Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 17

A newly launched pet clinic at Roots of Faith in Sharpsburg is working to boost the health of animals and their humans. In partnership with Allegheny Health Network and Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh, a semiregular event will tend to the health of furry friends and their owners — all...

Harrison officials are seeking to boost safety along Freeport Road for vehicles and pedestrians. Police Chief Brian Turack said traffic signals along the business stretch are “pretty outdated.” “They were all added or designed at different times so none of them really work together,” he said. Commissioners have hired HRG...

Harrison real estate agent Cameron Yockey wants to work some holiday magic at home and more than 400 miles away in communities ravaged by Hurricane Helene. Through his company, Realty One, Yockey is spearheading a toy collection to provide a joyful Christmas for children in North Carolina towns that are...

West Deer EMS has landed a permanent substation in Indiana Township which is expected to reduce call times for emergency responses, officials said. Director Bill Humes said the move is a boon to his service, which responds to about 3,200 calls a year. That number is up 42% over last...

Deer Lakes fifth grader Bernie Donovan loves her life — so much so that she wrote a poem to commemorate it. “Dear Future Self” speaks to how perfect the 10-year-old sees her existence as a girl who loves mac and cheese, soccer and her dog, Carter. “I like the way...

Pennsylvanians lost more than $118 million in phone scams and other frauds last year, taking a particular hit during the holidays, according to the FBI. Across the country, older Americans appear especially prone to fake calls and emails soliciting money for charities, “family emergencies” or other schemes, the Federal Trade...

Christmas in Guyasuta will have an extra special glow this year as organizers introduce the newest feature, an illuminated waterfall. The winter-themed extravaganza is scheduled Nov. 30 at the Scouting America-owned campgrounds and is a fan-favorite to kick off the holiday season. “There is no better way to get into...

Sharpsburg Mayor Kayla Portis hopes a project to transform 19th Street will highlight inclusivity and accessibility for all. The borough is hosting a meeting Dec. 3 to gather input on a sweeping improvement plan expected next year. It will see the redevelopment of 19th Street as an access point to...

It’s been a tough budget season, according to Harrison officials. Ongoing tax assessment appeals are expected to result in a 10% dip in real estate revenue while commissioners are tasked with crucial expenses next year that include new police hires and EMS funding. “This challenge is compounded by the fact...

St. Joseph High School teacher Megan Morrow leads her students not only in drawing and sculpting but in the art of community service. Teens at the Harrison school put their talents to use crafting Christmas cards to be shipped to troops deployed overseas. “I did a similar project when I...

Harrison’s Ashley Griffin said she will be devastated if the Highlands Family Center in Tarentum is forced to cut programs. The East Fourth Avenue facility is a one-stop shop for children and adults, providing services that include a diaper bank, food pantry, financial counseling, story times and employment assistance. The...

More than a year after it was approved, Tarentum’s second megawatt billboard is finally expected to light up the borough’s western side. Weleski Transfer along West Fourth Avenue got the go-ahead from council to erect an electronic sign, 14 feet tall by 48 feet wide. “We’re excited it’s moving along,...

The 1950s-era Boyd Elementary School was so beloved in the Fox Chapel Area that community members wouldn’t let it sit empty when it closed in 1983. Two residents spearheaded the opening of Boyd Community Center, which opened that same year in the brick building off Powers Run Road in O’Hara....

Fawn residents haven’t incurred a property tax increase in 26 years, and they’re not likely to see one in 2025. Supervisors approved a tentative budget of nearly $1.8 million. The proposed tax rate would remain 3.04 mills. The owner of a home with the township’s median assessed value of $72,750...

A longstanding Alle-Kiski Valley charity fundraiser is making an in-person return after being sidelined by the pandemic. The Tarentum Area Lions Club will host its Jack Marino Charity Dinner with the goal of raising money to help people in and out of the region. Proceeds benefit the Allegheny Valley Association...

Sharpsburg Councilman Corey Ochai believes that the transformation of a 52-acre brownfield along the Allegheny River will grow the borough in the right direction for all. “I don’t think we’re outgrowing the town’s DNA but improving on it,” said Ochai, of the Allegheny Shores project that broke ground in 2022....

Frazer officials don’t plan to raise property taxes next year, but some homeowners could pay more nonetheless. The township’s $1.3 million budget will maintain a tax rate of 3.5 mills, but Supervisor/Township Secretary Lori Ziencik said the board plans to reduce the Homestead Exclusion from $40,000 to $20,000. That means...

East Deer property owners aren’t likely to see a tax increase next year under the township’s proposed $1.5 million general fund budget. But they would pay more for garbage pickup — more than 35% more. The township rebid its contract for the first time in eight years, resulting in the...

Local EMS funding issues could be on a path to health by early next year. A steering committee continues to inch forward with plans for an emergency medical services authority to serve East Deer, Brackenridge, Harrison and Tarentum. “All that has been approved at this point is the four communities...

Part gallery, part toy shop is the best description for the Illustrious Order of Makesmiths, a quirky new addition to Blawnox. Opened by West Deer residents Chief and Steve O’Hearn, both artists, the storefront at 334 Freeport Road welcomes visitors to find joy in professional art as well as bizarre...

The Pittsburgh Field Club, known for its lush greens and opulent setting, dates to the late 1800s when it was known for a sport other than golf — cricket. Established as the Pittsburgh Cricket Club in April 1882 in the Brushton-Homewood section of the city, it was reincorporated as the...

Choices — and their infinite trajectories — are explored in Riverfront Theater Company’s fall production of “Constellations.” The two-person show takes the audience on a spellbinding, romantic journey that follows decisions of a physicist coming to terms with a cancer diagnosis and her beekeeper husband. Written by British playwright Nick...

A cornucopia of florals, wreaths and plants will be table- and mantle-ready at this year’s Glitter & Glow, the premier holiday shopping bazaar by the Fox Chapel Garden Club. “We use greens from our own gardens, and we make arrangements that you can literally put on your table and enjoy...

Author Annie Kayser of Springdale took more than two decades to pen her first novel, and now she can’t wait to celebrate it. “Out of the Ashes” is a 500-plus-page book that details a journey of self-fulfillment. Kayser’s first effort in writing, released in October, spanned 26 years as she...

The struggle is real for some elementary children. A fledgling tutoring program, organized by Deer Lakes School District students and open to people across the Alle-Kiski Valley, aims to help with classroom challenges. KFIVE is an initiative for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. Services are free and offered from...