Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 12
Aspinwall installs innovative, ‘floating’ crosswalk to curb speeding
Aspinwall resident Jeff Rogers and his family spend a lot of time walking from their Center Avenue home to activities, parks, shops and church. He says the town’s walkability is what got his family through the covid lockdown. “It’s a major asset to our community,” said Rogers, who also hits...
If found guilty of DUI, Harrison man faces minimal jail time in connection with fatal Natrona crash
Jeffrey Glowatski could face six months in jail for a 2024 crash that took the life of an 11-year-old girl in Harrison’s Natrona section if he is found guilty of misdemeanor DUI. Glowatski, 65, of Harrison is charged with misdemeanor DUI after the vehicle he was driving struck Roxanne Bonnoni...
Sober-friendly arts festival in Sharpsburg aims to celebrate recovery
A sober-friendly cultural showcase in Sharpsburg will celebrate the power of creativity in addiction recovery. The Fresh A.I.R. (Art in Recovery) Festival opens Sept. 26, featuring art, writing, music, crafting, poetry, collage, photography, pottery, digital, textile, woodwork and more. “The event is centered around the themes of creativity, joy, resilience...
Sewickley Public Library remains closed after flooding
Sewickley Public Library remains closed until further notice after a leak from its heating and air conditioning system caused extensive water damage, according to a post on the library website. The community room, non-fiction section, computer area and staff workrooms were damaged. The problem was unrelated to recent work on...
Fawn, West Deer, Plum farms get support to preserve local food source
A new “doughnut-style” pig pavilion at Blackberry Meadows in Fawn will help prevent soil erosion and, in turn, boost local food production. The 75-acre farm sells pastured pork, produce and eggs and also operates a Community Supported Agriculture program where people can buy herbs and produce directly from the Ridge...
Trifecta of rainy, hot, dry weather could be pattern of the future
Excessive rain in the spring followed by a hot, dry summer might be the weather pattern of the future. Experts point to atmospheric greenhouse gases that are higher than they’ve been in more than a million years for driving temperature changes. The abundance of carbon dioxide, methane and other gases...
Tarentum Business Crawl aims to spur foot traffic, support local economy
The owner of a Tarentum beauty supply store knows exposure is the key to small-business success. Misty Woody, owner of Good Hair Boutique, is looking to the upcoming Tarentum Business Crawl to spur foot traffic and highlight some of the best the borough has to offer. “We have 11 locally...
Faith United’s new prayer ministry takes steps to build community
People are invited to lace up their shoes and hit the pavement through a new prayer ministry at Faith United Methodist Church in Fox Chapel. A monthly prayer walk aims to connect people with the community around them – the ministry rotates between Blawnox, Fox Chapel and Sharpsburg. “We walk...
Sharpsburg group encourages residents to join Rivertown Changemakers; program also open to Etna and Millvale
Lori Claus doesn’t live in Sharpsburg but that didn’t stop her from wanting to get involved in the small river town. Three years ago, she stumbled upon a webinar offered by the Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization on how to implement community-minded projects. It resulted in the O’Hara resident spearheading an initiative...
Harvest Baptist Academy students learn leadership, business skills through school’s greenhouse
Fourteen-year-old Kate Blakeslee is considering a future in medicine but said she’s learning crucial career skills through a new elective, greenhouse entrepreneurship, at Harvest Baptist Academy in Fawn. “We learn time management and teamwork, which are both important in any path you follow,” said Kate of Saxonburg. “We’ve gotten lectures...
Temporary disruptions expected in Tarentum during pole replacements
Temporary traffic disruptions are expected in Tarentum over the next two weeks. Crews will begin replacing utility poles throughout the borough on Monday, starting along West Fourth Avenue. Work is part of the borough’s planning and maintenance program. The project will target nine locations, the last of which was added...
Tarentum Area Lions Club foots the bill for paving project at Harrison church association
Pushing heavy carts full of food across gravel and potholes hasn’t been easy for volunteers at the Allegheny Valley Association of Churches in Harrison. The nonprofit serves nearly 500 families twice a month with produce, meat and dairy products. And, the group sees more than 17,000 people at the office...
AHN closing primary care office in New Kensington as workers vote to unionize
Allegheny Health Network officials said a decision to shutter a longtime primary care office in New Kensington is unrelated to its office staff voting to unionize. United Physicians at 305 Seventh St. is expected to close by the end of the year, said Sarafina James, AHN senior public relations analyst....
Portion of Burtner Road to close in Harrison and Fawn
A portion of Burtner Road in Harrison and Fawn will be closed through the end of the month for slide repair work. The closure is expected to start at 7 a.m. Tuesday, according to PennDOT. Work will target the portion of Burtner Road from Pleasantville Road to Bachman Drive. PennDOT...
Blawnox marks 100 years forged by ‘working-class ethic’
Historian Tom Powers is giving residents a peek into the evolution of Blawnox as the town prepares to celebrate its centennial. Born from a forested riverbank that transformed into Depreciation Lands, Blawnox was originally known as the village of Hoboken before growing into a bona fide manufacturing hub. “Even with...
Much-anticipated return of Sharpsburg Open Streets eyed for borough bicentennial
One of Sharpsburg’s biggest events is set to make a return next year to coincide with the borough’s bicentennial. Open Streets, which in the past drew more than 3,000 people for a Main Street festival, is a fitting addition to the anniversary lineup, organizers said. It will showcase how the...
Harrison Moving Flag Tribute honors sacrifices of 9/11, builds community
Lindsey Merzlak of Harrison remembers sitting in a Highlands Middle School science class when news broke that terrorists hijacked planes and struck the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. “My teacher put it on TV and nobody knew what was happening,” Merzlak said. “I remember...
UPMC-GoHealth Urgent Care will operate in Harrison and Tarentum despite close proximity
Urgent care facilities in Harrison and Tarentum, less than 2 miles apart, will remain open despite each being rebranded to UPMC-GoHealth. The former UPMC Urgent Care in Harrison and MedExpress in Tarentum are not expected to consolidate, according to UPMC Senior Director of Public Relations Allison Hydzik. The facilities offer...
Fox Chapel Area Adult Education is back with crochet, cocktails and chair yoga
From crochet to pickleball and pottery to guitar, a world of learning opportunities is opening in Fox Chapel — and for these classes, children aren’t the ones headed back to class. Fox Chapel Area Adult Education opened registration on a slew of unique, quirky and traditional courses that will run...
Giant trees ripped from Brackenridge park will be replaced
Residents who were riled up over the removal of enormous Norway maple trees from Brackenridge Memorial Park can breathe a sigh of relief. Trees, more than two dozen total, will return this fall to the park along the Allegheny River. Ashley Martin, from the nonprofit Friends of the Riverfront, said...
Brackenridge Council responds to pothole complaints: ‘Money doesn’t grow on trees’
Brackenridge Council is doing the best it can with the money the borough has available for paving, borough officials say. Tresco Paving is scheduled to start work Wednesday on portions of Union Avenue, First Avenue and Prospect Street. “We try for every grant we can get,” Council President Tim Connelly...
Chris Bason ready to soar with new role at Audubon Society, headquartered in Fox Chapel
After two decades targeting the environmental health of Delaware’s three inland bays, Chris Bason is pivoting his focus to land and birds. Bason is the new executive director of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, headquartered at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve in Fox Chapel. He began the role Sept. 2,...
Faces of the Valley: Tarentum’s Bob Sims, 95, earns title as longest-serving firefighter in the borough
Friends of Bob Sims call him “the War Horse.” To his family, the 95-year-old born and raised in Tarentum is “Pappy.” Last week, Sims earned a new title — the longest-serving firefighter in the Tarentum Volunteer Fire Department, which consists of Highland Hose, Eureka Fire-Rescue and Summit Hose. Sims has...
Justin Johnson appointed to fill Harrison commissioner vacancy
The newest Harrison commissioner said he plans to focus on township revitalization. Justin Johnson, 45, was appointed by the vacancy board to fill a 1st Ward position. He takes the place of Chuck Dizard, who stepped down in July. Johnson was chosen by the township vacancy board after the commissioners...
Highlands, Deer Lakes lauded for healthy student initiatives
It’s not unusual for students at Highlands Early Childhood Center to munch on beets, peppers or squash alongside their chicken fingers at lunchtime. The Harvest of the Month samplings are part of an effort by school leaders to provide access to nutritious foods and support a healthy lifestyle for the...
