Natalie Beneviat stories, Page 16
New Franklin Park Council swearing-in scheduled in January
One of the last tasks awaiting Franklin Park Council President John Parks before he leaves council is the borough’s budget for 2024. Parks, a nine-year council veteran, “at the tender age of 83” decided not to seek re-election. He’ll be succeeded on the board in representing Ward 2 by newcomer...
Election wins: Democrats constitute new majority on North Allegheny School Board
Democrats will take control of the North Allegheny School Board with the re-election of Democratic incumbent Elizabeth Warner and the election of Democratic challengers Bob Gibbs and Dr. Anisha Shah in the Nov. 7 General Election. Nearly 95,000 votes were cast, according to unofficial election results from the Allegheny County...
New transportation director appointed for North Allegheny
The North Allegheny School Board has hired a new director of transportation following a bumpy start to the school year that left the district unable to provide bus transportation to some students. The board on Oct. 25 voted to hire Scott Mergen at an annual salary of $115,000. Neither the...
North Allegheny Middle School presents ‘Finding Nemo Jr.’
An undersea world comes alive as North Allegheny’s middle schools present Disney/Pixar’s “Finding Nemo Jr.” on Nov. 16 and Nov. 18-19 in the North Allegheny High School Auditorium. “ “Finding Nemo Jr.” is filled with so much energy hard work and talent. These kids have a gift not many others...
North Allegheny eliminates safety and security manager position
Members of the North Allegheny School Board showered district Safety and Security Manager Dan Stack on Oct. 25 with words of appreciation just moments before voting to eliminate his position. Stack has been the safety and security manager for the North Allegheny School District since July 2021. But the board...
Shining Star Gala to benefit McCandless museum
The McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center is hosting its first-ever Shining Star Gala on Nov. 25 at the Chadwick Banquet Center in McCandless. The event begins at 5 p.m. with cocktails, with dinner at 6 p.m. There will be an award presentation for long-standing volunteers in the community, followed...
McCandless cultural center hosting presentation about Pittsburgh musicians
The McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center is hosting a free presentation about “Famous Pittsburgh Musicians,” Nov. 16, with two sessions at 5 and 7 p.m. Speaker and musician Gail Griffith will discuss famous musicians who came from Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh-area, including Bobby Vinton, Perry Como, Gene Kelly, George...
Local leaders recognize North Allegheny’s 75 years
State elected leaders presented citations during the Oct. 25 school board meeting that celebrate the 75th anniversary of the North Allegheny School District. State Rep. Dr. Arvind Venkat, D-McCandless; Rep. Rob Mercuri, R-Pine and Sen. Devlin Robinson, R-Bridgeville, presented the citations. Grace Muller, a representative of State Sen. Lindsey Williams,...
McCandless-based Variety’s ‘chief excitement officer’ retires after long career helping kids
When Tyler Winfield at age 4 first met Charlie LaVallee, Tyler couldn’t talk. He was termed nonverbal due to a disability. Fortunately, LaVallee was chief executive officer — or chief excitement officer as LaVallee likes to say — at Variety — the Children’s Charity, which provides services for disabled children,...
North Allegheny School Board approves creation of school district police department with armed officers
The North Allegheny School Board voted unanimously Wednesday to create a school police department with armed officers headed by a chief of school police. “North Allegheny Police Officers will play an essential role by being the first line of defense in a potential critical violent incident, building strong and positive...
North Allegheny High School presents ‘Little Shop of Horrors’
North Allegheny High School is presenting “Little Shop of Horrors” at the high school auditorium on Nov. 9 and 11 at 7 p.m. and on Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. A staff and Gold Card performance is set for Nov. 8 at 4:30 p.m. Tickets for the musical cost $14...
Halloween events scheduled for North Allegheny area
There’s lots of Halloween fun in the North Allegheny area this month: Providence Heights Alpha School The Student Council at Providence Heights Alpha School will host a Trunk-n-Treat in the La Roche University parking lot, 9000 Babcock Boulevard, on Friday, Oct. 27, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Lots of...
North Allegheny school superintendent proposes in-house police
Creating an in-house school police department is paramount for the safety of students and staff at North Allegheny, said Superintendent Dr. Brendan Hyland. Under Hyland’s plan, the district’s school resource officer program that uses municipal police officers would be replaced with an in-house school police department, whose officers would be...
North Allegheny School District to consider creating armed school police force
The North Allegheny School Board is set to vote next week whether to establish an armed school police department with officers in each of the district’s twelve schools. The plan was unveiled at a school board meeting Wednesday evening, Oct. 18, as part of a report from newly installed Superintendent...
Family of late, beloved custodian at North Allegheny’s Hosack Elementary School honors his memory with book
If one word could describe Hosack Elementary’s late custodian Kevin Cavlovich, it would be kind. That’s the core message of “Looking for Kindness,” a new book about Cavlovich — Mr. Kevin, as he was called by students — the school’s former head custodian, who at age 30 died unexpectedly of...
10 look to fill 5 North Allegheny school board seats
The race for five seats on the North Allegheny School Board this Nov. 7 has five Democrats battling five Republican candidates for control of the nine-member school board. Democrats Elizabeth Warner, Anisha Shah, Bob Gibbs, Jaime Martinez and Sylvana Bonner are running as a slate, Together for NA. The Republican...
3 McCandless Council seats contested in general election
While budgets, police safety, and road maintenance are always on the minds of voters, issues regarding zoning regulations, preservation of greenspace and management of potential development have been recent hot topics in McCandless. Voters can make their voices heard Nov. 7 in contested races in Wards 1, 3 and 5...
‘A very young heart’ retires after 55 years at Northland Public Library, now in McCandless
Willa Neil has been at Northland Public Library, even before there was one. She was months from graduating with a master’s degree in library information sciences from the University of Pittsburgh when she was asked to help start the first library in the North Hills. Neil was hesitant, but her...
North Allegheny Intermediate High School presents fall play, ‘Peter and the Starcatcher’
Students at North Allegheny Intermediate High School are presenting their fall play, “Peter and the Starcatcher” at NAI on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 28 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets for the student-directed play will be sold at the door for $8. The Tony Award-winning “Peter...
McCandless zoning upgrade put properties near North Park in ‘neighborhood-appropriate’ development district
A zoning re-do approved this year was meant to address issues throughout McCandless Township, not open up a single piece of property for unwanted development, Town Council President Michael Tarle said during a council meeting Oct. 9. “We weren’t just looking at one parcel. We looked at every parcel in...
McCandless Ward 6 councilwoman resigns
McCandless Township is seeking applicants to fill the unexpired term of Ward 6 Republican Councilwoman Carolyn Schweiger. The council accepted her resignation, effective immediately, at its meeting on Oct. 9. Schweiger said she and her family are moving to another residence in McCandless not in Ward 6. Therefore, she cannot...
North Allegheny ranks top in Niche ratings, local and nationally
A tech company that ranks schools and communities has named North Allegheny as the best school district in the Pittsburgh area, No. 2 in Pennsylvania and No. 27 in the United States. The rankings were part of the 2024 Niche Rankings for K-12 Public School Districts. Niche, based in Pittsburgh’s...
Violins representing Holocaust musicians at McCandless event
Violins played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust will make music once again during “Finding Hope in Harmony: A Violins of Hope Evening with Interfaith Neighbors in the North Hills” Oct. 17. The free event will be held at the La Roche University’s Zappala College Center Campus Square, located in...
Halloween events in the North Allegheny area
Ghosts and goblins are coming your way with a variety of Halloween activities in the North Allegheny area this month. North Allegheny Foundation The annual North Allegheny Trick-or-Trot returns on Oct. 28, featuring a 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run at the Marshall Middle School and Elementary School campus at...
McCandless says no applications for development along North Park gateway on Ingomar Road
The Town of McCandless has “received no applications” as of Oct. 3 for development of a prime piece of land along Ingomar Road that serves as a gateway to North Park, McCandless Town Manger Brian O’Malley said. The area is home to an assortment of small businesses: North Park Par...
