Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 108
Gene Freeman out as Fox Chapel Area superintendent on March 31
Fox Chapel Area Superintendent Gene Freeman will leave his post in five days, ending a relationship that has grown increasingly tenuous in recent months. Freeman reached a mutual separation agreement with the school board which allows him to depart nearly three months ahead of his scheduled resignation on June 12....
Fox Chapel Area teachers get creative to connect with, teach students
School may be out, but several Fox Chapel Area teachers haven’t taken a break from creative online learning, with some hosting video sing-alongs and others using their pets to deliver messages of hope. Students began distance learning, using Google Classroom and Clever, when Gov. Tom Wolf first announced a 10-day...
Aspinwall, Blawnox close ballfields, playgrounds to enforce social distancing
Aspinwall and Blawnox officials are taking a hard line on enforcing social distancing by closing down dog parks, playgrounds and ball fields. “People were gathering at the dog park, standing way too close together,” Melissa Lang O’Malley, Aspinwall manager, said. “We don’t want to encourage people to be out there...
St. Margaret Foundation turns Demchak Hope Run into Quarantine 5K
St. Margaret Foundation will host an online “Quarantine 5K” in lieu of its traditional spring foot race. The Brian Demchak Hope Run/Walk, originally scheduled for May 17, is converting to a virtual event, Foundation President Mary Lee Gannon said. “Celebrate germ-free,” Gannon said. “Turn cabin fever into purpose by running...
Labriola’s offering pickup at its regional stores
Labriola’s Italian Market, an Aspinwall staple since 1984, is amending its operations and switching primarily to curbside pick-up during the coronavirus outbreak. “In order to protect the community and our employees, Labriola’s will be adopting new interim policies,” owners said. Shoppers, at least temporarily, will no longer be encouraged to...
Flood advisory in effect for Western Pa. counties
Allegheny and several surrounding counties are under a flood advisory until mid-morning Friday. Meteorologist Lee Hendricks, with the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, said the region could see up to an inch of rain Friday morning falling on saturated ground and streams that are already fairly high. The advisory, which...
Woman killed in fire in Greenfield
A woman was killed early Friday in a fire at a home in Pittsburgh’s Greenfield neighborhood, public safety officials said. The victim was on the second floor of the home on Bigelow Street, where the fire broke out about 3:20 a.m. Fire crews and EMS responded to the duplex in...
Police investigating shooting near Fayette County YMCA
One person was injured Wednesday in a shooting near a Fayette County YMCA, Tribune-Review news partner WPXI reported. The victim was transported by medical helicopter to a local hospital after being shot at about 7 p.m. Witnesses said there were multiple shots fired. The incident happened in the parking lot...
Power restored after overnight outage in South Park
Power has been restored to nearly 6,000 West Penn Power customers who were without electricity early Thursday, officials said. Most of the affected properties were in South Park Township and Bethel Park. Power went out overnight and was back on by about 5:30 a.m....
Cooper appointed to fill Fox Chapel Area board vacancy
Fox Chapel Area School Board has a new member. Sharpsburg resident Amy Cooper was appointed on March 9 to fill the unexpired term of Lisa Rutkowski in Region One. Rutkowski resigned last month, citing personal reasons. Region One includes Sharpsburg, along with Wards 2, 3 and 4 of O’Hara. Cooper...
Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy fish fry offers more than fried fish
Editor’s note: Since the next Fish Fry isn’t scheduled until April 3, as of March 18, it is still scheduled to take place. Organizers of the season’s first Lenten fundraiser at Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy are reeling from its success. More than 500 pounds of fish filled the...
Fox Chapel area cancelations due to coronavirus
With nonessential gathering spots under state-mandated closure — including malls, gyms and dine-in restaurants — The Herald is compiling a list of local outings affected by the coronavirus pandemic. As of Wednesday morning, they include: • Cooper Siegel Community Library has canceled the Fair Trade Fashion Parade fundraiser slated for...
Pittsburgh Public Schools halts Langley lunch distribution after worker exposed to presumed covid-19 case
Pittsburgh Public Schools said early Wednesday that lunch distribution at Langley in the city’s West End has been discontinued after reports that a staff member was exposed to a presumptive positive case of covid-19. Grab-and-go meals will instead be available at Emanuel United Methodist Church, 825 Lorenz Avenue, also in...
Highland Park Bridge project meeting canceled, information given online
PennDOT will provide details online of the $55 million Highland Park Bridge interchange project — in lieu of a meeting that was scheduled to be hosted Thursday at Fox Chapel Area High School. This comes in the wake of state-mandated closures of schools and gatherings of more than a handful...
Fox Chapel Area School District offering grab-and-go food distribution during closure
Fox Chapel Area students who receive free or reduced-price lunches can get a week’s worth of food during the mandated statewide school closures related to the coronavirus pandemic. Grab-and-go style distributions will be scattered throughout the district at sites in Blawnox, Indiana Township, O’Hara and Sharpsburg. Times are 9 to...
Fox Chapel Area School District cancels plans for students to collect belongings from schools
Bus runs scheduled today for students to collect belongings from Fox Chapel Area School District are canceled. The district had planned to transport students to the high school and Dorseyville Middle School to collect paperwork, books or other supplies they might need for online instruction during the mandated school closure...
Fox Chapel Area robotics team earns chance to compete at world championships
The Fox Chapel Area-led FIRST Robotics Competition Team earned the Rookie All-Star award at a recent competition and earned the team a chance to compete at the world championships next month in Detroit. Captain is Sanjay Seshan, a junior at Fox Chapel Area. Members of the team include Jacob Widmyer,...
Multiple sewer projects slated for O’Hara
O’Hara residents will see more than $725,000 in sewer projects this year, with several projects underway. Council approved construction near Powers Run Road, Village Drive and Kirkwood Drive in a series of three separate projects. Township Engineer Chuck Steinert said work along Village Drive and Dorseyville Road has started. Council...
Blawnox Community Park receives more funding for renovations
Blawnox Community Park is on tap for an even bigger makeover than expected. Borough officials announced last fall that they earned a $40,000 state grant to pay for a portion of renovations at the popular spot along Center Avenue. The money, along with a $20,000 match from borough tax dollars,...
PennDOT holding meeting to detail Highland Park Bridge project
Details of the $55 million Highland Park Bridge interchange reconstruction will be unveiled by PennDOT this month. A public meeting will be 5 to 6:30 p.m. March 19 in the Fox Chapel Area High School auditorium along Field Club Road. The project, in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration, is...
Fox Chapel superintendent accused of intimidating community members
Fox Chapel Area School Board on Monday updated the public about the superintendent search, at the same time several community members said they were being “intimidated” by the current district leader. Elizabeth Rambeau addressed the board, telling them that she received a cease and desist letter from Superintendent Gene Freeman’s...
Lauri Ann West Community Center operating on limited hours March 12
Residents who use the Lauri Ann West Community Center will have to reschedule early morning workouts or other breakfast meetings on March 12. The facility along Powers Run Road in O’Hara will be closed until 2 p.m. for scheduled repairs, officials said. Jamie Rhoades, development director, said Duquesne Light will...
Rutkowski resigns from Fox Chapel Area School Board
For the second time in six months, a Fox Chapel Area School Board member has resigned. Lisa Rutkowski on Monday night left her position, citing personal reasons. Robert Mauro left in September after 11 years on the board amid what he called disharmony between the officials and the public. Rutkowski...
East Elfinwild Road to close for 9 months for Pine Creek Bridge replacement
A portion of East Elfinwild Road in Shaler will close mid-March for nine months. The road will shut down on March 16 while crews replace Pine Creek Bridge, the Allegheny County Department of Public Works announced Tuesday. Cost is $2.1 million. Work will be done by Pugliano Construction Co., Inc.,...
Morningside VFW announces annual fishing rodeo for hospitalized veterans
More than 100 hospitalized veterans — more so if donations support it — will converge on Squaw Valley Park in O’Hara for a day of fishing and barbecue, thanks to the Morningside VFW Post 3945. Members announced their eighth annual fishing rodeo, scheduled for May 13 at the park along...
