Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 4
Court date looms for former Harrison funeral director accused of pet cremation fraud
Tina Moore has been counting the days, for nearly a year, until former Harrison funeral director Patrick Vereb has his day in court. Vereb, 71, of Hazelwood was charged by the state Attorney General’s Office with taking money for pet cremations and disposing of the animals in landfills. He also...
Future of Fawn EMS coverage remains uncertain
Fawn is the final holdout of a proposed paid, regional ambulance authority — leaving the future of the township’s EMS coverage up in the air. Supervisors must decide whether to join the Alle-Kiski Emergency Services Authority, expected to move forward this fall, or look elsewhere for 911 service. “We haven’t...
Shoppers lament Macy’s closing at Pittsburgh Mills, others hopeful for recreation or entertainment venue
Julie Ravotti grew up in Beaver County and remembers trekking to Pittsburgh Mills for family shopping adventures after the Frazer mall opened in 2005. “We traveled to see all the new stores and it was bustling, so promising,” said Ravotti, who moved to Leechburg nine years ago. “Fast forward to...
Fox Chapel Area telethon tops $101,000 to benefit local nonprofit
A nonprofit that helps Fox Chapel Area children and families has found itself on the receiving end of community outreach. Fox Families Care was awarded $101,000 over the holiday season as the beneficiary of the Fox Chapel Area School District telethon. The 36th annual fundraiser on Dec. 23 involved students...
Harrison’s new trash hauler, Noble Environmental, asks for patience
Some Harrison residents are questioning the township’s move to a new garbage hauler after what they say was a bumpy first week of collections. But Noble Environmental is ensuring that kinks in the new collection routes will be ironed out quickly. And they are asking for patience. “We’ve been inundated...
Blawnox woman recounts parents’ harrowing Holocaust ordeal
The daughter of two Holocaust survivors will share her parents’ poignant account during a program Tuesday in Fox Chapel. Deborah Leuchter Stueber of Blawnox will be the guest speaker at the Holocaust Remembrance event, hosted by the Fox Chapel Area affiliate of the American Association of University Women. The daughter...
Orthodox Christmas to be celebrated Wednesday across region
The Christmas season isn’t over, at least not for the handful of Orthodox Christian churches that follow the Julian Calendar and are celebrating Christmas on Wednesday with special liturgies, dinners and holiday decorations. “Universally, it’s accepted as Christmas, but, in our faith, it is really called the Nativity of the...
Highlands Family Center gets food pantry boost
Highlands Family Center in Tarentum is getting some much-needed help to address a surge in food needs in the wake of the federal government shutdown and state budget stalemate late last year. The organization, run by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, was awarded $5,000 from The United Way and Heinz Endowments....
Website aims to boost community involvement in plans for paid EMS authority
Officials trying to start a regional, paid EMS service are hoping a new website explaining the plans will bolster public involvement in the creation of the service. The authority will cover Brackenridge, Harrison and Tarentum and aims to continue 24/7 ambulance service by merging Eureka Community Ambulance in Tarentum and...
Authorities unable to determine cause of fatal Tarentum fire
The cause of a Dec. 13 fatal fire in Tarentum remains unclear, authorities said. Kasey Reigner, spokesperson for the county’s Department of Emergency Services, said the fire was investigated by the Allegheny County Fire Marshal’s Office and the “origin and cause will remain undetermined.” The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office...
10 ‘unsafe’ structures could come down in Tarentum
Tarentum is targeting 10 homes for demolition this year, all of which are deemed unsafe by borough officials. The structures are abandoned and in such disrepair that it would be cost prohibitive to rehab them, according to a memo by Anthony Bruni, code enforcement officer. The list includes: • 913,...
Faces of the Valley: 6-year-old BMX racer from Tarentum climbs to No. 1 national ranking
Not long after she began to walk, Elliana Zimmerman learned to pedal. The Tarentum youngster, now 6, went from a Fred Flinstone-style balance bike to pedaling — quickly — around a bumpy BMX track, according to her mother, Alexis. “When she was little, it made me nervous,” Alexis said. “She...
Duquesne Light restores power to nearly all impacted by outages
Power outages that had impacted thousands of Duquesne Light customers in Allegheny County on Sunday were mostly resolved by shortly before 6 p.m., according to the utility. Earlier in the day, outages were affecting about 1,500 customers in the areas of Mt. Oliver, Allentown and the South Side slopes. About...
The Cadet Restaurant in Manor Township, along with mascot Cowboy Sam, bid farewell
Patrons of The Cadet Restaurant in Manor Township are wondering what will become of its 30-foot-tall cowboy mascot once the eatery closes on Wednesday. Owners shared the announcement on social media that the restaurant along Route 422 near Kittanning will close at 3 p.m. after more than seven decades in...
Crews battling house fire in Whitehall
Emergency crews are fighting a house fire that broke out early Sunday in Whitehall. Whitehall Fire Company posted to Facebook, asking people to avoid the area of Oakridge Drive. The company, along with several mutual aid partners, are staging in the 4800 block of Oakridge Drive. “Please avoid Oakridge between...
Allentown shooting leaves man in critical condition
Police are investigating after a man was shot multiple times early Sunday in the city’s Allentown neighborhood. Emergency crews were called at 4:15 a.m. to the 900 block of Manton Way where they found a man in the street suffering gunshot wounds to his head and abdomen, according to Pittsburgh...
West Mifflin police find missing teen
West Mifflin police say a teenage girl has been found safe after being reported missing early Saturday. The borough’s police posted to its Facebook page, asking the public for information regarding Angelina Hall, 16. Police later reported Angelina was found safe....
Former Rockette teaches aspiring dancers at Greensburg workshop
Bright lights and big kicks were the order of business Saturday for aspiring dancers in Greensburg. The Spectacular Holiday Dance Workshop, held at Seton Hill University and The Palace Theatre, welcomed students of all ages to step into the magic of Broadway with a 2½-hour class taught by former Radio...
Driver flees after crashing into Penn Hills home
Police are investigating after a vehicle crashed Friday into a Penn Hills home and the driver fled the scene, authorities said. Emergency crews were called at about 5:15 a.m. to a home in the 7900 block of Aber Road, where they found an unoccupied vehicle that had struck the corner...
1 injured in Market Square shooting
A man is recovering after being shot in the leg early Saturday at Market Square in Pittsburgh, authorities said. Police were called at about 12:15 a.m. after reports of a fight that led to a shooting. Officers found the victim on the sidewalk, conscious and alert, with a gunshot wound,...
7 Brew Coffee finalizing plans for Harrison shop
A coffee shop with a drive-through only concept appears to be moving forward in Harrison. 7 Brew, a popular caffeine stop with nearly 600 locations across the country, is seeking to open along Freeport Road. The township’s planning commission approved a move by parent company, WhoBrew LLC, to consolidate three...
Tarentum to replace Redcat Power bucket truck, other aging vehicles
Tarentum will replace several aging vehicles in the borough’s fleet next year. Namely, a new bucket truck will be purchased for the municipal-owned electricity distribution company, Redcat Power. The truck is used every day and is critical to the electric system operations, officials said. It’s essential for line maintenance, emergency...
1 person flown to hospital after West Kittanning crash
One person was injured in a vehicle rollover early Friday, authorities said. Armstrong County dispatchers said a person was flown by medical helicopter to a local hospital after a crash at about 7 a.m. in West Kittanning. Emergency crews were called to the intersection of Route 268 and Butler Road....
Temperatures will take a dip Monday as brutal cold expected
Winter weather is delivering a one-two punch across the region this weekend. Following Friday’s bout of freezing rain, temperatures are expected to plummet more than 30 degrees Monday, according to the National Weather Service in Moon. “It looks like it’s probably one of those days where temperatures are warmest in...
Robotic-assisted technology diagnoses lung cancer more quickly
When Leslie Keebler contracted the flu last winter, early-stage lung cancer was not on her radar. The 62-year-old from Munhall, a former smoker, underwent breathing treatments and a round of steroids before a lung scan revealed a suspicious spot. Her physicians at Allegheny General Hospital on Pittsburgh’s North Side recommended...
