Maria Sosso stories, Page 2

It’s that spooky season once again. Join Pine and Richland townships as they collaborate for Trunk or Treat at Richland Community Park. Wear your costume and get ready for an afternoon full of hay rides, crafts, pumpkins, candy and more. This year’s Trunk or Treat will take place on Oct....

The Pine Community Center was crowded inside and out during an event appropriately named Revving into Reading. In the parking lot, a Touch-a-Truck activity provided opportunities for youngsters to get close-up views while learning about various bigger-than-a-car vehicles that respond to emergencies, work on construction projects and, when Mother Nature...

Pine’s annual summer activity camp wrapped up six days before the Aug. 22 start of the Pine-Richland School District academic year. For those who like to plan ahead, registration for next year’s campo opens Feb. 15. Themes for 2024 varied from week to week, with kids’ favorites including Mystical Magic,...

Richland Township will hold a public meeting on Aug. 27 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the municipal building for residents to learn more about the proposed recommendations outlined in the Active Transportation Plan. The upcoming meeting is to gather public input and answer questions the public may have about proposed bicycle...

The Friends of Pine Community Parks held their annual Golf Classic on July 22 at Wildwood Golf Club in Hampton. All proceeds benefited the Friends group, which provides ongoing funding for the Pine Community Center and projects in Pine Community Park. The golf outing was a four-person “shamble” event with...

New this year, get ready to jam out at Pine’s Rockin’ Rec Food Truck Rally events, which feature live music and delicious eats from a variety of food trucks. “This was the brainchild of our program team, Tyler Walker and Gina Kampi. For the past several years, we had the...

Pine’s 34th annual Community Day will take place at Pine Community Park on June 22 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. This year will feature food trucks, game booths and live entertainment. “We’ve upgraded the band, we have more food trucks than we’ve ever had. We’re trying out a lot...

A Richland native is the new township manager. The board of supervisors on June 19 authorized the appointment of Brian O’Malley, a Pine-Richland High School graduate, as manager/secretary/treasurer, effective July 5 at an annual salary of $137,800. O’Malley started work in Richland on June 17, replacing Dean Bastianini, who was...

Pine proudly unveiled its new military banner program during a heartfelt Memorial Day ceremony held at the Veterans Memorial in the heart of Old Wexford. The event was attended by community members, local veterans and families who gathered to honor and remember those who have served our country. The ceremony...

Richland has been recognized as a banner community for the 11th consecutive year. The township board of supervisors announced this distinction during the correspondence portion of their May 15 meeting. Township manager Dean Bastianini read a letter from Allegheny County Council District 2 representative Suzanne Filiaggi commending community leaders for...

Chatham University kicked off its Farm-to-Fork dinner series May 9 at the school’s Eden Hall campus in Richland. Dinners will continue every Thursday from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the Eden Hall large barn and tent. Each week, chefs from Parkhurst Dining will serve up dishes using produce from Eden...

North Hills Cares’ free summer lunch program is entering its sixth year. The program is open for kids up to age 18 and is operated out of North Hills United Presbyterian Church on Bellevue Avenue in West View. North Hills Cares runs the program in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department...

As part of their mission to enhance Pine Community Park, township supervisors approved two resolutions to apply for grants to fund recreation projects. The board voted May 6 to apply for a state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant for the Pine Athletic Complex concession stand and bathroom project....

After 24 years of service to Richland Township, Jerry Reichart is resigning from his position as public works director. His last day of work will be June 14. The board of supervisors accepted his resignation at their meeting on May 1. The board also appointed Mike Kuhn as an interim...

Pine Community Center was buzzing on April 27 as residents and visitors came out to join in the festivities of the township’s first-ever Earth Day event. The day was packed with fun activities and educational opportunities from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. All-day features included a local vendor market, food...

Comcast announced the expansion of its fiber-based network to about 3,000 additional homes and businesses in Marshall and Pine. Construction is ongoing with some residents already able to connect to Xfinity residential and Comcast business services, the company announced March 25. “This project, in addition to our expansion in Cranberry...

Pine is taking steps to make Memorial Day extra special this year with a new military banner pilot program. Residents can honor their hometown heroes with a 24-by-48-inch banner to be exhibited on 67 township-owned poles from May 27 through Veterans Day. The military service member must be a resident...

After more than four decades of service to Richland, Dean Bastianini plans to retire as township manager. Bastianini made the announcement at the Feb. 21 board of supervisors meeting, stating that his last day of work will be July 5. He read his resignation letter to the board during the...

Pine is making greater strides toward a walkable community thanks to a significant grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development. At the board of supervisors meeting on Feb. 5, township manager Jason Kratsas announced that Pine was awarded $250,000 for a proposed wetland trail project The DCED’s...

Nick Guido has been hired as the Pine-Richland Youth Center’s new executive director. His predecessor, Larry Bracco, retired in January after 30 years of service. “It’s been an honor and privilege to serve the Pine-Richland community and surrounding areas for over 30 years. I look forward to helping Nick lead...

Pine supervisors recognized resident John Lombardo for his many years of volunteer service to the township at their meeting on Jan. 16. He is president of the Wexford Volunteer Fire Company and has been serving for 11 years. “John’s been a key member of the Pine community for many years....

Special needs children and their families enjoyed an afternoon of fun at the Pine Community Center on Jan. 13. The annual Winter Special Needs Family Fun Day was free to attend and open to all ages. Ninety participants were in attendance. This year’s theme was penguins, and the day featured...

Yellow Bridges Speech and Sensory Development Center is now open on Route 8 in Hampton. The center offers small group therapy for up to five children with one or two adults. Each group lasts anywhere from two to three hours. Individual speech and language therapy sessions are available to children...

Richland supervisors reappointed Ray Kendrick as chair and George “Skip” Allen as vice chair at the Jan. 2 reorganization meeting. Supervisor Donna Snyder made a motion, which was approved unanimously, to reappoint the following administrative entities and professional staff: • Northern Regional Police Department of Allegheny County — Kendrick, Snyder...

Active volunteer firefighters and emergency responders in Richland once again will be able to receive a tax credit under Act 172, Pennsylvania’s volunteer service credit program. Richland board authorized approval of Act 172 at their Dec. 20 meeting. The program provides a financial incentive to active volunteers in fire companies...