Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 17
2 newcomers vying for seat in Highlands Region 3
Highlands School District residents in Region 3 will see a choice of two people seeking a four-year term on the school board. Newcomers Clint Crowell and Aasta Deth, both cross-filed, are vying to fill the seat of Ashley Javier, who is stepping down. Crowell, 43, is a teacher at Freeport...
PennDOT’s Route 28 wrong-way safety detectors aim to save lives
Route 28 has earned a dangerous reputation after dozens of wrong-way crashes that claimed lives and racked up damage. PennDOT will usher in new technology this month to turn that around. A $4.8 million safety detection project will target 21 ramps along the expressway — a stretch where 30 wrong-way...
Covid pandemic exposed vulnerabilities but brought lessons in preparedness
Ordinary shopping trips became a scavenger hunt five years ago. Shoppers who felt fortunate enough to find toilet paper quickly filled their carts. Demand soared for items such as masks, lumber, liquor and computer chips. As covid-19 swept across the United States, empty store shelves spurred anxiety, heightened tensions and...
Pioneer Hose in Brackenridge provides critical service throughout the Alle-Kiski Valley with Rehab Squad
A specialized truck at Pioneer Hose in Brackenridge is critical for keeping firefighters throughout the region on the job. Although, the department’s Pierce Rehab Squad, a climate-controlled box truck where volunteers can rest and rehydrate, provides little to no medical intervention, it is essential to firefighter health and safety, Chief...
State’s first Unified eSports League levels playing field at Fox Chapel Area, Freeport Area
For Matt Murslack, the start of every meet for his fledgling unified video gaming club is like stepping onto the field for a real-life big game. The eighth grade teacher at Fox Chapel Area’s Dorseyville Middle School delivers a fiery motivational speech and lessons in sportsmanship. Then the competition starts,...
Tarentum mourns public works supervisor Mark Anuszek
Tarentum officials are remembering the borough’s longtime public works director for his staunch commitment to town. Mark Anuszek, 55, died Tuesday following a brief illness. “For 35 years, Mark was an unwavering pillar of our community,” the borough posted to social media. “He was not just a dedicated public servant...
Tarentum man not guilty of assaulting police officer, guilty of lesser charges
A Tarentum man accused of slapping a borough police officer in 2023 was found not guilty of charges of aggravated assault, a felony, and stalking and terroristic threats, both misdemeanors. Bryaunt Williams, 40, instead was found guilty of two summary counts of disorderly conduct at a trial in Allegheny County....
Faces of the Valley: East Deer’s Linda Blackmore keeps Tarentum Easter tradition alive
If it’s the day before Easter, Linda Blackmore will be at Riverview Memorial Park in Tarentum. It’s been that way for 71 years — ever since her parents, Alfred and Shirley Perroz, began organizing the borough’s annual egg hunt. “My parents were part of the (now defunct) Tarentum Moose, and...
Tarentum park survey reveals people want access to riverfront
Tarentum residents have made their voices heard, and the most requested upgrade to Riverview Memorial Park is an overlook on the Allegheny River. That was the top answer in a borough survey, focused on the park, that drew more than 130 responses. That suggestion was followed by adding a fishing...
The Bocce House in O’Hara seeks liquor license
A private club in O’Hara’s RIDC Park is seeking a liquor license at its Alpha Drive facility. The Bocce House of Pittsburgh, LLC will have a public hearing before O’Hara Council on Tuesday. It is seeking an inter-municipal license transfer to serve alcohol at its site at 641 Alpha Drive....
Location change for Tarentum Night Market expected to shine spotlight on entire community
Changes are coming to Tarentum’s monthly street festival to boost safety and socialization. Night Market, heading into its sixth year, is eyeing a move to First Avenue, where officials believe people will be more prone to sit, eat and linger. There also would be improved traffic flow and access to...
Brackenridge Council seeking to fill 2nd Ward vacancy
Brackenridge Council will have a different look next month for the first time in several years. The borough is seeking applicants to fill a vacancy after council on Thursday accepted the resignation of member John Stanzione. He announced last month that his family was moving to Lower Burrell. Stanzione was...
Then and Now: Faith United Methodist Church grew from John Fox homestead
In a small frame chapel on the old John Fox homestead, Fox Chapel United Methodist Church was established in 1891. By 1915, it became a landmark that gave Fox Chapel Road its name. A second sanctuary opened six decades later about a block away from the original church, along what...
End of an era: Tarentum VFW for sale; members consider next steps
It wasn’t too many years ago that the Tarentum VFW would fill up two floors of its East Fourth Avenue post with members and other revelers. “Bingo was a big draw,” said Quartermaster Zack Blume, a retired Army captain who served in Afghanistan. “We had a very active group. “When...
‘Run for the Hill of It’ to benefit Foxwall EMS
Aspinwall resident Adam Souply doesn’t consider himself a serious runner but he does lace up his shoes every morning to clear his mind. The 40-year-old finds peace in hitting the pavement – even Center Avenue, the dramatic hill that climbs to Upper Aspinwall and is among the steepest in the...
Tarentum church group, New Kensington’s Digital Foundry offer path to employment
A church program in Tarentum is working to provide people with a path to employment, among other services. That could mean funneling people to free training programs at The Digital Foundry in New Kensington, which offers certification programs in entry-level manufacturing to advanced engineering. “At the heart of what we...
Blawnox, O’Hara fire companies aim to rebuild ranks with focus on recruitment
State officials say volunteer firefighters save Pennsylvania municipalities about $10 billion a year. And, while departments across the country struggle with membership and finances, they are worth the work of keeping alive, Blawnox fire President Mike Yonas said. His department, with more than a century serving the small river town,...
3 flown to hospitals after head-on crash in Buffalo Township
Three people were flown by medical helicopter to area hospitals after a head-on crash late Sunday in Buffalo Township. Police received reports at 8:41 p.m. of a two-vehicle collision near Buffalo Plaza along Route 356, according to Chief Tim Derringer. A man and a woman were taken by helicopter to...
Beltzhoover man faces charges for alleged injuries to Wilkinsburg police officer
A Beltzhoover man is facing charges of aggravated assault in connection with injuries to a Wilkinsburg police officer on Saturday. CJ Jackson, 52, is charged with assault and resisting arrest after police said he attempted to flee from police, according to TribLive news partner WTAE. The extent of the officer’s...
Pittsburgh DJ, conservative radio host Jim Quinn dies at 82
Friends are recalling longtime radio host Jim Quinn as a force in Pittsburgh media. Quinn died Sunday at 82. A cause of death was not immediately released. The New Jersey native spent decades on Steel City stations, from his start at KQV in the 1960s to WTAE in the late...
Brackenridge mayor’s race draws no candidate interest
Brackenridge could be without a mayor early next year, at least temporarily. Incumbent Lindsay Fraser is undecided on whether she’ll seek reelection, and no one else has shown interest in the position heading into the May 20 primary election. A representative at the Allegheny County Elections Division said that nobody...
Oakmont archivist Stephanie Zimble preserves hidden history
Stephanie Zimble is a woman who finds treasure in other people’s “trash.” The archivist at Oakmont Carnegie Library often can be found prodding people to reconsider basement finds before they end up in the garbage can. “The more people I can convince not to throw cool stuff away, the better,”...
Highlands students get farm-to-table lesson from Fawn’s Blackberry Meadows
Farmer Greg Boulos asked first graders in the Highlands School District how many of them liked spinach and was surprised to see 50 hands shoot into the air. Boulos, owner of Blackberry Meadows Farm in Fawn, brought his farm-to-table presentation to the students Tuesday to promote sustainability and raise awareness...
Fox Chapel’s John Miclot recalled for entrepreneurship and volunteerism
Friends of John Miclot are recalling the Fox Chapel businessman as a visionary who was generous with his time and leadership. The former president and CEO of Respironics served on the board of the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium and the St. Margaret Foundation and was an active volunteer at the...
Second Harvest free fridge program expands
A free food program in Sharpsburg is expanding, enabling hundreds of people to have access to fruits, veggies, milk and eggs any time. The Community Free Fridge at Second Harvest Community Thrift Store will be stocked three days a week, up from two, with fresh food, frozen meats and prepared...
