Michael DiVittorio stories, Page 21
Aspinwall property owners likely won’t see a borough real estate tax hike in 2025
Aspinwall officials plan to hold the line on real estate taxes with next year’s budget. Council unanimously approved advertising its 2025 spending plan Nov. 13. Budget documents show the millage rate remains 8.36 mills, including 0.5 mills for public safety. One mill generates about $150,000 in revenue. Projected revenue and...
Sewickley Heights police chief gets new contract, terms reluctantly released
Sewickley Heights officials reluctantly released terms of a new employment contract with police Chief James Harrison. Council unanimously approved the new three-year deal Oct. 21. Mayor George Magovern and council president John Means recommended the contract approval. Borough manager Nathan Briggs said council and the chief “refreshed” the employment contract...
Savory fundraiser results in delicious support for Sewickley library
Sewickley resident Leslie Liebscher could hardly believe an idea more than two decades ago to bring local restaurants together to support the borough would grow into its booster group’s largest annual fundraiser. “I love the library, and it’s so fantastic that our community supports it so well,” said Liebscher, former...
Aspinwall hosts Pittsburgh Regional Transit meeting about proposed bus line redesign
Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus riders in Aspinwall may lose access to the South Side and the Strip District, but gain stops in Lawrenceville, Bloomfield and Downtown Pittsburgh as part of a bus line redesign project. Riders would also see 20- to 30-mile trips shortened and increased direct connections to neighborhoods...
Sharpsburg adds greenery with help from volunteers at tree planting
Sharpsburg looks a little greener thanks to multiple volunteers planting trees in the borough earlier this month. More than 30 people came out to plant 25 trees on Nov. 2. The event was part of a partnership with Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, the borough and Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization. People gathered at...
Proposed Sharpsburg budget has no real estate tax hike, maintains sewer rates
Sharpsburg officials plan to hold the line on real estate taxes and sewage fees as part of next year’s budget. Council is expected to delineate its proposed 2025 spending plan during a workshop meeting Nov. 14 with possible adoption slated for Nov. 21. Municipalities must adopt a balanced budget by...
Quaker Valley School District to enact new social media policy
A new policy will soon have Quaker Valley School District officials taking a closer look at their social media pages. Designed to establish a process and standards for approval and operation of district-owned accounts, the proposed guidelines also address school directors’ and school employees’ personal social media. The new policy...
Sewickley’s ‘Spider-Man’ laid to rest
Sewickley area residents and visitors are mourning the loss of their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Elmer Cletus Borh, affectionately nicknamed after the Marvel superhero, died at Heritage Valley Sewickley hospital on Sept. 30. He was 68. Born in Butler, he was the youngest of Cletus Harry and Janet Florence Bohr’s five...
2 Quaker Valley school board members honored for years of service
Two Quaker Valley School Board members were recognized by a state organization for their years of service to the district. Pennsylvania School Boards Association member outreach manager-west Lena Hannah honored Geoff Barnes for his five years of service and Gianni Floro for his 24 years. Board members are placed on...
Tarentum man faces multiple charges in connection with Halloween dog attacks
A Tarentum man is facing multiple charges for allegedly allowing his dogs to run loose and attack people on Halloween. Brandon Jerome Baynes, 36, is charged with three counts each of several charges, including animal neglect, and most of which are summary offenses. One of the charges, recklessly endangering another...
Elderly pedestrian identified who was struck and killed in Harrison
A Harrison man is dead after he was struck Friday evening by a vehicle near the Sheetz convenience store in Harrison. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as Gary Rhebb, 74, of Harrison’s Natrona Heights neighborhood. Harrison Police Sgt. Justin Bouch said the victim was struck by...
‘Third time’s a charm’ as Sharpsburg 19-year-old becomes new borough councilman
Third time was the charm for a Sharpsburg teen seeking a seat on borough council. Roman Mason, 19, was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Kacie Cope, who resigned in late September. “It makes me feel good,” Mason said sitting in his new seat after the Oct. 24 council...
McCahill Park reconstruction underway in Fox Chapel
A major renovation project is underway at McCahill Park in Fox Chapel. Over the past several weeks, Dun Rite Construction crew have excavated, moved large materials and equipment and performed other related work at the recreation site off Hemlock Hollow Road. It’s all part of an estimated $820,000 upgrade that...
EV stations installed in Sewickley, charging fees yet to be set
Electronic vehicle drivers will soon have a new place to charge along the Route 65 corridor. EV stations were recently installed at the Division Street parking lot behind Caliente Pizza & Draft House and Pennsylvania Academy of Dance in Sewickley. The setup includes three machines, two with dual charging capabilities...
Fox Chapel Follies returns with new show at Pittsburgh Field Club
While artificial intelligence can cause some folks to feel anxious, frustrated and a host of other emotions, Phil Beard has found humor. The Aspinwall writer and director has taken the thought of a chatbot as his muse for the upcoming Fox Chapel Follies’ show, “ChapGPT.” Crafted in the spring and...
Aspinwall residents participate in parking study data collection; report to be filed by year’s end
Aspinwall resident Mary Pollice is frustrated with the parking situation in her borough, particularly near her home. “Our parking sucks because the whole one side of Fifth Street has (Route) 28 in their backyard,” Pollice said. “There’s no alley and no garages for them. My side has an alley. Some...
Republican incumbent Devlin Robinson retains state Senate seat
Republican Devlin Robinson has staved off Democratic challenger Nicole Ruscitto and retained his seat representing the state’s 37th Senatorial District. According to complete, but unofficial, election results reported by the Allegheny County Elections Division on Election Day, Robinson collected 52.85% of the vote (79,014 votes) to 47.02% for Ruscitto (70,292)....
Food and drink fundraiser set for Sewickley Library
The most delicious time to be in Quaker Valley is fast approaching. Savoring Sewickley, the largest annual fundraiser for Friends of the Sewickley Public Library, is set for Nov. 3. This will be the 23rd installment presented by the group dedicated to supporting the bochord along Thorn Street. It is...
Annual Boo Bash delights while restocking shelves for free store, backpack program
Reed Marutiak had the weight of the world on his shoulders. It’s a lot to carry for a Hartwood Elementary fourth grader in the Fox Chapel Area School District. Fortunately, the youngster dressed as Atlas from Greek mythology was not alone. He and his parents were among scores of pre-K...
Loose pit bulls bite up to 5 during trick-or-treating in Tarentum
Tarentum resident Margie Shutack is grateful her husband Michael will recover from what was described as a vicious dog attack on Halloween about a block away from their East Seventh Avenue home. “God has been on our side,” said Shutack on Thursday evening. “I’m just so glad that he’s going...
Fox Chapel-area families paint pumpkins, enjoy festive time with borough police
Fox Chapel-area families came out in droves to paint pumpkins and participate in other festive activities with police Oct. 19 at the borough station. More than 150 pumpkins were distributed. Officers also grilled hot dogs and provided other snacks. A “Mini Beat Power Rockers” movie played in the background as...
Fox Chapel Council president celebrates 25 years as public servant
Fox Chapel officials celebrated the service of a longtime borough leader. Andrew Bennett received a proclamation and plaque from Mayor Alex Scott III for his 25 years of service on council. “It is important that we recognize the service that we’ve gotten from him,” Scott said while delivering remarks at...
Blawnox Food Pantry marks 1 year of operation
When Blawnox Manager Kathy Ulanowicz saw residents were struggling to make ends meet years ago, she knew something had to be done. Some people were making the tough choice of buying food or paying bills. That discovery led to borough Thanksgiving food drives, a tradition that lasted for about a...
Memorial vigil held for Roxanne Bonnoni of Natrona instead of her 12th birthday party
A birthday celebration for a young Harrison girl Wednesday night featured typical things one might expect to see. There were balloons, lit candles, stuffed animals and the traditional sing-along. However, the mood was vastly different, and the observance went on without its guest of honor. Roxanne Bonnoni was killed by...
Quaker Valley School District celebrates middle school ‘Blue Ribbon’ recognition
Quaker Valley School District celebrated earning national recognition at the middle school earlier this month. The U.S. Department of Education recognized the school for sixth through eighth grades and its 427 students as a National Blue Ribbon School. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program was established in 1982 to recognize...
