Joyce Hanz stories, Page 11
Oakmont Bakery adds 3rd ‘candidate’ to election-themed sweets
Care to crunch on your favorite presidential candidate? It’s happening at Oakmont Bakery with a recent rollout of the traditional election candidate cookies, embossed with iced edible images of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. The cookies are made with edible rice paper embossed on an iced...
Lawrenceville Distilling Co. expanding to Verona in old bank building
Brothers Joe and Jeremy DeGroot are banking on their decision to open a second location for their Lawrenceville-based distillery business. They opened Lawrenceville Distilling Co. in 2018, producing small batch vodka, bourbon, absinthe, gin and craft cocktails, with a tasting room and event space. The second location in a former...
Western Pennsylvanians embrace tradition, innovation with canning
It’s canning season in Western Pennsylvania. “You can ‘can’ just about everything,” said Denise Relihan, 55, of Harrison. “Tomatoes, peppers, garlic, rice, fruit, jellies, beans, juices, vegetables and meat too. The list goes on.” Relihan has a designated canning room in her home and learned the art of canning from...
Blind, hearing-impaired Zach Grabowski shines with Three Rivers Rowing
Zach Grabowski doesn’t let his lifelong disabilities define him. Instead, the 32-year-old avid competitive rower works a part-time job at a pizza shop in West Deer, earning money to support his rowing endeavors with the adaptive team of Three Rivers Rowing Association in Pittsburgh. Grabowski was born blind, hearing impaired...
DelGrosso’s Amusement Park serves up Italian-themed family funVideo
An Italian-themed amusement park entertaining families since 1946 has blended the perfect ingredients for fun in Tipton, Pa. DelGrosso’s Park and Laguna Splash is a seasonal destination boasting more than 30 rides, an expansive Italian-themed waterpark and famous food, all made possible because two Italian immigrants met and fell in...
Mt. Washington home has sweeping views of Pittsburgh
Homeowners Jody and Lynn Bunting are prepping to say goodbye to their showcase home atop Pittsburgh’s Mt. Washington neighborhood — and the sweeping views that come with their property overlooking the Ohio, Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. “It’s the best view in Pittsburgh,” said Jody Bunting. “It’s right over the fountain.”...
Hankering for a hoagie? These hoagie havens are on a roll
How do you hoagie? The beloved nickname bestowed upon specialty hot and cold specialty sandwiches served up throughout the Northeast, featuring various combinations of meat, veggies, cheese and toppings, is found on many a menu in Pittsburgh. There’s even a day dedicated to all things hoagie — May 5 is...
Inaugural Newsapalooza festival to host CBS journalist Robert Costa as keynote speaker
An upcoming three-day festival is the latest effort by Point Park University’s Center for Media Innovation to spotlight the importance of celebrating and supporting journalism. The inaugural Newsapalooza event is scheduled for Sept. 26 to 28 at Point Park and its Pittsburgh Playhouse. The interactive program invites the public into...
Family and friends of Roxanne Bonnoni, 11, gather to honor her at vigil in Natrona
Heather Bonnoni is doing her best to remain strong amid family tragedy. Bonnoni helped to organize a family-hosted public vigil Friday night honoring her late niece, Roxanne Alexis Bonnoni. Roxanne was killed Tuesday evening when she was struck by a vehicle traveling on North Canal Street in Harrison’s Natrona neighborhood....
Vigil to honor Natrona girl rescheduled for tonight
A public vigil to honor the life of Roxanne Alexis Bonnoni is rescheduled for tonight. The vigil is scheduled for 9 p.m. at the grassy field along North Canal Street in Harrison’s Natrona neighborhood. Bonnoni, 11, was killed while crossing the road near her home Tuesday evening. Bonnoni was hearing...
2024 fall foliage forecast impacted by record heat in Western Pennsylvania
Fall foliage enthusiasts can expect a less vibrant leaf-peeping season this year in Western Pennsylvania, according to experts. Certified arborist Eric Countryman of Swissvale has studied trees for 15 years. He said this year’s record-breaking heat and lack of rain across Western Pennsylvania will likely result in trees turning colors...
What’s the most expensive car one can buy in Western Pennsylvania?
What kind of person seeks to buy the most expensive car in the Pittsburgh region? The sales team at Bentley Pittsburgh knows. The Marshall Township dealership, located between Lexus and Tesla showrooms on Perry Highway, has the distinction of selling the priciest ride in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The British luxury vehicles...
Castle-themed estate for sale in Indiana County
All that’s missing is the moat. Chateau de Lions is a castle-themed estate nestled among 58 acres in rural Indiana County, listed last week for $1.2 million with Elaine Shetler-Libent of Keller Williams Realty. “This listing is priced lower than the appraisal,” Shetler-Libent said. The English-inspired stone residence is from...
Longtime Buffalo Township movie theater set to close, reopen under local ownership
One of the few remaining movie theaters in the Alle-Kiski Valley is set to close, but only for a few weeks as new ownership takes over. The AMC Classic South Pike 10 cinema complex is scheduled to shutter its doors Thursday, according to Buffalo Township Supervisor Mike Oehling Jr. and...
Turtle noodler: Irwin man continues family legacy of catching turtles with bare handsVideo
Joe Clemens of Irwin has a dangerous hands-on hobby. Clemens is a fourth-generation turtle noodler, a pursuit where one catches snapping turtles with their bare hands from underwater holes in the banks of freshwater rivers, creeks and ponds. “I’m pretty much one of the last ones left around here in...
Meet Thelma Tambellini, Wholey’s longest-tenured employeeVideo
She doesn’t eat seafood, but that hasn’t stopped a longtime employee from making a career out of crustaceans and fish at Wholey’s in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. Thelma Tambellini, 65, the longest-employed staff member at Wholey’s, is easy to spot in her standard uniform featuring a bright-blue Wholey shirt and name...
La Vigneta Winery expanding operations in Buffalo Township
A Buffalo Township winemaker is pouring her entrepreneurial energy into expanding the family winery. Francesca Howden is the petite Italian force behind the 12-year success of La Vigneta Winery in Buffalo Township. “My parents always made wine when I was growing up. Dad always made it in the basement,” Howden...
Former Catholic church, 10-bedroom rectory on the market in Duquesne
A former church and rectory previously owned by the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh is for sale in Duquesne. The former Holy Name Church, located at 32 S. First St., is listed by Nicholas Haller of Agresti Real Estate, based in Erie, for $349,900. The current asking price has been slashed...
Beefed up: Western Pa.’s burger scene gets bigger and bolder
Look out Pittsburgh — restaurant burgers are getting bigger and more creative. The classic burger that once graced most menus has evolved into beefy specialty creations at most eateries. “Gone are the days of your traditional burger,” said Cicero’s Bar & Grill co-owner Olivia Rapone. “They’re not as simple anymore.”...
Tropical Storm Debby impacts vacationers from Western Pa.
Some Western Pennsylvanians hoping for picture-perfect vacation weather this week in the coastal Southeast are experiencing a Debby downer. Debby was downgraded to a tropical storm Tuesday but was a Category 1 hurricane when it slammed onshore Monday in Florida. Candi Stewart of Leechburg had the flight of her life...
West Leechburg native pens trilogy of books about his international aerospace career
Most jobs don’t result in your car being destroyed by debris from an exploding rocket. But for Daniel Kovalchik, formerly of Allegheny Township, Leechburg and West Leechburg, a workday in 1997 turned tragic at Cape Canaveral, Fla., when the launch of an unmanned Delta II rocket experienced a failure, sending...
Daycation: Visit the celebrated home of Punxsutawney PhilVideo
It’s not necessary to wait until February to take a rural rodent-themed road trip to Punxsutawney in Jefferson County to see the world’s most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil. Avoid the wave of Groundhog Day’s 35,000-plus tourists that descend upon Punxsutawney every Feb. 2 with an off-season visit to the small-town...
Rogue BBQ opens in Homestead
Barbecue is back in Homestead. Rogue BBQ opened Wednesday at 601 Amity St. in the space of the former Blue Dust Gastropub across from The Waterfront. The full-service eatery is owned and operated by married couple Amanda and Zachary Steiner. They said there are really no good barbecue options in...
Etna community honors late Mayor Tom Rengers with formal proclamation
The late Etna Mayor Thomas J. Rengers may be gone, but Etna officials are making sure he’s not forgotten, by proclaiming July 29, 2024, as “Mayor Tom Rengers Day.” Rengers served as mayor since 2004 and died while in office last December after a prolonged illness with cancer. He was...
Inaugural Community Day event celebrates Lower Burrell
The inaugural Lower Burrell Community Day event was a hit with residents Saturday at K-9 Officer Derek Kotecki Memorial Park. The event, from 1 p.m. to dusk, benefits the Lower Burrell City Parks. More than 45 vendors lined the shaded park as attendees enjoyed live music, food trucks, artisans, a...
