Joyce Hanz stories, Page 42
Western Pa. experts weigh in on how to make and where to buy charcuterie
Move over, chips and dip: the charcuterie craze continues to dominate cocktail parties, picnics and gatherings. Charcuterie (pronounced shar-koo-tur-ree) is a French term that goes way back — think 15th century — for using prepared and cooked meat products. Typically arranged on wooden boards, charcuterie combines food and art, resulting...
Pet duck becomes Aspinwall celebrityVideo
An unexpected friendship between a boy and his pet duck is causing a splash in Aspinwall. Steven Hu, 11, is raising a 1-month-old call duckling he named Aspinwall. “I was considering Joe for a name,” Steven said. Aspinwall doesn’t wear a leash and follows Steven around everywhere. The family said...
O’Hara to get flag disposal bin
An Old Glory American flag disposal bin is coming to O’Hara. Not everyone knows how to properly and respectfully retire an unserviceable American flag, but scouts from Cub Pack 678 at Christ the Divine Teacher in Aspinwall are here to help. The Etna American Legion Post 597 has partnered with...
Annual Earth Day fundraiser at Kiski Area South supports endangered animals
Kiski Area South Primary School kindergarteners raised more than $600 for animals at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium in honor of Earth Day. About 60 kindergarteners recently participated in the annual fundraiser that earns money for the zoo’s Adopt-An-Animal program. To date, the school has “adopted” 10 endangered animals....
Gate installed at Allegheny Township’s Finnin Park to deter vandals and nighttime use
A new metal gate designed to thwart vandals and prohibit vehicle access at night has been installed in Finnin Park in Allegheny Township. Township Supervisor James Morabito donated $2,500 for the project, acting on a campaign promise he made last year to numerous constituents. Morabito wrote a personal check for...
Kiski Area students learn baby basics with simulator infants
It’s “Baby on Board” for some Kiski Area High School students. A semester-long elective course offers students an interactive learning environment teaching baby care basics, childcare development and more. They experience firsthand the demands of parenthood, thanks to animatronic “babies” dubbed manikins, said Kiski Area child development teacher Jamie McCluske....
Runners, spectators return to city streets for 2022 Pittsburgh MarathonVideo
Marathon mania was unleashed in Pittsburgh this weekend. The full 26.2-mile race and 13.1-mile half-marathon kicked off about 7 a.m. Sunday under cloudy skies that turned to rainy, soggy conditions about an hour into the race. But that didn’t dampen the spirit of runners. Many said they were thrilled the...
Veggies and vegan dominate new menu at Farmer x Baker in Aspinwall
Diners can expect a new menu at a waterside cafe located in Aspinwall at Allegheny RiverTrail Park. Farmer x Baker, a repurposed shipping container cafe, reopened this month, introducing a vegan and vegetarian menu. Owner and baker/chef Jennifer Urich said the switch to a meat-free menu at the casual eatery...
Nearly 120 Kiski Area students spruce up communities on Day of Caring
More than 100 Key Club students from Kiski Area High School fanned out across communities in the district Friday to volunteer on National Youth Day of Caring. Kiski Area Key Club advisers Terra Shreffler and Nicole Wadsworth organized the annual event. This year, about 117 students provided helping hands at...
Free community garden set to bloom in Aspinwall
A new free community garden is coming to Aspinwall. A vacant lot located at 215 Delafield Road, across from UPMC St. Margaret Hospital, is slated to become the Aspinwall Community Garden. Project organizer and Aspinwall resident Amy Lima said use of the lot has been donated by owner Marshall Barbour,...
East Vandergrift working to revitalize long-neglected Kiskiminetas River Park
East Vandergrift officials are moving forward with plans to revitalize Kiskiminetas River Park. The public park, constructed in 1990, is along the banks of the Kiski River at the end of Elm and Kennedy streets. Several years ago, vandals spray-painted over existing security cameras and painted graffiti on the cement...
Vandergrift residents sought for Spring Cleanup on Saturday
Volunteers are needed for Vandergrift’s annual Spring Cleanup, scheduled for Saturday, April 30. The boroughwide community cleanup returns after a two-year hiatus caused by the covid-19 pandemic, said co-organizer and Vandergrift Councilwoman Marilee Kessler. Co-organizers include Vandergrift Police officer Joe Gray, the Vandergrift Improvement Program, Vandergrift Neighborhood Watch, borough officials...
Vandergrift Pool to open this season with new manager
The popular Vandergrift Pool in Allegheny Township will open this season with new leadership. Michelle Terry of Vandergrift has taken over from longtime pool manager Daisha Clayton, who stepped down after being appointed to Vandergrift Council in December. Clayton described Terry as a “great fit” for the pool. “I’ve spent...
Survey gives Vandergrift residents opportunity to weigh in on borough issues, set priorities
Vandergrift officials and volunteers are seeking public input as they work to create a new outdoor community initiative for the borough. The Vandergrift Community Improvement Project (VCIP) is a new group formed this year specifically to finalize and produce a survey for the public to weigh in on what’s important...
New business carteBlanche Home & Design opens in Aspinwall
A new home and design business has opened in Aspinwall. Located at 347 Freeport Road, carteBlanche Home & Design offers decor and home furnishings curated by owner and creative director Rachel Schaffer. Schaffer, 44, was raised in Brookline in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. She earned degrees in French and...
ATI Vandergrift expansion on schedule; more jobs expectedVideo
Construction on the multimillion-dollar expansion project at ATI’s Vandergrift mill is on schedule. Last year, ATI announced plans to invest more than $65 million to shift operations from standard stainless steel to produce specialty steel for a global market, primarily for energy, defense and aerospace. A new bright anneal external...
Student-run ‘Cavalier Closet’ at Kiski Area High School offers free clothing and more
A charitable closet inside Kiski Area High School offers more than just clothes. Staffed by 10 students from the high school’s Life Skills Program, the Cavalier Closet is a free student store offering donated clothing, accessories, shoes and toiletries to any student in need. The closet concept was created in...
Gilpin supervisors vote to overhaul decades-old zoning rules to promote new business
The Gilpin Township supervisors have awarded a contract to Mackin Engineering to overhaul the township’s decades-old zoning ordinances. The supervisors voted 4-0, with Supervisor Linda Alworth absent, to hire the firm April 12 for just under $39,000 for the project. Gilpin has zoning laws, which only allow certain types in...
Fitness fundraiser Spin Your Wheels returns to Allegheny RiverTrail Park in Aspinwall
A fitness-themed fundraiser offering fun and fellowship returns to Allegheny RiverTrail Park in Aspinwall April 23. Spin Your Wheels was created in 2015 by Aspinwall resident and attorney Jennifer Evashavik. She bills it as the “fitness party of the year” and hundreds attend. The family-friendly event offers classes for everyone,...
Northern Westmoreland student wins state welding competition, moves on to national
Kiski Area High School junior Grace Wilferd put her knowledge of welding on display to win big at a competition last weekend in Hershey. Wilferd, 16, of Allegheny Township took first place in the welding demonstration competition at the SkillsUSA State and Leadership Conference, held April 6-8. Additionally, she received...
Rotating bathroom schedule at Kiski Area High School reduces student vaping, vandalism
A Kiski Area High School student started an online petition this month calling for all the school’s bathrooms to be open, all of the time. As the petition gathered more signatures, Principal Chad Roland called in the student this week to explain why the school began rotating bathroom closures, starting...
Still-closed playgrounds at Vandergrift parks vex kids and grownups alike
With the playgrounds in Vandergrift’s two parks yet to open this year, some residents are petitioning borough officials to take off the padlocks and let people in. Vandergrift resident and business owner Chloe Kruse created an online petition on Change.org about a month ago, asking borough officials to open the...
Kiski Area winter guard team captures gold medal at world championships
A Kiski Area School District color guard team struck gold during a recent international competition last weekend in Ohio. The 18-member Kiski Area Scholastic Open Winter Guard made history, winning a gold medal in the 2022 WGI (Winter Guard International) World Championships. “We could not be more proud of the...
‘It’s a way of life’: Fox Chapel officer devoted to life and service with police dogs
With the Fox Chapel police, Officer Robert Katich is well regarded for the K-9 program he started 23 years ago. But his renown in the field extends beyond the woodsy suburb. Over the decades, he has become a nationally recognized master dog trainer who has trained more than 1,000 dogs...
Vandergrift’s 3-person chicken committee disbands
Vandergrift’s chicken committee, formed last August by officials proposing changes to the borough’s fowl ordinance, has disbanded. A proposed chicken ordinance was moving forward last September, with plans to amend an ordinance regulating the ownership of backyard chickens in the borough. The three-person chicken committee had included Councilwoman Christine Wilson,...
