Natalie Beneviat stories, Page 2
North Allegheny School District’s 2026-27 calendar makes room for construction
An earlier first day of school — Aug. 18 — for the upcoming 2026-27 school year will help accommodate pending construction beginning at several schools in the North Allegheny School District. Hosack, Ingomar and Peebles elementary schools, as well as Phase 1 of the high school and the natatorium, are...
McCandless spreading extra cheer with 5th annual Winterfest
Winterfest, gingerbread houses and lights, oh my. Creative bakers with a flair for architecture can test their edible skills in a new gingerbread house contest in McCandless, with all entries to be judged at the fifth annual Winterfest, the town’s signature seasonal celebration, scheduled for 3 to 7 p.m. Dec....
Veterans touched by ceremony, parade at Holy Cross Academy in Ross
A time of reflection, reverence and recognition was part of the annual Veterans Day celebration and parade Nov. 7 at Holy Cross Academy in Ross. “It’s very emotional,” said Dave W. Graver of McCandless, who was visibly moved after coming out of the church service honoring the veterans. Graver served...
North Allegheny’s preliminary budget includes millage increase
A slight increase in taxes is proposed for the 2026-27 North Allegheny school year, at an estimated 20.43 mills from the current 19.74 mills. The school board still has to vote on the proposed increase and final budget set for May 20. The millage rate is in accordance with the...
Northland Public Library’s executive director retiring; search on for replacement
The grand opening of the newly renovated Northland Public Library may be a bittersweet moment for its executive director, Amy Steele, who is set to retire Feb. 12. Steele has worked at Northland for 24 years, the past 12 as its executive director. “While we aren’t quite done yet, the...
Northland Public Library secures bump in funding for staffing costs; renovation nears completion
Municipalities in the North Hills are agreeing to a slight increase in funding for Northland Public Library’s 2026 budget, which will help keep staff pay competitive and cover rising health care costs. The library’s 2026 $3.5 million budget reflects an overall 5.7% increase. “This budget will help us to continue...
Lots of work, planning go into school musicals as North Allegheny preps for ‘Schoolhouse Rock’
As the cast and crew prepared to rock some knowledge in “Schoolhouse Rock Live Jr.,” which hits the stage Nov. 12, 13, 15 and 16 at North Allegheny Senior High School, music department chair Bob Tozier shared what it’s like to pull off a top-notch performance. In his experience, the...
Majority in Franklin Park votes down home rule study; borough to seek other ways to address deficit
Despite months of public engagement and open houses explaining the process, residents of Franklin Park voted no on a ballot question on whether to form a commission to study changing the borough to home rule, according to Allegheny County Election results on Nov. 5. Voters in Franklin Park seemed to...
Cosmetology students at A.W. Beattie Career Center thank veterans with free haircuts
As a thank-you for veterans, cosmetology students at A.W. Beattie Career Center’s training salon provided free haircuts for all members of the military, past and present, on Veterans Day. The training salon, located at the school along Babcock Boulevard, is a full-service salon for students in the cosmetology program. This...
12th annual Trick or Trot raises nearly $40,000 for North Allegheny Foundation
Sprinting for sweets would have been a good motto for the 12th annual North Allegheny Foundation Trick or Trot 5K Race and 1-Mile Fun Run. There were 671 registered participants this year, according to William Mascari, district liaison and the foundation’s communications coordinator. “Guests enjoyed a morning of running, jogging,...
North Allegheny School District OKs contract with teachers months ahead of schedule
A collective bargaining agreement between the North Allegheny School District and the North Allegheny Federation of Teachers was approved by the school board at its Oct. 29 school board meeting, far in advance of when the current agreement was set to expire on June 30. It was passed by an...
Budget reviews under way in Bradford Woods, Franklin Park, McCandless, Marshall
Municipalities in the North Allegheny are in the middle of holding budget reviews and public hearings, giving residents a chance to provide feedback and learn more about where their tax dollars are heading next year. Attending a budget hearing can be extremely beneficial, according to Zachary Filous, Franklin Park’s borough...
North Hills Community Outreach welcomes donations to help others during SNAP pause
With SNAP benefits on pause, North Hills Community Outreach is stepping up to help the people it serves and is asking the community for assistance. As of Oct. 15, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services announced that SNAP, a supplemental nutrition assistance program, will not be issued because of the...
Retired Hampton officer finds calling at Blessed Trinity, Holy Cross schools
Having worked for the Hampton Township Police Department for 25 years, Officer Pete Halli is enjoying a slower-paced career as a school resource officer at Blessed Trinity Academy in Indiana Township. But that doesn’t mean he’s let his guard down. “Our job is not only about providing a safe environment...
McCandless celebrates completion of North Meadows sidewalk, a key link to Route 19
A new sidewalk off Route 19 in McCandless near Wexford Flats onto North Meadows Drive is another effort to create walkable connections throughout McCandless and the North Hills. A ribbon-cutting was held Oct. 17 in celebration of the completion of the North Meadows sidewalk, located along North Meadows Drive and...
15% of North Allegheny student population is enrolled in special education, report shows
More students are participating in the special education program at North Allegheny, representing 15% of its student population, a slight increase from last year’s numbers, according to a 2025 enrollment and projections report presented by the district Oct. 15. It’s the largest increase from last year to this school year,...
Enrollment projected to increase slightly over next decade in North Allegheny School District
While the population at North Allegheny’s elementary schools is projected to hold steady over the next decade, the high school could increase by 100 students, according to a demographic study presented to the school board Oct. 15. With the design phase for renovating three elementary schools and the high school...
Music, food and friends highlight senior lunch, which Franklin Park hopes to revive in 2026
Good music, good food and good friends were all part of the Oct. 14 senior luncheon in Franklin Park, which hadn’t been held since pre-pandemic days. A group of about 20 seniors from Franklin Park and the surrounding municipalities enjoyed music from Pittsburgh singer and musician Megan Paullet before lunch...
North Allegheny thespians to stage ‘Addams Family’ as fall musical
The creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky will be brought to life, so to speak, for North Allegheny’s fall production of “The Addams Family Musical” — hitting the stage on Nov. 6, 8 and 9 at the senior high school. Director Bob Tozier, chair of the North Allegheny music department, said...
Tickets available for Shining Star Gala to honor volunteers making impact in McCandless
Volunteers and community members who made an impact on the Town of McCandless will be celebrated and recognized at the 2025 Shining Star Gala on Nov. 1 at the Camelot Banquet facility in Pine. This year honors 11 individuals and one community group who have given their time and talents...
McCandless looks to hunters to protect town’s trees from hungry deer
Applications to hunt on McCandless-owned property are available now that deer season is underway, and it’s just one of the efforts from the town to help curb the deer population. A wildlife deer management presentation in McCandless on Sept. 30 addressed the problems related to too many deer and possible...
McCandless raffle offers memorable experience for youngsters, granting cool rides to school
Forget the bus. These McCandless youngsters received more memorable morning rides to school Oct. 15 as part of the McCandless Adventure raffle. Getting picked up by a McCandless police car on a recent Wednesday morning was the highlight of the week for Peebles Elementary student Austin Steiner, 11. “He was...
Illusionist to headline fundraiser to end shame of substance abuse, mental health disorders
Las Vegas star and former “America’s Got Talent” semifinalist Murray SawChuck, a master at blending humor with illusion, is bringing some much-needed comic relief and awe to Stand Up Against Stigma, a fundraiser set for Nov. 22 in Harmony. The show, presented by the Stop the Judgment Project, will be...
E-bikes under review in McCandless after complaints of usage on Brandt Trail
The safety and use of electronic bikes, also known as e-bikes, are under review in McCandless because of an increase in calls over concerns and complaints. Regulating e-bikes is not easy since these recreational transportation devices may, in some instances, fall under the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code. However, they can be...
8 candidates vying for 4 seats on North Allegheny School Board
Four seats are open on the North Allegheny School Board this general election, which is Nov. 4, with only one incumbent, Paige Hardy, seeking reelection. Other terms ending are currently held by Dr. Vidya Szymkowiak and Leslie Britton Dozier, both of whom served one term beginning in 2021. Also not...
