Residents are invited to register for the first Citizens Police Academy with the South Fayette Township Police Department.
"Beat Down Browns" humorously depicts the longtime rivalry between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns. Prints and apparel of the image are available at markbrewer.com Image courtesy of Mark Brewer.
hen I have opportunities to talk with South Fayette residents, they often mention how much the township has changed over the years.
I have witnessed this firsthand, even in the relatively brief time I have served the local government.
While we can be proud of our community's many transformations during our rich history, it is always enlightening to hear about long-standing traditions and modern-day evidence of our heritage.
This issue of South Fayette Connect highlights the resilience and stability of the National Hill neighborhood (page 10). The community was built during the coal mining boom more than a century ago and has endured for the many decades that have passed since the mines closed.
Deep roots can strengthen a neighborhood’s sense of identity, continuity and belonging. Our National Hill neighbors offer stories of past and present, creating a shared narrative that connects generations, fosters community pride and promotes unity.
Learning about neighbors looking out for each other and supporting one another is a powerful message and a testament to the strength of the people of South Fayette. Way too often we hear about how divided we are as a country, so it is refreshing to know one of our oldest communities continues to honor a tradition of neighborliness.
I
will
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Chuck Lazzini, President
Tim Postufka, Vice President
Mark Hondru
Leigh Ann Oravecz
Rebecca Sray
TOWNSHIP MANAGER
John M. Barrett
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Andrea Iglar
ART DIRECTOR
Andrea Iglar
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Andrea Iglar
Paula Willis
Kristen Bagwell
CONTRIBUTORS
Josh Milteer
Abbey Scheerer
Sarah Alessio Shea
Sean Sims
Daniel Thompson
South Fayette Connect is a free magazine published and distributed quarterly by South Fayette Township for the benefit of the public. The magazine is a nonprofit source of information aimed at connecting people with local government and fostering a strong sense of community identity and pride.
If your delivery is missed, please inform your postal carrier. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the editor. © Copyright 2024. All rights reserved.
South Fayette Connect offers advertisements in exchange for sponsorship of certain community events and programs. Contact the magazine editor or visit SouthFayettePA.com/ads.
Knepper Press
CONNECT WITH US
SouthFayettePA.com/magazine magazine@sftwp.com; 412-221-8700, ext. 231 South Fayette Township, Allegheny County PA
Cigars International is preparing to open a $4.3 million superstore this fall at Newbury Market in South Fayette Township, next to Topgolf.
The 6,000-square-foot cigar shop, bar and lounge will offer more than 1,300 cigar brands. The building includes an outdoor patio.
Updates: Facebook (Cigars International South Fayette, PA); Instagram (cigarsintlsouthfayette); cigarsinternational.com.
Hauler WM will hold curbside leaf and yard waste collections Saturdays Nov. 2 and Nov. 23 in South Fayette. The night before pickup, place leaves and other yard waste at the curb in biodegradable paper bags no heavier than 25 pounds each. Yard waste may include leaves, hedge/tree/garden trimmings, brush, lawn edging and grass clippings. Households that normally receive curbside waste collection are eligible. Report missed pickups at southfayettepa.com/request
Homeowner association (HOA) boards in South Fayette are eligible to receive free township welcome packets to provide to new neighborhood residents. Update your HOA information and indicate interest at southfayettepa.com/rollcall.
Clean Express Auto Wash is building a $1.5 million car wash in The Piazza at South Fayette, next to Raising Cane's. Construction is expected to be complete next year: cleanexpresswash.com.
The Pennsylvania State Police and FBI, in partnership with the South Fayette Township and Upper St. Clair police departments, are offering the public a free educational seminar about how to stay safe in the case of an active shooter.
The presentation will highlight the “Run, Hide, Fight” response strategy. All community members are welcome, including those involved with a school, business, gym or religious space.
The event is set for Tues. Dec. 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the Upper St. Clair Community & Recreation Center, 1551 Mayview Road.
Register in advance by scanning the QR code provided, or call the South Fayette police business office Monday–Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., for information: 412-221-2170. Space is limited; first come, first served.
New stop signs have been installed at the intersection of Old Oakdale Road and the entrance to The Berkshires neighborhood, plus at the intersection of Alpine Road and Hickory Heights Drive. Please be aware of these traffic signs and use caution.
Rohith Galla of BSA Troop 2 added benches along the Panhandle Trail in South Fayette for his Eagle Scout project. The township resident replaced a broken bench at the Mill Street crossing and added three benches between Mill Street/Scotch Hill Road and Sturgeon.
WM (Waste Management) offers bulk waste collection the second full week of each month. WM starts each week with Monday.
Bulk items are limited to two items per month, per household.
There is no charge to residents who already receive curbside waste pickup. Place your bulk items at the curb on the same day as your trash collection during your bulk collection week.
What is a bulk item?
WM accepts furniture, appliances or other oversize residential items that are too large for the garbage cart.
If your refrigerator, freezer, air conditioning unit or other appliance contains a refrigerant such as Freon, you will need to have the coolant professionally removed and tagged before you place it at the curb.
Bulk collection does NOT include additional bags of trash. However, for $6 per bag, WM will collect extra household garbage bags. For more information about this service, please call WM at 1-800-866-4460.
Permitted Bulk Waste
• Furniture, such as a chair, table, armoire, cabinet, chest, headboard, sofa, mattress, box spring, dresser, interior door
• Household appliance, such as a washer, dryer, dishwasher, stove, toilet, microwave, hot water tank, refrigerator/freezer/air conditioner (with coolant professionally removed and tagged)
• Carpeting (must be cut into 4-foot bundles)
• Picnic table or bench (unattached)
• Basketball board or pole (6 feet or less in height)
• Swing set (unassembled)
• Grill (without propane tank)
• Lawnmower (all fluids must be drained)
Unaccepted Items
• Extra household trash
• Construction materials, including but not limited to concrete, brick, asphalt, roofing, plaster, drywall, wood, construction debris (To rent a Bagster or dumpster for construction materials, reach out directly to WM or another private garbage hauling company.)
• Vehicles and auto parts
• Hazardous waste (Find local collection events on the Pennsylvania Resources Council website: prc.org.)
• Electronics, such as TVs, computer monitors, laptops (Contact the township for information about electronics recycling collections.)
If you have a bulk item that is not listed and want to know if WM will collect it before setting it at the curb, you can reach out to the South Fayette Township office at 412-221-8700 during regular business hours.
Find details about WM waste collection services: southfayettepa.com/wm.
MICHAEL ZURCHER
Police officer Michael Zurcher has served South Fayette Township for more than 25 years, and he was a bike patrol specialist for several years. His career was inspired by his father, Robert, who was a Pittsburgh city officer. "As a child, I liked helping people," he says.
Hometown: Grew up in West End
Family: Wife; two adult children (one works for FBI and the other attends medical school)
Education: Graduated from Canevin High School and Allegheny County Police Academy; studied business at Community College of Allegheny County
Military Service: U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
Hobbies: Working out, lifting weights, doing yard work, gardening
First Job: Bus boy for catering company
First Car: 1969 Mustang, blue
Favorite Music: Country
Favorite Movie: "Forrest Gump"
Favorite Foods: Italian and Mexican
Favorite Vacation Spot: Beach
Bucket List: Move to a sunny locale after retirement
Best Quality of South Fayette: “It's a nice place to work, the people are great, and it's an up-and-coming community.”
Fun Fact: Seven years ago, Michael rescued a group of abandoned rabbits from his neighborhood and still keeps one of the domestic bunnies as a pet. His family also has a French bulldog.
— Andrea Iglar
Here are guidelines to help determine if you need a permit for your residential project. It's always best to check with the South Fayette Township office before starting any construction.
Here is a general list of what does or doesn’t require a building or zoning permit. If you do not see your project type listed, please contact us to find out if the construction requires a permit.
You need a building permit for all new construction, including additions.
You need a building permit for interior residential work if it is structural. Examples include moving, hanging or adding load-bearing walls; changing the size or location of windows or doors; and changing the means of ingress/egress.
If you wish to change the current use of your home (for example, add a homebased business or change the occupancy type from single-family to duplex) please contact the Planning & Zoning Department: 412-221-8700.
Allegheny County handles plumbing permits. For all plumbing work, please call the Allegheny County Health Department: 412-922-5494.
A permit is not required, but once electrical work is completed in your home, you need to select an independent inspection agency to inspect the work.
These types of exterior residential projects DON'T require a permit:
× Roof replacement (shingles only)
× Soffit and fascia
× Siding
× Shutters
× Painting/staining
× Tree planting
These types of exterior residential projects DO require a permit:
☑ Roof replacement (if more than just the shingles)
☑ Deck
☑ Driveway
☑ Fence
☑ Above-ground pool, in-ground pool, hot tub
☑ Shed
Porch
☑ Garage ☑ Carport
☑ Retaining wall
Gazebo ☑ Grading
☑ Demolition
☑ Chimney
Please remember to dial 8-1-1 before you dig for a project. Pennsylvania 811 relays your digging information to local utilities to help prevent damage to underground lines and infrastructure.
Every home construction project is unique and may require additional permits.
For questions about whether you need a building permit or what’s required to obtain a permit, please call the township office at 412-221-8700 or visit southfayettepa.com/building.
Abbey Scheerer is an administrative assistant with South Fayette Township.
Hey, kids! Complete this crossword puzzle to test your knowledge about South Fayette. Then you can color our township logo with a fall leaf design. Have fun!
What park is on Millers Run Road?
How many active township parks are in South Fayette?
What Revolutionary general is
What animal is the South Fayette school mascot?
3. What park is the splash pad located in?
5. How many fire departments are located in South Fayette?
What park is on Millers Run Road?
How many postal ZIP codes does South Fayette have?
What is the name of the official South Fayette magazine?
an adult to
your coloring
By Sarah Alessio Shea
What accounts for the largest portion of American trash by weight? Food.
Wasted food totals more than 66 million tons a year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Individual households generate approximately 40% of the discarded food. In landfills, food waste produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere. You can significantly decrease the amount of food you toss by using simple strategies such as:
• Planning meals
• Freezing food before it spoils
• Eating leftovers
• Donating excess catered meals
• Making shopping lists
The first step is to begin noticing how you currently handle food, from what you purchase to what you toss. Then you can develop a strategy to address a few large areas for improvement. You’ll be surprised how a bit of planning, a few new tools and a fresh outlook can set you on the path toward less food waste.
• Wasted food is not only an enormous environmental problem but also an important social issue, with one in 11 Pennsylvanians experiencing food insecurity.
• Land, water, energy and labor go into growing, storing, processing, distributing and preparing food. Resources are squandered when food never reaches the table.
• Reducing food waste can save you money. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, households could save $370 per person annually by decreasing food waste.
You can implement easy, practical and focused methods to prevent and reduce food waste.
The nonprofit Pennsylvania Resources Council's “Stop Food Waste” campaign, supported by the Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh, provides hands-on strategies for meal planning, food storage and more.
Visit prc.org/kitchen to register for free webinars and access resources to help reduce food waste. For example, you can:
• Take part in PRC’s Creativity in the Kitchen webinar. Learn to reduce food waste in your kitchen, and discover recipes focused on food scraps and leftovers. Sessions are available in November.
• Find strategies for reducing food waste. Topics include leftovers, food storage, food sharing and more.
• For food that ends up needing to be discarded, consider composting at home. Many composting methods are available, from backyard bins to curbside collection services.
We can stop food waste one decision at a time. Although food waste is a huge global problem, we each can take action every day to stem the tide.
Many small actions can add up to make one big impact.
Sarah Alessio Shea is deputy director of Pennsylvania Resources Council, a statewide environmental nonprofit focused on reducing waste: prc.org
By Sean Sims
Fire is fast, and early detection could be the difference between life and death. Fire departments across the country mark Fire Prevention Week each October. The nonprofit National Fire Protection Association focuses each year on an important fire safety topic, and this year's theme is "Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!"
You may have as little as two minutes to safely exit the house once the smoke alarm sounds. Working smoke alarms give you early warning so you can get outside quickly.
Follow these three steps to ensure you have working smoke alarms and that you are properly protecting your family.
1
Install smoke alarms in every sleeping area, outside each sleeping area (typically a hallway) and on every level of the home, including the basement. When possible, alarms should be hard-wired to your electricity and interconnected so they all activate when one is set off.
2
Test alarms monthly by pressing the TEST button until the alarm activates. If your detector has a replaceable battery, change it twice a year when the clocks change. The monthly test is a great time to practice your family escape plan.
Sean Sims is a captain with the Oak Ridge Volunteer Fire Department in South Fayette Township.
3
Source: usfa.fema.gov
Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old, or if they malfunction, or if they fail to activate when tested. The manufacturing date is located on the back of every alarm. Carbon monoxide alarms and combination smoke and carbon monoxide detectors will need to be replaced sooner.
Are you looking for fire safety activities you can do at home? Visit sparkyschoolhouse.org/forfamilies.
Kids can visit sparky.org for online activities and videos, plus printable coloring pages and activity sheets.
If you have specific fire safety questions, contact your local volunteer fire department: southfayettepa.com/fire.
Builder: The National Mining Company, a subsidiary of U.S. Steel, built the neighborhood for coal mine workers. The company operated National No. 2 Mine in South Fayette from about 1905 to 1927.
Years Built: Most homes were built 1900–1925, more than half in 1905.
Number of Homes: 54 single-family homes, 7 duplexes, one apartment building
Streets: Allegheny Avenue and Campbell Avenue
Location: Atop a hill between Millers Run Road and Route 50; accessible from the intersection of Route 50 and Alpine Road
Neighborhood Issues of Interest: Pedestrian access, property maintenance, stormwater management
Fun Fact: The Union Supply Company Store on Allegheny Avenue closed in 1950 and later was converted into apartments. The store served coal miners and families from National No. 2 Mine.
By Andrea Iglar
When Clem Rolin was growing up on National Hill from the 1940s to 1960s, many of his generation’s grandparents spoke Italian, French, Hungarian and other non-English languages.
A wave of Europeans had emigrated in the early 1900s to work in the Pennsylvania coal mines, and during Rolin’s childhood, their families continued to live on the hill, located above the Millers Run Road railroad tracks in South Fayette Township.
Rolin, 78, and his childhood neighbor, Roy Watson, remember the neighborhood as friendly, communal and integrated, with various European and Black families living together and helping each other.
“Everybody knew everyone, and everybody cared about everyone,” Rolin recalled when he and Watson visited National Hill in October.
NationalHillSchoolraised three children on National Hill.
She welcomed Rolin and Watson into her home to reminisce and said the neighborhood is still the kind of place where children play together outside and neighbors stop to chat.
“It’s a safe neighborhood,” Kaupinis said. “We all look out for each other.”
National Hill historically was home to two major institutions: the Union Supply Company Store and National Hill School.
The store on Allegheny Avenue originally served coal miners and families from National No. 2 Mine, according to “Images of America: South Fayette Township” (Historical Society of South Fayette Township, 2015).
“We didn’t need the police. If you did something wrong, it was going to get back to your mother. Roy and I, we just loved it up here.”
Rolin, a former band director at South Fayette High School, left his family home on Campbell Avenue when he married and moved to North Fayette.
The history of National Hill stems from coal mining. South Fayette had 19 coal mines, and in 1905, the National Mining Company began operating National No. 2 Mine, which was located on the site of the present-day South Fayette Volunteer Fire Department in the Cuddy area.
To accommodate workers, the company built dozens of homes on a hill above Millers Run Road and named it National Hill.
Many present-day residents belong to families who have lived on the hill for multiple generations. Others are newer owners or renters. Even so, the neighborhood retains an old-fashioned flavor.
Patty Kaupinis, a 30-year resident of Campbell Avenue, and her husband, Kip,
Rolin said the store offered food and general supplies on the first floor, and an elevator opened to a second floor with furniture, toys and other items.
“We bought our first television there, a 1950 or 1949,” he said. “It was a Motorola 12-incher.”
The store closed in 1950. South Fayette resident John Alan Kosky said his father, John L. Kosky Jr., purchased the building in the 1950s and used it for equipment storage, eventually selling the property in the mid1990s. The structure has been converted into apartments.
National Hill School was located at the top of the hill—or “mountain,” as Rolin and Watson call it—in the path of presentday Route 50. The top row of buildings on National Hill was demolished in the early 1970s to make way for the highway construction.
The school held grades 1 to 6, with 35 to 40 students per classroom, according to the South Fayette history book. The building was heated by a large coal furnace in the basement.
Rolin attended second to fourth grade at the school. “It was wonderful because we could go home for lunch,” he said.
Rolin said the school stopped
◀ In 1949, Clem Rolin celebrates his third birthday in his backyard on National Hill. Handwriting on the back of the photo identifies the children as, from left, John Leadbitter, Dick Miner, Jack Miner, Quintin Greer, Rolin, LaVerne Matthews (front), Mary Alice "Sissy" Watson, Eileen Bushmire, Vivien Bushmire, Bernadette Cebella and Keith Matthews.
Photo courtesy of Clem Rolin
▼ Roy Watson, left, and Clem Rolin, front, visit Patty Kaupinis, right, and her husband Kip on Campbell Avenue in October. The group stands in front of Rolin's childhood yard, where his family grew a large garden.
functioning around 1958, and a business took over until the building was torn down.
When they weren’t in school, the youth of National Hill found ways to entertain themselves. Watson, who now lives in Pittsburgh, recalled playing games in the street until his mother called him back inside.
Kids also formed their own baseball team and played sports in a cow pasture at the top of the hill.
“We would play ball, and [for bases] we would use these cow patties that we thought—for the most part—were dried out,” Watson said with a laugh.
The kids self-organized games with teams from other neighborhoods and played on fields in Fairview, Cuddy and Morgan.
Today, the sole access to National Hill is at the intersection of Route 50 and Alpine Road. Years ago, leaving National Hill by car required using a bridge that crossed the railroad tracks and emptied onto Millers Run Road.
Cars no longer needed the bridge once Route 50 was built, but pedestrians used the bridge for years, and kids would cross it to catch the school bus on Millers Run Road.
The railroad demolished the dilapidated bridge in recent years. Now, Kaupinis and other residents are trying to get a footbridge rebuilt.
Despite access concerns, Kaupinis enjoys living on National Hill: “It’s still kind of a little treasure.”
◀◀ The Union Supply Company Store on Allegheny Avenue closed in 1950 and later was converted into an apartment building.
Top photo courtesy of Historical Society of South Fayette Township; Bottom photo by Andrea Iglar
◀ Lifelong Campbell Avenue resident Rose Davis-Thomas, center, visits with Roy Watson, left, and Clem Rolin on her porch in October.
Photo by Andrea Iglar
▼ This 1920s view from Old Oakdale Road shows National Hill at the top. National Hill School sits at the top left, in the path of present-day Route 50. The top row of homes was demolished in the early 1970s for the highway construction.
Photo courtesy of Historical Society of South Fayette Township
National No. 2 Mine was located along Millers Run Road, at the site of the present-day South Fayette Volunteer Fire Department in the Cuddy area, historically called Treveskyn.
The National Mining Company, a subsidiary of U.S. Steel, began operating National No. 2 Mine in 1905. The mine was idled in March 1927 and abandoned Jan. 1, 1928, according to a 1937 mine information booklet provided by the Historical Society of South Fayette Township.
The No. 2 closure essentially downsized company operations, and some coal in Treveskyn was extracted via National No. 1 Mine in the Morgan area of South Fayette (opened 1903, abandoned 1953; generally had 363 workers) and No. 3 Mine in Cecil (opened 1923 and had 775 workers).
However, the company never finished extracting the No. 2 coal, said John Alan Kosky of the historical society. "There are still a lot of coal reserves under the hill, but nobody will ever go and get them. It's not feasible," he said.
No. 2 workers who lived on National Hill would walk down
the hill and cross a bridge to go to work and then either walk into the slope mine or take a railcar. The coal would come out on railcars.
Platinum Sponsor ◆ Joy-Thru Fairview ◆ Thank you!
◀ In the early 1900s, National No. 2 Mine workers from National Hill walked down the hill from their neighborhood and crossed Millers Run on a swinging bridge (foreground) into the Cuddy area, in the area of present-day South Fayette Street and Cuddy Sports Club. The coal mine would be out of frame to the left. ▼ National No. 2 Mine (circa 1905–1927) operated at the site of today's South Fayette Volunteer Fire Department in Cuddy.
Township's online presence gets updated look, improved navigation
South Fayette Township's website southfayettepa.com has been updated with a modern look, cleaner layout and improved navigation.
Andrea Iglar, the communications director, partnered with the township's website provider, CivicPlus, to update the site—the first major redesign since 2018. The new design launched in October.
The site provides greater functionality and quicker navigation to the resources that website visitors use most.
The homepage highlights the most popular links, such as the trash and recycling calendar, building permit guidelines, job postings and recreation program registration.
The website features an updated color scheme and built-in accessibility features. Images highlight the new South Fayette Township Municipal Center (administrative offices, public meeting chambers and police station).
The website offers information on hundreds of topics and includes tools such as:
• Convenient search bar
• Custom signup for email/text notifications
• News and emergency alerts
• Event calendars
• Citizen portal to submit issues
• Social media links and Facebook feed
• Business and staff directories
The mobile-responsive website can be used on various devices, from desktop computers to smartphones.
Connect with South Fayette Township at southfayettepa.com and on social media.
Download the free South Fayette CitizenLink mobile app from the App Store or Google Play.
Barry Miller of South Fayette Township Public Works operates an asphalt roller on Cecil Sturgeon Road in October.
Crews repaired and paved an 1,800-foot span of the rural road in the fall. This section of the road was in the poorest condition. Other sections have been improved over the past few years, and further work is anticipated.
Mechanic Matt Saunoras works to remove a tire so he can inspect the brakes on an F600 dump truck in October.
South Fayette Township Public Works mechanics
Saunoras and Mike Cardillo complete annual state inspections for about 70 township vehicles. They repair and maintain the entire fleet of vehicles and equipment.
Public Works staff Jason David,
and Mark Mitchell construct an equipment storage shed at Morgan Park in October. The South Fayette Baseball and Softball Association, a community sports group, will store equipment in the building.
By Andrea Iglar
Do you have an interest in police procedures and the criminal justice process?
Are you curious about the inner workings of the South Fayette Township Police Department?
Soon, you will be able to gain an in-depth view of local police operations by attending the township’s first Citizens Police Academy.
Police Chief John Phoennik is launching the annual program to equip citizens with accurate information about the police department and to foster community-police relations.
“The program will give participants insight into our jobs and further strengthen the relationship between officers and community members,” he said. The eight-week educational program for adults will cover a different discipline or area of police
operations each week.
Some topics (subject to change) may include crime scene investigations, first aid, K9 units, active shooter response and virtual training technology.
The citizens academy will be held at 7 p.m. each Tuesday, from March 11 to April 29, 2025, in the newly built South Fayette Township Municipal Center.
The program includes a tour of the new police station.
“It’s always been an aspiration of mine to start a citizens police academy, and with the new facility and station, we can now launch this in a more professional manner,” Phoennik said.
The chief said the program eventually could expand to offer a children’s academy that would focus on bike safety, stranger danger and other safety topics.
For now, participants must be residents of South Fayette Township who are at least 21 years old.
Class size is limited to 25 people. Interested residents must complete an application and pass a background review.
Residents may apply for the academy between Nov. 4 and Feb. 10, with approved applicants notified by Feb. 14.
The enrollment fee is $25 a person and includes a T-shirt, refreshments and graduation certificate. A financial hardship waiver is available.
Participants must attend at least six of the eight classes to graduate.
Phoennik said the citizens academy will give residents the opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge of police operations.
“It’s helpful for citizens to understand why police officers do certain things, or need to do things in a certain way,” he said.
South Fayette Township Citizens Police Academy: southfayettepa.com/police
Gain firsthand knowledge of local police operations
Learn about first aid, crime scene investigations, K9 operations and more in this 8-week educational program
Location:
South Fayette Township Police Dept
100 Township Drive, First Floor South Fayette, PA 15017
Tuesdays: March 11April 29, 7 pm - 9 pm
Questions?
412-221-2170 or jphoennik@sftwp.com
Details & Download Application: southfayettepa.com/police
Application Available: Mon. Nov. 4, 2024 at 8am
Application Deadline: Mon. Feb. 10, 2025 at 8am
Approved Applicants Notified: Fri. Feb. 14, 2025
Enrollment Fee (hardship waiver available): $25 includes T-shirt, graduation certificate, refreshme nts
By Andrea Iglar
Four separate fire departments serve South Fayette Township, but they share many of the same needs and challenges.
That’s why they have come together to form the Fire Services Advisory Committee.
BJ Supan, assistant fire chief of the Oak Ridge Volunteer Fire Department, said the committee formalizes cooperation among the departments to address shared challenges and set up a solid fire service for generations to come.
“One voice makes us stronger, and it makes sure we’re aligned as a group moving forward,” Supan said.
The committee, which started meeting monthly in September, will put forth recommendations to the township Board of Commissioners for initiatives that would bolster the community’s all-volunteer fire service.
to assess the state of fire service in South Fayette and suggest improvements.
The resulting report recommended forming the advisory committee “with a mission to ensure ongoing cooperation and sustainability of the volunteer fire companies.”
The committee will work on tasks proposed in the plan, such as forming an equipment replacement schedule, establishing a paid fire administrator and developing volunteer campaigns.
“One voice makes us stronger..." —BJ Supan
The committee has seven members, including a township commissioner, a township staff member, an at-large resident, and representatives and alternates from each township fire department—Fairview, Oak Ridge, South Fayette and Sturgeon.
Last year, the township paid $16,500 to the educational, nonprofit Pennsylvania Fire & Emergency Services Institute
“Recruitment and retention are the big things we’re hoping to tackle,” said Supan, the committee secretary.
Based on research and input from the fire departments, the strategic plan outlines recommendations to address challenges such as declining volunteer numbers, increased cost of operations and equipment, and higher community expectations.
The fire departments are independent, non-government, entities with 100 percent volunteer labor. They rely on public donations, plus contributions from the township and other funding sources.
Committee president Craig Delaney, chief of the Sturgeon
Volunteer Fire Department, said cooperation will ensure that South Fayette can keep a mostly volunteer fire service, “which obviously saves the taxpayers lots of money in the end.”
Fairview assistant chief Keith Dernosek, the committee vice president, initiated the fire services study when he was a township commissioner from 2020 to 2023.
He said greater cooperation among the four departments could poise them for eventual consolidation.
“Down the line, I think South Fayette needs one department, even though there are four stations," Dernosek said.
"And [we need to] start utilizing the money from taxpayers in such a way that it benefits them and it also helps us fire departments, whether paid or not paid.”
Ultimately, the committee aims to ensure residents receive quality fire service no matter where they live in the township, Supan said.
“We want to make sure all of our residents are getting the same level of fire service and fire protection,” he said. “And I think that starts with this group."
Fire Services Advisory Committee: southfayettepa.com/firecommittee.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 25 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
By Andrea Iglar
Pave the Panhandle Trail. Enhance crosswalks on Boyce Road. Mark a bicycle loop on Battle Ridge and Old Oakdale roads.
These are a few potential projects to improve nonmotorized transportation in South Fayette.
The township Board of Commissioners adopted an active transportation plan in September that identifies possible enhancements for non-vehicular movement like walking, biking and using a wheelchair.
Gibson-Thomas Engineering, along with township staff and a team of community members, developed the plan using data and public input.
Project engineer Eileen Botti emphasized that the plan is just a road map and the listed projects would require more exploration and funding before they could occur.
“These projects are not ready to go; they will take some more coordination moving forward,” Botti said during the board meeting in August.
“This document is providing a nice framework to pursue funding in the future. There’s a lot of grant opportunities out there for this type of work.”
Projects cover pedestrian crossing upgrades, trail improvements, park and neighborhood connections, and bicycle and pedestrian facility enhancements.
The plan lists potential projects and their descriptions, cost range estimates, levels of complexity, timelines and property owners—both public and private.
Four projects are listed as priorities.
“These are things that might be low-hanging fruit, or there was an overwhelming amount of support during the public outreach,” Botti said.
The priority projects are:
• Panhandle Trail Improvements—Pave the trail; improve safety at crossings; enhance trailheads; add
One of the priority projects in the South Fayette Township active transportation plan involves pedestrian enhancements on state-owned Boyce Road, at entrances to the Hunting Ridge neighborhood. The plan proposes installing painted or elevated crosswalks and warning flashers at the intersections with Meeting House Road/Hunting Ridge Trail (pictured) and Hunting Ridge Road/ Hunting Ridge Trail. Cost range is estimated at $100,000 to $500,000.
(Photo by Andrea Iglar)
amenities like benches and rest areas
• Neighborhood Connections to School Campus— Establish a multi-use path along Old Oakdale Road; install lighting along the path
• Battle Ridge Road and Old Oakdale Road Bike Loop—Establish a loop with shared-lane markings, or “sharrows,” to improve bicyclist safety and visibility
• Hunting Ridge Pedestrian Enhancements—Install crosswalks and flashing lights on Boyce Road at entrances to the Hunting Ridge neighborhood (Meeting House Road/Hunting Ridge Trail and Hunting Ridge Road/Hunting Ridge Trail)
Parks and Recreation Director Paula Willis, who spearheaded development of the active transportation plan, said the township will explore what improvements are realistic and then seek funding for those.
"While these projects are wanted and desired in the community, some may not be physically or financially feasible," Willis said. "That's the purpose of this plan—to explore our options."
Willis already has applied for a grant that would offset the cost of paving the 2.73-mile portion of the Panhandle Trail that
passes through South Fayette.
“A lot of connections mentioned in the plan can be used for recreation and exercise, which promote healthy lifestyles,” she said.
Last year, WalkWorks, a program of the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the nonprofit Pennsylvania Downtown Center, awarded an $11,250 grant to the township to develop the plan. The overarching goal was to increase physical activity and improve community health.
South Fayette resident Bill Price, who served on the steering committee for the active transportation plan, said the document is a starting point for connecting community amenities.
He said some projects appear obvious and necessary in the short term, but completing the entire list would take a very long time.
“Now it’s time for the community leaders and residents to really identify which ones make the most sense to be done and in what order,” Price said. “Safety and ease of access are really the key points.”
Review the South Fayette Township active transportation plan: southfayettepa.com/active
Draw inspiration from South Fayette visual artists Ron Jesiolowski, Mark Brewer and Selva Priya Sahadevan.
BY ANDREA IGLAR
Ron Jesiolowski is celebrating 70 years in art.
The South Fayette resident started drawing when he was 3 years old, as many children do. But he never stopped.
“I really have never had a pause in my whole life of not drawing,” Jesiolowski said in October as he prepared to open his first solo art exhibition in 28 years. “It’s become pretty much my soul, my passion, the way I express myself.”
Jesiolowski’s 30-piece show, “Visual Stories & Allegories,” was held this fall at the McMurray Art League gallery in Peters. Opening weekend drew about 100 people.
Encompassing decades of his work in oils, acrylics, pen and ink, and watercolors, the exhibition gave viewers the opportunity to contemplate his images and interpret his symbols, colors and composition.
“When you exhibit, you’re sharing a perspective and point of view, and you’re creating a platform for people to react to,” Jesiolowski said. “You feel like you’re opening doors sometimes if people take the time to absorb the work.”
He has exhibited his fine art for several decades, including at the Carnegie Museum of Art and other major venues. In recent years, he included some pieces in various art shows but had not held a major solo show since 1996.
A former commercial artist and college instructor, Jesiolowski moved from Pine Township to Saddlewood Condominiums in South Fayette Township four years ago. He set up a
◀ Ron Jesiolowski of South Fayette sits with his oil and graphite piece "GRRRRRR!" in his studio in South Fayette in October. His many oil paintings include "Skeletons of the Sea" (left), "The Spirit of the Land" (below) and "Angels in the Sky" (facing page).
home studio where he draws, paints, and writes philosophical and humorous musings to accompany his works.
Jesiolowski, who grew up in O’Hara Township, enjoyed a long corporate career working in technical and then commercial art, combining artistic principles and marketing skills to design packaging for toothpaste, pet food and other consumer products.
He also was a professor of drawing, painting and printmaking at Waynesburg and La Roche universities.
Now retired, he prefers to create art for his own enjoyment—while also appreciating chances to share his art.
“Sometimes it feels to me like if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, did it really matter? I feel that way about my art,” he said.
Jesiolowski’s work shows a breadth of styles and mediums, but he gravitates toward oil painting. He often uses symbolism and takes inspiration from artists such as surrealist Salvador Dali and Renaissance painter Leonardo da Vinci. He even completed a version of an unfinished da Vinci work, inserting his own face in a crowd of people just has da Vinci had painted himself into the piece.
Although he accepts occasional commissions, Jesiolowski said he prefers to hold onto his pieces— which essentially are “a visual diary” of his life—so he eventually can pass them down to his daughter Lauren, who is an art teacher, and his 13-year-old grandson Aaron.
His art, Jesiolowski said, is his legacy: “It’s my way of being immortal.”
Learn more about the art of Ron Jesiolowski: ronjesiolowski.net
Vice or virtue? It’s a matter of perspective.
Wrath can represent intense anger, but it also can embody strength.
Gluttony may signify excess, or on the flip side, enjoyment of life’s pleasures.
Greed can symbolize a desire for wealth—or reflect the pursuit of success.
For his “7 Deadly Sinz” collection that launched in October, illustrator Mark Brewer created black ink drawings representing the concepts of pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth.
The creatures may appear a bit scary at first glance, but the artist’s accompanying text puts a positive spin on the monsters, reflecting the complexities of human desire and emotion.
“You look at the seven deadly sins, and on the surface, they’re not good,” Brewer said. “But if you look at the descriptions, I’ve turned them into a good.”
Brewer writes on his website that the traditional vices warn of excess, while holding “a spark of ambition, passion and self-expression.”
At times, it took exactly those qualities—ambition, passion and self-expression—for Brewer to develop his style and sustain a decades-long career as an artist.
A resident of South Fayette’s Hunting Ridge neighborhood since 2001, Brewer grew up in Fairfield County, Connecticut, where he discovered a desire to paint and draw.
He published editorial cartoons in high school and later honed his skills with renowned illustrator Guy Gilchrist— best known as Jim Henson’s cartoonist creator of the Muppets comic strip. Here, Brewer opportunity to work on the Muppets, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and other well-known licensed characters. Brewer was eager to learn, so he inked backgrounds
and helped where he could with not only the art but also mundane office tasks. At home, he constantly practiced drawing.
“I was just ambitious,” Brewer recalled.
(There it is: the spark of ambition!)
Moving forward with his artistic aspirations, Brewer self-syndicated his editorial cartoons and worked for Archie Comics. He inked comic strips such as Beetle Bailey, Nancy and Tom & Jerry.
Eventually, he landed gigs illustrating articles for New York Magazine, Newsweek, The New York Times and a bevy of other national publications.
The constant deadlines were exhausting and time consuming, but Brewer worked diligently and invested in promoting his art.
(Yes, he had passion for his work!)
In 2015, he published a whimsical book of watercolors and words called “Brewology: An Illustrated Dictionary for Beer Lovers” that sent him on a multistate tour of breweries, bookstores and festivals.
Also in the beer vein, Brewer creates art for Four Seasons Brewing Company in Latrobe, and he
bartends part-time at Helicon Brewing in Oakdale. He has written a news column about beer.
The artist said it’s just a fluke that he ended up connected to the craft beer world with the surname “Brewer”—but perhaps it’s fate in the same way art is his calling.
In both “Brewology” and “7 Deadly Sinz,” Brewer pairs illustrations with original text—an evolution that has enabled him to more broadly voice his imagination and ideas.
(There’s the third quality: self-expression!)
Today, the award-winning illustrator and author enjoys sketching people and places while sitting at coffee shops, exploring the outdoors and traveling.
While out and about, Brewer sketches on an iPad. He usually uses watercolor and fountain-pen ink for his final pieces, embellishing with oil, pastel and colored pencil.
▲ Mark Brewer created the watercolor "Beat Down Browns" for Four Seasons Brewing Co. of Latrobe to feature on the label of an Imperial Brown Ale aged on vanilla beans. The humorous image depicts the SteelersBrowns football rivalry.
◀ Brewer sketched the Girl Friday Cooking Co. building on Millers Run Road in South Fayette in October.
Brewer sells original art, prints and merchandise on his website, plus offers on-demand recordings of art lessons. He sells work through Mark Rengers Gallery in Sewickley, accepts private commissions and teaches watercolor classes at the Community College of Allegheny County West Hills Center.
A witty artist, Brewer said his latest pieces have insightful elements that reflect his personal growth and meditations on what’s important: “People. Helping others rather than helping myself meet a deadline.”
His pride monster is frightful—fangs, fierce eyes, skeletal figure. But the image’s description tempers the bad with the good and encourages the reader to “inspire and elevate others.”
“Pride can be absolutely obnoxious and ego-driven, but it also represents something else—somebody who’s very proud of who they are, the things that they’ve done—and there’s nothing wrong with that,” Brewer said.
“So the descriptions round it out and make it positive. And I’m really proud of those descriptions.”
7 Deadly Sinz prints and merchandise, such as hoodies, T-shirts and tote bags, are available at markbrewer.com. Find him on Facebook and Instagram @markbrewerillustration.
Art and teaching go hand in hand for Selva Priya Sahadevan.
The South Fayette resident has opened a painting studio, Getitfromnature Arts, on Millers Run Road to share her love of art and to draw out the creative side of youth and adults.
“Everybody has an inner artist,” she said. Her classes help people express themselves through painting, without seeking external validation of their work.
“There is no right or wrong with art,” she said. “It’s for ourselves when we do art.”
By day, Sahadevan works an information technology job in the health care industry. When she shuts off her computer, her mind switches to art and teaching. She relaxes and forgets her worries.
“I’m always in a dreamy world when I start painting,” she said.
Sahadevan began practicing art at nine years old while growing up in the city of Tirunelveli in southern India, where art, dance and music were core curriculums at her school. Her teachers and principal encouraged her, while her mother and other artistically inclined relatives inspired her.
She now specializes in realistic portraits and accepts private commissions to paint people and pets.
Sahadevan moved to the U.S. in 2008, living in Washington State and New Jersey before
coming to Pennsylvania. She lives in the Pinnacle Pointe neighborhood of South Fayette.
She was a hobbyist until winning an Emerging Artist scholarship from the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival two consecutive times, in 2019 and 2020. The honor propelled her to the next level.
“Now it really became my other profession,” she said. “Doing my own art business was always my dream.”
An important part of her work is giving back to the community through art. Sahadevan regularly connects her approximately 100 students—including her own 12-year-old twins—with people in the community to make a real-world impact.
For example, students have made greeting cards for residents of senior citizen homes, created an art banner for a cancer center and given away free paintings at local events such as South Fayette Community Day.
Sahadevan said the projects make the givers and the recipients happy and encourage the students to continue with acts of kindness and community service.
“That is my success, to have those seeds in them to give back to the community through their art,” she said.
Getitfromnaturearts, 295 Millers Run Road, South Fayette: 412-230-2360; getitfromnature.wixsite.com/priyaarts. Find Getitfromnature on Facebook and Instagram.
◀ Selva Priya Sahadevan set up a booth at South Fayette Community Day in August and gave away free paintings that her students had created. She photographed recipients and posted this collage on Facebook.
▲▲ Sahadevan painted her self-portrait in 2020.
▲ Sahadevan created this scene of a child and ducklings, "Frozen Moment in Time," as a nostalgic nod to her memories of playing with chickens when she was a girl.
▶ A friend commissioned Sahadevan to paint her parents as a gift for their anniversary. The portrait is based on a photo of the friend's mother laughing at her father's joke. The couple married in 1977.
By Andrea Iglar
Hundreds of children a year are expected to benefit from new ballfields that will be built next year in Fairview Park.
South Fayette Township held a groundbreaking ceremony in October to mark the start of construction of three ballfields to accommodate youth baseball, softball and other sports.
Each season spring to fall, the fields will accommodate more than 600 children, ages 3 to 15, who play with the South Fayette Baseball and Softball Association.
The bulk of construction will occur in 2025, and the fields could open as early as fall 2025 or spring 2026, depending on grass growth and other factors.
The infields will be artificial turf, and the outfields will be natural grass.
Amenities will include sidewalks, fencing, dugouts, scoreboards, ADA-accessible walking trails and a batting cage. Field lights will be added in the future.
Dan Cali, president of the baseball/softball association, said the project will benefit community athletics.
“Playing baseball and softball in Western Pennsylvania comes with its challenges. Our biggest opponent isn’t St. Clair or Peters or any other neighboring communities—it’s the rain. So having infields that are turf is going to be amazing,” he said.
“And from a coaching perspective, we can spend more time developing our players instead of working on the infield, which is awesome.”
The ballfield project is the last phase of a major expansion of Fairview Park that includes the Bark Park, splash pad, Mayview Pavilion and new park entrance from Mayview Road.
The 68-acre expansion site is part of the former Mayview State Hospital property that the township acquired in 2017.
Paula Willis, the township parks and recreation director, said she is excited to see the projects come to fruition.
“Now the park is over 191 acres, and I truly feel it is a multigenerational park,” she said. “It really does have something for everyone.”
Board of Commissioners president Chuck Lazzini, who is a
▶ Three ballfields will be built in Fairview Park, near the existing splash pad, Mayview Pavilion, Bark Park and parking lot.
Architectural rendering
▶▶ Dan Cali, center, president of the South Fayette Baseball and Softball Association, celebrates the groundbreaking with township commissioners Rebecca Sray, left, and Chuck Lazzini.
Photo by Andrea Iglar
lifelong township resident, said he remembers playing Mighty Mites baseball in Fairview Park “when it was nothing like it is today.”
“This is a very exciting time for South Fayette,” he said.
Commissioners approved a $2.35 million contract in September with vendor FieldTurf to construct the project.
Grants pay for about 72 percent of the total project cost.
The project has secured more than $1.69 million in grants—including a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Interior’s Land and Water Conservation Fund, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).
Wesley Robinson, the DCNR press secretary, said the agency is proud to support the work in Fairview Park.
“These improvements will help get young people into parks through sports, while also expanding ADA access and improving park amenities for users who are seeking more passive recreation outdoors,” Robinson said.
In addition to the $1 million grant, funding sources include:
• $500,000: Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Act Pandemic Response Grant
• $145,000: Commonwealth Financing Authority, Gaming Economic Development Tourism Fund, administered by Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County
• $25,000: Pirates Charities and Highmark, through the Fields for Kids Program
• $25,000: T-Mobile Hometown Grant
Township Manager John M. Barrett thanked the funding partners for their support.
“Having all those resources come together really helps leverage additional capacity for projects like this,” Barrett said.
Cali appreciated the investment in youth baseball and softball: "We are excited and cannot wait for our players to step foot on these new state-of-the-art facilities.”
Learn more about parks in South Fayette Township: southfayettepa.com/parks
By Andrea Iglar
David Alligood reads biographies about business leaders and political figures.
Sucheta Moghe learns new software.
Kelleigh Boland downloads digital books to her Kindle. Each finds these resources at the South Fayette Township Library.
The residents serve on a seven-member board that oversees the public library, which is an independent, non-government organization.
Boland, the vice president, joined the board in 2022.
“Libraries are such important centers for people to connect, learn and grow together, and I wanted to be some small part of that for South Fayette,” she said.
The volunteer board oversees general management of the library, directs funds and policies, and advocates for the library.
Paid staff members, headed by director Ben Hornfeck, handle day-to-day operations.
Alligood, the board president, said the library hosts more than 1,000 programs and outreach events each year, while patrons check out 100,000 physical and digital items.
“That’s really staggering,” Alligood said. “It motivates us to do more.”
Looking toward the future, the library board recently established strategic priorities in four areas—community engagement and service, organizational excellence, community partnerships and facility development.
new facility, it’s really exponential what that reach can become.”
The library has been awarded a $750,000 state grant that could help fund new space, and the library board is considering additional revenue options.
Moghe said a larger facility “only will happen through fundraising, and we want our community to be aware of that.”
The visioning process, Boland said, enabled the board to consider the library from a broad perspective.
“The main thing is to respond to what the community wants,” she said. “As the community grows, our library needs the resources and people and representation to also grow to meet that community need.”
Size is a major issue for the library, which operates from a space in the former municipal building on Millers Run Road. The board is working with township officials to determine how the library can partner to develop a larger, improved facility.
“Ben and his staff do so much from a collection and programming standpoint now, and our facility is obviously a little outdated and in need of improvements,” Alligood said. “So in a
Meanwhile, the library board partners with an auxiliary group, Friends of the South Fayette Township Library, to hold fundraisers that offset program and collection expenses. In September, the group raised more than $19,000 through an online raffle and the Beer for Books event. The Jack Buncher Foundation will partly match those funds. The township makes contributions to the library each year, but as an independent organization, the library is responsible for securing its own funding.
Library board members are appointed to three-year terms, with a two-term limit, and they meet monthly. Openings are expected in the next couple of years, and South Fayette residents will be invited to apply.
Moghe joined the board in 2023 to give back to the community. A teacher in India, she switched to the field of information technology after moving to the U.S. and improved her software knowledge through free library resources.
Moghe said serving on the board is a satisfying experience.
“I know that we have to give up our time; it is totally volunteer work,” she said. “But because of the library board, I feel I’ve gained knowledge. Also, I’m part of the decision making, so that is something I’m proud of.”
South Fayette Township Library, 515 Millers Run Road: 412-257-8660; southfayettelibrary.org
5,000+ attendees
Aug. 24
PhotosbyDanielThompson
July 14, 2024
South Fayette Township Parks and Recreation hosted the community’s first iCan Bike Camp to teach people with disabilities to independently ride a bicycle.
The township partnered with the international nonprofit iCan Shine, the Down Syndrome Association of Pittsburgh and South Fayette School District to host the program at South
Nine riders spent five days riding inclusive equipment under the guidance of trained iCan Bike staff and 36 community volunteers. Riders started in the gym each day, supported by volunteers, to ensure proper technique and build confidence. By the fifth day, most riders had transitioned outdoors and achieved the goal of independently riding their own two-wheel bike.
On the final day of camp, the township and camp staff held an awards ceremony to honor the riders and recognize their completion of the program. Families received instruction to further guide their rider’s improvement once back at home. The riders definitely shined!
iCan Bike 2025 will be June 23-June 27. To add your contact information to the notification list, call or email Ian McNeill:
DEC. 10 & FEB. 11
TUESDAYS
6:30 PM
JAN. 14 - FEB. 4
TUESDAYS
4:15PM-5:45PM
JAN. 16 - FEB. 20
THURSDAYS 10 AM-10:30AM
JAN. 25 SATURDAY
10AM-5:30PM
FEB. 4 TUESDAY 6:30 PM
FEB. 15 SATURDAY
4 PM - 6 PM
FEB. 18 TUESDAY 6 PM - 7:30 PM
FEB. 25 - MAR. 18
TUESDAYS 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
MARCH 16
SUNDAY
12 PM - 2 PM
PUZZLE PALOOZA
Ages 7 to adult
$5 per group of 2 - 6
South Fayette Twp Municipal Ctr
KIDS IN THE KITCHEN
Ages 6 - 11
$150/child
South Fayette Senior Center
SOUND BEGINNINGS: JUNGLE JOURNEY
Parent & Me Class; Ages 4 & under
$110/Adult-child pair South Fayette Twp Municipal Center
BABYSITTER TRAINING
Ages 11 - 15
$160/person
South Fayette Twp Municipal Ctr
FAMILY & FRIENDS CPR FIRST
$26/person
South Fayette Twp Municipal Center
TUFTING W/ YOUR VALENTINE
Ages 18 & up Couples class, $75/pair South Fayette Twp Municipal Ctr
MOTHER, MAY I? MANNERS CLASS
Ages 6 - 12, $45/person South Fayette Senior Center
CHEMISTRY CHAOS
Grades 1 - 3
$95/person South Fayette Senior Center
PARENT & ME TUFTING ST. PATRICK’S DAY
Kids age 10 & up w/adult
$75/child with adult; $75 ea. add’l child South Fayette Twp Municipal Ctr
WEDNESDAYS
6:30PM-7:30PM
THURSDAYS
9 AM-10 AM
MONDAYS
7 PM-8 PM
SFBFITNESS W/ KATIE
Ages 18+
$12/class; discounted 5- and 8-class package SNPJ Lodge No. 6 (Sygan Hill)
ADULT YOGA
Ages 18+
$11 per class
Sturgeon Vol. Fire Department
6 pm - 9 pm @ Fairview Park, South Fayette Friday, December 6, 2024
Tickets go live on Tues. November 12 @ 8 AM
Drive through the park to see
HOLIDAY LIGHTS - CHARACTERS & PERFORMERS - MUSIC - BUSINESS BOOTHS - SANTA
Please donate one toy per vehicle
Enjoy a chartered bus for an evening trip to Oglebay Resort for A Buffet dinner and festive show followed by a guided tour of Oglebay's holiday lights
Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024
3:15 PM - 9:00 PM
DEparts from SF Senior Center
3:15pm: Depart South Fayette Senior Center
4:30pm: Arrive Oglebay Resort
4:30pm-5:30pm: Oglebay Shops
5:30pm-7:30pm: Buffet Dinner & Show
7:30pm-8:00pm: Oglebay Lights Tour
Home approx. 9:00pm
Garbage is collected weekly and recycling every 2 weeks. Do not bag recyclables. Place bins at the curb before 6 AM on pickup day. Bulk collection is the 2nd full week of each month. If an observed holiday falls during the week before your pickup day, collection is delayed one day.
Waste Management wm.com ◆ 1-800-866-4460
The South Fayette Township offices, meeting chambers and police station moved to a new building (GPS: 323 Hickory Grade Rd) 100 Township Drive, South Fayette PA 15017
Ph: 412-221-8700 Web: SouthFayettePA.com
Staff Directory
John M. Barrett, Township Manager
Administration
Patrick J. Catena, Assistant Manager
Joe Hollowood, IT Director
Shannen McKahan, Finance Officer
Peggy Patterson, Executive Assistant
Communications & Community Development
Andrea Iglar, Director Planning, Building & Code
Gary Hartz, Planning/Zoning Director
Joe Niedermeyer, Building Code Official
John Kanaskie, Engineering/Code Abbey Scheerer, Administrative Assistant
Parks & Recreation
Paula Willis, Director Ian McNeill, Recreation Coordinator Public Works
Vitali Alexandrov, Director Dan Dernosek, Superintendent Sandra Bukovinsky, Administrative Assistant Police
John R. Phoennik, Chief of Police Dana Korbe, Administrative Assistant Police Business Office: 412-221-2170 Emergency & Dispatch: 9-1-1
South Fayette Township Library 412-257-8660, SouthFayetteLibrary.org
South Fayette Area Senior Citizens Association 412-221-3730, SouthFayettePA.com/seniors
South Fayette School District 412-221-4542, SouthFayette.org
Historical Society of South Fayette Township SouthFayettePA.com/history
Tax Collectors
Real Estate Tax, Kevin Biber: 412-221-9250, SouthFayettePA.com/tax
Earned Income Tax, Jordan Tax Service: 412-835-5243, JordanTax.com
Municipal Authority (Dye Tests & Sanitary Sewers) 412-257-5100, MATSF.net
Chambers of Commerce
South West: 412-221-4100, SouthWestRegionalChamber.org
Pittsburgh Airport Area: 412-264-6270, PAACC.com
Ambulance & Emergency Medical Services
SouthBridge EMS: 412-221-5115, SouthBridgeEMS.com
Volunteer Fire Departments in South Fayette Fairview, Oak Ridge, South Fayette, Sturgeon: SouthFayettePA.com/fire
