Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 4

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission said Tuesday there is no link between Peoples Gas service lines and the August 2023 house explosion in Plum’s Rustic Ridge neighborhood that killed six people. “Our investigators have concluded their work and they did not find anything on the utility side that was the...

Exposure to the images of former President Donald Trump with a bloodied face after the Saturday rally in Butler County can be disturbing for anyone, but it can be especially difficult for children, health experts say. “If parents are able to limit exposure to what happened, that’s beneficial,” said AHN...

A Plum man is in stable condition, but remains in an induced coma, after being shot Saturday during an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, officials said. David Dutch, 57, was shot in the liver and chest during a rally at the Butler Farm Show grounds, according to a...

Claims of financial impropriety against the Allegheny Township Community Days committee could have doomed the event hosted Sunday in sweltering heat at Northmoreland Park. Instead, organizers said, the adversity helped the event prosper. “Look at this turnout, it’s wonderful,” said Frank Weissert, committee president, pointing to crowds of people who...

First Lady Jill Biden riled up a group of supporters Saturday at the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, speaking about the grit of her Italian ancestors and telling the crowd that her husband, President Joe Biden, is just as much a fighter. “He’s making sure that no matter where you start...

As a kid, Brianna Thorpe spent a lot of time visiting family in Natrona. “There was a bakery on the corner, and it was kind of awesome that you could walk around and hit different businesses,” she said of Harrison’s riverfront neighborhood. Now, the 27-year-old Springdale High School graduate from...

Frazer police Sgt. Aaron Scott continues to run the township’s police department three months after Chief Terry Kuhns died. It’s unclear whether he will take the role officially — and Scott is fine with that. “The officers that we have assist me greatly in making sure the day-to-day operations are...

Harrison police are hoping an extra set of eyes on Natrona Community Park will help deter vandalism and other crime at the River Avenue recreation spot. Police Chief Brian Turack said security cameras will be installed at the playground and basketball courts, where police were called Saturday to investigate a...

A decision on whether an Aldi grocery store will move forward in Harrison could come as soon as next month. Store officials submitted plans to the township planning commission last week, seeking a recommendation for land development. The move comes two years into discussions on a store proposed for 4024...

During a four-month salvage job at the former St. Ladislaus Church in Natrona, Rachel Brown climbed into the ceiling and crawled through walls to research architecture at the 120-year-old building. “I was in places of the church that people hadn’t been in 100 years,” said Brown, who wasn’t a member...

When Anna Mayhood and Kristen Farringer couldn’t find styles to suit their size, they did something better — they opened their own boutique. “Everyone should love themselves, no matter their size,” said Mayhood, 46. “We want to provide a fun experience for us girls who typically don’t have luck in...

Tarentum native Evelyn Nesbit made her mark in New York City as a model and chorus girl at the turn of the 20th century before becoming the object of a deadly love triangle between wealthy entrepreneurs. Her story and many others will be the focus of a Tarentum walking history...

The sun will be shining more brightly on parishioners at Central Presbyterian Church in Tarentum. Eleven enormous stained-glass windows, removed and boarded in 2022, are being reinstalled this week after a meticulous project that took hundreds of hours to clean and restore them. “It’s not just the color that’s brighter,”...

Retired Acutronic electrical engineer Howard Havlicsek spent his career testing navigational systems for aircraft and missiles but always found time to put his talents to good use on the ground. He’s been the go-to “Mr. Fix-It” at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church since joining in 1979. For 45 years, the O’Hara...

The Fox Chapel Area Rotary honored 10 Shady Side Academy seniors for outstanding leadership and academics. “These are outstanding students who represent the very best the academy has to offer,” said Bob Trimble, club president. “They not only have earned top grades taking difficult subjects but also found time to...

Elaine Jasso has become a surrogate grandma to hundreds of children in Harrison. As program coordinator for the Deborah D. Booker Community Center in Sheldon Park, Jasso, 73, plans daily activities at the facility that’s run by the Allegheny County Housing Authority. Sometimes, her role is to provide a listening...

Caisen Bedillion is a typical teenage girl who loves cheerleading, roller coasters and horror movies. The 13-year-old from West Deer, however, has endured an atypical amount of medical challenges. “Since she was born, she had a number of medical problems and delays at every turn,” said her mom, Erin Bedillion....

Hungry kids can quickly turn into hangry students. Rumbling stomachs can lead to classroom distraction and discipline issues, research shows, along with feelings of isolation for children whose families struggle to afford school lunches. “Not only do we see the benefits of full bellies in academics, but it’s social, too,”...

When Barb Kalina began lending a hand with St. Joseph High School’s theater program in 1997, she spent a week washing and ironing 40 white aprons for the production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” “That was my entire duty,” said Kalina, a Lower Burrell resident and retired reading specialist from...

The first Junior Fire Camp hosted by the Southern Allegheny Valley Emergency Services was a hit, officials said. A dozen local teens, 13 to 17, participated in the two-day event. Hosted June 22-23 at the stations in Sharpsburg and Aspinwall, participants learned the ins and outs of fire safety and...

While the clock is ticking on the potential closing of Eureka Community Ambulance Service in Tarentum, another of the municipalities it covers has joined an effort to save the ailing EMS. East Deer commissioners on Wednesday opted into an exploratory committee that will research the formation of an ambulance authority....

Transformation of Allegheny Shores, a 52-acre brownfield along the Allegheny River in Sharpsburg, got a boost of nearly $25 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Money will be funneled to construction of a multimodal transportation network to support the project. Work includes a bridge over the Conemaugh rail line,...

Deer Lakes junior Madison Rethage was running typical errands last weekend, heading to the pet store to buy supplies for her guinea pigs, Jacques and Pierre. “My mom happened to check her phone and saw an email for a scholarship I had been waiting on,” the 16-year-old said. “She wanted...

St. Joseph sophomore Louisa Palumbo misses the chance to showcase her musical chops in school. The 15-year-old participated in chorus throughout middle school at Mary Queen of Apostles in New Kensington and said it helped her grow not only as a singer but socially. “It’s nice to be a part...

From Phipps to Warhol to the Carnegie Museum, children in Natrona can tour the city’s biggest attractions this summer without ever leaving their backyard. “Our goal is to make learning fun, which keeps children coming back,” said Bill Godfrey, president of the advocacy group Natrona Comes Together. His group has...