Haley Daugherty stories, Page 19
Riverview School Board member faces backlash after political post, a trend in local politics
The president of the Riverview School Board is the latest local official caught up in a presidential politics kerfuffle. A resident this week publicly called for Jennifer Chaparro to resign, citing a social media post expressing her personal views about the presidential election results. Chaparro posted a dark screen with...
Riverview hopes to add artificial turf at elementary school playgrounds
Riverview’s elementary students might soon be able to experience uninterrupted play. “For years and years our elementary school playgrounds have been like a dust bowl,” said Superintendent Neil English. “We’ve tried all sorts of different solutions to try to fix those issues and it continues to be a problem.” Agronomist...
Nonprofit serving adults with mental disabilities to hold open house at new job training center in Leechburg
The Progressive Workshop of Armstrong County wants to get to know the Leechburg community. The nonprofit is planning an open house at Thursday, at its new Adult Achievement Center on Market Street. Founded in 1968, the workshop provides services and programming for adults with mental disabilities. The company’s Adult Achievement...
Nonprofit serving adults with mental disabilities to hold open house at new job training center in Leechburg
The Progressive Workshop of Armstrong County wants to get to know the Leechburg community. The nonprofit is planning an open house at 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14 at its new Adult Achievement Center on Market Street. Founded in 1968, the workshop provides services and programming for adults with mental disabilities....
A lifetime of service: Longtime fireman, 98, recalls love and loss stretching decades
Frank Trujillo couldn’t wait to be a fireman and stuck with it for 78 years. “When I was a young fellow, they had a carnival one year and they took me on a ride in a fire truck, and that always stuck with me,” Trujillo said. “The first year I...
Oakmont police ask residents to lock vehicles after uptick in car burglaries, thefts
Oakmont police have put out yet another announcement for residents to lock their cars when they’re not in use. “Recently, we’ve had a rash of car burglaries and car thefts,” said Oakmont police officer Emory Stofferahn. “The main reason behind that is people aren’t locking their cars.” He said that...
Back to the drawing board for a solution to West Leechburg’s property tax inequity
Leechburg Area School District officials are back to square one in their search for a solution to rising property tax rates in West Leechburg. For almost eight months, district officials have been looking for a solution to the tax rates produced by a State Tax Equalization Board formula. The goal,...
Frazer supervisors to consider zoning change to encourage residential development
The Frazer supervisors want to make it easier to develop land near the Pittsburgh Mills mall and the Route 28 corridor through the township. With the mall building foundering, officials say, other development in the area is important. So they’re considering changes to allow for residential construction in the township’s...
Former ATI plant in West Leechburg under new ownership
The site of the former ATI plant in West Leechburg is under new ownership, but its future use remains unknown. The property was sold in September to West Leechburg Holdings LLC, said Kayla Visnovsky, borough secretary and treasurer of West Leechburg. West Leechburg Council members, in a joint statement, expressed...
Linton Middle School to undergo internal improvements
Linton Middle School will be seeing some internal changes starting in November. School board members voted Oct. 30 to approve phase one of the school’s HVAC upgrade project. When the project is finished, classrooms will have new unit ventilation systems and controls, allowing teachers to make temperature adjustments for heat...
West Leechburg woman cultivates Halloween, community spirit
Mary Zanotto is no stranger to hosting big events. From a Galentine’s Day event to a St. Patty’s Day block party, planning ways for everyone in her community to feel included has always been an integral part of Zanotto’s life. “It’s a no brainer,” Zanotto said. “You love people, love...
New security measure at Penn Hills Elementary also promotes school spirit
Penn Hills Elementary School is getting a window makeover. On Oct. 30, board members approved the purchase and use of security window film, a safety measure that will add school spirit and peace of mind to the school off Jefferson Road. According to Christopher Cence, the school’s principal, no specific...
Goat Donut Co. to host grand reopening in Leechburg, introducing new lunch menu
Jeremy Smail never expected Goat Donut Co. to evolve the way it has when he and his wife, Ashley Coudriet, opened the business in February 2022 in Leechburg. “We owned the building, and we really didn’t have a solid plan for it,” Smail said. “We just thought about what could...
Victims, survivors of domestic violence have safe voting options
Every election cycle, Americans are encouraged to exercise their right to vote, but, for some, it isn’t that simple. Just like in other aspects of their lives, victims of domestic abuse can find themselves in situations that make it difficult, if not dangerous, to exercise their rights. “We have had...
Oakmont Bakery parking lot moves to next phase for consideration
The Oakmont Bakery’s proposed parking lot is steadily making its way to reality. Oakmont’s planning commission recommended to council that it approve a conditional use of the property at 815 Allegheny Ave. The parking lot plans have been a popular discussion among community members. Borough Manager Scot Fodi said the...
Buttigieg offers encouragement to Democratic canvassers in Cheswick
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg made an appearance Friday afternoon at a canvass kickoff for Kamala Harris and local Democrats — Rep. Mandy Steele and U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio — in Cheswick. Volunteer canvassers gathered at Steele’s campaign headquarters, which is located in a building that used to house...
Shadyside thrift offers clothes, coffee, free expression
Behind a door on Walnut Street sits a metal staircase. A walk up the steps is the only thing between shoppers and Heat Check, an oasis of vintage clothing and specialty coffee. The space above Lululemon is the embodiment of years of work by co-owners Brendan Kelly, 26, Ricky Daley,...
Penn Hills man raises money for Second Avenue Commons pets
After hearing about the people and pets of the Second Avenue Commons in Pittsburgh being displaced after a devastating fire in June, a Penn Hills man decided to help the animals and their owners as much as he could. Jeremy Carter, 34, who recently was named one of Pittsburgh Magazine’s...
Leechburg’s Halloweenburg Council counts votes for best business scarecrow
The Leechburg Council chamber was filled to the brim Tuesday night as attendees watched members of the Halloweenburg Council take over for the night. The special council consisted of one mayor and eight council members, all fourth and fifth graders from David Leech Elementary School, who were charged with picking...
Oakmont Council member pitches student representative program
Oakmont Council members are discussing the possibility of adding student representatives to the conversation. Vice President Amanda Pagnotta presented the idea on Oct. 21 at council’s voting meeting. “This has been a year of planning and going back and forth and conversing to try to figure out one, the best...
Ross Township Republican seeks to unseat Brighton Height’s Emily Kinkead in 20th state House race
After unseating an incumbent in the 2020 primary, Democratic state Rep. Emily Kinkead is facing a challenge in her reelection in Pennsylvania’s 20th State House District race. Two-term incumbent Kinkead once again faces Republican teacher Matt Kruth after besting him in 2022 by a 61-to-39 margin. Both ran unopposed in...
Winning smiles, winning game at 2024 Penn Hills homecoming
The Penn Hills varsity football team hosted the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils at Yuhas McGinley for the first time in 17 years for the district’s 2024 homecoming game Oct. 11. During the game, between the first and second quarters, Penn Hills alumni who were being inducted into the Penn Hills...
Police regionalization makes progress in Leechburg, other communities
After months of discussion, the committee exploring a merger of Leechburg and nearby police departments is in what one committee member called “the last mile” of deciding the future of policing there. A draft charter agreement that would define how a merged police department would operate was presented to Leechburg...
Oakmont Council eyes ordinance to limit feral cat population
Oakmont cat owners will have to look into spay/neutering, microchips and collars with tags if council passes an update of the borough’s feral cat ordinance. Borough Manager Scot Fodi said 412 Animal Rescue, a nonprofit, no-kill, all-volunteer and foster-based rescue organization in Penn Hills, reached out to officials earlier this...
Verona Borough hosts walk audit, evaluates safety of roads for walkers
Elected officials, business owners and residents from Verona and Oakmont gathered Sept. 27 to walk from the Off the Rails restaurant in Verona to College Avenue in Oakmont and back again for a Verona Borough walk audit. Trish Hredzak, vice president of Verona council, set up the audit after there...
