Natalie Beneviat stories, Page 26
Volunteers sought for Christmas Bird Count
Be part of what’s called the country’s oldest citizens science project by counting birds in the Pittsburgh Christmas Bird Count, happening in the North Hills and beyond. Master birders, casual birders and novices can take part in the early winter bird census coordinated by the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania....
McCandless zoning and land use ordinances headed for updates
Zoning and land ordinances in McCandless will get a major overhaul in 2022, bringing the land use code book up-to-date, partly with the public’s help. The McCandless Complete Zoning and Land Development Ordinance Modernization project should simplify zoning laws regulations and make them more user friendly and easier to understand,...
North Allegheny students win Best Student Design at Salvation Army fashion show
Wearing a mask took on a whole new meaning at Runway RePurposed, a fashion show by The Salvation Army Western Pennsylvania Division. Designers were challenged to take everyday items and remake them into wearable fashions. North Allegheny seniors Abby Rapp and Madison Kraus took home the Best Student Design trophy...
North Allegheny School Board to lift masking requirement
Mandatory indoor masking would cease on Jan. 18, 2022 in the North Allegheny School District if Gov. Tom Wolf follows through on his promise to return mask-wearing decisions to local school authorities. The NA school board voted 5-4 on Dec. 8 to change district policy so that mask wearing would...
Quaker Valley School District to hold vaccination clinic
Upcoming vaccination clinics and an overview of the Health and Safety report were one of several items addressed at the Quaker Valley School District annual reorganization meeting on Dec. 7. District assistant superintendent Dr. Andrew Surloff said they hope to have a vaccination clinic provided through UPMC Children’s Hospital of...
Kuzma reappointed as Quaker Valley School Board president
New board members were sworn into the Quaker Valley School Board at its reorganization meeting on Dec. 7. Members sworn in included Kuzma and Daniela Helkowski, both of Region 1; incumbent Kati Doebler, of Region 3; and newcomer Stratton Nash, of Region 2. Both Kuzma and Marna Blackmer were selected...
North Allegheny reviews possible school upgrades for Hosack, Ingomar and Peebles elementary schools
It’s been 22 years since Hosack, Ingomar and Peebles elementary schools have had major renovations or construction, and the North Allegheny School District is planning for upgrades at the three schools that could begin in 2026 at an estimated $31.8 million, according to district officials. The latest capital funding plan...
First-ever Winterfest in McCandless brings seasonal fun
Anyone with experience naming snowplows should try their luck at the first-ever Winterfest in McCandless on Dec. 18. The seasonal celebration starting at 4 p.m. and culminating with a 7 p.m. fireworks display will be at the town hall grounds off Grubbs Road, with Santa and plenty of activities and...
McCandless Pointe development coming to Perry Highway
A new, mixed-use development will replace a century-old building located at 9101 Perry Highway in McCandless, with the developer hoping to reinvigorate the space. The existing structure will be demolished and redeveloped into McCandless Pointe, a small local retail and services plaza featuring anything from office space, to shops, or...
Baldonieri claims Bradford Woods council election win by 1 vote
One vote decided the outcome of the Bradford Woods council race for Republican David Baldonieri and Independent Charles Coltharp. Baldonieri edged out Coltharp, 257 to 256 in the Nov. 2 contest. Four council members’ terms were ending this year, and all four chose to run again, including Baldonieri and Coltharp....
Richard McClure voted in as North Allegheny School Board president
The Republican majority on the North Allegheny School Board voted in two of its members as president and vice president during the school board’s reorganization meeting Dec. 1. On 5-4 votes, Richard McClure became school board president and Libby Blackburn vice president. Newly elected board members Leslie Britton Dozier, Paige...
Firefighters to conduct controlled burn on Perry Highway in McCandless
Firefighters will do a controlled burn of the century-old building at 9101 Perry Highway in McCandless from 7 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 30, according to site owner Ron Sofranko, developer and owner of RPS Hospitality Group, LLC. The burn will help open the way for redevelopment of the site...
North Hills businesses grapple with supply chain issues as holidays approach
From toys to tires, local business owners are having issues with inventory coming in slower than usual. While they say it’s been a problem for months, for some it’s more noticeable now that the holiday shopping season is here. “It’s been a big problem,” said Julie Tsounos, owner of the...
North Allegheny officials plan for growth in student enrollment
Projected growth in Franklin Park, Marshall, and McCandless could add almost 300 new students districtwide in the coming years, North Allegheny officials say. New residential development in Marshall, Franklin Park and McCandless is driving the enrollment projections, according to an enrollment report presented to the school board in October. “The...
Monday lockdown prompts tighter security Tuesday at North Allegheny High School
North Allegheny High School students had to undergo searches of their backpacks, purses and other items on Tuesday after a student reported seeing a threat written on a bathroom wall that prompted a lockdown M0nday morning. The school was locked down at 10:30 a.m. Monday. McCandless police and the Allegheny...
More than a thousand kids register for North Allegheny vaccination clinics
More than 1,000 students, ages 5 to 11, registered for voluntary vaccination clinics conducted Nov. 16 and Nov. 22 at Ingomar Middle School in the North Allegheny School District, officials said. The first clinic Nov. 16 had 672 registrations, and the second vaccination clinic Nov. 22 had 342 registrations, according...
Edgeworth receives grant to replace aged, lead water lines
Aged, lead water lines will be replaced throughout Edgeworth and surrounding communities, thanks to funding from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority. The $250,905 low-interest loan and $394,095 grant will help replace pipes in community homes throughout the area, and no raise in service fees is expected, according to Christine Hurni,...
North Allegheny’s ROTC cadets honor veterans’ service, sacrifice
From organizing food drives to managing parking at community events, members of the North Allegheny High School’s Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps thrive on community service. On Veterans Day, their goal was to honor the service and sacrifice of the nation’s many veterans. “Service members do so much...
McCandless names Michael Bock police Officer of the Year
Great attitude and an enthusiastic work ethic have earned Detective Michael Bock the McCandless Township’s Officer of the Year award for 2020. “He excelled for many years while on patrol and in 2019 was assigned to the investigations division, where he continues to be a self-starter and self-motivated, evidenced in...
Final Bradford Woods Council seat comes in at a tie
The final winner of one of four seats on Bradford Woods Council could be determined by write-in votes. Unofficial results for the Nov. 2 election from the Allegheny County Division of Elections show two candidates locked in a tie. Six candidates were in the running for four council seats. The...
2 Democrats, 2 Republicans apparent winners of seats on North Allegheny school board
Two Republicans and two Democrats will fill four open seats on the North Allegheny School Board this year, with no more than a 200 vote spread among all candidates, according to unofficial returns from the Allegheny County Elections Division for the Nov. 2 race. Democrats Leslie Britton Dozier and Paige...
North Allegheny school cafeterias serve up tasty choices
Things are getting more delicious at North Allegheny, thanks to the choice-friendly, student-focused meals being served throughout the district’s 12 school cafeterias.’ Gone are the days when school lunches were a one-size-fits-all approach on a tray. Today, students have more variety, with healthier and tastier choices, according to Judy Ostronic,...
McCandless Town Council rejects hike in Northland Public Library contribution
McCandless Town Council rejected a funding increase for Northland Public Library as requested in the library’s proposed 2022 budget. The library had proposed a funding increase of 5.23% from its local municipalities, including McCandless, per a presentation by library Executive Director Amy Steele. “This is an unprecedented move as the...
North Allegheny School Board meets in empty auditorium after some in audience fail to mask up
North Allegheny School Board met in an empty auditorium Wednesday, Oct. 27 after some in the audience failed to comply with the district’s mask mandate, and the board asked everyone in the audience to leave. The board meeting, which was being held at the high school auditorium, was delayed by...
North Allegheny considers changes in posting agendas, public speaking times
The North Allegheny School Board discussed possible policy changes that would give it more time to complete its agenda before a public meeting, but give residents less time to see what’s on it. Board members also discussed setting new time limits for individual comments from the public. Superintendent of Schools...
