Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 50
Latest TikTok challenge resurrects Kool-Aid Man
Anyone old enough to remember TV in the 1970s surely recalls the giant red drink pitcher that crashed through walls with the whopping exclamation, “Oh Yeah.” The Kool-Aid Man, the anthropomorphic mascot for the powdered drink mix, smashed his way through fences, furniture and outfield walls to answer the calls...
Fish rodeo in O’Hara serves as day out for hospitalized veterans
The pond at O’Hara Community Park will provide the perfect setting for hospitalized veterans to reel in good times during the 11th annual fish rodeo in May. The festival-like event features grilled hamburgers, prizes, goody bags and, of course, some time casting lines into the water. Sponsored by the Morningside...
Man charged in shooting of Duquesne police officer
A Duquesne police officer was shot after exchanging gunfire with a man early Wednesday morning, according to Allegheny County Police. The officer sustained a gunshot wound to the foot and is in stable condition at a local hospital. The suspect Shyheim Cortez Berry, 28, of Duquesne, was also shot and...
Survey to gather input on Tarentum-East Deer trail closes Friday
It’s time to hoof it if you want your trail ideas to be heard. Anyone interested in the proposed trail segment running through Tarentum and East Deer has only until Friday to review plans and offer input. Friends of the Riverfront is seeking opinions on a five-mile stretch of the...
Morning Roundup: Teen charged with gun violations
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2023: Teen charged with gun violations A teenager is being charged after giving a gun to a 15-year-old who was later shot and killed in the city’s Allentown neighborhood in early February, according to Tribune-Review news...
I-79 changes — speed limit, express lane shutdown — target work zone safety improvements
PennDOT announced it has made changes to an Interstate 79 construction zone to improve safety. The I-79 southbound express lane has been closed and a 45 mph speed limit was enacted in the southbound lanes while engineers work through safety changes. PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan said the speed limit was...
Rescued from atop New Kensington home, Roofus the cat waits to be claimed
A tabby cat rescued from atop a Fourth Avenue home in New Kensington is garnering some social media attention while fire crews search for its family. Named Roofus by the emergency crew that saved him, the cat was taken to Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley in Parnassus and is waiting...
Morning roundup: McKeesport police return to work
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023: McKeesport officers back on duty McKeesport police department returned to work Monday, two weeks after the shooting death of one of its officers, Sean Sluganski. A Facebook post from the Mayor’s Office said people can...
Morning Roundup: K9 retires in North Versailles
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, Feb. 20, 2023: K9 retires in North Versailles North Versailles Police K9 Laky worked his last shift Saturday, retiring to live a life “eating carrots and licking the yogurt container,” according to the township’s Facebook. Laky has been...
Bicycle Heaven Museum reopens after Christmas flood
Cycling and fix-it enthusiasts can get their fill once again after a popular North Side destination has reopened seven days a week. Bicycle Heaven Museum, pegged as the “world’s largest bike museum, sales shop and repairs,” has been closed since Christmas Eve after a broken waterline flooded the space along...
Free bus rides provide New Kensington, Arnold residents grocery shopping opportunity
Growing up in New Kensington in the 1950s and ’60s, Joan Smith said there was a variety of grocery stores, most within walking distance, no matter which section of town you lived in. “There was IGA and Gold Circle, and even at Kmart you could get some stuff,” Smith said....
Harrison, Brackenridge police investigating after ‘taggers’ vandalize properties
Graffiti artists have left their unwanted mark on a Brackenridge business and other sites in Harrison. Property owner Cameron Yockey said he discovered Feb. 3 that his building along Brackenridge Avenue had been tagged. Vandals scribbled on the storefront, sidewalk and trash can. “Thankfully, we bought this building to renovate...
Fox Chapel Area students glam it up with ‘Guys and Dolls’
It’s a golden year filled with glitz and glamour for Fox Chapel Area musical theater. A student-driven production of “Guys and Dolls” will hit the stage to mark the district’s 50th year of shows where teens consistently turn in near-professional performances, belting out Broadway-style tunes and sashaying across the stage....
Harrison police eye suspect after Sunoco robbed at knifepoint
Less than 12 hours after a Harrison gas station was robbed at knifepoint, police have identified a suspect. Chief Mike Klein said a warrant has been issued for Nicholas Dupree, 21, who is known to frequent Tarentum and the Natrona section of Harrison. Dupree is accused of walking into the...
Armstrong County billboard with message of inclusivity taken down
A Worthington-area billboard meant to welcome people of all faiths, genders and sexual orientations was up for six days before opponents forced its removal. Erected by the Armstrong County Democratic Committee and paid for by donations, the sign was meant to combat a nearby billboard along Route 422 that has...
Future of Tree of Life focus of Fox Chapel program
People can hear plans for the future of Tree of Life in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood — the site of the 2018 shooting that marked the deadliest antisemitic attack in the country — during a mid-March presentation in Fox Chapel. Carole Zawatsky is the new CEO of a nonprofit institute...
Tarentum brings back agenda sessions to boost discussion
In an effort to spur more discussion and allow extra time to answer questions that arise on borough issues, Tarentum Council has decided to return to having two meetings a month moving forward. An agenda meeting will be the first Tuesday of the month, and a regular meeting will take...
Corbet Street building demolition is on the books again
A building in the heart of the Tarentum business district is back on track for demolition, officials hope. The three-story brick building at the corner of Third Avenue was set to be razed before Christmas, but the job was ignored by contractor AP Wise Excavating of Butler, borough officials said....
The Hungry Cupcake in West Deer dishes up free Valentine’s treats
Forget diamonds and dinner reservations. Jennifer Urbanek of West Deer believes sweet confections are the best Valentine treats. She’s doling them out via the Little Free Library outside her coffee and tea shop on McKrell Road. “I think it’s fun to be able to walk up to the box and...
Quilters’ stories on display at Harrison library
Harrison resident Vicki Frantz didn’t discover her passion for quilting until well into adulthood. As a caregiver in 2018 for her terminally ill mother, Frantz spent most of her days sitting by her mom’s bedside. “My mom was an avid quilter for many years and her sewing machine was set...
Changes to garbage collection postponed in Tarentum
Big changes to Tarentum’s garbage service that were expected in April have been pushed back to mid-summer. Starting then, residents no longer will have unlimited collection. Waste Management will switch to cart service with each property given one 96-gallon container. Residents will have the opportunity to buy additional containers for...
Tarentum seeks emergency management coordinator in wake of recent tragic events
If a train derailed in Tarentum or a fire broke out in the business district, police and fire crews would respond, but the borough would be without a point man. Tarentum lost its emergency management coordinator in September when then-Borough Manager Michael Nestico left for a job in Murrysville. He...
Harrison, Tarentum among those earning Banner Community distinction
To be considered a Banner Community, local officials need to excel at the daily grind of running municipal operations. From money management to an easy-to-navigate website, the things that engage people are what make a stellar community, according to the Allegheny League of Municipalities. The group each year doles out...
Cheswick Council President Michael Girardi announces candidacy for district judge
Cheswick Council President Michael Girardi has resigned that position and announced his candidacy for Lower Valley district judge. The position “unites two of the great loves in my life — service to the community I have chosen to call home and the law,” Girardi said. District Court 05-3-03 covers Cheswick,...
Brackenridge, McKeesport grieve together over loss of officers
While Brackenridge police were mourning the death of Chief Justin McIntire, McKeesport Officer Sean Sluganski volunteered his time to patrol the tiny borough. Now, barely a month later, Brackenridge officers are patrolling McKeesport while police there mourn Sluganski’s death. “He was one of the first volunteers to sign up to...
