Plum Advance Leader category, Page 30
New Oakmont library director brings experience, familiarity with borough to role
Caitlyn Boland credits the Carnegie system of libraries for exposing her to books at a young age. Growing up in Connellsville, Boland said, she was in awe when her mother took her to get her first library card at the Carnegie library in her hometown. “It was a privilege to...
North Hills girls beat Plum to end 45-year playoff win drought
Every player who took the floor for North Hills on Tuesday night was playing in her first playoff game. They were also carrying the burden of breaking a postseason victory drought that dated to 1979. That could understandably lead to some nerves, but this group had ice water flowing through...
In brief: Plum, Oakmont area events, week of Feb. 19, 2024
Plum approves change to Sheetz liquor license Plum Council has amended its approval for a liquor license for Sheetz on Golden Mile Highway. Council in 2021 approved the transfer of a liquor license to the existing Sheetz at Pine Valley Drive. The Altoona-based convenience store chain asked to move it...
Plum boys basketball turns attention to promising future
At the start of the season, Plum boys basketball coach Justin Walther said he felt his team was a playoff contender in Class 5A out of Section 2. While the Mustangs were competitive in a number of section games, a section win didn’t come until the section finale at Armstrong...
East suburban real estate, week of Feb. 18, 2024
Penn Hills Lisa Blickenderfer sold property at 1022 Sixth St. to Timothy Kunkel for $120,000. David Bollinger sold property at 323 Auburn St. to William Stanziana Jr. and Cynthia Stanziana for $120,000. Elaine Sadler sold property at 5716 Brinley Drive to SFR Workforce Owner LLC for $126,000. Al Smith Jr....
East suburban real estate, week of Feb. 18, 2024
ALLEGHENY COUNTY Churchill Phyllis Szoko sold property at 314 Surrey Pl to Leon and Jeanetta Blackston for $239,000. James Reese sold property at 120 Thornberry Drive to Charles Vaughn for $319,000. Forest Hills Mary Duffy Rooney sold property at 109 Bevington Road to Corner Lot Homes LLC for $130,000. Monroeville...
Longwood at Oakmont buys drug disposal box for Plum community
Plum residents are now able to get rid of expired or unwanted medications at a new drop box at the borough’s police station. Longwood at Oakmont in Plum bought the box for the borough for $2,600, said Kevin Henderson, Longwood senior director. “The Plum Police Department will also come to...
Holiday Park Holiday Park Volunteer Fire Company in Plum kicked off fish fry season on Ash Wednesday
Fish fry season, and Lent, have officially begun. Holiday Park Volunteer Fire Company in Plum continues its food fundraiser tradition with the same menu as last year. Between 20 and 25 volunteers on Ash Wednesday and every Friday through Good Friday at the fire station at 415 Old Abers Creek...
Plum school renovation projects may be altered after study forecasts declining enrollment
A proposed $1.5 million renovation project at Plum School District’s Pivik Elementary might be off the table after a demographics study projected declining enrollment for the next decade. It is part of an estimated $68.5 million in contemplated renovations and new construction at the K-4 schools, Pivik and O’Block elementary,...
Plum awards $1.12M road paving contract to Derry Construction
Plum will spend more than $1 million to resurface about 10 miles of roads this year. Council awarded a $1.22 million contract to Derry Construction. The work will not start until Aug. 1 at the earliest, to give borough crews time to finish other work on the roads, borough Manager...
3 hires return Plum police force back to full staff
Plum Council has approved filling three vacancies in the borough’s police department and in doing so has offered employment to the department’s second female officer. Council on Monday approved conditional offers of employment to Jason Saunders, Haylee Walak and Luke Skledar. They will replace officers who have retired or resigned,...
Plum grad Phillip McNeal starts college track career by setting pair of marks for Saint Vincent
Phillip “P.J.” McNeal might have taken awhile to find his footing as a track athlete. But it didn’t take the Plum grad long to find his place in the Saint Vincent record books. In his first college indoor meet, Dec. 1 at Youngstown State, McNeal ran the 200-meter dash in...
In brief: Plum, Oakmont area events, week of Feb. 12, 2024
Plum School District looking for bus, van drivers The Plum School District is hiring bus and van drivers. Bus drivers are paid a base rate of $23.45 per hour; van drivers are paid $18. An overtime rate of $33.90 is available beyond 40 hours per week for bus drivers for...
Faces of the Valley: Plum 4th grader excels at investment challenge, writing poetry
Whether it’s crisp cash or fresh grass covered in morning dew, 10-year-old Jett Bittner knows green. The fourth grader at Plum’s O’Block Elementary School recently placed first in Allegheny County and 10th statewide in the elementary division of a stock market game. Then, he was among several of his classmates...
Allegheny Valley Hospital art exhibit showcases tales behind the scrubs
In her nearly 40 years of nursing at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison, Becky Podobnik says her scrubs have seen it all. “I’ve watched people recover, and I’ve watched people die,” she said. “I’ve comforted families, and I’ve sat with that person who is scared in the middle of the...
A-K Valley athletes of the week: Knoch’s Derek Lang, Plum’s Alaina Claassen
Alaina Claassen Class: Sophomore School: Plum Sport: Wrestling Report card: Plum sophomore Alaina Claassen won the North Allegheny girls invitational title Feb. 3, scoring a 4-0 decision over Cumberland Valley’s Aja’nai Jumper, the top seed, in the finals. The WPIAL’s top-ranked girls wrestler at 235 pounds, Claassen is 14-2 this...
Plum senior student-athletes set college plans
It was another day to celebrate for Plum seniors set to continue their athletic pursuits at the collegiate level. Last Wednesday marked the first day of the regular signing period for Division I and II football players to make their decisions final, and Mustangs quarterback and punter Sean Franzi put...
State Rep. Joe McAndrew made chair of Public Transportation subcommittee
State Rep. Joe McAndrew was appointed chair of the House subcommittee on Public Transportation, his office announced Feb. 9. The appointment coincides with the release of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2024-25 budget, which calls for $283 million in new state funding for public transportation and nearly $1.5 billion over five...
New Sheetz expected to open on Plum’s Golden Mile Highway in May
A new Sheetz under construction in Plum is tentatively scheduled to open in May, a spokesman for the Altoona-based convenience store chain said. When the new convenience store and gas station on Golden Mile Highway at Presque Isle Drive opens, the existing smaller store nearby at Pine Valley Drive will...
Donations to Plum school lunch debt take small bites out of a big problem
An anonymous member of the Plum School District community recently gave the district $500 to cover student lunch debt at Holiday Park Intermediate School. While generous and appreciated, the donation took only a small bite out of what is routinely a big problem. The district is carrying more than $45,000...
Cheswick teen’s passion for giving back earns Junior Achievement’s 18 Under Eighteen distinction
Emma Winkler’s goal is to make the world a better place, and she’s starting in her own backyard to make that happen. Winkler, 16, of Cheswick has led a senior prom and winter formal dance at Longwood at Oakmont in Plum, where she also works as a part-time server. She...
Plum girls pull away from Kiski Area to keep pace in section
The Plum girls basketball team took care of business Monday in a 61-49 Section 1-5A victory over Kiski Area on senior night at Plum High School. The Mustangs didn’t let the Cavaliers play spoiler as they kept pace with Indiana for a shot at the section title Thursday evening. Plum...
Plum’s combined water-sewer bills increase about $14 per month
Monthly bills increased about $14 for Plum residents with municipal water and sewage service, starting in February. Residents were informed about the 17% increase on their January bills. It’s the latest bill to increase for borough residents. Council in December approved a nearly 40% increase in property taxes with the...
In brief: Plum, Oakmont area events, week of Feb. 5, 2024
Plum AARP meeting to showcase Zoomobile Plum AARP will have its monthly meeting at noon Feb. 13 in Unity Community Church. The program will feature the Zoomobile, which will bring four or five small animals for the group to meet and learn about. Plum AARP, a social and service group, features...
East suburban real estate transactions, week of Feb. 4, 2024
ALLEGHENY COUNTY Chalfant Lucas Spieler sold property at 230 Fairview Ave. to Starry Night 88 LLC for $72,500. Churchill Jeanette Blackston sold property at 2525 Greensburg Pike Unit 401 to Sanatkumar Kutumbaka for $200,000. Edgewood Western PA School For The Deaf sold property at Unknown Address to Lucas Rious Maldague...
