Joyce Hanz stories, Page 38
Beer business reopening under new ownership in Allegheny Township
A beer distributor shuttered for more than three years in Allegheny Township is set to reopen with a new name and owner. The former Big Boys Beer at 5743 Leechburg Road closed in December 2018, after the death of owner Corey Snyder. Big Boys originally was started by Snyder and...
Free ballet-themed program for kids returns to the Casino Theatre in Vandergrift
An interactive ballet-themed story program provided a unique experience for youngsters Wednesday in Vandergrift. Instructors from The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre presented “Dance the Story” to more than 20 girls at the Casino Theatre. The annual event was sponsored by the Vandergrift Public Library and presented by the Westmoreland Library Network....
Allegheny Township winery officially hits market for just under $1 million
Wooden Door Winery in Allegheny Township is officially on the market. Owners Jeff and Chrissy Pollick announced they were selling their flagship winery in June, but the property wasn’t officially listed for sale then, and an asking price was not disclosed. The barn-themed winery at 4087 Greenwood Road in Allegheny...
2-day home-school program in Vandergrift doubles enrollment after 1st year
A hybrid home-school program has doubled its fledgling enrollment since opening last year in Vandergrift. Willow Tree Academy opened last September at The Center on Franklin Ave. Classes are held in two sessions, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. All students enrolled are required to be in a...
Pittsburgh man arrested in connection with March 22 slaying
Pittsburgh police made an arrest Friday in the March 22 fatal shooting of Tiwand Hill. Robert Freeman, 32, of Pittsburgh’s Hill District, is charged with homicide and carrying a firearm without a license. Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Fugitive Apprehension Unit and the U.S. Marshals Western Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force made...
Music down by the river delights concertgoers in Freeport
Music fans came by foot, bike, car, and even boat to attend the last summer concert held Friday at Riverside Park in Freeport. Sponsored by the Freeport Renaissance Association, the monthly music series wrapped up with the summer’s third free performance from the gazebo in the park. Sommelier, an indie-rock...
Felon indicted in connection with 3 Pittsburgh gas station robberies
A Pittsburgh man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on accusations that he robbed three gas station in the city last December. Marcus Allen Wells, 28, formerly of Pittsburgh’s Glen Hazel neighborhood, faces federal robbery and firearms charges. According to the indictment, on Dec. 10, 2021,...
Washington Township welcomes new supervisor
Washington Township has a new supervisor. Matthew Thornton, 55, was unanimously appointed by the board of supervisors on Monday, Aug.8. There was no comment from the public regarding Thornton’s appointment during the meeting. He replaces former supervisor Scott Held, who resigned last month. Held served for six months before resigning...
Freeport Theatre Festival to stage historical drama ‘Massy Harbison’
Thespians from the Freeport Theatre Festival are channeling their inner pioneer as they present “Massy Harbison.” The play is a historical drama based on local pioneer heroine Massy Harbison, who survived captivity by Native Americans near what is now present-day Freeport. It was written and directed by Rennick Steele. It’s...
Allegheny Township homeowners plead for help with dilapidated neighboring properties
Several Allegheny Township residents want to know what township officials can do about ongoing problems associated with rundown, neglected and vacant properties next to their homes. Three people attended this week’s supervisors meeting, all voicing their frustrations about living next to what they said are unsightly and unsafe structures and...
Historic walking tours return to Aspinwall
Take a walk on the historic side with guided tours through Aspinwall offered by a local historian. Explore the historic architecture of a bygone era and learn about the families who first settled in the borough, founded in 1892. “Many people come here to shop, dine or visit one of...
Vandergrift police partner with Kiski Area East Primary to collect back-to-school supplies
The Vandergrift Police Department is hosting a back-to-school supply drive for students at Kiski Area East Primary School in the borough. The annual collection is in collaboration with the school’s Parent Teacher Organization. Donated items may be dropped off through Aug. 15 at the Vandergrift Police Station at 109 Grant...
Kiski Area plans 4-day camp to give incoming kindergartners a jump-start
The Kiski Area School District is rolling out a new, free program to help incoming kindergartners adjust to life on campus. Kinder-Camp will be offered from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 15 to 18 for any incoming kindergartner at the district’s three elementary schools: East, North and South Primary. The...
Coffeehouse to perk up downtown Vandergrift
A new enterprise is brewing in historic Vandergrift’s business district. Virginia Lindsay and Karen Heilman, co-owners of 1833 Coffee and Tea Co. in Freeport, announced this week on social media that they’re expanding their coffee business and opening a “sister shop” along Grant Avenue. The new coffee business will be...
Fox Chapel Area High School freshman embraces conservation
A Fox Chapel Area High School freshman with a commitment to conservation is raising monies to help pay it forward for the next generation of conservation leaders. Claire Conti, 14, has attended the Wildlife Leadership Academy the past two summers. The non-profit is dedicated to engaging and empowering high-school aged...
‘Backpack Bash’ returns to Kiski Area High School
A free back-to-school giveaway event for all students enrolled in the Kiski Area School District is scheduled for Aug. 10. The Back to School Backpack Bash returns this year after a successful inaugural 2021 launch. The district sought donations of backpacks, school supplies and hygiene items from the community over...
Scare tactics: Vandergrift man key figure in Kennywood’s Phantom Fall Fest
Nick Kardos of Vandergrift gets paid to be creepy. Kardos, 31, was inspired by horror classics including “Night of the Living Dead” and experienced a creative drive as a youngster growing up in Oklahoma Borough. He has worked seasonally for 13 years as a special effects supervisor and as a...
Nature-focused preschool relocates from Fox Chapel to 7-acre campus
The Discovery School is set to welcome students this fall to a new campus that features a nature playground, a discovery pond, trails, meadows and a creek. Previously located at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve, The Discovery School has moved to the former Winchester Thurston North campus at 4225 Middle Road...
Want to buy a funeral home? Krynicki’s in Harrison up for grabs for $449,000
A former funeral home is on the market in Harrison. The Krynicki Funeral Home at 1007 Freeport Road is listed for $449,000 by Howard Hanna Realty. Mark Camp, 65, has lived next door to the funeral home since 1982. He said life next to a business that deals with death...
Faces of the Valley: Gilpin resident Betty Smail dedicated to lifelong volunteering
Betty Smail of Gilpin began giving back to her rural community at a young age. She hasn’t stopped. Smail was tasked with washing “bird dirt” off tombstones in St. Catherine’s Cemetery when she was a child. Now, at 70, she’s still volunteering throughout the Leechburg and Gilpin communities. “It meant...
Washington Township seeks new supervisor
A supervisor position is available in Washington Township. Supervisor Scott M. Held, who ran for the position unopposed and served in the post for six months, submitted his letter of resignation July 14 during the last supervisors’ meeting. In the letter, Held said he was moving out of the township....
South Buffalo family’s ice cream truck makes rounds in Alle-Kiski Valley
A South Buffalo family has a sweet new side hustle. Cup and Cone Ice Cream, which the family operates from a van, kicked off its inaugural route June 6 in Buffalo Township. Businessman Kent Snyder, 52, pitched the idea of an ice cream truck business to his wife, Mary, and...
Free science-based children’s program on tap at Vandergrift Public Library
A free biology-themed program hosted by an educator from the Carnegie Science Center is coming to the Vandergrift Public Library. “Science in the Summer” will be offered in two sessions; from 5 to 6 p.m. for grades 2-3 and from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. for grades 4-6, Aug. 9-10 at...
Indiana Township garage a family affair for 74 years
Three brothers are continuing the legacy of their family-owned automotive repair business in Indiana Township. Kepple’s Garage, co-owned by Wilbur, Howard and Chuck Kepple, celebrates 74 years of repairing vehicles and equipment this year. The garage, founded by their late parents, Edna and John Kepple, opened in 1948. “I learned...
Kiski Area hires new director of student support services
Kiski Area School District has created a new full-time position to help serve the district’s special education and gifted programs. Darren Kennedy was hired as the district’s new director of student support services at a salary of $115,000. He started in the position July 1 and will serve students on...
