Penn-Trafford Star category, Page 8
East suburban real estate transactions, week of Dec. 8, 2024
ALLEGHENY COUNTY Edgewood Jeremy Hopkins sold property at 1115 E End Ave. to Juris and Madeleine Pukinskis for $610,000. Forest Hills Mark Fallone sold property at 238 Cascade Road to David and Kelsey Peart for $317,500. Vincent Bongiorno sold property at 141 Cherry Valley Road to Autumn Rose Williams and...
‘They got it all’: Burglar wipes Penn Township jewelry store of inventory before Thanksgiving
Ron Duvall knew something was wrong the minute he approached the door of his jewelry store in Penn Township last week. Owner of Valmax Jewelers in the township’s Penn Crossing shopping plaza, Duvall pulled the keys to the building from his pocket only to realize the door was already unlocked....
Penn-Trafford video production class telethon unites community to support Make-A-Wish
It’s crunch time for Penn-Trafford High School’s video production class. The class of 26 students is in the final days of piecing together its 4½-hour broadcast raising money for Make-A-Wish — a nonprofit that grants experiences to children with critical medical conditions. “We’re putting a puzzle together, but we’re missing...
Penn-Trafford girls hold on for win against rival Norwin
Two girls teams looking to go places at the end of the season squared off Tuesday in a nonsection game, and they put on a show. Penn-Trafford (3-0) used 3-pointers by Lauren Marton, Torrie DeStefano and Isabella Klobucar midway through the fourth quarter to build a nine-point lead and held...
Westmoreland County Senior Spotlight: Penn-Trafford’s Kyler Doran
Last year, Penn-Trafford finished 7-9, eighth in the PIHL’s Class 2A division. This year, the Warriors have turned it around, matching their previous season’s win total in just nine games, along with jumping out to the division lead. “It definitely has improved from last year. We still haven’t played our...
Level Green native selected for USA Hockey’s preliminary roster for World Juniors
San Jose Sharks forward prospect Brandon Svoboda, a native of Level Green, was selected for the U.S. National Junior Team’s preliminary roster in advance of the upcoming International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Junior Championship tournament which begins later this month. USA Hockey announced that roster via a release Monday. A...
Penn-Trafford notebook: Warriors earn all-conference honors
Penn-Trafford was well-represented on the PA Big 5/6 all-conference football this season. Seven Warriors earned first-team recognition — senior guard Ethan Septak, senior tackle Kellan Taylor, senior tight end Dom Smith, senior running back Tasso Whipple, senior athlete Derek Carr, junior linebacker Jamison Yurt and junior defensive back Tyler Boss....
East suburban real estate transactions, week of Dec. 1, 2024
ALLEGHENY COUNTY Churchill Harry Kuczma sold property at 3 Barton Drive to Elizabeth Anne Lazzaro for $145,000. Donald Robinson sold property at 1931 Hampstead Drive to Alec and Sarah French for $290,000. Natural Home Solutions LLC sold property at 1625 Williamsburg Pl to James and Heather Wilkes for $340,000. Edgewood...
Penn Township residents raise concerns over proposed zoning changes
Paul Bush moved to Penn Township three decades ago for the quiet, rural environment. But as the Pennsylvania Turnpike plans a new interchange in Penn Township and township officials weigh proposed zoning changes aimed at encouraging economic development, Bush is worried the community will lose its peaceful atmosphere. “The existing...
Penn-Trafford’s Alexis Brown earns 2024 TribLive Westmoreland Girls Soccer Player of the Year honors
2024 Girls Soccer All-Stars Player of the year Alexis Brown, Sr., MF, Penn-Trafford Unsure of how she would return from a fractured kneecap that tore down her junior year, Alexis Brown set out to reset her career and have a memorable bounce-back season. The Penn-Trafford senior wanted to stay healthy...
3 businesses debut in Westmoreland County — mobile gaming, custom framing, barbershop
For Joe Perriello, opening a mobile video game business is the perfect mesh of work and family. In January, Perriello of Penn Township will launch Rolling Video Games PGH — a 25-foot trailer decked out with seven TVs and 10 gaming consoles that can be transported to children’s birthdays, graduation...
More than 100 veterans receive Thanksgiving meal through Norwin Elks program
Duane Myers of Hempfield was beaming Monday morning as he held pumpkin pies as part of the distribution of a Thanksgiving meal for veterans. Myers was among those who received the food at the Norwin Elks in Manor. The 94-year-old Myers was a Navy frogman during the Korean War. He...
Penn Township swears in new police dog, named after longtime resident, business owner
The name of Penn Township’s new police dog may sound familiar to residents. That’s no coincidence. The canine shares the last name of resident and business owner Janet Whirlow, who donated $15,000 to help the police department purchase its next police dog. Officer Blake Danowski led Whirlow into the municipal...
‘I’m not going to continue what I’m doing forever’: Penn borough, township consider merger
When residents stumble upon a tree blocking a roadway in Penn Borough, Randy Dreistadt is the first person they call. He’s also the person who handles parking issues, clogged storm drains and rentals of the town’s park pavilion. When snow coats the borough’s roads in the winter, chances are Dreistadt...
Penn-Trafford girls have veteran lineup, high hopes for season
A quick survey of several girls basketball coaches about Section 2-5A in the coming season indicates Penn-Trafford should be considered the favorite. The Warriors finished 14-9 overall in 2023-24 and return four starters from a team that lost to Lincoln Park, 43-42, in the opening round of the WPIAL Class...
Penn-Trafford boys have depth, potential
Injuries derailed the Penn-Trafford boys basketball season in 2023-24. The Warriors played their WPIAL Class 5A playoff game against Thomas Jefferson without leading scorer Tyler Freas and point guard Jason Sabol. Despite the injuries, which also sidelined Derek Carr and Carmen Metcalfe, the Warriors finished 11-12 overall and 5-5 in...
‘A lot for our small town’ or ‘all for it’: Penn Township residents weigh in on proposed turnpike interchange plan
As the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission continues with its design of an interchange for Penn Township, Randee Barrett isn’t sure what will happen with her family’s farm on Pleasant Valley Road. The farm falls near the proposed interchange site — the intersection of Route 130 with Nike Site, Sandy Hill and...
Need for English as Second Language education growing in Westmoreland schools
Westmoreland County’s ever-diversifying population is having an impact in public schools, where a growing number of students do not speak English as a native language and educators are facing increased demands as they to try to help bridge the language gap. “The number of English Learners (students whose native language...
‘It’s an honor, it’s a blessing’: Manor appoints longtime resident to finish out term of former mayor
When Lewis Brant saw Manor accepting applications for the borough’s next mayor, he knew it was the perfect opportunity to give back to his hometown of nearly 29 years. Brant, 56, a Republican, comes to the post with no prior political experience. He worked more than 15 years as a...
Penn-Trafford notebook: Hockey team stays perfect with another shutout
Penn-Trafford’s hockey team recorded another victory and their fourth shutout of the season Nov. 7. The Warriors (6-0) went to Johnstown for the second time this season and came back with their second shutout victory against Bishop McCort, winning 5-0. They won 6-0 on Oct. 21. This time, it was...
Penn-Trafford football seasons ends with loss to Peters Township, optimism for future
Too many turnovers and a talented Peters Township team were the biggest reasons the Penn-Trafford’s football season came to an end Nov. 8. The returning Class 5A champs scored on their first two possessions, did a good job stuffing Penn-Trafford’s running game and rolled to a 42-13 quarterfinal round victory....
Travelogue: Penn Township man, son meet neighbor while hiking Canadian Rockies
(Editor’s Note: Penn Township resident Robert Szypulski and his son, Scott Szypulski of Oakland, share their latest trip to Canada. They are regular visitors to our nation’s national parks.) Sooner or later, those who enjoy epic Rocky Mountain hikes in the awesome American national parks of Colorado, Wyoming and Montana...
East suburban real estate transactions, week of Nov. 17, 2024
ALLEGHENY COUNTY Forest Hills Ryan Lynn sold property at 508 Sherwood Road to Daniel Geary for $310,000. Monroeville Ryan Williams sold property at 350 Coleman Drive to Mason Mauldin and Maria Daugherty for $249,900. Ryan Wierzchowski sold property at 573 Firethorn Drive to James and Daniel Boden for $125,000. Pascal...
Pittsburgh Eastern suburban real estate transactions for the week of Nov. 17, 2024
Churchill Matthew McHugh sold property at 63 Garden Ter to Shawn Busche and Matthew Fisch for $230,000. Luke Widich sold property at 108 Merrie Woode Drive to Keith and Nina Parish for $435,000. Forest Hills Estate of Matthew Hall sold property at 507 Atlantic Ave. to CDPGH 1 LLC for...
Former Penn Hills toll collector adapts, excels in turnpike maintenance job
Lindsae Heidenreich spends her days crawling under plow trucks and skid steer loaders in a Penn Township turnpike maintenance shed, chipping away at the rust nestled in every nook and cranny. Heidenreich, 37, of Penn Hills has rust removal down to a science. Scrub down the vehicle with a degreaser,...

