Natalie Beneviat stories, Page 21

Franklin Park’s new community gardens give residents an opportunity to grow their own vegetables or plants in a public space, thanks in part to last year’s junior council person Jackie DiGiacomo. The gardens, located across from Linbrook Park off Big Sewickley Creek Road, officially opened June 14. Residents could apply...

North Allegheny School Board, on a 5-4 vote, adopted a nearly $191 million budget for the 2022-2023 school year that contains a smaller tax increase than proposed earlier this month. The budget adopted by the board June 21 raised the property tax millage rate from 19.1408 mills to 19.74 mills,...

High school seniors and juniors in McCandless can now apply to serve as junior council members for the 2022-2023 school year. McCandless is accepting applications up to July 5. Junior council members are non-voting positions, but they can be involved in town matters in largely with projects of their choice,...

Hosack Elementary School is getting a new principal. The North Allegheny School Board appointed Carla Hudson to the position in an unanimous vote on June 8. “I’m super-excited to meet all of the families at Hosack. I’m so very lucky to be at North Allegheny and to continue here at...

A firefighter’s parade marking 100 years of service by the Franklin Park Volunteer Fire Company will kick off the annual Festival in the Park on June 25 at Blueberry Hill Park, located off of Nicholson Road. The parade will begin at 4 p.m. “The Firefighters Parade is intended to celebrate...

Nearly 700 seniors from North Allegheny High School were set to receive their diplomas June 3, making it one of the largest graduating classes in recent years. “Pending the way you look at the numbers, it’s a tie for the sixth largest,” according to Brandi Smith, school district public relations...

McCandless is hosting an open house in June 23 to get community feedback about its plan to revamp rules and regulations that regulate zoning and land development. The event will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. at the town hall on Grubbs Road. McCandess is undergoing a complete overhaul...

Only a few more weeks remain to participate in an online zoning activity that could help shape the future of McCandless. The “Preserve, Enhance, Change! Mapping McCandless” is an online, interactive website that allows residents and other community stakeholders to “drop a pin” on places in town they’d like to...

A tax increase for North Allegheny School District may be coming for the 2022-2023 school year if the proposed final budget is approved as is in June. The school board voted, 5 to 4, at its May 11 meeting, to approve the proposed final budget with a millage rate increase...

The fifth anniversary celebration of the McCandless/North Allegheny Heritage Center on May 21 will showcase recent acquisitions honoring two prominent, local, historical figures. The museum, located on 830 Aufman Lane, will feature paintings and books signed and owned by Judge Wilson McCandless, the Town of McCandless being his namesake, as...

The North Allegheny School District’s director of student services has been named the district’s assistant superintendent of elementary education. Dr. Michele Dowell officially starts her new position on July 11, when the retirement of Dr. James Bradley becomes effective. The North Allegheny School Board on April 27 unanimously named her...

The North Allegheny School District’s final proposed budget for 2022-2023 is scheduled for presentation during the school board’s regular meeting May 11 at 7 p.m. at the Central Administration Offices on Hillvue Lane. If approved, this final proposal would be distributed in early June to local municipalities, the Northland Public...

Two North Allegheny High School students earned rare perfect scores on their 2021 Advanced Placement tests, both in computer science courses. Kamya Rajesh, a sophomore, received a perfect score on the Computer Science Principles test, and Sun Ahn, a senior, had a flawless test score on the AP Computer Science...

Franklin Park officials have begun the first of many steps that could lead to a stormwater management fee being instituted in the borough. Stormwater management is important to prevent flooding during heavy rains and the discharge of untreated, polluted water into streams and waterways. The borough also is dealing with...

Elementary students in the North Allegheny School District spent the last couple months jumping for the hills. To help North Hills Community Outreach, that is. Students of NA’s seven elementary schools raised a grand total of $63,053 in a jump rope challenge benefiting the North Hills Community Outreach. This is...

North Allegheny High School has three Coca-Cola scholarship recipients in 2022, thanks to seniors Victoria Ren, Hannah Shin, and Alina Zaidi. Each student will receive a $20,000 scholarship. The 34th class of Coca-Cola Scholars include 150 high school students across the nation, selected from an initial pool of 68,000-plus applications...

For women looking to make meaningful connections with other women in the North Allegheny communities, there’s an organization for that. The North Allegheny Women’s Association is a social and charitable organization with the purpose of uniting women through community service, according to its President Josley Counselman. NAWA was the brainchild...

Sherry Jo Matt lost her 21-year-old daughter Siena Bott to a fentanyl overdose in 2020. Matt says there’s no better time than now to face the issue of substance abuse in the North Allegheny area. “A Candid Conversation about Drugs, Alcohol and Addiction” on April 21, 7 to 8:30 p.m.,...

Anyone who likes pierogies, polkas and running will find the perfect opportunity in the Dyngus Day Dash 5K on April 23 in North Park, which will help aid the humanitarian effort in Ukraine. The Pittsburgh Chapter of the Kosciuszko Foundation is hosting the event. Proceeds will be split between supporting...

A comprehensive facilities assessment beginning in April will help determine whether North Allegheny’s intermediate and senior high schools need upgrades or should be replaced. On March 23, the North Allegheny School Board selected the firm of Weber Murphy Fox, which provides architecture, interior design, land development and construction management services,...

The new 2022 House and Senate district maps largely split McCandless from other North Allegheny communities but kept the township itself intact, according to town manager Robert Grimm. The reapportionment process takes place every 10 years as required by the Pennsylvania State Constitution to reflect population changes, according to Dr....

Despite the rush of the growing North Hills, there are some places where the quiet lull of nature rules. Such can be found at the Bradford Woods Reserve, which is hosting its annual Earth Day event on April 23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The reserve is located in...

With the popularity of pickleball, changes are coming to Franklin Park and McCandless. Officials in Franklin Park are trying to cut down on pickleball noise from the court at Old Orchard Park. This year, changes are being made to the type of ball used for the sport for the Old...

North Allegheny senior Tejaswini “Tejas” Prasanna was named a nominee for the 2022 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. She is one of 5,000-plus candidates, selected from nearly 3.6 million students set to graduate this year. Scholars are selected on the basis of superior academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, strong character...

The deer management program in McCandless is looking for more archery hunters to participate in the fall. Suburban Whitetail Management, of Wexford, provides bow hunting programs to manage deer populations in several areas of the North Hills of Pittsburgh. It has provided deer management in Franklin Park for several years...