Natalie Beneviat stories, Page 5

A decrease in cellphone use by students in the North Allegheny School District appears to be showing some benefits. The topic came up as part of a conversation at a Feb. 12 school board meeting during a presentation of the School Counseling Program Review. The counselors said the decrease of...

Mental health issues seem to be increasing in all grade levels in the North Allegheny School District, and school counselors are working hard to make sure the support is there for students and their families. As part of a School Counseling Program Review Presentation at the school board meeting Feb....

Four students from North Allegheny School District were chosen out of 36 finalists to make the Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania 18 Under Eighteen Class of 2025, presented by the EQT Foundation. The 18 honorees were celebrated at a Feb. 4 banquet at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. “They are truly...

While random gun violence can be unpredictable, knowing how best to react could help prevent tragedy. That was the message relayed to residents Feb. 19 during the Active Shooter Community Educational Night at Marshall Middle School. About 70 members of the North Allegheny community, local hospital workers, church leaders and...

McCandless residents are encouraged to help shape the future of the town’s parks and recreational programming by completing a Parks Master Plan Questionnaire. The deadline to complete the survey has been extended to March 31. The survey is available online at townofmccandless.org. Paper copies are available by request at Town...

It was an organ performance at St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland that made up the mind of Daniel Ficarri, then just an eighth grader in the North Allegheny School District. He was entranced by the sounds and sights of an instrument that beautifully echoed throughout the grand space of the...

The Northland Public Library’s annual garden gala, “Down the Rabbit Hole,” drops in on April 26, and guests can be assured the event will have all of the bells and whistles as usual, despite the renovation work still happening there. “After our 2024 ‘Gatsby in the Garden’ literary theme, we...

National accreditation, hundreds of hours in training, and 146,000 miles on the road were some of the highlights of the 2024 year-in-review presentation by the McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority on Feb. 17. Local council and municipality officials, community members, MFPAA staff and state Rep. Arvind Venkat attended the event held...

Bus drivers, special education assistants and paraprofessionals are some of the positions that need to be filled at the North Allegheny School District, according to a mid-year human resources report to the school board Feb. 12. The report is given twice annually, taking data from the third day of a...

The communities of Pine, Marshall and Bradford Woods have secured service/funding agreements with the McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority for the next five years, from 2026 to 2030, according to MFPAA Chief Chris Dell. This allows for better financial planning for the nonprofit. These communities already have been providing financial contributions...

A bit of glitz, glamour and lots of grins made the scene at the 2025 North Allegheny Foundation Alumni Awards gala Jan. 23 at the Holy Trinity Event Center in McCandless. The annual event featured nine North Allegheny alumni, each recognized for significant contributions to society or outstanding professional accomplishments....

Eating lots of chocolate can have its benefits. And such is the case for the McCandless Crossing Chocolate Walk on March 1, a fundraiser for North Hills Community Outreach. The sweet sequel to 2024’s inaugural chocolate walk is the result of last year’s great response, said Jeff Geissler, spokesperson for...

The wildfires in California may be a sobering reminder of the importance of fire safety locally, especially in the dry winter months. Generally speaking, there does seem to be more fire-related incidents during the winter, said Ingomar Volunteer Fire Company Chief Greg Quatchak. “We also see an increase in the...

Classical composer Ludwig van Beethoven and singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder are among those being celebrated for their talents and overcoming their disabilities at Unlimited Sound, a free concert set for Feb. 2 at Temple Ohav Shalom in Allison Park. The event from 2 to 3 p.m. is part of the Azure...

Local law enforcement attended a presentation at Carson Middle School on Jan. 20 on how to best interact with those who may be on the autism spectrum or have intellectual and developmental disabilities. The event was presented by Scott Bailey, an officer for the Fox Chapel Area School District and...

A yellow brick means a lot to McCandless police Chief Ryan Hawk, as it signifies his successful completion of training at the FBI National Academy. Hawk is part of the 292nd graduating class of the academy, located in Quantico, Va., where he trained for 10 weeks. Only he and one...

PennDOT is inviting motorists to chime in on the aesthetics of the Interstate 79/Route 910 Wexford Interchange Project in Marshall through Jan. 31. An online survey asks for color and concrete texture preferences, which will help determine the project’s look. There are two color options: • Nautilus Blue, a lighter...

Tickets are now on sale for the 2025 NA Distinguished Alumni Gala to be held Jan. 23 at the Holy Trinity Center, 985 Providence Blvd., in McCandless. “As usual, there is an amazing group of honorees, including the Soergel family, who is receiving the Spirit of NA award for their...

Donations raised by community members helped fund $60,459 in grants from the North Allegheny Foundation, benefitting students throughout the school district. The North Allegheny Foundation awards grant applications submitted by school district staff in both the spring and fall. Any district staff member can submit a grant application with the...

Two staff members at North Allegheny’s Hosack Elementary School recently received the Chief’s Challenge Coin for saving a student from choking last fall. Just a day before Halloween, April Wismer, a teacher, and Jenna Danka, a paraprofessional, noticed a student experiencing a medical emergency while eating, and eventually started choking....

The draft of the zoning and SALDO ordinances for Marshall Township will be reviewed at an open house on Jan. 15, from 6 to 9 p.m., at the Marshall Township Municipal Building’s lower level. The municipal building is located at 525 Pleasant Hill Road. The meeting is part of the...

Local Red Kettle donations to benefit The Salvation Army are halfway to the goal. But there’s still time to volunteer and donate. “The Pittsburgh North Boroughs location alone has a local fundraising goal of $115,000 and they are close to 50% of reaching that goal, which is positive to see,”...

Some may recall the old McDonald’s jingle, “You deserve a break today …” Longtime owner and operator Priscilla Foster of the fast-food chain’s Wexford restaurant is finally heeding that call. Foster has fond memories of her employees and customers during more than three decades of owning the McDonald’s on Perry...

A group of orphans in Ukraine won’t be forgotten this Christmas season, thanks partly to the help of students at North Allegheny. The North Allegheny Interact Club, a high school branch Rotary International District 7305, participated in a gift-giving project for orphans in the city of Lviv in western Ukraine....

Despite a seasonably chilly December evening, friends and families bundled up for the return of Winterfest in the Town of McCandless on Dec. 7. They included McCandless resident Katie Panighetti, who was there with her husband, Tom, and daughter, Marigold, 19 months old. “This is a nice safe space for...