Commerce community supports special-needs school in Hartwood Towne Centre in Indiana Township
A group of independently owned businesses in Hartwood Towne Centre, along with a professional drummer from Sharpsburg, are enriching the lives of special-needs students in Indiana Township. River Academy of Excellence, one of the only private schools serving special-needs students in Allegheny County, opened in 2023 in the plaza with...
Fish fry major fundraiser for Indiana Township fire department
A Lenten fish fry fundraiser going on for about a decade has been a boon for the Rural Ridge Volunteer Fire Company in Indiana Township. A new generator, flooring and financing general operations have all come from community support, said company president and fish fry coordinator Ted Bajack. About $15,000...
Longtime firefighter, former Sharpsburg chief Lou Costanzo recognized for 50 years of service
Lou Costanzo has helped keep Sharpsburg residents — and others across the Lower Valley — safe for more than half a century. The lifelong borough resident joined the fire department at 18, following “all the older guys who I saw doing it and loving it.” Costanzo never left. He worked...
Aspinwall Council censures mayor for allegedly illegally recording private meeting
Aspinwall Mayor Scott Zimmermann has been censured by council members for what they claim was illegally recording a private meeting with borough officials. Council voted 5-1 on Wednesday, March 11 to pass a resolution expressing its disapproval of the mayor’s actions and requested that he resign. Councilwoman Patti McCaffrey dissented...
Fox Chapel’s Ellie Lange rallies for 200 IM gold in PIAA swimming championships debut
LEWISBURG — Freshman Ellie Lange was in fifth place entering the third leg of her swim in the championship heat of the 200-yard individual medley Wednesday evening at the PIAA Class 3A championships at Bucknell University. But she made up three places in the 100 butterfly and finished off her...
Fox Chapel teen who spearheaded recycling initiative needs volunteers to keep up pace
A Fox Chapel teen is making a dent in local landfills with his start-up, Green Bridge 412, but the soon-to-be college freshman needs someone to take the recycling reins. Over the past year, Kabeer Chopra and his team of volunteers rid thousands of pounds of plastic bags, glass bottles and...
Sharpsburg nonprofit to renovate historic 1900s-era hotel for affordable apartments
A Sharpsburg social services group that has worked for 12 years to bridge racial and economic divides is now ensuring people can afford to put down roots in the borough. Roots of Faith, which opened in 2014 as an outreach of Faith United Methodist Church in Fox Chapel, purchased the...
Shady Side Academy officials amend proposed entrance plans; review underway
Shady Side Academy officials are moving forward with new plans for a proposed west entrance to its Upper School campus in Fox Chapel. Revisions were made following objections from residents and the Fox Chapel Parks Commission to the academy’s original designs, which called for the removal of about 400 trees...
A-K Valley’s WPIAL champs ready for test vs. state’s best at PIAA swim meet
Kiski Area’s Leah Kunkle enjoyed the chance to celebrate her WPIAL Class 3A girls 100-yard breaststroke gold medal won Feb. 27 at Pitt’s Trees Pool. But not too long after that, it was back to work with the knowledge there was more to be had at the PIAA championships at...
O’Hara teacher named new executive director of Fox Chapel Area Adult Education
A preschool teacher with a penchant for Cheez-Its, succulent gardening, bird watching and serving her community is settling into a new leadership role with a well-established nonprofit based in Fox Chapel. Margaret Haas of O’Hara was named executive director of Fox Chapel Area Adult Education and began her new role...
In brief: Happenings across the Fox Chapel area
To have your news or event listed in our briefs section, email editor Marje Horvath at mhorvath@triblive.com. Aspinwall park remains closed as snow melts Fireman’s Memorial Park in Aspinwall remains closed as snow continues to melt. Public works crews used the park to pile up snow from the January storms....
At the library: Here are some upcoming events at Cooper-Siegel and Sharpsburg community libraries
The Cooper-Siegel Community Library and its Sharpsburg branch offer a variety of programming for visitors of all ages. To view a complete list of offerings, visit coopersiegel.librarycalendar.com. Events at both libraries are listed and can be viewed according to age group and location. Registration is required for most programs as...
Shady Side Academy girls stand tall in final, win program’s 2nd WPIAL title
Jonna Burke looked back at the bench and asked her assistant coach how long the WPIAL Class 3A girls basketball championship game had been going on. The Shady Side Academy coach felt like they had been there for four hours. But the truth was the Bulldogs only needed 82 minutes...
Shady Side Academy happy to extend season into PIAA playoffs
The Shady Side Academy boys basketball team was happy to reap the rewards that come with advancing to the PIAA Class 3A playoffs. The Bulldogs wish they had a little bit more luck with having players available to participate in everything that comes along with it. Shady Side Academy, which...
Fox Chapel coach tries hand at broadcasting for WPIAL basketball championships
Spending 17 years on the bench has provided Zach Skrinjar with a wealth of knowledge about the WPIAL basketball scene. When the Fox Chapel boys basketball coach had an opportunity to put on the headset and do color commentary on Trib HSSN for two championship games at Petersen Events Center,...
Fox Chapel real estate transactions for the week of March 8, 2026
Aspinwall Gary Cinquini sold property at 211 Fourth St. to Kimberly Kalista for $335,000. Etna Christopher Fleissner sold property at 10 Spring St. to Blue Loyal PA LLC for $118,803. Christopher Fleissner sold property at 6 Spring St. to Blue Loyal PA LLC for $85,570. Christoper Fleissner sold property at...
A-K Valley PIAA basketball playoff preview capsules for March 7, 2026
PIAA basketball playoffs Girls Class A First round 7-6 St. Joseph (14-11) at 9-1 Clarion Limestone (19-7) 1 p.m. Saturday Winner plays: Winner of 7-2 Geibel Catholic (23-3)/6-3 St. Joseph Catholic Academy (24-3) Wednesday in second round (site/time TBD) Players to watch: Bella Barolovic, St. Joseph; Hannah Beggs, Clarion Limestone...
Fox Chapel girls excited to return to state playoffs after 6-year absence
Marty Matvey came to the Fox Chapel girls basketball team in 2019, just a few months after the Foxes’ last trip to the PIAA playoffs. He had just helped guide South Park to a WPIAL Class 4A semifinal appearance and a trip to the state tournament. Though the Foxes have...
Skilled handyman from Fox Chapel stands out for work ethic, reliability
Todd Perschke has built a successful handyman business serving the Fox Chapel area after a long career in the automotive industry. “I show up for work,” said Perschke of his commitment to providing home improvement and fix-it solutions to both commercial and residential folks in the Fox Chapel Area School...
Phone-free policy at Shady Side Academy Senior School making a difference, administrators and students say
Shady Side Academy Senior School senior John Ludden has one less thing to occupy his time during the school day. His cellphone. Ludden and his 400 fellow senior school students were met with a new cellphone policy implemented in August, exclusive to the Senior School, prohibiting students from using their...
Chilling for charity: Fox Chapel Area students take the Polar Plunge
A group of Fox Chapel Area students for the fourth consecutive year took the plunge to help raise money for Special Olympics. High schoolers, along with students from Dorseyville Middle School, participated in the 2026 Cool Schools Polar Plunge at Acrisure Stadium on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. The event held Feb....
Retired dentist shares life-changing benefits of somatics in free class at Fox Chapel library
Retired dentist Tom Capriotti discovered pain relief through somatic movements more than 20 years ago. Capriotti, 75, of Oakmont is a certified personal trainer and instructs a one-hour class for adults, Simple Movement Through Somatics, fon Mondays at Cooper-Siegel Community Library in Fox Chapel. Somatics are movements that teach the...
A thrilling ride: O’Hara plans for bike skills course
Plans for a bike skills course in O’Hara are cruising along. The project is planned for Raymond A. Schafer Jr. Memorial Park in the township’s Montrose Hill section. The topography of Schafer Park at the top of the hill, combined with the township’s acquired land at the bottom of Powers...
Girl Scouts meet with Sharpsburg mayor, learn about local government
Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania Troop 10328 recently met with Sharpsburg Mayor Kayla Portis and got a look at how local government works. The Scouts took turns banging the gavel, asking Portis various questions and took t a tour of borough council chambers Feb. 25. The visit was part of...
Dozens of works by student artists on display at The Block Northway in Ross
A spotlight is shining on dozens of young artists at The Block Northway in Ross. The free art exhibit, located on the upper level of the mall, will be on display through March 22. It features works by students from several schools in the North Hills, including Blessed Trinity Academy...
