Shaler Journal category, Page 48
Shaler notebook: Senior beats clock to earn spot in WPIAL swim meet
Lydia Nebiolo knew every meet would matter. Qualifying for the WPIAL Class AAA swimming championships would require having one of the 16 fastest times because of the covid restrictions in place. During the Shaler senior’s final home meet Feb. 22 against Pine-Richland, Nebiolo swam her best time in the 200...
Shaler freshman bowler comes through in clutch
Shaler bowling coach Shawn Pilyih gave freshman Braden Scott a quick hook in the Titans’ final regular-season match. Pilyih was “average watching” and knew after Scott threw a 220, his cumulative mark was over the 170 threshold that would qualify for the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Bowling League championships last Wednesday...
Chick-fil-A a big hit with customers on opening day in O’Hara
Chick-fil-A opened its O’Hara location Thursday, and customers were already lined up in their cars along the Fox Chapel Plaza parking lot eager to satisfy their waffle fries and chicken cravings. “We had 20 cars waiting in line before the restaurant opened at 9 a.m.,” said Drake Rabon, the restaurant’s...
Sinkhole partially swallows Shaler street sweeper
A sinkhole partially swallowed a street sweeper in Shaler Plaza early Thursday, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI. Roads have since reopened in the area where a waterline break happened about 2 a.m. and caused water to gush along Butler Street and Saxonburg Boulevard. The street sweeper was in a...
Etna appoints Alice Gabriel to fill council vacancy
Etna council has a new representative, one who said the borough’s revitalization inspired her to consider serving in local government. Alice Gabriel, who moved to the borough two years ago, was appointed by council during its Feb. 16 meeting. She will fill the unexpired term of the late Rudy Milcic,...
News briefs: Stress management session, mass transit study, free tax prep, student scholarships and more
Shaler Area School District will host “Managing Stress During Stressful Times,” a virtual community event from 6 to 7 p.m. on March 3. The event will offer resources to students and families to help them identify and deal with the increased stressors of living during a pandemic. Topics will include:...
Shaler girls look to regain momentum once playoffs start
Filling time between the final regular season game and the start of the WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball playoffs required some guesswork for Shaler coach Cornelious Nesbit. The Titans can’t improve their seed because the team was shut down for covid-19 related issues in the school district. Shaler’s last game...
Shaler boys learn to shake off rust during stop-and-start season
Developing chemistry after a long layoff won’t be such a foreign concept for Shaler junior guard Dylan Schlagel. In preseason, the Titans’ boys basketball team would have benefited from having name tags on their jerseys with the number of freshmen vying for varsity playing time. Seven freshmen have played for...
Shaler area real estate transactions for the week of Feb. 21, 2021
Etna Estate of Kenneth Wayne Moots sold property at 143 Sherman Ave. to Richard Begenwald Jr. and Brittany Begenwald for $110,000. Brian Berkheiser sold property at 54 Sycamore St. to Rodney and Ron Walzi for $100,000. Kevin Cody sold property at 129 Vista St. to Garrett Burke Vrbanic and Alexandra...
Shaler eyeing $1.5 million in road paving
Shaler commissioners are eyeing a hearty road paving program this year, with nearly two dozen streets on the list for improvements. Manager Tim Rogers said the board allotted $1.5 million for road work as part of this year’s $14.5 million budget. The list includes: • Locust Ridge, Chapleau, Mica, Peters,...
Shaler Area School Board greenlights 4-day, in-person schedule
Shaler Area students can return to the classroom four days a week, beginning in March, through a phased transition approved Feb. 17 by the school board. Under the plan, the district’s youngest learners would have the option to return first. As proposed, students in kindergarten through third grade can be...
Lenten message delivered across Lower Valley, with or without ashes
Christians who were unable to get ashes swabbed across their forehead to celebrate the start of Lent shouldn’t despair. Ash Wednesday, with or without the black ashes, kicks off a season inner reflection and repentance, according to the Rev. Jim Gretz, the pastor of St. Matthew Parish. “I have always...
Ross OKs using community center gym for covid vaccination clinic; no opening date announced
The Ross Township commissioners on Tuesday approved an agreement with Allegheny County to operate a covid-19 vaccination clinic at the municipal building. No date was announced for when the people can begin receiving shots. The board’s unanimous vote to OK the agreement with the county came with no discussion or...
Stormwater project closes Kittanning Street through early March
A stormwater project along Kittanning Street in Etna finally is underway after multiple hiccups delayed the work. The PennDOT project includes gas line relocation and drainage upgrades between Snyder and Greismere streets, and requires a portion of Kittanning Street to be closed around-the-clock to through traffic. Construction is expected to...
Medical shuttles across Alle-Kiski Valley among services funded by St. Margaret Foundation
A free medical shuttle that transports patients throughout the Alle-Kiski Valley is among services funded by $675,755 in grants recently announced by the St. Margaret Foundation. Money will be distributed with the specific goals of supporting patient access, education and experience, foundation President Mary Lee Gannon said. “This past year...
News Briefs: Free tax prep, litter collection, La Roche preview nights and more
Free tax prep is available through the North Hills Community Outreach. This is a seasonal program that helps low-income households who earn less than $57,000. The service is available through April 14. A fully virtual option through an IRS-approved website can be accessed at getyourrefund.org/nhco. Limited contact options are available...
Shaler Area’s Keenan balances basketball, indoor track
Jack Keenan didn’t seek an opportunity to follow in his dad’s footsteps. When the Shaler Area junior hurdler landed on the hurdles as his primary event in middle school track and field, the idea was to try and exceed his dad’s accomplishments. “I started in middle school because my dad...
‘Happy, cheerful and ready to go,’ Pilyih leads Shaler Area bowling
Lexi Pilyih doesn’t dwell on what could have been. The Shaler Area sophomore was a major cog of a Titans’ girls bowling team that made school history by qualifying for the state bowling championships as a team. Days before states were scheduled to commence, the Titans saw their first trip...
Pittsburgh artist, Millie’s Ice Cream create frozen treat for Black History Month
The middle of winter isn’t when people generally think of buying frozen desserts. Pittsburgh artist Cue Perry has whipped up a reason to embrace the cold. Perry collaborated with Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream to create “Blackout Brownie,” a gelato, for Black History Month. Proceeds from the sale of pints of...
Shaler area real estate transactions for the week of Feb. 14, 2021
Millvale Ronald Alston sold property at 115 Clara St. to Tina Kirsch for $95,000. DRD Properties LLC sold property at 107 Maryland Ave. to Natasha Kromka for $50,000. Shaler Randall Craig Nortman sold property at 104 Braun St. to Jaelynn Blakey for $212,000. Kenneth Knight sold property at 117 Danube...
Etna Volunteer Fire Department hosts St. Patrick’s Day T-shirt fundraiser
Etna Volunteer Fire Department is sponsoring a St. Patrick’s Day T-shirt fundraiser but the money won’t pay for turnout gear or new equipment. It will help feed borough neighbors who are struggling during the covid-19 pandemic. Proceeds will benefit Bread of Life Food Pantry, housed in Calvert Memorial Presbyterian Church...
Route 28 wrong-way driver hits multiple vehicles before crashing
At least one person was taken to the hospital after a wrong-way crash on Route 28 late Wednesday night, according to Allegheny County 911. The crash on northbound Route 28 at the Highland Park Bridge happened shortly before 11 p.m. According to state police, a pickup was traveling south in...
Letter to the Editor: Pity those trying to schedule a covid-19 vaccination
I’m 79 years old but worked in IT for 40 years and consider myself pretty computer savvy. But the extreme difficulty I’ve had trying to schedule a covid-19 vaccination makes me feel pity for the people who have little or no computer experience. What a frustrating process this is for...
All Saints Church steps up to collect donations for Etna food pantry
The Bread of Life Food Pantry in Etna has tripled its donation dropoff days in order to meet the climbing demand for help from hungry families. There has been a 33% spike in the number of people seeking food from the site at 94 Locust St., in the basement of...
News briefs: Scholarships, Valentine’s Day dinners, free tax prep, student news and more
Scholarship applications are available from the Glenshaw Century Club for Shaler Area High School seniors. Applications are available in the guidance office or by sending an email to glenshawcenturyclubinc@gmail.com. Applications are due by March 19. Drive-thru fundraiser dinner planned Shaler Garden Club is hosting a Valentine’s Day drive-thru dinner fundraiser...
