In brief: Happenings from the North Allegheny area

Blue paint, chiseled stone selected for Wexford Interchange

PennDOT recently released the results of its aesthetic design survey for the Wexford Interchange project.

The department asked the public for input on the color of the steel beams and the concrete texture of the abutments and piers.

The survey, which garnered more than 1,200 votes, was conducted on PennDOT’s website through Jan. 31.

Survey participants selected Nautilus Blue over Hulton Green as the color for the superstructure and chiseled-cut ashlar stone for the substructure. The winning design, as well as additional information regarding the project, can be found on the project webpage at pa.gov/agencies/penndot/projects-near-you/district-11-projects/wexford-interchange-project.

The project aims to improve safety and operations of the Interstate 79/Route 910 Wexford Interchange in Franklin Park and Marshall. Construction is expected to start in late summer.

Republicans to host special ‘signing’ event

The McCandless Republican Committee is hosting “The Signing” of petitions of anyone seeking positions as town council members, school board members and judges for the 2025 election cycle.

The event will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 18 in the upper-level Blue Room of North Park Church, 600 Ingomar Road, Wexford.

Reservations are required by Feb. 14 by emailing info@mccandlessrepublicans.org.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet local candidates and enjoy potluck refreshments.

The cost is $50 per person, $100 for supporter, $150 for friend and $250 for sponsor.

Checks should be made payable to the McCandless Republican Committee and can be brought to the event or mailed to McCandless Republican Committee, P.O. Box 155, Ingomar, PA 15127.

Registration under way for Senior Softball League

Registration is open for the Northern Allegheny County Senior Softball League (NACSSL).

This competitive, slow pitch league has two divisions: 50 and older for the silver division and 62 and older for the gold division.

Tryout evaluations are held March through April.

Games are played May through August primarily at the North Park Senior Ballfield Complex at the Lodge in North Park.

To sign up or for more details, visit NACSSL.com or email nacssl@yahoo.com.

Voting open on Founders Day T-shirt design

Bradford Woods officials are encouraging residents to vote for their favorite Founders Day T-shirt design.

There are three opetions to choose from: a “Tree Slice,” featuring a tree rings and noting the borough’s 110 years; “Tree Trunk Heart Hands,” featuring hands forming a heart shape with an imprint of the borough within it; and “Borough Logo Map,” featuring an outline of the borough with its logo inside the borders.

To vote, visit the borough website at bradfordwoodspa.org and click on the T-shirt link under In the News.

Public invited to learn about maple sugaring

Chris Kubiak of the Audubon Society will be the featured speaker at the Feb. 25 meeting of the Longvue Acres Garden Club.

Kubiak will discuss maple sugaring, including the science behind it, how to identify local maple species and the history of maple sugaring from Native American techniques to today’s high-tech extraction methods.

The program will begin at 7:45 p.m. at Northmont United Presbyterian Church, 8169 Perry Highway, McCandless.

Programs are held on the fourth Tuesday of the month and are free and open to the public.

For details, email the garden club at longvueacresgardenclub1950@gmail.com.

Lecture to discuss role of Pittsburgh robots in moon exploration

Registration currently is open for the Heritage and Cultural Center’s first lecture of the year from 7 to 9 p.m. March 20 at the center, 830 Aufman Lane in Wexford.

“Pittsburgh to the Moon,” presented by the Moonshot Museum, will explore how Pittsburgh robots are leading the way back to the moon.

The event, part of the HCC’s Third Thursday Lecture series, is open to all ages.

This event is free, but you must have an account to register. For registration and how to make an account, visit secure.rec1.com/PA/mccandless-pa/catalog.

Donations are appreciated to help support HCC’s programming.

Seating is limited to the first 40 registrants.

NA students to stage ‘Children of Eden’

The North Allegheny Music Department will present “Children of Eden” at 7 p.m. Feb. 26-28 and March 1 and 2 p.m. March 2 in the high school auditorium, 10375 Perry Highway, Wexford.

The musical by Stephen Schwartz and John Caird casts biblical stories of Genesis through the personal lens of family. It celebrates the difficulty of choice, the importance of passion, the value of questioning, and the pain in allowing those you love to take risks and face the consequences.

Tickets are $18 for seating in Section 1, which is closest to the stage; $14 for Section 2, the middle of the auditorium; and $10 for Section 3, the back of the auditorium.

Tickets can be reserved online through ShowClix at showclix.com/event/children-of-eden.

Lyme Art Contest open to youngsters

Pennsylvania is a leading state for Lyme disease, and children are at a higher risk of being bitten.

To promote learning about tickborne diseases, the Pennsylvania Department of Health is seeking submissions from students in grades 1-6 for its 2025 Lyme Art Contest.

Students can submit a poster or video showing how to avoid exposure to ticks, how to check for them or remove them and what signs of disease to look for using information posted under Tick Diseases on the pa.gov website.

Videos should be under 30 seconds, and posters should be no larger than 11 inches by 17 inches.

Entries will be judged in one of three groups: grades 1-2, grades 3-4 and grades 5-6. Only one entry is allowed per child.

The deadline for submissions is March 14.

Entries can be emailed to radhlymecontest@pa.gov or mailed to Department of Health, Bureau of Epidemiology, c/o Lyme Poster Contest, 625 Forster St. 9th floor, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0701.

Finalists will be notified by email by May.

For a complete list of rules, visit https://tinyurl.com/rc935ffc.

History Center, Fort Pitt Museum offering free admission for kids

Admission to the Senator John Heinz History Center and Fort Pitt Museum will be free for children 17 and younger during Black History Month and Women’s History Month, thanks to support from community partners UPMC and UPMC Health Plan.

Throughout February and March, youngsters will get free general admission to the Smithsonian-affiliated History Center, which includes the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, and the Fort Pitt Museum, located in historic Point State Park. Regular admission applies for all adult visitors and groups.

At the History Center, families can explore six floors of award-winning exhibitions and interactive learning spaces. Visitors can:

• Spiral down a 12-foot Liberty Tube slide in the Great Hall and design pop art, construct bridges and more in the interactive Discovery Place exhibition.

• Explore the Neighborhood of Make-Believe featuring the original set and puppets in the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood exhibition.

• Exercise their minds and bodies while climbing the UPMC SmartSteps, the world’s only history exhibition in a stairwell. Punch a stamp card on all six floors to win a free Heinz pickle pin.

• Land a space rover on the surface of the Moon inside the Apollo 11 section of “Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation.”

• Throw a touchdown pass to legendary Steelers and score the winning goal for the Penguins inside the two-floor Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum.

At the Fort Pitt Museum, families can explore the history and culture of American Indian tribes who once called Western Pennsylvania home through a new exhibit titled “Homelands: Native Nations of Allegheny.”

Created in collaboration with federally recognized Delaware, Seneca, Seneca-Cayuga and Shawnee tribes, the exhibit illuminates the past, present and future of the region’s Native tribes with rare artifacts and new scholarship.

The History Center and Fort Pitt Museum are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For details, visit heinzhistorycenter.org.

Blood donors sought

The American Red Cross and Vitalant are seeking blood donations this month as winter weather affects collections.

Donations of all blood types are crucial year-round, especially type O, the most frequently transfused blood type. O-negative blood can be given to patients of any blood type, while O-positive can help most patients.

The American Red Cross is offering a $15 e-gift card to all donors through Feb. 28. Here are a few upcoming collections:

• 1 to 6 p.m. Feb. 18 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 3832 Gibsonia Road, Richland;

• Noon to 5 p.m. Feb. 28 at Stoneridge Covenant Church, 811 Dressel Road, Shaler.

To find a Red Cross location near you and to learn more about blood donation, including eligibility information, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Vitalant operates about 115 donation centers nationwide. Noting that February is Heart Health Month, Vitalant provides donors with a free mini physical, checking their pulse, blood pressure and cholesterol level. With each donation, donors can help save lives and track their own wellness information in their secure online portal account.

In addition, Vitalant, which operates about 115 donation centers nationwide, is offering everyone who donates this month a $10 gift card of their choice. Here are several upcoming collections:

• 7 to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 18 at UPMC Passavant Hospital, Assembly Hall, 9100 Babcock Blvd., McCandless;

• 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 27 at eVinci Westinghouse, 51 Bridge St., Etna;

• Vitalant’s Pittsburgh North Hills Donation Center at McKnight North Professional Center, Suite 600, 9365 McKnight Road, McCandless, regularly schedules collection dates, including these upcoming ones: noon to 7 p.m. Feb. 17, 19-20, 24 and 26-27 and 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 14-16, 21-23 and 28.

To make an appointment and find other locations, visit vitalant.org, download and use the Vitalant app or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).

Scholarships open to Franklin Park seniors

The Franklin Park Community Scholarship Application is now available to any graduating senior who resides in the borough.

Beginning this year, there is a separate application for the Melvin D. Lubert Scholarship for Technical Schools. Any senior looking to attend an accredited technical school is encouraged to apply.

Typically, 10 $1,500 scholarshop are awarded, but the number varies based on the amount of funds raised. Up to two Lubert scholarships are awarded, and up to two scholarships may be awarded to qualified junior firefighters.

Applications for both scholarships can be downloaded from the borough’s website at franklinparkborough.us by clicking on How Do I in the menu and selecting Community Scholarship Program. The deadline to apply is March 14, and applicants must be a Franklin Park resident.

When downloading the application in Word, the document might not automatically come up. You may have to go to your downloads to open the application in Word.

North Allegheny students who reside in Franklin Park can return their completed applications to the school’s counseling office. Franklin Park residents who attend other schools should mail their completed application to Franklin Park Borough Municipal Building, 2344 W. Ingomar Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237.

For questions, contact administrative assistant Donna Platt at 412-364-4115, ext. 302, or email dplatt@franklinparkborough.us.

CCAC plans open house for prospective students

Community College of Allegheny County is hosting an open house from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 19 at its North campus, 8701 Perry Highway in McCandless.

Attendees will have an opportunity to learn more about the college’s programs, resources and campus activities. Campus tours and refreshments also are planned.

Participants will be able to interact with college administrators, faculty, advisers and staff. Attendees will learn how to enroll in one of CCAC’s more than 130 degree, certificate and diploma program, as well as explore a variety of other services and rescources, including financial aid.

To register, visit ccac.link/OpenHouseEvents.

Cancer support group plans 5-year celebration

Young Adult Survivors United is marking five years with a reception and dinner March 5 on the North Shore.

Cheers to 5 Years will kick off with a reception from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Mike’s Beer Bar, complete with hors d’oeuvres, live music, auctions, a cash bar, testimonials shared by YASU members and a special ceremony to reflect on YASU’s journey.

A Shining Star Award will be presented to Dr. Mounzer Agha, the director of the Mario Lemieux Center for Blood Cancers at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and the clinical director of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation at UPMC. He will be recognized for his compassionate support of cancer patients.

YASU, a nonprofit organization, provides emotional, social and financial support for young adult cancer survivors and their caregivers/co-survivors.

From 7 to 8 p.m., the party will move to North Shore Tavern for dinner with choice of steak, shrimp or stuffed portobello, as well as salad and dessert.

Only 125 tickets will be sold. The cost is $125 each.

To purchase tickets or to become a sponsor or volunteer for the event, visit yasurvivors.org/cheers-to-5-years.

Animal Friends in need of wet pet food

Animal Friends’ Chow Wagon Pet Food Bank has put out an urgent call for wet dog and cat food.

To help, browse its wish lists on Amazon or Chewy, and your donation will be delivered to Animal Friends.

Unopened wet pet food also can be dropped off in the grey donation bins in the front entranceway and lobby of the shelter at 526 Camp Horne Road.

The Chow Wagon Pet Food Bank supports struggling pet owners throughout Allegheny County. According to its website, it distributed more than 17,000 pounds of free pet food to over 3,000 families last month.

For details, visit thinkingoutsidethecage.org/programs-services/chow-wagon.

Nominees sought for Community Champions initiative

WQED, in partnership with Giant Eagle, recently announced the third season of its Community Champions initiative — a collaboration that celebrates and supports local people and nonprofit organizations that are doing good in their communities.

This year, the initiative is taking a new approach by asking community members to nominate nonprofit organizations that are making a difference.

The deadline for nominations is March 16.

From these nominations, one organization will be selected as the 2025 Community Champion and will be featured in a video profile airing in June.

In past seasons, WQED and Giant Eagle selected a monthly champion that was then featured in an inspiring video profile. Community Champions has showcased 10 organizations in diverse areas of focus, including health care, food insecurity, sustainability, and accessibility and supportive services.

The 2024 Community Champion, Best Buddies, a local nonprofit that aims to end the isolation of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, exemplifies the core tenets of the initiative.

“Whenever I tell people that I work for Best Buddies, they automatically go, ‘Thank you so much for doing this,’ ” said Samantha Mildner, Western Pennsylvania Area director for Best Buddies. “Everybody should be including people with disabilities. And I just happen to love what I do. I’m so lucky that I get to create friendships for a living.”

To ecnourage everyone’s participation in nominating, WQED is showcasing a different past Champion each week on its social channels.

Nominations for the 2025 Community Champion will be accepted until March 16.

To nominate an organization, visit wqed.org/champions.

A playlist of past Champions is available at wqed.tv/gechampions.

Free tax help available through AARP Foundation

Beginning Feb. 1 and continuing through April 14, the AARP Foundation will provide free tax assistance and preparation in Allegheny County through its Tax-Aide program.

Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest nationwide volunteer-based free tax preparation service. In 2024, the nearly 2 million taxpayers who used its services received more than $1 billion in income tax refunds.

Volunteers are trained and certified by the IRS each year to ensure they understand the latest changes to the U.S. and Pennsylvania Tax Code. The program e-files individual Federal, Pennsylvania and local EIT income tax returns and makes sure its clients claim the tax refund, credits and deductions earned.

Income tax returns will be prepared during one visit by appointment only, generally lasting an hour to 75 minutes. Walk-ins cannot be accommodated.

Here is list of nearby sites, schedules and contact information to make an appointment:

• Shaler Undercliff Volunteer Fire Department, 700 Mt. Royal Blvd.: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays through April 14; contact state Sen. Lindsey Williams’ office at 412-364-0469 (there is no Tax-Aide contact number at the fire station).

• Ross Municipal Building, 1000 Ross Municipal Drive: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through April 10; contact state Sen. Lindsey Williams’ office at 412-364-0469 (there is no Tax-Aide contact number at the center).

• State Rep. Jeremy Shaffer’s office, 5500 Brooktree Road, Suite 100, Wexford: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays through April 14; contact Shaffer’s office at 412-369-2230.

• State Rep. Jeremy Shaffer’s office, 4375 Gibsonia Road, West Deer: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through April 10; contact Shaffer’s office at 412-369-2230.

More information, including an update on tax code changes affecting 2024 tax returns and documents needed for return preparation, can be found online at taxaide-pittsburgh.com.

For questions about the Allegheny County AARP Tax-Aide program, contact Stephen Cohen, Tax-Aide district coordinator, at taxaide.pittsburgh@gmail.com or 412-421-3999.

For details about the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, visit aarpfoundation.org/taxaide or call 1-888-AARPNOW (1-888-227-7669).