Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 6
Deer Lakes, Springdale students up for Prime Stage Theatre Drama Awards
Nominees for Prime Stage Theatre’s 6th Annual High School Drama Awards were announced Wednesday, with students from Deer Lakes, Springdale, Fox Chapel Area and Shady Side Academy in the running for top honors. Leading the pack are Fox Chapel Area and Shady Side Academy with eight nominations each, followed by...
Highlands welcomes 3 new board members
Highlands School Board this week held its annual reorganization meeting where they welcomed new members Clint Crowell, Jeff Thimons and Kelly Powell. Crowell will represent Region 3; Thimons was elected in Region 2; Powell will serve Region 1. During the meeting Tuesday, Deb Lehew was reelected to serve as board...
Sharpsburg/Aspinwall firefighters to get new tools to combat cancer-causing toxins
Soot-covered fire gear is no longer a badge of honor for emergency responders. Research by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health shows firefighters stand a higher chance of developing cancer even after minimal contact with smoke particles and fire toxins. Locally, emergency service personnel are taking steps to...
Local municipal managers rack up state, national awards
Tarentum Manager Dwight Boddorf credits much of his leadership ability to a mindset he learned in the Marine Corps — stay calm under pressure, focus on what matters and build systems that last. Over the past several years, he has applied that approach to revitalization efforts in the borough. On...
Gordo’s Café and Cantina coming to RIDC Park in O’Hara
A scratch bakery and cantina in O’Hara will feature tavern-style pizza, fresh-roasted meats and gourmet cronuts in a prime location perched along Route 28. Gordo’s Café and Cantina is scheduled to open in the coming weeks in RIDC Park, in the home of the former Periwinkle’s Bakery & Café. “The...
Preliminary hearing moved for former Highlands teacher accused of sex assault
A preliminary hearing for Sean Dicer, a former Highlands School District teacher charged with sexual assault, has been moved from District Judge Carolyn Bengel’s office in Brackenridge. Dicer, 53, of Brackenridge, is instead scheduled to appear at 10:30 a.m. Monday before District Judge Michael J. Girardi in Harmar. His attorney,...
Brackenridge garbage rates remain steady but residents to pay for oversized items
Brackenridge residents will have a new garbage hauler in 2026. Council on Thursday approved a bid from Shank Waste Service in Lower Burrell which maintains unlimited pickup from borough homes. Rates will remain at $70 per quarter, but residents will pay a slight charge for items considered oversized, Council President...
Former teacher accused of sexual assault most recently taught at private Butler County school
A former Highlands School District teacher charged last week with sexual assault against children continued to teach after leaving the district in 2022. Sean Dicer, 53, of Brackenridge was most recently employed at Penn Christian Academy, a private school in Penn Township, Butler County. Dicer was arrested Thursday and charged...
Downtown New Kensington no longer a food desert with opening of Horizon Market
Downtown New Kensington will no longer be considered a food desert once a small-scale grocery store opens there Wednesday. Shoppers will have access to fresh produce, seafood, milk, meat and more when Horizon Market opens at 4 p.m. at 912 Seventh St. near the BP gas station, in the former...
Police say there could be more victims in case of former Highlands teacher charged with sex assault
Allegheny County Police said there might be more victims of sexual assault by a former Highlands School District teacher arrested Thursday. Sean Dicer, 53, was arrested at his Pacific Avenue home in Brackenridge. He was charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, unlawful contact with a minor and...
Longtime Brackenridge secretary retires
Brackenridge administrator Denise Tocco submitted her letter of resignation to council last week. Tocco served as office manager, secretary and treasurer for 43 years. She will officially retire Friday. Tocco was not at the meeting, but her letter was read aloud. She thanked council for “the opportunity to be part...
Tattoo artist plans new studio, community hub at former Manos Gallery in Tarentum
The former Manos Gallery in Tarentum will continue to be filled with art, albeit a different medium. Artist Chris Provenzo plans to open Golden Rule Tattoo Co. on Jan. 3 in the building along East Fifth Avenue. “Tattoo design is versatile, and I’ve worked very hard to try to create...
21% tax increase in Brackenridge attributed to rising costs, recent $1.2M bond
Brackenridge residents will pay 21% more in property taxes next year after council approved the borough’s $1.5 million budget Thursday. The plan calls for an increase in the tax rate from 7 to 8.5 mills. The owner of a home assessed at the median value of $50,900 will pay $432, an...
Residents get glimpse of proposed ambulance service authority in Harrison, Tarentum, Brackenridge
A consultant for the proposed Alle-Kiski Emergency Service Authority said the tentative cost for property owners would be comparable to a monthly Netflix subscription or two cups of Dunkin coffee. The plan to create a paid authority by merging Eureka Community Ambulance in Tarentum and Citizens Hose EMS in Harrison...
Highlands School Board, teachers union could ratify 5-year deal in January
An early-bird contract that would shore up Highlands School District teachers’ salaries and other benefits through 2030 will be on the school board’s agenda in January. The board was hoping to vote during its meeting Tuesday, but the move was delayed. A tentative five-year contract previously was approved by the...
Fawn considers ordinance for placement of wind turbines, data centers and more
Fawn residents can weigh in on proposed changes to the township’s zoning ordinance during an upcoming public hearing. The meeting will focus on regulations for the location of wind turbines, data centers and nuclear reactor facilities. A proposed amendment provides for conditional uses for all three in the Industrial and...
Ballistic gear in the works for Tarentum police dog
Like their human counterparts, police dogs need specialized equipment to protect them during violent encounters. In Tarentum, K-9 Officer Jeremy Belusar is doing what he can to keep the borough’s police dog, Kilo, safe. The department was awarded a bullet- and stab-protective vest through the nonprofit Vested Interest in K-9s....
After boiler fails, Central Presbyterian’s free holiday concert moves to Brackenridge
An annual holiday concert hosted by Central Presbyterian Church in Tarentum has been moved because the building is without heat. Church administrator Dave Rankin said the steam boiler at the church along Allegheny Street is awaiting repairs. Instead, “Ave Maria,” featuring soprano Katy Williams, will be performed Sunday, Dec. 14,...
Owner of Brackenridge Heights Golf Course dismisses rumors of purchase; property remains on the market
The Brackenridge Heights Golf Course remains on the market after several years. If owner Ted Tomson has his way, the 83-acre property in Harrison will remain mostly green. “I’d like to see it stay a golf course,” said Tomson, owner of a scrap metal yard in Brackenridge and Harrison, and...
Sharpsburg, Etna, Millvale ramp up efforts to connect residents with food resources
Leaders in Sharpsburg, Etna and Millvale are ramping up efforts to help people struggling after a government pause of SNAP benefits and an overall increase in grocery costs. A list of food resources was developed to help people in need across the tri-borough area. “We’ve had so many more people...
Highlands to open pool for adult swim programs
The public will be able to enjoy the new $2 million pool at Highlands High School through a free, open swim program for adults. District officials plan to open the program as soon as January for people 18 and older to swim laps, engage in self-paced water aerobics or just...
Leechburg Area among 4 districts suing state’s largest cyber school for tuition costs
Leechburg Area is among four school districts that have filed a lawsuit against the state’s largest cyber charter school asking that tuition be dropped for local students. The suit claims Commonwealth Charter Academy, as well as the state Department of Education through lack of sufficient oversight, fails to provide students...
Fox Chapel Garden Club artists donate skills to boost horticulture projects across Allegheny County
Cece Miller has a passion for needlepoint. A 40-year hobby, it nurtures her creativity through an endless choice of stitches and threads. “I find it relaxing and I love the finished product,” she said. And at least one of those products goes a long way to help others. Miller is...
Christmas in Guyasuta features twinkling hike, zipline under the lights
A twinkling luminary hike is among the newest features at Christmas in Guyasuta, a holiday kickoff for all ages. The longstanding event is a winter-themed festivity hosted at Camp Guyasuta, accessed off 23rd Street in Sharpsburg. The wooded campus owned by Scouting America is glowing with thousands of lights –...
Fawn nearing 3 decades with no tax increase
It’s been 27 years since Fawn property owners have seen a property tax increase, and that streak is likely to be extended. The township supervisors have proposed a $1.8 million preliminary budget that holds the tax rate steady at 3.04 mills. If approved, the owner of a home with the...
