West Deer, Foxwall ambulance services explore merger for better coverage, faster response times
A fledgling partnership between the West Deer and Foxwall ambulance services has resulted in faster, more efficient service for residents. Just four months in, the chiefs of both stations have agreed to participate in a state study to gauge the viability of a merger or shared management. “Instead of each...
Small space, big environmental impact: Aspinwall resident to plant public pollinator garden
Pam Dickinson hopes to beautify her Aspinwall neighborhood, even if it’s one little green patch at a time. The First Street resident plans to install a butterfly and pollinator garden along Commercial Avenue in the borough’s business district, just a block or so from her home. “I always walk by...
Aspinwall eyes Brilliant Avenue realignment to provide safer access to Allegheny RiverTrail Park
A project to realign Brilliant Avenue in Aspinwall with the entrance to Allegheny RiverTrail Park is expected to improve safety and ease navigation along one of the borough’s busiest and most challenging corridors, authorities said. Mayor Scott Zimmermann said the $3.9 million construction will fix a long-standing “wonky” entrance to...
Free ‘Birds of Prey’ program aims to ‘inspire curiosity of our own backyards’
Chris Kubiak is willing to bet that time spent outdoors can provide more wonder than social media scrolling. “Everyone has screens galore these days,” said Kubiak, director of education for Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania. “Putting the phones down and connecting with nature always makes me want to do it...
Foxwall EMS invites people to annual Run for the Hill of It fundraiser
Endurance will be on full display during an annual fundraiser that challenges runners to scale one of the steepest hills in Allegheny County. Registration is open for the Run for the Hill of It, scheduled for April 26 in Aspinwall. The course begins at the borough building and ends at...
Male wounded in Shaler shooting
One person was shot Thursday evening in Shaler. Allegheny County dispatchers said police were called to a home in the 1400 block of Mt. Royal Blvd. Shaler Police posted to its Facebook page just before 7:30 p.m. that two people were involved in an incident and both were being evaluated...
Auto pioneer Gary Bowser dies at 81
Family members recalled Gary Bowser as an automotive titan who never forgot his humble beginnings. Bowser of Murrysville died peacefully surrounded by family March 28 after a brief illness. He was 81. “He was originally from Kittanning, and he never forgot where he came from,” said Bowser’s son, Gary. “He...
Tarentum Book Club, the 2nd-oldest in the state, marks 125 years
Members of The Tarentum Book Club — the oldest club in the Alle-Kiski Valley — aren’t surprised people are clamoring to join. “Everyone in the club values it,” member Mary Jane Jacques said. “Whatever committee you’re on, we all do our very best.” As the club marks its 125th anniversary,...
Flag-raising ceremony at Harrison hospital part of AHN’s salute to organ donors
Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison will host a flag-raising ceremony next week to raise awareness about organ donations. The initiative takes place each April as part of National Donate Life Month and is observed across Allegheny Health Network sites. It started Wednesday at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh’s North Side...
Sharpsburg Family Worship Center hides 10,000 eggs for annual extravaganza
It was an “egg-cellent” day at Allegheny RiverTrail Park in Aspinwall when more than 1,000 children searched for a whopping 10,000 eggs as part of an Easter extravaganza sponsored by Sharpsburg Family Worship Center. “We moved the event to Aspinwall this year, and it turned out to be a great...
On a small Greek island, a former Pittsburgh attorney discovers a new chapter worth writing about
Emails to cheer up a sick friend have been parlayed into a collection of essays by former Pittsburgh attorney and Fox Chapel resident Laura Aristidou Candris. Her literary debut, “Greek by Osmosis: My Life on a Small Greek Island (With Mama Kiki’s Recipes),” reached Amazon’s bestseller status in the Cyclades...
A-K Valley schools get part of $3 million from state for free hygiene products
Alle-Kiski Valley school districts will get money from the state to keep bathrooms stocked with hygiene products. About $3 million allocated in the state budget is being distributed to districts across the state. Locally, the breakdown includes about $7,600 for Fox Chapel Area; $5,800 for Kiski Area; $3,600 for Highlands;...
New turf coming to Highlands Golden Rams Stadium
New turf will be installed this summer at Golden Rams Stadium in the Highlands School District, but leaders said the project is about more than football. “It is about maximizing a shared space that creates Rams pride,” Athletic Director Katie Jo Stobert said. “It will continue to build a stronger...
Fisher House at O’Hara VA’s Heinz campus will be 2nd in area to offer free lodging for military families
When Linda Pezzino’s husband, Joe, was treated for lung cancer at the VA Pittsburgh Health Care System in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood, she found comfort in staying at a “home-away-from-home” on the shared hospital campus. The Fisher House, a short-term accommodation for military families, provided Pezzino with a quiet environment, a...
Tarentum leaders earn state and national recognition
Tarentum Council President Scott Dadowski shared a word of advice for anyone wading into local government: Take it day by day. “If you would have told me eight years ago I would be the council president of Tarentum, I would have never believed you,” he said. “I would not change...
Newly formed Alle-Kiski Emergency Service Authority could become model for failing system
Pioneer Hose Chief Rick Jones believes that a newly formed paid EMS authority in Brackenridge, Harrison and Tarentum will be a game changer. Jones, of Brackenridge, was named to the board of the Alle-Kiski Emergency Service Authority, approved Wednesday by the three municipalities. Under the agreement, property owners will pay...
SAVES’ Good Friday fish fry a community tradition, lifeline for volunteer fire department
As Lenten fish fry season starts to wind down, there’s at least one Lower Valley fundraiser hoping to reel people in with good eats. Southern Allegheny Valley Emergency Services (SAVES) will host its annual Good Friday fish fry from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 3. For the second year,...
Pittsburgh police, ATF apprehend woman on firearms charges
A woman wanted on federal firearms charges was taken into custody Wednesday on a busy Pittsburgh street after a brief pursuit, authorities said. Pittsburgh police and ATF officers responded to the corner of Stanwix Street and Fort Duquesne Boulevard at about 4 p.m., partially blocking the intersection during the investigation....
Paid authority prevents ‘inevitable failure’ of ambulance service in Harrison, Brackenridge and Tarentum
Residents of Harrison, Brackenridge and Tarentum will pay a municipal ambulance bill beginning next year after the creation of the Alle-Kiski Emergency Service Authority. In return, officials guaranteed long-term sustainability of the two local providers: Eureka Community Ambulance and Citizens Hose EMS. “We see (ambulance companies) going out of business...
Sprinkler leak closes 8 classrooms at Greater Latrobe Junior High
Some classrooms at the Greater Latrobe School District will be closed Thursday after a sprinkler system malfunctioned. All students should still report to school, Superintendent Kim Rieffannacht said in a letter to families. The problem affects the junior high building. Students and teachers from eight impacted classrooms will learn in...
Blawnox Sportsmen Club: A legacy of camaraderie and giving back
A few hours spent at the Blawnox Sportsmen Club along Freeport Road feels like settling into a friend’s living room. The fireplace is lit, a game is blaring on the big-screen TV. A slow cooker full of meatballs simmers near the bar. Sometimes, a card game gets competitive. “We like...
Alleged mishandling of pet cremations by Harrison funeral director spurs state legislation
Tiffany Mantzouridis sat in the balcony of the state House chamber Monday, overwhelmed by emotion as legislators unanimously approved a bill to protect pet owners from what they called glaring oversights in cremation services. The Irwin resident is the whistleblower who essentially spurred the legislation after reporting what she saw...
From Aspinwall to Antwerp: Pianist’s piece wins global competition
An Aspinwall pianist will have his original composition played on the world stage. Danny English, a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University School of Music, is the winner of the 2026 World Piano Day International Composition Competition in Antwerp, Belgium. “Sunset in Värmland,” his piece for piano and orchestra, will have...
Springdale residents not able to return home after partial roof collapseVideo
Springdale resident Amy Ross sat inside the borough recreation center Monday, frustrated and wondering how long it would take to return to her apartment on Butler Street after its roof partially collapsed Monday. “I was gonna move before winter,” Ross said, as she made arrangements for a friend to temporarily...
Vote scheduled on paid ambulance authority for Brackenridge, Harrison and Tarentum
Ambulance service chief Brad James wishes he had an easy fix for the plight of first responders locally and across the state. Rescue crews for years have faced a growing crisis of insufficient funding and a dwindling workforce. “I wish someone would come and wave a magic wand at the...
