Tawnya Panizzi stories

Aspinwall voters will choose between seven candidates for four council seats in the November general election. Democrats Patti McCaffrey, Andrew Corey-O’Connor, Jeff Harris and Lara Voytko will vie against Republicans Donald Mazreku, Terry Nelson Taylor and Aggie Lotz. All terms are four years. Here’s a look at the candidates: Patti...

A Tarentum home damaged by fire in mid-September has been deemed unsafe and could be demolished, along with two neighboring properties. Fire crews battled a blaze at 917 Porter St. on Sept. 16. No one was injured but two dogs died. The cause of the fire was accidental, said Kasey...

A man was found dead early Sunday on the sidewalk of a South Strabane strip mall, according to the Washington County Coroner’s Office. The victim was identified as Jude Cassidy, 62 of Washington, Pa. Coroner Tim Warco said it does not appear to be suspicious. Warco is investigating it as...

A person was taken to a trauma center Sunday after being trapped under wires at Evans Field in South Park Township, authorities said. Emergency crews were called mid-afternoon after a downed tree caused the wires to fall, according to a social media post by the Broughton Volunteer Fire Department. A...

Perry Ground spent Sunday afternoon telling stories at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art. It was his way of educating people about his Native American culture — which is alive and well in Western Pennsylvania and across the country, he said. “People think we went away,” said Ground, of the...

A motorcyclist was killed after a crash with a car in Unity Township on Saturday, authorities said. The victim was identified as Brandon Shea, 43, of Mt. Pleasant, according to Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson. Emergency crews were called at about 6:20 p.m. to the intersection of Route 30 and...

Pastor, puppeteer and avid Red Sox fan. That’s how the Rev. Bob Dayton describes himself. Parishioners at Central Presbyterian Church in Tarentum, however, go further in their descriptions: supportive, worldly and well-rounded. “I have nothing but good things to say about him,” Barb Diller said. “When he first came to...

Crews removed a piece of Heights Plaza history on Saturday morning — the illuminated Community Supermarket sign came down. The store, in operation in Harrison since 2002, closed Wednesday. Plaza owners Benbrooke Realty said previously they would seek a replacement grocery store, but that plan appears up in the air...

A Rankin wine lounge and restaurant will close its doors at the end of the month. Mary’s Vine, which opened along Kenmawr Avenue in 2019, posted its farewell announcement to social media. “We are deeply grateful for your support, your friendship and the memories we’ve created together,” the post said....

Funding from the Rotary Club of Fox Chapel Area will help a Sharpsburg nonprofit expand its programming for people in need. Roots of Faith, which offers food, clothes and employment assistance from its Main Street location, was named a beneficiary of this year’s Rotary Charity Golf Classic. Hosted at Hill...

A project to make the Tarentum spray park and playground a safer place began Wednesday. Thick posts called bollards are being installed inside the park fence along First Avenue. The equipment is an added measure to protect park-goers from potential vehicle crashes. “We’ve had several incidents over the years where...

Archie Nyga drove about a half-mile in his electric wheelchair Wednesday to Community Supermarket in Harrison to buy lottery tickets. The 75-year-old, a resident of nearby Sheldon Park, was too late. The grocery store was preparing to close its doors for good at 3 p.m. “It’s OK,” Nyga said. “If...

Tarentum residents who live on Highland Avenue will be getting a change of address of sorts. The road technically is recorded with Allegheny County as Highland Street — not Highland Avenue. Council voted on Tuesday to update borough-issued signs to match the county’s records and alleviate any confusion for emergency...

Thousands of trout stocked each year in Indiana Township’s Deer Creek will soon have a healthier habitat. A recent project to stabilize a portion of the creek’s eroding streambank should cut excess sedimentation by 18.7 tons a year, according to the Western PA Conservancy. The nonprofit partnered with the state...

Tarentum Borough Manager Dwight Boddorf wants to marry his military and municipal backgrounds to help veterans gain hands-on experience in local government. Boddorf is among 11 people nationwide chosen for a fellowship at Stanford University, where he will learn to create pathways for veterans to earn what is essentially a...

Community Supermarket in Harrison will likely close its doors Wednesday, about two weeks ahead of schedule. “I was in there today, and we don’t have much left,” General Manager George Sears said. “We’re not 100% sure it will be Wednesday, but it looks like it.” Shoppers who want to peruse...

The Heights Plaza shopping center in Harrison is for sale. The 30-acre property, owned by New York-based Benbrooke Realty Investment Co., is on the market for $16 million, according to a listing on LoopNet.com. Rich Lubkin of Benbrooke did not return TribLive calls or email requests for comment. The sale...

The wooded grounds of Camp Guyasuta in O’Hara will be the setting for hair-raising Halloween frights. Zombies, ghosts and goblins will fill the 175-acre campus for the 16th annual Haunted Guyasuta celebration, with family-friendly fun followed by spine-chilling scares later in the night. “Every year we look forward to sharing...

Highlands School Board candidates in Region 2 said they will make school culture a priority if elected. Three candidates — Shane Chesher, Debra Lehew and Jeff Thimons — will compete for two available four-year positions. Region 2 includes Brackenridge and parts of Harrison. Bullying With reports of bullying and conduct...

A mixed-use development that could bring offices, restaurants and retail along Route 28 in Harrison is back on the drawing board. The project, known as Harrison Point, is moving forward despite sitting dormant for 11 years, according to Richard Gasperini Jr. of Genfor Real Estate. His group is soliciting development...

Thousands of trout stocked each year in Indiana Township’s Deer Creek will soon have a healthier habitat. A project to stabilize a portion of the creek’s eroding streambank is expected to cut excess sedimentation by 18.7 tons a year, according to the Western PA Conservancy. The nonprofit partnered with the...

Social media safety and trending scams will be the topics of discussion during a free presentation at the Allegheny Kiski Health Foundation in Harrison. Township police will present “Street Smarts and Safety: Exploitation, Awareness and Staying in Control,” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19. The program is for all...

A paid EMS Authority served by the consolidation of Eureka Community Ambulance in Tarentum and Citizens Hose EMS in Harrison remains “a ways off,” according to some local officials. The idea, floated last year as a solution for the nationwide EMS funding crisis, would see member municipalities sharing the costs...

A mid-West coffee giant known for brewing 20,000 unique beverages might be settling into Harrison. Founded in Arkansas and famous through social media channels, 7 Brew is seeking preliminary approval for lot consolidation along Freeport Road. The company presented its plan Monday before the township’s planning commission, seeking the green...

Highlands senior Jabari Walker believes a strong community starts at school. As a member of the National Honor Society, Walker said hosting year-round fundraisers helps district residents who need it most. “We do a lot through NHS,” Walker said. “It’s important because it’s a chance to help people who don’t...