Penn Hills Progress category, Page 31
Older, wiser Penn Hills grad Corey Thomas Jr. transfers to Virginia for final college season
Football didn’t always go the way Penn Hills graduate Corey Thomas Jr. hoped it would during his time at Akron. The Zips didn’t win a lot of games. Thomas was also asked to cycle between defensive line, linebacker and safety. But when Thomas hit the transfer portal in the offseason,...
East suburban real estate transactions, week of Dec. 21, 2023
Chalfant AYT Assets LLC sold property at 236 Highland Ave. to Lucia Alexandra Giamanco for $95,000. Edgewood Richard Bereznak sold property at 109 Harlow St. to Leah Valtin Erwin and Forrest James Jackson for $308,000. Forest Hills Kathleen Kyle sold property at 135 Avenue L to Angie Jolicoeur for $160,500....
3 Lakes Golf Course to demolish former Alcoma Golf Club building
The culture surrounding the game of golf was quite different a century ago. When Art Hawk bought the former Alcoma Golf Club in 2006, his daughter Megan Strasser made a surprising discovery in the clubhouse. “There weren’t even women’s restrooms accessible to players when we bought it,” Strasser said. In...
Verona, Oakmont host holiday events the same day
Holiday events in Verona and Oakmont brought thousands of area residents to both boroughs to celebrate the season. Activities began in Verona for its third annual Jolly Jamboree Nov. 18. There were performances by students of the Western Pennsylvania Center for the Arts under the direction of Bonnie Myers-Toward. Youths...
In brief: Holiday concerts and events, Rotary scholarship and more in Penn Hills, Verona
Trinity Tower United Methodist Church Trinity Tower United Methodist Church welcomes Pittsburgh’s “Lady of the Blues,” Miss Freddye Stover on Dec. 17 to provide special music during the 10:30 “Celebration” worship service at the church, 6729 Saltsburg Road, Penn Hills. Accompanied by Michael Huston on guitar and Benj Spencer on...
Penn Hills wrestlers build confidence with success at early season tournament
Penn Hills wrestling coach Jeremy Packer set up the team’s schedule so things would get progressively tougher. Competing at the Southwest Kickoff Classic at Valley High School was the right way to build confidence. Penn Hills had three wrestlers — Daemon Phipps (121 pounds), Julian Lavender (127) and Jacen Wright...
Penn Hills notebook: Charles Morris picks up coach of the year award
The Penn Hills football team collected plenty of accolades from the Big 56 Conference. Indians coach Charles Morris was selected as the Northeast Conference’s coach of the Year. Penn Hills had eight players selected to the first team for all-conference. Julian Dugger and Amir Key were selected to on the...
East suburban real estate, week of Dec. 10. 2023
Churchill Estate of John Patterson sold property at 2525 Greensburg Pike Unit 102 to Antonette Fairbanks and Miroya Monsour for $190,000. Tarek Abulleil sold property at 3306 Scathelocke Road to Gerald Daniel and Janet Bednarz for $329,000. Lori Jean Putnam trustee sold property at 1625 Williamsburg Pl to Natural Home...
Penn Hills School Board reorganizes
Penn Hills School Board welcomed one new member and four returning members at its final meeting of the year on Dec. 6. Incumbents Erin Vecchio, Jackie Blakey-Tate, Devon Goetze and Robert Marra swore their oath of office alongside newcomer Heather Broman. She replaces Meryl Thomas, who served on the board...
LifeVenture Buy Choice Homes real estate firm, homeowner advocacy organization opens in Penn Hills
Real estate firm LifeVenture Buy Choice Homes held its grand opening on Dec. 2, continuing a legacy at 9817 Frankstown Road of fostering homeownership for minority and lower-income families. The ribbon-cutting ceremony featured remarks from founding partners Sheldon Oliver, Charlise Smith and Mary Hester, as well as John Bettis of...
Penn Hills residents receiving new trash, recycling carts
Penn Hills residents will receive new trash and recycling carts beginning Dec. 11 to allow for automated pickup. Each single-family home and duplex will get a wheeled 95-gallon garbage cart and 65-gallon recycling cart free of charge, with additional receptacles available from Republic Services for $85. Council re-contracted with the...
Penn Hills student achievements for the week of Dec. 5, 2023
Calla Paule received the James E. and Ellen Wadley Roper Graduate Fellowships in creative writing and Lily Peter Creative Writing Scholarship this fall from the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas. The award was one of 960 scholarships totaling $1.6 million given to Fulbright College...
In brief: Holiday happenings, upcoming meetings and more in Penn Hills, Verona
AARP Plum AARP will hold its Christmas Party at Jaden’s II on Dec. 12, beginning at 11:30 a.m. The entertainment will be The G Boys. Plum AARP is a social club open to residents of Plum, Penn Hills, Monroeville and surrounding communities. Each meeting offers free cake and coffee/tea and...
East suburban real estate transactions, week of Dec. 7, 2023
Edgewood Joshua Sayre sold property at 420 W Swissvale Ave. to Donald Page for $355,000. Forest Hills Megan Oravec sold property at 623 Cascade Road to Rachel Ally Beck for $270,525. Ranjeet Kalsi sold property at 101 Fall Run Road to Claire Berkley for $256,000. Estate of Cheryl Forcucci sold...
Penn Hills wrestlers set sights on longer postseason runs
The Penn Hills wrestling program will be in a year of transition. The Indians bring back four wrestlers — Cameron Patterson (139 pounds), Julian Lavender (133), Daemon Phipps (114) and Levi Smith (127) — who saw significant time last season. All four finished with double-digit wins, but none escaped the...
Penn Hills swimmers optimistic about season despite pool repairs
Things will be decidedly different for the Penn Hills swimming team this season. When the Indians start the season, Penn Hills will have its home meets at the Olympic Swim & Health Club instead of the school’s pool at Linton Middle School. The pool has had maintenance issues since last...
East Hills man gets 25 years for armed robbery spree
An East Hills man who went on a nine-day armed robbery spree in the east suburbs last year has been sentenced to 25 years in prison, federal officials said. Eric Jones, 34, of Pittsburgh’s East Hills neighborhood was sentenced Wednesday, according to U.S. District Attorney Eric Olshan. He had pleaded...
Linton Middle School says YESS to alternative security team
Sandy Barker, Linton Middle School principal, updated school board members on the progress of the school’s Youth Engagement Support Service (YESS) team on Nov. 28. The team consists of seven members who are charged with connecting with students and de-escalating possible conflicts. The middle school transitioned from hired security officers...
Crescent Hills Holiday House Tour supports Penn Hills park
Grace Edwardo was on a holiday house tour in Oakmont in 2022. She recalled one home where the kitchen was transformed into the children’s game Candyland. “The decorations were all red and white, like peppermint star candies,” said Edwardo. “The kitchen table was set up with red and white dinnerware,...
In brief: Rotary scholarship, holiday lights and more in Penn Hills
Rotary scholarship The Bob Williams Rotary Memorial Scholarship Program announces the availability of scholarships for the 2023-24 academic year. In recent years, at least eight scholarships of $5,000 each have been awarded. High school seniors in Allegheny and Beaver counties are eligible to apply. Vocational students, GED students and those...
Penn Hills girls look to keep the ball rolling after playoff season
Robert Cash doesn’t want the Penn Hills girls basketball team to take its foot off the gas. Last season, the Indians found a way to turn around their fortunes. Penn Hills returned to the postseason after batting through a ferocious race in Section 1-5A. The Indians lost in the first...
Penn Hills boys focus on fundamentals while reloading after WPIAL championship run
Chris Giles doesn’t need to look at the returning players or incoming freshmen to know what the plan is. The veteran Penn Hills boys basketball coach is going to focus on the fundamentals. While this year’s version of the Indians will be missing key pieces from their WPIAL Class 5A...
East suburban real estate transactions, week of Nov. 26, 2023
Edgewood Mary Przybysz sold property at 1029 Savannah Ave. to Peter and Laurine Weisskopf for $601,000. Forest Hills Richard Kotler sold property at 10 Bevington Road to Anna Marie Lawn for $300,000. Monroeville Bryan Shirtliff sold property at 136 Armour Drive to Terry and Junnie Mendelowski for $425,000. Pamela Ann...
Residents weigh in on proposed Penn Hills budget
Rising sewage rates dominated the conversation at a Penn Hills public budget hearing on Nov. 20. Of the roughly 30 people in attendance, six offered input on the municipality’s proposed spending plan for 2024, which does not include any tax increases or service cuts. Resident Colleen Conley suggested that the...
Oakmont business owner opens 2nd location in Penn Hills
Penn Hills will welcome a new gift shop just in time for holiday shopping. Teresa Stitt of Oakmont is opening a second storefront for her gift shop Embroidery From the Heart. Stitt and her husband have lived in Oakmont for 38 years, and she has run her business there for...
