Mary Ann Thomas stories, Page 29

Mary Ann Thomas
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Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88
State awards low-interest loan to reduce sewage overflows to Mon and Ohio rivers
The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority has been awarded a $7.75 million state grant to lessen sewage overflows into local rivers. It’s an issue previously flagged by the state Department of Environmental Protection. Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday announced grants and loans totaling $178 million for 14 drinking water, waste...
Arconic donates more than $80K to local nonprofits for sustainability and social equity
Pittsburgh-area nonprofits were among organizations worldwide benefiting from $360,000 in grants from the Arconic Foundation promoting environmental sustainability and social equity. Arconic, an Alcoa spinoff with roots in the Alle-Kiski Valley, is headquartered in Pittsburgh. It has a research center in Upper Burrell and a building and systems business site...
Corps of Engineers can start $22 million Ohio River project; funding steady for Allegheny River
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers work plan for fiscal year 2021 includes a $22 million jump on upper Ohio River lock projects, while funding remains stable for the Allegheny River locks operations. The work plan details how the Corps divvies up its money to its districts across the country,...
Navy announces latest ship to be christened USS Pittsburgh
A new warship will be named after Pittsburgh. The vessel, a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock warship used to transport landing forces, is one of five the Navy announced it names for on Friday. “As a resident of the Keystone State, I know that Pittsburgh is a proud city with...
Fallen Officer Food Drive breaks records in Lower Burrell
Beset by an unpleasant snowy, gray Saturday, donors still came out in full force for a record-breaking Fallen Officer Food Drive in Lower Burrell. The food drive, in its third year, benefits the food bank at St. Margaret Mary Church in Lower Burrell. The fundraiser pays homage to two police...
Report: Flames shoot through roof of Collier home; no injuries reported
No one was injured in a house fire Sunday in Collier Township’s Presto area, according to an Allegheny County emergency dispatcher. The fire broke out shortly after 3 pm. in the 5000 block of Carnoustie Court, a residential neighborhood, according to the dispatcher. Collier’s Presto Volunteer Fire Department was the...
Burrell School District to appeal $53,000 reduction in Siemens real estate taxes
The Burrell School District plans to appeal a Westmoreland County assessment ruling that reduced the real estate tax assessment of Siemens Industry Inc. With the lower assessment, the school district stands to lose $53,000 this year. The tax challenge adds to another legal action Burrell, along with Upper Burrell Township,...
Penn State New Ken’s start of new semester, enrollment event virtual this week
Penn State New Kensington will start back for the spring semester on Tuesday with all virtual classes. But the remote operations of the campus won’t stop enrollment with the “Virtual Application Days,” on Monday. If potential students and parents attend Virtual Application Days on Monday from 1 p.m. to 2...
Not in my nest: Bald eagle pounces on intruder at Pittsburgh Hays aerie 
An immature bald eagle rooting around the Pittsburgh bald eagle’s nest was quickly shoved out by the resident male, which pounced on the intruder and chased the young bird away. A live webcam sponsored by PixCams and the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania caught all the action on Jan. 9....
Snow band moves through Pittsburgh area; mid-30 degrees expected Sunday
While a snow band racked up an inch or two in the Pittsburgh area by early afternoon and up to four inches on the ridges, the region is forecast to be done with any substantial snowfall this weekend. Expect the same old winter gray days for Saturday afternoon into Sunday...
Buffalo Creek and Loyalhanna looking for votes for Pa. River of the Year
Heading in the final stretch of voting for River of the Year, with a $10,000 grant and more at stake, the region’s two finalists Buffalo Creek and Loyalhanna Creek are in third and fourth place, respectively. Sponsored by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the River of the...
Burrell schools fight Arconic assessment appeal that would result in $500K hit
Burrell School District and Upper Burrell plan to fight a real estate assessment appeal filed in a Westmoreland County court by Arconic Inc. that could reduce tax revenue to the school district by almost $500,000 annually. “We plan to fight this vigorously,” said Anthony Giglio, an attorney with Andrews &...
Kotecki, Shaw nonprofits lead drive to fill bare shelves at Lower Burrell food bank
Nonprofit coordinators for two fallen police officers in the Alle-Kiski Valley, Derek Kotecki and Brian Shaw, are teaming up to collect food for St. Margaret Mary Food Bank in Lower Burrell this weekend. The third annual Fallen Officers Food Drive is set for Saturday at Mogie’s Irish Pub in Lower...
New Redemption nondenominational church to open in old Hillcrest Alliance Church in Lower Burrell 
At a time when churches are closing across the region, Fred Neal, along with help from another church, is opening a new Christian nondenominational church in the former Hillcrest Alliance Church in Lower Burrell. Redemption Church, whose congregation has been meeting at the Knead cafe in New Kensington recently, has...
Estimated $2.4 million renovation in progress at Hartwood Acres stables 
About $2.4 million in renovations will convert the former Hartwood Acres stables into a wedding and special events center. The upgrade includes a new $1.4 million slate roof and nearly $1 million in other renovations that will convert what was an equestrian complex built in 1927 for Mary Flinn Lawrence...
Free radon test kits available from the American Lung Association
January is National Radon Action Month, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection hopes that raises awareness about the importance of home testing because the state has some of the highest radon levels in the country. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that enters homes from the ground. It...
Burrell graduate is 57th woman ever to graduate from elite Army Ranger School
Lower Burrell native Samantha Shepherd graduated from the legendarily rigorous Army Ranger School late last year to become just the 57th woman and first Army Medical Officer to do so. “I’m just really grateful for my opportunity to go to ranger school,” said Shepherd, who lives in Nashville and is...
Dollar General adjusts plans for Upper Burrell store in response to concerns
Dollar General’s updated plans for its proposed Upper Burrell store at Route 780 and Dewey Drive call for a fence to allay protests from residents who don’t want the store in their neighborhood. Over the past several months, more than 100 residents signed a petition protesting the construction of a...
More than 1,200 species and counting, free pocket field guide developed for Buffalo Creek watershed
The Buffalo Creek watershed might not be a national park, but it has enough wildlife and varieties of plants — more than 1,200 species — to warrant a pocket field guide developed by the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania. Audubon, government agencies and other nonprofits have been working for years...
Upper Burrell medical device company to expand and hire employees
A 35,000-square-foot expansion at Xodus Medical Inc. in Upper Burrell will increase production and warehouse capacity and create 20 to 30 jobs. Xodus invents and produces medical devices used in surgery to increase patient safety and improve surgical outcomes in medical centers worldwide. The Upper Burrell site, in the Westmoreland...
Dogs, cats greeted with fanfare for opening of new $1.8 million Animal Protectors shelter in New Kensington
Puppy dog tails wagged, cats meowed and the staff and volunteers of Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley rejoiced on Thursday afternoon for the opening of its new $1.8 million animal shelter along Church Street in New Kensington. The facility is the lower Alle-Kiski Valley’s first major, large-scale animal shelter. In...
Harmar’s proposed $2.7M budget includes half-mill tax cut
The Harmar Supervisors will hold a special meeting Wednesday to consider adopting a $2.7 million budget for next year that would cut the township’s property tax rate by nearly a half-mill and reduce property owners’ tax bills by 13%. The township’s preliminary budget, passed unanimously in November, called for the...
Watch those birdfeeders for rare northern finches visiting Western Pa. 
Linda Croskey guessed it’s been about 30 years since she has seen the rare winter migrant, the evening grosbeak, show up at her birdfeeder at her West Deer home. Then, after last week’s snowstorm, Croskey was elated to see at her feeder the rare visitor. It looks like an overgrown...
After 2 generations, new owner set to take over The Hoagie Shop in North Apollo 
The second-generation family owners of The Hoagie Shop in North Apollo might be retiring, but not their famous cold, 12-inch Italian hoagie that still sells for under $5. It’s been a 60-year run for two generations of the Toland family, which has been serving up its signature hoagies with fresh...
Dog training, day care continue after Bruce Ringer, ‘dog whisperer of Tarentum,’ dies
Bruce D. Ringer’s love of dogs and his wife were manifest, and not surprisingly intertwined. The longtime, legendary dog trainer, Ringer, 63, of Tarentum, died of colon cancer on Dec. 20. He was a dog trainer for more than 35 years and opened the first doggie day care in Allegheny...


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