Joyce Hanz stories, Page 22
Harmar House fire leaves clients scrambling to find alternate venues
Bride-to-be Ashley Pometo spent most of Wednesday night in shock — and in tears. Pometo, 23, of New Kensington thought the plans for her Sept. 23 wedding were neatly squared away until a fire swept through Futules’ Harmar House on Wednesday evening, leaving the popular family-owned event venue considered to...
Labor Day Celebration offers 2 days of festivities in Northmoreland Park
A jam-packed Labor Day festival returns to Northmoreland Park, celebrating the traditions and heritage related to organized labor in Western Pennsylvania. The annual two-day 2023 Labor United Celebration kicks off at 11 a.m. Sunday and runs through Labor Day. The event typically draws more than 20,000 attendees to pavilion grounds...
Greensburg bishop strengthens spiritual and ancestral ties with faith-filled trip to Slovakia
It was a European trip filled with faith, family, friends — and a first. Greensburg Bishop Larry J. Kulick combined exploring his Slovak heritage with official duties during a trip this summer to numerous towns in Slovakia, including his ancestral village of Nova Bystrica. While there, he experienced a vocational...
Vandergrift steel processing company for sale for nearly $10M
A longstanding specialty steel processing business is for sale in Vandergrift. MSI Corp., at 210 First St., is listed for $9.9 million by listing agent Scott Lewis of Edward Lewis Inc., based in Youngstown, Ohio. Owners Henry “Duke” and Gisela McLaughlin of Allegheny County, both in their 70s, are looking...
Kindergarten enrollment spikes at Leechburg’s David Leech Elementary School
A surge in kindergarten enrollment has hit David Leech Elementary School in the Leechburg Area School District. The kindergarten program welcomed 69 students Wednesday on the first day of classes. That’s a 64% increase over last school year’s enrollment of 42 pupils. As a result, a fourth class was added...
Sprawling estate listed for $28M in North Strabane
A luxurious estate with mega-amenities is on the market in North Strabane Township, Washington County. Oak Grove, a 110-acre property at 784 Waterdam Road in North Strabane, is listed by Coldwell Banker Realty for $28 million. That whopping listing price makes it the most expensive single-family residential listing currently in...
Plum District to host community back-to-school movie event
Plum Borough School District’s previously scheduled Back-to-School Movie Night will go on as planned Saturday evening. In its second year, the event will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and include games, food trucks and tables featuring school resources and information. It is open to the public. Assistant Superintendent Denise...
Plum’s boys and girls golf teams organize outing to benefit Rustic Ridge victims
Plum Senior High School’s girls and boys golf teams are uniting to raise funds for the victims of the house explosion in the Rustic Ridge neighborhood. The Rustic Ridge “Plum Strong” Plum Boys & Girls Golf Teams Charity Outing is scheduled for Sept. 17 at Willowbrook Country Club in Allegheny...
Employee exodus blamed on hostile work environment in Allegheny Township
A slew of administrative resignations in Allegheny Township apparently has resulted from unrest among its three supervisors. Three township administrative employees — administrative assistant Denise Johnston, Director of Public Safety Lee Schumaker and Township Manager Greg Primm — submitted letters of resignation to supervisors. Johnston intends to resign effective Aug....
Plum School District partners with therapists to serve those impacted by explosion tragedy
A few days ago, Erica Kuhn and Melissa Gionta-Oliver were strangers. Now the two therapists from Plum are spearheading efforts to provide an online database of mental health resources for the Plum Borough School District and community after the tragic house explosion Saturday in the borough’s Rustic Ridge neighborhood. The...
Plum girls organize separate charity events to help victims after house explosion
A pint-sized Plum Area School District student put her grief to good use Saturday with an on-the-spot charity event to raise money for victims of the house explosion in Plum. Emmy Halasowski, 7, was understandably shaken and scared Saturday as events unfolded after the deadly explosion on Rustic Ridge Drive...
‘Fishing for Keegan and Casey’ fundraiser to benefit family of Plum explosion victims
A Washington Township couple is hoping to help victims of Saturday’s house explosion in Plum by honoring one family’s love of fishing. Angela and Mike Blasko created a fundraiser in which one winner will land an all-expenses paid, full-day offshore fishing trip on Lake Erie on the Blasko’s charter fishing...
Community gathers for vigil honoring house explosion victims in Plum
The power of prayer united strangers and friends Monday during a daylong candlelight vigil to honor the victims of the house explosion Saturday in Plum’s Rustic Ridge neighborhood. Holy Family Parish’s St. Januarius Church on Renton Road in Plum hosted the vigil from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. “We just...
Outpouring of support for victims of Plum house explosion
A deluge of donations poured into the Plum community to benefit victims of a devastating house explosion Saturday that killed five people. “My daughter gathered her money and wanted to donate,” said Donna Colamarino of Plum as her daughter Sophia, 9, placed money into a marked basket Sunday morning at...
Butler County exotic hunting preserve on market for $10M
A luxury hunting preserve in Southern Butler County is up for grabs. Shilo Ranch at 399 Cornetti Road in Clearfield Township is for sale, with a listing price of $10 million. The hunting preserve encompasses 423 acres and features exotic animals such as axis deer, buffalo, ram, elk, fallow deer...
Parking meters removed from select residential sections of Vandergrift
Vandergrift officials report that the process of removing parking meters from residential streets is underway. Police Chief Joe Caporali said meters in the residential sections of McKinley, Franklin and Washington avenues have or will be removed by borough employees as time allows. In addition, meters between Columbia and Franklin avenues...
Historian expands walking tours to benefit local nonprofit in Aspinwall
Aspinwall resident and historian Terry Nelson Taylor has revamped her informative historical public walking tour of Aspinwall. New this tour season has access to two secret gardens, one on Third Street and the other on Eastern Avenue. The 2023 program also focuses on the life of the woman who originally...
Sharpsburg resident uses art as vessel for self-exploration and coping with ADHD
Lifelong Sharpsburg resident Kristen Postava has found a way to cope with her life of “chaos.” Postava tackles her self-described chaos by combining her love of art with her desire to triumph over ongoing struggles resulting from her ADHD symptoms with her art show, Unfiltered Vision: Art from the Unconventional...
Leechburg Area School Board seeks resident to fill vacancy
Leechburg Area School Board is looking to fill a vacancy after a board member resigned last month. President Anthony Shea confirmed the board received Matthew Jagodrinski’s letter of resignation in July. Jagodrinski was elected to a two-year term in 2021. In his resignation letter, Jagodrinski said professional and personal commitments...
Chomper, the rescued Kiski River alligator, to serve as animal ambassador
The Kiski River alligator that led officials and volunteers on a weeklong search will call Pittsburgh home — for now. The alligator was safely delivered Monday evening to an undisclosed alligator foster residence in Allegheny County. The location is kept secret to protect the people caring for the animal and...
Free backpack giveaway Thursday welcomes all Kiski Area students
Nothing screams back-to-school like a new backpack. Kiski Area School District faculty, staff and volunteers are making sure any students enrolled in the district have access to a new backpack this year with a free giveaway event Thursday at Kiski Area High School. The Back to School Backpack Bash, in...
Churches unite to host back-to-school block party for students in Leechburg
A new scholastic-themed street party is coming to Leechburg. The inaugural Back 2 School Block Party will welcome students from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday along Main Street, between First and Second streets, for free food, refreshments, games and more. Music will be provided by DJ Jonathan. The event...
Alligator in the Kiski River spotted multiple times over the weekend; search efforts resume
New sightings of an alligator Sunday in the Kiski River have prompted officials and volunteers to focus their search in a new area in hopes of catching the wayward reptile. Kiski Area police Chief Lee Bartolicius confirmed Sunday there have been additional reports of alligator sightings since Friday. Officials would...
Daycation: Experience exotic animals at Hovatter’s Wildlife Zoo in West Virginia
Walk on the wild side with a Daycation Destination to Hovatter’s Wildlife Zoo in Kingwood, W.Va. Brenna Yokum was excited to view and interact with exotic furry and feathered animals during her inaugural zoo visit in July. “I’m enjoying everything. My boyfriend and I are animal enthusiasts and we’re like...
Million-dollar home listings on the rise in Alle-Kiski Valley
Ronald and Sue Zola of West Deer had no idea their beloved farm would garner a million-dollar price tag. Their family farm dates to the 1700s and is listed for $1.29 million. The couple’s decision to sell their 60-plus-acre farm to relocate closer to family resulted in a recent appraisal...
