Kellen Stepler stories, Page 29
Abatement on former Colfax school in Springdale underway; demolition nears
Asbestos abatement at the former Colfax Upper Elementary School in Springdale started this week, said Jan Zastawniak, Allegheny Valley School District spokeswoman. Permits have been secured, and a plan is in place to complete the demolition after abatement, Zastawniak said. Architect Toni Canzian said the project is going according to...
Fire tears through Riley’s Pour House in Carnegie
A fire destroyed Riley’s Pour House in Carnegie on Thursday afternoon. The popular Irish pub at 215 E. Main St. caught fire at around 1:15 p.m., according to Allegheny County 911. No injuries were reported, and all employees and restaurant patrons evacuated the restaurant safely. Abbey Fickley of West Mifflin...
Boiler projects at Bon Air, Burrell High School first on list for district’s construction projects
With the fate of Stewart Elementary sealed, Burrell School District is directing its attention to improvements at Bon Air Elementary and Burrell High School. The school board on Tuesday will consider advertising for a boiler replacement at the high school and a boiler rebuild at Bon Air. “These are two...
Lower Burrell officials ‘making an effort’ in the Kinloch area
Kinloch residents in June gave Lower Burrell officials a directive: let’s get some progress in their often-overlooked portion of the city. Now, they’ve seen what city officials have been up to during a meeting at the Kinloch Volunteer Fire Company. “I was optimistic, and I’m even more optimistic,” said resident Tom...
Schools battle national shortages, pay disparity to keep nurses on the job
Aliza Zelina arrives for her school nursing job at Highlands Middle School in Harrison just after 7 a.m. each day knowing she won’t have much prep time before her patients begin to roll in. “We see kids bright and early,” she said. “It’s steady, seeing about 50 to 60 visits...
Demolition of Springdale trestle bridge set to begin; detours in place
Overnight closures on Pittsburgh Street in Springdale begin Wednesday. The road, between Duquesne Court and Washington Street, will be closed from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. each night through Monday or Tuesday as demolition crews remove the overhead trestle bridge. Crews estimate the work will take about five days. The...
Proposed 2025 Bridgeville budget holds the line on taxes
Property owners in Bridgeville won’t see a tax increase next year if the borough’s proposed budget for 2025 is passed. The budget would maintain a tax rate of 6.5 mills on buildings, and 10 mills on land, said Manager Joe Kauer. The proposal totals just more than $8.1 million, he...
Sewage, garbage rate increases expected for Cheswick residents in 2025
Cheswick residents won’t pay more for property taxes or water next year, but they can expect to pay more in garbage and sewer rates. That’s according to the borough’s proposed budget for 2025, which totals about $2.6 million. Councilman Frank Meledandri said borough council will consider advertising the proposed budget...
Plans advance for Bridgeville butterfly-pollinator garden
A vacant lot along Baldwin Street in Bridgeville soon will be repurposed into a butterfly-pollinator garden. Council on Nov. 11 authorized repurposing the lot, which is behind the Beer Warehouse, next spring. The borough’s planning commission recommended the lot be used for a butterfly pollinator garden, according to Manager Joe...
Chartiers Valley theater gets crack at Harry Potter play
Chartiers Valley thespians are bringing a Broadway show to Collier. The high school’s theater department is presenting “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” making it the first school in Western Pennsylvania to perform the show, said Director Kim Giffin. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, Nov. 13-16, at...
Carnegie bookstore promotes love of reading, nature
Books have always been a part of Michael Ploetz’s life. Growing up in Buffalo, he found himself gravitating to books. His mother, Deborah, was a reading specialist, instilling a love for literacy. In college, Ploetz worked at Kards Unlimited, a bookstore in Shadyside, getting involved in book buying. He moved...
Chartiers Valley teen accused of threat in custody
The student who authorities believe was behind a threat against Chartiers Valley schools is in custody, police and school district officials said. The threat closed schools in the district Monday, along with classes at the Parkway West Career and Technology Center. The district will be operating on a normal schedule...
State funding provides boost for projects in Carnegie, Collier, Scott
A slew of statewide grant funding will benefit communities in the Chartiers Valley area. The funding, announced in late October, comes from the Statewide Local Share Account and the Public School Facility Improvement Grant programs, which are administered by the Commonwealth Financing Authority. In Carnegie, $250,000 will help upgrade the...
Burrell family, school organization share opportunity to spread Christmas joy
Bringing Christmas joy to children internationally has attracted a third generation of a Lower Burrell family, as well as their friends and peers. Burrell High School seniors Miley Kariotis and Will Doutt, as well as their peers in the Reading Railroad club, assembled and packaged 25 shoeboxes Friday for Operation...
Chartiers Valley schools to be remote Monday after threat made
All Chartiers Valley School District schools will be on a remote learning schedule Monday after a “credible threat” was made against one of its schools, district officials said. District officials and local law enforcement discovered the threat and, “out of an abundance of caution,” made the decision to close all...
Residents able to escape house fire in Shaler
Firefighers responded to a house fire in the 100 block of Wise Lane in Shaler on Sunday night. Emergency dispatch indicated at least two people in the home were able to escape. The call came in about 7:20 p.m. Firefighters from more than 12 companies in the North Hills responded....
Upper Burrell looking into 3rd full-time police officer position
Upper Burrell is putting out “feelers” for a third full-time officer in its police department, Chief Ken Pate said. Township officials have said they are refocusing efforts to bolster their own force. Upper Burrell currently has two full-time officers, including the chief. To add a third full-timer, Supervisors Chairman Ross...
East Deer brush fire, due to terrain, takes more than 2 hours to extinguish
Fire crews in the lower Allegheny Valley put out a brush fire Saturday afternoon in an East Deer field rife with fields, woods, hills and power lines. Crews were dispatched just before 1 p.m. to the area of Cambria Hill Drive for the brush fire, said Jack Bailie, chief of...
3rd Tarentum pit bull mauling victim says ‘it was instinct’ to jump in to try to stop attack on Halloween
It was nothing but “instinct” for a 33-year-old Tarentum man who jumped in to try to stop a pit bull attack in the borough on Halloween. Shawn Flynn Jr. was visiting his friend at her East Seventh Avenue home on Halloween when he looked out the window and saw three...
Blight study meeting on tap for Lower Burrell
Results of a blight study in Lower Burrell might be eye-opening to some, city Manager Greg Primm said. The public and elected officials will have a chance to review those findings at a meeting Wednesday afternoon in Fisher Hall at Burrell Lake Park. Primm said the city passed on participating...
Date set on Springdale trestle bridge demolition
Overnight work to dismantle the trestle bridge over Pittsburgh Street in Springdale will begin Wednesday and last about five days, officials told residents during a town hall meeting Thursday. Chief Derek Dayoub said the work will close Pittsburgh Street between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. each night. During that time, crews...
Bob Bordonaro Sr., longtime owner of Hillcrest Volkswagen and Gunny’s Lounge, remembered as ‘personable guy’
At first, Bob Bordonaro Sr. wasn’t too sure about getting into the car business. It was 1962 when he tagged along with a friend buying a car at Hillcrest Motors in Lower Burrell when the owner at the time encouraged him to work there. “Meanwhile, he was only 19, just...
National organization spotlights Burrell for career-readiness programming
Burrell School District is a nationwide model for how educators can tailor their curriculum to get students ready for the real world. The district recently was announced as a “Lighthouse” system for future-ready learners from the American Association of School Administrators. Only six school districts nationwide got the recognition this...
Too young to vote, Springdale students perform civic duty in a different way
While too young to cast their own ballots in the general election, 11 Springdale High School students got a taste of civic duty as student poll workers Tuesday. “It’s definitely a unique experience,” said Zachary Reynolds, 17. “I thought it was fun.” Teacher Connor Green works with the Allegheny County’s...
Student-run small business provides opportunity for Chartiers Valley life skills students
This season, you can send your loved one a greeting card that has a touch of charm from life skills students at Chartiers Valley High School. Life skills teacher Buffie Faes, paraprofessional Rita Kierski and her high school life skills students have rebooted their greeting card store, just in time...
