Joyce Hanz stories, Page 43
Kiski Area schools receive food service award from Pittsburgh Food Bank
The lunch ladies at Kiski Area School District are serving up more than just healthy meals. The Kiski Area School District food service department was recognized recently for its efforts in child food-related programs. The department of about 50 employees received a 2021 Child Hunger Hero Award from the Greater...
Fireworks expert enlivens his Indiana Township neighborhood with birthday blasts, more
You could call him Pyro Joe. Joe Veltri has a blast using his love of fireworks to brighten the nights of residents in his Indiana Township neighborhood, known as Park Place. Veltri, 49, began putting on fireworks shows in the neighborhood after virtually everything — including in-person birthday parties —...
Kiski Area School District forms new subcommittee to help with communications, brand improvements
Kiski Area Superintendent Misty Slavic is on a mission to improve communications and brand awareness in the district. Slavic has partnered with the school board to form a new Public Relations Subcommittee with a goal of increasing positivity in the district. “We’re trying to get our community members involved,” Slavic...
Kiski Area students take top prizes in billboard contest to combat distracted driving
Two Kiski Area High School seniors took top spots in this year’s contest to design billboards with messages against distracted driving. Seniors Jack Coleman and Amber Coutch placed first and second, respectively. They were recognized Friday during a ceremony held at the high school. The contest was sponsored by State...
New wedding/event center unveiled in former Buffalo Township landmark restaurant
Monarch Veil, a new multi-venue wedding and event space, is open on the grounds of the former J-Barn Country Inn in Buffalo Township. Dean and Janae McAfee purchased the popular rural restaurant last year and opened for business this month. The J-Barn, once known as Jardine’s, closed in 2018. After...
Sharpsburg night court a success
Sharpsburg Magisterial District Judge Matthew Rudzki made good on one of his campaign promises from last year. Rudzki implemented a night court option for people seeking an alternative to having to miss work or school to attend court. “I have high hopes it will be a successful program,” Rudzki said....
Allegheny Township woman brings animals on the road with mobile barnyard petting zoo
A fifth-generation Allegheny Township farmer is bringing the barnyard to the people with a new business: Quack A Doodle Doo, a mobile barnyard petting zoo. Heather Waltz, born and raised on the family farm founded in 1874, is a self-professed animal lover. The new business takes her farm animals to...
‘Shrek’ comes to life at Kiski Area High School
Kiski Area High School is set to unleash everyone’s favorite ogre and fairy tale creatures with its upcoming production of “Shrek The Musical.” Director Robert Capanna said he wanted to present a fun show this year, especially after two years of covid-related conditions. “We wanted a big, hilarious and fun-for-the-whole-family...
Fire breaks out in Duquesne home; no injuries reported
A fire was reported on the second floor of a two-story home in Pittsburgh’s Duquesne neighborhood Sunday, according to an Allegheny County police dispatcher. Emergency crews responded at about 7 p.m. to the fire at 109 Dell St. There were no injuries, the dispatcher said. The fire is believed to...
Butler man arrested on terroristic threat, aggravated assault charges after SWAT incident
A SWAT incident Saturday in Butler Township has resulted in the arrest of 38-year-old Butler resident Kenneth Eugene Snyder Jr. Snyder is charged with terroristic threats and aggravated assault, according to a release from the Butler Township Police Department. Snyder is accused of stabbing a 39-year-old man multiple times in...
Good eats in downtown New Kensington showcased by Restaurant Ramble
Donna Hare of Upper Burrell hadn’t visited New Kensington in more than 20 years. But a new food and commerce-themed event held there Saturday changed that. Hare and five of her friends attended the 2022 Restaurant Ramble & Spring Fling. The group said they all were happy to support local...
Girl Scouts drive cookie sales with drive-thru option in Brackenridge
A drive-thru sale Saturday in Brackenridge offered motorists a convenient way to score their favorite Girl Scout cookie. Girl Scout Troop 28807 leader Jessica DePascale said the troop introduced the drive-thru option for purchasing cookies last year because of the pandemic. The 11-member troop braved snow showers and freezing temps...
Cast of ‘Shrek the Musical’ at Kiski Area High School holds breakfast fundraiser in full costume
Kiski Area High School drama students rolled out a swampy green welcome mat for a “Character Breakfast” fundraiser Saturday morning at the high school cafeteria. Guests were able to interact with numerous lead characters — in full costume — from the upcoming spring musical production of “Shrek the Musical.” More...
‘Save Ukraine’ T-shirts sold at Sprankle’s to raise funds for war-torn nation
Sprankle’s Neighborhood Market launched a T-shirt fundraiser Tuesday to help the people of Ukraine as they suffer under a Russian military invasion. The Sprankle’s chain, with locations in Leechburg, Saxonburg and Kittanning, hope to raise $5,000 for the Red Cross by selling the shirts. Co-owner Ryan Sprankle said an employee...
AHN sending ‘urgently needed’ portable X-ray machine, medical supplies to hospital in UkraineVideo
Allegheny Health Network is donating medical supplies and a mobile X-ray machine to war-torn Ukraine. AHN radiation oncologist Alexander Kirichenko, a native of Kyiv, Ukraine, said he fielded several phone calls and correspondence last weekend from Dr. Sergey Zemskov of the Ukrainian National Medical University, pleading for medical supplies and...
Donations sought for Kiski Area’s back-to-school backpack giveaway in August
The Kiski Area School District is collecting back-to-school supplies for a districtwide summer event. This year’s 2nd Annual Back-To-School Backpack Bash will be held on Aug. 10 at Kiski Area High School. The district is asking the public to donate backpacks, school supplies and general hygiene items at any of...
Set construction underway for ‘High School Musical, 2: On Stage!’ at Highlands
Set construction is on schedule at Highlands High School for the spring musical production of “High School Musical 2: On Stage!” Highlands musical director Michael Zeiler said a team of about 10 volunteers constructed the multi-level set in about 16 days. Co-tech director Mark Loya spent 16 hours programming the...
Bailey’s Junk Removal of Vandergrift puts family values to work, cleaning up any mess
The Bailey family of Vandergrift loves getting dirty helping others. Married couple Joshua and Richelle Bailey co-own Bailey’s Junk Removal on Grant Avenue in Vandergrift. The business, established in 2012, handled more than 650 junk removal jobs in the Alle-Kiski Valley last year. The couple’s five sons — Chandler, Cassius,...
Howdy partner: The Cadet Restaurant’s iconic cowboy welcomes patrons back to Kittanning eatery
An iconic roadside eatery is reopening after being shuttered for more than two years during the pandemic. The Cadet Restaurant, known for its hearty down-home diner fare and cowboy mascot “Sam” — a 30-foot-tall statue seen holding a giant hamburger along Route 422 near Kittanning — will welcome diners today....
Taco Bell opens in Allegheny Township
Allegheny Township has a Taco Bell. The restaurant at 500 Hyde Park Road in Allegheny Plaza welcomed customers during a drive-thru-only soft opening Saturday and Sunday. Inside dining opens Monday. Customers lined up in their cars in the drive-thru portion of the eatery both days, awaiting the 11 a.m. opening....
Vandergrift police return to full staffing with 2 new officers
Vandergrift Borough has two new full-time police officers. Council approved hiring Danny Anthony and Steven Zemba at a starting salary of $59,692 each. Their salaries would increase to $71,075 after three years, Vandergrift police Chief Joe Caporali said. They will begin patrolling this month. The borough normally maintains eight full-time...
Weird, wild collide at exotic animal rescue, pet shop in SharpsburgVideo
A businesswoman from O’Hara is on a mission to find new homes for abandoned and surrendered exotic animals. Sara Smith owns Sara’s Pets and Plants, in Sharpsburg at 908 Main St. She tends to more than 100 animals at her shop, all of them rescued or surrendered animals. But Smith...
Tom Hanks takes break from filming in Ambridge to wave hello to a mom and her boyVideo
Ashley Glass of Ambridge had a surprise celebrity encounter Thursday morning. Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks took a break from filming on Merchant Street to wave to Glass and her 2-year-old son, Charles. Glass, 35, a homemaker and mother of five, said the actor spotted them while filming scenes for...
Allegheny Township police to be issued firearms, ending practice of carrying personal weapons
Since the 1960s, Allegheny Township police have carried their personal guns on the job, like officers at many small municipal police forces. Starting this year, however, the township’s police will be supplied with township-issued guns. At the March 14 township supervisors meeting, Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli presented Allegheny...
Pivot to pasta: Inflation turns Lenten fish fry at Bell Township VFD into spaghetti dinner
There’s a new menu for the Friday Lenten fundraiser meals starting March 25 at Bell Township Volunteer Fire Department: The traditional fish fry has been replaced by spaghetti dinners. “The price of everything this year is crazy,” said Bell Township VFD president and organizer Cody Auden. With fish in short...
