Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 17
Quaker Valley School District facilities to be assessed by Pittsburgh-based architecture firm
As Quaker Valley School District’s architects and design team continue to work on the proposed high school expected to open in Leet within the next few years, administration and school board members continue to focus on the future of the existing buildings. The board recently approved an $80,750 comprehensive facilities...
Shady Side Academy middle school to be donated to National Aviary
A Shady Side Academy alum is helping the National Aviary find a nest for its next breeding and conservation center, teaching hospital and educational space. S. Kent Rockwell, Fox Chapel resident and 1962 academy graduate, is in the process of acquiring his alma mater’s 35-acre middle school campus. The plan...
Blawnox group seeks artist proposals for new borough mural
A Blawnox-based nonprofit wants to bring more art to the borough. Best of Blawnox is accepting artist proposals for a new mural at Blawnox Community Park. The canvas in question is a building at the main entrance. The project is to create an 8-foot by 15-foot image related to the...
2 injured in mutual stabbing at Arnold apartment
Two men were injured in a stabbing at an Arnold apartment Sunday, according to officials. The stabbing happened around 7:30 a.m. along the 2000 block of Freeport Road. Officials said it was an isolated incident and the injuries do not appear to be life-threatening. The men stabbed each other, said...
Buffalo Township church hosts Valentine’s-themed dance for young people with special needs
Buffalo Township’s John Hughes, clad in a red-and-white, heart-covered Hawaiian shirt, went to Zion Methodist Church with a mission Saturday night. “I’m just here to dance and have fun and hang out with my friends,” said Hughes, 25, a native of the township’s Sarver neighborhood and a Freeport Area High...
Fox Chapel Area High School library named best school library in the state
Isabella Cheatham has found a home away from home at her school library. The Fox Chapel Area High School senior said she feels welcome in the educational and relaxed space overseen by librarian Laura Ward — so much so that she and several other students start the day there instead...
Leetsdale councilman, family displaced after fire rips through their First Street home
A few days after a fire ravaged his First Street home on Jan. 21, one of the items that Leetsdale council vice president Osman Awad plucked from the debris was the urn containing his wife’s ashes. Robin Awad died in 2017 at 54. Now, the Leetsdale leader known for providing...
Officials: Gunman shot by police in Pittsburgh’s Hill District identified
The armed man who Pittsburgh police fatally shot after they were threatened in the city’s Hill District on Wednesday evening has been identified. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man Thursday as Maurice Jones, 33, of the Terrace Village section of Pittsburgh’s Hill District. Officers were dispatched shortly...
Quaker Valley School District’s 2025-26 calendar approved
Quaker Valley School District families now have a better opportunity to plan their schedules for the next school year. School board members unanimously voted on Jan. 22 to approve the 2025-26 calendar. Key dates • First day of school for K-9 grade, Aug. 20. • First day of school for...
Sharpsburg to add ParkMobile app, handheld devices for parking enforcement
Sharpsburg will be adding new parking enforcement tools for the police department this year. Council unanimously voted on Jan. 23 to approve the purchase of two handheld devices from T2 Services Inc. The devices will electronically populate information by scanning a license plate and printing out waterproof tickets. Those tickets...
Quaker Valley School District seeks construction manager, permits for proposed $105 million high school
Quaker Valley School District officials are looking for a construction manager to help coordinate the proposed high school project. Hiring the position is the next step in an ongoing process to make the dream of creating a new home for freshmen through senior Quakers a reality by the 2027-28 school...
Fox Chapel public works gets 1-year contract extension, police department talks start in spring
Fox Chapel officials approved a one-year extension of their public works contract, solidifying terms with its nine full-time laborers through the end of 2026. The original deal was from Jan. 1, 2023 through Dec. 31, 2025. The vote to extend the contract was 6-0 on Jan. 20. Council vice president...
Quaker Valley School District officials to keep possible real estate tax hike within state limits
Quaker Valley School District officials have pledged to keep any possible real estate take hike in the 2025-26 school year budget to 4% or less. School board members unanimously voted on Jan. 22 to pass a resolution to hold the line on taxes to the Act 1 index — a...
Police: Clairton man charged after raid reaps massive amounts of drugs, guns, cash
A young child is being helped by social services after a Clairton man was arrested on drug crimes and firearms violations following a raid at his home earlier this month, law enforcement officials announced Tuesday. Ismail A. Hamlin, 28, was denied bail and remains lodged in the Allegheny County Jail,...
Quaker Valley High School student sworn in as new Leetsdale junior council member
Leetsdale teen Cambria Roser has a unique opportunity to make a difference in her hometown. The Quaker Valley High School junior was sworn in by Mayor Sandra Ford as the borough’s newest junior council member on Jan. 9. It’s a one-year term that provides students a seat at the table...
Woman identified who died in Braddock house fire
A woman died at the scene of a house fire in Braddock on Friday afternoon. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office reported that the victim was Natalie Stecki, 77. The fire occurred around 2:30 p.m. along the 400 block of Mills Avenue. State police and a fire marshal are investigating....
Former Methodist church in Aspinwall sold to Fox Chapel businessman
A former church in Aspinwall may be converted to residential living spaces. Fox Chapel businessman Tony Pompeo Jr. recently acquired the closed Community Methodist Church at 400 Center Ave. The site is nearly 0.29 acres and includes a sanctuary and school building. The church property was listed by Coldwell Banker...
Fox Chapel Area School District 2025-26 calendar proposed, board members recognized
Fox Chapel Area School District families have an opportunity to weigh in on a proposed school calendar for the next school year. Administrators presented a draft of next school year’s schedule on Jan. 13. It is available for review on the district’s website and scheduled for formal approval on Feb....
New Asian fusion eatery Yamayoshi takes over China Palace spot in Sewickley
A restaurant staple in Sewickley is under new ownership, has a new name and a variety of new menu items. China Palace along Broad Street in the borough’s business district was recently acquired by Moon Township couple Karen and Melvin Liu. Yamayoshi, which means to express joy and happiness in...
Leetsdale boat launch project moving forward
Leetsdale officials hope to restore the borough’s boat launch in time for mariners and fishers this fall. The public boat launch into the Ohio River in the Leetsdale Industrial Park has been closed since the original concrete slab broke off in the 1990s, causing a safety hazard. Restoration efforts have...
New 5-year contract approved with Fox Chapel Area School District custodial, maintenance workers
Fox Chapel Area School District officials and their custodial and maintenance workers have approved a new five-year contract. The current contract, which was also a five-year deal, expires June 30. The new collective bargaining agreement runs July 1 through June 30, 2030. It impacts 50 workers who are represented by...
Aspinwall EV stations generating money for the borough
Aspinwall’s EV stations have turned a small profit since they were activated in September, according to a report by the borough manager. Melissa Lang O’Malley said charging station revenue was about $578 and electricity costs were $427, which equated to $151 in profit as of Jan. 7. Three charging stations,...
Fox Chapel Area School Board pledges to keep any potential tax hike for 2025-26 within state limits
Fox Chapel Area School District officials have pledged to keep any potential real estate tax hike for the 2025-26 school year to 4% or less. The board voted 8-0 on Jan. 13 to pass a resolution to hold the line on taxes to the Act 1 index — a state...
O’Hara collecting items for California wildfire victims
O’Hara officials have teamed up with the Pittsburgh-based nonprofit Brother’s Brother Foundation to collect supplies for California wildfire victims. The township launched its collection for hygiene kits Jan. 22. The deadline to donate at the municipal building is Feb. 6. Items requested include toothbrushes, feminine hygiene products, flushable wipes and...
Bethel Park officials hold line on property taxes, earned income tax in 2025 budget
Bethel Park property owners will not have to pay more in real estate taxes this year to fund the municipal budget. Council recently passed its 2025 budget with no tax increase. The millage rate remains 3.53 mills, with 0.34 mills allocated for the fire department fund. The earned income tax...
