TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the man killed in a Jefferson Hills truck-train crash Monday as a West Virginia resident after his dump truck collided with a Wheeling and Lake Erie train The train had been crossing Route 51 near Worthington Drive when it collided with the truck at about 10:30 p.m Jefferson Hills Police Chief Ron Dziezgowski said traffic control devices were active on at least one side of the railroad tracks Devices on the other side were knocked out by the crash and investigators will try to determine whether they were working at the time of the crash according to a social media post by Jefferson Hills police Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com Stay up-to-date on important news from TribLIVE 1-800-909-8742 © 2025 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved About Us Advertise Career Opportunities Contact Advertising Contact Circulation Contact Newsroom Contact Us Feedback Request Correction Resource Center Scholarship Opportunities Send Letter to the Editor Send News Tip Subscribe Subscriber Services Blog eFeatures Email Newsletters eTrib Facebook Home Delivery Instagram LinkedIn Marketing Minute Store Locations TribLIVE App - App Store TribLIVE App - Google Play X (formerly Twitter) Arts & Entertainment Best of the Best Business Directory Circulars Contests Coronavirus Lifestyles Local News YaJagOff Obituaries Opinion Our Publications Photos Real Estate Sports Video Weather Cookie Settings Privacy Policy Terms of Service Pittsburgh Union Progress Another road in Jefferson Hills will have an extended closure as part of the construction of the Mon-Fayette Expressway Crews will close Payne Hill Road at Jefferson Boulevard in the borough for nearly seven weeks beginning Tuesday will rebuild the intersection at Payne Hill and Jefferson through Oct drivers will not be able to exit from Jefferson to Payne Hill and vice versa The posted detour will have motorists use Route 51 North Lewis Run Road and Route 885/Clairton Road to get around the work The work is part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s project to extend the Mon-Fayette Expressway from Route 51 in Jefferson Hills to Route 837 in Duquesne Trumbull has the first two contracts for the project and currently is working on the second segment to build the highway from north of Coal Valley Road in Jefferson Hills to north of Camp Hollow Road near Curry Hollow Road in West Mifflin at a cost of $165.6 million The turnpike closed part of Miller Road last year as part of construction and various parts of Route 51 have been closed or restricted periodically for Mon-Fayette construction The full southern portion of the toll road will be broken into seven construction contracts and could cost as much as $1.2 billion The work is being done from south to north and the first two sections are expected to be completed and opened in 2026 and the southern segment from Jefferson Hills to Duquesne completed by 2028 The agency wants to extend the highway across the Monongahela River to the Parkway East in Monroeville but it hasn’t authorized design of that segment yet because it isn’t sure it has the funds to build it The agency is paying for this project with a portion of the state oil franchise tax where collections are still recovering from reduced driving during the pandemic Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Police are investigating human remains that were found Saturday behind a Dollar General store along Route 51 in Jefferson Hills, according to Tribune-Review news partner WTAE-TV Jefferson Hills police and Allegheny County police responded to the report of the human remains in a park area behind the store located near the intersection of Route 51 and Route 43 Jefferson Hills police are continuing to conduct the investigation according to Allegheny County spokesman Victor Joseph Additional details were not available Sunday morning from Jefferson Hills police Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com ©2025 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nancy T Nancy is survived by her step-son Richard (Renaye) Hoffman, cousins Clifford (Constance) Timko, and Lazio Meszaros of Hungary, grandchildren Alexander Hoffman, Abigail (Logan) Stoner, and Sarah Hoffman. She is also survived by many relatives, friends, church community members and her beloved cats Ginger and Sammie. Nancy is preceded in death by her husband Dr. Richard John Hoffman; parents Steven and Elizabeth Toth, brother William Steven Toth, and aunts Helen Timko and Julia Fuchela. Nancy was above all things a faithful wife, mother and Christian. She was a member of The First Hungarian Reformed Church of Pittsburgh. She was a gifted leader in the food ministry, as well as church bookkeeper and devoted much of her time in serving her church in this manner. Nancy was a culinary expert. She loved learning new recipes and cooking techniques, but also saw great importance in passing down the recipes that came with her Hungarian heritage. During holidays, she would spend much of her time making candies, special meals, and delicacies that would bring together family, friends and would create community with loved ones. As a family historian she was invested in researching the Hoffman genealogy as well as her Hungarian roots, visiting abroad to heritage sites and ancestral hometowns. As a first generation native born American, she was bi-lingual, speaking fluent Hungarian. She also was an ardent gardener, an avid reader (of all genres) and enjoyed traveling for leisure. All of these activities she shared with her husband Richard, the love of her life. Friends and family will be received from 10am-1pm on Saturday, December 21st, 2024 at the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Pittsburgh, 221 Johnston Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15207. A Funeral Service will be held at 1pm following visitation at the church. Interment will be handled by Jefferson Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Pittsburgh. Online condolences can be made at jeffersonmemorial.com. Share a story where Nancy's kindness touched your heart. Describe a day with Nancy you’ll never forget. Khalena Marie Connolly-WhackBirth date: May 31 Visitation & Funeral Information","description":"Honoring the memory of Khalena Marie Connolly-Whack with their obituary visitation and funeral information.","articleSection":"Obituaries","articleBody":"Khalena Marie Connolly-Whack was a vibrant and whimsical 26-year-old from Pittsburgh and childlike joy.\n\nShe graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 2016 and attended California University of Pennsylvania but found the most meaning in making cherished memories with her friends and family She enriched every heart and soul she encountered She wowed the Jefferson Hills community in her various roles on the theater stage She has returned home to her God who had given her to us whom she had inspiring faith in; she is beloved by her church community Khalena had the most beautiful smile; she loved fashion and girlhood Khalena's life is the purest testament of living fully and loving deeply and she will be adored and remembered in the fondest of ways for the rest of many and tragically passed away much too soon on January 16th Khalena is preceded in death by her father whom she missed every day and has surely been reunited with; and her Aunt Elaine Whack This angel is survived by her fiercely loving mother Heather Connolly; her devoted grandparents Darlene and Walter Smithson; her dear Aunt Jessie Smith; her darling cousin Rachel (Justin) Allen; her supportive Uncles Shawn Wysdom Vinski and Erica Harris; her Aunts Maryland and Paula Whack; Cousins Marita and anyone else who was fortunate to know her for any amount of time To know her was to instantly love her; to know her was to feel wrapped in her joy.\n\nVisitation will be held at Jefferson Memorial on Tuesday January 21st at 2-4 PM and 6-8 PM; and Wednesday the 22nd at 10 AM to 1 PM We ask that you please donate floral arrangements to surround the most beautiful girl with the most beautiful flowers please consider donating to her GoFundMe to help towards laying her to rest with the dignity and care she so deeply deserves.","keywords":"Khalena Marie Connolly-Whack Biography","dateCreated":"2025-01-19T19:48:05.773Z","datePublished":"2025-01-19T19:48:05.773Z","dateModified":"2025-01-19T21:50:35.827Z","genre":"Obituary She graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 2016 and attended California University of Pennsylvania Khalena's life is the purest testament of living fully and loving deeply To know her was to instantly love her; to know her was to feel wrapped in her joy Visitation will be held at Jefferson Memorial on Tuesday January 21st at 2-4 PM and 6-8 PM; and Wednesday the 22nd at 10 AM to 1 PM please consider donating to her GoFundMe to help towards laying her to rest with the dignity and care she so deeply deserves Share a story where Khalena's kindness touched your heart Describe a day with Khalena you’ll never forget Jefferson Hills Fire Chief Brian Chalfant risked his life to rescue a pregnant woman from a house fire last week As soon as the chief heard a 19-year-old woman was trapped he climbed a ladder and went into the second floor He carried her and handed her off to a firefighter before diving out a window Sabrina Boyle was pronounced dead at a local hospital, according to KDKA. The chief suffered severe burns to his left hand The fire was so intense that it damaged his personal protective equipment  Susan Nicol is the news editor for Firehouse.com She is a life member and active with the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Company Susie has been an EMT in Maryland since 1976 Susie is vice-president of the Frederick County Fire/Rescue Museum She is on the executive committee of Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association She also is part of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Region II EMS Council Susie is a board member of the American Trauma Society she was a staff writer for The Frederick News-Post A Jefferson Hills home is heavily damaged after an early morning house fire According to a social media post from the Pleasant Hills Volunteer Fire Company the company was called to a home on Hunters Field Circle just before 3:30 a.m Firefighters encountered flames in the back of the home No injuries were reported during the incident The Allegheny County Fire Marshal is investigating Haley Daugherty is a TribLive reporter covering local politics, feature stories and Allegheny County news. A native of Pittsburgh, she lived in Alabama for six years. She joined the Trib in 2022 after graduating from Chatham University. She can be reached at hdaugherty@triblive.com Down a winding road with a turn down a steep hill over a crosswalk and up 70 lengthy steps — totaling to about three-quarters of a mile What might seem to be a course for a road race was Geoff Davis’ 6-year-old daughter’s daily walk to school “I don’t think it’s safe so she’s going to be a walker,” Davis said Davis eventually took his concerns to a school board meeting His child’s route to school has since changed West Jefferson Hills School District sent a letter to families with student-walkers within the district saying those who received the message would have their walking routes converted into bus routes Multiple students who attend McClellan Elementary School in the district walked to school without being given the option of riding a school bus Their two options are to walk or be driven by a parent or guardian school districts may ask kindergarten and elementary students to walk up to 1.5 miles on a public road to reach their school said that the administration received several concerns from residents regarding multiple walking routes “The district and its school board take the safety of our students very seriously As enrollment grows and housing plans continue to be built the district decided to have the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation review all routes that were questioned in an effort to be both proactive and responsive to our community members,” Harrigan said According to Pennsylvania Code 447 Davis was also troubled by the fact that his parents or himself were required to pick her up from the school “They shouldn’t have to find someone to meet their kid every day,” Rick said They were not the only ones who saw an issue with the current system of walking routes Although he lives across the street with his parents she is responsible for walking him about a quarter mile to and from school every day When Pastorious’ children were growing up they walked to the elementary school every day for five years the students walked by themselves to school with no parents in sight it takes about 45 minutes for his grandparents to walk back and forth she went to the school board meeting to explain that requiring parents to walk the students every day was ridiculous because her children did it themselves for many years she realized there was another problem at hand Pastorious said there was no crossing guard present at the crosswalk ‘This isn’t safe,’” she said Pastorious said that even though nothing may ever happen to the children she thinks the new transportation-related change will be good “It only takes one incident,” Pastorious said The district’s goal is to have the bus route changes in effect for the first day after the holiday break according to district superintendent Janet Sardon Here are some of the latest news items from this morning Firefighters respond to Jefferson Hills blaze Firefighters were called to a home fire early Friday morning in Jefferson Hills The blaze was reported juts before 1 a.m. along Village Green Drive, according to TribLive news partner WTAE Officials could not immediately provide details on what caused the fire Pittsburgh homeowners can apply for help improving houses Pittsburgh homeowners can apply for financial help to rehabilitate and improve their houses The city’s Urban Redevelopment Authority and ACTION-Housing opened an online application portal where people can submit their information to be considered for the Homeowner Assistance Program The initiative provides up to $35,000 to help homeowners bring homes into compliance with city codes complete certain general property improvements or undertake energy efficiency improvements people must be improving an owner-occupied home and make no more than 80% of the area median income which ranges from $56,640 for an individual to $106,880 for a family of eight Julia Burdelski is a TribLive reporter covering Pittsburgh City Hall and other news in and around Pittsburgh. A La Roche University graduate, she joined the Trib in 2020. She can be reached at jburdelski@triblive.com Richard (Rich) L Stetar","givenName":"Richard","familyName":"Stetar","additionalName":"","birthDate":"1941-07-06","deathDate":"2025-03-21"}{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://cdn.f1connect.net/photo/tributes/t/8/r/207x207/8052181/Richard-Stetar-1742663436.jpg"},"headline":"Richard (Rich) L Visitation & Funeral Information","description":"Honoring the memory of Richard (Rich) L visitation and funeral information.","articleSection":"Obituaries","articleBody":"Richard (Rich) L Rich is the son of the late Anthony (Tony) and Ann (Kaelin) Stetar of Pleasant Hills He is survived by his loving wife of 49 years Karen (Smith) Rich is also survived by his children Krissy (George) DeShetler of Jefferson Hills FL; and a step-son Mike (Cindy) Kulikowski of Huntsville Rich's love will carry on through his 11 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren He will also be greatly missed by his siblings Tom Stetar of South Park and friends.\n\nAfter graduating from high school Rich enlisted in the United States Navy where he served on the USS Cromwell as a sonar operator during the Cuban Missile Crisis Rich's drive and skill with technology led him to pursue a career as a computer programmer He spent several years learning about computers as they became mainstream fixtures and eventually he created a computer software system that is still in use in the healthcare industry today.\n\nRich was a car enthusiast having built and owned several classic and custom cars While a few of his cars won awards at various shows the most important thing was the enjoyment he had tinkering with them over the years.\n\nWhether sitting by his backyard pool or soaking in the sun in the Bahamas Rich's smile shined the brightest when he was spending time with family and friends.\n\nRich's family would like to extend their gratitude to the team at UPMC Mercy and Amedisys Hospice for their care and compassion over the last two weeks.\n\nFamily and friends are welcome for visitation on Tuesday 2025 from 1:00-4:00 PM and 6:00-8:00 PM at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home PA 15236.\n\nA funeral service will be held on Thursday 2025 at 11:00 AM at the Jefferson\r Memorial Funeral Home Chapel.\n\nIn lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made to Tri Community South EMS (5490\r Progress Blvd Bethel Park PA 15102) or Broughton Fire Department (1030 Cochran Mill Rd Pittsburgh PA 15236)\n\nLink for Tri Community South- https://admin.eservicestech.com/p/tcs/donate\r Link for Broughton Fire Department - https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/PCEZ4R36396WY\n\nOnline condolences may be made at jeffersonmemorial.com.","keywords":"Richard (Rich) L Biography","dateCreated":"2025-03-22T21:10:35.927Z","datePublished":"2025-03-22T21:10:35.927Z","dateModified":"2025-03-22T21:10:35.927Z","genre":"Obituary Stetar"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@id":"https://www.jeffersonmemorial.com/obituaries/richard-stetar/obituary","name":"Obituary"}}]}Richard (Rich) L Rich's love will carry on through his 11 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren Rich's drive and skill with technology led him to pursue a career as a computer programmer He spent several years learning about computers as they became mainstream fixtures and eventually he created a computer software system that is still in use in the healthcare industry today Rich was a car enthusiast having built and owned several classic and custom cars the most important thing was the enjoyment he had tinkering with them over the years Whether sitting by his backyard pool or soaking in the sun in the Bahamas Rich's smile shined the brightest when he was spending time with family and friends Rich's family would like to extend their gratitude to the team at UPMC Mercy and Amedisys Hospice for their care and compassion over the last two weeks Family and friends are welcome for visitation on Tuesday Online condolences may be made at jeffersonmemorial.com Share a story where Richard's kindness touched your heart Describe a day with Richard you’ll never forget As an artist with a strong desire to promote acceptance and understanding the Jefferson Hills resident launched an initiative called Pittsburgh Builds Bridges based around her painting of an arched span adorned with clenched hands of various colors and religious symbols from around the world she is determined to complete a 2.4-mile swim 112-mile bicycle ride and 26.2-mile run in the Ironman Chattanooga Xclsuive Challenge Such a grueling endeavor would seem to defy expectations for a 43-year-old wife and mother of two who basically had no opportunity to participate in sports while growing up in Saudi Arabia “My family taught me how to swim so I don’t drown “No one in my family or my friends run.” she developed an admiration for runners while watching cartoons featuring quick-sprinting characters and And when her family moved to the Pittsburgh area a decade ago she witnessed plenty of people hastening along in jogging outfits “Look at all these runners,” she remembers thinking There’s nothing to stop them.” She joined their ranks when she began training after a friend asked if she would like to be part of a relay team in the 2022 Pittsburgh Marathon The team is full,’” Badawi recalled I’m going to register for my first 5K she met folks from the Fleet Feet Running Club “I started practicing with them every Sunday at 7:30 a.m. in all kinds of weather,” Badawi said “They’ve been so supportive.” Pittsburgh Marathon’s Run for a Reason program allows participants to raise money for charities they choose and her selection for the 2023 race was the Homeless Children Education Fund promoting Pittsburgh Builds Bridges fly carrying a banner and handing out small flags imprinted with her painting along the way Amid unseasonable heat and humidity three weeks before the marathon she participated in a preview run that took place during Ramadan a month on the Arabic calendar during which Muslims fast each day from sunrise to sunset a companion from Fleet Feet shouted at every hydration station and I didn’t die or collapse.” Another challenge for her as a Muslim is participating in athletics while maintaining her hijab a head covering she perpetually wears in public “It was so hard to find a suit,” she said “They don’t offer that in a lot of brands.” a brand called Varlo Sports carries such an item featuring lightweight perforated fabric for optimal cooling and mobility and Badawi even found a sponsor for her specialized outfit she decided to up the ante by taking on the combination of swimming at the Mighty Moraine Man triathlon in Butler County with distances of 1,500 meters (about 1,640 yards) 40 kilometers (25 miles) and 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) Beforehand, she joined the Pittsburgh Triathlon Club for guidance and the Spencer Family YMCA in Bethel Park for swim lessons and spin classes With her friendly demeanor and penchant for making friends she quickly endeared herself to fellow members “That’s what I love about the Y “It empowers me to move forward.” Further encouragement comes when she works on improving her strength at LEG1ON Training & Performance in East Liberty “Strength is a very important part of the training because you are using a lot of your muscles in your legs and around the knee area,” Badawi said it won’t hold you to finish anything with this intense distance.” Further training comes through advanced technology by the way of TriDot a platform through which she monitors performance for assessment by a coach who uses the data to advise her on how to proceed optimally She planned to compete in a September “Half Ironman” triathlon 90- 90-kilometer bike ride and 21-kilometer run “It was really hard to not do anything for more than a month.” included – in preparation for the Xclsuive Challenge “They say it’s the easiest Ironman,” she explained about her choice of events The current is easier there than at other ones.” The aquatic leg takes place in the apparently placid Tennessee River followed by a bicycle course that extends into neighboring Georgia and a marathon through downtown Chattanooga “Whenever I think about that,” Badawi said “I start texting my coach: ‘Do you think I will be ready by then?’ He says That’s why we have a plan.’” For more information, visit gofund.me/52094977 This website is unavailable in your location.  It appears you are attempting to access this website from a country outside of the United States, therefore access cannot be granted at this time. Larry E Ging","givenName":"Lawrence","familyName":"Ging","additionalName":"Eugene","birthDate":"1947-06-10","deathDate":"2024-11-15"}{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://cdn.f1connect.net/photo/tributes/t/8/r/207x207/7889155/Lawrence-Ging-1731922127.jpg"},"headline":"Larry E Visitation & Funeral Information","description":"Honoring the memory of Larry E visitation and funeral information.","articleSection":"Obituaries","articleBody":"Lawrence Ging 1947 to the late Albin and Violanda Ging.\n\nLarry's legacy is carried forward by his loving wife his beloved sons Brandon (Mindy) Ging and Larry (Julie) Ging and Tristan.\n\nLarry proudly served his country as an Army veteran stationed in Germany before returning to his roots in Pittsburgh He found great joy in coaching youth football at West Jefferson Hills School District instilling the values of teamwork and discipline in young athletes Larry's life was a living example of devotion His memory will be cherished as a beloved husband and friend.\n\nFriends and family will be received on Wednesday 2024 from 2-4pm and 6-8pm at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home 15236.\n\nA Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday Thomas A' Becket Roman Catholic Church - Triumph of the Holy Cross Parish PA 15025.\n\nBurial will be handled by the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies.\n\nIn lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Saint Thomas A' Becket Roman Catholic Church - Triumph of the Holy Cross Parish PA 15025.\n\nOnline condolences can be made at jeffersonmemorial.com.","keywords":"Larry E Biography","dateCreated":"2024-11-17T21:11:55.717Z","datePublished":"2024-11-17T21:11:55.717Z","dateModified":"2024-11-18T20:26:06.22Z","genre":"Obituary Ging"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@id":"https://www.jeffersonmemorial.com/obituaries/lawrence-ging/obituary","name":"Obituary"}}]}Larry E Larry's legacy is carried forward by his loving wife Larry proudly served his country as an Army veteran stationed in Germany before returning to his roots in Pittsburgh Larry's life was a living example of devotion Friends and family will be received on Wednesday A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday Thomas A' Becket Roman Catholic Church - Triumph of the Holy Cross Parish Burial will be handled by the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies memorial donations may be made to Saint Thomas A' Becket Roman Catholic Church - Triumph of the Holy Cross Parish Online condolences can be made at jeffersonmemorial.com Share a story where Lawrence's kindness touched your heart Describe a day with Lawrence you’ll never forget This website is unavailable in your location It appears you are attempting to access this website from a country outside of the United States therefore access cannot be granted at this time A pedestrian was killed after being hit by a vehicle in Jefferson Hills on Wednesday evening according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner of West Elizabeth was on foot on Route 837 in front of the Shop N Go convenience store at 7:30 p.m The road was closed in both directions as police investigated according to a social media post from Jefferson Hills police No information has been released by the agency related to the crash Renatta Signorini is a TribLive reporter covering breaking news, crime, courts and Jeannette. She has been working at the Trib since 2005. She can be reached at rsignorini@triblive.com Thomas Jefferson’s Shep Turk celebrates after sacking Lampeter-Strasburg quarterback Caileb Howse during their PIAA Class 4A semifinal Nov. 29, 2024, at Mansion Park in Altoona. Cherpak and his staff guided the Jaguars to a WPIAL 4A title the conference championship and a 14-1 record TJ won the Big Six Conference crown with a 5-0 record and the WPIAL title with a 13-0 mark Chartiers Valley and Laurel Highlands by a 168-35 overall margin in conference play And the postseason accolades didn’t stop there for the Jaguars 270) was selected as Class 4A player of the year by Trib HSSN after the senior lineman helped a TJ running attack led by sophomore Tyler Eber amass a team total of 2,598 yards and protected senior quarterback Luke Kosko allowing him to throw for 1,991 yards and 24 touchdowns also was named as an offensive lineman on the 2024 Pa Football Writers’ Class 4A all-state team He is projected as an offensive tackle at Pitt Eber and senior wideout Brayden White were selected as TribLive HSSN Terrific 25 football all-stars for 2024 Turk anchored TJ’s offensive line at left or right tackle arguably the team’s biggest strength and earned all-conference honors for both offense and defense was named offensive player of the year in the conference 175-pound wide receiver caught 68 passes for 1,287 yards and 15 touchdowns White reeled in a team-leading 59 receptions for 1,118 yards and 13 touchdowns White’s big-play potential showed through in the WPIAL finals when he caught a 53-yard TD pass and returned an interception 85 yards for another score His touchdowns came just 76 seconds apart for the Jaguars He also played in the secondary on defense and racked up 43 tackles four interceptions and two fumble recoveries this season He was voted all-conference on both sides of the ball Joining Turk and White on the all-conference first team were junior center Zane Sable Eber rushed for 2,276 yards and 33 touchdowns topping 30 carries nine times and 40 carries three times He also caught 13 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown and landed all-conference honors a senior linebacker who led TJ in tackles for three seasons Beckett Everley at tackle and Kane Eggerton at wide receiver earned second-team all-conference status on offense Sophomore lineman Luccas Patterson and junior linebacker Zach Villa were named to the second team on defense Turk also was a finalist for the Bill Fralic Memorial Award The Baldwin hoopsters apparently enjoy playing in doubleheaders at home Seven Baldwin players reached double figures Jan 7 in leading the boys and girls basketball teams to a doubleheader sweep Julianne Ott followed with 13 and Mary Vargo and Hannah Prilla each scored 10 as the girls team routed Uniontown The final point total was the most scored by a Baldwin girls basketball team in recent memory Baldwin’s boys team followed up with a 72-29 thrashing of Ringgold in Section 3-5A as Max Marzina scored 14 points Caden Cherico had 12 and Matt Schenk added 10 for the winning side Seven was the winning number again a few days later as the Baldwin hoopsters swept another doubleheader in section play at Bethel Park This time the boys team played in the first game and won by a 71-55 score as Nate Wesling tossed in 26 points Schenk and Gabe Barakat added 12 and 10 for the Highlanders Game 2 saw the Baldwin girls defeat the Black Hawks Vargo followed with 13 while Bernotas and Bella Niles chipped in with 11 apiece which features 15 inductees across seven different categories includes Baldwin graduate Ron Simkiw as one of seven members of the athlete category Semkiw held the district record for in the shot put event for 44 years 1.75-inches at the 1972 WPIAL championships He also held the PIAA championship meet record in the shot put for 33 years with his 1972 toss of 66-5 Semkis captured three PIAA titles in the shot put and earned the 1973 AAU national junior championship with a throw of 64-1.25 He became the first member of the 70-70 club at 19 years old with a throw of 70-0.5 claiming distances of at least 70 feet with both 12 and 16-pound shots Semkiw competed collegiately at Arizona State Mesa Community College and San Jose State and owns the NJCAA shot put record with a toss of 70-5 in 1974 He amassed top-five NCAA championships finishes in the shot put in 1973 (fifth place) 1976 (second) and 1977 (fourth) and ranks second all-time at San Jose State in the outdoor and indoor shot put tossing respective marks of 65-9 and 62-9 in 1976 The 18th WPIAL Hall of Fame class will be inducted officially June 6 at the Double Tree Hotel in Green Tree Thomas Jefferson’s Shep Turk was one of seven winners of the Super 7 award in high school football These players were voted as the best in their respective classifications: Class A – Matt Sieg (Fort Cherry) 6A – Bradley Gompers (Central Catholic) City League – Lloyd Penn (Westinghouse) The Brentwood girls basketball team did not boast a prolific offense in the Brentwood High Athletic Boosters Association’s annual tipoff tournament The Spartans scored 75 points in two games but thanks to a vigorous defensive performance it was enough offense to claim first place in the tournament “I was very happy overall with our performance,” Brentwood coach Rachel Thomas said “Every player did exactly what we needed them to do But we still have to cut down on our turnovers.” The Spartans were led by senior forward Ay’Maree Henry Henry scored 10 points against Freedom followed by a 15-point performance against Eden Christian “I was very proud of my team for winning the championship in the tipoff because our last (tipoff tournament) win was three years ago,” Henry said “I was surprised but thankful to win the MVP award.” chipped in with 12 points in the championship game for Brentwood Brentwood’s vigorous defensive effort was driven by junior Emma Thompson “I was extremely happy with Emma,” Thomas said “We explained her defensive role to her on the bench Our bench was very critical to our success (Sophomore guard) Delaney Rosing suffered a season-ending knee injury We were already battling low numbers because of injuries.” Junior guard Tafsira Gambarie turned in a solid performance in Rosing’s absence “Taf really stepped up for us,” Thomas said Brentwood’s boys team advanced to the finals but lost a 75-45 decision to Carrick in the title game Brentwood senior guards Forrest Betz and Colton Rosing were selected all-tournament Betz scored 14 points and Rosing had 13 against Carrick in the championship game Betz led the Spartans with 21 against Freedom If Javascript is disabled browser, to place orders please visit the page where our photos are available to purchase Drive almost anywhere around Jefferson Hills Clairton or West Mifflin and chances are good that you’ll run into construction for the extension of the Mon-Fayette Expressway A contractor for the Pennsylvania Turnpike is in its second year of building the $1.3 billion project that will stretch from the end of the current toll road at Route 51 in Jefferson Hills to Route 837 near Kennywood Park in Duquesne With about $380 million of construction underway in the first two contracts it’s hard to miss the series of bridge piers and huge dump trucks operating like a conga line as they move millions of cubic yards of dirt around the construction site to create flat roadbeds But with five more contracts and about $900 million of work yet to be bid more construction will be coming in the next few years Generally warm dry weather during the past two construction seasons has allowed crews for general contractor Trumbull Corp to make substantial progress on the highway Trumbull was awarded contracts for the first two sections of the new road $214 million for the first section from Route 51 to Coal Valley Road in Jefferson Hills and $165.4 million to build from north of Coal Valley to north of Camp Hollow Road near Curry Hollow Road in West Mifflin said it’s been a benefit that Trumbull submitted the low bid for both contracts “We know what to expect and what we’re getting,” Dzurko said during a tour of the site early last week Dzurko said favorable building conditions have the first section of construction slightly ahead of schedule and the second right on schedule With almost no concrete pouring during the cold winter months the number of construction workers will drop from about 200 to 100 over the winter and work will shift to erecting steel for bridges and preparing roadbeds for thousands of yards of concrete to be poured beginning next spring “That [first section] has progressed to the point where there isn’t much winter work left,” Dzurko said The highway is being built in order from south to north so that most sections can be opened as they are completed That’s not true for the first two sections because there are no interchanges on the first section which means both have to be finished before it can open That also means the first section could be done early and have to wait for the second section senior associate with construction manager Johnson who is overseeing construction for the turnpike we don’t have much to do in 2026,” he said we can’t open it because there would be no way to get off.” seeing even some construction on the long-awaited new highway in the Monongahela Valley is a fine way to cap off his career a project manager with turnpike design consultant HDR is retiring at the end of the year after 37 years with the firm he’s worked on turnpike projects and has been part of the design team for the Mon-Fayette a project that has had many starts and stops since the idea originated in the 1960s Petrucci’s team has worked on this project since 2004 when the first environmental impact study started The scope of the project changed — there’s no longer a leg that goes to Downtown Pittsburgh and medians were narrowed to substantially to cut the cost — but now it’s beginning to look like the highway they envisioned “It’s kind of a blur at this point,” Petrucci said at the turnpike field office after touring the construction site with about two dozen students from the Engineering Institute at his alma mater there are a lot of landmarks along the way We’d kind of reassemble the band when there was more work to do and do our thing the first two sections of the highway should open by the end of 2026 and the contract for the next section to McKeesport should be awarded early next year the turnpike revealed that it had to adjust its capital budget to reduce spending because a consultant had projected that traffic on the toll road would not continue to grow as expected That’s a leftover problem from the pandemic when passenger traffic on most roads dropped dramatically and has been slow to recover The turnpike is building the expressway under orders from the state Legislature with its share of funds from the state oil franchise tax a different pot of money than other capital projects Because that also depends on the number of vehicles on the road revenue there isn’t coming in as quickly as it used to the turnpike is holding off on final design of the last four sections of the southern section of the highway until more money is available which would take the highway across the Monongahela River to the Parkway East in Monroeville the travel time from Route 51 to Kennywood amusement park in West Mifflin would be reduced from about 30 minutes to 10 minutes The full highway also would eventually join with the Southern Beltway at Jefferson Hills to provide motorists from eastern suburbs another way from the Monroeville area to Pittsburgh International Airport without delays created by two tunnels on Interstate 376 “There is definitely a need for this project because it is pretty difficult to get around in this area,” he said JEFFERSON HILLS – Trinity fumbled on its first play from scrimmage and the Jaguars went on to avenge last year’s loss to the Hillers in a 27-7 victory in the Class 4A Big Six Conference Friday night 7-0) took over at Trinity’s 28 following the turnover and thought it had a touchdown when Brayden White took a screen pass from Luke Kosko 34 yards into the end zone on a fourth-and-16 The score was negated due to an illegal block in the back but the infraction was made after White had made the first down The Jaguars took advantage of their second chance and Tyler Eber scored on a two-yard run for a 6-0 lead with 7:58 remaining in the first quarter 2-5) with 8:04 left in the second quarter on a four-yard run by Jonah Willamson Andy Palm made the extra point to cut the deficit to 13-7 before Eber scored on touchdown runs of 2 and 3 yards for a 20-7 halftime advantage Williamson rushed for 127 yards on 15 carries TJ extended its advantage to 27-7 late in the third quarter with White’s 29-yard touchdown reception from Kosko If you have an account and are registered for online access sign in with your email address and password below Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe Copyright © Observer-Reporter | Contact | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy A Jefferson Hills home was heavily damaged after an early morning house fire on Jan According to Pleasant Hills Volunteer Fire Company Fabric and crafts retailer Joann will close at least 30 stores in Pennsylvania including the Pleasant Hills location at the Southland Shopping Center and most in the region which declared bankruptcy in March 2024 and then again in January said it would be closing around 500 stores nationwide A cookie table fundraiser for the West Jefferson Hills Historical Society will be held on April 12 at the Jefferson Hills municipal building Eighteen different cookie varities will be sold in bags of four for $5 or a dozen for $14 A sampler box of all 18 cookies will be available for $20 Sampler and single-flavor dozen boxes must be ordered and pre-paid by April 1 and will not be for sale the day of Fill your own dozen boxes and bags of four cookies may be purchased the day of the event Order forms are available at the Jefferson Hills Library at February and March WJHHS programs or online at westjeffersonhillshistoricalsociety.org Cookies must be picked up between noon and 3 p.m The Association of University People invites singles 50+ to join them for activities and to meet new people Those interested can attend three activities as guests before joining To obtain more information about AUP or become an AUP member call and leave a message at 412-353-9088 or email Aupsingles@gmail.com Camp Gan Izzy is set for June 30-July 1 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m Children aged 4-11 are welcome to enjoy Jewish themes baking and crafts with experienced staff in a warm and caring environment Early bird pricing until March 1 and limited scholarships are available contact Hindy at hindy@chabadsh.com or 412-344-2424 Chabad of the South Hills presents Purim Comedy Night featuring John Pizzi Comedian and Ventriloquist at 7:30 p.m Hear the Megillah and enjoy light bites and open bar Cost is $36 per person before March 1 and $50 per person after March 1 The event will be held at Chabad of the South Hills’ new location The event will feature an animated Megillah reading Advanced pricing is $18 for adults and $12 for children The monthly meeting of the South Hills Coin Club will be held March 11 at 7:30 p.m All members and the general public are invited This month’s program will the gold confiscation of 1933 part 2 A 50/50 will be offered and children’s prizes to be awarded Applications are now being accepted for membership The South Hills Women’s Club will meet on March 10 at Vanadium Woods Lobby guest speaker Amanda Dunyak Gillen will speak on “The History of the Frick Pittsburgh Gillen is the director of learning and visitor experience at the Frick Pittsburgh She will present a program about the Frick family and its most important legacies in the city – their mansion and art museum in Point Breeze please contact Diane at 412-965-4714 or Judy at 412-414-1232 New members and guests are welcome to attend Triumph of the Holy Cross Parish will hold its annual Lenten Fish Fry beginning on March 7 and running every Friday during Lent at St The Lenten Fish Fry is open for eat-in dinner and take-out from 4-7 p.m Take-out orders are available by calling 412-655-9966 any time after 3 p.m Pick-up for all takeout orders is located in the lower level of the Annex building Please visit the parish website at triumphoftheholycrosspgh.org to view the current menu and pricing homemade dinner specials and baked goods available each Friday William Switala will give a presentation on the Underground Railroad in Western Pennsylvania for the Whitehall Borough Historical Society on Feb The event will highlight the crucial role played by Allegheny County and take place at 7 p.m at the Whitehall Borough Building’s community room A retired educator with 39 years of experience including three on the Underground Railroad For more information, visit whitehallboroughhistoricalsociety.org The first meeting of the Whitehall Green Thumbers Garden Club in 2025 will be held March 6 at the Whitehall Borough Community Room at 7 p.m Speaker Doug Oster will share his best gardening tips the garden club is an educational organization whose object is to stimulate interest in horticulture promote the dissemination of garden knowledge encourage civic planning and create public interest in the conservation of natural resources The club offers monthly speakers on a variety of topics sponsors an annual $2,000 scholarship to a Baldwin High School Senior maintains the planting outside the Whitehall Library and supports the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden and Phipps Conservatory The Annual Spring Luncheon will be held on April 26 at Salvatore’s Events & Catering Please visit our Facebook Group at Whitehall Green Thumbers Garden Club for gardening tips and to see upcoming club activities Following the overwhelming success of their first Comedy Night fundraiser the Rotary Club of Pleasant Hills is thrilled to announce its second Comedy Night Fundraiser on March 29 at the Library Fire Hall in South Park Jason Allen King and David Kaye starts at 8 p.m This year’s event promises to be even bigger and better local food banks and other community initiatives Tickets are available by contacting Janet Sardon at 412-605-9425 or online at slapsticksproductions.com Pius X Byzantine Catholic Church in Carrick is holding a pierogi sale from March 7 to April 11 Cooked potato and cheese pierogies can be ordered for $11 for a dozen and $6 for a half dozen Other flavors include sauerkraut and cottage cheese Frozen pierogi varieties are also available Preorders can be made by calling 412-881-8344 and leaving your name and the amount that you want to order will be the site of a Sustainability Fair from noon-3 p.m Hosted by Whitehall’s Environmental Committee Earth friendly and fair trade items will be available for sale from local vendors children’s crafts made from recycled materials and volunteer opportunities will be available worn out athletic shoes; clean durable medical equipment including canes bed rails and crutches; and clean plastic film and packaging and single use plastic bags for recycling