South Fayette Connect - Fall 2022 - Volume 7, Issue 4

Photo

On the Cover

Students of the Sanskruti School of Indian Dance and Music hold a position called "sarukkal adavu" during a performance at South Fayette Community Day in August. The hand gestures represent bloomed flowers. From left are Anvita Sahu, Ananya Rajesh, Kanishka Damodaran, Soumya Patel, Sumedha Bhimavarapu and Oliviya Vijaykumar. Photo by Josh Milteer Inside

South Fayette police officers are practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a ground-based, grappling-style martial art adapted for law enforcement. Photo by Shelley Phoennik.

That’s why we are proud not only to welcome additional businesses to South Fayette but also to celebrate established ones.

This issue of South Fayette Connect highlights both new and longstanding businesses in South Fayette, from the family-owned and -operated Schulz Service Center marking 40 years in business (page 20) to the national chain Firebirds Wood Fired Grill that is set to open a steak and seafood restaurant here in November (page 28).

Not only do businesses create jobs but they also encourage economic growth, help build community identity and diversify the local marketplace.

Township officials have embraced a business-friendly philosophy that aims to keep existing businesses and attract new ones.

This approach has helped grow the slate of local options for shopping, eating, socializing and securing services, while also expanding our commercial tax base.

Customers pay sales tax when they visit local businesses, and in turn, businesses pay taxes to the township, the school district and the county.

This money ends up funding some of our most important community amenities—parks, roads, police, schools and much more.

We are fortunate to have a wide variety of businesses that have chosen to make South Fayette Township their home. You can find local business listings on our website, southfayettepa.com/bizdirectory, and on our mobile app, South Fayette CitizenLink.

I encourage you to seek out these establishments and consider shopping locally whenever possible. And remember: Small Business Saturday is Nov. 26— just in time for your holiday shopping.

In the end, a strong local business economy is good for everyone in South Fayette.

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Gwen A. Rodi, President

Rebecca Sray, Vice President

Keith Dernosek

Joseph Horowitz

Lisa Malosh

TOWNSHIP MANAGER John

M. Barrett

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Andrea Iglar

ART DIRECTOR

Andrea

Iglar

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Andrea Iglar

Paula Willis

Kristen Bagwell

CONTRIBUTORS

Arthur & Anthony Photography, Dan Dernosek, Bob Julius, Ian McNeill, Josh Milteer Photography, Colleen Patel, Shelley Phoennik, Abbey Scheerer, Daniel Thompson Photography

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE

South Fayette Connect is a free magazine published and distributed quarterly by South Fayette Township for the benefit of its citizens. The magazine is a nonprofit source of public information aimed at building 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 2022. All rights reserved.

ADVERTISING

South Fayette Connect offers advertisements in exchange for sponsorship of certain community events and programs. Contact the magazine editor or visit SouthFayettePA.com/ads

PRINTING

Knepper Press

CONNECT WITH US

SouthFayettePA.com/magazine magazine@sftwp.com; 412-221-8700, ext. 231 515 Millers Run Road / South Fayette, PA 15064

healthy and vibrant business community is an integral part of a thriving township.

SHORTS

Public Works director retires

After more than nine years of service to South Fayette Township, Miles "Butch" Truitt retired Sept. 1 from the position of Public Works Director.

Vitali Alexandrov was hired in October to fill the job. He formerly was the public works director for Brentwood Borough.

Mayview site at Fairview closed while construction under way

The Mayview expansion site of Fairview Park is closed to the public during construction of a fenced, wooded dog park, a driveway, parking lots and other amenities. South Fayette Township anticipates finishing development and opening some features next year. Sign up for Parks and Recreation email or text updates: southfayettepa.com/notifyme.

Leaf collections set

Curbside leaf collection will be held Saturdays Oct. 29, Nov. 12 and Dec. 3 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.

Library board spot open

South Fayette Township Library is seeking applications for a volunteer position on the library board. The threeyear term starts in February. Find details and apply at southfayettelibrary.org/library-board.

Trick-or-treat is Oct. 31

Halloween trick-or-treat in South Fayette Township is 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mon. Oct. 31.

Sygan SNPJ holds drive-thru Halloween event Oct. 30

SNPJ Sygan Lodge 6 welcomes the public to a drive-thru trick-or-treat event in the parking lot at 540 3rd Ave., South Fayette. Entry is free. RSVPs are encouraged; email snpjcircle36@yahoo. com or send a Facebook message to "Sygan SNPJ Circle."

Fairview Park 5K fun run and walk set for Sun. Oct. 30

Walk-up participants are welcome to the second annual Evelsizer Family 5K on Sun. Oct. 30 at Fairview Park. Check-in starts at 8:30 a.m. Race is at 10 a.m.

The $30 registration fee includes race swag, free beer (age 21+) and live music. Axe throwing and a food vendor also will be available.

Adults and youth can run, walk or just sign up and enjoy the event, presented by South Fayette Township and the Western Pennsylvania chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates.

The fundraiser supports local police training: evelsizerfamily5K.com.

Joy-Thru tickets open Nov. 1

Free tickets to South Fayette Township's Joy-Thru Fairview holiday celebration are available starting at 8 a.m. Tues. Nov. 1: joythrufairview.com. Find event details on page 40 of this magazine.

South Fayette Township

South Fayette Township

Ask Abbey

To safely drain your swimming pool, you must direct the water into the sewage system. Pool water should never be emptied into storm drains, streets or yards.

Swimming pool water that is drained into the sanitary sewer system is sent to a treatment plant—the same place as dirty dishwater, toilet flushes and all other household wastewater.

Why can't I empty pool water into the yard or street?

Pool water may be contaminated by bacteria, chlorine and other chemicals that can harm humans, wildlife and vegetation.

That's why we should never drain pools into grass, roads or the stormwater system. Only rain and snowmelt are permitted in the storm sewer system, including the grates, inlets and drains commonly seen along curbs and parking lots.

Anything in the stormwater system ends up in natural waterways, eventually becoming our drinking water.

How do I access the sanitary sewer to drain my pool?

Sanitary sewer cleanouts provide access to sewage lines.

To find your sanitary sewer cleanout (or in some cases, sewer vent), look for the end of a pipe sticking out of the ground near your house or along the sewer line.

Modern cleanouts normally are capped with a small lid. Sewer vents have a circular grate on top.

To access the sanitary sewer, hold the raised square on the lid of the cleanout and unscrew the cap. Place a hose between your swimming pool and the cleanout. To prevent backflow, do not touch the hose to the bottom of the sewer pipe while draining.

If you are unsure how to access the sanitary sewer, contact the Municipal Authority of the Township of South Fayette: 412-257-5100 or matsf.net

Abbey Scheerer is an administrative assistant with South Fayette Township. Submit your question to magazine@sftwp. com or South Fayette Township, Attn: Ask Abbey, 515 Millers Run Road, South Fayette PA 15064.

Aveteran of the U.S. Air Force, Roman Williams began his career in the Air National Guard as part of the security force at the 171st Air Refueling Wing near Pittsburgh International Airport. After completing police training through the military, he joined the South Fayette Township Police Department in 2018. "There's a lot more variety here," he says.

Hometown: Grew up in Upper St. Clair; lives in Washington County

Pet: River, a German shepherd

Hobbies: Hunting, long-range shooting and Brazilian jiu-jitsu martial arts

Special Assignments: Serves as an instructor of firearms and jiu-jitsu for the police department

First Job: Lawn mowing

First Car: 2001 Ford Mustang GT, white with a tan convertible top

Favorite Foods: Beef stew, pasta, Pittsburgh-style steak salad

Favorite Vacation: The Bahamas with girlfriend, Sasha

Bucket List: Visit Alaska

Favorite Movies: The Shawshank Redemption, Goodfellas

Best Quality of South Fayette: "The people. I can't drive down the road without five people waving at me."

Fun Fact: Roman's father, also named Roman Williams, is a fulltime officer with the neighboring Bridgeville Police Department.

What's the right way to drain my swimming pool for the season?

No tolling in South Fayette

Township wins lawsuit against I-79 bridge toll plan

PennDOT does not appeal decision

By Andrea Iglar

There will be no bridge toll on Interstate 79 in South Fayette.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s proposal to toll nine bridges across the state was permanently blocked June 30, when the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled in favor of a lawsuit filed by South Fayette Township, Collier Township and Bridgeville Borough.

PennDOT did not appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court, and the 30-day window to challenge the ruling has expired.

“It is done, and it is over,” Gwen A. Rodi, president of the

South Fayette Township Board of Commissioners, said at the Aug. 10 board meeting.

“We officially won the case. There will be no tolling in South Fayette unless they come back to the drawing board and redo everything all over again.”

The Commonwealth Court unanimously found that PennDOT has no authority to implement the tolls, including on the I-79 bridge at the South Fayette/Bridgeville interchange.

“This ruling is a great relief to the many residents, business owners and local employees who have been worried about the

Emerald Sponsors ◆ South Fayette

South Fayette Township @SouthFayettePA South Fayette Township

financial burden of paying tolls on I-79,” Rodi said.

“The township acted quickly to protect the interests of our citizens and business community, and we are pleased with the result.”

The Major Bridge P3 Initiative—a statewide plan to use public-private partnerships to repair or replace bridges, including the I-79 bridge—was determined to be void.

The Commonwealth Court found that the PublicPrivate Transportation Partnership (P3) Board violated Act 88 and the P3 Manual when it did not name in advance the bridges it wanted to toll and failed to consult beforehand with the people who would be affected.

COMMITTED TO QUALITY AND CLIENT SATISFACTION SINCE 1916

Over the past century, we have provided continuous engineering services to state, county, and local governments, municipal authorities and private developers.

The PennDOT plan to toll a bridge on Interstate 79 in South Fayette has been defeated in a lawsuit. (File photo by Andrea Iglar)

"We officially won the case."

—Gwen Rodi, South Fayette Township

Another $1 million grant

Funding to help install artificial turf in Fairview Park

Field improvement project to benefit youth athletics

By Andrea Iglar

A single $1 million grant is plenty cause to celebrate.

But South Fayette Township has been awarded two million-dollar grants in as many years.

In September, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources awarded $1 million toward a project to renovate and install artificial turf on two multipurpose athletic fields in Fairview Park.

The project will benefit youth sports such as football, cheerleading, lacrosse and soccer.

Bob Julius, president of the South Fayette Youth Football Association, said artificial turf will reduce delays and cancellations, which occur frequently due to wet, muddy conditions on the existing grass fields.

“We’re really excited to have fields we can use more frequently and not worry about the condition of them from rain or wear and tear,” he said.

The renovations could be complete as early as fall 2024.

Last year, the state awarded South Fayette a $1 million grant to build a ball field complex on the Mayview expansion site of Fairview Park. The project includes three fields, with artificial turf infields, for youth baseball, softball and cricket.

South Fayette successfully gained the second grant thanks to robust community support and demand for field improvements, said township Parks and Recreation Director Paula Willis, who applied for the funding.

“Our surveys and feedback from the community have shown strong support for this project, and that was key to getting another million-dollar grant,” she said.

In a recent survey of parents involved with the South Fayette Athletic Association, 84% said artificial turf was important to them. A total of 72% were concerned about natural field conditions and drainage.

The areas to be renovated are Fields C and D, located below the Rotary Pavilion.

Plans also include stormwater drainage improvements, ADA-accessible pathways and two solar scoreboards (one new and one replacement). The township plans to install field lighting separately.

Willis said the project will enhance safety, expand field availability, increase accessibility and diversify recreational opportunities.

“Our youth athletes and their families will be able to access quality fields close to home, staying in our parks rather than seeking suitable fields elsewhere,” she said.

So far, the $2.3 million project is 46 percent funded by nontaxpayer dollars.

The $1 million grant comes from federal Land and Water Conservation Fund money through the Community Conservation Partnerships Program.

In addition, Washington Financial Bank is donating $25,000, and the South Fayette Athletic Association is contributing $40,000. Both are community commitments that helped secure the grant.

—Craig Ibella South Fayette Soccer Association

The balance will be covered by township capital funds and, potentially, additional grants.

The South Fayette Athletic Association includes the football association, South Fayette Soccer Association, South Fayette Youth Lacrosse Association and South Fayette Youth Cheerleading Association.

More than 1,500 children participate in these community sports groups—about a third of the township’s entire under-18 population. Youth in general comprise more than a quarter of the total township population.

Craig Ibella, president of the soccer group, said the grant is “an amazing win” for the community.

“Having this field will provide an opportunity for kids across multiple sports to play and grow their skills on a professional grade surface,” he said.

For more information about the South Fayette Athletic Association, visit southfayettepa.com/athletics

Two multipurpose athletic fields (right and center) in Fairview Park will be renovated with synthetic turf, thanks in part to a $1 million grant. (Photo by Bob Julius)

South Fayette CitizenLink @SouthFayetteTownship @SouthFayetteTwp

South Fayette Township @SouthFayettePA South Fayette Township

"This field will provide an opportunity for kids across multiple sports to play and grow their skills."

At Preservation Park, Dale Kirkpatrick drives a tractor pulling an aerator, which punctures the soil surface to allow grass roots to receive oxygen, water and nutrients.

Field Days

by Dan Dernosek

From spring to fall each year, the South Fayette Township Public Works Department maintains and repairs athletic fields in Fairview, Morgan, Boys Home, Preservation and Sturgeon parks. Among other tasks, crews paint lines; mow, aerate and fertilize grass; repair turf; groom infields; complete drainage repairs; and maintain field amenities such as lights and bleachers. This year, they added lights to a ball field in Fairview.

Photos

—Andrea Iglar

Lifted 60 feet up, Mark Mitchell and Joe Bastaroli change bulbs in the ball field lights at Morgan Park.

Trent Delaney uses a plate tamper to compact infill mix on an infield at Morgan Park.

Joe Bastaroli paints lines for football in Fairview Park.

Mark Mitchell and Alan Desmet run an electrical conduit to Fairview Field B, where light poles were installed this summer.

SPOTLIGHT

Kevington Homeowner Association: Kevington HOA

Management Company: To be determined

Built: 2017–present

Number of Homes: 12 single-family houses, with 5 lots remaining

Builders: Dan Ryan Builders, Kamyk Custom Homes, Bring your own builder

Street: Nicole Drive

Location: Former farmland along Hickory Grade Road, near Bowman Road and Parks Road

HOA Top Issues of Interest: Code Enforcement, Development, Stormwater

Fun Fact: Developers Mearl and Diana Kamyk named the neighborhood Kevington after their son, Kevin, and the plan's street after their daughter, Nicole. The Kamyks are residents of South Fayette Township, and their children graduated from South Fayette High School.

Website: kamykcustomhomes.com

TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY

Neighbors get to know each other in 17-lot plan South Fayette couple established Kevington in country setting

By Andrea Iglar

Kevington residents tend to appreciate spacious homes and smaller neighborhoods.

When Zasha Shary Pilsner and her husband, Matt, were expecting their second child and looking to upsize their home, they happened upon Kevington, a 17-lot neighborhood along Hickory Grade Road in South Fayette.

They liked the idea of a larger home and sizable yard—but in a neighborhood with fewer homes overall.

“The other place that we lived, it was a lot bigger and we really didn’t have a sense of community there,” Zasha Pilsner said. “So when we saw [Kevington] was a lot smaller, and we saw that there were kids outside, we were drawn to it.”

so the Kevington project wasn’t a huge stretch, but it was challenging—especially during pandemic-related work shutdowns in 2020.

Even so, Diana said it’s a “rewarding and satisfying feeling” to see people living in Kevington today.

“This is where they’re going to raise their families,” she said. “It almost gives me goosebumps.”

The property formerly had a cattle and dairy farm and a horse stable, Kamyk said.

“This is where they’re going to raise their families. It almost gives me goosebumps.”

Ryan Gilbert, whose family relocated from a much larger housing plan, said living in a neighborhood with only one road, Nicole Drive, helps make Kevington a tight-knit community.

“The kids have friends on the street, and you get to know your neighbors a lot better with one street versus having 200 homes in a big community,” he said.

Twelve families—with roughly 25 children among them—have built in Kevington so far. Five lots remain available, for sale by owners Mearl and Diana Kamyk.

The unusually small development is the vision of the Kamyks, who are 30-year residents of Oak Ridge Road in South Fayette.

In 2006, they purchased 20 acres of former farmland along Hickory Grade Road, near Bowman Road and Parks Road, intending to live on the hilltop site themselves. Eventually, they decided to develop a small neighborhood instead, with spacious lots and preserved woods.

Mearl had established his construction business, Kamyk Custom Homes, in 1987,

Her deed research shows a dozen owners since 1862, starting with J. Jordan and followed by William Bowman in 1872 and Henry and Adelaide Frick (assumedly the famous Pittsburgh industrialist and his wife) in 1901.

—Diana Kamyk, Kevington developer

Other landowners were John and Mary Yankovic (1921), Margaret McNillin (1924), Flora Parks (1962), Henry and Mary Gallina (1978), James and Mary Benning (1980), McClusky (1992), Joseph and Anita Durkin (2004) and Gerald and Bridgett Renz (2005).

The Kamyks eventually removed the existing farmhouse and barn, with pieces of the 1800s-era barn being sent to rebuild a historical barn in Washington County.

Given the history of the land and the wooded natural surroundings, the Kamyks found it important to preserve several acres of woods and keep green space between homes. Each lot is at least three-quarters of an acre, with spacious front, rear and side yards and wooded areas in the back.

Gilbert said he and his wife, Jessica, value the extra space for their 7-year-old twin boys and 5-year-old daughter.

“In a lot of the new developments now, every house is stacked on top of the other, so the general space was attractive,” Gilbert said.

The Southern Beltway is visible from

certain parts of Kevington, but residents said they don’t notice the highway from their homes, and its proximity is convenient for traveling to Pittsburgh International Airport.

Pilsner said the location, spaciousness and views in Kevington benefit not only her immediate family, including daughters Madison, 3, and Mia, 1, but also her relatives when they visit from Ecuador.

“I have a big family and they tend to visit a lot, so it’s just nice to be able to provide people with the space to be comfortable,” Pilsner said, adding that her relatives love watching the evening sky from the Kevington hilltop.

“The sunsets are phenomenal,” she said.

Overall, her neighbors feel like extended family, with kids hanging out together and adults helping each other.

“It’s very welcoming," Pilsner said. "And especially if you have younger kids, it’s very nice to know your kids will have someone to play with.”

▼ Twelve homes are built in the 17-lot Kevington neighborhood, on Nicole Drive along Hickory Grade Road. The Southern Beltway and Route 50 are visible at top left. (Drone image courtesy of Kamyk Custom Homes)

South Fayette residents Mearl Kamyk, left, and Diana Kamyk are the developers of Kevington. (Photo by Andrea Iglar)

Where there’s smoke, there’s a violation

Allegheny County regulates outdoor burning

Keep size and smoke under control when you have a recreational fire

By South Fayette Township Staff

Fire pits are a great place to bring together friends and family for a social gathering. You can fire up a toasted marshmallow or cook a full-on dinner.

However, there are restrictions on outdoor fires, known as open burning.

Open burning in South Fayette Township is governed by the regulations of Allegheny County and enforced by the South Fayette Township Police Department and the Allegheny County Health Department.

Recreational burning or cooking does not require a permit when it meets county rules “and is done in a manner which contributes a negligible amount of air contaminants,” according to the health department.

You can have a recreational fire in your fire pit, outdoor fireplace, chiminea or grill if you follow these guidelines:

• Fires may be no larger than 3 feet wide by 3 feet long by 2 feet high.

• Fires must be at least 15 feet from the nearest neighbor's dwelling or inhabited area, such as a property line, roadway or sidewalk.

• Permitted burning materials are clean wood, propane and natural gas, as well as commercial fire logs, paraffin logs or wood pellets for outdoor fireplaces.

• Paper or commercial smokeless fire starters are permitted for the purposes of starting a fire.

Outdoor Fires

Recreational Fire Size:

• Charcoal may be used only for the preparation of food.

All wood burning activities are prohibited on Air Quality Action Days, with the exception of burning for the commercial preparation of food.

Sign up to receive notifications of no-burn days at alleghenycounty.us/alerts.

Smoke is a surefire way to generate complaints from your neighbors and could result in a visit from the police.

When burning, please aim to minimize the amount of smoke. Burning fires for extended periods of time, or burning too frequently, may be considered nuisances due to the severity of the amount of air pollutants.

You also should consider the topography of the surrounding land and the weather conditions to keep smoke from bothering your neighbors.

Trash burning always is prohibited. Fires are not allowed in township parks.

The county health department issues permits for other types of open burning, such as ceremonies, the fostering of agriculture and firefighting instruction.

Code: Allegheny County Health Department, Article XXI §2105.50, Open Burning

Purpose: To protect from the negative health effects of outdoor fires

Enforcement: South Fayette Township Police Department and Allegheny County Health Department

View Code & Resources: southfayettepa.com/burning

If you have an immediate complaint about smoke from an outdoor fire, call 911 for the South Fayette police. Complaints about nuisance fires also may be directed to the health department by calling 412-687-2243 or visiting callcenter. alleghenycounty.us.

MIND THE GUTTER

Gutters and downspouts collect and channel rainwater

Installations and repairs must follow stormwater guidelines

By South Fayette Township Staff

Let’s put our mind in the gutter—and also the downspout.

As part of stormwater management, South Fayette Township must ensure that gutters and downspouts are properly installed on homes.

When operating correctly, gutters collect rainwater from the roof, and downspouts channel the water to the ground, away from a home’s foundation.

When a problem occurs, the best solution is to make repairs and simply return the gutter and downspout to their original state.

However, that approach is not always simple or cost effective, and when that is the case, a new system needs to be installed.

Whether planning an installation or repair, the question arises: “How do I manage the water?”

South Fayette Township’s stormwater ordinance states, in short, that water cannot be released into the street or directly affect neighboring properties.

Even if your home currently releases water to the street, any new work will not be permitted to do that, and new discharges cannot be added to existing drainpipes that flow to the street.

Connecting to the sanitary sewer (the destination of toilet flushes and dirty water) is not an option.

Here are a few options for discharging water:

• The easiest, most inexpensive option is to allow the stormwater to drain to the surface of your property. Make sure you have enough area for the water to infiltrate the ground before the water can reach the street or neighboring properties. This socalled “daylighting” also ensures the water will not seep into the soil directly next to your own home, affecting your foundation.

• The next best option is to connect to either the township’s storm sewer system at the street or your homeowner association’s roof drain collectors. However, getting to those pipes or a road inlet is not always easy due to objects in the way like driveways, sidewalks, and sheds or other structures on your property. Connections to those pipes require prior township approval and must be inspected prior to backfill.

• A third option is to install a dry well, which is a pit in the ground filled with stone that allows water to infiltrate the surrounding soil. For more information on dry wells, please refer to spring 2022 issue of South Fayette Connect.

As always, call 811 or visit paonecall.org before you dig.

Stormwater information: southfayettepa.com/water

Gutters (top) collect rainwater from the roof, and downspouts channel the water to the ground.

A history of Sturgeon fire engines

Volunteer fire department chartered 75 years ago

The Sturgeon Volunteer Fire Department in South Fayette celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.

The department began meeting in 1946 and was chartered with the township in 1947. Its founding was prompted by a major blaze four years earlier at the Sturgeon Hotel, which was located on Main Street across from the current fire hall parking lot.

Originally, emergency calls went through a switchboard connected to Hajduk’s Bar (now Valentour’s restaurant) or Rank’s General Store (now Hunner’s restaurant), and the owners triggered an air raid siren to alert firefighters.

The department has a rich history of fire engines, spanning from a donated 1929 American LaFrance to a 2021 Spartan Custom IPS-NXT Pumper—the first engine purchased new in 20 years. Here are some historical fire engine photos.

—Andrea Iglar

Clockwise from top left: In 1946, Sturgeon Volunteer Fire Department's first fire engine was a 1929 American LaFrance pumper donated by the Dravosburg Fire Department in the Monongahela Valley. ◆ Later that year, founding members bought a Studebaker garbage truck from the early 1940s and converted it to a fire engine using equipment from the American LaFrance. ◆ In 1952, firefighters purchased the first of two new Mack open-cab fire engines. ◆ A 1958 Chevrolet Apache squad truck (left), the second Mack and a 1972 Seagrave are displayed in the early 1970s. ◆ A second new Seagrave pumper, purchased in 1980, was the first truck in a yellow hue. Today's vehicles are white with blue and grey striping.

Images courtesy of the Sturgeon Volunteer Fire Department

Green Sponsor ◆ South Fayette Community Day ◆ Thank you!

Municipal center construction progressing

Construction of the new South Fayette Township municipal center is under way on 10 acres at 323 Hickory Grade Road.

The $16 million, 36,000-square-foot facility will include administrative offices, public meeting chambers and a police station. Completion is anticipated in fall 2023. The new municipal center will replace the existing, 65-yearold offices and police station on Millers Run Road.

In September, general contractor DiMarco Construction Co., Inc. of Clairton built walls for the first level of the two-story building (pictured). The first floor will be the police station.

The building pictured on the hill above the construction site is vacant and will be torn down to make way for a community center, which will be a separate building on the same campus as the municipal center.

—Photo & text by Andrea Iglar

New, blue look for two cop cars

Two dark blue police cars join the fleet of vehicles operated by the South Fayette Township Police Department.

The 2022 Ford Police Interceptors hit the roads in July.

The replacement vehicles are dark blue with markings that include the word "police" in white with a gold border, "South Fayette Twp" in white lettering and the township police patch.

As always, call 911 for emergencies or police assistance.

—Photo & text by Andrea Iglar

Cpl Robert G. Rank Army

Soccer team raises money at car wash

by Colleen Patel

South Fayette Girls Soccer held a car wash in August at South Fayette Sunoco on Route 50. They raised $1,800 for their boosters group. More than 30 players, three coaches and numerous parents volunteered. The Sturgeon Volunteer Fire Department brought a fire engine to support the event.

—Andrea Iglar

Photos

▼ Camdyn Johnson, Emma Ferrari & Nora Davidovich

Ella Gagliardino

▼ Anna Hertzler, Cami Feltz & Sammi Sharrer ▼ Reagan McLaughlin & Caitlin Snyder

▼ Alex Delaney, Mia Patel & Bella Gruntz

House on Haunted Hill

Rick Trombetta spent 25 hours over four days installing a Halloween display on and around his house, 1300 Marbleseed Lane, in the Newbury neighborhood of South Fayette. Over the past seven years, he has created handmade decorations using materials such as foam board, PVC pipe, spray paint, plywood, ping-pong balls, plastic bowls, Goodwill clothing and even bed sheets dipped in concrete.

To create a “rotten patch,” he purchased plastic pumpkins and deformed them by carving and painting them and melting them with a blowtorch. He said the props must withstand high winds since he lives on a ridge.

At night, the Halloween display is lit with purple and orange flood lights. Decorations stay up through Nov. 1.

Photos & text by Andrea Iglar

Diamond Sponsors ◆ Community Day ◆ Thank you!

Soccer Skills

Players from the Pittsburgh Riverhounds visited South Fayette Township’s Summer Playground Camp at Fairview Park in August. Above, soccer club players Danny Griffin, left, and Albert Dikwa demonstrate some skills, much to the delight of campers and counselors, right.

Photos courtesy of Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

movies in the park

South Fayette Township Parks and Recreation screened five movies in Fairview Park this summer and fall, including "Encanto," below. Prior to the shows, children met in-person characters such as a dragon warrior princess, left.

Photos by Ian McNeill

South Fayette CitizenLink @SouthFayetteTownship @SouthFayetteTwp

South Fayette Township

Veterinary clinic added to Hastings

Greentree Animal Clinic veterinarian Tierney Kelly, left, gathers Oct. 6 with staff members Jordan Blanc, Jamie Monroe, Christyn DelGross, Temmy Reilly and Jackie Perri.

Greentree Animal Clinic has chosen South Fayette for its second location.

Founded in 1966 on Greentree Road in Scott Township, the veterinary clinic has six doctors plus staff who treat dogs, cats and animals such as small mammals, birds and non-venomous reptiles.

The full-service clinic offers wellness exams, same-day sick appointments and surgical services in the Hastings neighborhood along Mayview Road.

After temporarily opening in a storefront, the clinic finished construction of a 6,536-square-foot, $1.2 million freestanding space and moved in Aug. 29.

Jackie Perri, the director of clinic operations, said some local residents walk their pets to the clinic.

"The Hastings community fits us very well," she said.

Greentree Animal Clinic South, 1460 Hastings Crescent, South Fayette: 412-276-3311; Facebook, Instagram; greentreevet.com

Tesla construction nears completion

The first Tesla dealership in Allegheny County is expected to open in early fall along Interstate 79 in South Fayette Township. Electric car maker Tesla, Inc. is building a 35,000-squarefoot showroom and service center at Newbury Market near Carvana, Topgolf and BJ's Wholesale Club. (Drone image courtesy of Team TF South Fayette)

—Andrea Iglar

South Fayette team wins contest for creating gingerbread smoothie

The staff of Tropical Smoothie Café in South Fayette has won a company-wide contest to create their own smoothie.

The winning gingerbread smoothie will be offered at all 1,100 café locations this holiday season, and it is already available in South Fayette.

“I'm very proud of our team and café for coming up with such an awesome holiday-themed treat,” coowner Curt Fignar said. “Perhaps it will become the next pumpkin spice latte.”

Tropical Smoothie, Gateway Shops at Newbury Market, 156 Millers Run Road, South Fayette: 412-220-2395; tropicalsmoothiecafe.com.

—Andrea Iglar

—Photo & text by Andrea Iglar

Changing Gears

Schulz Service Center celebrates 40 years

Family-owned business repairs anything with an engine

By Andrea Iglar

Darryl Schulz has changed gears a lot during his 40 years in business.

But one thing, he said, has remained the same: “We fix stuff.”

Schulz repairs anything with an engine—cars, trucks, motorcycles, dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles, lawn mowers and more.

“We have tooling to fix anything,” Schulz said. “We have been doing that for years, and I haven’t lost sight of that.”

The four-acre, 18,000-square-foot Schulz Service Center on Morgan Hill Road in South Fayette houses three branches: Schulz Truck & Auto, Schulz Cycle & ATV and Schulz Lawn & Garden.

“We specialize in everything,” general manager Amanda McCreary said, noting every department has an expert technician.

At the heart of the multifaceted, independently owned and operated business is Schulz himself.

Growing up in Shaler among a family of mechanics, Schulz always was fascinated by engines. As a kid, he would tear apart

lawn mower engines for fun and put them back together. As a teen, he would fix dirt bikes in the neighborhood, and then he moved on to bigger vehicles.

At age 18 he started his own repair business, operating in Hopewell, Presto and then South Fayette, where his family has lived since 1988. The shop moved into the Morgan neighborhood in 2004.

“All through the years, I just kept progressing,” Schulz, 58, said. “It’s amazing, everybody looks for people to fix things.”

This year, Schulz celebrates four decades in business.

McCreary said she began visiting the service center with her father when she was four years old, and then became an employee during college. Over the years, she has observed that Schulz cares about customers and community.

“I think that’s why he’s been in business for 40 years,” McCreary said. “It’s that side of, ‘I’m going to give back and I actually, genuinely care,’ that I think keeps us rolling.”

Darryl Schulz shows various types of vehicles that can be repaired and maintained at his service center, including riding lawn mowers, cycles, allterrain vehicles, trucks and cars. (Photo courtesy of Schulz Service Center)

The business employs about 20 people, from mechanics to office staff, and Schulz said the diverse set of skills and talents makes the team strong.

Schulz said technicians are rewarded for being knowledgeable and efficient, not for finding more problems when they look at a car.

“Customers bring their vehicle here trusting you’ll do a good job, so do a good job,” he said.

For peace of mind, mechanics send customers pictures and videos of defective parts along with their estimates, and they send follow-up footage once a new part is installed.

While he is a successful business owner, Schulz thinks of himself mainly as a mechanic, and he constantly reads up on new technology.

“I take a lot of pride in it," he said.

He also prides himself in training newer mechanics through an apprenticeship program and involvement with local vocational schools.

Schulz Service Center repairs and inspects personal vehicles; maintains commercial fleets; rebuilds diesel and gas engines; works on motorcycles, dirt bikes, all- and utility-terrain vehicles, trailers and all brands of lawn equipment; and sells Husqvarna brand lawn tractors and power tools.

The company also sponsors a cycle racing team, a sport that has earned Schulz trophies over the years.

“That’s been a key thing that has driven me to keep pushing and keep growing,” Schulz said.

The business is known for handling hard jobs and has gained a loyal customer base due in part to their expertise.

Service manager Jean DiPietro said repeat business comes from multiple generations, with teenagers of existing customers bringing their cars to Schulz when they start driving.

“We see the same faces, they see the same faces,” she said. “You build trust with them.”

Schulz said overall, he just tries to be honest and treat people the way he wants to be treated.

"That’s really been a great business plan that works for us, and people appreciate that," he said.

Schulz Service Center, 106 Morgan Hill Road, South Fayette: 412-257-3188; Facebook, YouTube, Instagram; schulzbridgeville.com

▶ Truck and auto technician Caleb Valduga works on the engine of a Ford F-550 at Schulz Truck & Auto in August.

▼ Mechanics and office employees join owner Darryl Schulz, center, in front of the service center in August.

◀

◀ The showroom at Schulz displays Husqvarna brand power tools, such as chainsaws and string trimmers.

(Photos courtesy of Schulz Service Center)

Fresh, Filled & Frosted

Doughnuts made

from scratch daily before dawn

Madsen Donuts continues 84-year tradition in South Fayette

Story

& photos by Andrea Iglar

The only thing frozen at Madsen Donuts is the ice cream.

The doughnuts are made from scratch every morning, well before daybreak.

Christian Bergsma, manager of the new South Fayette shop, wakes at 2 a.m. weekdays and drives from Weirton, West Virginia, to the Cuddy neighborhood to start making dough at 3 a.m. “I love it,” he said. “My best hours are early in the morning.”

In September, Mt. Lebanon residents Brian and Milica Peltz, owners of the Madsen Donuts in Castle Shannon, opened their second location in South Fayette.

“We’ve been really welcomed by the community,” Brian Peltz said.

Fresh doughnuts, Nicholas coffee and Miller’s Creamery ice cream are available seven days a week at the corner of Battle Ridge Road and Millers Run Road.

The Pittsburgh-area shops are franchises of the original Madsen Donuts, established in 1938 at Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio, a resort town on the Lake Erie shoreline.

Alex Peltz, 22, said his family goes on vacation there every summer, and his father’s family had visited since 1964.

“We know the donuts very well,” he said. “A lot of Pittsburghers go up there, and people love the donuts so much.”

Madsen Donuts Pittsburgh offers 13 varieties of raised-dough and cake doughnuts. That’s one extra type than in Ohio because the Peltz family offers jelly sticks coated with powdered sugar, in addition to the ones traditionally coated with fine sugar.

The most popular varieties are the cream stick and cinnamon stick, but everyone has their favorite.

Gary Danley likes the cinnamon sugar. He stopped into the South Fayette shop Oct. 6 for an assortment of doughnuts.

“They’re awesome,” he said. “And I like to support local.”

Madsen partners with Nicholas Coffee & Tea Co. of Pittsburgh to supply coffee—including Madsen’s signature blend chosen by Milica Peltz.

The shop also offers about 15 flavors of super-premium ice cream from Miller’s Creamery of Dover, Ohio.

The South Fayette shop, including indoor and outdoor seating areas, is the largest of the three Madsen Donuts locations.

Employees make roughly 1,000 doughnuts each weekday and 2,000 on Saturdays and Sundays. With advance notice, they can make additional for parties and special events.

The daily process of making doughnuts starts with flour, eggs, cocoa, milk and other ingredients, some of which are part of secret recipes.

With the aid of special kitchen appliances, workers make the dough, roll it into sheets and cut it into shapes—circles, sticks or holes.

Yeast doughnuts are placed onto screens and put in a proofer, which uses heat and humidity to help the dough rise.

All doughnuts are cooked in a fryer and then placed on cooling racks. Finally, they are filled, frosted and topped.

The homemade chocolate frosting and marshmallow cream filling follow the original recipes of founder Carl Madsen.

“We’ve been keeping to a lot of the traditional ways,” Alex Peltz said. “If it works, why fix it?”

Madsen Donuts is open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekends. Call to preorder larger quantities or doughnut holes.

Madsen Donuts, 4097 Battle Ridge Road, South Fayette: 412-385-5491; Facebook, Instagram; madsendonuts.com

◀ Jayne Laskey uses a filling machine to inject two doughnut sticks with black raspberry-apple jelly.

▶ Glazed, sugar, cream and jelly doughnuts await customers behind the glass display case.

▶ Brian Peltz, left, and his son, Alex Peltz, display trays of cream sticks and glazed doughnuts on the patio of Madsen Donuts in South Fayette.

The Peltz family opened the shop at the corner of Battle Ridge Road and Millers Run Road in the Cuddy neighborhood.

▼ Store manager Christian Bergsma fills a box with a dozen assorted doughnuts.

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It's All Relative

New ownership stays in the family

Carnegie Exterminators moves to Morgan neighborhood

By Andrea Iglar

Childhood friends have taken ownership of a longtime family business and moved it to South Fayette Township.

Pavel Shlyahovsky and Ivan Shulikov assumed ownership of Carnegie Exterminators in April and moved the 64-year-old business to the Morgan neighborhood.

The family tree is a bit complicated, but in essence, the pest control company remains owned and operated by the same family. Shlyahovsky is nephew-in-law of John Vogel, whose parents started the business in Carnegie Borough in 1958.

“We’re honored to take over Johnny’s business and keep it in the family,” Shlyahovsky said.

Friends since childhood, the new owners met in Italy in 1989 when their families were fleeing the crumbling Soviet Union.

“Ivan’s from Russia, I’m from Ukraine, and we’re getting along very well,” Shlyahovsky said.

The two men now are related by marriage, too; Shlyahovsky’s younger brother, Mark, married Shulikov’s cousin Victoria, who is the company’s customer service representative.

“It’s definitely a family legacy,” Shulikov said.

Shlyahovsky also owns Shly Construction, a deck builder next door.

Vogel had aimed to retire by 57—the age his father had died. Indeed, the business changed hands before Vogel’s 58th birthday, thanks to his relatives.

Carnegie Exterminators offers a variety of residential and commercial pest control services, including inspection, treatment and prevention.

In the winter, the company offers Christmas light installation and removal on home exteriors.

Founded in 1958 by Joseph George and Anna Marie Vogel, Carnegie Exterminators began as a supply store for small

restaurants, bars and stores and expanded to pest control.

Eventually, the Vogels had five sons and at one point named the business Carnegie Pest Control and Sons. The business had other name changes also.

John, the youngest son, recalled his mother—now age 87— running the household plus answering business calls and writing contracts, all from their home in Carnegie.

“She was the backbone of the company,” he said.

Today, his niece-in-law, Victoria Shlyahovsky, fills a similar role as the first point of contact with customers.

“She has the most important position in the company,” Vogel said. “Every call that comes into the office has to be the most important call. Without the customer, the business is nothing.”

In the late 1960s and 1970s, the Vogels often traded services, receiving payment in the form of bicycles, snow sleds, furniture, mattresses, hardware and food.

“Back then, people who owned small stores would barter,” Vogel said.

In 1987, John’s brother Jim took over the family business, and in January 2000, it was John’s turn.

Over his decades at the helm, Vogel took pride in providing good service at a fair price.

“The business was intended to be a service, not to see what I could take from customers, but to see what I could provide for them, and make a good living for my family,” Vogel said.

The tagline of Carnegie Exterminators is “old-fashioned service with new technology.”

“We just don’t accept bicycles or sleds anymore,” Shulikov said with a laugh.

Carnegie Exterminators: 540 Millers Run Road, South Fayette: 412-983-0000; Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn; carnegieexterminators.com. Holiday services: carnegielights.com

Family members Pavel Shlyahovsky, left, John Vogel, Ivan Shulikov and Victoria Shlyahovsky stand outside the Carnegie Exterminators office in South Fayette in September. (Photo by Andrea Iglar)

Brentwood Bank celebrates 100 years

Brentwood Bank is celebrating its centennial this year.

At the South Fayette branch in August, banker Lori Koch, left, branch manager Doug Travers and teller Stephen Holik celebrated the 100-year anniversary with a trivia game that offered participants a chance to win a $100 gift card.

The bank also gave away cookies and merchandise.

Founded in 1922, Brentwood Bank—originally named Tunnel Building and Loan—began with one employee who met steel mill workers as they exited a streetcar to deposit their paychecks.

Today, the bank operates five branches in South Fayette, Brentwood, Bethel Park, South Park and Bridgewater, with 100 employees serving thousands of personal and business customers.

Thomas Bailey, president and CEO of Brentwood Bank, said he is proud of the 100-year milestone.

"We are excited about the future and our plans to introduce new products and services to help our customers meet their financial goals," he said.

Brentwood Bank, 3039 Washington Pike, South Fayette: 412-446-2265; Facebook, LinkedIn; brentwoodbank.com

—Andrea Iglar

Photo courtesy of Brentwood Bank

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Diamond Sponsor ◆ Touch-a-Truck ◆ Thank you!

Kitchen & Bath Makeovers

Stone distributor sets up in South Fayette International company MSI sells granite, quartz and other surfaces

By Andrea Iglar

The company that supplied black granite for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., has added a location in South Fayette Township.

MS International Inc., known as MSI or MSI Surfaces, held a grand opening in August at its 73,000-square-foot space in Bursca Business Park.

MSI is a wholesaler of countertops, flooring, wall tile and hardscaping. The company is among the Top 20 container importers in the U.S.

Rup Shah, company president, said the Pittsburgh area needed more locally available product choices.

“This building and this township ended up being the perfect location based on what our customers were telling us,” he said.

The South Fayette warehouse stocks thousands of slabs of granite, marble, quartz and other materials for projects related to the kitchen, bath, patio and more.

MSI does not sell directly to the public, but the showroom is open to the public for material viewing and selection.

Products are purchased through a network of dealers and retailers, which may include contractors, builders, fabricators and designers.

Last year, MSI purchased the former BL Cream Company site for $3.35 million and invested about $1.8 million in remodeling the building, which had included huge refrigerated warehouses to store sour cream.

The renovated space includes warehouse, distribution and office space, plus a showroom.

Shah is a son of company founders Manu and Rika Shah, who originally were from India and launched MSI in 1975 in the basement of their home in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

While Manu Shah held a full-time job as a mechanical engineer, the couple also worked part-time selling blocks of granite, sourced from India, to manufacturers of monuments and tombstones.

◀ The MSI warehouse stocks thousands of slabs of natural stone, such as granite and marble.

▼ MSI president Rup Shah, fourth from left, joins South Fayette Township officials, at left, and MSI staff, at right, for a ribbon cutting Aug. 31.

After successfully investing their entire savings in 1981 into the Vietnam memorial project, they expanded MSI and moved to California.

In 1987, the company redirected efforts toward importing natural stone for residential and commercial uses.

Today, MSI supplies a variety of natural and manufactured materials. The company employs more than 3,000 people worldwide, and annual revenues exceed $2 billion. Products are imported from about 37 countries on six continents.

Township Manager John M. Barrett said he was impressed with MSI’s transformation of the building in South Fayette.

“It indicates that MSI cares about quality and wants to be a valuable member of our business community,” he said.

MSI Pittsburgh: 3115 Washington Pike, South Fayette: 412-319-5400; Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube; msisurfaces.com.

Photo by Andrea Iglar

Photo courtesy of Arthur & Anthony Photography

South Fayette Township @SouthFayettePA South Fayette Township

Chiropractor spouses practice together in Abele

Origins Chiropractic and Wellness celebrated a grand opening this summer at Abele Business Park in South Fayette.

Business owners Erena Lanza and her husband, Kynan Tarnowski, are chiropractors who met when they attended Life University in Georgia. They practiced in Idaho before returning to live in Upper St. Clair, where Lanza had grown up.

The couple opened shop in South Fayette in December and held a ribbon cutting in June, along with their newborn, Ellaria (pictured).

Lanza is an upper cervical specialist, and Tarnowski is a Gonstead practitioner.

Origins Chiropractic and Wellness, 50 Abele Road, Suite 1003, South Fayette: 412-998-9966; Facebook, Twitter; originschiro.com.

Now performing weekdays and weekends

Learning is a passionate and personal pursuit. For each child, it carries its own momentum, power and rhythm. Confidence and creativity grow in and out of the classroom, and at Kiddie Academy®, we recognize that it's never too early to nurture every learning opportunity.

kiddieacademy.com/south-fayette (412) 221-5658

Kiddie Academy of South Fayette

3169 Washington Pike South Fayette, PA 15017

Diamond Sponsor ◆ Concert in the Park ◆ Thank you! Diamond Sponsor ◆ Joy-Thru Fairview ◆ Thank you!

—Andrea Iglar

Photo courtesy of Burns Scalo Real Estate

Fire up the Feast

Firebirds Wood Fired Grill set to open this fall

Steak and seafood restaurant coming to The Piazza in South Fayette

By Andrea Iglar

A steak and seafood restaurant is coming to South Fayette.

Firebirds Wood Fired Grill is set to open Nov. 14 at The Piazza, a shopping center under construction at Interstate 79.

The South Fayette restaurant will be the 56th Firebirds in the country and the sixth in Pennsylvania. The nearest location opened in Cranberry in 2017.

“We’ve had success there and great feedback from the local community,” said Stephen Loftis, chief brand officer for the Charlotte, North Carolina-based restaurant chain.

“So as we continued to look at the general area, we found that South Fayette made a great opportunity for us.”

Firebirds, established in 2000, is investing $3 million into the 6,219-square-foot space in South Fayette, including 218 seats and a patio. The restaurant is hiring more than 100 full- and part-time employees.

Steak

Billing itself as a polished-casual restaurant serving classic American cuisine, Firebirds specializes in hand-cut steaks and fresh seafood cooked over a wood fire, plus other entrees, appetizers, soups, salads and desserts. Most dishes are made from scratch.

Loftis said cooking over hardwood, such as oak, imparts flavor to dishes like the best-selling wood-fired salmon.

Trained staff butcher the beef on site each day, he said.

The lodge-like atmosphere includes views of the grill and the kitchen team, plus a dramatically backlit bar that focuses on specialty cocktails, wines and craft beers.

“It’s a really great environment,” Loftis said. “We do feel like we’re pretty unique and set ourselves apart.”

Lunch prices start at $14.95 for a combo or $24 for an entrée. Dinner starts around $32. Brunch will be served on weekends.

The menu always offers freshsqueezed lemonade, with $1.25 from each glass sold being donated to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, which funds childhood cancer research.

The restaurant has a long-term lease at The Piazza, a restaurant and retail center being developed by Burns Scalo Real Estate on the former Star City Cinemas property.

In addition to dining and bar service, meat will be available from the butcher shop to take home and grill. Family and holiday meals will be available for curbside pickup.

“We’re excited to be here and look forward to celebrating over the holidays with everybody,” Loftis said.

Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, 201 Millers Run Road, South Fayette: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube; firebirdsrestaurants.com.

and seafood are among the menu items cooked over a wood-fired grill at Firebirds, set to open in South Fayette in November. (Architectural rendering courtesy of Firebirds)

Ivybrook Academy offers half-day preschool

Ivybrook Academy South Fayette, a half-day private preschool, opened in The Shoppes at Bursca in August.

The facility offers preschool programs for toddlers through five-year-olds, plus private kindergarten.

Half-day classes are held in the mornings; an afternoon option will be added next school year.

Franchise owners Darah and Denis Kirstein are lifelong residents of Bethel Park. They have four daughters between the ages of 2 and 10.

"We believe in this product so much that our own daughters will be students here,” Denis Kirstein said.

The preschool celebrated its grand opening Aug. 11 with an open house, music, ice cream, face painting, balloons,

storytelling and other children's activities.

Established in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area in 2007, Ivybrook Academy has 30 campuses across nine states. The South Fayette location is the first in Pennsylvania.

Darah Kirstein said the facility was designed to enhance the learning experience.

"Education is not one size fits all,” she said. “We've got to encourage and embrace different learning styles. That's what Ivybrook is all about."

Ivybrook Academy, 3127 Washington Pike, Suite 500, South Fayette: 412-453-8660; Facebook, Instagram; ivybrookacademy.com/south-fayette.

—Andrea Iglar

The Kirstein family prepares to cut the ribbon in August at Ivybrook Academy in South Fayette. (Photo courtesy of Burns Scalo Real Estate)

POLICE TRAINED IN MARTIAL ARTS

Defensive techniques reduce the level of force

South Fayette police Lt. John Leininger demonstrates a move on fellow officer Roman Williams as part of a defensive tactics system for police adapted from the grappling-style martial art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

JIUJITSU gonna getchu

BY Andrea Iglar

PHOTOS Shelley Phoennik

in stressful moments, rise to the occasion; our level of training.

That’s what Lt. John Leininger says when he teaches fellow police officers.

The importance of training led Leininger, with 14 years of instructor experience, to introduce the South Fayette Township Police Department to jiu-jitsu, a ground-based, grappling-style martial art.

The system helps police defend themselves and nonviolently control a person who is physically resisting arrest, even if that person is larger or stronger.

It’s an issue brought to the forefront by George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis in 2020.

“It hurt to watch that because I expected better from my own community of law enforcement,” Leininger said.

While the South Fayette police department has policies and procedures to help protect against excessive use of force, the jiu-jitsu training provides an additional tool to officers.

Police Chief John Phoennik said the program can protect both the officer and the person resisting arrest.

“It can minimize a harsher use of force,” Phoennik said. “That’s why I thought it would be a good thing to do.”

In the Army in Afghanistan, and later as a hobbyist, Leininger practiced various defensive tactics and martial arts, including jiu-jitsu, which translates to “gentle art.”

“I always felt there was a benefit to law enforcement,” he said.

Last year,

Leininger and Officer Roman Williams became certified trainers in Gracie Survival Tactics, a defensive tactics system for police adapted from Brazilian jiu-jitsu, as developed in the early 1900s by the Gracie family.

The program focuses on humane techniques for getting a combative person to the ground, gaining control and taking the person into custody.

According to the Gracie Survival Tactics webpage, the system’s “leverage-based techniques are less likely to cause serious injury to both the officer and arrestee.”

Phoennik said the training encourages mental confidence and physical discipline in officers.

“You don’t panic if you get into a situation with a combative person because you revert to your training,” he said.

In fall 2021, the department held a fourhour training session for all 23 officers, including the chief, at the SouthBridge EMS station in South Fayette.

This year, each officer is training for one hour every other month in jiu-jitsu techniques.

Sessions currently are held in a school district wrestling room but will move to the new police station once construction is complete along Hickory Grade Road.

Even with retirement on the horizon, police Sgt. Jeff Sgro, 53, said the training is worthwhile because it’s taught him he doesn’t necessarily have to fight with a

▲ South Fayette police Lt. John Leininger, foreground, snapped this group selfie after jiu-jitsu training at SouthBridge EMS last year. Officers, from left, are Sawyer Gray, Rebekah Schultz, Christian Ryan, Roman Williams, Mike Kuchta, Sgt. Bryan Monyak, Sgt. Collin Griffith, Dan Caputo and Sgt. Jeff Sgro.

moments, we don’t occasion; we fall to training.

combative person. Instead, he can use alternative techniques that aim to tire out the person until help arrives.

“This kind of training in our business is a lifesaver,” he said.

Officer Mike Blocher, 56, said he wishes he would have started the training 29 years ago, when he began his career. But he noted the newer officers will become proficient if they continue to train regularly.

The techniques, he said, help control combative people until backup arrives and provide tools to “hopefully control them without seeing all the stuff you see on television.”

“It’s something I think we should all know,” Blocher said. “It just looks so much better, and it’s a lot safer for everybody.”

Nick Walter, the newest police officer in South Fayette,

said the jiu-jitsu training is more concrete and focused than the mix of defensive tactics he learned at the police academy.

The more he practices the techniques, the less likely he will be to resort to using a stronger level of force, he said.

“The only way you’re going to learn something and really ingrain it into your mind and into your muscles is doing it over and over again, and I think that’s something I would like to see in the future,” Walter said.

“We can only benefit from continuing to do it.”

◀ South Fayette police officers Nick Walter, front right, and Rebekah Schultz, back right, practice pinning Alex Korkus, front, and James Jeffrey, back, as part of their Gracie Survival Tactics training. Instructors Lt. John Leininger, front left, and Roman Williams, standing, provide guidance.

“This kind of training in our business is a lifesaver.”

—Police Sgt. Jeff Sgro

Me & my shadow

At South Fayette Community Day in August, the South Fayette Township Library set up materials for children to experiment with light and shadows.

Children cast shadows with puppets and blocks, traced shadow shapes, enjoyed a shadow theater and followed StoryWalk® signs for the book "Moonbear's Shadow" by Frank Asch.

The activities, designed for ages 3 to 10, were supported in part by a $200 grant from Leap into Science, a national program developed by The Franklin Institute science museum in Philadelphia.

Library staff members Judy Dobies and Nicole Harding attended training for the program in the spring.

▼

The South Fayette Township Library raised nearly $13,000 during Love Your Library month in September.

Fundraisers included the fourth annual Beer for Books at Helicon Brewing in Oakdale. The event, sponsored by 16 organizations, drew more than 100 people for craft beer, food trucks and live music by the Dave Iglar Band.

A monthlong online raffle featured 32 prizes donated by local organizations, businesses and individuals.

The Friends of the South Fayette Township Library volunteer group spearheaded the efforts.

A portion of all money raised is being matched by the Jack Buncher Foundation as part of the countywide Love Your Library initiative to support community libraries.

▲ Library staff and guests at Beer for Books ▼ Dave Iglar Band at Helicon Brewing ▶ Friends of the Library

—Andrea Iglar

A toddler experiments with a shadow puppet.

Visitors to the library booth at Community Day trace shadow shapes to help observe how shadows change over the course of a day.

Children follow StoryWalk® signs.

Families watch a show in the shadow puppet theater. (Photos courtesy of the library)

Photos by Josh Milteer Photography and Daniel Thompson Photography

CONCERT IN THE PARK

Thanks for joining us at Fairview Park in July to enjoy music from South Fayette musicians, including band Soulful Femme and solo artist Brad Bendis

More than 2,500 guests attended Touch a Truck, presented by Kiddie Academy of South Fayette, at Fairview Park in July. Families explored big trucks and vehicles and enjoyed food, kids activities, music and fun!

South Fayette CitizenLink @SouthFayetteTownship @SouthFayetteTwp

South Fayette Township @SouthFayettePA South Fayette Township

MISSED

Trash & Recycling

Garbage is collected weekly and recycling every 2 weeks. Place at the curb by 6 AM on pickup day. If a holiday falls before pickup day, collection is delayed one day.

Do not bag recyclables. No glass in recycling bins.

Waste Management wm.com ◆ 1-800-866-4460

October

Thur. Oct. 27 & Fri. Oct. 28

Trash Collection

Nov.

Thurs. Nov. 3

Fri. Nov. 4

Trash Collection Recycling

Thurs. Nov. 10 Fri. Nov. 11

Trash Collection

Thurs. Nov. 17 Fri. Nov. 18

Trash Collection Recycling

Fri. Nov. 25 Sat. Nov. 26

Dec.

Thurs. Dec. 1 Fri. Dec. 2

Trash Collection Recycling Thurs. Dec. 8 Fri. Dec. 9

Trash Collection Thurs. Dec. 15 Fri. Dec. 16

Trash Collection Recycling Thurs. Dec. 22

Fri. Dec. 23

NO DELAY

Trash Collection

Thurs. Dec. 29

Fri. Dec. 30

NO DELAY

Trash Collection Recycling

Trash, Recycling & Reuse Info

Jan. 2023

Thurs. Jan. 5 Fri. Jan. 6

NO DELAY

Trash Collection Thurs. Jan. 12 Fri. Jan. 13

Trash Collection Recycling Thurs. Jan. 19 Fri. Jan. 20

Trash Collection Thurs. Jan. 26 Fri. Jan. 27

Trash Collection Recycling

Thurs. Feb. 2 Fri. Feb. 3

Trash Collection Glass

Permanent Drop-off Sites

Village Square Mall, 5000 Oxford Drive

Moon Township, 1115 Stevenson Mill Road

South Fayette Township

515 Millers Run Road, South Fayette PA 15064

412-221-8700

SouthFayettePA.com

Staff Directory

John M. Barrett, Township Manager

Administration

Peggy Patterson, Executive Assistant Shannen McKahan, Finance Officer Patrick J. Catena, Assistant Manager

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, Assistant Police

John Phoennik, Chief of Police Dana Korbe, Police Secretary Police Business Office: 412-221-2170 Emergency & Dispatch: 9-1-1

Public Works

Vitali Alexandrov, Director Dan Dernosek, Superintendent

Community Resources

South Fayette Township Library

Benjamin Hornfeck, 412-257-8660, SouthFayetteLibrary.org

South Fayette Area Senior Citizens Association Margie Smith, 412-221-3730, SouthFayettePA.com/seniors

South Fayette School District 412-221-4542, SouthFayette.org

Historical Society of South Fayette Township

Emily Brady, sfhistory3@aol.com, 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)

Jerry Brown, 412-257-5100, MATSF.net

Chambers of Commerce

South West: 412-221-4100, SouthWestCommunitiesChamber.org Pittsburgh Airport Area: 412-264-6270, PAACC.com

Volunteer Fire Departments in South Fayette

Cuddy, Fairview, Oak Ridge, Sturgeon: SouthFayettePA.com/fire