Oakmont
Oakmont Council welcomes new and familiar faces for 2026
Oakmont Council underwent its annual shuffle on Jan. 5. Newcomers James “Jim” Parsons and Charles Fox were sworn into four-year seats on council alongside returning council members Amanda Pagnotta and Isaiah Wilson. After taking her oath of office earlier in the day, newly reelected Mayor Sophia Facaros swore in the...
Paczki are back at Western Pennsylvania bakeries
Paczki season kicked off Jan. 6 at Oakmont Bakery where customers were at-the-ready to get their hands on the fried polish pastry known for sweet fruit or cream fillings inside a crispy dough. Similar to a doughnut, but richer, bigger and filled with a hearty helping of fruit or cream,...
Oakmont looks into new technology for busy intersection
Travelers through Oakmont might be able to get to their destinations faster come 2027. The borough is beginning a project to update the traffic light system at the intersection of Allegheny River Boulevard, Allegheny Avenue and Hulton Road. Borough Manager Scot Fodi said the area has long been a headache...
Holy Family Parish serves Christmas Day meals to community members
On a cool Christmas morning, Holy Family Parish, in the eastern suburbs of Plum, Verona, Oakmont and Penn Hills, continued its tradition of celebrating Jesus’ birth by sharing brunch with about 170 guests at St. Joseph Church Hall in Verona and Our Lady of Joy Church Hall in Plum. The...
Annual Oakmont Christmas tree collection hosted at new location, still benefits goats
Oakmont is changing the location for its annual Christmas tree recycling collection. Folks dropping off their trees are now asked to head to Creekside Park on Dark Hollow road. For the fourth year, the collection will supply tasty treats for the furry friends at Capricious Goats LLC. The group of...
Verona hires 2 officers, thanks outside support
Verona welcomed two police officers to its force earlier this month. Officers Jordan Brasile and Jonathan Preece were sworn in during the council’s December meeting, marking the latest move by the borough to bolster its police department. “We appreciate you coming to work in Verona,” said Verona Mayor David Ricupero....
Man accused of trying to pull gun on police in Verona
A routine foot patrol turned violent Tuesday evening after, Verona Police say, a man tried to pull a gun on police when they attempted to arrest him. According to Verona Police Chief Thomas Dessell, officers were “conducting a proactive foot patrol” on the 400 block of School Street just before...
Annual Oakmont Christmas tree collection to benefit goats
Oakmont is giving folks another chance to supply tasty treats to the goats that help keep weeds under control in the borough. For the fourth year, the borough will collect Christmas trees for the furry friends at Capricious Goats LLC. The group of working goats, affectionately known as the “Munch...
Springdale defense swarms Riverview in 2nd half to pull away for section win
Springdale boys basketball coach Scott Ruppert was clear with his instructions Tuesday night at Donald McGhee Fieldhouse. The Dynamos wanted to run Riverview off the 3-point line and try to meet them at the rim. Springdale’s shot blocking and length made the difference in a 48-29 Section 1-2A win. The...
Holy Family Parish offering free brunch on Christmas
Holy Family Parish is trying to make sure nobody in the community is alone on Christmas this year. The parish churches in Oakmont, Penn Hills, Plum and Verona will be offering a free Christmas Brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Christmas Day at two parish locations: • St....
Oakmont changes requirements for potential police officer hires
Oakmont Council approved changes to regulations that will make the hiring process quicker and more accessible for prospective borough police officers. The changes in the borough’s hiring process and officer testing requirements were approved in a 5-2 vote during council’s meeting Tuesday. Council members Isaiah Wilson and Jennifer Paris voted...
Oakmont residents to see no tax increase for 2026
Oakmont Council has passed a 2026 budget with no tax increases. After a unanimous vote, the borough’s real estate tax rate will remain at 4.95 mills. A homeowner with a median assessed property value of $155,000 would pay around $767. Total revenue for the budget is set just over $6...
Oakmont welcomes new Dollar General location
Oakmont residents will have a new place to shop in 2026. The site of the former Rite Aid on Allegheny River Boulevard will be reopened as a Dollar General next year. According to a Dec. 5 Instagram post by Bennett Williams Commercial Real Estate agent Adam Hagerman, the building was...
Eastern Pittsburgh suburban real estate transactions for the week of Dec. 14, 2025
ALLEGHENY COUNTY Churchill Diane Davis sold property at 2525 Greensburg Pike Unit 403 to Leon and Jeanetta Blackston for $230,000. Edgewood Jessica Zhu sold property at 513 Allenby Ave. to Kelsey Brazell for $295,000. Harrison Harrell sold property at 132 Beech St. to Lorna Romero Tangara for $531,115. Jessica George...
Verona police warn of gift card scams at Giant Eagle
Gift cards are a fast, convenient go-to for holiday gifting — but local police are warning Pittsburgh shoppers that they could also be a gateway to scams. On Tuesday, the Verona Police Department said it was alerted by the Giant Eagle in the River Town Shopping Center that several customers...
Man charged in Squirrel Hill home invasion, burglary linked to Verona theft
A Pittsburgh man charged in connection to a home invasion and burglary in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood is linked to other crimes in the city and the Alle-Kiski Valley, police say. Jerry Chambers, 59, was arrested last week by Verona police on theft charges. This week, Chambers was charged in...
Verona, Oakmont open student councilperson applications for Riverview students
Riverview students can have a seat at the table. Oakmont and Verona councils have opened applications for student representatives to join the conversation. The programs allow selected Riverview students to attend monthly council voting and workshop meetings, budget sessions and community events. Both boroughs encourage the student representatives to participate...
In brief: Plum, Oakmont area news, events for the week of Dec. 8, 2025
Group offers support for weight loss All are welcome to join the men and women at Oakmont TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) who are learning how to lose weight. With in-person meetings, rewards, support and encouragement, we gain knowledge of healthy eating and exercise. You may visit with no obligation...
Eastern Pittsburgh suburban real estate transactions for the week of Dec. 7, 2025
ALLEGHENY COUNTY Forest Hills Kevin Wilhelm sold property at 714 Cascade Road to Rachel Harriet Corn-Hicks for $195,000. Estate of Florence Mae Beatty sold property at 1987 Centurion Drive to Emily Phillips for $64,600. Monroeville RS Holdings 201 LLC sold property at 431 California Ave. to Cerkat Ventures D LLC...
Verona proposed budget shows 9% tax increase
Verona property owners would be looking at a 9% tax increase if the borough’s proposed 2026 budget is passed. Jason Dailey, the borough’s interim manager, presented a budget Nov. 25 that includes a 1-mill tax hike. Revenues are predicted to fall a little over $2.5 million. Expenditures are projected to...
Shapiro visits Verona to tout $25M in funding for child care workers
Gov. Josh Shapiro visited a Verona day care Monday to tout $25 million in new state-funded bonuses for industry workers, which he says will help attract and retain staff. The initiative, part of the state budget passed last month after a lengthy legislative impasse, gives about $450 annually per employee...
Eastern Pittsburgh suburban real estate transactions for the week of Nov. 30, 2025
ALLEGHENY COUNTY Chalfant Starry Night 88 LLC sold property at 230 Fairview Ave. to 4313 East View LLC for $41,790. Churchill Omid Kashefi sold property at 1921 Garrick Drive to Joseph Balaban Jr. and Marc Schuler for $430,000. Edgewood Estate of Robert Fuchs sold property at 235 Dewey St. to...
Cat alerts sleeping Oakmont family to fire in home
An Oakmont family was roused awake by one of their foster cats in the early-morning hours of Nov. 22. The cat was alerting them of a fire that had broken out on the first floor of their home. When firefighters arrived at the home on California Avenue, the Jonathan Schwieger;...
Eastern Pittsburgh suburban real estate transactions for the week of Nov. 23, 2025
ALLEGHENY COUNTY Chalfant 5th Avenue Property Group LLC sold property at Unknown Address to Lamont Fourguson for $100,000. Edgewood Ryan Wilk sold property at 142 Lloyd Ave. to Josh Ray and Courtney Camp Grove for $426,500. Forest Hills Joan Ellenbogen Handelsman sold property at 2143 Ardmore Blvd. to Brian Emmanuel...
No property tax increase included in Oakmont’s proposed 2026 budget
Oakmont Council has approved a preliminary budget for next year that calls for no increase in property tax. Councilman John Arnold was the lone vote against the budget, which passed 6-1 on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Total revenue is projected to be just over $6 million. The borough is expecting just...
