Natalie Beneviat stories

Spending a day as a firefighter Sept. 20 in Franklin Park could lead to bigger things. At least that is the hope for participating fire departments of Firefighter for a Day, planned for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Franklin Park Volunteer Fire Company’s main station, 2360 Rochester Road. “It’s...

A pedestrian walkway was nixed as a possible addition to Bradford Road in Bradford Woods, an area that locals say has become unsafe for pedestrians. The borough had proposed a pedestrian walkway along the stretch of road at its meeting in July as a way to provide a safer area...

Bark in the Park on Sept. 13 in North Park is more than just a fun event for pups and people. It’s a real chance to help save animals’ lives. The event, set for noon to 5 p.m. at the McCandless and Pine Ridge shelters, has a mission of getting...

The Class of 1975, the first graduates of North Allegheny Senior High School, is having a reunion from 5 to 10 p.m. Sept. 20 at Wildwood Country Club. The day will begin at 10 a.m. with a tour of the “new” high school. The event is for “any person who...

The window for Marshall residents to offer input online to Allegheny County Public Works regarding the replacement of a bridge on Spang Road is Sept. 10-24. Big Sewickley Creek Bridge No. 7, which carries Spang Road into Warrendale, is considered too narrow. The project aims to improve safety and traffic...

North Allegheny School District’s business and finance department received high marks recently, winning national recognition for excellence in two categories. The district received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association for its annual comprehensive report for the fiscal year ending June 30,...

A longer day and more space are on the docket for this year’s McCandless Community Day, set for Sept. 13 at Town Hall and the surrounding grounds off Grubbs Road. McCandless’ premier community event will kick off at 1 p.m., an earlier start time compared to past years, and end...

Composting is a great way to eliminate food waste and clean the air, according to two Girl Scouts at Northland Public Library in McCandless on Aug. 7, who were there hosting a hands-on activity to learn more about the effort. Amelia Shaffer, 13, and Salem Elewononi, 14, set up tables...

Saying that a recent tree-climbing school was hands-on is a bit of an understatement. As an arboreal activity that requires a whole-body commitment, the course held Aug. 12-15 by Penn State Extension drew 11 participants, from professionals looking to brush up on their skills to homeowners interested in doing their...

The North Allegheny School District welcomed the return of about 8,500 students Aug. 21 — the first of 182 days of the 2025-26 school year. The district has seven elementary, three middle and two high schools, the last of which are beginning five minutes later this year to help pull...

A principal is following a calling to lead Blessed Trinity Academy in Indiana Township, not long after her former Catholic school closed its doors after 99 years. Margaret “Peggy” Ruefle was a principal at Providence Heights Alpha School in McCandless for 13 years until the school held its final day...

A large number of thefts from vehicles as well as two vehicle thefts occurred early Thursday, Aug. 21, in Franklin Park. Franklin Park police Chief Aron Leach said the thefts took place around 4 and 4:30 a.m. All of the vehicles were unlocked and keys were left inside, he said....

The Frank J. Farina Jr. Memorial Car Cruise, a favorite stop for those attending the McCandless Community Day on Sept. 13, will be parked at the Ashton Commons Senior Living off Blazier Drive from 3 to 6 p.m. The site is just down the road from Town Hall on Grubbs...

Franklin Park residents only have until Aug. 26 to collect the 164 signatures required to be placed on the next election ballot to serve on a commission to study the pros and cons of possibly switching to a home rule charter. The borough needs to have seven residents on the...

North Allegheny held its first school board meeting after a short summer break on Aug. 6, marking the occasion with two new hires, including a new assistant principal for Franklin Elementary School. Audra Meehan joins Franklin, one of North Allegheny’s seven elementary schools, replacing Tommie Guess, who now is the...

The roots of The Olive Branch reach back 50 years, when the fair-trade store, now located in Pine, began with just $250 in seed money and a motivation to help others. To celebrate, the store is hosting a 50th anniversary event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 6 at...

United Bocce at North Allegheny is upping its game this year. Two new bocce courts, located at the senior high campus off Perry Highway in McCandless, were built this past summer, complete with the official bocce regulations, even down to crushed oyster powder at its base. This will be the...

To celebrate completing two weeks of band camp, the North Allegheny Tiger Marching Band plans to share the fruits of its labor during a free community preview show at 7 p.m. Aug. 15 at Newman Stadium off Perry Highway in McCandless. The Tiger Marching Band is one of the largest...

Franklin Park marked National Night Out on Aug. 5 with a special ceremony honoring the borough’s first police chief. A bench near the entrance of the Franklin Park Police Department was dedicated to the late Joseph Hotnich, an officer who served as chief in the 1960s when Franklin Park transitioned...

A new apartment at the North Allegheny Senior High School will be an important educational tool for any student wanting to increase their independent living skills. The real-life living quarters will feature all of the elements of an actual apartment within the walls of the senior high school in McCandless....

The 90-degree temperatures didn’t dampen the jolly for patrons of the Christmas in July Farmers Market on July 24 at The Block Northway in Ross. Food trucks, local artists, bakers and candymakers were setting the gift-buying course early — on a date alerting shoppers that Christmas Eve is a mere...

After being forced to cancel last year’s National Night Out festivities because of storms, Franklin Park and McCandless police are hopeful Mother Nature will cooperate this year. The history of National Night Out started in 1981 as a community-building event to promote police-community relationships. It is celebrated every year across...

Deer continue to be problematic in the North Hills region. It’s such a problem that the McCandless Environmental Advisory Committee read a public statement at the town’s June 9 council meeting about the need for stronger deer management. The growing McCandless deer overpopulation has existed for many years and has...

The McCandless Athletic Association hosted the Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit & Run competition on July 12 and 14 at the Vincentian fields in McCandless. The free event was open to boys and girls from the Pittsburgh area to compete in a series of movements that are important in baseball...

Traffic calming efforts are being employed along Bradford Road in Bradford Woods to deter speeders. Methods were presented to residents during the July 14 council meeting. More police patrolling and installation of two radar speed signs that also track driving behaviors already have been implemented on the road that is...