Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 5
Lawmakers, pet advocates push bill spurred by pet cremation scandal
State Sen. Nick Pisciottano said the state’s framework for pet cremation oversight is “a little like the Wild West.” The legislator, whose district includes Plum, Monroeville and parts of the Mon Valley, proposed Senate Bill 950 to strengthen consumer protection and criminalize the mistreatment of pets after their deaths. “Pets...
Fox Chapel Area conference draws 600 educators for lessons on embracing technology
Flying drones and other cutting-edge equipment were showcased during a regional workshop in the Fox Chapel Area School District to prepare educators for the future and illustrate how technology can simultaneously drive learning and joy. The Three Rivers Educational Technology Conference on Jan. 19 drew more than 600 teachers, K-12...
Highlands teachers seal 5-year, early-bird contract
Highlands School District teachers locked up a five-year contract that awards them a 3.5% average salary increase each year through 2030. The school board on Tuesday approved the contract with the Highlands Education Association, well ahead of the current agreement’s June 30 expiration. “The deal is the result of a...
Harrison Hills to host global Great Backyard Bird Count
Part of a global birding event is happening in Harrison. Harrison Hills Park is the place for birding enthusiasts, nature lovers and novices alike to gather Feb. 14 for the Great Backyard Bird Count. “This is a great way for anyone of any experience to participate in a fun, interesting...
Tarentum officials lobby PennDOT to repair ‘hazardous’ bridge
Tarentum officials fear a small bridge near Mill Street has become a big safety problem, especially for pedestrians. Visible rebar and crumbling concrete dot the West Seventh Avenue Bridge, a 40-foot span that connects the east and west sides of town. PennDOT has deemed the span, owned by the state,...
Pleasant Valley fire chief passes torch to son after decades on the job in O’Hara
When the fire whistles sounded at 6:30 a.m. Jan. 12 in O’Hara, Butch Michalowski trudged out of his house and into the bitter cold — despite officially retiring two weeks earlier from his role as Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Company chief. “I’ll probably never stop,” he said, laughing. “I’ve been...
Court postponed for Patrick Vereb in Harrison pet cremation scandal
Alleged victims of Patrick Vereb, the man accused of taking money for pet cremations and disposing of the animals in landfills, will have to wait a bit longer for his trial. The 71-year-old from Hazelwood was scheduled Thursday for a non-jury trial in Allegheny County Court. That has been pushed...
Frankie’s Friends in New Kensington helps rescue 40 cats from hoarding situation
Frankie’s Friends nonprofit veterinary clinic in New Kensington is seeking help from the public after saving a hoard of 40 cats from a Westmoreland rescue shelter. Officials declined to name the rescue organization because no charges have been filed against it. The investigation continues. “The cats are sick, skinny —...
Tarentum road closed after garbage truck collides with tree
Motorists who use Ormond Street in Tarentum will need to detour. A portion of the road is closed, between 10th and Roup avenues, after a garbage truck struck a tree early Friday. A borough post said the closure is for immediate safety concerns. Public Works and emergency crews are on...
Harrison hospital opens $6.2M rehab center for stroke, surgery recovery
A $6.2 million tech-forward rehab facility opened Thursday at AHN Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison, making it the only stroke and surgery recovery center of its kind in the region, according to Allegheny Health Network officials. “This is equipment that few centers have,” said Dr. Mark Rubino, the hospital’s president....
At least 2 pets unaccounted for after house fire in Turtle Creek
Emergency crews battled a house fire in Turtle Creek late Wednesday. Firefighters were called to the 500 block of McMasters Avenue, according to TribLive news partner WTAE. Allegheny County dispatchers said there were no injured people taken from the scene. Turtle Creek Fire Department First Lt. Mike McAllister told WTAE...
Reversal brings back 900 federal workers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Nearly 1,000 federal employees laid off by the Trump Administration last April from the agency meant to protect workplace safety will be able to return to the job. Terminations from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health were overturned Wednesday, meaning a return to the office for scientists, engineers...
Fox Chapel traffic signal upgrade replaces obsolete equipment
Traffic is expected to be flowing more safely near a major Fox Chapel traffic intersection. A $300,000 project to modernize the traffic signals at Fox Chapel and Field Club roads wrapped up in December, following several months of work. The equipment replaces original signals that were obsolete, borough Manager Julie...
Harrison Hills to spruce up park, playgrounds
Playgrounds are getting an upgrade at Harrison Hills Park. The Allegheny County-owned facility in Harrison will see several projects this year, including new walkways, play equipment with safety surfaces, landscaping, signs and items to help with accessibility. Harrison Hills encompasses more than 500 acres of woods, streams, waterfalls and ponds....
Portion of walking trail closed at O’Hara Community Park
Walkers who use the trail at O’Hara Township Community Park will be forced to detour for a couple of months. A portion of the trail is closed through at least early March. It is necessary for work to be done on a Sycamore Run retaining wall, which supports the upper...
EMS authority meeting postponed for Harrison, Tarentum, Brackenridge
A special meeting scheduled tonight to form a paid ambulance authority in Harrison, Tarentum and Brackenridge is postponed. Eureka Fire-Rescue personnel posted to Facebook, apologizing for the short notice....
More sexual assault charges filed against former Highlands teacher Sean Dicer
An adult graduate of Highlands School District has come forward, accusing former teacher Sean Dicer of indecent assault and adding to the onslaught of sex-related allegations against him. In the latest allegations, the incidents are said to have happened inside a classroom at the former Fairmount Elementary School about 20...
Court date looms for former Harrison funeral director accused of pet cremation fraud
Tina Moore has been counting the days, for nearly a year, until former Harrison funeral director Patrick Vereb has his day in court. Vereb, 71, of Hazelwood was charged by the state Attorney General’s Office with taking money for pet cremations and disposing of the animals in landfills. He also...
Future of Fawn EMS coverage remains uncertain
Fawn is the final holdout of a proposed paid, regional ambulance authority — leaving the future of the township’s EMS coverage up in the air. Supervisors must decide whether to join the Alle-Kiski Emergency Services Authority, expected to move forward this fall, or look elsewhere for 911 service. “We haven’t...
Shoppers lament Macy’s closing at Pittsburgh Mills, others hopeful for recreation or entertainment venue
Julie Ravotti grew up in Beaver County and remembers trekking to Pittsburgh Mills for family shopping adventures after the Frazer mall opened in 2005. “We traveled to see all the new stores and it was bustling, so promising,” said Ravotti, who moved to Leechburg nine years ago. “Fast forward to...
Fox Chapel Area telethon tops $101,000 to benefit local nonprofit
A nonprofit that helps Fox Chapel Area children and families has found itself on the receiving end of community outreach. Fox Families Care was awarded $101,000 over the holiday season as the beneficiary of the Fox Chapel Area School District telethon. The 36th annual fundraiser on Dec. 23 involved students...
Harrison’s new trash hauler, Noble Environmental, asks for patience
Some Harrison residents are questioning the township’s move to a new garbage hauler after what they say was a bumpy first week of collections. But Noble Environmental is ensuring that kinks in the new collection routes will be ironed out quickly. And they are asking for patience. “We’ve been inundated...
Blawnox woman recounts parents’ harrowing Holocaust ordeal
The daughter of two Holocaust survivors will share her parents’ poignant account during a program Tuesday in Fox Chapel. Deborah Leuchter Stueber of Blawnox will be the guest speaker at the Holocaust Remembrance event, hosted by the Fox Chapel Area affiliate of the American Association of University Women. The daughter...
Orthodox Christmas to be celebrated Wednesday across region
The Christmas season isn’t over, at least not for the handful of Orthodox Christian churches that follow the Julian Calendar and are celebrating Christmas on Wednesday with special liturgies, dinners and holiday decorations. “Universally, it’s accepted as Christmas, but, in our faith, it is really called the Nativity of the...
Highlands Family Center gets food pantry boost
Highlands Family Center in Tarentum is getting some much-needed help to address a surge in food needs in the wake of the federal government shutdown and state budget stalemate late last year. The organization, run by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, was awarded $5,000 from The United Way and Heinz Endowments....
