Harry Funk stories

West Jefferson Hills School District’s 2025-26 preliminary budget, as presented at the school board’s May 13 work session, reflects a real estate tax increase of 1.255 mills. A vote on the $70.327 million spending plan is scheduled for the evening of May 21. With the higher tax rate, the owner...

With regard to fulfilling its mission, Cali Cats Rescue is off to a good start at the nonprofit’s new Bethel Park location. A friendly feline named Lollipop made such a good impression on Benjamin Franklin Elementary School student Mason Stratthaus and his mom, Krystal, that they decided to pursue adoption....

Baldwin Borough’s municipal pool will be closed again for 2025. Improvements to the half-century-old aquatic facility were planned for last year. But on two occasions in 2024, bids for the project came in at roughly double the amount budgeted, according to information provided by borough manager Robert Firek. Construction was...

For the wheels on the bus to go ’round and ’round, someone needs to start the engine and steer. To the misfortune of school districts across the country, people willing to step up to the task are becoming fewer and further between, causing superintendents — including Baldwin-Whitehall’s Randal Lutz —...

Once it was, to quote Whitehall’s Neighborhood Parks Master Plan, the “worst-looking park” in the borough. Following a facelift that saw Overlook Park closed for most of 2024, Borough Manager Courtney Wertz can provide this description: “It turned out beautifully.” With new playground equipment stationed atop the safety of a...

Perhaps the most popular member of a law-enforcement department is the resident police dog. In Bethel Park, an affable pooch named Leo had the opportunity to bask in esteem as an honorary K9 for a Day, complete with his own silver badge. Following his swearing-in at the municipal building by...

The concept of resource conservation isn’t exactly new. Anne Downes, for example, was among a generation of Americans who were pretty much obligated to take a pragmatic approach to life nearly a century ago. “She raised five girls in the Depression, and made all her own bread and made the...

When she has the will, Ebtehal Badawi makes her way. As an artist with a strong desire to promote acceptance and understanding, the Jefferson Hills resident launched an initiative called Pittsburgh Builds Bridges, based around her painting of an arched span adorned with clenched hands of various colors and religious...

Plenty of people enjoy time in the limelight. The Penguin Project gives young entertainers an opportunity, no matter what their perceived limitations. A national initiative hosted locally by Mon River Arts, the Penguin Project pairs individuals ages 10 to 21 who have developmental disabilities with peer mentors. “We have participants...

Anyone who’s seen theatrical productions involving the “Shrek” universe knows to expect quite the array of costumery, from the malevolent Lord Farquaad to the grumpy but lovable titular ogre. In advance of Thomas Jefferson High School’s March 13-16 production of “Shrek the Musical,” fans of the franchise had the opportunity...

Forget Disney World — Molly Mathias is going to Minnesota. She was in for the surprise of her life when she and other members of Bethel Park’s unified indoor bocce team took a trip to Pittsburgh’s Southside Works on the morning of Jan. 28. That’s when the Bethel Park senior...

A fine way to fend off winter’s chill is a bowl of chili. Or, as was the case at Bethel Park’s inaugural Battle of the Bowls Chili Cook Off, sampling small paper cups’ worth of cooks’ creations. And while guests of the Feb. 1 event at the Bethel Park Community...

Given that the event sold out within five hours of tickets going on sale, meeting a fundraising goal of $100,000 pretty much was a foregone conclusion. By the time everything was accounted for, proceeds from the second annual 412 Gives Back Gala totaled $165,000. The money benefits Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania...

While going through Army basic training at the same location, Rob and Rodger Kirsopp created some cases of mistaken identity for their drill instructors. And the brothers usually were the ones who paid the price. “We both ended up having to do pushups together,” Rob recalled. “For no reason, other...

Smile. You’re promoting peace. “It is such a simple thing that we can all do,” Monessen native Stephanie Urchick said. “When you smile at somebody, you acknowledge they exist. You’re recognizing their humanity.” Plus you’re likely to receive one in return. As the 2024-25 president of Rotary International, leading 1.4...

For the first two years of the American Civil War, supporters of the North seemed to hear almost solely about battle victories by the South. “You have to imagine how terrified people became when the Confederate army entered into Pennsylvania in June 1863,” historian Michael Kraus said. “So Pittsburgh is...

Perhaps the most poignant moment of Bethel Park’s Wreaths Across America observance took place when Debbie Huffner and Rogert Kurtz started walking in tandem. Each had lost a son while on active duty serving his country: Patrick Kutschbach, who was 25 when he died in Afghanistan in 2007, and 10...

Teachers tend to notice when substantial numbers of students fail to report to school. On the morning of Sept. 21, 2021, Abbey Nilson started to worry about the empty desks in her sustainability class at Shaler Area High School. As it turned out, some 40 students had to be rescued...

On the road from the West Coast back to Western Pennsylvania, Pine-Richland School District psychologist Missy Ramirez received a text message from a friend. “Let me know when you’re coming. Pull off the exit. People want to meet you.” Missy replied to the effect of, huh? “OK, the cat’s out...

At the end of one month and the start of another came temperatures below the freezing point. But that didn’t stand in the way of success for a couple of Millvale Community Development Corp.-supported events. Nov. 30 was Small Business Saturday in the borough, and shoppers didn’t hesitate to check...

The day after Dave McCormick was declared the official winner of his race for the U.S. Senate, he was having breakfast in Upper St. Clair. McCormick’s first official act as Senator-elect was to serve as the featured speaker for a Nov. 22 Veterans Recognition Breakfast hosted by two state legislators...

By the time she reaches school age, community service will be nothing new to Eloise Lamm. The Harrison resident is the reigning Mini Miss Military Star Pennsylvania, crowned in the category for 2- to 4-year-olds. Eloise earned the title during an October pageant presented by the Miss Military Star Organization,...

An organization that fills a vital need for a quarter of a century can be considered as a mainstay. Meeting those criteria is a Scott-based nonprofit that goes by the name, appropriately enough, Mainstay. Founded in 1999 for the benefit of people who have intellectual disabilities and/or autism, Mainstay Life...

In co-authoring a book called “Navigate Your Path to Success,” Bethel Park resident Ron Arnoni writes from experience. The longtime district judge served his home municipality and Upper St. Clair has a career in public office dating back to when he served on borough council and then as mayor of...