Maria Sosso stories, Page 3

Sixteen years ago, Gibsonia resident Al Todd attended an annual corporate luncheon supporting Toys for Tots. Little did he know at the time how much his simple act of kindness would impact families across Western Pennsylvania. “I brought a toy and as I was helping a Marine load his van...

Pine Community Center is upgrading its fitness spaces, undergoing a renovation to the lower level of the community center. “We will be combining two existing fitness rooms into one, which will allow some of our larger classes to move out of the gym and into this new room. The gym...

Pine is once again on track to have the lowest real estate tax rate in Allegheny County, as the proposed budget for 2024 maintains the rate at 0.998 mills. In addition, the budget has been designed to accommodate the maximum allowable Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion, 50% of the median assessed value of...

The Monroeville Senior Citizens Center has many new and exciting programs for adults ages 50 and older to enjoy as 2024 approaches. “We’re always trying to expand our programming to be able to provide the most that we can for our community,” department head Tara Gresock said. “One of the...

Richland residents will see their property taxes hold steady for another year, according to the proposed 2024 budget. “Richland’s Township’s millage rate remains unchanged from last year,” township manager Dean Bastianini said. For 2023, a millage rate of 2.696 mills is levied on all commercial, residential and non-exempt real property....

Comcast is expanding its services into Pine after all. The issue of Pine entering into a franchise agreement was previously tabled at the Oct. 16 board of supervisors meeting due to a dispute over the service area. After additional discussions, Comcast said it was willing to state in the agreement...

Two cemeteries in Pine and one in Mars will participate in Wreaths Across America this holiday season: West Union, Mount Pleasant, and Mars cemeteries. Wreaths Across America is a non-profit organization that helps commemorate fallen veterans by placing wreaths at their graves each Dec. 16, National Wreaths Across America Day....

Armstrong remains the primary cable provider in Pine after negotiations with Comcast for a new franchise agreement stalled. Comcast has expressed interest in building out its service into the township and competing with Armstrong for those services. One of the reasons Comcast is looking to expand is due to the...

Eager truck or treaters descended on Pine Community Park on Oct. 22 in search of candy. This year marked the first joint trunk or treat event between Pine and Richland townships. “Gina Kampi, Pine Township’s program coordinator, took the lead on this event and did a great job,” Pine parks...

To keep roads in Pine township as safe to drive as possible in winter weather conditions, Pine supervisors approved a PennDOT agility agreement at the Oct. 2 meeting. “In talking to PennDOT, one of the big issues that has been arising in Pine is winter maintenance of the state roads...

Fans of “Bridgerton” and “Sanditon” flocked to Northern Tier Regional Library for a regency tea party on Sept. 23. Tea sandwiches, cookies, pastries and varietal teas were served as patrons took part in regency trivia and games. The lineup included raffles, music and prizes. “It was so much fun for...

Monroeville and neighboring communities united to participate in the International Day of Peace Celebration on Sept. 23. The ceremony occurred at the Monroeville Rotary Club’s dedicated Peace Pole and Pavilion 4 in Community Park West. In 2021, the club dedicated a peace pole with “Let Peace Prevail” translated into 38...

The Pine Athletic Complex in Pine Community Park was packed on Sept. 17 for the Pine Richland Rams Homecoming Volunteer Committee’s pep rally, Ram Fam. The event featured a parade, food trucks and a bonfire. The festival on the field showcased local organizations and sports teams running games and activities...

Divine Mercy Academy and Monroeville Rotary Club have partnered to provide community service opportunities for kids ages 5-13. While the EarlyAct Club at Divine Mercy Academy is the first of its kind in Monroeville schools, Rotary Club president Diane Milowicki hopes to create many more of these clubs in the...

Richland resident Justin Lee takes his son to play soccer at Richland Community Park, so when he heard that the field had been vandalized, he was concerned. “My son is in the under-5 group for soccer and they practice at Richland Community Park. When I saw what had been done...

Spectro Dolce Confectionery is officially open for business in the Monroeville Mall, providing sweet treats to customers and job and learning opportunities for those with autism. “Spectro Dolce is part of our Autism Employment Network. It’s a direct paid work experience for individuals with autism and other forms of neurodivergence....

Pine Township hosted its annual Touch-a-Truck event on Sept. 16 in the Pine Community Center parking lot. The family-friendly event drew a crowd of young residents eager to see, touch and learn about a truckload of vehicles. Franktuary and Kona Ice provided food and sweet treats. One of the highlights...

Pine residents can now drop off glass bottles, jars, and jugs of all colors at a permanent recycling station in the municipal building parking lot thanks to a grant provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The township celebrated the grand opening of its new recycling bin with a...

Northern Tier Regional Library eliminated fines as of Sept. 1. This decision comes as the result of an ongoing initiative to make libraries more accessible to the public. The Allegheny County Library Association piloted the program in September 2019 in nine of its member libraries, including Millvale, Monroeville and Penn...

Administrators and teachers at Divine Mercy Academy in Monroeville were eager to get students excited about the new school year at their back-to-school event on Aug. 22. “The event was really for our school families to start the year off on the right foot and enjoy the company of the...

Monroeville resident Enysah Roberts is all about giving back, and she plans to study subjects that will help her continue to do so. “I’m really interested in medicine and science and just helping people out, and I feel like medicine is the best way to do that,” she said. “I...

The Ingomar Garden Club recognized the achievements of local students with an awards lunch on Aug. 2. Each year, there are various youth award contests through the National Garden Clubs Inc., including the High School Essay Contest, Poetry Contest and Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl Poster Contests. This year’s theme...

Vogel Disposal Service will continue to be the garbage and recycling collector for Richland Township — though beginning in 2024, the method of collection will change and rates will increase. The current contract with Vogel Disposal Service expires at the end of 2023. The new contract with Vogel will be...

The Steel City Ghost Hunters held their first evening lecture on ghost hunting at Hampton’s Depreciation Lands Museum on July 22. The presentation included showcasing equipment used during their investigations and some of the methods employed by the ghost hunters. Heather Mahoney, Kim Justice, Lois Dix and Melissa Treglia have...

Pine Township is implementing a new glass recycling bin program as part of a new partnership between municipalities in Allegheny County and the Pennsylvania Resources Council to provide reliable, uninterrupted glass recycling access. The glass recycling bins provide a contact-free, self-serve drop-off recycling service with flexible schedules and are free...