Tony LaRussa stories, Page 74

Allegheny County school districts — including two in the North Hills and six others in the region — have been asked to change school policies that violate the constitutional right of students to freely express their religious beliefs, according to a nonprofit legal organization specializing in First Amendment issues. Five...

Ross officials know that the township’s thriving youth athletic leagues play an important role in attracting residents and keeping them in the community. But the task of keeping track of the condition of fields, especially during the playing season, is left to the township’s busy public works department. Township commissioners...

St. Brendan’s Episcopal St. Brendan’s Episcopal Church is offering the following programs. The church is at 2365 McAleer Road at the corner of Rochester Road. For more information, visit stbrendans.org or call 412-364-5974. The church will hold this month’s Men’s Breakfast on Feb. 17, at the Eat’n Park on Route...

McCandless council has hired a new administrator to lead the town’s Planning and Zoning Department. Rachel J. “RJ” Susko will replace Bruce Betty, who is retiring after 25 years of service. Susko has a bachelor of science degree from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and master’s of public administration from the...

A celebration to mark the Lunar New Year was held on Saturday, Feb. 1 at Ross Park Mall in Ross Township. The event featured performances by the Yanlai Dance Academy as well as exclusive promotions. A “selfie station” also was set up for guests to snap a photo to post...

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary recently recognized Ross Township resident Donald Kuczenski Sr. for his 50 years of service. “Contributions to the Auxiliary’s programs have improved the safety and security of the ports and waterways in the Fifth Coast Guard District Southern Region,” said Chief Warrant Officer Jack Williams...

Ross Township commissioners on Monday appointed residents to serve on its newly created Environmental Advisory Council, which will serve as an advisory group on issues dealing with protection of natural resources. The seven-member council will be responsible for identifying environmental problems, making recommendations for plans and programs that promote conservation...

Members of the North Hills Drama Club took audiences on a journey “under the sea” with Ariel and her aquatic friends during the North Hills Drama Club ‘s winter musical “The Little Mermaid, Jr.” The club performed a three-night run Jan. 31 to Feb. 1 of the show adapted from...

Early bird tickets are on sale for the 6th annual Neighborhood Block Party to benefit North Hills Community Outreach. The March 22 family friendly event at the Chadwick in Wexford runs from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. and will feature music by “No Bad Ju Ju” as well as food, games,...

Ross Township police have issued an alert about a possible scam involving people going door-to-door asking to see residents’ utility bills and trying to get into their homes. Police say they have received a number of reports about such incidents but it is uncertain whether the people are representatives of...

Students in Vincentian Academy’s Musical Theatre Program will perform “The Drowsy Chaperone” from Feb. 21 to 23 and again on Feb. 28 and 29. This musical within a musical features show-stopping numbers and crazy mixups as it tells the story of a middle-aged, asocial musical theater fan and the characters...

Police arrested two men they say were among several people who stole checks from mailboxes in an effort to create counterfeit versions they then attempted to cash. The pair was charged Tuesday by the Northern Regional Police Department after security cameras at a Wexford bank recorded two people trying to...

Ross Township has an upcoming event to help add a splash of color to the Easter holiday. Learn the ancient art of “writing” with hot wax to create authentic decorated Ukrainian Easter eggs know as pysanky. The March 14 class, which runs from 3 to 6 p.m. at the community...

A veteran educator working for the Mt. Lebanon School District has been selected to serve as the new principal for North Allegheny Senior High School. The school board voted Jan. 27 to hire Natasha Dirda. For the past five years Dirda has served as a unit principal at Mt. Lebanon...

Students from North Allegheny Intermediate School will perform “Clue, On Stage” for its spring musical. The mad cap “whodunit?” tells the story of an unusual dinner party in which each guest has an alias, the butler offers a variety of weapons and the host is dead. The high school version...

A celebration will be held to mark the Lunar New Year on Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. at Ross Park Mall in Ross Township. The Feb. 1 event features performances by the Yanlai Dance Academy as well as exclusive promotions. A “selfie station” also will be set up for...

McCandless council has given the green light to spend more than $104,000 on three police vehicles, but decided to pass on buying hybrid versions until they have been in production longer. Council voted unanimously Jan. 17 to buy a pair of 2020 Ford Explorer Interceptor police SUVs with four-wheel drive...

Starting Wednesday, traffic along a section of Siebert Road in Ross Township will be down to single-lane alternating traffic so crews can relocate utility lines, PennDOT announced. The restrictions will occur between McKnight Road and Babcock Boulevard weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through late February, according to the...

Most knitters and crocheters are happy to use their skills to create beautiful and intricate items for themselves or family and friends. But sometimes they just have to use their needles and hooks to go big. For the fourth consecutive year, members of the Yarn It All group at Northland...

A plan to use the site of a former state liquor store on Perry Highway for a mixed-use development with 155 apartments, a pharmacy, fitness club, restaurants and a self-storage facility has received preliminary approval by Ross Township commissioners. Commissioners in November put off a vote on the plan until...

Ross Township commissioners have changed the start time for their regular monthly meetings. The nine-member board will hold its committee meetings to discuss township business and set the agenda for the voting meeting at 7 p.m. on the first Monday of each month. The board previously started the meeting at...