Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 90
Shaler Area walking trail named for late teacher who went the extra mile for students
A walking trail in the Shaler Area School District has been named in honor of a beloved teacher who passed away earlier in the school year. Kim Baysek-Young, a third grade teacher at Reserve Primary School, will be memorialized with a 0.2-mile path at the school along Lonsdale Street. The...
Citing Zoom fatigue, Fox Chapel Area Adult Education sees sharp decline in enrollment; eyeing better turnout for spring semester
Zoom fatigue and mild spring weather have combined to thwart a hearty enrollment for the upcoming Fox Chapel Area Adult Education (FCAAE) semester, leaders said. The program, which enjoyed robust fall and winter semesters, is experiencing a significant dropoff with enrollment down about 75% this academic year, Executive Director Sue...
Allegheny Land Trust finalizes purchase of Girty’s Woods in Reserve, shielding 155-acre forest from development
A 155-acre tract of land in Reserve will be protected from development and preserved as natural habitat thanks to a robust capital campaign that raised more than $700,000. Allegheny Land Trust (ALT) announced March 30 that the purchase of Girty’s Woods, a rare forest in an urban setting, was complete....
Ford Motor Co. unveils sneak peek at resurrected Bronco model during O’Hara eventVideo
Removable doors that stash in the back, a slide-out tailgate table and optional 35-inch tires are some of the raddest features of the 2021 Ford Bronco, a model resurrected by the car manufacturer after a 25-year hiatus. The Ford Motor Company gave car enthusiasts a brief glimpse of its beloved...
Aspinwall seeking more than $215,000 in grants for townwide upgrades
Aspinwall council is seeking three grants totaling more than $215,000 for townwide upgrades. They include money for trail improvements at Fireman’s Memorial Park, sewer separation along Western Avenue and work at the Aspinwall Volunteer Fire Department garage. Work at the park in upper Aspinwall will include replacing the current asphalt...
Support sought for purchase of Brilliant Line rail corridor for bike/ped trail from Aspinwall to Pittsburgh’s East End
Residents from Sharpsburg to Pittsburgh’s East End could be connected by a four-mile bike/pedestrian corridor that would provide access to fitness, recreation, shopping and dining in a project that’s expected to cost nearly $14 million. Allegheny Valley Railroad has agreed to sell the Brilliant Line to Aspinwall Riverfront Park. The...
Spring lantern walk by Fox Chapel Parks Conservancy brings in nearly $20,000 for preservation efforts
A starry night and a tree-lined walking path combined for a picturesque fundraiser by the Fox Chapel Parks Conservancy. The group ushered in spring with a lantern walk at Riding Meadow Park, the second in a series of four fundraisers to protect green space in Fox Chapel. “It was a...
Shaler Area High School students set to livestream ‘The Wedding Singer’
Big hair, neon clothes and cheesy ’80s songs will converge on stage during Shaler Area High School’s spring production of “The Wedding Singer.” “The show is just a lot of fun, and we could all use that nowadays,” Director Anthony Martello said. Based on the 1998 film starring Adam Sandler,...
Good Friday fish fry happening in Sharpsburg
Main Street in Sharpsburg will be a little busier today as crowds flock to the Good Friday fish fry hosted by the volunteer fire department. Assistant Chief Mike Daniher said volunteers have nearly 800 pieces of fish ready to drop into the fryers. Slaw, pierogies and fries are chopped, stuffed...
1 person taken to hospital after fire in Pittsburgh’s Troy Hill section
Emergency crews battled a fire in Pittsburgh’s Troy Hill section on Friday morning, authorities said. The incident started at about 6 a.m. in the 1500 block of Lowrie Street, which is closed to traffic. EMS, Fire and Police are on scene of a 2-alarm house fire. The 1500 of Lowrie...
Pittsburgh police safely locate elderly man last seen in the South Side
Pittsburgh police have safely located a missing elderly man who they said was endangered. Curtis Paschal, 79, was found just about 9:30 a.m. Friday. He had last been seen at about 11:30 p.m. on March 31 in the South Side, according to Public Safety Spokesman Maurice Matthews....
Neighbor Spotlight: Shaler woman, retired director of Mercy Hospital School of Nursing, thrives from lifting others
Editor’s note: Neighbor Spotlight is a monthly feature that aims to let our readers learn more about the people in their communities who are working to make them a better place, who have interesting stories to tell or who the community feels deserve “15 minutes of fame.” If you would...
Elfinwild Meals Ministry provides nutrition, interaction year-round
Dick Friedline derives genuine pleasure from working in the kitchen — slicing fruit, mixing salad and packing lunches. It’s a good thing, since he compiles up to 180 meals a day in his job as manager of Elfinwild Meals Ministry, a delivery service that sends meatloaf, lasagna, hot dogs and...
Neighbor Spotlight: Energetic leader of Second Harvest Community Thrift Store sees opportunity to grow prideVideo
Editor’s note: Neighbor Spotlight is a monthly feature that aims to let our readers learn more about the people in their communities who are working to make them a better place, who have interesting stories to tell or who the community feels deserve “15 minutes of fame.” If you would...
UPMC St. Margaret Harmar Outpatient Center opens covid-19 vaccine clinic, doles out 600 doses a day
Retired nurse Audrey Wagner didn’t pay much attention when her husband dismissed the idea of getting a covid-19 vaccine. “I knew we were getting it, there were no ifs about it,” said Wagner, 77, who spent more than three decades as a cardiac nurse at St. Francis, St. Margaret and...
Citing toxic risks to health and environment, Sharpsburg bans coal tar
Sharpsburg has joined a growing list of municipalities to ban coal tar, a chemical used to seal asphalt driveways and which has been linked to certain cancers. “It’s so important that we do everything in our powers to leave the world in a better place than we found it, or...
Millvale police Officer Joe Spalick credits training, teamwork in fire rescue
Millvale police Officer Joe Spalick acted on pure adrenaline when he helped rescue three people from a fully engulfed house fire Monday afternoon. “I was the first one on the scene, and I instantly saw the front porch in flames and thick black smoke all through the house,” Spalick said...
Aspinwall seeking volunteers to make borough greener, cleaner
Greener and cleaner is the aim of Aspinwall’s spring litter collection, scheduled from April 23 to 25 to celebrate Earth Day. “Green Streets” is a decade-long effort that relies on volunteers to make the trash pickup a success. “This is a family-friendly volunteer opportunity that allows Aspinwall residents to take...
Sharpsburg launches Adopt-A-Block program to keep borough clean
Sharpsburg residents can step up to keep the community clean, “adopting” their own little piece of the borough. Council on March 25 approved an Adopt-A-Block program through which residents and business owners can sign up to rid litter from a particular stretch of road for at least a year. “I...
Cooper-Siegel, Sharpsburg Community Library, reopening Thursday
Cooper-Siegel Community Library in Fox Chapel – as well as its Sharpsburg branch – will reopen to the public on Thursday. No appointment is necessary but visits will be limited to one hour each. “When we reopened for a limited time back in October, people were so thrilled to be...
Aspinwall, Shaler police urge people to lock doors after recent thefts
A rash of thefts from cars and homes has local police urging people to lock their doors. It’s a reminder that’s issued often and is a frustrating problem because it is easily preventable, officers said. In Aspinwall, police responded to two incidents Monday, one a theft from a home and...
Women’s Board of Pittsburgh raises $90,000 for children’s programs
Up against a pandemic, the Women’s Board of Pittsburgh hosted a virtual edition of its annual fundraiser and found that support still flooded in. “Even in these unprecedented times, very generous sponsors and a large group of supporters from the Pittsburgh area helped make this event a big success,” spokeswoman...
Sharpsburg’s Kayla Portis becomes borough’s first Black councilpersonVideo
It seems only fitting that Sharpsburg resident Kayla Portis made history last month with her appointment as the first Black person to serve on borough council. A fourth-generation Sharpsburg resident, Portis’ trailblazing grandfather Charles Smith was the first Black Commander at the VFW Post 709 along Main Street. A mural...
Week in review: Here is a look at some of the top stories from The Herald for the week of March 14, 2021Video
Here are some of The Herald’s top stories for the week of March 14: • Aspinwall considers $2 million in traffic upgrades Aspinwall council is taking a look at how to improve parking, crosswalks and traffic flow in the borough. Projects could begin this spring and, over the course of...
Shady Side Academy hires new director of enrollment
The new director of enrollment at Shady Side Academy is poised to seize and build on current momentum at the private school. Bayh Sullivan will start in the position on July 1, taking the place of Katie Mihm who is retiring after 22 years leading admissions at the school. “Shady...

