Michael DiVittorio stories
Glen Osborne Councilwoman Mary Scalercio remembered as dedicated public servant, educator
Mary Scalercio was someone who believed in leaving things better than when you found it. She took that approach in helping Glen Osborne with its parks and holiday preparations as well as general business during her 12 years on council. Scalercio was in the last weeks of her third term...
Sharpsburg library officials to revisit courtyard project after bids come in over budget
A courtyard renovation project at Sharpsburg Community Library is being sent back to the drawing board after contract bids for the work came in over budget. Council unanimously voted Dec. 18 to reject the bids. The vote was needed because the borough owns the building. However, the project is being...
Sewickley to improve pedestrian safety at major business district intersection
Sewickley officials plan to give one of the borough’s busiest intersections a pedestrian safety boost next year. Curb ramps at Broad and Beaver streets are in poor condition and don’t meet current code requirements, borough engineer Mike Galet reported. The intersection is also not well signalized for pedestrian crossings, increasing...
Pittsburgh Public Schools student dies after being hit by sliding vehicle in Carrick
A Pittsburgh Public Schools student has died after being struck by a vehicle in Pittsburgh’s Carrick neighborhood. District officials said the deceased girl is Ishara Kami, 17, a senior at Carrick High School. Police responded to a vehicle versus pedestrian accident at about 2:50 p.m. Friday at the intersection of...
Leetdale officials seek public input for active transportation plan
Leetsdale officials are seeking public input on how they can make the borough more walkable, accessible and safe. An active transportation plan survey was recently launched to collect information, comments and concerns from everyone who travels within the Quaker Valley area borough, including residents, visitors and commuters. “What we really...
Aspinwall officials hold line on real estate taxes in 2026 budget
Aspinwall property owners will not have to pay more in borough real estate taxes next year. Council unanimously voted Dec. 10 to pass its 2026 spending plan and maintain the millage rate at 8.36 mills, including 0.5-mill for public safety. There were no changes to the budget from its proposed...
Blawnox has new messaging system for alerts, announcements to residents
Blawnox officials have signed on to a new messaging system to send emergency alerts and other announcements to residents. The borough recently switched from Rave Mobile Safety to CivicPlus for mass communications. Administrators said they were looking for a new system that was more user-friendly and allowed for more targeted...
Quaker Valley School District communications director recognized for outstanding service
Quaker Valley School District communications director Michelle Dietz was recently recognized for outstanding service by a national program. Dietz was named one of the 2025 EDmarket NexGen Rising Stars by the Education Market Association. The program honors exceptional young professionals under the age of 40 who have demonstrated passion, creativity...
Sewickley Light Up Night draws a festive crowdVideo
Justin Bollman found delight in watching his children play in the snow outside the Cochran Hose fire station in Sewickley. Braelyn, 9, and Brent, 5, threw snowballs, chased each other around a tree decorated in Christmas lights, and occasionally pelted Bollman and their mother, Kenzie, during the borough’s Light Up...
Aspinwall lights up for the holiday season
Aspinwall’s annual Light Up the Wall celebration took place Dec. 6. Commercial and Brilliant avenues were packed with people and activities. There were ice sculptures, face painting, cookie decorating, carolers, food trucks, balloon artists, a magic show, flame eaters from Sirkus Days and more. Santa and his helpers were inside...
Pittsburgh Public Schools officials approve 2026 budget with 2% tax hike
The Pittsburgh Public Schools board Wednesday evening passed a 2026 budget that includes a 2% tax hike. The $731.3 million budget passed unanimously. However, the board voted 6-3 on the tax rate, with School Directors Dwayne Barker, Tawana Cook Purnell and board Vice President Tracey Reed dissenting. The district’s tax...
Fox Chapel councilman stepping down to become next mayor; vacancy pending
Fox Chapel Council soon will have a vacancy as one of its members is stepping down to become the borough’s next mayor. In the spirit of passing the torch, Mayor Alex Scott III passed a green hat with a fox on it to Councilman Jonathan Colton on Nov. 17. Colton,...
Fox Chapel officials hold the line on borough real estate taxes for 2026
Fox Chapel property owners will not have to pay more in real estate taxes in order to maintain borough services. Council voted 6-0 Dec. 15 to pass its 2026 budget and maintain the tax rate at 2.95 mills. Council President Andrew Bennett was absent. There are no cuts to borough...
CeaseFirePA hosts vigil against gun violence at Sewickley United Methodist Church
Donna Hyatt remembered her grandson’s 2022 killing like it was yesterday. Jorden Lee Puskar, 21, of Coraopolis, was fatally shot the early morning of Jan. 22 that year along the 100 block of Prospect Street. Hyatt shared the story of her grandson’s murder during a vigil at Sewickley United Methodist...
Legislation to rename Sewickley post office in honor of late African-American historian, author passes House
The Sewickley post office is one step closer to being renamed in honor of a late Black borough historian and author. U.S. House of Representatives unanimously voted Dec. 10 to name the facility at 521 Thorn St. the Mary Elizabeth “Bettie” Cole Post Office Building. The proposed legislation, H.R. 1461,...
Blawnox officials hold line on real estate taxes, garbage fees; water/sewage bills will increase
Blawnox property owners will not have to pay more in real estate taxes next year. However, sewer and water rates are going up in 2026. Council voted 6-0 Dec. 10 to pass the budget and maintain the tax rate at 10.85 mills. Councilman Mark Lombardi was absent. Council last raised...
Leetsdale hikes property taxes 5.5% next year
Leetsdale property owners will have to pay about 5.5% more in real estate taxes next year. Council voted 6-0 on Thursday to approve its 2026 budget. Councilman Roger Nanni was absent. A separate motion to set the millage rate at 9.5 mills, a 0.5-mill jump, passed 5-1. One mill equals...
Leet commissioners maintain tax rate, programs and services in 2026 budget
Leet property owners will not have to pay more in real estate taxes as part of the township’s 2026 budget. Commissioners unanimously voted Dec. 8 to pass next year’s spending plan and maintain the millage rate at 9.1 mills. Township officials raised taxes in the 2025 budget by 1.4 mills,...
Bell Acres approves 5.8% tax increase with 2026 budget
Bell Acres property owners will see a 5.8% real estate tax increase next year. Council voted 6-0 on Dec. 8 to approve its 2026 budget and bump the millage rate from 4.82 mills to 5.07 mills. Council vice president Brock Meanor was absent. It is the first tax hike in...
New Quaker Valley High School opening pushed back
The projected opening of a new Quaker Valley High School has been pushed back for the second time this year while school district officials continue to seek federal and state permits related to its construction. Administrators initially had hoped to open the doors of the proposed 167,000-square-foot facility in June...
Sewickley officials maintain real estate tax rate in 2026 budget
Sewickley property owners will not have to pay more in real estate taxes to balance next year’s borough budget. Council unanimously voted Dec. 9 to pass its 2026 spending plan and maintain the millage rate at 6.25 mills. The borough has not raised taxes for at least eight years. Borough...
Police: Man shot during burglary attempt at his Wilkinsburg home
A man was hospitalized in critical condition after being shot in Wilkinsburg on Tuesday night. Allegheny County Police said officers were notified of a shooting shortly before 8 p.m. along the 2200 block of McNary Boulevard. First responders found a man shot in the torso. Police said preliminary information shows...
Sharpsburg officials hold the line on taxes with 2026 budget
Sharpsburg property owners will not have to pay more in real estate taxes to balance the borough’s budget next year. Council unanimously voted to pass its 2026 spending plan on Nov. 20. It maintains the tax rate at 9.75 mills, including the 0.5-mill emergency services tax. General fund proposed revenues...
Without closures, Pittsburgh Public Schools projects $6M deficit with 4% tax hike
Pittsburgh Public Schools officials plan to move into the new year with a more than $6 million projected budget deficit despite a proposed 4% tax hike. In a budget hearing Monday night, multiple district residents implored school board members and administrators to find creative ways of raising revenue beyond the...
Quaker Valley School Board reorganizes, welcomes new leadership
The Quaker Valley School Board is under new management. Daniela Helkowski and Geoff Barnes were appointed president and vice president, respectively, at a reorganization meeting on Dec. 3. School Director Missy Walls was also named new board treasurer as part of a shift in leadership following an election year and...
