Mary Ann Thomas stories, Page 42

The Burrell School Board has voted unanimously to renovate Buccaneers Stadium with artificial turf — reversing its initial decision last year to install natural grass. Burrell School Board awarded a $1.8 million contract Tuesday to W.G. Land Co. LLC, of Acme, to renovate the high school field and track, according...

The regional emergency coordinator for Cheswick, Harmar and Springdale has distributed face masks for police, and soon fire companies, for indoor interaction with residents. Bruno Moretti, coordinator of the Allegheny Valley Regional Management Agency, said the measure is meant to protect first responders as well as residents in the potential...

Cheswick has closed its borough offices for visits from residents because of coronavirus concerns, but residents can reach out to the borough by telephone and email, officials said. Office staff can be reached during normal business hours by calling 724-274-5125 or sending an email to boroughsecretary@cheswick.us or assistantsecretary@cheswick.us. Residents can...

Enjoying the great outdoors is getting more difficult at some public parks as organizations are closing some park facilities, canceling events and making some parks off-limits altogether because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has closed facilities including restrooms and buildings at all 121...

State Rep. Jeff Pyle, R-Ford City, announced his office will be closed to visitors, but constituents will be able to call and communicate online with his office. Pyle, who has district offices in Buffalo Township and Ford City, said he is following directions from the state House to lessen the...

Two men were severely injured Monday after a car crashed into a building in the 1400 block of Pittsburgh Street in Cheswick. Allegheny Valley police received a call about a reckless driver on Pittsburgh Street, said Sgt. Craig Cummings. Around 8:30 a.m., police went looking for the car and found...

The Army Corps of Engineers scrapped plans to hold a public meeting in Lordstown, Ohio, to discuss a proposed multibillion development project there because of coronavirus concerns. Instead, the corps held a virtual meeting Thursday using a webinar application. People were able to submit public comments electronically. “With everything going...

Efforts to keep the Bouquet Park Pool are continuing as the pool board has planned membership drives and a fundraiser to help them reach a goal of 250 members by March 26. The board of the private pool in Springdale Township has said it cannot reopen in 2020 unless they...

My darkest fear is the Pittsburgh-area personal care home where my mom is living will be a death trap if the coronavirus finds its way in. My second fear — which has arrived — is that I won’t be able to visit her. Is the reality that she is simply...

The Pittsburgh Botanic Garden’s spring lecture and workshop is “Healing Gardens: At the Intersection of Nature and Health” on March 25 and 26. The lecture and workshop will be held at the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden’s Bayer Welcome Center, 799 Pinkerton Run Road, North Fayette. The lecture will be held 6:30...

The Burrell School District administration has recommended artificial turf rather than natural grass for the Buccaneers Stadium renovations. The board will cast a final vote to award the project, choosing from three contract bids, at their March 17 meeting. The administration and the project’s architects, HHSDR Architects/Engineers of Sharon, reviewed...

The board of the Butler-Freeport Community Trail is buying the Cooper Station Restaurant’s distinctive old-style, red caboose along Route 356 in Winfield to relocate at a trailhead off Winfield Road in the township . The purchase honors the history of the 21-mile trail, which was forged by the Western Pennsylvania...

A demonstration of creating the mind-blowing ornate and detailed Ukrainian painted Easter eggs known as pysanky will be featured along with a pierogies and stuffed cabbage dinner at St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church in Arnold at 4 p.m. on April 4. The dinner includes St. Vlad’s pierogies, homemade stuffed cabbage,...

So many predatory bird nests, so little time. The fourth annual Raptor Row Ride will feature viewing stops for cyclists for bald eagle, osprey, hawk and American Kestrel nests on April 25 starting in West Homestead. The Raptor Row Ride traverses the Steel Valley Trail section of the Great Allegheny...

Butler County is one of the last strongholds in the state for a mellow and seldom-seen rattlesnake that government agencies and a local conservation group are trying to save. A century ago, the eastern massasauga rattlesnake called 19 areas in Pennsylvania home, living between Allegheny County and Crawford County. Today...

Burrell School Board is expected to discuss bids submitted for the Buccaneer Stadium renovation project when it meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The board will likely make a final decision on whether to install artificial turf or natural grass at its March 17 regular meeting, according to board President Tricia...

Lower Burrell City Council is looking to hire a new director of public works and parks to replace a man who resigned after seven months on the job. The city’s last public works and parks director, Jeff Fleming, resigned in January for personal reasons, according to city officials. Council members...

Allegheny Health Network’s future neighborhood hospital under construction in Harmar has gone up quickly over the past several months. When it opens this fall, hospital officials predict it will result in quicker diagnostic test results and shorter emergency room stays for patients. The two-story, 23,000-square-foot Freeport Road facility at Guys...

Bouquet Park Pool board’s strategy to reduce the cost for membership drew close to 150 members, but they are still shy 100 new memberships to stay open, according to pool board member Kellie Vergerio of Springdale. The good news is the new membership drive bested last year’s total of 114...