Fox Chapel Herald category, Page 17
Aspinwall Tee Ball’s 3rd season kicks off
The weather forecast looked grim for the opening day of the third season of Aspinwall Tee Ball on June 14, but the raindrops subsided about halfway through the day and all the games were able to be played as scheduled. The fun started at 8:45 a.m. on Ben Killian Field...
No injuries in Blawnox train-truck crash
A 195-car train and a tractor trailer collided Friday morning in Blawnox. Crews were dispatched just before 8:30 a.m. to the Fairview Avenue rail crossing, near its intersection with Papercraft Avenue, according to first responders. Blawnox Deputy Fire Chief Matt Kauper said the tractor-trailer was leaving the American Beverage Company...
Sharpsburg, Etna, Millvale residents can get stipends for ongoing education
It’s been 25 years since John Moore graduated from high school, and now the Sharpsburg resident is eager to complete his college degree. He is enrolled at Community College of Allegheny County to earn a paraprofessional certification. His expected commencement date is early 2027. Moore, 43, got some help with...
Indiana Township officials vow to continue safety efforts on 128-year-old bridge and tunnel
A very old railroad bridge has a new look in Indiana Township, as township officials continue their efforts to restore the Rural Ridge tunnel along Little Deer Creek Valley Road to ensure optimal public safety for motorists. Rebecca Mink of Indiana Township has witnessed the deterioration of a 128-year-old railroad...
Season’s final Funnel Cake Friday set in Sharpsburg
A Sharpsburg summer tradition that mixes funnel cake batter with a powdered sugary sprinkle of community spirit will soon come to a close. This season’s final Funnel Cake Fridays is set for June 27 from 5-8 p.m. at Kennedy Park. It is expected to be packed with musical performances by...
In brief: Alley Bash, community flea market and more in Aspinwall area
July 4 celebration at library Cooper-Siegel Community Library in Fox Chapel will host a Fourth of July celebration from 6-9:45 p.m. Bring a picnic or snacks, enjoy lawn games and listen to a live reading of the Declaration of Independence. The event will be in the Fritz Mitnick Welcome Garden...
O’Hara book-lover turns the page on a new job post-retirement
Karen Fornari grew up walking herself to the public library in her hometown of Indiana, Pa. “From childhood, I was a reader. Nancy Drew was my favorite,” Fornari said. “I always looked for the brand new books and it was exciting.” Her love of books continues post-retirement with a part-time...
Pickleball popularity presents sustainability problems with plastic balls
When pickleball exploded in recent years as America’s favorite sport, the pastime came with collateral damage — plastic neon-colored balls piling up in landfills. More than 500 million pickleballs are manufactured each year, seemingly with nowhere to go, said Jeff Pepper, an avid player from Verona. “The number is huge,”...
Fox Chapel Area student achievements for the week of June 24, 2025
Three Fox Chapel Area School District students were named national winners in the 2025 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. In the writing portion of the national contest, Fox Chapel Area High School 2024-2025 freshman Eliana Wellman won a silver medal for her story “The Prankster” in the humor category; and...
Student-led garden at Fox Chapel Area High School to help feed community
An organic idea by two rising Fox Chapel Area seniors is expected to make a lasting impact on their larger school community. James Manges and Aavree Hill are creating a community garden at the high school, the crops from which will help feed those in need. Fruits and veggies will...
Fox Chapel woman trades classroom for career in real estate
Tracy Wiley is wild about real estate. She is the one-woman Realtor behind the brand “Real Estate Gone Wiley,” with social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram that feature Wiley and her advice and tips and tricks for navigating the real estate world in Pittsburgh — with an emphasis on...
Fox Chapel area real estate transactions for the week of June 22, 2025
Etna Estate of Charles Fredwin Osthoff sold property at 42 Cherry St. to Brian Gonzalez for $73,000. Estate of Barbara Synan sold property at 85 Dewey St. to John Becker and Amanda Ireland for $50,000. Daniel Bill sold property at 21 Lincoln St. to Todd Levy for $210,000. Elaine Gazdik...
Memorable girls basketball season leads list of Shady Side Academy 2024-25 highlights
The Shady Side Academy girls basketball team took a crushing loss in the WPIAL Class 3A championship game. The Bulldogs also lost their 6-foot-2 forward Cassie Sauer for their run through the state playoffs. But Shady Side Academy was able to pull itself together and move on to the PIAA...
Wrestler’s resilience highlights winter, spring seasons in Fox Chapel sports
Michael Worsen shouldn’t have even been at the Class 3A Western Regional. But the Fox Chapel senior made the most of his opportunity, entering the tournament as a late scratch and earning a spot at the PIAA tournament at 121 pounds. Worsen, who also crossed the 100-win mark for his...
UPMC St. Margaret opens urology lab, streamlines prostate cancer testing, treatment
A new urology lab with advanced diagnostic testing is up and running at UPMC St. Margaret Hospital to deal with a slow but steady increase in the number of prostate cancer cases diagnosed each year. The second-leading cause of cancer death in men, prostate cancer impacts one in eight men,...
Blawnox considering tax credit for volunteer firefighters
Blawnox firefighters may soon get a tax break. Borough officials are drafting an ordinance that could slash hundreds of dollars from their earned income tax. There are many details that still need to be worked out with the fire department, borough manager Kathy Ulanowicz said on June 11, including criteria...
New ‘pawfficer’ program promotes dog adoption in Fox Chapel
Fox Chapel Borough officials and the Fox Chapel Police Department are looking to beef up dog adoption awareness with a new program. A rescue dog named Mr. Beefaroni was the first of many dogs that will hopefully find their furever homes through the “K9 Officer for a Day” initiative. The...
Fox Chapel Area School District celebrates the class of 2025
Fox Chapel Area High School senior Anna Mohn believes asking odd questions is among the best ways to get to know someone. As editor of the school’s weekly student newspaper, she has sought knowledge such as someone’s hype song, what they are most thankful for and their favorite word. Mohn...
Shady Side Academy’s class of 2025 has impressive future plans
Shady Side Academy’s class of 2025 included 122 graduates who will study at 90 different colleges and universities in 37 states. The academy’s chief marketing officer Diana Toole said that 95% of the students will attend institutions that have been ranked among the nation’s top colleges and universities by U.S....
New Fox Chapel borough manager’s salary information obtained
The new Fox Chapel borough manager’s salary will be $185,000, according to borough records obtained by TribLive. Council unanimously voted May 19 to hire Julie Bastianini as its next top administrator upon the retirement of current manager Gary J. Koehler. Her salary was not listed in the May meeting minutes...
Shady Side Academy reportedly rethinking proposed west entrance to Fox Chapel campus
Shady Side Academy officials are expected to change their plans for an entrance on the west side of the Upper School campus. Fox Chapel Mayor Alex Scott, borough manager Gary Koehler, several council members and others met with academy leaders behind closed doors to discuss the project on May 21....
In brief: July 4 celebration at library, water valve replacement and more in Aspinwall area
July 4 celebration at library Cooper-Siegel Community Library in Fox Chapel will host a Fourth of July celebration from 6-9:45 p.m. Bring a picnic or snacks, enjoy lawn games and listen to a live reading of the Declaration of Independence. The event will be in the Fritz Mitnick Welcome Garden...
Fox Chapel Borough Manager Gary Koehler set to retire after 40 years of government service
Gary Koehler remembers being fascinated by project designs when he was growing up in Shaler. He would watch as his father, Jack, a township volunteer planning commissioner, reviewed various documents and architectural drawings. “As a little boy, 12 years old, he would bring home plans and put them on the...
Fox Chapel Area School Board approves 2025-26 budget with 2.3% tax increase
Fox Chapel Area School District officials have approved next school year’s budget with a 2.3% tax hike and no cuts to programs or services. The board voted unanimously on its 2025-26 spending plan on June 9. The millage rate jumps from 21.51 mills to 22 mills, about a 0.5-mill increase....
Fox Chapel Area student achievements for the week of June 17, 2025
Five Fox Chapel Area School District students were named winners in the 2025 WQED Writers Contest. Fairview Elementary School second-grader Theresa Zigler was named a first-place winner for her story “The Case of the Missing Guitar.” Kerr Elementary School first-grader Ameena Searight won first place for her story “Ameena’s Silly...
