Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 41

Highlands administrator Michael Toole joked he hasn’t sat still for long during his eight years with the district. He started at the high school before serving as middle school dean of students and, most recently, as assistant principal to about 625 students at the elementary school. Last week, Toole was...

Lou Nagy’s first piece of fire apparatus at Fawn Township Fire Company No. 2 was a fruit tree sprayer donated by a local farmer. It was 1950, and a 13-year-old Nagy was a charter member of the fledgling fire company, founded by a group of friends to serve a largely...

Arnold resident Eric Sinclair dished out $3,500 to ensure that electricity at his Tarentum boat dock was up to code. The Kenneth Avenue resident and avid boater enjoys balmy days and nights at the small space along the Allegheny River where he devotes time from May to October. The effort...

Parents and volunteers of a Highlands area youth football league that was evicted from their home facility said they feel like they’ve been sacked. “It’s heartbreaking,” said Bethany Currie of Harrison, whose son and daughter participate in the Rams Youth Football Organization. “The kids don’t understand why this is happening....

A youth football league that serves Highlands School District communities is alleging a major fumble by Harrison-based ATI, one of the Valley’s largest employers. Leaders of the Rams Youth Football Organization (RYFO) said more than 150 young athletes are being evicted from their home facility, Bushman Field, leaving the group...

Construction crews put the finishing touches on a half-mile Brackenridge trail Wednesday, as borough officials hope that the simple amenity will expand outdoor recreation and economic development opportunities. The project cost about $450,000. It was coordinated by the nonprofit Friends of the Riverfront. “We’re excited to move forward on this,”...

A buzz-worthy author will be the featured guest at the Books, Besties & Brunch fundraiser in Fox Chapel. Angeline Boulley, the award-winning author of “The Firekeeper’s Daughter,” is the guest speaker at the event benefiting Cooper-Siegel Community Library. Boulley, a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians,...

As a $5.3 million “tech flex” building at RIDC Armstrong Innovation Park in South Buffalo broke ground Thursday, officials announced a deal to potentially develop another 615 acres. The 30,000-square-foot building, designed to have flexible uses aimed at attracting tech companies, is the first of two expected to be constructed....

A $4.4 million trail project in Tarentum and East Deer is expected to create public access to the shoreline, promote recreation and spur economic development. The 5-mile path would meander through Dreshar Stadium and past Pittsburgh Brewing Co., providing shared-lane markings, known as sharrows, for bikers and off-road sections for...

Voters in Tarentum might need a manual to follow candidates and which council offices they are seeking in the May primary. Residents will have their choice of two residents to represent the borough at-large. Democrat Scott Dadowski, current council president, will face newcomer Margaret “Maggie” Smith, a Republican, for the...

District Judge Carolyn Bengel imparted a wise bit of advice to Highlands fifth graders during a school assembly Friday afternoon. “Dance like no one’s watching,” she told the group of preteens at the Harrison middle school. What that means, she said, is don’t seek recognition for being their best selves....

Electric vehicles continue to create a buzz at car dealerships across the region, despite a recent poll indicating fewer than half of Americans are interested in switching from gas-powered varieties just yet. “Every day, customers are coming into our stores asking about our electric offerings,” said Richard Bazzy, president of...

Hugs for Highlands students in need were delivered Thursday by the Brackenridge Salvation Army in the form of granola bars, juice and bananas. Nearly 100 in all, the care packages dubbed Love in a Backpack made their way to three of the district campuses, as they do every week of...

Residents in Tarentum and Brackenridge could be covered by one police force if a potential department consolidation moves forward. Officials are eyeing a merger to enhance coverage and improve services for the combined 7,500 residents of the two towns that sit side by side along the Allegheny River. The idea...

Amanda Trocki and her dog, Nugget, are counting the days until the new dog park opens at Harrison Hills Park in the Natrona Heights section of Harrison. “He can’t wait to make some new friends,” said Trocki, who visits regularly, waiting for the gates of the play space to be...

Two Harrison residents well-known throughout the community will face off for the Democratic nomination for 3rd Ward commissioner. Gary Hines and Eric Bengel, both lifelong residents, are seeking the only available four-year term on the board. No other Harrison neighborhoods have contested races. Incumbent Chuck Dizard is running unopposed in...

Editor’s note: The Fox Chapel Herald is publishing election previews with candidate interviews for contested municipal and school board races only. Previews for Aspinwall’s contested council race will run May 4. Blawnox Democrats will pick from four candidates seeking their party’s nomination for three open seats on Blawnox Council. Newcomer...

Former high school teacher Carleton Young was cleaning his parents’ attic in the early 2000s when he uncovered an American treasure. “I found an enormous collection of letters written by two brothers during the Civil War,” said Young, who taught history at Thomas Jefferson High School in the South Hills....

It was a sink or swim moment for aquatic enthusiasts in the Highlands School District on Monday when a packed house turned up to lobby the school board for $1.8 million in repairs to the long-closed high school pool. More than 50 people, including the high school swim team and...

More than a year after announcing it would open a store in Harrison, Aldi officials have confirmed shoppers will have to wait until 2024 for the discount grocer. The supermarket is expected to be constructed along Freeport Road in the spot where Harbison’s Nursery operated for many years. When complete,...

People who want to get down and dirty to help Mother Nature can volunteer at an Earth Day program hosted by three local communities. Harrison, Tarentum and Brackenridge are having their first-ever joint event to rid the roads and parks of pop cans, candy wrappers, tires and other trash. It...

Tarentum Councilwoman Carrie Fox said the old adage of not judging a book by its cover isn’t always easy. When it comes to borough businesses, she wants them to look pristine and up to date. “It may be something small like a new sign or an awning or just painting,...

Tarentum has hired a longtime emergency medical technician (EMT) from Eureka Fire-Rescue-EMS to handle responses to large-scale borough disasters such as train derailments, fuel spills and criminal manhunts. Rodger Blystone was appointed Tuesday by council as the borough’s emergency management coordinator. A largely voluntary role, Blystone will be paid a...

Brackenridge Pastor Nick Chybrzynski became a Christian at 15, well before he had a driver’s license or access to a car. “I didn’t have a way to get to church in Springdale from my house in Natrona Heights so I walked, rode my bike or took a PAT bus,” said...

Editor’s note: A second installment of this story, featuring the Region 2 candidates, will appear in Friday’s edition. Region 3 will appear in Saturday’s edition. All three installments can be viewed online at TribLIVE.com. The Highlands School District drew a large field of interest in the upcoming primary election with...