In brief: Penn Hills and Verona area happenings, week of April 1, 2024
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PennDOT announces lineup of roads to be seal-coated
Starting in April and lasting throughout summer, PennDOT will be seal-coating state roads in Penn Hills. This essential maintenance aims to extend the longevity of the roadways. Signs will be posted in advance at each location.
The affected roads are:
• State Route 130 (Sandy Creek Road/Coal Hollow Road/Beulah Road)
• Allegheny River Boulevard to Churchill line
• State Route 400 (Saltsburg Road)
• Leechburg Road to Plum line
• State Route 2056 (School Street)
• Lott Road to Reiter Road
• State Route 2058 (Verona Road/Saltsburg Road)
• Robinson Boulevard/ Frankstown Road to Hulton Road/Frankstown Road
• State Route 2059 (Long Road)
• Beulah Road to Frankstown Road
• State Route 2060 (Aber Road)
• Nadine Road to Mount Carmel Road
• State Route 2063 (Frey Road)
• Universal Road to Monroeville line
• State Route 2064 (Lime Hollow Road)
• Coal Hollow Road to Frankstown Road
• State Route 2065 (Thompson Run Road)
• Monroeville line to Universal Road
• State Route 2066 (Lott Road)
• Thompson Run Road to Plum Borough line
• State Route 2067 (Stotler Road)
• Saltsburg Road to Universal Road
• State Route 2069 (Blackadore Avenue)
• Mount Carmel Road to City of Pittsburgh line
• State Route 2106 (Reiter Road)
• Universal Road to Saltsburg Road
Blood donors sought
Vitalant is marking National Donate Life Month during April with a series of blood drives throughout the Pittsburgh region, including:
• 8 a.m. to noon Tuesday, April 16: Penn Hills High School, 309 Collins Drive
• 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 18: Redeemer Lutheran School, 121 Dawn Drive
Donors of every blood type are welcome, especially those with the most-transfused type O.
All donors who give with Vitalant through April 20 and opt-in to the Donor Rewards program will be entered in a drawing for 20 winners of $420 gift cards in the Blaze a Trail giveaway.
For details and to make an appointment, visit vitalant.org, download the Vitalant app or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).
State lawmakers plan shredding event
Penn Hills residents can shred documents containing personal information such as Social Security, credit card and bank account numbers from 9:30 a.m. to noon April 6 at Linton Middle School.
The event is hosted by state Sen. Jay Costa and state Rep. Joe McAndrew. Individuals can bring up to three boxes per car, free of charge.
Organizers also will collect nonperishable food items for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
School board adds committee dedicated to arts, music
Members of the Penn Hills School Board recently voted to establish a new committee to help include the district’s art and music departments in school planning.
The Penn Hills School Board Arts Committee will serve as an outlet for leaders of the art and music departments to share their opinions and ideas to boost creative endeavors within the district. The group will be chaired by board member Heather Broman.
The Arts Committee is not meant to be a policy-making entity. Members of the group will raise concerns, insight and ideas into school-related issues that will help school board members make decisions for the district.
2nd yard waste collection set April 8
Penn Hills is planning its second leaf and yard waste collection April 8.
Bags must be set out Sunday evening before the collection date. The first collection was April 1.
All material must be root-free and placed in approved paper leaf/yard waste bags that are folded closed; do not use staples or tape to secure the bags. Other types of bags will not be picked up.
Acceptable material includes leaves; garden residue such as flowers and plants with no roots attached; shrubbery and tree trimmings less than a half-inch in diameter.
The following material will not be accepted: grass, ground-up leaves, dirt, stones, roots, plastic bags, boxes and containers.
All yard waste bags must be under 30 pounds. Bags over that weight or containing inappropriate material will be left behind.
Bags also can be dropped off at the municipal compost site throughout the year by making an appointment with the public works department at 412-798-2151. A 24-hour notice is required when scheduling an appointment.
For details, visit pennhillspa.gov.
AARP group to meet April 9
Members of the Plum AARP will have their monthly meeting at 12 p.m. April 9 in Unity Community Church, 215 Unity Trestle Road, Plum.
The meeting will include a Pizza Sale Fundraiser — 2 slices of pizza, one plain and one pepperoni, for $4. Cake and coffee/tea will be free, as always.
The program also will feature games and socializing. Members may purchase their tickets, $25 each, for the May 14 luncheon at Jaden’s 2. Membership dues of $15 should be turned in by May but can be paid at the April meeting.
Plum AARP is a social/service organization open to residents of Plum, Penn Hills, Monroeville and the surrounding neighborhoods. The group features quality entertainment or an interesting speaker at each meeting, a Christmas Party, May luncheon and August social, as well as the opportunity for day or overnight trips through Thomas Tours or Louise Grassi tours.
Newcomers are welcome. Regular meetings are held at noon in Unity Community Church on the second Tuesday of month, September through August, except for June.
For details, call Mary Lou at 724-327-8265.
Library offering programs to boost health, wellness
Penn Hills Library, 1037 Stotler Road, is offering a variety of programming for adults to boost health and wellness in April.
• Yoga Fridays: 2 to 3 p.m. April 5, 12 and 26. Refresh your mind and renew your body with yoga in the library’s community room. No registration is required.
• Weekend Yoga: 1 to 2 p.m. April 6. Weekend Yoga is held on the first Saturday of every month in the library’s community room. No registration is required.
• Guided Meditation: 6 to 7 p.m. April 22. Monks from the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center will lead participants in a meditation session. No registration is required.
• Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body: 6:30 to 8 p.m. April 29. Participants will learn about the latest research in areas of nutrition, exercise, cognitive activity and social engagement. Registration is required and can be made by visiting the events calendar online at pennhills.librarycalendar.com.
For details about any of the above programs, call the library at 412-775-4700.
Financial wellness, life enhancements on tap
Penn Hills Library, 1037 Stotler Road, is offering several programs in April to help adults enhance their financial literacy and shape their future.
• Financial Education: 6 to 7 p.m. April 9. Participants will learn how their money is taxed and three ways to gain financial empowerment.
• Area Agency on Aging — Senior Housing Options: 5 to 6 p.m. April 29. Participants will learn about senior housing options from the Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging.
• Resume Workshop: 1 to 2 p.m. April 30; registration required by April 16. A representative from CareerLink will teach participants how to make a winning resume.
To register for any of the above programs, visit the events calendar at pennhills.librarycalendar.com or call the library at 412-775-4700.
Free smoke detectors available to residents
State Rep. Joe McAndrew, D-Penn Hills, has teamed up with the American Red Cross to offer free smoke detectors to residents in Oakmont, Penn Hills, Plum and Verona.
The American Red Cross also will install the smoke detectors in your home for free.
To sign up, call 412-263-5278. A Red Cross representative will ask for some information and then schedule a time to install the smoke detectors.
District students to work from home during eclipse
The Penn Hills School District is planning a Flexible Instruction Day on April 8 because of the solar eclipse.
Students will be learning from home to ensure their safety. Everyone is reminded to use special eclipse glasses to safely view the phenomenon.
The duration of totality, as the moon passes in front of the sun, is expected to last about 4 minutes and 28 seconds.
At science.nasa.gov, NASA shares the times that totality will begin as the eclipse passes over some cities in North America. In Erie, partial totality is expected to begin at 2:02 p.m.; followed by the start and end of totality, at 3:16 p.m. and 3:20 p.m., respectively; and the end of partial totality at 4:30 p.m.
The next total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous United States will take place on Aug. 23, 2044.
Tickets on sale for ‘Shrek’ musical
Penn Hills High School will perform “Shrek the Musical” at 7 p.m. April 25-27 and 2 p.m. April 28.
All seats are reserved.
Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. They can be purchased online at phhsmusical.com or at the door.
Opening night will include a meet-and-greet with the characters.
For details, visit the Penn Hills High School’s Spring Musical page on Facebook.
PALS to meet up in April for mini-golf outing
The Plum Area Ladies Society (PALS) is planning to play miniature golf for this month’s Ladies Day Out in April at Willows Golf & Ice Cream.
The date of the outing at Willows Golf & Ice Cream will be decided depending on the weather, and members who signed up will be notified.
PALS is a service/social club open to residents of Plum, Penn Hills, Monroeville and the surrounding communities. Regular meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month, September through April, at the Plum Community Center. Newcomers are always welcome.
For details, call Mary Lou at 724-327-8265.
10th annual ‘Friends of Jupiter’ Pet Walk set
Registration is open for the 10th annual “Friends of Jupiter” Pet Walk, which will be held April 28 at Tanglewood Shelter at Boyce Park in Plum.
The event is named for Jupiter, a Maltese rescued from a puppy mill. It will start at 9 a.m., rain or shine, with the walk starting at 10 a.m. It includes a basket raffle, pet vendors and local rescues.
Proceeds will benefit various animal rescues.
For details, visit the Friends of Jupiter website at friendsofjupiter.wix.com/petwalk or email friendsofjupiter@gmail.com.
Workshop to explore centering prayer
Christ the Divine Shepherd Parish is sponsoring a Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop from 8:30 a.m. to noon April 20.
The workshop will include a continental breakfast from 8:30 to 9 a.m., centering prayer experiences, discussion of the book “Open Heart, Open Mind” by Father Thomas Keating and follow-up sessions.
Registration is $20 and is payable in advance or at the door. Reservations are required by April 17.
Checks should be made payable to Christ the Divine Shepherd Parish, in care of Irene Swackhammer, 200 Stotler Road, Penn Hills, PA 15235.
For details or to make a reservation, call 412-977-2721 or email irenes_2001@yahoo.com.
Stamp/postcard show on tap
The Wilkinsburg Stamp Club will hold its 74th annual stamp and postcard show in April at the Holiday Park Fire Hall in Plum.
The show will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 12 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 13.
Dealers will provide a variety of items and will be available to appraise collections.
Admission and parking are free.
For details, visit wilkinsburgstampclub.com.
Take Off Pounds Sensibly meets Tuesday evenings
The local chapter of TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), a support group to help those struggling with weight loss, meets Tuesday evenings at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1261 Pennsylvania Ave., in Oakmont. Meetings begin with a private weigh-in between 5:45 and 6:10 p.m.
Anyone interested in joining can attend a meeting and decide if TOPS is right for them. For details, call 412-828-3854 or email jmjkwj@gmail.com.
Car club plans blessing ceremony
Members of the East Coast Motor Mafia car club will host a car-blessing ceremony April 20.
It will be from noon to 2 p.m. at Holy Grail Auto Storage & Clubhouse, 905 Main St. in East Pittsburgh.
The club’s house chaplain will bless cars for the 2024 season. Donations will be accepted.
For details, call 412-906-3682 or visit theholygrailgarage.com.
Car show benefit set for April 21
The Steel City Chapter of the Heavy Hitters Car Club will host a car show April 21.
It will be from noon to 5 p.m. at the CCAC Boyce Campus, 595 Beatty Road in Monroeville, with special guest host and former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Louis Lipps.
The entry fee is $10 and the event will include food, music, a 50-50 and basket raffles along with awards in seven categories.
Proceeds will benefit Tiny Cause, a nonprofit dog rescue shelter in Vandergrift. For details, visit SCheavyhitters.com.
Venue changed for Class of 1974 reunion
The Penn Hills High School Class of 1974 will have its 50th reunion at 6 p.m. June 8 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Downtown Pittsburgh.
The venue changed from the Monroeville DoubleTree, which recently announced its closure.
The cost is $65. The gathering will include appetizers, food stations, dessert, nonalcoholic beverages, a photo booth and a DJ. There will be a cash bar.
To make a reservation, visit Penn Hills Class of 1974 on Facebook, email PHHS74Reunion@gmail.com or contact Deborah (Tedesco) Gathagan at dgathagan@verizon.net.
Household chemical collection scheduled
The Pennsylvania Resource Council will hold a household chemical collection from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 17 at Boyce Park in Plum.
Individuals can drop off automotive fluids, household cleaners, pesticides, paints and other household chemicals. A $20 fee covers disposal of up to 10 gallons or 50 pounds of material per vehicle. Loads exceeding 10 gallons and 50 pounds will be subject to additional fees.
Participants must register in advance at prc.org/collectionevents or by calling 412-488-7490.