Penn Hills Progress category, Page 29
Penn Hills notebook: Fate brings Indians, Gateway together again
The Penn Hills and Gateway boys basketball programs may have been separated when the WPIAL realigned the sections, but the neighbors and rivals still found that fate couldn’t keep the pair apart. The Indians finished the regular season with a 14-7 overall record and were 6-4 in Section 2-5A play....
East suburban real estate, week of Feb. 18, 2024
Penn Hills Lisa Blickenderfer sold property at 1022 Sixth St. to Timothy Kunkel for $120,000. David Bollinger sold property at 323 Auburn St. to William Stanziana Jr. and Cynthia Stanziana for $120,000. Elaine Sadler sold property at 5716 Brinley Drive to SFR Workforce Owner LLC for $126,000. Al Smith Jr....
East suburban real estate, week of Feb. 18, 2024
ALLEGHENY COUNTY Churchill Phyllis Szoko sold property at 314 Surrey Pl to Leon and Jeanetta Blackston for $239,000. James Reese sold property at 120 Thornberry Drive to Charles Vaughn for $319,000. Forest Hills Mary Duffy Rooney sold property at 109 Bevington Road to Corner Lot Homes LLC for $130,000. Monroeville...
Penn Hills starts, finishes strong in Class 5A win over Thomas Jefferson
Penn Hills played a picture-perfect road game in the first half Friday on opening night of the WPIAL girls basketball playoffs at Thomas Jefferson. Then the Indians nearly flushed it away with a rough third quarter, only to answer the bell in the fourth to take control back and beat...
Federal prosecutors: East Hills felon ‘repeatedly endangered the community’ by firing machine gun in several incidents
A former East Hills man and convicted felon was sentenced to a decade in federal prison on Friday, after he was found in possession of a machine gun that prosecutors said was fired during multiple shooting incidents in Pittsburgh and Penn Hills. Oronde Shelton, 51, was sentenced following conviction on...
Riverview High School set to present ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’
Riverview High School drama students are in full rehearsals prepping to showcase an all-ages spring musical production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” “This show will be a spectacle of emotions and energy,” said producer Laurie Sliben. “It’s full of meaningful themes like family, acceptance and forgiveness — all...
Automated trash, recycling carts generating mixed reviews in Penn Hills
“Atrocious,” “an eyesore” and “an insult to the community.” Resident Jim Getsy is talking about the free trash and recycling carts distributed throughout Penn Hills in December. Not everyone feels so strongly, but the new receptacles have generated dozens of phone calls to the municipality and hundreds of online comments,...
Letter to the editor: With garbage cans, one size doesn’t fit all
I am writing to explain my frustration with the garbage bins recently delivered to my neighborhood. I was encouraged to learn Penn Hills would be upgrading trash services to include matching garbage and recycling bins. Unfortunately, these oversized bins have been anything but an upgrade for many residents as they...
Human resources director for Penn Hills School District accused of harassment
A Penn Hills School District administrator is accused of physically harassing an adult at Linton Middle School. Robert Kollar, the district’s director of human resources, placed his midsection on the alleged victim’s back and neck on Dec. 12, according to a summary citation filed in the case. The citation did...
In brief: Penn Hills and Verona area happenings, week of Feb. 12, 2024
Class of 1974 planning 50-year bash The Penn Hills High School Class of 1974 will have its 50th reunion at 6 p.m. June 8 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Monroeville. The cost is $65 per person. The gathering will include appetizers, food stations, dessert, nonalcoholic beverages, a photo booth...
Accessible bathrooms at McKinley Center, street paving part of Penn Hills’ plans for block grant
It’s Community Development Block Grant season in Penn Hills, with project bids out for street reconstruction and accessibility improvements at the William McKinley Center. Each year, Penn Hills receives funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for projects that help low- and moderate-income residents or meet urgent community...
Penn Hills notebook: Wrestlers look to advance to WPIAL tournament
Jeremy Packer is eager to see how the Penn Hills wrestling team will handle the section qualifiers. The Indians didn’t have anyone make the WPIAL Class 3A tournament last season, but have several prospects who could make the leap this year. Penn Hills wrestled at the Pine-Richland duals Feb. 3,...
Penn Hills girls look to fine-tune game heading into playoffs
Making adjustments late in the season has served the Penn Hills girls basketball team well. The Indians won back-to-back games going into their section finale, putting them in the playoffs for the second straight year. Without having to scratch and claw late for a spot like last season, senior guard...
State Rep. Joe McAndrew made chair of Public Transportation subcommittee
State Rep. Joe McAndrew was appointed chair of the House subcommittee on Public Transportation, his office announced Feb. 9. The appointment coincides with the release of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2024-25 budget, which calls for $283 million in new state funding for public transportation and nearly $1.5 billion over five...
Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority pauses collection enforcement after uncovering billing error
Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority customers who spotted bad math on recent bills aren’t alone. A notice went out to customers Feb. 8, warning a “small number” of them may have received incorrect information on their monthly bills. Customers have not been charged incorrectly, according to Doug Komandt, WPJWA executive director,...
Penn Hills likely to replace municipal engineer, despite delays
Growing pains for the new Penn Hills Council have delayed a breakup between the municipality and its engineering firm of almost 20 years. Gibson-Thomas Engineering is poised to replace The Gateway Engineers, with a council vote likely coming in February. Council has twice tabled a resolution to make Gibson-Thomas municipal...
Verona Garden Club has a new board; popular fundraiser canceled
A new Verona Garden Club has formed following a mass exodus of board members a few months ago. The nonprofit beautification group installs and maintains hanging baskets throughout the borough as well as planting at the war memorial and other projects. Recently appointed club president Daniel Showalter said its former...
Penn Hills School District celebrates students, staff, parents with new initiative
In an effort to recognize hard work within the school district, Penn Hills Superintendent John Mozzocio has started an initiative called Pride and Promise. Each month, a student, teacher or staff member and a parent will be recognized with an award. “These are given to community members, parents, students and...
In brief: Penn Hills and Verona area happenings, week of Feb. 5, 2024
Plum AARP meeting to showcase Zoomobile, several animals The Plum AARP will have its monthly meeting at noon Feb. 13 in Unity Community Church. The program will feature the Zoomobile, which will bring four to five small animals for the group to meet and learn about. The Plum AARP, a...
Nothing slows Serra Catholic freshman, even her school’s lack of a swim team
Emily Ruperto enjoys the satisfaction of finding a way to self-motivate while competing for Serra Catholic in swimming. The Eagles don’t have enough kids to field a full team, so Ruperto competes as an independent swimmer. In many competitions, Ruperto’s only opponent is the clock on the scoreboard. “I feel...
Carter Lance, Penn Hills football players make college plans
Carter Lance would like to stand out when he hits the practice field for Duquesne’s football team this summer. The Penn Hills senior defensive lineman’s misfortune gave him ample time to devise a recovery plan. Lance tore his meniscus in the third game of the season and missed the rest...
East suburban real estate transactions, week of Feb. 4, 2024
ALLEGHENY COUNTY Chalfant Lucas Spieler sold property at 230 Fairview Ave. to Starry Night 88 LLC for $72,500. Churchill Jeanette Blackston sold property at 2525 Greensburg Pike Unit 401 to Sanatkumar Kutumbaka for $200,000. Edgewood Western PA School For The Deaf sold property at Unknown Address to Lucas Rious Maldague...
Fresh Prep Pittsburgh offers eat-in and takeout options in Penn Hills
Bobby Franklin grew up playing sports. The constant movement in his youth kept his metabolism up and a few fries never mattered. When he stopped playing sports and began working full time, like most people who grew up as athletes, he realized his days of fast food on the go...
Redeemer Lutheran High School students enjoy benefits of new location in Penn Hills
A Christian high school has plenty of space for more students in Penn Hills. Redeemer Lutheran High School relocated from the nearby Redeemer Elementary campus to a new school building exclusively for grades 9-12. Freshman Quincy Davis of Penn Hills is happy to have a school solely catering to teenagers,...
In brief: Penn Hills and Verona area happenings, week of Jan. 29, 2024
PALS lines up several events for February The Plum Area Ladies Society (PALS) will hold its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 7. The guest speaker will be a representative from Jeremiah’s Place, which provides child care for low-income families. The service project will be to donate money, laundry supplies...
