Bella Markovitz stories
Holiday house tour in Penn Hills raises $4,500 to resurface neighborhood park’s sports court
Wreaths, bows, stars, snowflakes, glowing lights, sparkly ornaments, nutcrackers, angels, snowmen and, of course, Christmas trees were all on display as Crescent Hills residents decked their halls for the Crescent Hills Civic Association’s 2025 Holiday House Tour on Dec. 13. Guests basked in the warm holiday spirit reflected in six...
Closure of Grant Bar in Millvale after over 90 years an emotional hit for owners, customers
The owners and staff of the Grant Bar & Restaurant worked through their tears for their last night of service at the packed restaurant on Nov. 29, a week after announcing on Facebook that the Millvale establishment would permanently close after operating for more than 90 years. Jackie Roethlein, wife...
More than 200 people gather to remember loved ones at 30th Light of Love event
Nearly a year after his mother, Rose Pirollo, died on Christmas Day, Chris Pirollo of Penn Hills attended Soxman Funeral Homes’ Light of Love memorial program for the first time. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but he walked away feeling it was a “wonderful, elegant, tasteful celebration of remembrance.”...
Soxman Funeral Homes in Penn Hills marks 3rd annual Children’s Grief Awareness Day
Children learned about grief and how to process it while enjoying snacks, listening to a storytime, crafting and hanging out with Lilo, a bereavement care dog, during Soxman Funeral Homes’ third annual Children’s Grief Awareness Day event Nov. 22. Created by The Highmark Caring Place in 2008, Children’s Grief Awareness...
Penn Hills eyes amending code to enable acting police chief to apply for permanent post
Three months into his service as acting police chief of Penn Hills, Jason Bonace has never felt more satisfied with his life. “About one month after I started this role was the first time in my 48 years of life that I felt content, and it’s a really good feeling,”...
Hampton students take the reins for successful fall production of ‘Death by Chocolate’
On a stage drenched in blue light, a figure sits at a desk, struggling against their binds. A bookcase slides silently aside to reveal a hand holding a gun, protruding from the darkness of a secret room. A shot rings out and the struggling figure slumps over. Michael Petrucci, a...
Leafier look ahead for Rodi Road as Penn Hills Shade Tree Commission wraps up goal for corridor
Cold weather did not deter more than 25 volunteers — including Penn Hills acting police Chief Jason Bonace and his wife, Michele — from joining the Penn Hills Shade Tree Commission in planting 15 additional trees Nov. 8 along Rodi Road. “We have a granddaughter that’s due in a month,”...
Hebron Church in Penn Hills, which dates to township’s founding, marks 175th anniversary
During an era of churches closing and congregations merging, church elder Dan Brown said Hebron Church in Penn Hills is still going strong. The church celebrated its 175th anniversary with a banquet attended by 193 congregants Oct. 12. “Many churches have either closed up or certainly shrunk. I mean, we’ve...
3rd annual Diwali celebration shines light on Indian holiday, collects food for local pantries
LED tealights flickered between vibrant garlands and flowers Nov. 2 at the Baierl Family YMCA in Franklin Park. More than 300 guests, many clad in bright saris and kurtas, attended the third annual celebration of Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, hosted by state Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-McCandless. Diwali —...
Northern Regional Police Department, towns weigh pros, cons of options for headquarters
After an hour of executive session at their Oct. 22 meeting, members of the Northern Regional Police Department board tabled a decision on a new police headquarters. The department, which serves Bradford Woods, Marshall, Pine, Richland and Seven Fields, currently is headquartered in the Pine Municipal Building. According to Pine...
Bark or Treat at Hartwood Acres Park
What’s cuter than a dog? A dog in a Halloween costume, of course! Dog owners jumped at the chance to show off their costumed canines during the annual Bark or Treat event Oct. 18 at Hartwood Acres Dog Park. The pups participated in a “trick-or-treat” experience, searching the park for...
North Hills Community Outreach’s breakfast for local leaders emphasizes need for collaboration
Amid the state budget impasse and federal funding cuts, three state representatives at the North Hills Community Outreach Community Leaders Breakfast said collaboration among nonprofits, businesses and government is more important than ever. State Reps. Arvind Venkat, D-McCandless; Emily Kinkead, D-Brighton Heights; and Lindsay Powell, D-Lawrenceville, spoke on a panel...
Battle of the Books fundraiser for north libraries tops $2,000, logs 1st year with a perfect score
“What famous inventor did not believe in sign language despite having a deaf wife and mother?” If you’ve read “True Biz” by Sara Nović, as many competitors at this year’s Battle of the Books did, you’ll know the answer: Alexander Graham-Bell. Book lovers from all over northern Allegheny County gathered...
Guided hike with rangers at Hartwood Acres Park highlights conservation efforts of women
On a sunny Saturday afternoon in Hartwood Acres Park, a group of hikers followed rangers through wooded trails and grassy meadows to learn about the women who created and maintained the beautiful nature around them — from Rachel Carson’s fight against pesticides to Caren Glotfelty’s work restoring bird habitats. Hikers...
Team Friends announces new chapter, its first out of state, during annual fundraiser
A local nonprofit with four Western Pennsylvania chapters is following the yellow brick road to a new frontier — West Virginia. Supporters of Team Friends gathered Sept. 23 at Narcisi Winery in West Deer for its annual fundraiser. They spent the evening enjoying live music by Acoustic Union, wine tastings,...
North Hills gathers on World Peace Day, champions late nun’s mission for social justice
Community members gathered Sept. 21 in North Park for the 21st North Hills International Day of Peace celebration hosted by La Roche University and several local organizations. Sarah White, executive director of inclusion and belonging at La Roche, said the annual event is an important opportunity for friends and neighbors...
Sweet endeavor: Shaler Area grad falls into beekeeping, and now it’s helping to pay for college
Anthony Ondo’s love of beekeeping started as a good deed that soon became love at first sting. Now a junior at Chatham University’s Falk School of Sustainability studying sustainable business, the 22-year-old Shaler resident applies what he learns in his classes directly to his apiary business while using his profits...
Annual Stitch-a-Thon raises $1,385.25 for Millvale Community Library
The stitches weren’t the only thing tight-knit as caring crafters convened for the third annual Stitch-a-Thon to raise money for the Millvale Community Library. The crafters gathered for five hours Sept. 6 under a canopy in the backyard shared by the library and Abeille Voyante Tea Co. to knit, crochet...
Star party in McCandless offers peek at Perseid meteor shower
“Oh! I just saw one!” Stargazers sporadically interrupted their quiet chatter with excited cheering and clapping as they spotted the occasional meteor, also known as a shooting star, flashing briefly across the night sky during a recent star party. Local families and members of the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh...
English teacher at Shaler Area High School spends summer researching August Wilson archives for new lesson plan
English teacher Anne Loudon knew of the late 1990s feud between playwright August Wilson and theater critic Robert Brustein through her knowledge of Wilson’s 1996 “The Ground on Which I Stand” speech that sparked the dispute. What she didn’t know — but discovered during her summer research — were the...
Drawn to a ‘great cause’: 500 participants of 8th Killian 5K fundraiser start in rain, end in sunshine
About 500 runners and walkers braved the dark clouds and rain to participate in the eighth annual Killian 5K Run/Walk on July 26 at the North Park Boathouse in McCandless. By the time the race was over, the rain had let up and everyone celebrated under the bright sunshine. The...
Embroiderers at Glenshaw Public Library document Pa.’s history for ‘America’s Tapestry’ project
Local embroiderers are spending their Thursday evenings for the next year at the Glenshaw Public Library, stitching the Pennsylvania panel for the “America’s Tapestry” exhibition, which is scheduled to be completed in time for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence’s signing. Raven Fagelson, state co-director of the Pennsylvania...
Farm to Fork dinners at Chatham’s Eden Hall star locally sourced food and creative menus
Nothing beats a gourmet meal under a setting sun. Just ask patrons of the Farm to Fork dinner on June 12 at Chatham University’s Eden Hall campus in Richland. Diners enjoyed freshly stir-fried vegetables, edamame salad, chili oil smashed potatoes, hibiscus and raspberry iced tea and more at the site’s...
Friends, family paint portrait of a kind, talented artist during celebration of life for O’Hara woman
Rendered in soft oil pastel textures and vibrant hues, the landscapes of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Martha’s Vineyard, New Mexico, Italy, Spain, Singapore and more filled the walls of the North Hills Art Center, where friends and family gathered July 12 to celebrate and remember local artist Patricia “Patty” Mae Young of...
4 receive Heart of Hampton awards at Hampton Alliance for Educational Excellence celebration
“No one deserves it more than them” was a frequent refrain in video testimonies recorded by the many friends, co-workers and family members of this year’s four Heart of Hampton winners. The Hampton Alliance for Educational Excellence held the event Feb. 22 at Lucky Sign Spirits Distillery to honor excellence...
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