Township was busy with the Easter holiday and forgot to bring in her bird suet feeder Sunday night as she usually does. And a bear found it. “It’s another day in the country,” said Reefer, who has had bears on her property before. Reefer jams a...
How many hellbenders live in Western Pa.? Group hopes to learn this summer
The search is on this summer for the Allegheny alligator or the snot otter, better known as the Eastern hellbender, in rivers in Western Pennsylvania. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy plans July surveys in the Kiski, Allegheny and Youghiogheny rivers for the salamander, a reclusive creature that lives under rocks the...
Lower Burrell considering tax break for firefighters
Lower Burrell Council is exploring a local tax incentive for city firefighters to boost their thinning ranks and properly reward their community work. Councilman Joe Grillo is looking at city firefighters forgoing the city’s earned income tax or other possibilities. A course for young firefighters is also under consideration. “It’s...
Dumpster Day in Washington Township is almost here
Washington Township will hold its spring cleanup Dumpster Day on May 4 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the township’s maintenance garage, 3788 Route 66. Large household items will be accepted. However, some junk will not be accepted, including liquids, paints, chemicals, hazardous materials, any electronics (including televisions), appliances...
Kiski Area School District inks new 5-year deal with secretaries
Kiski Area School District and its secretaries have a new, 5-year contract calling for average 2.35 percent raises over the life of the contract, according to Peggy Gillespie, the district’s assistant to the superintendent for finance and operations. The new contract takes effect July 1 and covers 19 secretaries represented...
Spraying to control black flies to begin along Pennsylvania waterways
State officials are hoping the buzz of helicopters will prevent the buzz of black flies around area waterways. Within the week, the state Department of Environmental Protection will start aerial and backpack spraying to control black flies on about 1,700 miles of waterways in 35 counties, including Armstrong and Westmoreland....
Clean up, beautification days coming to Vandergrift
Plans are underway to paint the pavilion in Vandergrift’s Franklin Park as part of a beautification day May 19, according to the nonprofit Vandergrift Parent Project. The group said it is looking for volunteers and donations of money and supplies for the beautification day, which also will include installing a...
Westmoreland County could be region’s first to get water wells tested by feds
Westmoreland County could become the first one in Western Pennsylvania to have large-scale, baseline testing done on the water quality of private wells by the federal government. The Westmoreland Conservation District is applying for a $250,000 grant to pay the U.S. Geological Survey to do baseline testing on 40 to...
Watchers finally get a peek at Harmar bald eaglet
It doesn’t take much to bring out the cadre of wildlife photographers who faithfully follow the whereabouts and activities of the region’s bald eagles. After more than a week of watchers and photographers trying to get a peek of the eaglet in the Harmar nest, Fox Chapel’s Gina Gilmore managed...
Washington Township OKs another gas well near Beaver Run Reservoir
The gas company that had to plug a problematic gas well earlier this year in Washington Township got approval from township supervisors for a new well pad along Turack Road. CNX Resources of Canonsburg is applying for permits for a new well pad on property owned by the Municipal Authority...
Rare bald eagle trio raising chicks in one Illinois nest
Live webcams like the one at a wildlife refuge in Fulton, Illinois, document some of nature’s oddities — like threesome of two males and one female bald eagle successfully raising young. Highly territorial, breeding bald eagle couples typically do not allow a third adult in on the breeding action. But...
Trout to be stocked Saturday at Kunkle Park in Washington Township
The Washington/Bell Township Lions Club will stock trout in Pine Run in Kunkle Park on Saturday. The fish are donated by the Blackleggs Creek trout nursery in Clarksburg, Indiana County, according to John Turack of the Lions Club. The stocking of about 200 fish is for young anglers, ages 10...
Vandergrift Public Library wins free summer program bringing educators from Carnegie Science Center
The Vandergrift Public Library won a free Science in the Summer program from GlaxoSmithKline for children to be enrolled in a four-day program at the library taught by educators from the Carnegie Science Center. The four-day program, running during the week of June 10-13, will be open to all children...
Researchers find a bounty of fish in Allegheny Township’s Pine RunVideo
Trout might be coming to a new section of Pine Run in Allegheny Township after surveyors found a surprising bounty of 15 fish species Friday, including five darter species, which are indicative of good water quality. The survey was prompted by two Lions Clubs that want to stock a new...
