Faces of the Valley category

Faces of the Valley: PR director leaves Allegheny Valley School District after 3 decades

To Jan Zastawniak, it’s a great thing to be a Dynamo. The Springdale alumna and longtime borough resident retired in December from Allegheny Valley School District, where she worked as public relations director for more than 30 years. But Zastawniak was never lacking for other responsibilities at Allegheny Valley. She...
Faces of the Valley: North Apollo man celebrated for 50-year career journey

Gene Burns has guts. At least that’s what his first manager, Don Brewer, at Kiski Valley Water Pollution Control Authority, said when Burns showed up on his doorstep on New Year’s Eve in 1975 asking for an interview. Less than a month later, Burns began what would become a 50-year...
Building the Valley: Veteran-owned 12 Bravo BBQ seeks to spotlight Harrison VFW

Frank Frantz isn’t afraid of a little heat. The South Buffalo resident is becoming known locally for his tangy “Bravo” barbecue sauce and slow-cooked brisket, sold the past few years from a roving food truck. He has joined fellow chef James Palumbi of Saxonburg in opening an indoor version, 12...
Building the Valley: Family creates cozy country charm with Bear Roots cafe in Washington Township

Giggles filled the air at Bear Roots cafe in Washington Township as Chrissy Klingensmith pushed her 1-year-old future granddaughter, Hadley, through the shop in a wheeled office chair. It was a small moment, but one that perfectly captured the family spirit behind the business. The cafe, which opened last March,...
Faces of the Valley: Lower Burrell teen making difference in local — and even global — politics

Sophia Walsh remembers being told that to become involved in politics, the local level is the best place to start. The Lower Burrell teen is already making her mark. Walsh, 17, was selected to be Lower Burrell’s junior council person, which is a nonvoting role but aims to provide a...
Building the Valley: Secondhand shop for kids ‘fills need’ in Vandergrift

Dylann Sowers says she opened her new storefront in Vandergrift with the community in mind. Kiski Kids Closet, located downtown on Grant Avenue, is a secondhand shop focused on affordable children’s clothing. It opened in mid-December. Sowers, 28, of Parks Township has three young boys of her own, which offered...
Faces of the Valley: 6-year-old BMX racer from Tarentum climbs to No. 1 national ranking

Not long after she began to walk, Elliana Zimmerman learned to pedal. The Tarentum youngster, now 6, went from a Fred Flinstone-style balance bike to pedaling — quickly — around a bumpy BMX track, according to her mother, Alexis. “When she was little, it made me nervous,” Alexis said. “She...
Faces of the Valley: Teacher provides special experiences for New Ken-Arnold kindergarten students

Julie Erb remembers one of her kindergarten students years ago telling her all they wanted for Christmas was a blanket. “A lot of kids, we don’t know them. Kids in the past have told me there’s no Christmas tree at home,” said Erb, a kindergarten teacher at Martin Elementary School...
Faces of the Valley: Harrison’s Bill Porter revels in connections made through Salvation Army kettle campaign

Bill Porter likes to talk. It’s a good thing, since he spends about seven hours a day chatting with strangers as a bell-ringer for the Brackenridge Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign. He sets up outside Giant Eagle at The Waterworks five days a week and says he revels in making...
Faces of the Valley: Giuseppe Lopreiato of Brackenridge credits old-school work ethic — and wine — for success

Giuseppe Lopreiato immigrated from Italy in 1960 with nothing but a strong work ethic and a knack for making wine. His wife, Maria, came first, settling with family in Brackenridge. Lopreiato stayed behind in his native Sant’Onofrio, working as a farmer and saving money to eventually follow. “It’s good here,”...
Faces of the Valley: Oakmont author celebrates faith, unique genre in breakout book

Glenn Armocida has lived many lives in his 66 years. The Oakmont author started his journey as a writer at a young age while growing up in Plum. Even then, he enjoyed reading and creating his own stories. With support from his parents and teachers, he attended the University of...
Faces of the Valley: Tarentum pastor marks 50 years in ministry, counts puppets, baseball as passions

Pastor, puppeteer and avid Red Sox fan. That’s how the Rev. Bob Dayton describes himself. Parishioners at Central Presbyterian Church in Tarentum, however, go further in their descriptions: supportive, worldly and well-rounded. “I have nothing but good things to say about him,” Barb Diller said. “When he first came to...
Faces of the Valley: Buffalo Township teen earns prize in World War II essay contest

Logan Smith, 13, said he didn’t know much about the Battle of Midway in World War II before he began to pen an essay about it earlier this year. But the Buffalo Township teen said he read up on the fight and submitted his text to the American Battle Monuments...
Building the Valley: New Lower Burrell salon has ‘modern, antique vibe’

Hayley Lorent’s goal when she started in cosmetology as a 15-year-old was to own her own business one day. A decade later, at age 25, Lorent has opened Velvet Shears at 2948 Leechburg Road in Lower Burrell. “I like that it’s Leechburg Road-facing,” said Lorent, of West Leechburg. “It was...
Faces of the Valley: Upper Burrell’s Betty Beestrice has township’s history at her fingertips

If you want to know something about Upper Burrell, ask Betty Beestrice. You’ll not only get a detailed answer, but after she sifts through the numerous pictures, newspaper clippings and other documents she and her late husband, Bill, have collected over the years, you’ll walk away with at least 10...
Building the Valley: Fawn’s Eddy Woodworking a family rite of passage

Woodworking isn’t easy. But 78-year-old Larry Eddy makes it look that way. He — and his family — have been turning flat pieces of plywood into 3D art walls at his woodworking shop off Route 908 in Fawn. The interactive, tactile walls are ordered by West Deer-based TFH Sensory Needs...

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