Penn Hills Progress category, Page 59
Penn Hills stands by decision for teams to not play Kiski Area this spring over racism accusations
The Penn Hills School Board on Wednesday reaffirmed the district’s stance that its high school sports teams will not play Kiski Area opponents this spring after allegations that Kiski Area fans subjected Penn Hills players to racist taunts at a March 2 middle school volleyball game. Kiski Area’s superintendent characterized...
Penn Hills community honors 50th anniversary of fallen officers
After a half-century, the Penn Hills community continues to honor the deaths of two police officers. Penn Hills community members, retired officers and municipality officials gathered on March 25 to honor the 50th anniversary of losing Penn Hills Sgt. William Schrott and Officer Bartley J. Connolly Jr. The two officers...
Penn Hills non-profit pharmacy offers affordable medications for patients
A Penn Hills couple credits God for opening a pharmacy that has helped dozens of patients afford their medications. As the pandemic impacts adults becoming uninsured after losing their jobs, resulting in being unable to afford their medications, Shannon and Sean Parsons worked to fix a similar problem more than...
‘I have a family’: Prosecutors show dash cam footage leading up to Uber driver, Turtle Creek mother’s homicide
For nearly 20 minutes, Christi Spicuzza’s last Uber fare seemed relatively normal. She picked up the man about 9:15 p.m. on Feb. 10, and he slid into the backseat of her Nissan Sentra through the rear passenger-side door. He spoke only a few words, but traffic seemed relatively light as...
Penn Hills’ Griff’s Grounds Coffé offers its own unique grind
Griffann Coleman-Brewer does not drink coffee or tea, but she does enjoy making a cup for those who do. The 28-year-old opened Griff’s Grounds Coffé in Penn Hills five years ago, when she was just 23, along with her husband, K.L. Brewer-Coleman. Everything about the shop is distinct and deliberate,...
Bitter Ends restaurant in Bloomfield to close
After nearly five years of serving diners breakfast, coffee, fresh-baked bread, and inventive brunch and take-out items, Bitter Ends will close in April. The popular spot took over the former Bloomfield Sandwich Shop location in 2017, and quickly built a passionate fan base. Bitter Ends focused on hearth-baked bread and...
Man gets 18 to 36 years in connection with East Hills, Penn Hills robberies
A man who shot at police officers responding to an armed robbery in Pittsburgh’s East Hills will spend 18 to 36 years in state prison. Timothy Franks, 24, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty Monday to the Jan. 18, 2019, robbery of a Family Dollar store in East Hills. He also...
In brief: Purse bash fundraiser, summer camp registration and more around Penn Hills, Verona
Purse Bash fundraiser Sheep Inc. Health Care Center is a free medical clinic for people who don’t have health insurance. A Purse Bash Fundraiser for the center is being held April 2 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Fold Church, 11817 Franksfown Road in Penn Hills. Cost is $10 chances...
Penn Hills track and field looks to benefit from larger roster
The Penn Hills indoor track team had a strong winter. With some reinforcements in tow, Indians coach Lee Zelkowitz believes the spring squad may be able to have even more success. Penn Hills will have about 30 more athletes out for the team compared to last spring, with the numbers...
Penn Hills softball teams confident of better season in 2022
There were things for Kiera Mack to be happy with despite a loss to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in a scrimmage last Wednesday. While Penn Hills’ softball team fell behind early, the Indians didn’t fold. They were able to make a comeback before losing. “I think that will...
Eastern Pittsburgh suburban real estate transactions for the week of March 27, 2022
Forest Hills Debra Jean Demarco sold property at Unknown Address to Bryan Demarco and Antonina Ermakova for $80,000. Victor Callahan Jr. sold property at 232 Avenue F to Omar Matthie and Naomi Johnson for $162,000. Gary Lobaugh Jr. sold property at 334 Barclay Ave. to Karen Gregoire for $232,000. Edward...
Penn Hills School District to hold town-hall meeting regarding mascot change
Penn Hills School District will hold a town-hall meeting on April 13 to discuss potentially changing its mascot name. The meeting will be at 6 p.m. in the Penn Hills Elementary cafeteria. Superintendent Nancy Hines said there has been discussion in the past about a change, but there has been...
Rosedale Civic Association project receives boost from Penn Hills Rotary
A project to revitalize Rosedale Park in Penn Hills is closer to fruition courtesy of a local contribution. The Penn Hills Rotary recently presented a $600 check to the Rosedale Civic Association, which has embarked on an estimated $150,000 upgrade effort to the recreation site next to the Rosedale Volunteer...
Twice the participants expected at Verona Garden Club’s 2nd annual Botany & Booze benefit
Verona Garden Club members hope double the brews, double the goods and double the space equals double the funds at the second annual Botany & Booze. The fundraiser for the beautification group is scheduled for May 21-22 at Railroad Park. East Railroad Avenue will be closed from Center to South...
Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship principal to become Clairton City superintendent
Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship principal Tamara Allen-Thomas will be overseeing a new school as she takes over the position as the next superintendent at Clairton City School District. The Clairton City School Board unanimously voted 9-0 on Feb. 23 to Allen-Thomas the next superintendent. Effective July 1, Allen-Thomas...
Family escapes fire that destroyed Penn Hills home
A fire destroyed a Penn Hills home early Tuesday morning. The Penn Hills fire chief said all the occupants made it safely out of the house and no one was taken to the hospital, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV. However, the chief said the house appears to be a...
In brief: Community coffee, dean’s list and more around Penn Hills
Pittsburgh Youth Chorus summer camp Registration is open for the Pittsburgh Youth Chorus’ “Summer Singers” day camp. Sessions will take place Aug. 1-5 in Pittsburgh for children ages 7-10, and Aug. 3-5 in Grove City for children age 7 and older. Sliding-scale tuition is available for all prospective campers. Register...
Penn Hills coach reflects on growth, chemistry that led team to PIAA quarterfinals
Penn Hills boys basketball didn’t have the most experience coming into this season. The Indians only had one returning starter — junior guard Daemar Kelly — who had a similar role on last year’s team. The 2021-22 Indians needed Jaden Dugger, Julian Dugger, George Mitchell and Noah Barren all to...
Penn Hills baseball hoping strong finish carries over to 2022
Rodney Stubbs could see some of the progress from the strong ending to Penn Hills’ baseball team’s season last year carrying into 2022. The Indians won their final three games last season to finish 5-13 overall and 3-9 in Section 2-5A play. This year, Stubbs, who coaches the Indians, emphasized...
Pittsburgh eastern suburban real estate transactions for the week of March 20, 2022
Chalfant Christopher Sylves sold property at 228 Highland Ave. to Joshua Earle for $110,000. Churchill Edward Nelson sold property at 1403 Beulah Road to William and Perryn A Epps Smith for $298,000. Estate of Robert Averback sold property at 2000 Garrick Drive to Anthony Russell and Chimene Beatty for $260,000....
Penn Hills man gets 31 years in federal prison for armed robberies
A Penn Hills man who authorities said shot a store employee during one of a series of armed robberies in 2014 was sentenced Thursday to 31 years in prison. George Wilson III, 39, pleaded guilty in September during a jury trial to four firearms counts for armed robberies at gas...
Mom, business owner, chamber chairwoman: Meet Plum’s Anna Zvirman-Nesbit
High school sophomores aren’t known for choosing a potential career and then sticking with it. But Plum resident Anna Zvirman-Nesbit wasn’t your typical teenager. Consider her choice for a job-shadowing experience. “I don’t exactly recall why I got the idea to do it, but I was interested in going to...
Volunteers help save Penn Hills’ Clothes Line community closet
After donating clothes to Mt. Hope Community Presbyterian Church’s community closet for 10 years, Wendy Redington received bad news when she brought clothes to donate in late January. The Clothes Line was closing because it did not have enough volunteers. Devastated by the news, Redington decided to make a phone...
New Castle wins ‘fist fight’ over Penn Hills in low-scoring PIAA quarterfinal
How do you describe a game with more than a dozen blocks, more than two dozen turnovers, and the first team to score 40 points won? “A total fist fight,” New Castle coach Ralph Blundo said, “and we knew that’s what it was going to be.” At the end, his...
Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship holds annual ‘Shark Tank’ competition
Excitement was buzzing in the auditorium of the Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship on March 10 as the school held its fifth annual Shark Tank event. The event dubbed “Soaring Shark Tank” strives to give young entrepreneurs the experience of pitching their businesses to receive investments to help further...
