Mary Ann Thomas stories, Page 44

Armstrong Trails was among a handful of winners from 170 applicants nationally for a Rails-to-Trails Conservancy grant of $35,000. The grant will go toward the reconstruction of the southern sluice on the Brady Tunnel in Clarion County. Work in the tunnel needs to be completed to link a disjointed 4.5-mile...

It’s a tough balancing act to celebrate the Alle-Kiski Valley’s rich Native American history while also paying homage to a local pioneer woman who was violently abducted by a group of Delaware and other American Indians. Ren Steele said he feels uniquely qualified to contribute to efforts to do both...

Fishing licenses no longer need to be visible on anglers’ clothing as the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is soon ending the longtime regulation. “With this change, we’re making things more convenient for our anglers,” Tim Schaeffer, commission executive director, said in a press release. Apparently, there have been some...

Given the increase of food trucks and people soliciting in the city, Lower Burrell council is in the process of updating its solicitation permit ordinance. The permits will be used for food trucks and people soliciting door-to-door. But a sticky question with city council is when door-to-door solicitations are allowed....

February’s full moon, known as the Snow Moon, will appear this weekend, but be warned: a cloudy forecast in Pittsburgh offers no guarantees that we could get a clear look, the weatherman says. The Snow Moon will peak at 2:33 a.m. Sunday, according to timeanddate.com. You can see a full...

Lower Burrell Council is considering about $13,600 in additional charges for city hall’s $3.2 million renovation. The renovation project started last May. It includes a new public works building, more space for police and moving the tax office back to city hall. Council will vote on the additional charges at...

The Pennsylvania Resources Council is offering four Hard-to-Recycle events this year, including one on May 9 at the Pittsburgh Mills in Frazer, for residents to get rid of items not typically collected by trash haulers. Residents can bring their e-waste, cellphones, alkaline batteries, Freon-containing appliances, tires and more to the...

Gordmans, a discount department store, will soon replace its sister brand, Peebles, in Hyde Park Plaza, Allegheny Township. Both stores’ owner, Stage Stores, headquartered in Houston, Texas, announced the grand opening for Gordmans for 9 a.m. Feb. 18 at with gifts and other giveaways. Given the demise of big box...

State police say an intoxicated Leechburg woman hit a man with her car in Vandergrift last Monday. State police responded to a call at a Leechburg address where it was reported that a man was hit by a car, reportedly driven by a woman who was threatening to “slit her...

When it comes to a sly fox, the Pittsburgh Hays bald eagles don’t give it more than a passing glance. But a rascally squirrel? That’s another story. According to antics captured on a live webcam provided by the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania and CSE Corp., the eagles have been...

Bouquet Park Pool is appealing a decision by Springdale Township to revoke its occupancy permit amid allegations that pool water drained onto a neighboring property. Township Commissioners President Anthony Rozzano said the pool water entered the neighboring property of the Springdale Veterans Association. “You are not allowed to discharge water...

Springdale and Cheswick boroughs are forming a joint recreational board to oversee Agan Park, an underused park in need of some care and direction. The park, located along Riddle Run Road in Springdale Township, was bequeathed to Springdale and Cheswick boroughs, which took over ownership in the 1950s. The park...

Burrell School District Superintendent Shannon Wagner said she has grown concerned about the quality of police coverage in the district since School Resource Officer John Marhefka was appointed Lower Burrell’s acting police chief earlier this month. The city’s department has been filling in for Marhefka in the school district with...

A house along Lincoln Boulevard in Upper Burrell was heavily damaged by fire late Friday morning. The fire at 123 Lincoln Blvd., which runs parallel to Route 366, was reported at 11:21 a.m., according to a Westmoreland County emergency dispatcher. Upper Burrell fire Chief Bryan Fitch said flames and smoke...

Burrell School Board has delayed awarding contracts for the planned renovation of Buccaneer Stadium by a month because additional architectural design work is being done, officials said. The delay won’t put the project behind schedule, according to Burrell Superintendent Shannon Wagner. Work had not been expected to start until March...

Lower Burrell is applying for a state grant to help pay for repairs to drainage pipes along and under Craigdell Road in the Kay Street area. Matt Pitsch of Senate Engineering, the city’s engineer, said the aging pipes need to be repaired before their condition worsens. The city is seeking...

Scarlett Lewis, whose son Jesse was one of 26 people killed at the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, has rescheduled a free presentation at Burrell High School on her “Choose Love” educational program for April 1. She canceled a presentation scheduled for last month because she was ill....

Penn State Extension will host the workshop, “Making Cover Crops Pay,” Jan. 21 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Armstrong County Extension Office, 120 S. Grant Ave., Suite 1, in Kittanning. The workshop is free to the public, but registration is required. A free breakfast will be offered....

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful affiliates — including Westmoreland Cleanways and other area environmental groups — announced Friday that it had collected more than 2 million pounds of electronics and other waste. That includes more than 21,000 tires; 6,000 appliances, and 61,000 pounds of household hazardous waste from local residents in 2019....