Joyce Hanz stories, Page 38
Ralph Lee Kuhn Jr., 83, remembered as family-focused owner of well-known Allegheny Township eatery
Longtime restaurateur Ralph Kuhn of Allegheny Township is being remembered as a tireless worker and dedicated family man. Ralph Lee Kuhn Jr. died Monday, Aug. 29, 2022 at home from health-related issues. He was 83. Kuhn was the co-owner and operator of Crossroads Inn & Motel in Allegheny Township since...
Annual Labor Day celebration offers 2 days of festival fun at Northmoreland Park
The 2022 Labor United Celebration is returning to Northmoreland Park. The annual two-day festival celebrates the history and tradition of organized labor in Western Pennsylvania. The event kicks off Sunday, Sept. 4 in Northmoreland Park in Allegheny Township and runs through Labor Day. This year, there are no covid restrictions,...
Lasagna Love delivers carbs and comfort
All you need is love. And lasagna. The classic Italian comfort food is the inspiration for Lasagna Love, a national nonprofit dedicated to providing free homemade lasagnas to individuals in need. The concept is simple — volunteers make homemade lasagna for people from online requests they receive and deliver them...
Nature-based child care center opens at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve in Fox Chapel
A new nature-based child care center has opened in Fox Chapel. The Whirlybird Nature School opened this summer and is enrolling children ages 30 months to 5. Owner Kelly Jane Walker of Verona holds a master’s degree in education and taught public school in the area for 20 years. Walker...
Vandergrift officials continue efforts to manage aging borough trees
Vandergrift officials are hosting a public meeting Friday to educate the public about ongoing efforts to maintain the numerous trees that line borough streets. Council’s tree and lights committee members will host a free informational meeting at 10 a.m. Sept. 15. in the borough office The committee members are Councilwomen...
Building the Valley: Opening pizzeria in Leechburg a dream come true for Gilpin couple
Steve and Jamie Senjan of Gilpin always wanted to open a pizza shop. After five years of research, testing recipes and planning, their dream is a reality. The couple, married for 16 years, recently opened Leechburg Pizza Co. in Leechburg. The independent, family-owned eatery at 101 Market St. serves homemade...
Stargazers across Western Pennsylvania could catch glimpse of northern lights
The northern lights, an atmospheric phenomenon also known as the aurora borealis, could be visible tonight from Western Pennsylvania. “Currently, the sun is producing Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) during a geomagnetic storm on the sun. It looks like the CMEs continue to be active, thus I would expect you’d still...
Community Free Fridge now open in Sharpsburg for anyone needing food
A free, community food program has opened at the nonprofit Second Harvest Community Thrift Store in Sharpsburg. The Community Free Fridge is an outdoor, full-size refrigerator, freezer and pantry area, stocked with perishable and nonperishable donated food items available to anyone who needs them. It is open 24/7 every day...
Beer business reopening under new ownership in Allegheny Township
A beer distributor shuttered for more than three years in Allegheny Township is set to reopen with a new name and owner. The former Big Boys Beer at 5743 Leechburg Road closed in December 2018, after the death of owner Corey Snyder. Big Boys originally was started by Snyder and...
Free ballet-themed program for kids returns to the Casino Theatre in Vandergrift
An interactive ballet-themed story program provided a unique experience for youngsters Wednesday in Vandergrift. Instructors from The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre presented “Dance the Story” to more than 20 girls at the Casino Theatre. The annual event was sponsored by the Vandergrift Public Library and presented by the Westmoreland Library Network....
Allegheny Township winery officially hits market for just under $1 million
Wooden Door Winery in Allegheny Township is officially on the market. Owners Jeff and Chrissy Pollick announced they were selling their flagship winery in June, but the property wasn’t officially listed for sale then, and an asking price was not disclosed. The barn-themed winery at 4087 Greenwood Road in Allegheny...
2-day home-school program in Vandergrift doubles enrollment after 1st year
A hybrid home-school program has doubled its fledgling enrollment since opening last year in Vandergrift. Willow Tree Academy opened last September at The Center on Franklin Ave. Classes are held in two sessions, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. All students enrolled are required to be in a...
Pittsburgh man arrested in connection with March 22 slaying
Pittsburgh police made an arrest Friday in the March 22 fatal shooting of Tiwand Hill. Robert Freeman, 32, of Pittsburgh’s Hill District, is charged with homicide and carrying a firearm without a license. Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Fugitive Apprehension Unit and the U.S. Marshals Western Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force made...
Music down by the river delights concertgoers in Freeport
Music fans came by foot, bike, car, and even boat to attend the last summer concert held Friday at Riverside Park in Freeport. Sponsored by the Freeport Renaissance Association, the monthly music series wrapped up with the summer’s third free performance from the gazebo in the park. Sommelier, an indie-rock...
Felon indicted in connection with 3 Pittsburgh gas station robberies
A Pittsburgh man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on accusations that he robbed three gas station in the city last December. Marcus Allen Wells, 28, formerly of Pittsburgh’s Glen Hazel neighborhood, faces federal robbery and firearms charges. According to the indictment, on Dec. 10, 2021,...
Washington Township welcomes new supervisor
Washington Township has a new supervisor. Matthew Thornton, 55, was unanimously appointed by the board of supervisors on Monday, Aug.8. There was no comment from the public regarding Thornton’s appointment during the meeting. He replaces former supervisor Scott Held, who resigned last month. Held served for six months before resigning...
Freeport Theatre Festival to stage historical drama ‘Massy Harbison’
Thespians from the Freeport Theatre Festival are channeling their inner pioneer as they present “Massy Harbison.” The play is a historical drama based on local pioneer heroine Massy Harbison, who survived captivity by Native Americans near what is now present-day Freeport. It was written and directed by Rennick Steele. It’s...
Allegheny Township homeowners plead for help with dilapidated neighboring properties
Several Allegheny Township residents want to know what township officials can do about ongoing problems associated with rundown, neglected and vacant properties next to their homes. Three people attended this week’s supervisors meeting, all voicing their frustrations about living next to what they said are unsightly and unsafe structures and...
Historic walking tours return to Aspinwall
Take a walk on the historic side with guided tours through Aspinwall offered by a local historian. Explore the historic architecture of a bygone era and learn about the families who first settled in the borough, founded in 1892. “Many people come here to shop, dine or visit one of...
Vandergrift police partner with Kiski Area East Primary to collect back-to-school supplies
The Vandergrift Police Department is hosting a back-to-school supply drive for students at Kiski Area East Primary School in the borough. The annual collection is in collaboration with the school’s Parent Teacher Organization. Donated items may be dropped off through Aug. 15 at the Vandergrift Police Station at 109 Grant...
Kiski Area plans 4-day camp to give incoming kindergartners a jump-start
The Kiski Area School District is rolling out a new, free program to help incoming kindergartners adjust to life on campus. Kinder-Camp will be offered from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 15 to 18 for any incoming kindergartner at the district’s three elementary schools: East, North and South Primary. The...
Coffeehouse to perk up downtown Vandergrift
A new enterprise is brewing in historic Vandergrift’s business district. Virginia Lindsay and Karen Heilman, co-owners of 1833 Coffee and Tea Co. in Freeport, announced this week on social media that they’re expanding their coffee business and opening a “sister shop” along Grant Avenue. The new coffee business will be...
Fox Chapel Area High School freshman embraces conservation
A Fox Chapel Area High School freshman with a commitment to conservation is raising monies to help pay it forward for the next generation of conservation leaders. Claire Conti, 14, has attended the Wildlife Leadership Academy the past two summers. The non-profit is dedicated to engaging and empowering high-school aged...
‘Backpack Bash’ returns to Kiski Area High School
A free back-to-school giveaway event for all students enrolled in the Kiski Area School District is scheduled for Aug. 10. The Back to School Backpack Bash returns this year after a successful inaugural 2021 launch. The district sought donations of backpacks, school supplies and hygiene items from the community over...
Scare tactics: Vandergrift man key figure in Kennywood’s Phantom Fall Fest
Nick Kardos of Vandergrift gets paid to be creepy. Kardos, 31, was inspired by horror classics including “Night of the Living Dead” and experienced a creative drive as a youngster growing up in Oklahoma Borough. He has worked seasonally for 13 years as a special effects supervisor and as a...
