In brief: Herald area events for the week of Feb. 19, 2024

Police talks moving forward

Blawnox and O’Hara councils voted to authorize officials from both municipalities to enter in-depth talks to consolidate police departments.

O’Hara council voted Feb. 13 and Blawnox voted Feb. 14.

The plan so far is to have Blawnox officers become township police and serve under Superintendent Jay Davis.

Officials from both towns said talks were in the preliminary stages.

Manpower appears to be the driving force of the discussions.

Blawnox has four officers while O’Hara has 15, all full time.

The councils also approved a conflict-of-interest waiver for the law firm Campbell Durrant regarding police services. Its attorneys represent both communities.

Free programs set at Cooper-Siegel

Cooper-Siegel Community Library in Fox Chapel will host the following free programs at 403 Fox Chapel Road. For details about the programs, call 412-828-9520.

• Evening Book Club will meet 7 p.m. Feb. 26. The monthly adult club welcomes new members. This month’s book is “The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder” by David Grann. People can participate in person or virtually.

• Crochet n’ Things, a program for teens and adults involving crochet, knitting and other yarn crafts, is set for 6 to 7 p.m. Feb. 29. The library will have some supplies available. This month’s project is chocolate-covered strawberries. Drop-ins are welcome as space permits.

• The Chess Club will meet from 1 to 3 p.m. March 2. The program is designed for children 6 to 11 and is open to all experience levels. Join local teen volunteers and learn how to play chess. Registration is recommended.

Sharpsburg libary plans activities for adults, tweens

Sharpsburg Community Library will host the following free programs at 1212 Main St. For details about the programs, call 412-781-0783.

• Art After Dark, an adult arts and crafts program, is scheduled for 6 to 7 p.m. Feb. 26. The monthly art workshop is open to all skill levels. Participants this month will learn about several black artists in honor of Black History Month. Activities will include games and a pop art portrait using Posca markers. Art supplies will be provided.

• Tweentastic, a program for students in fourth through sixth grades, is set for 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Feb. 29. Hang out, make friends and express yourself with program coordinator James Graham. There are different activities each week. Registration is recommended.

• First Friday, an all-ages after-hours program the first Friday of the month, is scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m. March 1. The library will be open for browsing, borrowing and hanging out. Patron computers will not be available during First Fridays, but printing is available via email. The program occurs after the library closes.

Commission meetings set

• The Aspinwall Planning Commission will meet at 7 p.m. Feb. 28 in the borough building, 217 Commercial Ave.

• The O’Hara Parks and Recreation Commission will meet at 7 p.m. Feb. 28 in the township office, 325 Fox Chapel Road.

Fox Chapel seeks volunteers to fill boards

Fox Chapel officials seek residents to fill spots on the environmental advisory council, civil service commission, planning commission, park commission, zoning hearing board, finance, pension and salary committee, construction board of appeals and the Fox Chapel Authority.

Forms are available on the borough website at fox-chapel.pa.us or at the borough office, 401 Fox Chapel Road.

People also can send forms and resumes to Shawn W. Peterson at speterson@fox-chapel.pa.us.

Home show set this weekend

The Home Show runs Feb. 23-25 at The Block Northway along McKnight Road in Ross.

The show will feature more than 80 vendors throughout the south corridor atrium.

Show highlights will include demonstrations and numerous how-to clinics; a jewelry, home decor and gem sale; and advice from home remodeling aficionado Andy Amrhein at 2 p.m. Feb. 24.

Admission is free for all three days. Hours are 2 to 7 p.m. Feb. 23, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 24 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 25.

For show details, visit https://theblockhomeshow.com/.

Blawnox seeks applications for military banner program

Blawnox is accepting applications for its Hometown Hero Banner Program.

It is designed to recognize and honor residents who served or are serving in the nation’s armed forces.

Each banner will honor a specific service person and will include their name, branch of service, medals of valor and a photo if provided.

The hometown hero must be a current or previous resident of the borough.

An immediate family member of a current or previous serviceman or woman of Blawnox also will suffice. Banners will be displayed on Freeport Road from Memorial Day to Veterans Day to honor and celebrate their dedication to our country.

There is no official deadline to submit an application.

However, it must be submitted by the end of March at the latest if the family wants the banner up for Memorial Day.

There is a $110 application fee.

Forms and details are available on the borough website at blawnox.com.

Food pantry open Feb. 23

Blawnox’s food pantry will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 23 at the borough building, 376 Freeport Road.

No residency or proof of income is required.

People can drop off donations to the panty from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

Items in demand include canned meats, tomato sauce, laundry detergent and dish soap.

For details, call 412-828-4141.

Dress rehearsal of spring musical open to senior citizens

Senior citizens 60 and older who reside in the Fox Chapel Area School District are invited to attend the spring musical dress rehearsal of “The Little Mermaid” at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 27 in the high school auditorium, 611 Field Club Road, O’Hara.

The event is free, but reservations are required.

Refreshments will be served before the performance at 3 p.m. in the auditorium lobby.

To make a reservation, call 412-967-2410.

Students to stage ‘The Little Mermaid’; meet-and-greet planned for kids

Fox Chapel Area students will present “The Little Mermaid” at 7 p.m. Feb. 29, March 1 and 2 and 2 p.m. March 3 in the high school auditorium, 611 Field Club Road, in O’Hara.

Tickets are $13, and all seats are reserved.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.showtix4u.com/events/fcahsmusical; a convenience fee will be applied. They also will be sold at the door pending availability. Tickets are nonrefundable and can not be exchanged for other performances.

Additionally, the performers will have a Meet and Greet in the Grotto for children 8 and younger from 10 to 11:15 a.m. Feb. 24 in the high school cafeteria.

The special event will include autographs from the performers, face painting, crafts and a sing-along with Ariel and King Triton.

Children must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets are $10 each, and only 100 tickets will be sold. Tickets can be purchased at at www.showtix4u.com/events/fcahsmusical.

About 140 students are involved in this year’s production, including the cast, crew and live pit orchestra.

Blawnox firefighters partner with coffee shop for fundraiser

The Blawnox Volunteer Fire Company is partnering with The Black Canary, a coffee and ice cream shop, for its February fundraiser.

The Black Canary created a special drink, the Freeport Flyer Mocha, in honor of the fire company’s new rescue vehicle that went into service in 2023. For every drink sold during the month of February at its Blawnox location, $1 will be donated to the fire company.

The specialty drink features smoked mocha infused with cinnamon and topped with torched marshmallows and cinnamon.

The Black Canary is located at 276 Freeport Road. Hours are from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays. The shop is closed on Sundays.

Orders can be made in person, online at pittsburgh.theblackcanaryorder.com or by calling 724-614-9823.

In-person story times set for prospective kindergartners

All four elementary schools in the Fox Chapel Area School District are hosting in-person story times for incoming 2024-25 kindergarten students and their parents and guardians.

The program is for prospective students who will turn 5 on or by Sept. 1, 2024. The story times will help the youngsters become acquainted with their respective elementary schools and kindergarten teachers. Parents and guardians will gain valuable information about school readiness and registration. Everyone is encouraged attend all three sessions. The remaining sessions include:

• Fairview Elementary School: 2 to 3 p.m. March 13 and April 17;

• Hartwood Elementary School: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. March 13 and April 17;

• Kerr Elementary School: 2 to 3 p.m. March 13 and April 16;

• O’Hara Elementary School (last names A-L): 2 to 3 p.m. March 19 and April 18;

• O’Hara Elementary School (last names M-Z): 2 to 3 p.m. March 20 and April 19.

Pre-registration is requested. For details and to register for the story times, visit https://www.kdgfcasd.com/.

Gowns, accessories sought for Project Prom

Each year, Project Prom provides eligible high school students with the opportunity to choose free formal attire from a selection of currently styled formal gowns, shoes and accessories.

O’Hara Township is an official drop-off location for Project Prom.

Items can be dropped off through March 15 during business hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at the township building, 325 Fox Chapel Road.

A clothing rack and bins are located in the lobby.

Allegheny County’s Department of Human Services started Project Prom in 2003, recognizing that prom night is an expensive evening and that many young men and women might be denied the experience as a result. Since then, thousands of teens have benefited from the program.

The gown giveaway is held over several days in the early spring; the dates for 2024 have yet to be announced.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly meets Tuesday evenings

The local chapter of TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), a support group to help those struggling with weight loss, meets Tuesday evenings at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1261 Pennsylvania Ave., in Oakmont. Meetings begin with a private weigh-in between 5:45 and 6:10 p.m.

Anyone interested in joining can attend a meeting and decide if TOPS is right for them. For details, call 412-828-3854 or email jmjkwj@gmail.com.

Pre-kindergarten program in 6th year

Applications for the Fox Chapel Area School District’s pre-kindergarten program for the 2024-25 school year are being accepted through April 5.

This will be the sixth year for the program, which is housed at Kerr Elementary School in O’Hara. It is open to youngsters across the district who turn 4 on or before Sept. 1, 2024.

The pre-kindergarten program will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and will consist of a 4-year-old classroom with 20 students. Eligibility requirements, application forms and details about the program are available on the district’s website at prek.fcasd.edu.

All students must be fully toilet-trained and able to use the bathroom without adult assistance. Parents and guardians must be able to provide transportation to and from school.

The program requires a five-day-a-week commitment, and a child could be withdrawn from the program after 10 absences.

Students are eligible for the program based on their family’s income, which must be below the 300% poverty level for the size of the family.

Enrollment forms — including the pre-kindergarten program application, income verification form and the commitment form — are available at prek.fcasd.edu.

All three forms and proof of income (a copy of one’s most recent W-2 or three current pay stubs) should be sent to Fox Chapel Area School District Pre-Kindergarten Program, c/o Dr. Ashley Constantine, 611 Field Club Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238.

For questions, contact Constantine, executive director of elementary education and instruction, at 412-967-2455 or ashley_constantine@fcasd.edu.

Pre-registration for kindergarten underway

The Fox Chapel Area School District will hold kindergarten registration for the fall semester in March.

The district offers various pre-registration events, including parent/guardian orientations and 2024-25 kindergarten story times, beginning in February. Details about all of events are available at https://www.kdgfcasd.com/.

All registration forms must be filled out online. Parents and guardians can go to http://register.fcasd.edu to begin the registration process.

Once the online forms are complete, parents/guardians will attend the school’s registration day, at a specific time, with their supporting documents. Orientation meetings to acquaint parents/guardians with the kindergarten program and registration process are scheduled in February.

Children must be 5 on or before Sept. 1, 2024, to be admitted to kindergarten for the 2024-25 school year.

A certificate of birth date, immunization records, two proofs of residency and a photo ID must be presented for registration.

A child will not be officially registered in the school until all of the items are presented.

Here is the schedule for in-person new kindergarten parent orientation meetings and kindergarten registration; parents and guardians will choose a specific registration time once they complete the online registration for their respective school:

Fairview Elementary School

• Registration: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 6

• The school is at 738 Dorseyville Road in Indiana Township. The phone number is 412-963-9315.

Hartwood Elementary School

• Registration: 8 to 11 a.m. and 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. March 7

• The school is at 3730 Saxonburg Blvd. in Indiana Township. The phone number is 412-767-5396.

Kerr Elementary School

• Registration: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 5

• The school is at 341 Kittanning Pike in O’Hara. The phone number is 412-781-4105.

O’Hara Elementary School

• Registration: 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. March 8

• The school is at 115 Cabin Lane in O’Hara. The phone number is 412-963-0333.

In addition, districtwide registration sessions for all elementary schools will be held in March for those unable to attend the individual school registration dates/times.

Registration for all incoming kindergartners will be 4 to 6 p.m. March 5 at Kerr Elementary School and 4 to 6 p.m. March 7 at O’Hara Elementary School.

Incoming kindergarten families also are encouraged to sign up for the story times hosted by their elementary school.

To sign up and to learn more about programs for incoming kindergartners, visit https://www.kdgfcasd.com/.

Rotary scholarships available to high school seniors

Applications are being sought for the Bob Williams Rotary Memorial Scholarship Program for the 2023-24 academic year.

Eight need-based scholarships of $5,000 each will be awarded.

High school seniors in Allegheny County are eligible to apply, as are vocational students, GED students and those attending parochial, charter and private schools.

Students must have a 2.5 or higher grade-point average and must complete an essay highlighting their community/school service.

Complete application and criteria materials are available on the Rotary District 7305 website or from area high school counselors.

Applications must be postmarked by Feb. 29.