Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 2
Scott Blasey concert, organized by Highlands student, raises $4,000 for Highland HoseVideo
A fundraiser Saturday that featured The Clarks lead singer Scott Blasey brought in more than $4,000 for Highland Hose in Tarentum. Organized by Highlands Middle School eighth grader Kaley Bastine, the fundraiser was the most recent in a long line of events coordinated by the teen to help police and...
Single-lane restrictions coming to Route 28
Single-lane restrictions will be in effect along Route 28 this week. Overhead sign inspections will take place Wednesday and Thursday along northbound and southbound lanes from the Route 8 interchange near Etna to the Fox Chapel Road/Waterworks Drive/Freeport Road exit. Work will happen from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. On...
Harrison eyes 6 roads for summer paving
The Harrison commissioners will tentatively target six roads in their summer paving program. The list includes Broadview Boulevard, between Idaho and California avenues, and between Idaho and Montana; State Street, from Fairmont to Princeton; Neely Street, Summit Drive, Maple Street; and 11th Avenue, from Argonne Drive to California. The township...
1970s water lines to be replaced on Bull Creek Road in Fawn
A $2.4 million water line project along Bull Creek Road in Fawn is expected to alleviate frequent line breaks that have become an issue for Fawn-Frazer Water Authority. The authority plans renovation and construction this year on an original line that stretches from its connection in Brackenridge and runs for...
Drainage work will restrict traffic in East Deer, Tarentum, Harrison and Brackenridge
A drainage project will cause single-lane restrictions in East Deer, Tarentum, Brackenridge and Harrison, beginning Monday. Traffic restrictions will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. between Bailies Run Road and Butler County while crews work on drainage, base repairs, pavement marking, guardrail improvements and other details. Weekend work...
Three Rivers Heritage Trail expanding into Swissvale
Steps continue to expand the Three Rivers Heritage Trail with a 1.2-mile section that leads to the historic Carrie Blast Furnaces in Swissvale. Friends of the Riverfront, the nonprofit that manages the 35-mile network along the Allegheny, Ohio and Monongahela riverbanks, said the extension provides a critical link to reconnect...
PennDOT plans another sweep for puzzling metal fragments in Harrison
PennDOT plans to return to Harrison once the snow melts to inspect for more of the metal shards found scattered across township roads this week. Spokesman Steve Cowan said sweeper trucks canvassed Freeport Road, Route 28 and Burtner Road on Wednesday and Thursday, picking up some of the small metal...
Man who led police on icy river pursuit held for court
The man who tried to evade Pittsburgh police by walking 5 miles along the frozen Allegheny River on Jan. 29 will remain in Allegheny County Jail. Gary Cawley, 47, of Pittsburgh was held for court during a preliminary hearing Thursday in Pittsburgh Municipal Court. Bond was set at $100,000. His...
Harrison police still trying to resolve mystery of metal shards on roadways
The mysterious metal shards that littered Harrison roads remain a head-scratcher for police. Chief Brian Turack said officers continue to investigate after his phone lines were flooded Wednesday with reports of sharp fragments causing flat tires. Social media saw dozens of people saying their vehicles fell victim to the uniform-shaped...
Tarentum native finds passion helping veterans
Tarentum native Jessica King has found her passion helping veterans secure their future. As a VFW-accredited service officer, King manages and trains about 35 staffers who help veterans and surviving family members navigate the Veterans Administration benefits system. “Knowing that they’re not fighting for a paycheck anymore, that brings me...
Vote scheduled on future of EMS in Harrison, Tarentum and Brackenridge
After a scheduling glitch in January, a public hearing to formalize a paid ambulance authority in Harrison, Tarentum and Brackenridge is back on the books. The meeting will be March 25 at the Brackenridge American Legion. “We encourage residents to come out, listen, ask questions and help us think through...
Porter Street revamp ahead for Tarentum
A large swath of Porter Street in Tarentum might soon be open for new development. Three homes that sit in a row will be demolished this year. One was destroyed by fire in September, one of the others is condemned and another is abandoned. Council held a property hearing in...
Harrison native keeps Super Bowl streak alive, plans to attend his 60th matchup in Calif.
At 84, Harrison native Tom Henschel won’t let a stroke — or disappointment in his beloved Steelers — keep him from celebrating at the Super Bowl this weekend in Santa Clara, Calif. After all, why break a 59-year streak? The football enthusiast will be in the stands at Levi’s Stadium...
Tarentum mayor says ‘standard is the same’ for consolidated police force
When Tarentum and Brackenridge police consolidated in 2023, there were concerns from Brackenridge residents that the community would lose its daily patrols and coverage would lean toward the larger of the two boroughs. A newly published report, presenting data from the first full year of combined policing, might help put...
Fishing tournament honors legacy of late Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire
A fishing tournament this summer will honor the legacy of slain Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire and create a scholarship in his name. The Chief’s Challenge, scheduled for June 27, was founded as a way for the family to give back to the community, said McIntire’s mother, Lori. She posted...
Blawnox launches ‘soft dig’ to test water lines throughout borough
Blawnox officials are taking steps to ensure that borough infrastructure is built to last. A “soft dig” project will kick off this spring to test water line composition throughout the borough. “The project will allow the borough to dig down to certain water lines and identify exactly what material the...
Proposed ban on cellphones in school gains traction across the state
Bipartisan proposals to ban cellphones in the state’s public schools are gaining steam. State Reps. Mandy Steele, D-Fox Chapel, and Jill Cooper, R-Murrysville, are among those spearheading House Bill 1814 to restrict cellphones in classrooms. The move would protect children, streamline policies, reduce burden on staff and minimize disruptions, they...
Retired Fox Chapel attorney ranks 3rd in nation for niche sport of stair climbing
Retired Fox Chapel attorney Harrison Lauer is at the top of his game — literally. A long-time runner, Lauer hung up his shoes after a knee injury in 2020 but decided it was a detour, not a full stop. The 68-year-old turned to stair climbing, or tower running, which while...
Brackenridge Salvation Army weekly free lunches to continue
Free hot meals will continue to be distributed at the Brackenridge Salvation Army this year. The site on Brackenridge Avenue hosts a community lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays, with baked fish, turkey breast and sloppy Joe’s on the homemade menu. Up to 100 people are served. Captain...
Preserving National Opera House important for Pittsburgh and beyond
When irreplaceable spaces disappear from the Pittsburgh landscape, the damage to historical records is permanent. That’s the view of North Side resident Jonnet Solomon, who has dedicated 25 years to the preservation of the National Opera House, a Queen Anne-style mansion on the border of the city’s Homewood and Lincoln-Lemington...
Funeral fund established for 3-year-old girl who died in Natrona
The extended family of 3-year-old Karma Murray-Sinicki, who died Wednesday in Harrison’s Natrona neighborhood, has established a GoFundMe to assist with the cost of funeral services. “Sweet little Karma passed away unexpectedly at 3 years old,” read the fund created by the child’s aunt, Rachel Kish, of Greensburg. “Mom &...
West Deer house fire kills homeowner and dog as exploding ammunition hampers firefighters
Fire crews attempting to knock down a West Deer blaze Wednesday were hampered by heavy rounds of ammunition exploding in the back of the home, authorities said. “When we got on scene, there was heavy fire — about 60% involved — and a solid half-hour of ammunition going off,” said...
Police investigate child’s death in Harrison following ‘medical incident’
Police are investigating the death of a child Wednesday in Harrison. Harrison police Chief Brian Turack said township officers responded to Pine Street for a medical incident involving a 3-year-old child inside of a residence. He said Allegheny County Police were subsequently requested to the scene to handle the investigation....
Former Highlands teacher gets house arrest while awaiting trial on sex assault charges
Former Highlands School District teacher Sean Dicer can stay at his Brackenridge home while awaiting trial on charges he sexually assaulted former students. Dicer has been in Allegheny County Jail since Dec. 4, when county police arrested him on charges that include involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, unlawful...
1 dead after West Deer fire
One person is dead following a fire Wednesday morning in West Deer. Emergency crews responded at about 11 a.m. to the 100 block of Trump Road for a fully involved house fire. Kasey Reigner, public information officer for the Allegheny County Department of Emergency Services, confirmed the fire involved a...
