Fox Chapel Herald category, Page 35
Fox Chapel girls wrestling winning matches as program grows
Atia DiGioia fought the battle with uncertainty and nerves before she ever stepped on the wrestling mat. The Fox Chapel junior wasn’t entirely sure how wrestling would go for her. But having a close friend, Emma Srodes, to train with at practice made things easier. “The first week or so,...
Fox Chapel teams, athletes filled trophy cases during successful fall season
There were plenty of moments during the fall sports season to give people in the Fox Chapel school district a reason to follow the action closely. First, Foxes sophomore Carson Kittsley stole the show with a cool performance at the Penn State White Course. By shooting 5-under par on the...
Student news: A roundup of accolades
• Five Fox Chapel Area High School students placed at the annual M&M Lake Erie Invitational Speech and Debate Tournament. The team of juniors Joanna Li and Zachary Rubin won first place in Policy Debate. Senior Swati Mylarappa and freshman Ottilie Happold each were named Merit Speakers, which is equivalent...
Camp Guyasuta features new showstopper with illuminated waterfall
Christmas in Guyasuta will have an extra special glow this year as organizers introduce the newest feature, an illuminated waterfall. The winter-themed extravaganza is scheduled Nov. 30 at the Scouting America-owned campgrounds and is a fan-favorite to kick off the holiday season. “There is no better way to get into...
Fairview students find canine company with Stryker, district’s 3rd therapy dog
Things have gotten a lot more paws-itive at Fairview Elementary School in Indiana Township. And it’s all because of Stryker, the newest therapy dog serving the Fox Chapel Area School District. The 1-year-old mixed breed motivates students to be on their best behavior. At the school store, students can exchange...
Fox Chapel Area educators collect 2 carloads of goods for Blawnox Community Food Pantry
Members of the Fox Chapel Educators Association held a fall drive from Oct. 22 to Nov. 13 to collect food and other items for the Blawnox Community Food Pantry. This is FCEA’s second year of donating goods for the pantry’s Thanksgiving food drive and baskets. Two carloads of donations, collected...
Sharpsburg invites public to weigh in on 19th Street transformation
Sharpsburg Mayor Kayla Portis hopes a project to transform 19th Street will highlight inclusivity and accessibility for all. The borough is hosting a meeting Dec. 3 to gather input on a sweeping improvement plan expected next year. It will see the redevelopment of 19th Street as an access point to...
Neighbor Spotlight: Aspinwall sommelier, former actor, humbled by support amid cancer battle
Longtime sommelier Jerome “Jerry” Metallo of Aspinwall is pouring all of his efforts into the fight of his life. Metallo, 54, was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer this summer. The unexpected news sent shock waves through his mind, body and life that he shares with Cara, his wife of...
Members of high school’s Fishing Club help to restock Pine Creek with trout
Members of the Fox Chapel Area High School Fishing Club partnered with the Allison Park Sportsmen’s Club and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission to restock trout Oct. 22 at the Pine Creek watershed. Club members Josiah Rivera, a senior, and juniors Dylan Calig, Miles Carey, Nicholas Krist, Gino Pototo...
‘A hand up’: SSA grad partners with celebrity chef to continue vet-run food truck program
The death of a friend who struggled to find the resources to start a culinary business inspired Lt. Cmdr. Jordan J. Foley to create a food truck program. His late friend was a classmate at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. “My friend didn’t have the support network to...
Then & Now: Chief Guyasuta statue at Sharpsburg intersection is in its 3rd iteration
Located in the heart of the Sharpsburg Business District, at the intersection of Main and North Canal streets, stands a statue of Chief Guyasuta. Guyasuta was chief of the Seneca Tribe and was once an ally to George Washington during the French and Indian War. After leading many battles, Guyasuta...
Indiana Township officials plan to hold the line on real estate taxes with next year’s budget
Indiana Township property owners should not expect to pay more in real estate taxes to balance next year’s budget. Supervisors unanimously voted Nov. 13 to advertise its estimated $6.5 million 2025 budget. Budget documents indicate the millage rate will remain at 3.47 mills, with 2.99 mills for township operations and...
Fox Chapel officials plan no tax increase with next year’s budget
Fox Chapel property owners should not expect to pay more in borough real estate taxes next year. Council unanimously voted Nov. 18 to advertise its proposed 2025 spending plan. Budget documents indicate the millage rate will remain at 2.95 mills. The borough has not raised taxes since 2019. Projected revenues...
O’Hara property taxes could spike by 14% as part of township 2025 budget
O’Hara property owners could see their real estate tax bills go up by about 14% as part of the township’s 2025 budget. Township officials mulled over next year’s budget at a special workshop meeting Nov. 19. Financial documents indicate the millage rate would increase from 2.1 mills to 2.4 mills....
Light Up Fox Chapel set for Dec. 4
Fox Chapel officials, hoping to build on a resurging holiday tradition, have added more activities to the borough’s upcoming celebration. The second annual Light Up Fox Chapel is set for 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 4 outside the borough building, 401 Fox Chapel Road. New things this year include performances...
A-K Valley Class 3A wrestling preview: Fox Chapel a dual threat
Fox Chapel wrestling coach Michael Frank watched his group strive to master the art of the dual last season. As a team, the Foxes worked together to win their first section title since 1971, and with 10 wrestlers who won at least 15 matches returning, expectations are high again. “For...
In brief: Herald area events for the week of Nov. 25, 2024
Light Up the Wall to include fireworks Light Up the Wall, a holiday extravaganza presented by the Aspinwall Chamber of Commerce, is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 7 at the municipal lot along Commercial Avenue. Activities include horse and buggy rides, pictures with Santa, cookie decorating, ice sculptures,...
Check out these upcoming programs at the Cooper-Siegel and Sharpsburg libraries
The Cooper-Siegel Community Library and its Sharpsburg branch offer a variety of programming for visitors of all ages. To view a complete list of offerings, visit coopersiegel.librarycalendar.com. Events at both libraries are listed and can be viewed according to age group and location. Registration is required for most programs as...
Defending WPIAL champion Shady Side Academy girls ready for ‘new journey’
After a historic season where the Shady Side Academy girls basketball team won the first WPIAL title in program history, there will be some change, but a solid core returns. The Bulldogs lost a pair of starters, Maggie Spell, who transferred to Thomas Jefferson, and Sydney Birchard, who graduated, but...
Fox Chapel wrestling expects to show dual meet prowess again
Wrestling often is viewed as an individual sport, and understandably so, because it’s one on one on the mat every match. But Fox Chapel coach Michael Frank has watched his group work to master the art of the dual. As a team, the Foxes worked together last season to win...
High-flying Fox Chapel hockey team looks to play with more grit
First-year Fox Chapel hockey coach Ryan Loebig believes the Foxes were at a perfect spot for a breather after five games. The Foxes proved they are an offensively gifted team that is capable of winning wild shootouts. But a pair of one-goal losses offered a chance for reflection. “We’ve been...
Plenty of highlights for Fox Chapel girls soccer during ‘wonderful season’
The Fox Chapel girls soccer team dealt with the immense pressure of being the defending WPIAL Class 4A champions all season. Dropping to Class 3A, Fox Chapel opened the season on 18-match unbeaten streak before ultimately advancing to the second round of the PIAA playoffs. “I thought the girls had...
Then and Now: Beloved Boyd transformed into Lauri Ann West Community Center
The 1950s-era Boyd Elementary School was so beloved in the Fox Chapel Area that community members wouldn’t let it sit empty when it closed in 1983. Two residents spearheaded the opening of Boyd Community Center, which opened that same year in the brick building off Powers Run Road in O’Hara....
Luxury consignment store focused on handbags opens in Aspinwall
Feroce Luxury Consignment Boutique is the newest business venture for Kelley Costa of Allison Park. Costa, a handbag aficionado, is never caught out-and-about without a beautiful handbag, and she’s on a mission to make owning a quality handbag easier and more budget-friendly. She opened Feroce earlier this month at 405...
PTO volunteer logs more than a decade at Hartwood Elementary School
A familiar volunteer face has graced the halls of Hartwood Elementary School for more than a decade. PTO member Kristen Gulakowski of Indiana Township is in her 10th year of volunteering almost daily to make student life for more than 400 children more enriching, fun and festive. “My kids keep...
