Bethel Park Journal category, Page 2
Bethel Park residents help collect 3,000 pounds of food for nonprofits
With what turned out to be a record-setting shutdown of the federal government delaying Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for millions of Americans, Bethel Park resident Tyann Neal decided to practice what she preaches. “I was looking at social media one day, and people were posting so many negative things....
Bethel Park residents to see small tax increase in 2026
Municipal taxes are rising in Bethel Park. Accompanying the 2026 budget, as adopted by council on Nov. 10, is a .6-mill increase in the real estate tax rate, from 3.19 to 3.79 mills. Including the .34 mills dedicated to fire protection, the total for next year is 4.13 mills. The...
Bethel Park’s William Penn ranks 9th among Pa. elementary schools
Bethel Park’s William Penn Elementary School is going out in style. A U.S. News World Report ranking of the best public elementary schools in Pennsylvania has Penn coming in at No. 9. Researchers with the media company compiled data from the U.S. Department of Education focusing on state assessments of...
3 incumbents retain Bethel Park School Board seats
Three incumbents won reelection to Bethel Park School Board, according to unofficial Allegheny County election results. Retaining their seats on Nov. 4 were Democrats Sharon Janosik (7,439 votes) and Buffie Faes (6,904), along with Christina Headley (7,538), who ran as a Republican and Democrat after winning both parties’ nominations in...
Bethel Park mayor reelected, 3 new members voted onto council
Bethel Park’s longtime mayor won reelection Nov. 4, according to unofficial Allegheny County results. Republican Jack Allen garnered 6,926 votes, representing just under 52% of the total cast, in defeating Democrat challenger Jon Lloyd (6,383 votes). Allen was first elected mayor in 2013 after serving on Bethel Park Council since...
Bethel Park pulls away from North Hills in Class 5A 1st round, sets up Peters Township rematch
Bethel Park combined a stout defense with timely offense Friday night, defeating North Hills, 38-7, in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs. It was a slow start for the Black Hawks, who found themselves tied 7-7 in the final minutes of the second quarter. That’s when, despite...
Franklin Regional perseveres, beats Bethel Park to earn return trip to WPIAL title game
Fabrizzio Costa’s late-game goal set up by Michael Hillenbrand sent No. 3 Franklin Regional back to Highmark Stadium, defeating No. 2 Bethel Park, 1-0, in the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Tuesday night. “If you give yourself enough opportunities, something good can happen,” Franklin Regional coach Nick White said. “On that...
Bethel Park student achievements for the week of Oct. 28, 2025
Bethel Park High School sophomores Andrea Solorzano and Leena Miloua are creating a new program to help students explore careers and connect with business, healthcare, marketing and law professionals. The initiative, BP Career Connect, grew out of an idea the students discussed on a bus ride home from last year’s...
Bethel Park real estate transactions for the week of Oct. 26, 2025
Samuel Garloff sold property at 5543 Clarene Drive to Megan Crighton trustee for $138,000. Weston Dwayne Homa sold property at 5579 Clarene Drive to Jake and Audrey Babyak for $230,000. Eileen Reiner sold property at 1064 Glen Oak Drive to Michaelis Wilson and Victoria Rutherford for $304,500. Paul Pica sold...
Unsung hero Jack Johnson packs punch for Bethel Park defense
An often-overlooked contributor on the Bethel Park football squad in 2025 was Jack Johnson, a junior linebacker. All Johnson did through nine games was lead the Black Hawks in tackles with 40 total stops, including 29 solo hits. “I think our team has done very well thus far,” Johnson said,...
Workhorse David Dennison fuels high-octane Bethel Park offense
Bethel Park senior standout David Dennison was a gem of an athlete among WPIAL football players in 2025, particularly running backs. And behind Dennison & Co., the Black Hawks enjoyed an outstanding season in 2025, posting a 6-3 record with one game to go thanks to in large part a...
Bethel Park savors 3rd straight section title, wants more
Bethel Park’s boys soccer team won its third consecutive section title with a near-perfect 12-0-2 record. The Black Hawks outlasted Thomas Jefferson (11-2-1) and Trinity (10-3-1) at the top of the section standings and took a 12-2-3 overall record and No. 2 seed into the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs. “I...
Bark or Treat at Hartwood Acres Park
What’s cuter than a dog? A dog in a Halloween costume, of course! Dog owners jumped at the chance to show off their costumed canines during the annual Bark or Treat event Oct. 18 at Hartwood Acres Dog Park. The pups participated in a “trick-or-treat” experience, searching the park for...
7 candidates vie for 4 Bethel Park School Board seats
Seven candidates are vying for four seats on the Bethel Park School Board in the general election. One of them, incumbent Christina Headley, won both the Democratic and Republication nominations in the primary. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order. Karleen Bileck Republican Age: 43 Education: BA Hons in elementary education...
Bethel Park honors residents over age 90
The mulitpurpose area at Bethel Park Community Center was reassuringly crowded, given the nature of the event. Oct. 3 marked the 21st annual gathering of the 90-Plus Club, with a room full of nonagenarian Bethel Park residents gathered for lunch and celebration. Many were new members, attending for the first...
Ave Maria Academy balloon rosary connects students through prayer
The sound of children’s voices could be heard in unison praying as they sat outside of Ave Maria Academy in Bethel Park on Oct. 6 while a rosary made of balloons floated in the air. “This is a great opportunity for the students to pray together,” said Mark Grgurich, co-principal...
Bethel Park council race has 4 contested wards
Races are contested in four wards for municipal council. Residents of Ward 7 and Ward 9 will have new representation on council, while incumbents are running in Ward 1 and Ward 5. Republican John Oakes, council president, is unopposed in Ward 3. Candidates in each of the wards for council...
Bethel Park councilmen honor Joey Fabus with memorial bench
A short distance from the house in which Cindy Fabus grew up is a bench bearing the name of her late son. On Oct. 20, she unveiled a plaque in memory of Joey Fabus on the new seat at the entrance to Pine Tree Park, accessed from N Street in...
Jack Allen faces Jon Lloyd in Bethel Park mayoral race
Two candidates, including the incumbent, are squaring off for Bethel Park mayor Jack Allen Republican Age: 73 Education: BS, University of Pittsburgh Occupation: Retired Community involvement: Mayor, 12 years; council member, 16 years; past commander, American Legion Post 760; chairman, Veterans Memorial committee Years residing in municipality: 38 With state...
Doubles victory lifts Quaker Valley in WPIAL team tennis thriller; Shady Side Academy reigns in 3A
With each team having won two matches, the No. 1 doubles teams from North Catholic and Quaker Valley were locked in a decisive showdown. Quaker Valley’s Jane Lenhard and Kate Miller went down 1-0 in the first set but rallied back and defeated Ava Conley and Leah Kernan to bring...
Upper St. Clair outscores Bethel Park for important Allegheny Six win
Last season, Bethel Park and Upper St. Clair didn’t decide their game until the final minute, a 14-10 road win for the Panthers. After jumping out to a 14-0 lead in Week 7’s contest Friday night, the Panthers led by 15 at the half and ran away with a 25-point...
Bethel Park School District program promotes reading relatability
Many may remember receiving school reading assignments and not particularly enjoying them or being able to process the necessary content in time for the exam a few days later. Thanks to a program called Core Knowledge Language Arts, Bethel Park School District students have an opportunity to become more invested...
Franklin Park teen establishes nonprofit clothing company to help victims of domestic abuse
A North Allegheny senior is putting her heart where her needle is. Patricia Rae Shanahan of Franklin Park is the owner of Heart and Hem, a nonprofit that designs and sells clothes to raise money and awareness for survivors of domestic abuse, with proceeds directly benefiting the Women’s Center &...
Moon edges Bethel Park in Allegheny Six Conference opener
The hype has been plentiful around the Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference, and Friday night’s clash between Moon and Bethel Park showed why. At Tigers Stadium at Moon Area High School, Moon bounced back from a tough nonconference loss to Seneca Valley last week with a strong start and a...
North Allegheny among 6 Western Pa. districts accepted into League of Innovative Schools
Preparing students for the future by working with some of the most innovative school districts in the nation is one of the advantages that North Allegheny will have as a new member of the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools. North Allegheny joins five other school districts in Western Pennsylvania...
