TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need Benjamin Tutolo was interested in the cosmos it led to the 36-year-old taking a deep dive into all things Mars for the past three years was a participating scientist studying NASA’s Curiosity rover mission to Mars He led a paper published in April that describes the landmark discovery of evidence of a carbon cycle on ancient Mars it helps researchers and scientists finally explain why Mars used to be warm and wet but is now cold and dry It brings scientists closer to an answer of whether Mars was ever capable of supporting life — something researchers have studied since the launch of NASA’s Curiosity rover in 2011 “I was just a kid growing up in Western Pennsylvania not really knowing what I wanted to do with my life and I ended up here because I was curious,” he said Benjamin graduated from Burrell High School in 2006 He earned an environmental systems engineering degree from Penn State from the University of Minnesota and performed postdoctoral work at the University of Oxford He’s been a professor at the University of Calgary since 2017 “A big driver for me was the environment and how to protect the environment and keep the pristine areas of our planet beautiful,” Tutolo said of wanting to study science Tutolo always looked and thought things through a bit differently He had a fascination with the environment and nature and he was able to figure things out his own way “We encouraged him to pursue whatever he put his mind to.” Tutolo’s father remembers taking his three children — Nicholas Benjamin and Christopher — on hikes at young ages Benjamin stood out because he always picked up rocks and asked a lot of questions “He definitely questions things and tries to figure them out,” Michael Tutolo said “We always try to see why something happened and why something was the way it was.” Tutolo applied to be part of the research team investigating climate transitions and habitability on ancient Mars through NASA’s Curiosity rover exploring the Gale Crater Unanswered and interesting questions about Mars made Tutolo want to study the planet I’m the type of person who gets real curious and always looks for more questions to ask in science,” he said The paper published in the prestigious journal Science found data from three of Curiosity’s drill sites had siderite The discovery of carbonate suggests the atmosphere contained enough carbon dioxide to support water existing on Mars’ surface The carbon dioxide transformed into rocks as Mars’ atmosphere thinned So was Mars ever capable of supporting life Tutolo said the research shows Mars was habitable at some point the planet started to precipitate and impacted Mars’ ability to stay warm It was a rewarding experience to be able to do “the best science with the best scientists,” Tutolo said Tutolo’s latest research into the Red Planet fits into his ongoing work on our blue planet trying to turn anthropogenic carbon dioxide — or carbon dioxide emitted as a direct result from human activities — into carbonates as a solution to climate change said she’s amazed at how knowledgeable and low-key he is “Some of the things you can understand; other things you listen and try to put together,” said Artman of Lower Burrell “He’s very humble in trying to explain everything he does.” Tutolo has paid it back by sharing his story with astronomy clubs and students “The questions that elementary kids ask me are intellectually challenging and interesting,” he said Jeri Tutolo said she and her husband had offered to send Benjamin to a private school but he wanted to stay in the Burrell School District with his friends “A lot of his free time is spent with family,” she said “They enjoy doing things together.” Tutolo points to a high school English teacher as having had a positive impact on him and his career She demonstrated the importance and usefulness of writing Ondako is proud of Tutolo’s accomplishments inside and outside of the science lab and that’s what Ben is and always was,” said Ondako Ondako remembered Tutolo in an honors English class his junior year and how he connected to “Walden” by Henry David Thoreau The 1854 work is about the author’s two years on his own in the Massachusetts woods Ben really related to the concept of getting off the grid and being in nature and having solace and solitude in the world,” Ondako said Tutolo was eager to learn and listen as a student “He was a student who was ‘present,’ ” she said and you know he’ll be a lifelong learner “I think he’s on his way to be a real rising star in science I look forward to reading many more things.” Jeri Tutolo advised parents to encourage their children to try new things even if they might not be successful at first “I am most proud of the way he persevered to get what he wanted,” she said He’s accomplished everything he’s put his mind to doing.” Tutolo tells children to dream big when it comes to science “Science can be anything,” he said “You don’t have to be a person who loves math or loves going outside or the typical things people think about science “You can be a scientist like me … as long as they’re curious Kellen Stepler is a TribLive reporter covering the Allegheny Valley and Burrell school districts and surrounding areas. He joined the Trib in April 2023. He can be reached at kstepler@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 The future isn’t clear for the former Newport Business Institute property in Lower Burrell executive director of the Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority and Land Bank said the property is in the land bank’s “preparing for sale” status after the agency acquired it in January for about $1,960 “The fact that it’s large and on a busy roadway is all indicative to selling the property and (getting it) turned over to productive hands as soon as possible,” Lawrence said “The land bank is here to ensure these properties are dealt with responsibly.” The building closed in 2013 and has sat vacant since Although there are more steps before any use at the site can begin having the building in the hands of the land bank is the best possible scenario for the city “Their priorities are responsible ownership,” he said Lawrence said steps for the land bank are to evaluate the property to determine if it should be rehabilitated or demolished they work with a real estate company to put the property on the market Land bank officials look for certain criteria from prospective buyers — such as having enough money to purchase and revitalize a property and trying to align it with community needs — when selling the property “The land bank has a very special role to put the property back on the tax rolls in a productive use,” Lawrence said “We work in the public’s interest so the property can be reused in a productive way.” Said Fabry: “The land bank cares about purpose first.” Fabry said he’d like to see a grocery store occupy the site although he is open to any sort of redevelopment “Nothing but good things can come out of that,” Councilman David Stoltz said “It’s a big piece of commercial property “With Tractor Supply going right down the road another retail establishment to complement that would be fantastic.” It’s also part of a revitalization of sorts in the city’s Kinloch area Fabry said plans are still underway to open the Tractor Supply store this year A half-million dollars worth of grant funding from state and federal authorities will pay for new sanitary sewer liners in Kinloch by the end of next year Lower Burrell is scrapping plans to allow alcohol at city park events — at least for now would have required alcohol vendors to be state-licensed and offer only Pennsylvania-made alcoholic products It would have established a formal permitting system and operational rules for food trucks that wanted to serve alcohol in the city The city’s parks committee was eyeing the ordinance for its Music in the Parks summer series held monthly at Burrell Lake Park and a new music event called “Kick it at Kotecki” in July The proposal was tabled when Councilman Mike Stanoski indicated he would vote against it at this week’s council meeting “The benefits do not outweigh the risks,” he said “I know the parks and recreation committee “But I was elected to be a voice of all in this community and Stanoski said he agreed with police Chief John Marhefka Marhefka said festivities in the city are flourishing without alcohol and that allowing it to be served would send a bad message Marhefka thinks approving the ordinance would open the door to people bringing their own alcohol to events causing problems and pulling resources from the police department “Our police department does a good job of keeping the bad element out of Lower Burrell — occasionally it does creep in — but I think this is going to be one of the things that will act as a magnet to bring the bad element in,” Marhefka said Primm said food trucks can serve alcohol in the city They would still be allowed to do that even if this proposal didn’t get approved An example would be if one of the city’s fire departments holds a food truck event at which properly licensed trucks serve alcohol Asked if there have been problems with alcohol and food trucks elsewhere in the city “but we haven’t had it at a park setting.” Primm said the proposal would have required all alcohol vendors and food trucks to obtain a permit from the city to operate at public events or on city property It also would have limited alcohol sales to within designated roped-off areas approved by the city and banned operations during youth activities in parks without explicit city approval Permits and operations would have been enforced by the city manager code enforcement and police department and subject to state police and Liquor Control Board enforcement it would have gone for a final vote May 12 said she thought the proposal was a good idea It would have only been for the Music in the Parks series and the upcoming “Kick it at Kotecki” concert She believed allowing alcohol in parks and regulating it would draw more people into town enhance the events and not cause issues among attendees “Are people going to come to Kick it at Kotecki or are they going down to Fridays on Fifth “They’re going to go down there It’s just the way of the world right now “It’s really disappointing if we can’t be responsible citizens and have a beer or two at a park during a music event.” Your eyes won’t be fooling you if you see an Arnold firefighter in a Lower Burrell fire truck en route to an emergency scene Or a Lower Burrell firefighter in a New Kensington truck The cities are working together to establish a Tri-City duty crew to effectively staff the cities’ fire and rescue events during dayside hours It’s a response to a dwindling number of firefighter “Everyone’s aware of what’s going on,” said Ted Hereda chief of Lower Burrell’s Kinloch department “This is the best option everyone can come up with.” Arnold Chief Eric Gartley and Lower Burrell No 3 Chief Brennan Sites have been collaborating since September to come up with the plan that aims to pool resources and personnel across city lines to ensure adequate staffing during the daytime A fire last August in New Kensington alerted officials to the need for more volunteers working dayside and a fire in Lower Burrell weeks later made it more clear “Most of our members across all of our departments work 9 to 5 so staffing is very limited,” Sites said “We know that seconds matter when it comes to life and safety so showing up with one or two people on a rig really doesn’t do us a lot of good.” The departments want to establish what they’re calling the “Tri-City Firefighters Association” within the next few months New Kensington and Lower Burrell city councils over the past week “The sole purpose of that is to enable firefighters from all three cities to man an engine crew or rescue crew (during) daylight hours,” Sites said Lower Burrell City Manager Greg Primm will take the lead in drafting a joint resolution for the three cities to pass The process between departments and municipalities protects first responders and covers everyone legally New Kensington Mayor Tom Guzzo said the Tri-City duty crew “would be beneficial for all of our communities.” it goes without saying that every second is critical,” he said where we can provide coverage during the daylight hours for our three communities it would be potentially life-saving.” “This isn’t something that’s just a good idea,” he said “this is something that’s a necessity at this point.” The chiefs will work out standard operating guidelines for volunteers Sites said they will open the program to “operational members,” meaning volunteer firefighters who meet the qualifications we see a lot more calls than other people do in the county,” Sites said Arnold and New Kensington are constantly in the news for fires and rescues and other things of that nature.” The majority of calls in the Tri-City area occur during those daylight hours All three cities are classified as Third Class cities meaning state law prohibits them from just giving money to fire departments to entice people to join Hereda said the duty crew is cheaper than having a paid department which he said would cost the cities millions of dollars It also avoids a very lengthy process of merging they will meet with Westmoreland 911 to update their run cards — information that tells county dispatchers which fire companies to dispatch to emergencies based on the location of the incident — and activate a new Tri-City alert tone to notify each department of potential structure fires in any of the three cities “We have a level of cooperation between the four fire departments that has “We are here for the community.” TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. This year’s Lower Burrell St. Patrick’s Day Parade had more participants, more candy and, toward the tail end, more rain than ever before. But gloomy skies didn’t keep hundreds of spectators clad in green from lining Leechburg Road for the city’s fifth annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration. The parade kicked off at 11 a.m. and lasted about 30 minutes. More than 100 cars, firetrucks, side-by-sides, bikes — even a tractor — made their way from Stewart Elementary School to the Hillcrest Shopping Center. By the estimation of organizers Leslie Zellers and Terry McClain, that’s a record. “Every year, it just keeps getting larger, and every year, it’s more and more fun,” Zellers said. Last year, that fun had a somber undertone as the community mourned David “Mogie” Magill, who was shot and killed outside of his restaurant, Mogie’s Irish Pub, less than three months earlier. He’s credited with helping to form the first parade in 2021. On Saturday, many revelers went straight to the pub after the parade to keep the fun going. And while Magill certainly won’t be forgotten, Mayor Chris Fabry said, this year’s event had a lighter feel. “Everyone can kind of let loose this year,” he said. Jack Troy is a TribLive reporter covering the Freeport Area and Kiski Area school districts and their communities. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in January 2024 after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh. He can be reached at jtroy@triblive.com If you goWho: Skyview Radio Society and PanCAN What: Special ham radio call in memory of Rich Ryba to bring awareness to pancreatic cancerWhen: 9 a.m SaturdayWhere: PanCAN's Purple Stride fundraiser at Schenley Plaza and the Skyview clubhouse in Upper BurrellMore info: Skyview's call sign for the event is N3P Leeanna Ryba would often tease her husband that he was off to Peter Pan’s “Never Never Land” when he’d go to Skyview Radio Society to partake in the amateur He enjoyed his time there,” Leeanna said of the society’s Upper Burrell clubhouse Ryba was part of the club for about a decade until his death in August field days and other events held by the club Ryba was the driving force behind an event that promoted awareness for pancreatic cancer Now, the ham radio club is continuing its Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) event in his legacy broadcasting Saturday from Schenley Plaza in Pittsburgh and the group’s Turkey Ridge Road clubhouse Ryba was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2019 “It’s a legacy for Rich and also in remembrance of a really wonderful guy who had a terrible disease,” said Steve Fazekas The amateur radio special event in honor of Ryba will occur during PanCAN’s Purple Stride walk and run fundraiser across from Pitt’s Cathedral of Learning It’s the first time Skyview Radio Society will broadcast from Schenley Plaza They’ll have a portable field station set up with a special event call sign “It’s a way amateur radio helps serve the community it’s to increase awareness of pancreatic cancer and get in touch with resources to help them fight it,” Fazekas said The Purple Stride event is PanCAN’s largest fundraiser annually and takes place in 60 locations across the United States testing and research that prioritizes early detection methods and new treatments for pancreatic cancer Leeanna said her family was touched that Skyview wanted to carry on the event in Rich’s honor “I’m so happy the guys at Skyview consider it worthy to continue the effort,” she said started the ham radio event about three years ago He joined Skyview Radio Society after his retirement and quickly found a niche “Rich was a very creative person,” she said “He was always very involved in all kinds of community efforts ‘I didn’t know he did all those things How did he have time?’ That was the way he was.” Pancreatic cancer is the 10th most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States About 67,440 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year The cancer begins when abnormal cells in the pancreas grow “I know we’ll make quite a few contacts,” Fazekas said “It’s amazing the amount of stories you hear that have a relative We let them know where to make donations where they choose.” About the candidatesName: Lance Anthony Age: 56Occupation: PennDOT equipment operatorEducation: Some college Burrell High School graduatePolitical experience: NoneName: Carley Logan Age: 34Occupation: Stay-at-home mom worked at Wesley Family Services for 11 yearsEducation: Bachelor of Science psychology; Penn State UniversityPolitical experience: NoneName: David Stoltz Age: 53Occupation: Sales engineer for industrial heat manufacturerEducation: Bachelor's degree in business management from Point Park UniversityPolitical experience: One term on Lower Burrell Council Business growth and development are priorities identified for Lower Burrell by all three candidates seeking two seats on city council Incumbent Councilman David Stoltz and newcomers Lance Anthony and Carley Logan are running for council on the Republican ballot No Democrats filed as candidates for the primary so it’s likely the Republican primary winners will join council next year after the November general election Incumbent Brandy Grieff did not seek reelection said he was president of the city’s parks commission in the late 1980s and a member of the recycling task force I want to get back into it,” he said Anthony said he is a lifelong Lower Burrell resident and worked as a constable for 28 years was one of the first police officers when Lower Burrell became an incorporated city Anthony said he thinks the current council is doing a good job trying to bring in businesses and he is running for council to be a part of that He said vacant storefronts need to be addressed and he would look into tax incentives to bring in businesses I want to be active with the city,” he said “I’ve lived here my whole life has been involved with the city’s parks and recreation committee for the past four years She’s running for council because she believes “it is a natural next step to continue my efforts to make a difference in the community.” Logan is proud of the events she has helped initiate and facilitate in the community such as the Harvest Festival and Christmas events that drew thousands “That went from 14 vendors in a small tucked-away parking lot to a well-respected and well-attended event,” she said Logan is also excited for the upcoming Music in the Parks acoustic series at Burrell Lake Park and the Kick it at Kotecki concert in July “Strong community events show a community is connected and active and it shows an area is pro-growth and forward-thinking,” she said “It shows potential investors real-time evidence of local demand which will increase the quality of Lower Burrell.” said he is seeking reelection to “continue the momentum we’ve had.” He’s also a lifelong Lower Burrell resident “We’ve seen so many new businesses come I think we’ve done a good job of attracting new businesses,” he said “We certainly still have a long way to go and I want to continue to make the community a better place.” Stoltz points to filling the Burrell Plaza with Schaedler Yesco U-Haul and Dunkin’ as part of his proudest accomplishments while serving a term on council He also oversees the city’s streets department which he said has decreased operational costs and increased communication “A lot of what makes me want to run again is the positive feedback from the community,” he said Stoltz would like to see Hillcrest Plaza filled have the city continue to promote community events and be fiscally responsible “Given the tax increase from the school district I feel we have to keep our taxes in line,” he said “I’m adamant about not raising taxes unless there are no other alternatives at all.” Lower Burrell officials expect to save a few thousand dollars annually by using artificial intelligence software to determine the quality of city roads Council on April 14 approved a five-year agreement with Vialytics of New Jersey at a cost of $11,520 annually plus a setup fee of $2,875 the city can expect to save between $5,000 and $10,000 annually through more efficient road inspections reduced reliance on third-party assessments and earlier detection of road issues,” City Manager Greg Primm said “The AI-powered system captures and analyzes road conditions in real time allowing our public works team to respond more quickly and cost-effectively,” he said “These improvements help us lower labor costs prevent expensive repairs through proactive maintenance and support better planning and budgeting.” Lower Burrell has about 78 miles of roads within its limits with 52 miles maintained by the city will get the equipment and begin to train its public works crew to use it Vialytics will provide iPhones that will capture data every 10 feet on roads traveled by public works crew members The artificial intelligence will identify potential issues That data will be uploaded and organized so city staff can identify which areas are in greatest need of improvement The technology can identify 15 types of road damage “It will give us a much better assessment than we’ve ever had,” Stoltz said more than 1,000 municipalities use its software including Hempfield in Westmoreland County “It’s a proven technology,” Stoltz said “It’s used by several other communities in the area The overall net benefit is to save money and manpower.” Lower Burrell police detained four people from a home on Vance Drive before later releasing them Lower Burrell Detective Steve Aulerich said no arrests were made He would not give a reason for the warrant’s execution the detective said police announced on a bullhorn that they had a warrant and demanded the occupants “surrender the residence.” The unidentified occupants did so fairly immediately He said the process was “slow and methodical.” said she heard police yelling on bullhorns that they had a warrant and saw several SWAT-like vehicles near the home she said she heard what sounded “like a bomb go off,” before police took out several people in handcuffs to the back of police cruisers Aulerich said the loud noise was a “distraction device” used by Westmoreland SWAT He said he did not know why the device was used or what type it was Police cars had also visited the house about two weeks ago and she had seen “a lot of coming and going” at the residence Aulerich said there are “no concerns for safety in the community.” Coming up Who: Lower Burrell CouncilWhat: Review and vote on renovation proposals for Bon Air Elementary SchoolWhen: 7 p.m Regardless of which option Burrell School Board chooses when it comes to renovating Bon Air Elementary School it has the support of Lower Burrell’s planning commission The commission recommended approval of plans that add cafeteria and kitchen space to Bon Air or additional cafeteria space and six additional classrooms at the school “It’s been well-discussed among the school board at great length,” said commission Chairman Ray Rieser “They’re the ones who have the dog in the fight “Our purpose is to make sure all the zoning laws have been applied voted to close Stewart Elementary School due to declining enrollment and the need for costly infrastructure upgrades Renovating Stewart would have cost $17 million on top of the other $24 million worth of projects the district is considering at its other schools Fourth grade students will go to Bon Air next year and fifth grade students will go to Charles A Added cafeteria and kitchen space is necessary at Bon Air to accommodate the additional grade level there Plans presented by architect Andreas Dometakis showed the additional cafeteria and kitchen space would be about 8,400 square feet That space would be built onto the existing cafeteria behind the school Some of the existing cafeteria space could be used as a multipurpose area for the school and community we’re able to have two (grade level) lunches at one time,” Wagner said and a rebuilt road path behind the school for kitchen deliveries and a heating and cooling project at Bon Air are estimated to cost about $10 million would bring estimated costs up to about $14 million Those six additional classrooms would only be necessary if the district decided to move fifth grade classes to Bon Air after next school year No additions are necessary at the middle school with the additional grade level this year “This has been so thoroughly reviewed by the engineer and school board,” Rieser said “We want to let them get construction started as quickly as possible.” The school board this week gave administrators the go-ahead to advertise for bids for the Bon Air projects It will do so once it gets city council’s approval Council will vote during its meeting May 12 Mayor Chris Fabry declined to comment on the proposal saying the plans haven’t been formally presented to city council the district plans to advertise for bids in May and award contracts in June ultimately determining whether it wants to include the classroom additions or not Wagner hopes the project would be complete by the 2026-27 school year As the school board considers proposals at Bon Air it also has to come to grips with $10 million worth of boiler replacements and a heating and cooling project at Burrell High School Wagner said the school board will consider advertising the high school’s HVAC project in June and possibly meet in July to award a contract School directors last fall took out a $10 million bond to pay for construction projects in the district They intend to take out another $10 million bond to cover the rest of the projects With recent ebbs and flows to the bond market Wagner said the district will take the advice of its bond counsel as to when it’s best to take out the second bond Taking two $10 million bonds is cheaper for the district than one $20 million bond “The district works with our underwriter for information and guidance relating to the bond market and potential impacts on our district and potential bond issues,” said Burrell Business Manager Jennifer Callahan One of three people injured Wednesday in a Lower Burrell steel plant explosion has died of Tarentum was identified by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office on Thursday He died after being injured in an explosion at Braeburn Alloy’s Steel Division He was one of two critically injured people taken from the scene to an area hospital He died at Alle­gheny Valley Hospital in Harrison according to the medical examiner’s office Vakulick graduated from Freeport Area High School in 2023 The explosion occurred just before noon at the steel plant on Braeburn Road Details of the explosion have not been released One of the critically injured people was flown to an area hospital and the other was taken to a hospital via ambulance A third person with non-life-­threatening injuries also was taken to a hospital by ambulance, Brennan Sites, chief of Lower Burrell No. 3 Fire Company, told TribLive Sites did not have details on the type of explosion Wednesday but said all other plant employees were accounted for and there didn’t appear to be damage to the facility president and COO of Oil City-based Braeburn Alloy’s parent company said Thursday an investigation into the incident has begun “We’ll continue to work with all authorities as we have since minute one of the incident,” Paparone said “We mourn the loss of a valued teammate and express our deepest condolences to their family Our thoughts and prayers remain with all individuals and their families who were affected by the incident.” well-being and continued support remain Electralloy’s highest priority Sites said Lower Burrell police were investigating Police Chief John Marhefka did not return calls for comment The Pittsburgh office of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration also is investigating the incident The organization has up to six months to complete the investigation and issue citations Braeburn Alloy is a 125-year-old company that processes metal alloys which includes about 25 unionized steelworkers and reached a new contract with the United Steelworkers in 2023 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 hospice nurse Lori Hank grew more and more frustrated with the direction the health care industry was headed that she felt the industry was not focusing on patients over profit Seifert gave her the push to open her own hospice as this year marks Monarch Hospice’s 10th year in Lower Burrell “I feel we do the right thing for the patient,” said Hank I can go home and sleep knowing I did the right thing for the patient.” They opened in honor of Hank’s father It serves about 160 to 200 patients at a time Its core philosophy has remained “patient first,” Seifert said and the co-owners hire people who are compassionate and empathetic “We don’t look at it as death,” Seifert said “We look at it as their final event in life.” Hospice care is a specialized form of care for a patient nearing the end of life “It’s our responsibility at the end of life that they get respect and that their dignity is maintained,” Seifert said That personal touch emphasizes that every patient has a story Some Monarch patients have included people who have danced on stage with entertainer Bob Hope worked for President Richard Nixon and have a family member who is a Division I football coach and she and Seifert try to maintain a positive work environment that makes employees feel supported so they can provide even better care for patients Hank said Monarch’s motto — “Adding life to days when days can not be added to lives” — is something her business takes seriously and they believe that because of our staff,” she said Seifert acknowledges that Monarch is a business But he knows that if his staff continues to do what’s right we’ve relied on our core values and philosophies “We’re going to stick with what we believe in and how health care really should be provided.” Lower Burrell is asking PennDOT to weigh public safety against peace and quiet on a stretch of Route 56 Council last week requested PennDOT complete a “brake retarder study,” in the section of Route 56 between Hill Crest Country Club and its intersection with Puckety Church and Leechburg roads Mayor Chris Fabry said a resident reached out to the city asking them to look into “jake brakes” on that stretch of road because it is noisy is an engine brake in some diesel engines that create a loud There are a few homes behind Route 56 and the Rite Aid store there if the city wanted to prohibit jake brakes in that area it would need to have PennDOT complete a study PennDOT spokeswoman Laina Aquiline referred to criteria PennDOT considers when studying brake retarders That criteria includes the road’s speed limit being less than 55 mph and there being no history of runaway truck crashes or a “discernible pattern” of fender-benders in the past three years The road’s average downhill grade can’t be higher than 4% within any 500-foot stretch of the road — for example the change elevation of the road can’t be more than 20 feet in any 500-foot section of a downhill Aquiline was unable to say what the grade is in that section of Route 56 because the study hasn’t yet been completed City Manager Greg Primm thinks the road’s grade will be “too extreme” to have the jake brake prohibition there Other criteria to prohibit jake brakes include the road not having a reduced speed limit or gear zone for trucks due to a hazardous grade determination “Engine brakes are extremely effective at restricting truck speeds preventing them from free-wheeling down hills,” Aquiline said hence the reason PennDOT scrutinizes that option through a study instead of arbitrarily imposing restriction.” Jake brake ordinances are something area municipalities have tried with mixed success Bridgeville last year was able to restrict jake brakes on a portion of McLaughlin Run Road after PennDOT found the area met criteria for brake retarders Delmont officials in 2023 approved a jake brake ordinance in response to resident complaints but noted it would be tricky to enforce and couldn’t prohibit jake brakes in all areas of the borough PennDOT in 2022 could not approve New Kensington’s request to prohibit jake brakes on Route 56 at the intersection with Leechburg and Freeport roads due to the road’s grade; but was able to grant it on Route 366 near Valley High School. if PennDOT recommends jake brakes be prohibited city officials would be required to pass an ordinance banning them in the area The city would be responsible for signage and enforcement It’s unclear when the city will get the study results from PennDOT Aquiline said PennDOT hasn’t yet received the request letter from the city She said the time lapse from the date of the request to the study being completed depends on PennDOT’s workload and that the Lower Burrell request “would not be deemed an emergency type request as trucks equipped with engine brakes have been traveling this section of roadway for decades.” cautioned council with its potential next steps Sites said he understood the concern of noise but also said the brakes increase safety If you goWhat: Christmas in the Woods When: 2 to 5 p.m Lower BurrellWhat: Christmas parade; afterward the city Christmas tree will be lit there will be caroling and an art show.When: 7 p.m.Where: Leechburg Road starting near Community Market and ending at Stewart Elementary School free Christmas event is coming to Lower Burrell for the first time in decades The city’s Parks and Recreation Commission is hosting Christmas in the Woods Saturday at K-9 Officer Derek Kotecki Park in Lower Burrell immersive experience in the woods that hearkens back to a time when the focus was on the joy of the season gathering with community and giving back,” said Debbie Kurtik event coordinator and secretary of the parks and recreation commission “It’s also about strengthening the bonds within our local community and connecting with people beyond our boundaries.” Kurtik said the city is hoping to bring back the magic from a similar Christmas festival in Lower Burrell in the 1990s Christmas photos and a skillet toss competition “We’re hoping to get a large turnout and maybe see neighbors and friends that they haven’t seen in a while,” Kurtik said People will be able to park on-site at Kotecki Park Several Lower Burrell churches will be participating in Officials are asking attendees to donate one nonperishable food item which will be given to a local church food pantry “Food insecurity is a very real thing in our community,” Kurtik said “And the design of this event aligns with caring for and supporting those in our midst who are in need.” Brian Kilbert of Puckety Presbyterian Church said there has been lots of enthusiasm from his congregation about participating Puckety Presbyterian will host a children’s craft booth sing carols and donate goods for the bake sale “We’re excited about the opportunity where the city and churches can work together,” he said “We need intentional reminders to be communal Lower Burrell’s Christmas parade will follow at 7 p.m starting near Community Market and ending at Stewart Elementary School for the lighting of a Christmas tree and these events are one way to reach out and invite other communities to be a part of something special,” said Carley Logan “It’s also a way to celebrate and give back.” Coming upWho: Burrell School Board What: Budget proposalWhen: 7 p.m The public can get its first look at how Burrell School District’s multimillion-dollar school realignment could affect their taxes next school year at a meeting Tuesday “If you want to know where your tax money is going show up to the meeting,” board President Rick Kaczor said “If you want all the meat and potatoes Business Manager Jennifer Callahan declined to discuss the proposal until it’s presented to the school board at the meeting As the school board weighs the budget in the upcoming months it’s grappling with up to $24 million in capital improvement projects at district buildings some of that associated with the closing of Stewart Elementary and relocating those students to Bon Air Elementary and Huston Middle School air conditioning and boiler repairs at Bon Air are estimated to cost $10 million The cafeteria addition is necessary to accommodate fourth grade classes when they join the school next year costly infrastructure upgrades and the opportunity to focus student resources in three district buildings instead of four the district anticipates saving about $200,000 in operating and maintenance costs An architect estimated it would have cost Burrell $17 million to renovate Stewart If the district wanted to add fifth grade classes to Bon Air for the 2026-27 school year an additional classroom wing would need to be built That would increase the cost of Bon Air projects to an estimated $14 million the board is considering an estimated $10 million heating and cooling project at the high school The high school’s boilers are from the year the building was built — 1964 — and the school does not have air conditioning is whether to add the classroom wing to Bon Air “They can’t wait any longer.” citing stagnant property value growth in the district and rising costs in special education services cyber school tuition and employee medical insurance Properties assessed at the district’s median assessed value of $23,000 currently pay an annual tax bill of $2,703 before any exclusions or discounts are applied One mill is worth $151,531 in revenue for the district The district’s 2025-26 budget must be approved by July 1 There’s a method to the madness in Jacqueline Kowalik’s Lower Burrell basement the basement holds four towering bookshelves in the back corner “I can’t say I never met a book I didn’t like but it’s pretty evident — there’s not too many I didn’t like,” she said while standing among the bookshelves The shelves’ offerings range from nonfiction books about religion plus decades worth of National Geographic magazines A separate bookshelf on the other end of the basement holds fiction works Kowalik estimates she has about 3,500 books and 70 years worth of National Geographic publications While her densely populated shelves are well organized it’s still a lot to maneuver through if she’s looking for a specific book “Sometimes I can’t find it,” Kowalik said “but I keep looking until I find it.” Born in Arnold and raised in New Kensington Kowalik said she was a teen when her world opened up to books “When I went from eighth grade to ninth grade I was required to do a book report every six weeks,” she said “I didn’t know what in the world to do in the library.” Kowalik started with nonfiction and biographies “and it took off from there.” She believes her first book report was about jazz composer George Gershwin She graduated from Ken-Hi in 1953 and got a job typing fire insurance policies in Arnold a couple of coworkers introduced her to John Kowalik They were together for 63 years until John died in 2017 Kowalik taught her children the importance of learning and curiosity and recalled Sunday mornings when they would get up early to go to church and then spend time together on the tennis court but not as much as her,” said her daughter Diane As Kowalik’s family grew — she has six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren — so did her book collection and scouring advertisements for book sales She remembers filling bags for a few dollars at sales in Penn Hills “I always went with her to book sales Kowalik was especially fond of a spring sale at Peoples Library in New Kensington “I’d wait until the last day to go over and get some nonfiction and some goodies,” she said Her library ranges from psychology texts to biographies to histories of Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh It takes Kowalik about 2 or 3 days to finish a book — “it depends on how much highlighting I do,” she said John built her bookshelves; she joked that he “put up with my reading addiction.” I’m going to get educated,” she said of her desire to collect and read a wide array of books The couple’s six children attended schools in the Burrell School District where she volunteered and then worked at the high school library in the late 1960s and early ‘70s Kowalik helped put 20,000 additional books into circulation “I knew that library pretty good,” she said Kowalik is writing her own book with the information learned from what she reads She aspires to be a polymath — knowledgeable in art she crochets and toys with the piano and keyboard “Curiosity killed the cat?” she said “Well I should have been dead a few times.” Hydraulic fluid was released into the Allegheny River from Braeburn Alloy Steel in Lower Burrell on Monday afternoon prompting warnings to downriver water suppliers Two passersby reported seeing the sheen along the Westmoreland shore of the river and Lower Burrell firefighters responded around 3 p.m. The spill was contained as of about 5:45 p.m There no known immediate dangers to public water supplies The hydraulic fluid came from two containment tanks totaling more than 7,000 gallons and an underground storage pit One tank holds dirty hydraulic fluid while the other is for clean hydraulic fluid “They have a containment center that goes around those tanks There was product in the containment center,” Sites said “The running speculation is that that containment center didn’t hold and there’s a drain that goes out to the spillway and that’s how it got in there.” The fluid entered the water just upriver of the Natrona dam as did the Westmoreland County hazardous materials team and state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources They worked to find its source so it could be contained The state Department of Environmental Protection will investigate Braeburn Alloy was not operating Monday after a steel furnace explosion Jan One man died and two other workers were hurt The federal Occupation Safety and Health Administration is investigating that incident It was not known if there was any connection between the explosion and the fluid leak “There shouldn’t have been any more processing,” Sites said “That (the fluid in the tanks) would have been product that was there previously.” The Municipal Authority of the City of New Kensington’s intakes from the river the closest to the spill downriver on the Westmoreland County side “We are monitoring the river and our intake very closely We don’t have any problems at this time,” he said Monday afternoon “We’re monitoring it and keeping an eye on it so it doesn’t get into our intake and into our system.” borough Manager Dwight Boddorf said the water was safe The borough was closely monitoring the situation and will immediately notify residents if that changes “We have increased chemical analysis at the water plant as a precaution the spill is contained on the Westmoreland side of the river at this time,” he said “Our water tanks contain several hours to days worth of pre-treated water that can be utilized if necessary.” Braeburn Alloy brought in a cleanup company to prevent any more fluid from getting into the river overnight was closed while crews responded to the spill People who were attempting to fish were evacuated Sites could not say whether or not it is safe to fish the river “I would recommend not coming down here for a day or two anyway because there’s going to be investigations happening,” he said “I don’t think they’re going to be able to fish regardless if it’s safe or not.” Brian C. Rittmeyer, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com presence in Lower Burrell hopes to build a world where no one is left without a voice The founders of Smartbox developed software that enables people who can’t speak to communicate with others senior vice president of operations for the company they’ve invested in creating alternative communication devices to put their software in to allow people different methods of access to communication,” she said Lower Burrell is Smartbox’s only U.S between GameStop and H&R Block in the Hillcrest Shopping Center since 2022 Smartbox’s base was in a strip mall near where Leechburg Road and Edgecliff Road split Rimmel of Allegheny Township said that she met Smartbox’s founders in 2016 as they were looking to launch a U.S She suggested a location close to home and wasn’t necessarily looking for a storefront “It’s exciting to see Lower Burrell become the home to unique businesses such as Smartbox,” Mayor Chris Fabry said “As retail declines across the country businesses like Smartbox are vital to our area It’s great that they see value in being here “It’s great to know that a product that helps so many is made right here in Lower Burrell.” employees manufacture iOS-based devices that look like iPads install software and ship them to the company’s network of U.S and international partners to provide the technology to people in more than 50 countries “We are building a world where no one is left without a voice,” Rimmel said Among those who can use the devices as a communication mechanism are autistic people adults with ALS progression or people who has suffered strokes and are unable to speak families see a speech language pathologist who may direct them to use Smartbox’s software “We have a variety of different devices for people with different abilities,” said Jake Rump a technology support specialist with the company a “switch” where they can press or use muscle movement or their eye gaze to make selections on the device Eye gaze technology uses cameras that allow those with physical disabilities to control a computer using just eye movements “It’s able to track your eyes and where you’re looking at the screen,” Rump said Rimmel said people who would use that software would be able to have the device mounted on a wheelchair “They would use the eye gaze as their means of communication,” she said The device has different keyboards and grids with words phrases and symbols for people to use to communicate They can direct their eyes to certain words on the devices to form sentences Rimmel said the software is a more effective and efficient than core boards Core boards have words and phrases arranged across a paper and a speech language pathologist would go row by row to find the words for a person to communicate with them “It was extremely long and not a way to do things,” Rimmel said The software also includes games called “Look to Learn” that children can play using eye gaze That aims to get children to understand how to use the device by training their eyes to improve their choice-making skills when it comes to selecting words off the grid to form sentences it’s easier to get them engaged with a game,” Rimmel said People who are unable to speak but can control muscle movements can use the “switch,” which connects to the device and tap their finger on what they want to select as the technology scans over the grid When the scan highlights the part of the screen that the person wants to select they tap their finger on the switch to select that word or phrase “We want everyone to have the ability to communicate They have access to the internet and more accessible versions of popular apps It also has full phone and email capabilities “It’s super customizable,” Rump said “It depends on your cognitive abilities and the time you spend on the device “It’s incredible to watch them breeze through the computer Customer support and repairs are available at the Lower Burrell location “Giving someone access to communicate is very important,” Rump said Barney and Dougal Hawes set out to provide an alternative form of communication for people in the United Kingdom and now the Smartbox family includes augmentative and alternative communication providers Smartbox France REHAVISTA in Germany and Talk to Me Technologies in Iowa The need for such equipment grows every day be it for babies born without the ability to speak or people falling ill or being in an accident and losing their ability to communicate She said the company’s goal is to expand its reach “We’re trying to make people aware this is out there,” Rimmel said “We think there’s a lot of people that have not yet been reached and that could use this device Fatal explosion probe continuesThe oil spill at Braeburn Alloy Steel came two weeks after a fatal explosion there. On Jan. 22, a 20-year-old Tarentum man died and two other workers were hurt, after an explosion in a steel furnace.The federal Occupation Safety and Health Administration is investigating that incident. OSHA spokeswoman Leni Fortson said the investigation is still open. The state Department of Environmental Protection plans to cite the operator of Braeburn Alloy Steel in Lower Burrell following a hydraulic oil spill at the site this month DEP spokeswoman Lauren Camarda said the state agency has not determined yet whether any fines or other sanctions are warranted as its investigation continues Since hydraulic oil spilled into the Allegheny River at Braeburn on Feb crews have been at the site multiple times to monitor cleanup efforts “The facility’s environmental cleanup contractor vacuumed and installed booms and used absorbent material to recover oil,” Camarda said “The contractor recovered hydraulic oil from an affected stormwater catch basin and containment area around the tank that leaked.” DEP believes the spill was caused by a faulty hose connection on one of the facility’s tanks Hydraulic oil was released into secondary containment Messages left for Oil City-based Electalloy The facility was closed at the time of the spill so the leak was not initially discovered by the company Two passersby reported seeing the sheen along the river’s Lower Burrell shore and notified authorities oil had seeped through cracking in the secondary containment and migrated to a nearby catch basin which discharges to the Allegheny River,” Camarda said “DEP does not have an estimate of the amount of oil released and awaits an estimate of oil recovered by the environmental contractor.” Camarda said Braeburn Alloy installed temporary hydraulic tanks until new permanent tanks are delivered which reduces the risk of a spill happening again Municipal authorities at the time reported no issues with their water There has not been any reported impact to aquatic life in the river 22—Two people were critically injured in an explosion Wednesday at Braeburn Alloy's Steel Division in Lower Burrell A Westmoreland County 911 public safety supervisor confirmed the incident at 11:57 a.m. at the site, 101 Braeburn Road A third person with non-life threatening injuries also was taken to a hospital by ambulance He did not have details on the type of explosion but said all of the plant employees are accounted for and there didn't appear to be damage to the facility Emergency crews remained at the scene for much of the day a senior vice president for Oil City-based Electralloy Grubach said his company is aware of the incident and had a team en route to assess He said there would be no further comment until the assessment was made Sites said Lower Burrell Police will handle the investigation Police Chief John Marhefka did not return calls for comment Wednesday and reached a new contract with the United Steelworkers in 2023 Brian C. Rittmeyer is a TribLive reporter covering news in New Kensington, Arnold and Plum. A Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, Brian has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at [email protected] © 2025 The Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pa.). Visit www.triblive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Few details have been released about a Lower Burrell steel plant explosion that killed a Tarentum man. Brennan Sites, chief of Lower Burrell No. 3 Fire Company, confirmed a steel-processing furnace was the source of the explosion. Daniel R. Vakulick, 20, died from injuries sustained in the blast just before noon Wednesday. Two others were injured, one critically. The identities of the other victims have not been released. Sites also said the department’s deputy chief was on scene less than a minute after the explosion and did not see any flames. “Most of those steel buildings … there’s not normal combustible things that could possibly catch fire,” Sites said. The lack of a fire is why, Sites said, his department is not formally handling the investigation. Instead, Lower Burrell police and the Pittsburgh office of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration are leading the probe. Lower Burrell police Chief John Marhefka has not returned requests for comment since the explosion and was not available when a TribLive reporter visited the police station Thursday. An OSHA spokesperson said Thursday the organization has up to six months to investigate the incident and issue citations but did not share any early findings. Braeburn’s parent company, Oil City-based Electralloy, has said it’s cooperating with authorities, but has not offered details on the incident, either. The unwelcome presence of water is a common cause of explosions in certain furnaces, according to Chris Pistorius, co-director of the Center for Iron and Steelmaking Research at Carnegie Mellon University. Pistorius also noted the freezing temperatures that have gripped Western Pennsylvania over the last few weeks raise the possibility that ice could attach to materials entering machinery and generate a steam explosion. Nearly 400 manufacturing workers died on the job in 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which does not specifically track steel manufacturing as a category. No other recent deaths are attributable to the Braeburn plant. A worker did, however, sue the company in 2021 after suffering “numerous injuries” when part of a 2,500-ton hydraulic press became over-pressurized and exploded. The lawsuit, which eventually was withdrawn, alleged Braeburn failed to provide crucial information about the incident to the worker, preventing him from making an informed decision on whether to pursue legal action against anyone who built or maintained the hydraulic press. News of Vakulick’s death spread across social media sites by Wednesday evening, though authorities didn’t confirm it until Thursday afternoon. Authorities have not provided any updates on the condition of the other critically injured person or a third person who was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Although he lived in Tarentum at the time of his death, Vakulick was a longtime resident of Buffalo Township and 2023 graduate of Freeport Area High School. He transferred there during his freshman or sophomore year from the Kiski Area School District, according to friend Gabi Franchock. Vakulick, a car enthusiast, was known for his purple Dodge Charger Scat Pack, according to Franchock and social media posts from those who knew him. “He would always talk about the cars he was looking to get, or ask if you wanted to go on a drive with him,” Franchock said. His black Dodge pickup remained near the Braeburn plant as of around noon Friday and had become a memorial of sorts. Visitors left flowers atop the truck’s hood and drew messages into the road salt coating its doors. One note on the passenger door reads: “Mommy loves you lil’ Dan.” Funeral arrangements are being handled by Duster Funeral and Cremation Services, 347 E. 10th Ave. in Tarentum. Visitation is scheduled from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, followed by a private burial. Coming up Who: Lower Burrell CouncilWhat: Introduce rules that would allow alcohol in parks for city eventsWhen: 7 p.m People who attend events at Lower Burrell city parks may be able to enjoy an alcoholic beverage under a proposal from city council Mayor Chris Fabry said the city will draft a proposal that would allow alcohol in city parks during events only He intends for the proposed rules to be introduced at an April council meeting “We want to be able to create a relaxed atmosphere at community events that is inviting and encourages people to stick around,” he said Rules also would require food trucks to get a yearly permit to operate in the city The proposal would outline regulations for vendors establish fees and requirements for vendors to get a permit and would mandate they operate in accordance with police and state Liquor Control Board Enforcement regulations The proposal comes at a time when more city events are returning to Lower Burrell parks officials unveiled a Christmas in the Woods event at K-9 Officer Derek Kotecki Park a Harvest Festival there and plans a summer music festival The summer music festival takes the place of a Community Day officials kicked off last year Officials say that event still will be family-friendly but will have more of an upbeat The city’s goal is to have the new rules in place before some of the city’s summer events “We want to do this in the most responsible way possible and are limiting it to actual events not open-ended for anyone who is there,” Fabry said “I will never support people going down there for a pickup ball game and bringing a six pack of beer while kids are playing soccer and running across the parking lot.” Similar alcohol rules exist at events like New Kensington’s Fridays on Fifth “Safety will always be our top priority but neighboring communities have shown you can have alcohol at events while maintaining a safe environment,” Fabry said An elderly man was suffering from hypothermia Tuesday morning after spending the night in his crashed SUV in Lower Burrell The man told authorities he had been trapped in his vehicle in a ditch between Hill Crest Country Club and Hillcrest Drive since 5 p.m He was spotted by a person walking a dog shortly after 8 a.m The man did not have a cellphone to call for help Temperatures overnight ranged from 5 to 10 degrees was not immediately available and Gloer said he did not know where he was from in an area behind the houses on Hillcrest Drive Police said they would review the country club’s surveillance cameras for clues but did not immediately provide any other information The man was wearing winter clothing and said he ran his vehicle’s engine for a while for warmth The man was taken by ambulance to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh Coming up What: Planning for Lower Burrell Summer Music FestivalWhen: First meeting 7 p.m 2800 Bethel St.To help: Contact Carley Logan at 724-681-0566 Lower Burrell is hosting an event for music lovers — and it’s seeking some help said her board plans to host a Summer Music Festival on July 12 at K-9 Officer Derek Kotecki Memorial Park “We are in the beginning stages of it,” she said is seeking volunteers to serve as the event’s logistics manager and sponsorship chair Logan said the logistics manager would assist with the layout and physical structures for the concerts The sponsorship chair would reach out to businesses and foundations for funding “It will be a benefit show to raise money for community events and the betterment of our parks,” Logan said The parks and recreation commission puts on events such as the farmers market at Bon Air Elementary School and the Harvest Festival Logan said the Summer Music Festival will take the place of a Community Day the commission started last year “We felt as though the Community Day we did last year was not necessarily well-received,” she said “We wanted to do something more interactive.” The Summer Music Festival will run in addition to the Music in the Parks series that kicked off last year at Burrell Lake Park July and August at the park’s bandshell; dates are pending Logan said Music in the Parks was more of a laid-back and the Music Festival might have more of an upbeat “It’ll all be family-friendly,” she said Logan said the feedback for the new event already has been positive “My goal is that it increases awareness for local bands and raises money for local parks,” she said Lower Burrell residents who use Shank Waste Service for garbage collection will have to make sure all of their trash fits into the new cans they’re getting — and they won’t be alone The Lower Burrell-based waste hauler is moving to automated collection with garbage trucks that use a mechanical arm to grab trash cans and empty them into the truck The company plans to roll out the plan to other communities it serves soon said a “good portion” of Lower Burrell customers have received their new carts and the remaining will be delivered within the next couple of weeks The carts are at no cost to customers and must be used “There’s a lot of advantages to carts,” Book said “It helps us to have our routes become automated and take advantage of technology that trucks now have.” a garbage truck’s arm can grab a garbage cart and lift and tip the trash into the truck without the need for a person to pick up the cans “The truck takes care of dumping the trash,” Book said Book said the carts are heavy-duty and “are shaped and designed to hold up over time.” the carts are less likely to blow over during high winds or storms Lower Burrell residents can choose their own garbage service Book estimated a “couple thousand” residents in Lower Burrell use Shank The city only has a recycling contract with Waste Management which is why the company chose to roll out the carts there before expanding to other communities “Our goal is to have as many people utilize this as much as possible,” he said