Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 61
Woodland Hills food service workers approve strike authorization
Woodland Hills School District food service workers voted to strike if a new contract isn’t reached soon. Workers have been without a contract since July 1. Members of the Woodland Hills Cafeteria Education Support Personnel (WHCESP) on Monday approved a strike authorization if negotiations fail during an upcoming meeting on...
Woman shot in leg in Homestead
A woman was shot late Monday in Homestead, according to Allegheny County Police. Officers responded at about 10:30 p.m. to the 1200 block of Sarah Street where they found an adult woman with a gunshot wound to the leg. The victim was treated at the scene and was in stable...
Building the Valley: Cindy’s Soft Serve and Hometown Food serves up good vibes in Tarentum
A Tarentum diner is offering “good vibes only” through its homestyle cooking and friendly conversation. Cindy’s Soft Serve and Hometown Food, at 309 E. Fourth St., is a 1950s-style eatery with menu items named as an homage to the Alle-Kiski Valley. There’s the Red Cat, a burger with fries and...
Blawnox National Night Out attracts crowds for ice cream, dog walk
Safety checks, doggie treats and free fresh produce awaited crowds who participated in the Blawnox National Night Out. About 150 people converged Aug. 2 on Blawnox Community Park to celebrate the borough and all it has to offer. The advocacy group Best of Blawnox hosted “Ice Cream with a Cop”...
Inmate dies at Allegheny County Jail
A man incarcerated at Allegheny County Jail died Sunday, according to authorities. Ronald James Andrus, 78, of McKees Rocks, was identified in a release by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. Andrus was pronounced dead at about 3:15 p.m. The county did not provide further details. However, on Monday, Allegheny...
Pittsburgh police investigate shots fired near youth football game in Lincoln-Lemington
Pittsburgh police are investigating a shooting that happened Sunday near a youth football game in the city’s Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood. There were no reports of injuries from the incident in the 1400 block of Oberlin Street, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV. A bullet struck the windshield of a nearby truck,...
Back-to-School Bash at Brackenridge Salvation Army provides for students
Highlands senior Eli Majocha swept through the back-to-school aisles at local discount stores filling his cart with all the coolest items he thought kids might like. Armed with $500 in donations from friends and strangers, the 17-year-old happily plucked an array of Sharpies, crayons and tablets from the shelves. “It’s...
Highlands School District to expand pre-K program with new full-day option
Highlands School District will grow its pre-K program by 25% through a new full-day class. “We’re excited to welcome the new opportunity,” said Kristie Gizienski, principal at the district’s Early Childhood Center. She outlined plans during the school board meeting Monday, saying the new class will make room for 17...
Mobility equipment drive at Central Presbyterian Church in Tarentum benefits people around the globe
The lobby of Central Presbyterian Church in Tarentum is filled with items you don’t expect to see in a sanctuary. Mobility walkers, tub chairs and canes are piled high, waiting to be collected and shipped to needy people near and far. There are at least 100 pieces of equipment. “We’ve...
Sheldon Park celebrates ‘excellent’ Community Day
Hours after the 35th annual Sheldon Park Community Day celebration concluded Friday afternoon, Sydney Hayden still had hordes of children running around, laughing and showing off their face paint. “It was an excellent day,” said Hayden, a leader at the Allegheny County public housing complex off Springhill Road in Harrison....
Crumbling foundation being replaced at Harrison war memorial
Repairs are underway at the Harrison Honor Roll that stands at the center of town along Freeport Road. The 77-year-old monument recognizes the township’s World War II veterans. The black granite memorial is etched with the names of nearly 2,000 servicemen. On Wednesday, crews worked to pour a new concrete...
Tarentum spray park closed for repairs
There won’t be any splashing at the popular spray pad in Tarentum this week. The section of Riverview Memorial Park remains closed while officials work to repair an electrical problem. “Hopefully, we can have it up and running by the weekend,” Council President Scott Dadowski said. The water park was...
Natrona Heights group proposes more trees on ballfields
A project to plant 13 trees at the youth baseball fields on the perimeter of Highlands High School would provide shade, absorb rainwater and protect fans from fly balls, according to a proposal being considered by the Highlands School Board. Chris Cottone, a member of the Natrona Heights Baseball &...
Part of Old Freeport Road in O’Hara to close through November for bridge work
A short bridge that sits near the post office along Old Freeport Road in O’Hara is scheduled to close Aug. 22 for reconstruction for up to three months. Motorists will be detoured away from the 1300 block of Old Freeport Road while work on Squaw Run Bridge No. 7 is...
Women’s Board of Pittsburgh raises $73,000 for children’s initiatives
Beneficiaries of the annual Women’s Board of Pittsburgh fundraiser have been revealed. Grants will be doled out to not only one or two, but three local charities whose mission is to improve the lives of children. They are: • 412 Boxing, a group associated with the Police Athletic League that...
Highlands Marching Band to kick off season with Pie Night performance
Just like the Backstreet Boys, the Highlands Golden Rams marching band is back. For its upcoming season, the group will perform nostalgic “boy band” hits first made famous by Justin, Donnie, Nick, Brian and the like. “At Highlands, we are fortunate to have a wealth of musically talented young students,”...
Construction of Aldi in Harrison delayed
Plans to open an Aldi grocery store this year in Harrison are stalled. The discount market proposed for Freeport Road near Walmart will not open in 2022, store officials said Monday. “To ensure our new Natrona Heights store provides customers with the best shopping experience possible, we’ve shifted our opening...
Fox Chapel Garden Club giving old tennis shoes new life
About 1,000 pairs of gently used shoes will be walking into a new life as playground mats, running tracks and basketball courts through the efforts of the Fox Chapel Garden Club. The annual collection by club members is underway, marking the 15th year for the program that has made an...
Tarentum woman buys, fills and doles out hundreds of bookbags to kids in need
Growing up in Fox Chapel, Jessica Harcina’s family couldn’t afford to send her back to school in style. “We couldn’t go out and buy all the things that I needed,” said Harcina, now a Tarentum resident. “I was the kid who didn’t have a new backpack.” That feeling stuck with...
Tarentum park to be off-limits while crews remove giant tree
The playground at Riverview Memorial Park in Tarentum might need to close for at least a day or two while crews work in the coming weeks to remove a towering tree from the perimeter. Council on Tuesday approved the project after talking about the damage caused by a fallen branch...
Caribbean restaurant, 2 Sisters 2 Sons, closing Sharpsburg doors
A popular Caribbean restaurant that drew people to Sharpsburg for its oxtail and jerk chicken has announced its doors will close this month. 2 Sisters 2 Sons, which recently celebrated its second anniversary in the borough, will close Aug. 31 “The area wasn’t working out for us as we hoped,”...
Central Presbyterian Church in Tarentum serves free lunches for kids
Jayson Ankney of Tarentum said the free lunch served Tuesday at Central Presbyterian Church was worth the walk from his house at the top of the hill. A sixth grader in the Highlands School District, Jayson gobbled up the pancake bites and home fries doled out in the church basement...
Tarentum hires Stowe Township secretary as borough manager
Tarentum has a new borough manager. Council hired Dwight Boddorf of Bellevue on Tuesday. His start date is Sept. 1. Boddorf currently is the secretary of Stowe Township. He could not immediately be reached for comment. Boddorf will be paid $89,000. Council member Lou Ann Homa said she is eager...
Kiski Township motorcycle crash claims 2nd victim
The wife of a man killed in a Kiski Township motorcycle crash July 3 also has died from injuries related to the wreck. The victim was identified as Kimberly Stasko, 64, of Indiana, according to the Armstrong County Coroner’s Office. Stasko’s husband, Anthony D. Stasko, 58, was pronounced dead at...
Argonne Drive in Harrison reopens ahead of schedule
Argonne Drive in Harrison has reopened to traffic after being shut down in early July. The busy road connects Freeport Road near Highlands Middle School to Ash Street near the railroad tracks in Natrona. Work finished up earlier than expected — the road was scheduled to be off-limits until September....
