Penn-Trafford Star category, Page 23
Penn-Trafford unites general, special education students through bocce
Penn-Trafford High School is one of the latest Western Pennsylvania schools to start an interscholastic sports team that purposely fills its roster with students who have intellectual disabilities and ones who don’t. Penn-Trafford’s new bocce team is part of the Special Olympics’ 13-year-old Unified Champion Schools program, which uses sports...
3 New Jersey men accused of taking metal from Penn Township business
Penn Township police said three New Jersey men nabbed with metal items valued at $120,000 are suspected of being part of a large theft ring. Police said they responded to an alarm at Hamill Manufacturing Co. around 3:20 a.m. Saturday and spotted the three men leaving in a pickup loaded...
Police discover deplorable conditions, 77 animals; Penn Township officials condemn home
Two people were charged Friday with animal cruelty offenses after investigators removed 77 dogs, cats and other animals from a Penn Township home that later was condemned. Police said a teenage boy was living there and the home didn’t have running water. Humane officers and township police served a search...
‘Up and running’: Penn-Trafford creates 1st security camera policy, installs new devices
After purchasing more than 400 security cameras and seven door access systems in the fall, the Penn-Trafford School District has a policy to guide the use of its new technology. The school board voted this month to approve the district’s first security camera policy. “We really didn’t have a policy,...
With big 4th quarter, Olivia Pepple hits 1,000 points, leads Penn-Trafford past Latrobe
With a steal and a left-handed finish with 1 minute, 30 seconds remaining, Olivia Pepple reached a personal milestone. When the final buzzer sounded, the senior guard from Penn-Trafford was happier to get a team win. Pepple scored her 1,000th career point as the Warriors pulled past visiting Latrobe, 51-40,...
East suburban real estate transactions, week of Jan. 18, 2024
ALLEGHENY COUNTY Churchill Joseph Tomlinson sold property at 145 Kings Dale Road to Jalen and Kayla Thomas for $330,000. Monroeville Curillio Paul Caliari sold property at 1592 Lynn Ave. to DS Invest LLC for $35,000. NCRC House Rehab FD LLC sold property at 2118 Monroeville Road to Bradan Tinstman and...
Natural gas company contends compressor station for Penn Township not harmful to environment
A natural gas compressor station proposed for a 219-acre parcel in the northwestern section of Penn Township would not create a problem for that area’s air and water quality, witnesses for natural gas company testified Thursday at a township zoning hearing. Hyperion Midstream LLC, subsidiary of Olympus Energy LLC of...
Unbeaten Franklin Regional wrestlers take down undermanned Penn-Trafford
It wasn’t a question of who would win the WPIAL Section 3-3A wrestling match at Penn-Trafford — No. 4 Franklin Regional came in Wednesday night as a heavy favorite against the undermanned Warriors — but rather how it would be won. Indeed, Franklin Regional captured a 43-16 victory, but the...
Penn-Trafford identifies buyer for former administration building
The former Penn-Trafford School District administration building on Harrison City-Export Road could be renovated for commercial or residential rental units. The district plans to finalize the sale of the building Feb. 6 to Rick Goga, owner of Artistic Pools on Route 130 in Penn Township, according to court documents. Since...
West Virginia-bound Patton Graziano an all-around performer for Penn-Trafford Water Warriors
Patton Graziano gained a second home in November as he signed a national letter of intent to swim at Division I West Virginia. His first home, Penn-Trafford, is where he hopes to continue to make his mark in a senior season filled with high expectations. The defending WPIAL Class 3A...
Penn-Trafford senior Carlee Valenta signs with UTEP rifle team
Penn-Trafford senior Carlee Valenta said she was 12 years old when her grandfather, John Malazich, taught her how to shoot a rifle in his backyard. “We’d shoot at soda cans,” Valenta said. “Then my uncle Andy (John Andrew Malazich) got me involved in a local shooting club.” She honed her...
Penn-Trafford rifle team ready to defend title
Penn-Trafford rifle coach Diana Cholock isn’t making any bold predictions for this season. But if things fall right like they did last year, the Warriors have a chance at celebrating back-to-back state titles. The Warriors return five starters from the squad that picked the right time to jell in 2023....
East suburban real estate transactions, week of Jan. 7, 2024
Oakmont Gary Fletcher trustee sold property at 242 Rivermont St. to Nathan and Jessica Rhoads for $578,000. Donna Medved sold property at 125 View St. to Remedy Redevelopment LLC for $130,000. Brooks & Blair Homes Oakmont LLC sold property at 89 First St. to Lee Ann Shelburne for $2,085,000. Margaret...
East suburban real estate transactions, week of Jan. 7, 2024
Churchill Bradley Towell sold property at 2101 Beulah Road to Christopher and Amy Heckman for $37,500. Bellagia Properties LLC sold property at 1611 Branning Road to Timothy Koltonski and Carianne Turin for $365,000. Edgewood Janice Johnson sold property at 175 Lloyd Ave. to Yufei Zheng for $375,000. Evan Williams sold...
Rep. Dunbar’s former aide to seek seat
A former chief of staff to Republican state Rep. George Dunbar is seeking to succeed his former boss in the 56th District. Brian Rasel, 37, of Penn Township, announced his candidacy last month for the Republican nomination in the wake of Dunbar’s announcement that he would not seek reelection for...
Franklin Regional pulls away after Penn-Trafford shrinks Panthers’ big lead
Franklin Regional has a pilot light that burns brightly and ignites the Panthers’ fast-paced attack. Coach Jesse Reed never wants to see that light burn out, but he wants to temper it. Why? Because he loves his team’s fire. It’s just a matter of when to crank up the heat....
Penn Township holiday project enters 8th year supporting Western Pa. homeless shelters
The best part of Kellie Haldie’s Christmas is delivering gifts, clothes and personal care items to people living in local homeless shelters. About 35 volunteers join Haldie in the annual giving project, Blessing Our Sheltered Hearts, which started in 2016. This year, volunteers supported three shelters and about 150 families...
Penn-Trafford girls ready to face injury challenge head on
Penn-Trafford girls basketball coach John Giannikas is somewhere near the corner of thrilled and concerned. His team is 7-1 and takes a six-game winning streak into the new year. But the Warriors will march ahead without one of their top players. Sophomore guard Torrie DeStefano, who has emerged as a...
About 500 Penn Township residents will have new voting ward in 2024
New boundaries for Penn Township’s five voting wards are set to go into effect Jan. 1. Judge Harry Smail on Thursday approved an order authorizing the Westmoreland County Elections Bureau to revise and alter the voting districts after a months long process to redraw the boundaries. His ruling came at...
Quartet of WPIAL players selected to all-state field hockey teams
The Pennsylvania High School Field Hockey Coaches Association recently released its 2023 all-state teams, and while a majority of the players recognized are from the eastern side of the state, four from the WPIAL were honored with spots on the lists for both Class 2A and Class 3A. Penn-Trafford senior...
‘It’s not just a class thing’: Penn-Trafford adds hour to annual telethon, aims for $55,000 total
When Penn-Trafford High School’s video production class hosted its first telethon benefiting Make-A-Wish in 2017, the live production was 3 1⁄2 hours long. With about five hours of content planned for Thursday’s broadcast, the students and their teacher, Steve Vinton, have to piece together each minute. “We’re getting to the...
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....
Penn, Trafford middle school swimmers see success in 2nd season
The Penn-Trafford Middle school girls swim team capped off an undefeated season with a first place victory at the county championship meet. Girls and boys from Penn and Trafford middle schools formed a swim team last fall through fundraising by the Penn-Trafford Aqua Club, a competitive swim team organized by...
Veteran GOP lawmaker from Penn Township says he won’t run again for state House
George Dunbar’s upcoming 14th year representing residents of Westmoreland County’s 56th District in the state House will be his last. A Penn Township resident who has served as the Republican caucus chair since 2021, Dunbar announced Monday he doesn’t intend to seek an eighth two-year term in the House. “It’s...
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...
