Fox Chapel Herald category, Page 152
Former lumberyard will be site of new Sharpsburg public works facility
The site of a former Sharpsburg lumberyard will house the borough’s new public works facility. The nearly $700,000 price tag brings a long-needed upgrade and significant safety improvements over the current site, Mayor Matt Rudzki said. The new location, a vacant lot at 19th and Chapman streets, sits just a...
Indiana Township man left homeless after fire levels house, policeman alerts neighbor of the blaze
An Indiana Township man is homeless after a fire destroyed his home Saturday night, officials said. Chief Adam Siemianowski of Rural Ridge Volunteer Fire Company said a West Deer police officer spotted smoke around 10:30 p.m. coming from the home in the 250 block of Little Deer Creek Valley Road....
The Herald-area real estate transactions for the week of Aug. 16
Aspinwall Andrew Minnotte sold property at 300 Brilliant Ave. to Jacob Guertin and Sara Thompson for $425,000. Blawnox Anthony Spewock sold property at 718 Laurel St. to Jennifer Amorose for $85,000. O’Hara James Williams sold property at 102 Bristol Square to Lawrence Crossett and Nancy Hickcox for $499,900. Edward Joyce...
Family-owned book retailer to close 8 stores, including 1 in Pittsburgh Mills mallVideo
The Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer is losing yet another tenant. Bradley’s Book Outlet, a discount book retailer based in Blawnox, announced this week it is closing all eight of its brick-and-mortar stores, including the one in the Mills mall, because of the coronavirus pandemic and the viability of the...
Officials seeking teen resident to represent Aspinwall as junior council person
Aspinwall officials are seeking a teenage resident with an interest in local government to serve as council’s next junior member. Offered through the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, the program provides high school students the chance to get a first-hand glimpse into the daily workings of their municipality. The Junior...
A look back at the happenings of the week of Aug. 9 in the Herald areaVideo
Here are some of the top stories from the Lower Valley this week: - O’Hara’s Squaw Valley Park renamed. Council voted 6-1 to rename the site O’Hara Township Community Park, bringing a swift resolution to a two-month heated debate over removing the word Squaw, which is a slur against Native...
A dozen goats will scarf up vegetation along Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve trail
A dozen goats, herded by a donkey named Diamond, will scarf up vegetation along a trail at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve in Fox Chapel for the next few weeks. The temporary visitors are tasked with the important job of eating invasive plants near an ADA-compliant trail at the campus along...
News briefs: Pop-up clothing sale on tap at Sharpsburg thrift store
The nonprofit Second Harvest Community Thrift Store will host a pop-up clothing sale on Aug. 15 in Sharpsburg to help families with back-to-school shopping by offering low prices on essentials such as shoes, jeans and tops. The event will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking lot at...
Barry Henck takes over as new pastor at Roots of Faith church in Sharpsburg
When Barry Henck landed in Pittsburgh four years ago this winter, he attended a small Bible study at Roots of Faith in Sharpsburg and unknowingly found his calling. “It was freezing cold and I’m standing in a packed room listening to Bible study and loving it,” said Henck, a native...
O’Hara Council meeting Zoom bombed before residents continue park-renaming argument
People who tuned into O’Hara Council’s Zoom meeting Tuesday night got an earful that wasn’t about township parks or sewers. Council was the victim of at least two Zoom bombers who unloaded a barrage of vulgarities throughout the first 20 minutes of the remote meeting. The pranksters were able to...
Aspinwall eyes improvements to reduce stormwater overflow to section of Alley A
Aspinwall is eyeing improvements to a section of Alley A that are expected to help reduce stormwater overflow. The cost of the project is $268,660. Work will target a section of Alley A from Center to Western avenues and is expected to be started in the near future, according to...
Fox Chapel Area students in all grades can decide between hybrid model or online learning
Fox Chapel Area students at all grade levels will have the option of returning to class two days a week or learning entirely online. The school board on Monday night approved the district’s return-to-school plan with a vote of 6-3. Board members Amy Cooper, Edie Cook and Dharmesh Vyas opposed,...
Letter to the editor: More voices needed to be heard in O’Hara Township park renaming issue
For a variety of reasons, I was not in favor of changing the name of Squaw Valley Park. Not the least of which was that more O’Hara Township residents were not given the time or opportunity to express their opinion, pro or con. It may very well be that the...
Foxwall EMS Chief Josh Worth leaves to take job in West Virginia
From a new bike crew to increased assistance for opioid users, Foxwall’s Josh Worth worked to build stronger relationships with Lower Valley residents during his three years as chief. Worth announced last week that he was leaving the Fox Chapel-based group for an out-of-state job. His last day was Aug....
The Herald-area real estate transactions, Aug. 10
Etna Cornelia Swircz sold property at 56 Maplewood St. to Rafiah Daughtry for $121,260. Real Estate Transactions are provided by RealSTATs. Contact RealSTATs at 412-381-3880 or visit www.RealSTATs.net....
The Herald student news for Aug. 8
Shady Side Academy rising junior Karen Linares Mendoza has been named as a student member of the board of the Beckwith Institute, a health care group dedicated to improving patient care. Mendoza will serve a two-year term and joins rising senior Nora Navid on the board for 2020-21. Each year,...
News briefs: Free school supplies for students available in Sharpsburg
Youth Empowerment Project of Sharpsburg, along with Sharpsburg Family Worship Center, will distribute free school supplies for students. The event will be 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 15 at 600 Clay St., Sharpsburg. Visit sfwc.org to register for a time slot or call 412-799-0701. —- There will be a single-lane...
No browsing but pair of community libraries to open for computer, printer use
You can’t browse the shelves yet but Cooper-Siegel Community Library and its affiliated Sharpsburg Community Library will open Monday for patrons to use computers, fax services and printers. Use is by appointment only. Jill McConnell, executive director of the libraries, said she is thrilled to be able to offer the...
O’Hara, Etna residents can take advantage of county program to fight blight
O’Hara and Etna residents can take advantage of an Allegheny County program to fight blight and at the same time expand their property at a discounted price. The 2020 Side Yard and Blighted Structure Program runs for a limited time through Sept. 30. It assists residents who want to buy...
Fox Chapel boys golf places 4th at NHSGA National Invitational
When the Fox Chapel boys golf team headed to Pinehurst this week to compete in the NHSGA National Invitational at Pinehurst Resort they had one thing on their mind and that was to compete. After three days of team competition, the 2019 PIAA Class 3A champions did just that. With...
O’Hara resident’s upcoming book delves into history, science, Greek mythology
Oncology nurse-turned-author Danielle Ancona will take readers on an ethereal journey through history, science and Greek mythology in her upcoming release, “By Immortal Honor Bound.” It is the first book in the O’Hara resident’s “Of Alchemy & Angels” series and is due out Nov. 4. “My hope is this book...
O’Hara Council: Squaw Valley Park is now O’Hara Township Community Park
People watching the O’Hara Council meeting online via Zoom on Tuesday night erupted in cheers and applause following a vote to rename Squaw Valley Park. Council voted 6-1 to rename the site O’Hara Township Community Park, bringing a swift resolution to a two-month heated debate over removing the word Squaw...
Fox Chapel Area School Board to vote Aug. 10 on back-to-school plan with options
Fox Chapel Area School Board will vote Aug. 10 on its back-to-school plan, with the outside chance that elementary students would return to classes full-time. Superintendent Mary Catherine Reljac made a lengthy presentation during a special board meeting Monday, saying that plans currently include hybrid and online options for families...
O’Hara Council: Squaw Valley Park is now O’Hara Township Community Park
People watching the O’Hara Council meeting online via Zoom on Tuesday night erupted in cheers and applause following a vote to rename Squaw Valley Park. Council voted 6-1 to rename the site O’Hara Township Community Park, bringing a swift resolution to a two-month heated debate over removing the word Squaw...
Municipal officers will still have a role in Fox Chapel Area School District plans
Fox Chapel Area officials and local governments are sorting out responsibilities for district police coverage now that budget reductions have eliminated municipal officers from working in district buildings in 2020-21. Municipal officers still will have a role during high school sports and other activities, officials said. O’Hara Officer Ben Wolfson...
