Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 94
Allegheny County arbitrator seeking Lower Valley District Judge seat
An Allegheny County arbitrator and Aspinwall resident is vying to become the Lower Valley Magisterial District Judge. Jessica Lynch, a resident of the borough for nearly three decades, works for the county to resolve landlord-tenant cases and other civil issues. If elected magistrate, she would close her practice and serve...
O’Hara council to consider potential changes to home rule charter
O’Hara council is expected in May to discuss potential changes to the township’s home rule charter. A referendum could be placed on the November General Election ballot that would impact how vacant council seats are filled. Another referendum under consideration would repeal gender references in the charter. A council workshop...
UPMC St. Margaret names East Deer resident Marianna Stoneburner as Chief Nursing Officer
East Deer resident Marianna Stoneburner is the new Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at UPMC St. Margaret, the same hospital where she spent more than a decade working in the intensive care unit. Stoneburner returns to St. Margaret after serving the past six years as CNO at UPMC Horizon in Mercer...
Near-century old Aspinwall building getting new look
A landmark building in Aspinwall will look a bit different in coming months. Jim Mitnick, owner of the former PNC branch at 101 Brilliant Ave., received the green light from council to remodel the nearly 100-year-old building. Council approved the conditional use for office space in a third-floor addition to...
Walking trail coming to Hampton Community Park
Visitors to Hampton Community Park could be enjoying a new walking trail by early May. Construction has begun on a limestone-covered stone path that will loop around the northern section of the park and connect with the Rachel Carson Trail. The cost is near $900,000. The contractor, Independent Enterprises, will...
Allegheny County Public Defender Barry Wingard seeking Sharpsburg district judge position
Lower Valley Magisterial District Justice candidate Barry Wingard is running his campaign by doing what he called “something really outrageous.” “I’m going to talk about the issues in our community that matter,” said Wingard, an Indiana Township resident who is among five candidates seeking the six-year post that serves the...
Volunteers help prep Sharpsburg Market Garden for season of giving
The Sharpsburg Market Garden turned out 190 pounds of free produce last summer, and organizers hope to give away double that amount this year. Green-thumbed volunteers showed up April 18 for a successful day of prep at the site along 13th and Middle streets. “The work day was so satisfying,”...
O’Hara seeks state grant to fix crumbling stream bank in Community Park
O’Hara council is seeking a $200,000 state grant to repair a portion of the Squaw Run stream bank that collapsed nearly two years ago. Township Engineer Chuck Steinert said money will be sought from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. “There is approximately 60 feet of wall that was...
Top stories from The Herald communities for the week of April 12, 2021Video
Here are some of the top stories for the week of April 12, 2021: • Aspinwall seeking $215,000 in grants for town upgrades Aspinwall residents could see townwide improvements thanks to three grants that council has applied for. Money would help pay for trail improvements at Fireman’s Memorial Park, sewer...
Aspinwall, Blawnox and O’Hara partner on permanent glass recycling dumpster
Glass recycling will be lost in some municipal trash hauling contracts across the Lower Valley but O’Hara, Aspinwall and Blawnox are making sure an alternate service continues for residents. The three communities are banding together to offer a permanent glass recycling dumpster at the O’Hara municipal building. The 22-foot by...
O’Hara considers banning tobacco use in township parks
By this time next month, visitors to O’Hara parks might have to leave the area to smoke. Council is considering a ban on all tobacco products in township parks, expanding the current policy that disallows them near the playground areas. The idea was introduced during council’s April 13 meeting, after...
Hampton Community Center’s new HVAC system tops $865,000
Hampton Community Center is expected to reopen Friday after a brief closure to replace the HVAC system. The cost of the work topped $865,000, Manager Christ Lochner said. The project was a major undertaking since the building spans 51,000 square feet. Contractors from Trinity Automated Solutions in Bridgeville began the...
Fox Chapel Area senior Melina Bradley earns full-ride Stamps Scholarship to University of Pittsburgh
Hard work has paid off in a major way for Fox Chapel Area High School senior Melina Bradley. The 18-year-old Fox Chapel resident earned a Stamps Scholarship worth more than $160,000 through the University of Pittsburgh. The full-ride award covers four years of tuition, mandatory fees, room and board, and...
‘Twenty Won,’ an anthology by female writers sharing stories of resilience, launches April 21
Weary from a year of pandemic-related isolation, a McKeesport-area woman transformed her anxiety into an inspirational book detailing the good that transpired from a global lockdown. “Twenty Won: an anthology of 21 female entrepreneurs sharing stories of business resilience during the 2020 global crisis,” will launch April 21. It is...
Fox Chapel Area Rotary donates $10,000 for StoryWalk in Aspinwall park
Colorful and oversized illustrated children’s book pages will line the path at Aspinwall Fireman’s Memorial Park thanks to a grant from the Rotary Club of Fox Chapel Area. The club awarded $10,000 to Cooper-Siegel Community Library to install a permanent StoryWalk in the park in Upper Aspinwall. There will be...
Fox Chapel Area set to stream ‘Songs for a New World,’ vignettes about overcoming adversity
In what seems a fitting theme for a pandemic year, a cabaret filled with vignettes about survival will replace the traditional spring musical at Fox Chapel Area High School. Students will stream “Songs for a New World,” comprising pre-recorded short pieces about struggles and success, during four shows April 15-18....
Lifelong Sharpsburg resident, current mayor, seeking magistrate position
Sharpsburg Mayor Matt Rudzki is seeking a higher office which would allow him to serve a wider majority of the Lower Valley. Rudzki, a lifelong Sharpsburg resident and graduate of Fox Chapel Area High School, is seeking election for Magisterial District Judge. The office serves six municipalities that include Aspinwall,...
Student news: Shaler Area music accolades and Japanese speech contest winners
Four Shaler Area High School seniors were recognized by the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) as some of the top instrumentalists in the state by being selected for its All-State ensembles. They are: • Adam Braughler: Ranked among the best French horn players in the state, Braughler has been a...
Sharpsburg Community Library launches courtyard programs for all ages
Sharpsburg Community Library has come alive with programs since reopening to the public earlier this month. Courtyard programs are hosted almost daily, with topics that target young readers to adults. “Now that the weather is warming up, we’re excited to begin offering some outdoor, in-person programs again,” Manager Sara Mariacher...
Shaler Area walking trail named for late teacher who went the extra mile for students
A walking trail in the Shaler Area School District has been named in honor of a beloved teacher who passed away earlier in the school year. Kim Baysek-Young, a third grade teacher at Reserve Primary School, will be memorialized with a 0.2-mile path at the school along Lonsdale Street. The...
Citing Zoom fatigue, Fox Chapel Area Adult Education sees sharp decline in enrollment; eyeing better turnout for spring semester
Zoom fatigue and mild spring weather have combined to thwart a hearty enrollment for the upcoming Fox Chapel Area Adult Education (FCAAE) semester, leaders said. The program, which enjoyed robust fall and winter semesters, is experiencing a significant dropoff with enrollment down about 75% this academic year, Executive Director Sue...
Allegheny Land Trust finalizes purchase of Girty’s Woods in Reserve, shielding 155-acre forest from development
A 155-acre tract of land in Reserve will be protected from development and preserved as natural habitat thanks to a robust capital campaign that raised more than $700,000. Allegheny Land Trust (ALT) announced March 30 that the purchase of Girty’s Woods, a rare forest in an urban setting, was complete....
Ford Motor Co. unveils sneak peek at resurrected Bronco model during O’Hara eventVideo
Removable doors that stash in the back, a slide-out tailgate table and optional 35-inch tires are some of the raddest features of the 2021 Ford Bronco, a model resurrected by the car manufacturer after a 25-year hiatus. The Ford Motor Company gave car enthusiasts a brief glimpse of its beloved...
Aspinwall seeking more than $215,000 in grants for townwide upgrades
Aspinwall council is seeking three grants totaling more than $215,000 for townwide upgrades. They include money for trail improvements at Fireman’s Memorial Park, sewer separation along Western Avenue and work at the Aspinwall Volunteer Fire Department garage. Work at the park in upper Aspinwall will include replacing the current asphalt...
Support sought for purchase of Brilliant Line rail corridor for bike/ped trail from Aspinwall to Pittsburgh’s East End
Residents from Sharpsburg to Pittsburgh’s East End could be connected by a four-mile bike/pedestrian corridor that would provide access to fitness, recreation, shopping and dining in a project that’s expected to cost nearly $14 million. Allegheny Valley Railroad has agreed to sell the Brilliant Line to Aspinwall Riverfront Park. The...
