Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 80
Fox Chapel makes its mark with municipal solar energy
Fox Chapel on Monday became one of the first municipalities in the state that will power its borough buildings with solar energy, officials said. Council voted unanimously on the proposal, which begins with the installation of solar panels in the borough’s new public works buildings. Project costs are expected to...
Sharpsburg’s Fall Festival expected to draw thousands for pumpkin patch, carriage rides, food and fireworks
A Sharpsburg festival planned for Oct. 2 is pegged to be larger than the borough’s annual Open Streets Celebration that draws thousands. “To put it mildly, the event has exploded,” said Greg Domian, chair of the borough’s special events committee. “We have three football fields of vendors signed up.” The...
Tarentum invites children to enjoy Book Walk at Riverview Memorial Park
Retired Highlands teacher Jody Shumaker still has a passion to educate. The Harrison resident is bringing back her wildly popular Book Walks in person this fall at Riverview Memorial Park in Tarentum. “We have done many of them there at the park, but none since covid-19,” Shumaker said. “They were...
Pet costume contest, other events, encourage people to ‘Love Your Library’
If you wanted a reason to dress your cat like William Shakespeare, Harry Potter or even Batman, now’s the chance. The Community Library of Allegheny Valley in Harrison is hosting the “Love Your Library Pet Costume Contest” on Saturday, Sept. 25. It will be outdoors from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m....
Sharspsburg awarded grant to combat flooding
Sharpsburg has been awarded a $162,000 no-match grant to research how to thwart flooding near Seitz Run. Residents, particularly in the lower section of Kittanning Pike, are routinely flooded after heavy rains. The money will target ways to alleviate the impact, authorities said. Mayor Matt Rudzki thanked “everyone who made...
Drive-through food distributions remain at Pittsburgh Mills through December
The drive-up food distribution hosted by Allegheny Valley Association of Churches (AVAC) will remain at the Pittsburgh Mills mall through the end of the year, officials announced. It’s a shift from original plans to return to the empty Rite Aid building along Corbet Street in Tarentum. “Part of it is...
Aspinwall police offer Bike with a Cop event to build community relations
Four-year-old Phillip Jannetta of Aspinwall couldn’t quite keep up with the pack during the Aspinwall police “Bike with a Cop” event on Sept. 17. The new rider, however, had a great time cruising around town with the officers, according to Phillip’s mom, Rachel Jannetta. “For safety reasons, we had to...
Fire claims 69-year-old Armstrong County woman
A 69-year-old woman was killed after fire swept through her Armstrong County home on Sunday, authorities said. Beverly Rummel, 69, of Dayton was pronounced dead at the scene, Coroner Brian Myers said. Emergency crews responded mid-morning to Rummel’s home along Rabbit Hollow Road and found her inside the residence. “The...
Police investigate Homewood shooting
A man was in critical condition Sunday after being shot in Homewood, authorities said. Pittsburgh police responded to the incident just before 8:30 a.m. in the 7100 block of Frankstown Avenue. Emergency responders found a male suffering from gunshot wounds to the chest, public safety Spokesperson Maurice Matthews said. He...
Burtner House marks its 200th anniversary
History buffs, family descendants and others curious about one of Allegheny County’s five oldest homes flocked to Harrison on Saturday for the 200th anniversary of the Burtner House. The three-story stone farmhouse off Route 28 was built in 1821. It housed four generations, with the last person living there until...
Thousands pack Leechburg’s Market Street for 10th annual Pink Day
Pink Day was poppin’ in Leechburg, with organizers of the 10th annual celebration hoping to bring in nearly $30,000 for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Crowds packed the Market Street business corridor to browse dozens of food and craft booths, listen to two live bands and sport their brightest pink...
Sinkhole caused by water main break disrupts water service, traffic in Apollo
Crews from the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County worked Saturday to repair a water main break along North Pennsylvania Avenue in Apollo. The road buckled and collapsed, causing a hole at least 8 feet wide and 10 feet deep. The incident happened near the Apollo United Presbyterian Church and limited...
Brackenridge zoning board considers request to provide temporary shelter for homeless
Converting a former personal care home in Brackenridge for use by homeless families would not be a burden to the neighborhood, several people told the Brackenridge Zoning Hearing Board on Tuesday night. “It would be the solution to a burden in this community,” Misty Woody, a Harrison resident and past...
Fox Chapel’s Hardie Valley Park aglow with community spirit
Fox Chapel’s Hardie Valley Park was transformed with 1,200 candles scattered through the meadows and trails for a Summer Field Wander. “It was a breathtaking celebration of nature, culture and community,” said Mandy Steele, co-founder of the Fox Chapel Parks Conservancy and borough councilwoman. It was the third such event...
Highlands may require proof of negative covid-19 test to return early after quarantine
Highlands School Board is considering a proposal that would require quarantined students and staff to provide proof of a negative test before returning to school after seven days. “If no documentation is provided, they will adhere to the 10-day quarantine,” Superintendent Monique Mawhinney said during this week’s agenda meeting. The...
Highlands School Board to consider $30K to begin stormwater replacement project
Highlands school board is considering a project to repair and replace a failing stormwater line near the high school. The board meets at 7 p.m. Sept. 20 and will vote on nearly $30,000 in professional services related to the project’s prep work. Construction would target a washed out storm line...
Food trucks, health screenings and ax throwing mark O’Hara community center’s anniversary
Health screenings, food trucks and ax throwing are among the highlights of “Celebrate the Center” week at Lauri Ann West Community Center in O’Hara, that kicked off Sunday. Festivities include a dozen activities throughout the week that are aimed at inspiring and educating visitors. The center is marking its sixth...
Highlands School Board to meet virtually via Zoom
Highlands School Board will meet remotely for its agenda session Monday night. District officials contacted families by phone to alert anyone who had been planning to attend the meeting at 7 p.m. It was not clear why the meeting was being shifted to online. Superintendent Monique Mawhinney could not immediately...
Parts of Tarentum without power after truck knocks down 3 utility poles
Tarentum electric crews were working to restore power Monday morning after at least one utility pole was sheared in half and two others were knocked down. “We are aware of it and are doing our best to get it back,” council President Scott Dadowski said. The power went out at...
Etna Art Tour returns in person with food, dance, music
Etna’s main business corridor will be bustling with art, music and dance for the borough’s seventh annual Art Tour. Hosted in person after a covid-19-related hiatus last year, the event will be 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday Sept. 25 along Butler Street. “We think this shows our community’s resilience to...
Tarentum could appoint interim mayor in October to serve out rest of year
Tarentum is without a mayor, at least until next month. Council on Tuesday formally accepted the resignation of Eric Carter, who submitted a letter in August saying that he was stepping down as mayor because of scheduling conflicts. Carter’s term had been scheduled to end on Dec. 31. “As of...
Etna police investigating vehicle break-ins
Etna police are urging people to keep their vehicles locked after several break-ins were reported. Police posted to social media that many of the break-ins happened in the early morning hours of Tuesday . Vehicles in the Mt. Hope and West Etna neighborhoods were targeted, according to police. “We are...
Sharpsburg’s Alexander Sands draws national attention with Lawrenceville art gallery
Fox Chapel Area graduate Alexander Sands opened his Lawrenceville art gallery in February and has been blown away by the number of requests he gets from artists to display their work, from as far as Alaska and beyond. But Sands, a Sharpsburg resident, is staying true to his focus to...
Man stopped with loaded gun in carry-on at Pittsburgh International Airport
A man was stopped by Transportation Security Administration officers early Tuesday when they saw a loaded gun in his carry-on bag at Pittsburgh International Airport, authorities said. Officers observed a loaded 9mm handgun while the man was going through the main security checkpoint just before 6:40 a.m. Allegheny County Police...
West Nile-infected mosquitoes require additional treatment in Pittsburgh’s West End, North Side
The Allegheny County Health Department will treat several neighborhoods in Pittsburgh’s West End and North Side after recent mosquito samples tested positive for West Nile virus, officials said. Crews will spray Elliot and Crafton Heights from 8 to 11 p.m. Tuesday. Workers also will be in the area of Allegheny...
