Joyce Hanz stories, Page 16

Matt Cevario of Hyde Park was ready for some bargain shopping Monday, but he’ll have to wait a few weeks. Cevario stood near the entrance to the new Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, checking out the employees bustling about, in anticipation of the store’s grand opening scheduled for Oct. 25. “It’s exciting...

Witchy ways are returning with a nighttime Halloween-themed street fair in Vandergrift. The Witching Hours Night Market will take over Grant Avenue on Saturday in the business district. “This is an event you won’t forget,” said organizer and business owner Shannon Gourley of Vandergrift. Grant Street will be closed to...

The walls of a former school are tumbling down to make way for new, affordable senior citizen housing in East Vandergrift. The Morning Sun Senior Lofts project is a $16 million residential complex that will offer 41 units for seniors 55 and older in the former East Vandergrift Elementary School...

Americans are pulling a career 180 — moving from one industry to a completely different one — more often than ever before. A 2021 poll conducted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce showed 41% of Americans were looking to switch industries for their next job. The reasons for changing career...

Armstrong County officials are mum on identifying possible tenants for a new 30,000-square-foot tech development project at RIDC Armstrong Innovation Park in South Buffalo Township. The news of construction commencing on a “tech flex” building was announced Wednesday in a news release issued by Darin Alviano, the executive director of...

Police are reassuring residents that a section of downtown Freeport remains safe after an armed burglar was arrested Thursday night at a residence in the 200 block of Second Street. “My officers acted quickly, and there was never any danger to public safety,” said Southern Armstrong Regional police Chief Christopher...

Nathan Lysaght has some alligators to bathe. Nine of the them, actually, all from Thursday night’s roundup of the animals in Kiski Township. “The goal is to safely relocate the nine alligators to rescues in either South Carolina, Texas or Florida,” said Lysaght, director of Nate’s Reptile Rescue in South...

Two candidates are vying for a single seat on Nov. 7 to represent District 3 on the Fox Chapel Area School Board. In Districts 1 and 2, there are two candidates seeking two open seats in each district. The Fox Chapel Herald is featuring races only in contested districts. Here...

Leechburg Area School District has a second opening for a school board member. Karen Freilino resigned on Sept. 20, according to board president Anthony Shea. Freilino’s resignation comes on the heels of former board member Matthew Jagodrinski’s resignation in July. The vacancies remain unfilled. Board president Anthony Shea said Sunday...

A Vandergrift minister isn’t letting a disability deter him from faithfully serving his congregation. Pastor Brian Ralston, 53, is legally blind. In January, he relocated from Modesto, Calif., to Vandergrift to serve as pastor of Vandergrift Presbyterian Church on Washington Avenue in the borough’s historic district. For Ralston, returning to...

Kiski Area School Board President Michelle Schmidt has resigned from her seat on the board about two months before her term was set to expire, Superintendent Misty Slavic confirmed Wednesday. The board vacancy was announced Sept. 21 on the district’s Facebook page and website, and eligible residents were encouraged to...

Volunteer first responders of all capacities are needed in Washington Township. The Washington Township Volunteer Fire Company is hosting an open house Saturday on the company grounds in an effort to bolster its volunteer roster. In Pennsylvania, the number of volunteer firefighters has plummeted since the 1970s, when there were...

The Vandergrift Public Library is hiring for its top position. Sarah Buzzard of Vandergrift is stepping down from her role as library director, and the board is accepting applications for a replacement. Buzzard submitted a resignation letter during the Sept. 18 board meeting. “Sarah will be missed at the library,”...

Pickleball enthusiasts in the Freeport area no longer have to travel very far when they want to hit the courts for a few volleys. Six pickleball courts opened in Freeport Community Park in late August, and a grand opening celebration is scheduled for Oct. 7. The courts were established by...

Aging waterlines are thought to be the cause of ongoing water woes for some residents in Leechburg. More than five water main breaks have occurred in the past two weeks, according to Leechburg Volunteer Fire Company Chief John Foster. Foster said Friday the majority of waterlines in the borough are...

An opportunity is knocking for Gilpin residents interested in public service. Supervisor Linda Alworth submitted a letter of resignation Tuesday, leaving a vacancy on the five-member board. Alworth left the post because she moved out of the township. “We haven’t received any submissions yet, but we’re hoping to see a...

A Leechburg Area elementary school is celebrating earning a prestigious national distinction. David Leech Elementary School has been named a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. The district announced the news Tuesday on its official Facebook page. The school is one of 13 recognized in...

A busy Blawnox cafe is relocating to O’Hara. Curbside Coffeehouse, originally at 405 Freeport Road, is moving to 1101 Powers Run Road. The eatery is more than a traditional java joint, offering a fresh foods concept eatery with menu items changing daily — sometimes hourly. “It’s an amazing neck of...

An industrial park dating to 1888 is rolling out a commerce welcome mat in Armstrong County. That’s the message from Gilpin Supervisors Chairman Charles Stull as he spearheads efforts to attract businesses to the location that once housed the largest distillery in the U.S., The Schenley Distilling Co. Gilpin officials...

Carnival volunteers from the Leechburg Volunteer Fire Company are busy prepping for their biggest annual fundraiser. The annual five-day carnival starts Tuesday on the fire company’s grounds at 268 Canal St. The event has entertained carnival goers for more than 85 years. The carnival serves as an essential fundraiser for...

A popular river recreational business is on the market in Gilpin. The River’s Edge Canoe & Kayak at 3158 River Road is listed for sale by Coldwell Banker Realty for $2 million. Co-owners Neill and Evelyn Andritz have been a fixture at the family-run business for more than 16 years...

Gilpin officials want to hear from township residents and business owners concerning ongoing efforts to officially rezone the township. Residents are asked to review the proposed zoning ordinance and fill out the corresponding online comment form by Sept. 25. “It’s time to bring our township into the 21st century,” Supervisors...

Water is life. That’s the message Leechburg Area High School alum and University of Pittsburgh graduate student Ariana Scott heard loud and clear this summer while visiting Africa. Scott, 23, is enrolled in Pitt’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, studying international development and public health. She took a...

A defunct church belltower in Leechburg will soon be operational again, thanks to the fundraising work of church volunteers the last five months. “I had a Jesus moment,” said the Rev. James Arter of First Evangelical Lutheran Church of the moment last Tuesday when he opened the church mailbox and...