A boy, a racquet and a dream: Whitehall teen, a Ukrainian refugee, excels on Baldwin tennis team
Nikita Petruk was attracted to the sport of tennis because it demands athletes to pursue their own, individual style of play. Fair to say the 18-year-old’s life story has a similar philosophy. Born in Ukraine, Petruk was athletic from an early age, starting with soccer. When he was 7, a...
Whitehall Historical Society celebrates America’s 250th birthday
Whitehall Borough Historical Society hosted a commemorative program at the Dr. Regis V. Shalley Performing Arts Center at Baldwin High School, marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The April 9 event, titled “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness in the 21st Century,” brought...
South Hills student achievements for the week of April 21, 2026
Luke Scherz was among the 111 soon-to-be graduates of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine who learned their residency placements during the National Resident Matching Program’s “Match Day,” an event at which all fourth-year M.D. students around the country simultaneously open their envelopes to learn where they will spend the next...
Trib HSSN diamond team of the week for April 19, 2026Video
Trib HSSN diamond team of the week – Thomas Jefferson Jaguars baseball Coach – Tim Vickers (eighth season) Records – Thomas Jefferson is 5-1 and tied for first place with Baldwin in Section 4-5A. The Jaguars are 9-3 overall this season. #Earned – You could say the Thomas Jefferson baseball...
Thomas Jefferson brings ‘controlled chaos’ to inaugural flag football season
One of the more popular activities in the Thomas Jefferson sports program is girls flag football. At the beginning of the WPIAL season, which runs from March to the end of May, there were 23 players on the Jaguars’ roster. “The girls all have a great attitude about the game,...
Strong season building as Baldwin boys volleyball elevates game
Baldwin went from being unranked in Class 3A boys volleyball to No. 5 in a recent vote by the Western Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association. North Allegheny remained at the top in 3A, and Seneca Valley held on to No. 2, with Butler (No. 3) and Pine-Richland (No. 4) trading places...
Baldwin athletes climb medal stand at South Hills Classic
The South Hills Classic track and field invitational seems to expand on an annual basis. A total of 21 teams participated in the 22nd annual invitational held March 28 and hosted by Baldwin, which finished with a host of medalists in the season-opening meet. Becca Gruntz, a junior, led the...
Baldwin softball off to strong start with primary goals still ahead
Baldwin held a one-game lead over Thomas Jefferson by mid-March in the Section 4-5A softball standings. After 10 games, the Highlanders were 7-0 in section play and 9-1 overall thanks to nine consecutive victories. “We are very pleased with the play so far,” Baldwin coach Ron Santillo said. “We’ve played...
South Hills real estate transactions for the week of April 19, 2026
Baldwin Borough RHK Holdings LLC sold property at 415 Charlotte Drive to Kenneth Dewayne Savage for $260,000. Estate of James Pahler sold property at 3135 Churchview Ave. to OAP Ventures LLC for $120,000. Susan Batko sold property at 3172 Churchview Ave. to Alissa Godlewski for $165,000. Estate of Glenn Cook...
New Brentwood High courses mix technology with career readiness
New classes to be offered at Brentwood High School aim to engage students and prepare them for an evolving real world, says Principal Jason Olexa. The offerings are AI Foundations, Intro to Data Science, Music Theory, Digital Art II and a revamped Personal Finance course. “All of these classes help...
Proposed Mt. Lebanon School District budget calls for 3.5% tax increase
Mt. Lebanon School District’s proposed budget calls for a 3.5% tax increase for property owners. The $129.2 million proposed spending plan maintains all district services and programs, and has no furloughs, said Patricia Connolly, the district’s director of operations. The proposal increases the district’s millage rate from 30.95 mills to...
New contract includes interior cameras, GPS tracking for West Mifflin school buses
West Mifflin Area School District’s new transportation contract calls for a new and modernized bus fleet with enhanced safety technology, district officials say. The district entered into a 5-year contract with Krise Transportation for student transportation, said Mireille Mobley, West Mifflin spokeswoman. Krise will replace Sun Coach Lines, West Mifflin’s...
Baldwin High School receives national Special Olympics honors
Switching schools can be a daunting experience for students who are wary of what to expect in different environments. Fortunately for Dom Meloni, his move to Baldwin High School worked out especially well. “Before he attended this school, he was very quiet, and they brought him out of his shell,”...
Almost 100 communities need new road salt supplier after vendor ends contract with council of governments
A lot of Allegheny County communities need a new road salt supplier. The South Hills Area Council of Governments (SHACOG), which runs a purchasing alliance for road salt, learned this month its salt vendor will not renew its contract with SHACOG for the coming winter. According to an April 1...
Woman shot Sunday morning in Mt. Lebanon
A woman was shot in Mt. Lebanon early Sunday morning, Allegheny County Police said. She has been hospitalized in stable condition. The woman was reported shot in the 200 block of Whitmore Street at about 7:15 a.m., county police said. Allegheny County Police were assisting Mt. Lebanon police in the...
Bigger classrooms, better accessibility and rooftop playground highlight new Brentwood elementary school
When finished, the new Brentwood Elementary School will feature dedicated space for support classrooms, wider and more accessible hallways, and a rooftop playground. Construction of the new school, located at 30 West Willock Road, is scheduled to be ready for the first day of school Sept. 8. It brings together...
South Hills student achievements for the week of March 24, 2026
Lily Baumgardner, a sophomore at Baldwin High School has been honored as one of Junior Achievement’s 18 Under Eighteen. 18 Under Eighteen celebrates the boldest young leaders across the region — students making real impact in their schools, neighborhoods and communities, according to Junior Achievement. Baumgardner has served as class...
Baldwin Whitehall School District inducts new Hall of Fame class
A new class was inducted into Baldwin-Whitehall School District’s Distinguished Highlander Alumni Hall of Fame, which was created to honor the significant personal and professional achievements of district alumni. The latest honorees will become part of a permanent exhibition at Baldwin High School and were recognized at the Baldwin-Whitehall Educational...
Brentwood baseball eyes improvement under 1st-year coach
The Brentwood baseball team is looking to turn things around in 2026. Brentwood finished with a 3-9 record in Section 3-2A and 5-13 overall last season. With six returning starters, first-year coach Dan Krzyzanowski is hoping the Spartans are able to make a strong playoff push this spring. “We expect...
Thomas Jefferson sophomores Zoie DeCostro, Madden Stanek value international softball trip
A recent trip to the Netherlands to play in The Cup softball tournament was packed with highlights. Two stood out for Thomas Jefferson sophomore Zoie DeCostro, one that brought out her competitive juices and the other as a wide-eyed tourist. “My favorite moment with my team was either playing our...
Thomas Jefferson looks to take next step in 2nd flag football season
Thomas Jefferson qualified for the first round of the Pittsburgh Girls Flag Football League playoffs last year. With no graduation losses in the spring, the Jaguars are aiming to extend their 2026 season even further. Girls flag football is one of the fastest-growing high school sports in Pennsylvania and has...
Thomas Jefferson gymnastics celebrates WPIAL, state titles
Thomas Jefferson’s gymnastics team enjoyed yet another top-of-the-line season in 2025-26. The TJ gymnasts won their second consecutive WPIAL championship, then went on to capture the state title. “It’s a big accomplishment. We had a great season,” coach Jodi Cummings said. “TJ had a younger team this year, but they...
South Hills Record notebook: Brentwood swimmer rewrites record book
Junior Fawn Brendel posted the best finish by a Brentwood girls swimmer in more than two decades at the WPIAL Class 2A championships at Trees Pool. Seeded 16th, Brendel broke her own school record in the 100-yard butterfly event for the fifth time this season, placing 11th with a time...
Quartet of returning senior captains set to lead Baldwin softball
The Baldwin softball team advanced to the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs last season after narrowly missing out on a section championship. The Highlanders tied for second with Trinity with a 9-3 record in Section 4-5A behind Thomas Jefferson, which finished 10-2. “We expect to perform well (in 2026),” Baldwin coach...
Baldwin girls savor breakthrough season
The Baldwin girls basketball team ended its season among the elite eight in the state in Class 5A. “This was the best season we’ve had in a long time and definitely the best in my six years as head coach,” Jamaal Woodson said. “It all starts with our culture. As...
