Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 38
Legends of Pittsburgh fitness center eyes April opening at former Holy Martyrs in Tarentum
The potential owners of the former Holy Martyrs Church in Tarentum are moving forward with their original plan to open a fitness center inside the shuttered facility and build a practice field alongside it. This comes just one week after Legends of Pittsburgh co-owner Stefan Lundberg was told the floor...
Highlands juvenile to be charged by Harrison police after assault at school
A 15-year-old boy will be charged with simple assault after an incident Nov. 10 at Highlands High School. Harrison Police Chief Brian Turack said charges are pending. Officers responded to a call at about 1:15 p.m. and found four boys involved in some type of incident inside the bathroom, Turack...
Fox Chapel Garden Club’s Glitter & Glow hits 25 years of supporting green space
The Fox Chapel Garden Club is marking its 25th annual Glitter & Glow event by illuminating the need for public gardens and recreation throughout the Pittsburgh region. Participants can enjoy a sip and a nibble in the opulent setting of the Fox Chapel Golf Club, all while perusing fresh arrangements...
Tarentum Council upping donations to town’s 3 volunteer fire departments
Tarentum Council is ramping up donations to its three fire departments, acknowledging the struggle volunteers face with decreased public aid. Direct contributions for each department will increase by $4,500 to $17,000 each for Eureka Fire-Rescue, Highland Hose and Summit Hose. Council approved the amounts in its preliminary $16.4 million budget,...
Tarentum Council scraps plans for town gazebo, citing rising costs
Plans for the corner lot at Corbet Street and Third Avenue in Tarentum are up in the air again. A gazebo that was expected to serve as a focal point in the business district is off the books, at least for now. Costs climbed higher than expected for the structure,...
Fawn taxes to hold steady for 26th year
Fawn residents are not likely to see a property tax increase — for the 26th consecutive year — after the township supervisors approved the preliminary budget Tuesday. “We’re able to hold the line on everything,” Township Treasurer/Secretary Pam Ponsart said. “We’re frugal about it.” The $1.9 million budget holds the...
Christmas in Guyasuta at Sharpsburg campground offers winter wonderland to kick off holiday season
The 175-acre Boy Scout-owned campground tucked behind Sharpsburg’s business district was busy transforming into a winter wonderland, even though temperatures were climbing into the high 60s. That didn’t stop Camp Guyasuta Ranger Mike Daniher from prepping the fire pits and readying the horse-drawn carriage for a Nov. 25 seasonal extravaganza....
Bills aim to hold lawmakers liable for costs to settle sexual harassment cases against them
Taxpayers no longer would foot the bill when the state settles cases in which state lawmakers are accused of sexual misconduct under a legislative package proposed Wednesday by members of the Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus. “This will ensure perpetrators don’t get off scot-free,” said state Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa, R-Fayette....
Citing supply costs, Tarentum electric rates to jump 3%-5% every year for 5 years
Electric rates in Tarentum are going up in 2024 — and likely for at least the next four years afterward — to combat supply costs that are set to double. Council voted Tuesday night to approve a new rate schedule that will increase the cost from 13 cents to 15.2...
Tarentum Council approves plan change at Holy Martyrs, soon to be a fitness center
A slight change of plans by the new owners of Holy Martyrs Church in Tarentum will see the building used for indoor soccer, rather than to house weights and treadmills. Legends of Pittsburgh fitness center is expected to move from the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer to the 51-year-old church...
Tarentum taxes expected to remain steady, but utilities will rise
Tarentum residents likely won’t see a property tax increase in 2024 after council approved the borough’s preliminary budget Tuesday. But electric and garbage collection bills are expected to rise. Supply costs for the borough’s electrical distribution system are set to nearly double, meaning the price hike will be funneled to...
Dollar General opens in Fawn, expected to create up to 10 jobs
The Dollar General along Route 908 in Fawn is open. The store sits at the intersection of Saxonburg Road, which is a convenient drive for Harrison residents who live near the township line. Fawn Secretary/Treasurer Pam Ponsart said it appears to be popular in its first week. “There’s lots of...
Veterans Day extra special for Upper Burrell WWII soldier Norman Myers as he celebrates 100th birthday
Apollo native and Army veteran Norman Myers was among the first soldiers to enter Tokyo after World War II for the ceremonial raising of the American flag on Sept. 8, 1945. “When they dropped that bomb, if you didn’t keep your feet 4 foot off the ground, you didn’t make...
Late Vietnam vet from Freeport gets proper military honors 5 years after death
Late Freeport Navy veteran Bob Johnston described his time in the Vietnam War as a shooting gallery where soldiers lived like pirates. “We took the rockets, the mortar fire and the artillery fire from the enemy at night,” Johnston wrote in his 2017 raw account of battle, “Blood and Brown...
Harvest Moon Coffee & Chocolates soon to be serving Harrison
A Tarentum coffee shop is all the buzz with news of its expansion to Harrison. Harvest Moon Coffee & Chocolates is set to open a second location in the Heights Plaza, near the post office along Union Avenue. Owner Desiree Singleton expects to be brewing beans at the new site...
Newcomer Corey Ochai wins 2-year term on Sharpsburg Council
Democratic newcomer Corey Ochai earned a victory in his race for Sharpsburg Council, beating Republican Diana Oliver. Ochai earned 484 votes to Oliver’s 234. The term is two years. “I am beyond honored to be elected to serve this amazing community,” said Ochai, 37. “I’m excited to be working alongside...
Cullen, Petrucelli earn 4-year terms on O’Hara Council
Two newcomers, a Republican and a Democrat, were elected to O’Hara Council on Tuesday for four-year terms. Democrat Paul Cullen handily won the top spot with 2,072 votes, followed by Shamus Petrucelli with 1,704. Petrucelli is a Republican who won enough Democratic votes in the spring to appear on both...
Dadowski, Smith earn Tarentum Council seats; 3rd position will be filled by appointment
The race for an at-large Tarentum Council seat finished with a razor-thin margin, as Democratic incumbent Scott Dadowski edged Republican newcomer Maggie Smith by eight votes. According to unofficial results from the Allegheny County Elections Division, Dadowski earned 319 votes to Smith’s 311. “I want to thank the residents for...
3 newcomers, 2 incumbents secure victory for Highlands School Board
The face of Highlands School Board will change after Tuesday’s election in which three newcomers secured victories. The board race was hotly contested, drawing eight candidates for five positions. Republican newcomer Justin Kipp, 49, and Republican incumbent Gene Witt, 59, appear to have edged out opponents to represent Region 1....
Democrat Eric Bengel retains Harrison Commissioner 3rd Ward seat
Democratic incumbent Eric Bengel appeared to secure another four-year term representing Harrison’s 3rd Ward, handily beating opponent Gary Hines. According to unofficial results by Allegheny County Elections Division, Bengel earned 457 votes to Hines’ 375. The pair competed in the spring for the Democratic nomination, with Bengel barely edging Hines...
St. Joseph students direct ‘SpongeBob Musical’ at Mary Queen of Apostles
St. Joseph High School senior Donovan Polito envisions a career on the Great White Way, singing and dancing his way across Broadway stages. He hopes to give younger students the same ability to dream. Polito, 17, and classmate Kylie Krzewinski, 17, have stepped in for the second year to direct...
Harrison program highlights the dangers and warning signs of teen dating violence
Teenage relationships are bound to bring angst, but they should never come with abuse. Still, 1 in 3 teens experiences emotional, verbal and physical abuse from a dating partner, according to the Hope Alliance, a Texas-based group that works to heal those affected by violence. A program by the Alle-Kiski...
Harrison woman faces criminal charges after German shepherd attacks 5th person, a township police officer
A Harrison woman is facing criminal charges that include reckless endangerment after her German shepherd attacked a township police officer. It is the third such incident, and fifth attack, made by the dog, police Chief Brian Turack said. Daureen Linn, 49, of North Meadow Street is scheduled for a preliminary...
Tarentum police eyeing traffic cameras, license plate readers for Brackenridge to help with investigations
Tarentum police are eyeing the installation of more traffic cameras and license plate readers — for Brackenridge. Chief Bill Vakulick is considering participating in the ANNIE traffic program, which covers the cost of equipment and installation in exchange for a percentage of fines and revenues. It was not clear what...
School board meetings attract crowds as races become next political frontier
From book bans to gender-neutral bathrooms, culture wars have found a battlefield in Western Pennsylvania schools. National politics increasingly are influencing school boards, as party lines are splitting members over hot button issues such as sex education, trans rights and the appropriateness of classroom materials. School boards’ once-marginally attended monthly...
