Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 6
Tarentum man mauled by his own dogs
A Tarentum man who faced charges last year after his pit bulls attacked several people on Halloween was mauled by his three dogs Tuesday at a borough apartment. Brandon Baynes, 37, suffered severe injuries to his face, Tarentum police said. Emergency crews were called early Tuesday to an Allegheny County...
Paving begins on Pittsburgh Mills roads while mall owner fights $11 million in fines
Shoppers at Pittsburgh Mills didn’t seem to mind the maze of detours Monday at the Frazer mall. They were too busy celebrating the milling and paving of the pothole-riddled Village Center Drive, which runs in front of Lowe’s, Ross and Aldi. The road had become notorious for massive craters that...
State Sen. Lindsey Williams hosts food drive in Harrison, Ross
State Sen. Lindsey Williams is hosting a food drive to benefit local families. Her office at Heights Plaza in Harrison is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. In addition, donations will be collected at her Ross office along McKnight Road. Proceeds will benefit Feeding the Flock...
Harrison Township Manager Amy Rockwell honored for municipal leadership
Harrison Township Manager Amy Rockwell is among the best in the state for municipal management. That’s according to news platform City & State, which honored Rockwell with its annual 50 Over 50 award for leaders who have made an impact in government, business or public service. “This award is a...
Changing times prompt ballistic gear upgrade for ambulance crews
The shooting death of Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire in 2023 continues to shape the way local emergency personnel operate. Eureka Community Ambulance in Tarentum and Citizens Hose EMS in Harrison are ramping up ballistic protection as a direct result of the McIntire ambush, Eureka Chief Brad James said. “It’s...
No tax increase expected in Indiana Township
Indiana Township residents are not likely to see a property tax increase next year. The proposed $8.7 million budget maintains a tax rate of 3.47 mills — 2.99 mills for the township and 0.48-mill for the fire departments. The owner of a home assessed at the township’s median value of...
Brackenridge Salvation Army sets $95,000 Red Kettle goal to support programs
The Brackenridge Salvation Army is kicking off its Red Kettle Campaign Saturday, a week earlier than the agency’s national start. Captain Selah Bender said she is trying to make up for several bell-ringing locations lost in the Alle-Kiski Valley over the past couple of years. “Big Lots closed in Heights...
Faces of the Valley: Paramedic eager to return to Eureka Fire-Rescue after Middle East deployment
Savanna Scholl’s first stop after returning from deployment in the Middle East was Sheetz. “It was 3 in the morning, and I really missed the food in the U.S.,” she said, laughing. “I got mac-and-cheese bites and a milkshake. It was great.” Scholl, a paramedic at Eureka Fire-Rescue in Tarentum,...
County leaders say furloughs, service cuts won’t disappear because of state budget deal
County officials are relieved that state money will begin flowing again but they aren’t out of the woods just yet. Despite a new state budget being signed Wednesday, austerity measures in most counties are expected to continue, including employee furloughs that, in some cases, could last through the end of...
Reading is Fundamental for Fox Chapel Area volunteers; group impacts childhood literacy
Story-tellers are success-builders, according to a group of Fox Chapel Area residents helping to battle the country’s literary crisis. Through the simple task of turning pages in a book, the volunteers are helping to build successful foundations for children. “We are igniting passions,” said Kyle Fahsel, director of mentoring at...
Food drive to support Harrison’s 1st Ward residents
Harrison Commissioner Justin Johnson has organized a food drive for 1st Ward residents to help neighbors in need. Though federal and state budgets were approved this week and SNAP benefits are expected to be restored, Johnson said “people in need are still going to be in a deficit. They have...
Boil water advisory for Harmar, Indiana Township, O’Hara and Fox Chapel
Portions of Harmar, Indiana Township, Fox Chapel and O’Hara are without water after two major line breaks late Wednesday. Residents in impacted areas should boil water as a precaution, according to the Fox Chapel Authority. As a result, Fairview Elementary School in the Fox Chapel Area School District is closed...
Student musicians ‘Play for the Vote’ to amplify election turnout and experience
Their instruments might have looked unfamiliar, but the message by a group of Fox Chapel Area students on Nov. 4 was loud and clear. Play for the Vote, a non-partisan group that mobilizes musical performances at polling places, was on a mission to amplify voter turnout and civic engagement. “Our...
Tarentum gives overdue electric bills a break
Tarentum residents who are experiencing financial difficulties will get a slight reprieve from the borough this month. Council voted to temporarily suspend electric shutoffs for November because of the ongoing federal government shutdown and state budget impasse. Both government bodies have signaled the stalemates could end as soon as this...
Public to get 1st glimpse of proposed Alle-Kiski Emergency Services Authority
Details of a proposed multi-municipal EMS authority will be shared during a public meeting at Highlands High School. It’s the first time residents will hear about the paid service meant to resolve struggles with call volumes, costs and staffing problems at Eureka Community Ambulance in Tarentum and Citizens Hose EMS...
Retiring St. Margaret Foundation president fundraised $19 million for projects
Mary Lee Gannon finds peace in gardening. As president of the nonprofit St. Margaret Foundation, Gannon spearheaded a $364,000 fundraising campaign to add a colorful plot of perennials, a fountain, rocking chairs and a swing on the campus of UPMC St. Margaret near Aspinwall. “I was comforted to know we...
Brackenridge residents call for stricter code enforcement
Brackenridge resident Heather Artman wants more bite, less bark from council regarding code violations across the borough. The Horner Street resident questioned why some residents appear to get away with letting their grass grow too high or leaving their trash cans out 24/7. “It might seem like a minor issue,...
Brackenridge seeks volunteers for tree planting at borough park
Trees are returning to Brackenridge Memorial Park, much to the relief of many residents who balked at their removal. The borough is seeking volunteers to help with planting up to 31 small to mid-size trees during an event at noon Nov. 19. They will replace several trees that were torn...
Schools starting to feel the pinch of state budget impasse
Art students at St. Joseph High School in Harrison spent a recent class learning the techniques of charcoal drawing — again. They were scheduled to be learning to use paints, but with government funding largely cut off because of the state’s ongoing budget impasse, the school doesn’t have money to...
Brackenridge to consider $1.2 million bond for public works project
Brackenridge Council will have a special meeting Wednesday to consider a $1.2 million bond to pay for a new public works building. The meeting will be at 3 p.m. in the borough building on Brackenridge Avenue. The borough last year applied for a preliminary land development application to replace the...
Democrat Carrie Fox wins return to Tarentum council
Tarentum council will have a least one change come January when a familiar face returns. Democrat Carrie Fox won Tuesday’s election for a four-year term representing the borough’s 3rd Ward. She unseated Republican Brian Nolan by a vote of 164 to 76, according to unofficial results from Allegheny County. “Thank...
Actress, Fox Chapel Area alum Regina Gibson returns home for original 1-woman show
Actress and singer Regina Gibson returns to her Pittsburgh-area stomping grounds for a one-night show on a relatable topic – dating angst – heightened by the comedic addition of opera music. The Fox Chapel Area High School alum brings her “Divina: A Fantasy Cabaret,” a one-woman original opera-comedy-cabaret, to the...
Community Roundtable hopes to help people struggling with SNAP, LIHEAP benefits
Michael Eckert knows the struggle of relying on government assistance to stay warm and fed. The East Deer resident received benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in previous years. “These programs didn’t just help my wife and I survive,”...
Road work on Route 28, Route 910 to force restrictions
Travelers along Route 28 will see single-lane restrictions Wednesday and Thursday near O’Hara. PennDOT said crews will be repairing digital signs on northbound lanes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Work will be done near O’Hara and Sharpsburg, weather permitting. On Wednesday, motorists will be affected in the areas from...
Grind Hard Conditioning empowers kids to grow on and off the field
When a spontaneous pick-up game of flag football in Brackenridge attracted 80 kids, Julius Johnson and Jonathan Butter were excited to imagine it growing into something more. “We enjoy working with the kids, showing them what hard work can do,” said Johnson, of Brackenridge. “We thought, ‘What more can we...
