In brief: Happenings across the North Hills Journal area

Trick-or-treat times

Here is when trick-or-treating will take place in the North Hills Journal communities.

Residents who plan to participate are asked to leave their porch lights on.

• Ross: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31

• West View: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31

Garden club members to learn about possums

The Ingomar Garden Club will hold its next meeting Nov. 5 at Northmont Church, 8169 Perry Highway, McCandless.

The 10:30 a.m. business meeting will be followed by a luncheon at 11:30 a.m. and a program about possums.

Julie Travaglini, senior director of education and curriculum at the Allegheny Land Trust, will present “Awesome Opossums: Is It Possum or Opossum?” She will speak about the intriguing biology and ecological importance of the often-overlooked opossum.

Prospective members are welcome.

For details, visit ingomargardenclub.com.

OES announces 8th annual holiday craft show

The Norwood Herrington Chapter No. 356 Order of the Eastern Star will hold its eighth annual Holiday Craft & Vendor Show from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Greater Pittsburgh Masonic Center, 3579 Masonic Way (off Cemetery Lane), Ross.

Admission is free.

Everyone is welcome to start their holiday shopping with offerings from local vendors, including handcrafted items, unique gifts, sweets, jewelry, decor and apparel.

There also will be a large basket auction of items from the vendors at the show.

CCAC schedules fall event for community

CCAC’s North Campus, 8701 Perry Highway in McCandless, is hosting a Fall Community Day from 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 5.

Everyone is welcome to join local community organizations, friends and neighbors for crafts, live music, food, games and more.

Complimentary light refreshments will be available.

For details about CCAC’s fall events schedule, visit ccac.edu/ccac-events/index.php.

Free vaccine clinic set for pets of veterans, service members

Animal Friends is honoring our nation’s heroes through its Animal Friends for Veterans program with a free vaccine clinic for the pets of veterans and current service members.

The event will take place on Pittsburgh’s North Side from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 30 in the ALCO Parking Red Lot 7C, 630 Scotland Ave.

No appointment is necessary, and proof of military status will be required. In addition to free vaccines, attendees can receive complimentary pet food and supplies while supplies last.

The clinic will provide vaccinations for dogs and cats, including:

• Rabies

• FVRCP (cats)

• DHPP and Leptospirosis (dogs)

Additional services also will be available:

• Microchips: $11

• Flea and tick treatments: Seresto collars ($55-$65) and topical treatments ($8-$10)

The event site is accessible by train and bus to Allegheny Station (a 10-minute walk) and by bus to the General Robinson Street Parking Garage (a three-minute walk).

Animal Friends is dedicated to supporting veterans and service members through accessible and compassionate pet care.

For details about the Animal Friends for Veterans program, visit ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org.

North Hills Cares recognized for fighting child hunger

The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank recently named North Hills Cares a gold winner of this year’s Child Hunger Hero Award Program.

The West View-based nonprofit is one of 55 schools and community sponsors recognized at the gold, silver or bronze levels for going above and beyond to serve meals to children.

One in 5 children in Southwestern Pennsylvania live in a household that struggles with access and affordability of nutritious food.

This year’s award winners were evaluated on their involvement in programs including school meals, summer food, afterschool meals, weekend backpacks and school pantry programs.

For details about North Hills Cares and to learn how to help, visit northhillscares.com.

Cash 5 ticket sold at Sheetz in Ross lands $675K jackpot

Someone who bought a Pennsylvania Lottery Cash 5 with Quick Cash ticket on Oct. 4 at the Sheetz along Babcock Boulevard in Ross snagged a $675,000 jackpot.

The ticket matched all five balls drawn: 6-30-38-41-43.

The lottery retailer at 3025 Babcock Blvd. will receive a $5,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

Winners can be identified only after prizes are claimed and tickets validated. All prizes must be claimed within one year of the purchase date.

More than 12,200 other Cash 5 with Quick Cash tickets also won prizes in the drawing.

Each Quick Cash game offers a chance to instantly win $2 or $6. The chances of winning a Quick Cash game are separate from the chances of winning the main Cash 5 game. The overall chances of winning in a Quick Cash game are 1 in 4.71. The chances of winning the Cash 5 jackpot prize are 1 in 962,598, while the overall chances of winning any prize in the main Cash 5 game are about 1 in 10.5.

Discounted park tickets available for fall, holiday events

Ross is reminding residents that fall and holiday amusement park discount tickets are available at the township office, 1000 Ross Municipal Drive.

Tickets are available for Kennywood’s Phantom Fest ($40 as opposed to the gate price of $75.99), Idlewild’s Hallowboo! ($36 instead of the $65.99 gate price) and Kennywood’s Holiday Lights ($24 instead of the $60.99 gate price).

To purchase tickets, visit the township receptionist’s desk during business hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

To confirm ticket availability, call Jackie Snyder at 412-931-7055.

Ross approves car wash on McKnight Road

Ross commissioners at their Sept. 15 meeting approved the construction of a car wash on McKnight Road.

Express Wash Concepts applied to construct and operate a car wash at 7903 McKnight Road. The property, near The Block Northway, was previously home to Cort Furniture.

The company had first applied to Ross in October 2024, but a parking issue arose with an adjacent business and the application was tabled. The issue was resolved, and the township planning commission recommended approval at its Aug. 28 meeting.

The existing building will be demolished and replaced with a one-story, 3,450 square foot car wash.

Contract with crossing guards includes raises

Ross commissioners have approved a new, three-year contract with a union representing 14 school crossing guards in the township.

The agreement between the township and Teamsters Local 249 is effective from Sept. 1 through Aug. 13, 2028. The union had previously accepted the contract.

It provides an 85-cent per hour pay raise in the first year, to $20.81, with 60-cent per hour raises in the second and third years.

The crossing guards, who are part-time township employees, can work shifts that are three, four or five hours long.

Honorary name OK’d for township road

Ross commissioners have approved assigning an honorary name to part of Cliffview Road.

Cliffview Road is partially in Ross and partially in Pittsburgh. The Ross portion now is named in honor of P.J. Kirby, who was essential to the success of the neighborhood development.

A majority of the residents on the Ross part of the road had signed a petition asking for the honor to Kirby.

The designation does not alter the legal name of the road for property addressing, emergency services, mapping or postal delivery.

The township will arrange for the installation of honorary signage beneath the official street name signs, with the township paying the cost of fabrication and installation.

Nominations sought for Citizen of the Year award

Nominations for the 2025 Durachko-Gottfried Ross Township Citizen of the Year are being accepted.

Founded in 2019, the award is presented each year to a township individual or group who has made a meaningful and significant impact on the community.

The deadline to nominate an individual or group is 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7. One candidate will be given the award at the Dec. 15 commissioners meeting.

For details and a nomination form, visit ross.pa.us/397/Durachko-Gottfried-Citizen-of-the-Year-A.

Funeral home’s 11th food drive underway

Neely Funeral Home, 2208 Mt. Royal Blvd. in Shaler, is conducting its 11th annual food drive through Nov. 16 to help neighbors in need this holiday season.

Nonperishable food items and toiletries can be dropped off at any time, day or night, at the funeral home. During off-hours, items can be placed in a large storage bin between the double doors at the front of the building.

Most-needed nonperishable food drive items include canned meats, canned tuna and salmon, peanut butter, jelly (no glass), canned or dry soups, canned stews and chili, tea bags, coffee (ground no beans), canned pasta (such as Spaghetti O’s). canned vegetables, canned fruit, hot and cold cereals, rice, cake mixes, pancake mix, syrup, powdered milk, packaged pasta (macaroni and cheese, etc.), juice boxes, canned juices, canned beans, Spam, canned gravy, granulated sugar, baby food and cereal (glass jars accepted), baby formula (Enfamil and Similac), granola bars and cereal bars.

Also being collected are household items such as paper towels and toilet paper, as well as personal care items such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, Kleenex, personal hygiene products, etc.

Comic Book Show coming up in November

The Pittsburgh Comic Book Show is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 23 at Crowne Plaza Hotel, 164 Fort Couch Road, Bethel Park.

Special guests include Bob McCloud, co-creator of “The New Mutants”; Mike DeCarlo, legendary inker for “Batman” and DC Comics; and Tom DeFalco, editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics from 1987-1994.

There will be more than 85 vendor tables, tens of thousands of comic back issues and the opportunity to trade paperbacks, slabs and rare and key issues.

General admission is $10, plus a 25-cent ticket service fee when purchased online. Tickets also will be sold at the door or can be purchased at Pop Culture Comics’ two locations — 1105 Mt. Royal Blvd. in Shaler and 3029 Sussex Ave. in Baldwin Township.

The show is free for children 12 and younger, first responders and military members (show military ID at the door).

For details and to purchase tickets, visit pittsburghcomicbookshow.com.

Outreach collecting items for Thanksgiving dinner

North Hills Community Outreach is collecting items to provide a complete Thanksgiving dinner to families in need through Nov. 9.

Everyone can help by donating any or all of the following goods:

• Large box of stuffing mix

• Large box of instant mashed potatoes

• 15-ounce can of cranberry sauce or yams

• 16-ounce cans of vegetables

• Any dessert mix

• Box of corn muffin or biscuit mix

• Package of turkey gravy mix

• Package of napkins

• Grocery certificate for $25 or more (to purchase a turkey)

• Canvas shopping bag

Donations can be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at any of NHCO’s three offices — its main office at 1975 Ferguson Road, Hampton; the second floor of the Millvale Community Center, 416 Lincoln Ave.; and Greenstone Methodist Church, 939 California Ave., Avalon. Items also can be dropped off from 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 1 at the Hampton location.

Next up will be the Holiday Toy Collection, which takes place from Nov. 9-Dec. 8. Last year, 821 children received new toys, games and other gifts for the holidays. For a list of suggested items to donate and a link to NHCO’s Amazon wish list, visit nhco.org/sharing-project-donations.

To have your news or event listed, email editor Marje Horvath at mhorvath@triblive.com.