Tawnya Panizzi stories, Page 62

Freeport Area eighth grader Jersey Diehl is good at being bad. Just ask the judges of the Junior Theater Festival Texas, who in late-June awarded the 12-year-old as an acting All Star for her portrayal of Ursula, the purple-skinned wicked sea witch, in a performance of “The Little Mermaid” at...

It’s an impressive feat by any standard — 800 volunteers converging to package food for the needy. It’s even more significant when you consider that it’s done by grassroots efforts through local nonprofit Network of Hope, whose members solicit residents, teachers, high school sports teams and others to come together...

After a modified but still-successful Harvest Fair in 2020, Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church is bringing back its signature fundraiser in full force this fall. “I am really happy to report that the event is on for this year,” said volunteer Carol Huff, of O’Hara. The Harvest Fair is scheduled for...

Here are the top stories for the week of June 29. • The Rev. Michael Decewicz retires from Sharpsburg’s St. Juan Diego The Rev. Michael Decewicz retired July 1 from his Sharpsburg parish but plans to remain a common sight in the borough. “I love Sharpsburg,” he said. “It will...

In the 33 years since the St. Margaret Foundation started its spring 5K fundraiser, a team of “Couch Potatoes” has brought in a staggering $200,000 to help needy hospital patients. Board Member Bill Simpson laughed that his wife named the team after his penchant for falling asleep on the couch,...

A man shooting a crossbow at a flock of turkeys in O’Hara’s RIDC Park could have caused catastrophic results, Game Commission authorities said Friday. “This is a highly populated area, and the fact that someone would do this is shocking,” said Northern Allegheny County Game Warden Madison Kyle. She said...

A transition for the faith community at St. Mary’s of the Assumption Church is being marked by a collaborative art project from members of its Glenshaw-based youth group. The church’s younger parishioners created a mosaic of a rainbow-colored St. Mary wrapped in butterfly wings to represent the unveiling on July...

A new cafe in Blawnox will offer health-conscious meals prepared for people with appetites for wings, nachos and burgers. Clean Eatz is a national franchise moving into a new retail plaza at 175 Freeport Road. “I was looking to start a business that also had the opportunity to make a...

Editor’s note: Neighbor Spotlight is a monthly feature that aims to let our readers learn more about the people in their communities who are working to make them a better place, who have interesting stories to tell or who the community feels deserve “15 minutes of fame.” If you would...

Editor’s note: Neighbor Spotlight is a monthly feature that aims to let our readers learn more about the people in their communities who are working to make them a better place, who have interesting stories to tell or who the community feels deserve “15 minutes of fame.” If you would...

Science award Smrithi Shyam of Shady Side Academy was awarded third place in the senior chemistry category of the Carnegie Science Center’s Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair in March. Smrithi’s project was titled “Extracting Amygdalin (a Cyanide Precursor) from Various Fruit Seeds.” College graduates • Andrew Fugh graduated from...

The Hillman Performing Arts Series was expected to wrap up its 2021 season with back-to-back outdoor concerts this weekend, but one of the shows has been postponed. Latin Grammy nominee Sonia De Los Santos will not be performing Sunday after a case of covid-19 was confirmed within her circle, according...

Karen Arrington belted out the Black national anthem “Lift Every Voice” to the delight of a crowd that gathered at Kennedy Park in Sharpsburg for the borough’s first-ever Juneteenth celebration. The event from 6 to 8 p.m. on June 18 saw food, music and activities to educate attendees on the...

Dave Wallace woke up this winter with the idea of cycling 335 miles from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., to raise money for adoption services. The inspiration was simple — his adopted 13-year-old son, Zak. “It was shortly after we welcomed Zak into his forever home that I started having this...

A Shady Side Academy graduate is among an elite 7.5% of applicants admitted to the Class of 2025 Plebe Summer at the U.S. Naval Academy. Porter Markel of Fox Chapel was inducted June 20 and will begin six grueling weeks of basic midshipman training in Annapolis, Md. Markel is one...

A public art display this week at Aspinwall Riverfront Park will honor and raise awareness of Juneteenth, the holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, that was recently signed into law as a federal holiday by President Biden. Entitled “Opening Doors,” the artwork was conceived by...

An anonymous $2 million gift to Shady Side Academy will help newly enrolled students that might have a challenging educational or cultural transition, officials announced. It is the largest programmatic donation in school history. Money is earmarked for the academic and social support of students at the private Fox Chapel...

Sharpsburg residents could have a choice for borough Mayor in the November election. The two-way race for the Democratic nomination between Brittany Reno and Joe Simbari, both current council members, went Reno’s way. The vote count was 380-287, according to the Allegheny County Elections Department. Simbari, however, won the Republican...

Fox Chapel Area residents will pay slightly higher school taxes in 2021-22. The school board on June 14 approved its $104 million budget, seeing the tax rate climb from 19.8 to 20.1 mills. It is a 1.3% increase. The owner of a home assessed at $100,000 will pay $2,010, up...

Fox Chapel Area High School is being lauded for its strength and conditioning program, one which leaders said is a foundation for lifelong health and wellness. The high school earned the Strength of America Award to recognize its elite program. The honor comes from the National Strength and Conditioning Association...

A revolutionary new concept in the beauty business has landed in Blawnox. Sola Salon Studios is part of a growing movement that supports independent beauty professionals by providing upscale, fully-equipped suites with the tools needed to launch and operate. “For the first time in state history, beauty professionals can go...

A construction project at Hampton High School is aimed at improving traffic flow and access for students, staff and community members. The parking lots and access road to Hampton High School will undergo a major redesign beginning later this year. School officials are seeking to reconfigure the parking area and...

In the 13 years since Allegheny Land Trust acquired Sycamore Island near Blawnox, the property has transformed from neglected to nurtured. Plopped in the middle of the Allegheny River between Blawnox and Verona, the land is healthier, life-sustaining and more visitor-friendly than ever, said Lindsay Dill, ALT’s marketing and communications...